The Yin and Yang of Washingtons

This is a cute joke someone sent me. Being from Washington state, it's funnier for me. I have occasionally in my travels come across Americans who didn't even know there was a Washington state. They call the DC area Washington and that's the only Washington they know. I'll take Washington state over Washington DC any day.

God was missing for six days. Eventually, Michael, the archangel, found him resting on the seventh day.

He inquired, 'Where have you been?'

God smiled deeply and proudly pointed downwards through the clouds,' Look, Michael. Look what I've made.'

Archangel Michael looked puzzled, and said, 'What is it?' 'It's a planet,' replied God, 'and I've put Life on it. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a place to test Balance.'

'Balance?' inquired Michael, 'I'm still confused.'

God explained, pointing to different parts of earth. 'For example, Northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth, while southern Europe will be poor. Over here I've placed a continent of white people, and over there is a continent of black people. Balance in all things.'

God continued pointing to different countries. 'This one will be extremely hot, while this one will be very cold and covered in ice.'

The Archangel, impressed by God's work, then pointed to a land area and said, 'What's that one?'

'That's Washington State, the most glorious place on earth. There are beautiful mountains, rivers and streams, lakes, forests, hills, and plains. The people from Washington State are going to be handsome, modest, intelligent, and humorous, and they are going to travel the world. They will be extremely sociable, hardworking, high achieving and they will be known throughout the world as diplomats, carriers of peace, and producers of software.'

Michael gasped in wonder and admiration, but then asked, 'But what about balance, God? You said there would be balance.'

God smiled, 'There is another Washington . Wait till you see the idiots I put there.'

Sphere: Related Content

Why I Still Don't Have a Cell Phone

So I'm one of the 15% of Americans that don't have a cell phone. Apparently that 15% is comprised of children, the elderly, and those with bad credit. One report I read said half of the kids aged 8-14 have cell phones and the guesstimate is that will be at 80% in 3 years. I'm not elderly, a child, or credit challenged, so I guess we're just freaks.

Washington state had two cell phone-related laws go into effect this year. On January 1st, text messaging while driving became illegal. How any cop would actually ever see anyone texting while driving, I'm not sure. I watched an episode of Oprah where they discussed teens texting while driving. They hold the phone in one hand while they keep one hand on the wheel. They even drive stick shifts with their phone hand while texting. I'm not that coordinated. But apparently, neither are they. One teen defended her driving ability while texting though she had already had 3 accidents. They put her in a simulator that measured driving and could follow the driver's eye focus. She failed the test, but she was still adamant that she could drive while texting. Then they brought out another teen who had struck and killed a bicyclist while texting. Even his story and obvious mental anguish didn't deter the other teen's assuredness. She and others like her are unleashed all around us.

The second law went into effect July 1st and made talking on a handheld phone illegal as a secondary offense. That means you have to break another law like speeding before the cop can pull you over and cite you for it. I read in the local paper that in the first 3 weeks the law has been out, they have pulled over 295 folks that included the cell phone charge. 175 were ticketed, 113 verbal warnings, 7 written warnings. Apparently New Jersey had the same law and found no decrease in usage while driving and have now switched to a total ban on handheld phones while driving. Some of the studies I've read debate whether or not phones interfere while driving. I think I concur with one that said the phone does dramatically take attention from driving, but the manner of phone doesn't make a difference. Of course, what are they going to do? Ban talking while driving? I think removing the handheld is a good step though because fumbling with anything while driving can't be good.

Then I see reports again all over MSM the last few days on the cancer risks of cell phones. A local scientist at the University of Washington claims that when he first said there was a link to cancer years ago, the cell phone industry tried to get him fired from the university and started a smear campaign. I can believe it. There's a lot of moola to be made on cell phones and messing with a corporation's bottom line can get ugly. Not to mention all the avid users. When NYC tried to ban cell phones from the classrooms, it wasn't the teens that put up a stink, it was their parents. Anyway, the study I remember from about a decade ago that stuck with me said this. Handheld phones held at the correct angle from the head emit acceptable levels of radiation that allow them to pass federal safety inspections. But if you tilt them differently, then they went over. Yikes! Plus, some of the studies out of Europe, where they've had cell phone usage longer than us, seemed to show higher incidences of brain tumors. One of the posters on the Seattle PI's discussion board on cell phone radiation said she was a neurosurgical nurse. She noticed the docs weren't using cell phones regularly and when questioned, said they were concerned with what they'd seen and read with the studies. I figure a brain doc understands and has access to more studies than I can see and they don't like it either.

My husband works for a high tech company. Not only do all his coworkers have cell phones, they tend to run out and buy the latest and greatest whenever they're released. There were folks camping in line to get an iPhone when they came out, like the lines you saw for a Star Wars premier or tickets to a highly anticipated concert. When he's asked why he doesn't have one, I've told him to blame me. Yeah, the wife is worried about 'em and so we don't have them and you know how wives can be /wink wink. It seems to work to get them to understand his lack of cell phone geekdom. What I think is interesting though is every once in awhile someone will say 'yeah, these things can be leashes'. Amen to that. Sure you can send it to v-mail, but if you have a cell phone, folks expect fairly timely responses. Call my home answering machine and I might not get back to you until the next day because I was out and about and they understand that.

My sons are aged 9 and 7 and most of their cohorts have phones. I'm sure we'll be having multiple phone discussions at some point. But until then, we'll call ya when we call ya.

Sphere: Related Content

Pioneer Farm Museum and Ohop Indian Village

Today I took the boys to the Pioneer Farm Museum and Ohop Indian Village in Eatonville Washington. What a great trip it was!

The first 1.5 hour guided tour takes you into a few different cabins, a barn, and a blacksmith shop. Each of the stops is brimming with authentic paraphernalia from the late 1800s and early 1900s and is configured to replicate how the homesteads were configured. The bathrooms were even outhouses! The boys churned butter, ground corn meal, jumped into a pile of hay, fed the animals, shaved wood, the list is endless! They even had the opportunity to heat up a horseshoe in hot coals and then pound it on anvil. It was truly amazing!

The next 1.5 hour guided tour is through the various seasonal shelters and activities of the Salish people of this region. I was amazed at all that can be done with a cedar tree! We learned how they took the inner bark in order to craft all kinds of supplies and even clothes. Once a cedar tree has had some of its inner bark taken, it can not have its inner bark harvested again for 80 years or it will die. We have some cat tails growing in our upper pond and I discovered they are good eatin' when they are green! It would also take approximately 2 years to create a canoe. They would fall the cedars by caking mud a few feet off the ground around the tree. They would then start the tree bottom on fire and then chip away the burnt wood and reignite it. This worked to help them fell very large cedars that would have been too difficult to cut down with the tools they had. They would then leave the tree to 'rot' on the fallen side for one year and then come back to it and slowly chisel out the rot and fashion the canoe. Amazing! The boys got to shoot a bow, play Salish children games, feel the pelts of the animals native to the area, play various drums and make jewelry.

It was a fascinating place and we all had a great time. I took some great pics but unfortunately all of them have my children in it and I'm funny about posting their pics on the web. But here's the museum's website to see some of the sights. If you're ever in this neck of the woods, a great place to visit, especially if you have kids! I think the amount of work the pioneer and Salish children had to do that was mentioned repeatedly was a bonus. ;^P

Sphere: Related Content

Sharing Recipes

One of the things I wanted to start posting about on my blog when I restarted was recipes. I haven't done so yet, but I was just thinking this weekend that I should start!

I was just reading this morning's copy of the Seattle PI and the main article addresses vegan businesses. It lists like 10 businesses in the Seattle area that are either all vegan or have a lot of vegan options. When I was at Pike Place Market last time, we got a vegan muffin and cookie at one of the bakeries. I wanted to try it out to see if they were as yummy as they looked. Unfortunately, after a couple bites, I was looking longingly at the non-vegan bakery offerings in the glass case. Even the kids didn't like it and that says a lot. I understand the reasons some turn to veganism. I grew up in the midwest primarily and my Dad is definitely a meat and potatoes kind of guy. However, I love to eat foods from all over the world and some of the dishes don't have any meat in them. I'd rather eat that interspersed in my diet rather than try to make a soy bean taste like a steak or a piece of bacon.

Speaking of which. Have you heard of bacon salt? I haven't tried it yet, but one of our good friends in the neighborhood over says their neighbors are the founders. I hear their bacon salt is all the rage with our troops and I wish them the best of luck with their business!

Sphere: Related Content

Alleged Ex-Nazi Einsatzgruppe in the Seattle Area

From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
"The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking to revoke the citizenship of an 86-year-old Bellevue man and former restaurant host who, investigators say, worked with a Nazi mobile killing unit that murdered thousands of Jews, Gypsies and political dissidents during World War II."

The discussion around this seems to be either that we must prosecute and go after war criminals no matter what to why are we going after someone who is 86 years old when they appear to have lived a good life since then. Me, I think there is no statute of limitations on certain actions, no matter your age. I do wonder though why we don't go after more recent war criminals with as much zeal. The Sudanese government in collaboration with the Chinese government, the UN bureacracy of resolutions, and our limp US talk aren't stopping the genocide we have today. Never again, my arse.

Seattle PI story.
Seattle Times story.

Sphere: Related Content

AFK Awhile

I'll be gone for a few weeks visiting family in sunnier weather. I'm going to have to break out the sunblock! I loved this cartoon because we do get a lot of cloud cover here in Seattle. We were camping a few weekends a go with some friends at the beach. It was cloudy, yet we all came back red. We have sensitive Seattle skin yikes.

Here's a funny a friend sent me recently that I liked. I'll cya when I get back!

New Exercise Plan:

1. Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side.
2. With a 5-lb potato sack in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, and then relax. Each day you’ll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer.
3. After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato sacks.
4. Then try 50-lb potato sacks and then eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb potato sack in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute. (I’m at this level.)
5. After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each of the sacks.
   

Sphere: Related Content

My FareStart Evening

So I didn't drop anything... =)

I met some great folks, learned a lot and had a good time.

After arriving there, we were given about a half hour training on how to wait tables with their system. I think all of us volunteers were feeling just a wee bit intimidated and hoping we didn't screw up too badly. I don't think anyone did.

The original guest chef specializes in Japanese cuisine, but unfortunately had to cancel due to a death in the family. Another chef was kind enough to step in and he prepared a southern meal because "he was missing home". We had fried chicken, black-eyed peas, cheese grits, and corn bread. For dessert he made a puff pastry stuffed with sweet potato paste with a coca-cola reduction. A few of the guests were disappointed when they found out that the menu had changed, but they were all good sports.

At 7pm we had a brief graduation ceremony for the students graduating that week. All of them had jobs lined up in nice Seattle restaurants -woot!

I think the biggest learning experience for me was I realized I could never run a fine dining restaurant. At a table for 4, the tab for the meal and a few drinks would run a little over $200. At one of my tables, the party of 4 was having a good time and taking their time. So I have a captain that is a regular volunteer that oversees a few of us volunteers. She would assist us if needed as well. A few times she cleared dishes I would not have cleared and I realized it was in part my lack of experience, and part that they try to keep a clip going. A party of 8 arrived and they wanted to use one of my tables that was adjacent to another open table. This was the table where the folks took their time eating and stayed longer. It was hinted I should try to move them along. Yikes! I really felt like it would be rude so I just couldn't do it. I thought if they're dropping $220 I shouldn't rush them out in an hour. But the captain is a regular and she knows what can be done and what can't better than me. So, I would be out of business in no time LOL.

I also realize that there are those that drop that kind of money on a meal regularly. My husband and I were once given a $100 gift certificate to a fine dining restaurant in Seattle. We used it on our anniversary and still dropped another $120. Holy guacamole! We had ordered one appetizer to share, a dish apiece and a fairly inexpensive bottle of wine. As we were there, we noticed how crowded the place was. It is right on the water and all the folks with yachts can moor outside the restaurant and bop in for a meal. The meal was good but not particularly gourmet. My husband and I were dressed up fairly nice and most around us were dressed casually. It dawned on us during the meal that many of the folks eat there regularly as an equivalent to us dining at Red Robin. So my point is, when I see a $220 price tag, I'm thinking you can cop a squat, enjoy your meal while also talking to your dinner companion(s). But if you're used to those kind of price tags, then it's not particularly a special treat to be savored for a few hours. It's so interesting how where you are and where you come from really filters how you view the world around you.

Sphere: Related Content

FareStart

I'm volunteering as waitstaff at FareStart tonight. Hope I don't drop anything...

FareStart is a job training and placement program for homeless and disadvantaged individuals. Over the past 15 years, FareStart has provided opportunities for over 2,000 people to transform their lives, while also serving nearly 3 million meals to disadvantaged men, women, and children.

Sphere: Related Content

Squirrelman Update

I recently posted about a homeless man nicknamed Squirrelman that had built a treehouse in downtown Seattle. Today's paper shows that someone offered him a place to live in his RV in exchange for handyman work around her 80 acre property in the country. Not sure if I thought that would happen or not...

Sphere: Related Content

Republican William Ruckelshaus Endorses Obama

William D. Ruckelshaus, a lifelong Republican who lives in my neck of the woods came out today to endorse Obama for president.

From CNN: “Senator Obama’s ability to attract not only Democrats, but also Republicans and Independents, makes him uniquely qualified to build the broad coalitions needed to address our nation’s challenges,” said Ruckelshaus in a statement.

Wonder how the Republicans like them apples?

Sphere: Related Content

Geek Love

Bernie Peng reprogrammed the game Bejeweled so that it would propose to his girlfriend when she reached a certain score. I <3 it.

Sphere: Related Content

McDonald's Bus Ad Against Starbucks Coffee

I knew McDonald's was going to compete against Starbucks for the "premium" coffee market. Up to now I'd only seen similarities in look and naming.

I don't drink Starbucks or McDonald's coffee regularly. Starbucks only in a pinch once or twice a year while traveling and stuck in an airport. McDonald's occasionally if I buy a breakfast sandwich and it comes with it. Taste-wise, they both seem fine to my palate. I've only had a few cups of coffee in my life that I thought were truly special.

Anyway, I guess the intimation is over. Or at least I hadn't noticed if it was over earlier. I saw a city bus ad in big letters pronounce

$4 coffee is dumb

with a cup of McDonald's premium coffee offered as an alternative.

I don't know all of the business goings on of Starbucks. I've heard lots of local stuff saying it's going downhill to they're opening new stores constantly. What I do know is that to have McDonald's on your arse is like competing with Walmart.

Sphere: Related Content

Should He Stay or Should He Go

Squirrelman built a treehouse on Seattle public land. After living there for 2 years and expanding his abode with the assistance of some neighbors, the city is evicting him.

UPDATE 4/9:
The city gave him an extra week before he needs to move out of the tree. Someone donated a running RV to him. Now where to put the RV...

Sphere: Related Content

Dino Rossi - Campaign to Piss Me Off

Holy telemarketing politician Batman!

We are called daily by the Campaign for Dino Rossi. Once, it was twice in the same day. My husband would answer the phone and I would hear him say "sorry, not interested" and hang up. One of the times he tells them to please stop calling. So this time I answer the phone and it's them again.

The man starts his spiel "I'm calling on behalf of Dino Rossi..."

Me in a firm and slightly pissy voice - "Do you realize you have called us daily? Even when we've asked you not to call? Do you really think this is the way to get voters? By pissing us off? You even called us twice in one day once. If I had any question about voting for Dino Rossi, do you really think I'm liking him now?"

silence

The man - "Sorry, we're..."

Me - hang up

Haven't heard from his campaign for the last few days. Probably trying to lull me into thinking my tirade mattered.

I hate that even though I'm on the "Do Not Call" registry that they can still call me and in such an aggressive manner no less. Politicians already have web pages and TV time and ads, leave my phone alone.

Sphere: Related Content

Don't Like It

Regressive tax.
Negative rather than positive reinforcement.
Doesn't address multiple scenarios.

Ugh, I like being green - I use cloth bags, I recycle, I don't drive a big ass SUV, but this seems to be feel-good legislation that will cause more problems rather than help the environment really in my opinion.

Seattle Could Ban Foam Food Boxes

"Seattle would ban foam food containers and impose a 20-cent fee on both paper and plastic grocery bags under a first-of-its kind proposal announced Wednesday morning.
Restaurants would later be prohibited from using plastic containers unless they can be recycled or composted, under the plan to be unveiled by City Council President Richard Conlin and Mayor Greg Nickels.
The "green fee" would apply to disposable bags distributed at grocery, convenience and drug stores. The polystyrene foam ban would outlaw items such as plates, trays, "clamshells," cups, meat trays and egg cartons at stores and restaurants." read the rest...

Sphere: Related Content

UPDATE Seattle Political Billboards

My first post on this topic Seattle Remember 9/11 Billboard discussed a billboard put up by the Concerned Citizens for a Better America. Apparently this poster is still unknown as the CCfaBA organization out of California states it is not them who is posting the billboards. Here are some of the other billboards sprouting around Seattle:
"If you think healthcare is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free" PJ Rourke

"Universal Healthcare = Socialized Medicine
Univeral Healthcare will be compulsory
"There ain't no free lunch""

"I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle" Winston Churchill

Well I wasn't initially sure if the billboards were Republican or conservative in nature, but now it appears this person(s) does have that bent. It's causing quite a hullabaloo in Seattle, but this person(s) is paying for the billboards. We might not agree, but they have every right to speak their mind imho. The main problem is the hijacking of ownership by claiming they are from the Concerned Citizens for a Better America when they are not.
Other discussion on this topic here.

Sphere: Related Content

Seattle Remember 9/11 Billboard

From Monica Guzman's Big Blog on the Seattle Post Intelligencer's website:

"A new billboard recently went up near Western Avenue and Denny Way, about 100 feet from the Seattle P-I. Text along the bottom reads that it is paid for by Concerned Citizens for a Better America."

The debate on who might have put up the billboard (she hasn't been able to uncover who comprises the Concerned Citizens group yet) and the intent behind it is interesting. Most are making the assumption it is Republican in nature by using Rovian fear tactics. However, this billboard came up after our caucuses so it didn't affect that critical vote. It's a long while to November. Is it some first step of a campaign leading to November? Not sure what to make of it so far - will keep you posted.

When I participated in the Washington State Democratic Caucus recently, I was surprised that I met two folks who wanted to vote Democrat, but were very nervous from the Iraq War standpoint to do so. So there is some fear out there that a Democratic President will not keep us safe and that if we withdraw from Iraq, that a Democratic President will be doing it out of a social ideology rather than a political one. So though most folks seemed to be espousing they didn't think this billboard would affect a vote, perhaps that isn't such a sure thing.

Sphere: Related Content

WA State Pharmacies and Plan B

NARAL has put up a map showing all the Washington state pharmacies. By colored flag, it indicates which pharmacies 1. dispense Plan B 2. do not dispense Plan B 3. have at least one pharmacist on staff that refuses to dispense Plan B (but it is stocked at the store).

I like this site. My problem is with NARAL's messaging behind the purpose of this site. They want folks to go into those pharmacies and give them a hard time about not dispensing Plan B. To me, that's like saying go into a church and explain to the Christians why they should be atheists. I highly doubt anyone is going to change their minds and practices. Instead, it should be a tool to inform Plan B purchasers and for those of us that would boycott such a store. Under Washington law as it currently stands, and has been supported by the courts, pharmacists have the right to opt out if it goes against their religious ideals.

One thing of interest is some argue the burden placed on those in rural communities and possible limited access. I noticed that individuals living in Goldendale will have to drive 60 miles to get to a pharmacy that does dispense Plan B as the one and only pharmacy in their town doesn't. There are 4 main cities in all that I found folks will have to drive at least 25 miles out of their way to get the drug. So the good news in that is that most Washingtonians won't be too inconvenienced, but the argument that rural folks won't be limited isn't quite accurate.

Sphere: Related Content

Washington State Democratic Caucus

I went to my first caucus on Saturday at the local elementary school. I brought my 8-year old son along so that he too could experience it. My children and friends see me actively involved in politics. I find that especially important for my children. I often hear folks say they don't feel their one voice will make any difference and so they don't participate. I think they feel cynical and disheartened, and so it can be easy to forget that it the collective of our one voices that can effect change.

I didn't know how many folks would show up. Happy to report the turnout was fantastic! We exceeded the gym capacity of 600 so some precincts had to move to other areas of the school. I expected the format of the caucus to be debates, maybe a few short speeches, and voting. However, our precinct captain said folks could say something for about a minute. Wha? I'm afraid I hijacked the proceedings a bit for our precinct as I felt folks should be able to ask questions and speak their mind, within reason. We had 5 delegates for our precinct and the initial vote was 36 Obama, 16 Clinton, 4 undecided. So if the 4 undecided went to Clinton, we'd be sending 3 delegates for Obama and 2 for Clinton. My goal was to get the undecideds to go for Obama!

Some of the questions were interesting. A young woman of 23 said her main area of concern was jobs and who did everyone think would handle that better. I must say I didn't expect that to be a point of concern from a young woman and was pleased to see it. Another was concerned about national security. Everyone was concerned about the war.

One thing I did notice was that most of the 50+ year old crowd was for Clinton. The rest of us were for Obama. I've heard speculation on what that means, and we'll see how that all plays out. I also noticed that all the Clinton supporters gave her experience 'credit' for being the first lady of Arkansas and the US. I believe she did have experience in those areas, but I also believe that you can't give her the credit as if she were also President but in areas where Bill Clinton fell down, not give her those dings as well.

We were able to have one Clinton supporter change her vote to Obama and all the undecideds went to Obama. Hence, we sent 4 for Obama and 1 for Clinton. That ratio pretty much held in all the precincts and from what I saw on the state level as well.

I've heard some folks say the caucus methodology is terrible. There may be less votes cast overall versus a primary. However, the one thing I really enjoyed about the caucus was the ability to discuss politics openly with others, debate politics, and possibly even change minds. I feel it helps to mitigate media sound bites. Overall, I enjoyed the process and so did my son.

Sphere: Related Content