Ideals and Impossibilities

On this day

2006-01-24T12:08:00.000-08:00

in 1848, James Marshall discovered gold in California. Gold can still be found in the bottom of your pan there today.

The Talented Mr. Strong

2006-01-24T09:35:00.000-08:00

So here's my Superbowl take from Latte-Land.

To start it off, I am not a Seahawks fan. I have never really liked Mike Holmgren. I will never consider Matt Hasselbeck a Superbowl caliber quarterback. If it were soley about the QB's, I'd take Peyton 'Choke-in-the-big-ones' Manning over Hasselbeck any day.

I think that the Steelers will have a tough offensive day. All season, Seattle has had great success getting pressure while rushing three or four. I don't expect that to change. And I can't wait to see Lofa Tatupu and Bettis crack heads.

But the key to the game, to me, will be Mack Stron versus Troy Polamalu. Mack is the best blocking back in the game. He DOES NOT miss blocks. Troy is agile and quick enough to get blocked and still fuck up the play.

If Holmgren tries to block Troy with linemen (even the PBL members) or receivers, it's going to be short duty for the Seattle offense. Every running play needs to have Mack putting his hat on Troy. Other wise, Mr. MVP will be seeing a lot more no-gainers. On pass plays, I won't be surprised to see Mack staying in to pick up Porter or Troy on blitzes.

My pick for the game: Alexander out with another concussion and Roethlisberger out with a separated shoulder. After 12th Overtime, Holmgren and Cowher agree on a Superbowl Deathmatch. Seattle wins after Holmgren summons doppelganger and triple-teams Cowher with Craig Stadler and Andy Reid.

Too close to call.

Ready

2006-01-13T13:49:00.000-08:00

Something is stirring deep down (You! Out of the gutter). Like Ron, though for different reasons, I feel like I'm ready for something new. Working for the Lazy B is surprisingly boring. I've been here nearly 8 years and haven't used my engineering skill at all. Engineering judgement, slightly more.

Working here is definitely not fulfilling. No challenge, red tape, no expectation to perform. Management seems to always be focused on schedule and cost, never about quality in product or performance. So maybe it's time to get serious about moving.

I'd love to work here. I would, in all likelyhood, be able to keep my Top Secret clearance (major plus). The town is small and still affordable (major plus). The company is small and, for now, cutting edge (major plus). But I still don't get the feeling that I would be fulfilled.

I've also toyed with the idea of starting a company. I'm not sure I could pass the PE as I haven't ever done anything in mechanical design since college. I have system design skills...requirements development and management. I have system integration skills...integrating hydraulics, electronics, and structures. I have test skills...testing systems mentioned above. Sadly, at least in my head, those skills are only useful to large companies in large cities. (I'm sure most large companies agree with the Lazy B and assume anyone can be molded into possessing these skills, thus will not pay large sums of money to employ them.)

So basically I have no idea what "my company" would do. To steal and butcher from Bruce Willis in Armageddon, I want to get paid to sit around thinking shit up. I'm pretty good at it, though I can usually find flaws with my ideas. I'm pretty good at finding flaws in things too. It's made me an expert at functional audits.

And I hate cooking. So I can't start a restaurant with Ron, though my wife might want to...

In the Wilderness

2006-01-11T10:25:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, in her State of the State address, Governor Gregoire stated

I believe health care is a basic right and not a perk.

I have to disagree.

When I try to determine what is a right, I think of what I would have or be free to do if I was in the wilderness with no government or law to tell me or others what to do. I would have the right to protect myself. I would have the right to say or write what I pleased. I would be free to worship as I pleased. I would be free to associate with whomever I chose in all my dealings. My property would not be taken by others without just compensation, determined by me. I would be free to find food and water through whatever means, so long as I do not violate the property of others. I have the right to travel where I wish barring violating the property of others. I have the right to medicate myself with whatever pills, injections, concoctions, potions, herbs or plants I choose.

These are all rights that in some way have been limited or taken by the government.

Things others would be compelled to give to me do not fall into those categories. While I have the right to pursue food and water, no one is required to give it to me. If I cannot get it on my own I should starve. If I do not have a car, I shall ride a horse, or a cow, or an elk. If I cannot capture such a beast that is unowned, I shall walk. No one is required to provide me passage or mode. I would protect myself with a gun. If I cannot get a gun or ammunition, I shall use a rock. If a rock is not in reach, I shall use my hands. No one is required to protect me. If I don’t like the way you look or sound or smell or what god you worship, I shall not deal with you in any way. You are allowed to treat me the same way. I can make a poltice, or a splint, or find some nightshade to relieve the pain. No one is required or obligated to give me heal my wounds.

These are all "rights" granted by government.

I have no right to sustenance provided at the expense of others. I have no right to transportation or passage through the property of others. I have no right to protection. I have no right forcing you to deal with me. And to Mrs. Gregoire, I have no right to health care.

Finkbeiner misunderstands

2006-01-11T09:20:00.000-08:00

The Seattle Times praises State Senator Bill Finkbeiner for changing his position on the gay rights bill. Whatever. The thing that actually motivated me to blog today was a comment Senator Finkbeiner made on the John Carlson Show last night.

Finkbeiner said something to the effect of, "I tend to be a libertarian on personal and business issues." I think he misses, quite widely, one of the firm tennants of libertarianism. That being, that as an individual you have the right to associate, whether in personal dealings, business, financial, educationally, with whomever you wish.

What Finkbeiner says, in supporting the revision of the discrimination laws, is that if you own property, you cannot decide to whom to rent your property. If you own a business, you cannot decide who you hire. Your freedom of association is subjugated to a state mandated right of others to your business and property.

If Finkbeiner was truly "libertarian" on these issues, he would be pushing for the complete removal of the discrimination statute. If he was truly "libertarian" he would understand the difference of preventing the state from discriminating (clearly a violation of citizens rights) and preventing an individual from discriminating against whomever they choose(a Constitutionally protected right).

UPDATE Rhetorical: What happens in the case of a white supremecist rental owner and a Phillipino renter? The discrimination clearly protects the white supremecist's "creed" while also protecting the renter's race. Which takes precedence?

To the "Merry Christmas" Brigade

2005-12-16T13:11:00.000-08:00

Stop. And Think.

It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
"It came without packages, boxes or bags!"

"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store.
"Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"

Dr. Seuss and the Grinch got it. Why can't you?

Winter Rituals

2005-12-12T10:26:00.000-08:00

After perusing the local Christmas Tree (oops - Holiday Tree) lots, I realized that it just wasn't worth buying a tree. A nearby U-Cut Lot had 4 to 5 foot Noble Firs starting at just $43. For 9+ feet they wanted over $90. And the church lot wasn't any cheaper. 6 to 7 footers starting at $58.

But our wonderful Mount Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest trees are cheap. Any tree for a $10 fee. Up to 5 trees per vehicle.

We hit the Forest Service office at about 8:30 Saturday morning. They gave us our permit, a map, asked if we had chains, and told us to have fun. Had I known we'd be going to the top of a mountain (3980 feet after leaving I-90 at 1840 feet), I would have dressed better. Thankfully, I found a great tree. It made trudging through waist deep snow in hiking boots and jeans worth it. At one point I sunk down to my arm pits. I probably topped the tree something bad, but considering I cut below my knee in snow up to my nuts, I did better than most people.

By 11:30 I was finished tying down the evergreen and got to enjoy watching the idiots. "Four wheel drive" does not mean "drive anywhere you want" drive. And to the idiot in the OLD blue Jeep Cherokee, at least make sure your 4x4 works before you take on an unplowed road. Next time it'll save you an hour or so digging out.

How soon they forget

2005-12-09T13:46:00.000-08:00

SI.com forgets an interesting little bit while remembering Gino Torretta on their Heisman Bust List. The runner-up and clear choice that year, a sophomore running back from San Diego State University, Marshall Faulk.

Forty Yards and a Cloud of Memories

2005-12-09T11:20:00.000-08:00

I miss playing football. Watching it has never excited me...unless it's the '9er's in the Super Bowl. Flag football just isn't the same.

There's a certain feeling of invincibility you experience with a good set of pads on your shoulders. It's like being Superman, minus the heat vision. Staring through the facemask is like peering through the visor of a suit of armor. Most people that haven't done it wonder how one can see, but they don't realize that you actually see through it...Superman's X-Ray Vision. There's a comforting tightness to the pants with their thigh pads and knee pads. It's as if they hold in all the energy escaping your body and store it for you to use later. The sensation of lacing up is one you never forget and never quite experience again.

Memories of the field are a bit more fleeting. Like clips in an NFL film, only bits and pieces remain. Returning a punt 60 yards for a touchdown and the crestfallen weight upon seeing yellow on the grass. Nathan Roberson making one block that turned a 3 yard slant into a 70 yard touchdown. Joe Pett throwing JT Ball a hip fake on the three yard line and walking into the end zone. How Grant always managed to end up on the bottom of the pile with the funble in his hands. The tears in all our eyes, even Dad's, when we won the league championship.

In college, laying out for a ball everyone considered uncatchable and catching it...and the bruise from elbow to shoulder the next day. Covering the fastest guy on the team and not getting burned. At the RCA Dome, watching Tony Kohl knock the living crap out of a guy trying to catch a ball in the end zone. Kelly Ojalla, 6-2, 180, lighting up Stu Quaid, 5-5, 245, in practice. Nature runs. A jumble of game films composed into a highlight reel in my head.

I turn 30 this month. I haven't laced up since I was 18. It makes me sad.

Something I never knew

2005-12-08T13:10:00.000-08:00

The Navajo Night Chant:

With beauty before me, I walk.
With beauty behind me, I walk.
With beauty above me, I walk.
With beauty below me, I walk.
With beauty all around me, I walk.
In beauty it begins.
In beauty it ends.
Quietly I follow the way.

Thanks to Under the Ponderosa.

Behind the line

2005-12-08T10:39:00.000-08:00

I am completely convinced that if Jerome Harrison had gone to a non USC Pac-10 team, he'd be sitting at the Downtown Athletic Club. If he'd have gone to the reviled Notre Dame, SC might not be playing a bowl game at (adopted) home.

With this guy's line, he makes me think of all of Barry Sanders' years in Detroit. Hopefully he's below the radar enough to get picked by a team that can get some push.

Footsteps

2005-12-02T09:45:00.000-08:00

I think you hear me knockin' and I think I'm comin' in.

I seem to have found an answer to my own question

2005-11-30T09:45:00.000-08:00

From Foxnews, I've found another thought crime (entitled "Even Kids Know the Old Parsley-Pot Switcheroo"). The story states

A spokeswoman for the sheriff's office says it's a crime in Florida to claim that a substance is a drug.

Even if it is a drug? What if it is obviously not a drug? Will I go to jail if I claim that my shoe is a drug?

Meh.

What's Next?

2005-11-17T11:59:00.000-08:00

This guy got arrested for thinking the Holocaust didn't happen. I LOVE THOUGHTCRIME! I personally have no evidence that it did or didn't. Lacking any hard evidence, however, I do believe it happened.

But I'm curious what the next thoughtcrime will be. Global warming, evolution, taxes?

As Orwell rolls over in his grave, Galileo asks, "What are you in for?"

No Nerds, No Birds!

2005-11-15T16:21:00.000-08:00

Speea and Boeing have reached tentative agreement on new contract language. Still waiting to see what that language is...

I will, of course, be voting exactly opposite of whatever direction Speea suggests.

UPDATE: PR Newswire has details before the company or union release them to us lowlifes.

Fun with Tax Numbers

2005-11-15T12:04:00.000-08:00

I clicked on one of Blogger's "Blogs of Note" and found Citizens for Tax Justice. I knew right away that it was a liberal blog, but nothing much really fried me until I found this post, the 2003 analysis to be specific. It makes claims such as

This explosion in debt is a burden on all Americans. Over the six years, Bush’s policies will impose an average of just over $13,000 in additional debt on each man, woman and child in America—or more than $52,000 in added debt per family of four.

So I combined their raw numbers with some from The Tax Foundation.

The CTJ numbers lead one to believe that every "man, woman, and child" will have to pony up this money and that "all Americans" will bear the weight of this debt. In truth, the IRS received about 127.5 million returns with 42 million reporting no taxes owed.

[T]he rest of us will pay dearly for those upper-income tax cuts, as we confront
our share of the giant debt that Bush is building up.

From the Tax Foundation's wonderful report (its a pdf), the top two quintiles of Americans pay 91.7 percent of the income tax. They're rich of course. They should pay more. Did you know, however, that the bottom of the second highest quintile starts at $42,617? Here in King County, Washington, the median family income is over $66,000. I guess that means we're all rich here. The truth of the matter is we're all rich as far as the IRS is concerned.

As for the "giant debt" that "the rest of us will pay dearly for" again see the Tax Foundation Report. After running the numbers, each income tax filer in the lowest 20% of earners carries a burden of $298.04. Second and third lowest quintiles come in at $3278.43 and $8792.16. Bad, but not even close to the doom intimated by the CJT. The second highest quintile works out to $19074.51. While the highest quintile reaches $117576.47.

For comparison, the lowest 20% earns between $0 and $14280 per year. Second falls between $14280 and $25757. Third is between $25757 and $42617. The second highest falls between $42617 and $71028, while the highest is $71028 and above.

So, following the math, those poor people making less than $42617 a year do have it bad. They're responsible for as much as 23% of their income to pay off their share of the debt. I feel bad for them, I really do. Especially when I see that the hardest hit are those making just over $14280 paying 23%.

Of course I won't point out that those making just over $71028 are responsible for 165% of their income to pay their share of the debt. They're rich. Screw 'em.

Send a shout out with Scotty

2005-11-15T09:38:00.000-08:00

You can now send a message along with James Doohan aka Scotty when his ashes get blasted into space. If you feel like giving him one last Vulcan greeting go here.

I suck yet again

2005-11-15T09:36:00.000-08:00

Just found out that Stephen Hawking is in Seattle at the Paramount tomorrow. SOLD OUT! Found tickets on Craigslist for $250, but have wife and child to feed. This is way worse than when I missed Bruce Campbell.

Han Solo Meets Godzilla

2005-11-11T13:06:00.000-08:00

Does anyone else think the newly discovered 'Godzilla' is slightly reminiscent of the space slug that the Millennium Falcon almost got eaten by in Empire?

ANWR Antics Part Deux

2005-11-10T12:45:00.000-08:00

Back in March I did a post on Maria Cantwell's "attempt" to stop drilling in ANWR. Basically she proposed an amendment that didn't really do anything to prevent the drilling. She only proposed to eliminate a section requiring the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources to reduce their outlays. It never touched the section authorizing drilling in ANWR.

Again, the Seattle P-I is giving her kudos for proposing an amendment that wouldn't necessarily stop drilling in ANWR.

If you can get past the legal mumbo-jumbo, you can see the big hole that still allows drilling. The amendment to Section 401 states in Section (2) subparagraph (B) that if the State of Alaska files suit under subparagraph (A), until a non-appealable order is issued by the courts that no production or effort to begin production of oil in ANWR is allowed.

Subparagraph (A) states that the suit blocking ANWR production must involve increasing the percentage of revenues from adjusted bonus, rental, and royalty from the oil and gas leasing and operations.

Section (2)(b) also states that if the court rules to increase that percentage going to the State of Alaska, no production or effort to begin production of oil in ANWR is allowed.

This amendment did not alter in any way the manner in whick the revenues were laid out as you can see from the original document (see page 6 lines 4 through 11).

Again Maria leaves a pretty big out. If Alaska chooses not file suit regarding the percentages, drilling can commence. Should Alaska file suit and the court rule against and increase, drilling can commence. Won't see that in the MSM...

A true effort to stop drilling in ANWR would have called for deletion of all of Section 401. But this time, as last, you won't hear that. Even from the Defenders of Wildlife.

Go West Young Man

2005-11-07T12:18:00.000-08:00

Two hundred years ago today, Lewis and Clark reached the Pacific. Note that 'Ocian' was how Captain William Clark spelled 'Ocean' despite what it says on your shiny new nickel.

A Rant on Being "Tired"

2005-11-02T10:56:00.000-08:00

I hate hearing people say, “I’m SOOO tired!” Fuck off. You have no idea what tired is. I have Sleep Apnea. I figure I’ve had it for about ten years. Based on my test results, I was waking up about fifty times an hour. I was waking up EVERY MINUTE AND TWELVE SECONDS every night. You don’t know tired. Whaaaaaaaaa, you only got four hours of sleep. Congradulations. I wish I got that much.

In addition to Sleep Apnea, I have Narcolepsy. Basically it means my sleep cycles are all fucked up making me tired all day. Instead of a steady period of low restful non-REM rest, my brain goes straight into REM. Most people’s brain and body get about four hours of rest before REM kicks in. I get as little as twenty minutes. So instead of my body and my brain resting together, my body rests while my brain goes crazy. As a result, both my physical rest and mental rest during sleep are degraded.

My dreams are extremely vivid. I easily and frequently read things in my dreams, while most people don’t. I always dream in color, and often experience physical sensations such as the banking of an airplane, feeling the wind or rain, and bumps in the road. I always remember my dreams in the morning and usually recall bits and pieces days afterward.

To give you a sense of how chronically tired I am, I’ll give you the results of my Nap Study for my Narcolepsy. I had a full night’s sleep (actually about 8.5 hours) with a CPAP to negate the effects of the Sleep Apnea. About 3 hours after waking I was instructed to take a nap. In five minutes I was asleep and was awakened by the attendant after about twenty minutes. Two and a half hours later I was told it was time for another nap. Six and a half minutes later I was asleep. Again I was woken up after about twenty minutes. About three hours later it was time for another nap. At this point I’ve had plenty of sleep during the night and two comfy twenty minute naps. I’m not going to fall asleep again…Asleep in four and a half minutes. Twenty minutes of sleep and another two and a half for a fourth nap time. Again five minutes to fall asleep.

Four naps averaging 5 minutes and 15 seconds to fall asleep. For comparison, a “normal” person usually won’t fall asleep at all for the fourth nap. And for the other three, “normal” typically average about 17 minutes to fall asleep (the techs stop the attempt between 20 and 30 minutes).

Lately, I’ve also been having bouts of insomnia. So instead of 6.5 or 7 hours of fucked up, crappy sleep I’ve been getting 4 to 5 hours.

It could be worse. I could have cataplexy accompanying my Narcolepsy. I don’t know how those poor people even function.

So next time you “feel tired” remember this and think about how good you’ve got it.

Joining the 21st Century

2005-10-20T09:47:00.000-07:00

So I've grown quite tired of regular radio in the car. So what do I do? Swap out the current head unit for one with an MP3/CD unit? Buy an iPod and an adapter? XM? Sirius?

The chances of me actually spending money on a new head unit are nil. That one's out.

I wouldn't likely spend more on an iPod than the cost of a Shuffle. I don't have an extensive music collection to fill it with. The likelyhood of me finding 120 songs that I enjoy enough to pay for is slim. And a trip to my parents would put me through those 120 songs rather quickly. By the time I reached Bend, I'd be near the end. The 1GB Shuffle has twice the storage, but I'm even less likely to find 240 songs I'd pay for. 1000 songs on the Nano is an impossiblity.

From what I hear and read about XM and Sirius, I don't even know if I want to go with either of them. It seems that XM's selection is not as good as Sirius. They both seem to have coverage problems. I know that XM's satellites are geosynchronous and that they use terrestrial repeaters. I'll probably lose coverage on major sections of my long drives, and even my commute to work. Unfortunately those blind spots will coincide precisely with where I lose normal radio. Sirius has three birds in higher orbits, but many people still complain about losing signal.

Can't decide. Any recommendations? Or should I just stick to static?

Damn Comment Spammers

2005-10-18T13:27:00.000-07:00

Word Verification is now turned on. Tired of hearing about Private Road Construction from Linda Johnson.

While I'm slightly on the topic of Atlas Shrugged

2005-10-18T11:50:00.000-07:00

I find this from Illinois Democratic Congressman Rahm Emmanuel on "Meet the (Unim)press(ed)"

"...we create an institute on science and technology that builds for America like the National Institutes has done for health care..."

Can anyone say "State Science Institute"?

Hat tip to Rosenblog.

I will stop the motor of the world

2005-10-18T10:03:00.000-07:00

In a letter called 'Tearing us apart', Jonathan Kallay got my temperature up a bit. Well, not really the letter, but his blog.

Kallay derides Mr. Na's Op/Ed for straw men and red herrings. But Jonathan never really addresses the issue of whether or not global taxation has merit or not. He does, however, make it clear on his blog.

After reading his post 'Thoughts on Global Taxation', I was going to just explode and then read 'Atlas Shrugged' again, but instead, I'm going to take Mr. Kallay's side.

In my full support of his support of wealth redistribution, I demand Mr. Kallay sell his new condo in downtown Seattle and split the profits with me so that I can also have the opportunity to own a home. After all, it's an issue of fairness. Why should he own a home when I don't? I am older than he is. I've been in the workforce longer than he has. My highschool personal finance teacher never taught about personal finance. When I was young I had to go to my grandmother's house to bathe since sometimes our well went dry. All of these hardships make wealth distribution sound great to me!

Mr. Kallay, I'll be expecting my check.

In honor of Dale

2005-09-30T09:59:00.000-07:00

Since Dale has decided to join the 21st Century (though we all know it was for the free movie), I have decided to be a conforming nonconformist and get a Flickr account. Much more functional than my old PBase account.

They called him World

2005-09-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

A man so great a town renamed itself in honor of him.

16

A man so strong he could stop streaks of light in their tracks.

42

A man descended from the Prophet.

8

And World, the Greatest of All Time.

My stance on the Katrina aftermath

2005-09-05T00:57:00.000-07:00

I was going to respond to the comment of "Jeff Jenson" in the comments, but I have too much to say. (Why I bother responding to a person that has two ficticious blogs in his profile is beyond me, but...)

I'm not going to jump on the "Blame Bush" bandwagon. As a libertarian, my stance should pretty obvious, and the facts seem to support it. Government at every level has failed the people of the Mississippi Delta. City, Parish/County, State, and Federal. W is really no more to blame for the current chaos than is the Mayor of New Orleans.

In America, we have grown much too accustomed to thinking that FedGov or StateGov will save us. This situation has shown that reasoning like that is falacious. The state and city knew this was a possibility since 2001 when simulations predicted it. How is Bush any more responsible?

The Mayor and the Governor knew it was coming. Why did they not have every bus, train, and airplane in the vicinity loaded with people? Because Government can not save us!

When Mount Rainier goes, I do not expect the Coast Guard, or the Air Force Reserves or King County Emergency Services to get me and my family out. The ones doing that is going to be me and my family.

HA!!

2005-09-01T22:54:00.000-07:00

I'm first to update Ron's Link!!!!

Chapping my hide

2005-08-30T22:24:00.000-07:00

Main stream media sucks. This is CNN. Hundreds feared dead. Perhaps a million homeless. Eighty percent of the state of Mississippi without power. The Big Easy under water. We now bring you more on the Natalie Holloway disappearance. Stay tuned.

Fucking pricks.

Provigil is the SHIT!

2005-08-12T01:04:00.000-07:00

Finally got my narcolepsy meds. Took half a pill on the way into work and half at lunch per Doc Bains orders. 1AM, still wide awake. Who needs sleep?!?

(long sad exhale)

2005-08-03T12:43:00.000-07:00

Shit like this just makes me want to curl up on the couch and hang on to my wife and son until the end comes.

Ron, this may hurt a little bit

2005-07-31T22:47:00.000-07:00

Ron is infinitely more complex than I ever imagined. Yet at the same time, he is infinitely less complex than I ever imagined.

My constant mission at Grant's wedding reception was, "When can I get another drink?" Ron was avoiding Filipinos, hitting on every unavailable woman present, avoiding skunks and available women, and throwing cantalopes.

I don't think Ron ever really had a childhood. Now, in adulthood, he can't decide between trying to reclaim that lost childhood or really entering the world of the grownups. But here's a hint for you, Diggity, none of us really knows what the fuck is going on. Grant and Dale may seem to have it all together, but they don't. I'm absolutely certain that I don't.

One of the inside jokes at the wedding was that Ron was in love with three people at the wedding, two of which were completely unattainable. The third was himself. But I don't think that's true. I'm not convinced that Ron is in love with any of the three, and probably least of all himself.

Ron, you are way more intelligent than I am. You are impressively successful. You are a great guy. When you finally realize that it is OK to love yourself, the women will come. That chick at the bar was an empty dustjacket in a library full of earthshattering novels. Deep down you knew that. Once you stop believing that you are an empty dustjacket, more readers will start picking you up.

Another day, another half a billion dollars

2005-07-26T11:03:00.000-07:00

G-Freak reminds me that it did choke up a bit this morning after I was sure Discovery was passed +73.618. I remember watching Challenger go that morning in school.

When Columbia went, weird things happended. About thirty minutes after confirmation, Mormons showed up at my door. Having friends working on Shuttle and Station in Houston, I was busily getting in touch with them to see how they were dealing. No time for visitors...I told the boys it was a bad time. I told one of them to go call his father. His dad works for Thiokol.

Here in Seattle, we have candle-light vigils when a dog gets run over. I went to the Museum of Flight and found no one and nothing. The guard told me there wouldn't be as there was a "private event" that night.

A few weeks later I was in Houston for work. The mass of balloons, cards, and photos at the gate was heartbreaking. A church in Houston I had attended only a few weeks prior to the launch was where some of the Astronauts went. Mission patches were selling on Ebay for over $100. I bought three at the museum for $4.25 each. I didn't sell mine. I even found a Challenger patch.

Not to dwell on the bad stuff, by far my best memory of Shuttles and space was actually seeing a launch. Absolutely indescribable...so I won't try.

The End of Moosefest

2005-07-22T14:21:00.000-07:00

They're calling it quits in Cicely, aka Roslyn, WA. Seems there aren't enough fans coming to remember "Northern Exposure" anymore. For tiny towns in America that have been home to television shows, this forty mile stretch between North Bend and Roslyn is probably the cult capital. It would be great if someone could create some sort of festival uniting the two, though I doubt the audiences have too much in common. I'd do it, but I'm lazy...and not a huge fan of either show...

80's music

2005-07-22T13:52:00.000-07:00

Only scored an 86.5. My memory is fading with age...or I need to watch more VH1.

hattip to Miss Reagan who I found through random tapping on the "Next Blog" button.

Why not stay here?

2005-07-21T12:40:00.000-07:00

You know that hotel in Dubai you always see on the travel channel? To improve my geek score, I found it on Google Maps...

Ad astra per aspera

2005-07-20T09:24:00.000-07:00

Scotty fought Krauts in real life and Klingons on TV. The final curtain has been drawn by a tiny bacteria. Gentlemen, may the wind be at our backs. Stations please.

Google tips its hat to us aerospace geeks

2005-07-20T09:10:00.000-07:00

Very cool moon map from Google. Zoom all the way in for what the moon really looks like. So much for green.

I am a Simple Geek

2005-07-18T15:16:00.000-07:00

Here's me:

The Simple Geek
You answered 70% of the questions as a geek truly would.
You don't seem to sway in either direction, however you still seem to have some latent geek attributes within you. Maybe you're interested in computers but not a gamer? Maybe you've got geek hobbies but none of the awkward social tendencies. You may be slightly geekier than you thought and in denial!
The simple geek usually has various quirks that friends may make fun of, but in general can be considered a fairly normal person. Your geek attributes make you less likely to conform to society. The popular kids don't hate you but the geeks don't either, so it's a respectable demographic.

In a nutshell, you answered enough questions with geek tendencies and enough questions without geek tendencies that it's difficult to pinpoint your exact alignment.

I expect a full 80% of men on Grant's side of the aisle to meet or exceed that number.

Childhood fun

2005-06-30T11:21:00.000-07:00

Reason got me all nostalgic with this link to a review of the Sesame Street Discography. Sadly, since Elmo became the SS major marketing focus, it has become a test of endurance to deal with Sesame Street. With all the wonderful characters on Sesame Street, why in the world do they choose the monster with the speech impediment, hyperactivity, and hypoglycemia to be their face in the world? Do you know how hard it is to find a Big Bird doll, or Bert and Ernie? It's nearly impossible to find Oscar. I hadn't seen a Snuffleupagus for years until last week (and it was only a balloon). Thankfully, Cookie Monster is making a bit of a comeback. Though no more 'C is for Cookie!'

For a trip back to your childhood check out Progressive Boink's 25 favorite Sesame Street Memories. This is great and includes downloads (probably illegal now) of the Martians, the Twelve Song, and the Teeny Little Super Guy Song. The only thing missing is Rubber Ducky.

The funniest thing I've seen in a while

2005-06-29T13:03:00.000-07:00

From Idiot Circus Boy.

Tom Cruise is a Sith.

Lies, Damn Lies, and MIT Statistics

2005-06-29T11:05:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Brian B @ Memento Moron, comes this:

Since it's MIT, I don't expect you Tech guys to participate. :)

I am one...

2005-06-28T18:33:00.000-07:00

...of the 40 million. Just found out today. According to Mastercard's news release, they

...immediately notified its customer banks of specific card accounts that may have been subject to compromise so they can take the appropriate measures to protect their cardholders.

Well isn't that peachy when my bank then takes eleven days to notify me.

I already hate credit cards. I only have one, and that is my corporate card. I would, however, find it exceedingly difficult to exist without my Debit-Mastercard. After this, though, I'm considering going all cash.

DAMN IT!

2005-06-28T10:39:00.000-07:00

Bruce Campbell was here yesterday and I MISSED IT! I am a total fuck-up sometimes.

Just can't shake it

2005-06-26T01:46:00.000-07:00

I'm up again in the middle of the night, thinking about the ramifications of Kelo v New London.

An interesting one popped into my head today. If 'economic development' is now defined as a public use, what about 'environmental protection'? The government has taken land through environmental regulation for years through stream buffers and set-backs. But take it a step further.

Mayor Nickels of Seattle has signed on to the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. The agreement includes language regarding "efficient motor vehicles" among its provisions.

If 'environmental protection' meets the same standard that 'economic development' does, what will stop Mayor Nickles, or any of the other 165 mayors, from seizing your vehicle?

I'm sure I'm just overreacting...

With Blood on Their Hands

2005-06-25T01:37:00.000-07:00

Kelo v. New London is keeping me up nights. My little brother and his fiance are considering buying a house and some land in New Mexico. My parents have a large cattle ranch in Southern Oregon.

But the real cause of my sleeplessness is the fact that, quite soon, Justices Stevens, Kennedy, Souter, Ginsberg, and Breyer will have blood on their hands.

It probably won't happen in Freeport, Texas, but it might well happen in New London. William Von Winkle says

I'm not going anywhere. I'm here. I'm going to fight until they give up. They can do their little development around here with us here or they can do no development and try to take it, because until they stop trying to take my property by eminent domain, they will not build anything at Fort Trumbull. It's simple as that.

Sadly, it is only a matter of time until someone stands armed and ready to defend their property to the death. And when that time comes, someone will die. The media will declare him a "property rights" fundamentalist. Yes, with the property rights in quotation marks. It's already started (Read the NY Times editorial regarding the SCOTUS decision, full text here).

Condoleezza Rice says that the African Union should speak out "against these outrages" when President Mugabe evicts people in Zimbabwe, but what does the Executive Office have to say about Thursday's decision? So far only this from White House Press Press Secretary Scot McClellan:

First of all, on the Supreme Court decision from yesterday, we were not a party to that case. The President has always been a strong supporter of private property rights. Obviously, we have to respect the decisions of the Supreme Court, and we do.

President Bush should say, "Stevens has made his decision, now let him enforce it!" Instead, they "respect" what the Supreme Court has done.

I forsee a time soon upon us where the words of Thomas Jefferson will be fulfilled.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

Our Fathers weep for their misguided children.

Constitutional Deadpool

2005-06-25T01:03:00.000-07:00

My fellow HWTR blogger, Brian B, in association with some of his friends have started a new blog in celebration of Kelo v. New London. It is called Constitutional Death Pool. For what it's all about, and your chance to win...well adulation and adoration, see this post. Little brother, you can have some fun while you consider disturbing thoughts.

How do you know which wallet belongs to Justice Thomas?

2005-06-23T12:11:00.000-07:00

Today, the Supreeeeeeeeeme Court ruled that government can take your property for whatever the hell it wants. From CNN today,

The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that local governments may seize people's homes and businesses -- even against their will -- for private economic development.
As a result, cities have wide power to bulldoze residences for projects such as shopping malls and hotel complexes to generate tax revenue.

The Institute for Justice gives an abbreviated description of the case:

In 1998, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer built a plant next to Fort Trumbull and the City determined that someone else could make better use of the land than the Fort Trumbull residents. The City handed over its power of eminent domain—the ability to take private property for public use—to the New London Development Corporation (NLDC), a private body, to take the entire neighborhood for private development.

In regards to her dissent, the AP article says

Justice Sandra Day O'Connor…issued a stinging dissent.

Continue on...
Some choice excerpt from her dissent include

Under the banner of economic development, all private property is now vulnerable to being taken and transferred to another private owner, so long as it might be upgraded–i.e., given to an owner who will use it in a way that the legislature deems more beneficial to the public–in the process.

In moving away from our decisions sanctioning the condemnation of harmful property use, the Court today significantly expands the meaning of public use. It holds that the sovereign may take private property currently put to ordinary private use, and give it over for new, ordinary private use, so long as the new use is predicted to generate some secondary benefit for the public–such as increased tax revenue, more jobs, maybe even aesthetic pleasure…Thus, if predicted (or even guaranteed) positive side-effects are enough to render transfer from one private party to another constitutional, then the words “for public use” do not realistically exclude any takings, and thus do not exert any constraint on the eminent domain power.

The specter of condemnation hangs over all property. Nothing is to prevent the State from replacing any Motel 6 with a Ritz-Carlton, any home with a shopping mall, or any farm with a factory.

If legislative prognostications about the secondary public benefits of a new use can legitimate a taking, there is nothing in the Court’s rule or in Justice Kennedy’s gloss on that rule to prohibit property transfers generated with less care, that are less comprehensive, that happen to result from less elaborate process, whose only projected advantage is the incidence of higher taxes, or that hope to transform an already prosperous city into an even more prosperous one.

Today nearly all real property is susceptible to condemnation on the Court’s theory. In the prescient words of a dissenter from the infamous decision in Poletown, “[n]ow that we have authorized local legislative bodies to decide that a different commercial or industrial use of property will produce greater public benefits than its present use, no homeowner’s, merchant’s or manufacturer’s property, however productive or valuable to its owner, is immune from condemnation for the benefit of other private interests that will put it to a ‘higher’ use.”

But the truly scathing dissent comes from Justice Thomas

If such “economic development” takings are for a “public use,” any taking is, and the Court has erased the Public Use Clause from our Constitution…

Justice Thomas puts some sting into it with this

Today’s decision is simply the latest in a string of our cases construing the Public Use Clause to be a virtual nullity, without the slightest nod to its original meaning.

Much to my enjoyment, Thomas continues to define himself as a strict Constitutionalist. And he’s not afraid to show his love for Original Intent.

Tellingly, the phrase “public use” contrasts with the very different phrase “general Welfare” used elsewhere in the Constitution. (“Congress shall have Power To … provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States”); preamble (Constitution established “to promote the general Welfare”). The Framers would have used some such broader term if they had meant the Public Use Clause to have a similarly sweeping scope.

He then takes SCOTUS to task for the ambiguity of this ruling in relation to others.

The Court has elsewhere recognized “the overriding respect for the sanctity of the home that has been embedded in our traditions since the origins of the Republic,” Payton, supra, at 601, when the issue is only whether the government may search a home. Yet today the Court tells us that we are not to “second-guess the City’s considered judgments,” ante, at 18, when the issue is, instead, whether the government may take the infinitely more intrusive step of tearing down petitioners’ homes. Something has gone seriously awry with this Court’s interpretation of the Constitution.

Justice Thomas then opens a can (whoop-ass, not Coke) and almost literally asks if those in the majority opinion are trying to gut the Constitution.

It is far easier to analyze whether the government owns or the public has a legal right to use the taken property than to ask whether the taking has a “purely private purpose”—unless the Court means to eliminate public use scrutiny of takings entirely. Obliterating a provision of the Constitution, of course, guarantees that it will not be misapplied.

To finish his lashing of the rest of the court, he closes by suggesting a review of all previous takings cases.

For all these reasons, I would revisit our Public Use Clause cases and consider returning to the original meaning of the Public Use Clause: that the government may take property only if it actually uses or gives the public a legal right to use the property.

Justice Thomas is leaving no doubt as to his understanding of the Constitution. And it is a beautiful thing. He’s also leaving no doubt about his opinion of some of his fellow bench mates. The more I read the decisions of Justice Thomas, the more I hope he becomes Chief Justice after the departure of Rehnquist.

To answer the question in the title, it's the one that says Bad Motherfucker.
Crossposted @ HWTR

Since when?

2005-06-23T10:16:00.000-07:00

Since when is the Constitution a document intended to specifically deny rights to people? I really don't agree with flag burning, however, I do not consider it a constitutional crisis.

As I briefly mention in an earlier post, Constitutional Amendments limiting the rights of people are always failures. The Eighteenth Amendment is, of course, the shining example. The 'three-fifths' section of Article I is an example where the Constitution itself was used to limit the rights of people. This, also, was struck down.

I used to think that Republicans were less dangerous to our freedoms than Democrats. But this second attempt to use the Constitution as a stick against the people is starting to make me think they're just as bad.

Mental Health for Lindsey Herrell

2005-06-22T08:40:00.000-07:00

Ms. Herrell derides Sally Pipes' guest column in the Seattle P-I warning of the dangers of socialized medicine, saying that

Your readers should be aware of the unfair and unproved criticisms of health care in other nations as espoused by Pipes at profit-only motivated organizations such as the Washington Policy Center.

A fact for Ms. Herrell: The Washington Policy Center is a NON-PROFIT 501(c)(3) corporation.

Sounds like readers should also be aware of "unfair and unproved criticisms" espoused by Ms. Herrell.

Ron's Tattoo

2005-06-20T10:03:00.000-07:00

Ron,

If you're really serious about that tattoo, try something like this. Only a few minutes of doodling. Tweak to suit your tastes.

The logic of the Supreme Court on Pot

2005-06-09T15:26:00.000-07:00

This is by far the best explanation of the logic used by the Supreeeeeeem Court this week. For those of you who have opted for the Montana Shack, anything that has the potential to be sold or transported across state lines now apparently falls under regulation of the Interstate Commerce Clause.

As for the rest of the blog...entertaining, but not to my particular tastes.

It has already started

2005-05-27T08:48:00.000-07:00

I was right in my biodiesel post. According to a CNN story, soybean farmers in Brazil are already destroying Amazon rainforests.

[Survival International] blame a lack of political will and a powerful lobby of cattle ranchers and soybean farmers for fueling deforestation and threatening Brazil's 700,000 Indians.

Based on what it would take to convert just the US to all soy based fuels, expect much more of this.

Developers and Enviros get cozy

2005-05-20T11:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, to much media fanfare (here and here), the Cascade Land Conservancy announced its 100 year plan for preserving forests and farmlands in Washington. Strangely, as of this writing, the CLC’s website is silent regarding the plan.

The CLC talks an awful lot about how cooperative and collaborative it is. Sadly, on its Board of Directors and Advisors, something is missing. Not one person is listed as farmer, or rancher, or forest owner, or citizen. Their list of names fall into fairly specific groups. There are the environmental interests (Washington Conservation Voters, Open Space Advocates), developers (Quadrant, Graysmith Landscape Architects) and government (Washington State Department of Transportation, US Forest Service). Organizations like this will only make it harder for regular citizen land owners to choose how to use their land.

Continue on...
It seems that environmentalists have realized that they can’t stop development, so they might as well get in on the game. If you’ve tried to build a home on your own property in the last ten years, you know how time consuming and expensive it is to get approval to start construction. Zoning, environmental, and building regulations can push projects out years. Yet companies like Quadrant are able to start new developments all the time. Large developers and government regulators have been cozy for a long time.

We all know that organizations like the Sierra Club spend most of their money on staff and recruiting, rather than saving the world. They also spend a good amount on lobbying efforts, but don’t often actually go get their hands dirty.

Organizations like the Cascade Land Conservancy have double benefit for these groups. First, they have the ability to stand up and say they’re actually contributing to saving something. Secondly, and more disturbingly, the arrangement gives environmental groups easy access to cash.

For instance, the CLC bought 100 acres adjacent to Northwest Trek. The land was then acquired by NW Trek from the CLC in 2005. The $1.4 million purchase was funded in part by a grant of $850,000 from the Pierce County Conservation Futures. The PCCF is funded by a 6.25 cents per $1000 property tax. Based on sale records, the CLC bought the property for $1,125,000. Thanks to public funding, they made a 24% profit without doing a thing to the property.

More interesting is the deal the CLC was able to secure for the Treemont property purchased from Port Blakely Tree Farms in 2003. CLC purchased the 260 acre property for $8.8 million to prevent it from being developed with up to 194 homes. Port Blakely, had it chosen to develop the property, would have been a direct competitor in multiple industries with Weyerhauser, Quadrant’s parent company.

CLC was able to secure an agreement with King County that looks pretty sweet. King County has the ability to purchase a conservation easement on the property. In addition, the CLC is allowed to develop 100 acres for a “conservation-oriented” community. Lots range from 2.5 to 3 acres. Similar lots with homes adjacent to the new development are priced above $1 million. This is another wonderful windfall for the CLC.

Quadrant has made out pretty good from the deal as well. They were able to prevent Port Blakely from entering the housing market in their own back yard. And there have been other benefits.

Quadrant initially began their development of Snoqualmie Ridge sixteen years ago. They were opposed by residents and local governments in the Snoqualmie area. As the above story points out, a deal “brokered” by the CLC resulted in much quicker approval of Quadrant’s SR Phase II plans and allowed additional homes to be built in their first phase. The article fails to mention, however, that a Quadrant representative sits on the Board of Directors of the CLC. So while King County and ‘conservationists’ get their protected lands, Quadrant gets a speedy approval to build more houses without having to worry about more resident protests.

The CLC seems to be a model for the future. Government has long been in bed with large developers like Quadrant. Government has also had a cozy relationship with environmental groups. Until now, developers and environmentalists haven’t gotten along very well. The CLC has found a way to make these deals profitable for all three. And in the end, it will be even harder for us common folk to do with our land as we please. Crossposted at Head West, Turn Right

Moving up in the world

2005-05-18T15:16:00.000-07:00

I am now a contributor to Head West, Turn Right a 'Joint Blog of the Conservative Northwest Blogging Alliance: Red State Points of View from a Blue State Point on the Compass'. Brian, I hope I do a good job! Thanks for the opportunity!

And another thing with Mr. Smith and Seattle Vision

2005-05-13T12:10:00.000-07:00

Going through the Seattle Vision website from the previous post, I noticed this. See all those buildings just north of the stadium? They're not there yet. This is how it looks right now. Basically, all of the parking is wiped out in the Seattle 'Vision'.

Residents of the state of Washington have shelled out hundreds of millions of dollars for Safeco and Qwest Field (roughly $600 million between the two). King County residents have shelled out even more money (an additional .017% sales tax). But those fans from Spokane or Richland on the east side of the state, or Skykomish in King County, will have to either leave their car with a friend or in a park and ride or face the very real possibility of $100+ parking for games.

Mr. Smith and SV seem to think that the Mariners and Seahawks belong to Seattle. They seem to think that the stadiums belong to Seattle. Maybe it's time to wake them up.

Big Surprise...

2005-05-13T11:07:00.000-07:00

An unsurprising rip on property rights in the Seattle Times today. Basically, Greg Smith and Nina Carter say that Washington shouldn't pass an initiative similar to Oregon's Measure 37. Smith and Carter make it sound like it threw growth regulations out the window.

This is not the case. Measure 37 allows that if the land use regulation was not in effect when the current owner's family purchased the property, the owner should be compensated at fair market value or should not be subject to the regulation. So, since my parents bought their ranch in 1992, and my grandmother owned it since 1989, the property is only subject to land use regulations of 1989. Any regulations since then do not apply. For instance, if my parents wanted to build a megamall on their ranch and it was legal in 1989 but not now, then they could build their mall. However, if it was not allowed in 1989, they cannot seek compensation.

Smith and Carter say,

Special interests...and developers are trying to exploit the concerns of a few landowners who believe that the use of their property is unfairly restricted. The developers are trying to sell us something other than the truth.

Funny coming from Mr. Smith. You see, Mr. Smith is a developer. But also one that feels that he has the power to tell other property owners what to do. Mr. Smith is an avid member of Seattle Vision whose 'vision' of Seattle includes

Planning without constraint of existing property ownership.

So, basically Mr. Smith and other major property owners in the city of Seattle want to be able to tell all the 'minor' property owners what will be done with their land.

I'm quite curious what Mr. Smith would say if a government body came to Seattle and made it impossible to build new buildings in downtown. Would Mr. Smith feel that the use of HIS property is "unfairly restricted"? What if a government body came to Seattle and said that it was no longer legal to sell his million dollar condos? Would he then become a property rights advocate?

The Op/Ed continues on, saying

Washingtonians...have a history of opposing such efforts.
Before these special interests run an initiative like Measure 37 in Washington, they would do well to consider what the people of Washington think.

Ladies and gentlemen, that is the purpose of an initiative.

My favorite piece of the article states

Washingtonians cherish...the right to protect our quality of life from the actions of others...

It's great to see that Smith and Carter are qualified to determine everyone's quality of life.

National ID

2005-05-12T15:30:00.000-07:00

The Militant Libertarian has a great rant about the REAL ID Act. According to ML,

Under the law, residents of states that fail to adopt the new national ID won't...receive Social Security.

Does that mean that we won't have to pay in either?

Biodiesel the next energy crisis?

2005-05-12T10:40:00.000-07:00

A story on Komo 4 news today touting biodiesel as our oil crunch savior. Rob Elam of Seattle-based Propel Fuels says,

"When have you ever had a chance to say 'no' to foreign oil, or 'no' to gasoline?"

But will biodiesel cut our dependence on foreign energy?

From Economagic, total domestic petroleum field production for January 05 was 7,698,613 barrels per day. Total domestic petroleum exports were 983,774 barrels per day for January 05. This gives a net domestic product of 6,714,839 barrels a day. For January 05, total imports were 12,862,935 barrels a day. This gives us a total daily domestic consumption of 19,577,774 barrels a day. Therefore, the US produces 34.3% of its petroleum products domestically. Not great, but not terrible.

The USDA tracks US and world crop supply. For soybeans and other oilseed products (sunflower, cottonseed, and canola), US production for 2005/06 is projected to be 89.2 million tons. World production for 2005/2006 is projected at 378 million tons. The US produces 23.6% of the world's soybeans.

In 2000, the US consumed 30% of the world's soybeans (see table 10 in the link). However, only 8% of the total soybean production went to produce soy oil products.

From Practical Biodiesel,

"oilseed crops such as canola, soybeans, sunflowers, safflower and crambe are capable of producing up to 100 gallons of fuel per acre..."

Some quick math. We get approximately 19 gallons of gasoline for every 55 gallon barrel we produce or import. So roughly 34% of imported oil becomes gasoline ~ 371,977,706 gallons per day or 135,771,862,690 gallons per year. If we were to completely replace gasoline with biodiesel, we would require 1,357,718,627 acres per year dedicated to producing soybeens only for fuel.

According to the USDA, soybeans were planted in 72,415,000 acres in the US in 1998. That would have to stay in production to meet demand for soy meal, the beans themselve and other products currently in use. To meet our demand for new fuel source and our current soy demands, we would require 2,121,435 SQUARE MILES planted in soybeans. That is nearly two thirds of the entire land area of the United States.

It is a physical impossibility for the United States to produce enough biodiesel to meet its own possible demands.

Just as with oil, the increased demand on soybeans will drive up the price. We will see cartels start to emerge. Instead of Saudi Arabia, China will become an energy powerhouse.

Third world countries will definitely see economic benefits. But in all likelyhood, gains made by reduction of CO2 emissions will be offset by those third worlders reducing rainforests, wetlands and other 'critical habitat' to raise oilseeds.

If biodiesel is the standard, we still fall under the thumb of foreign interests.

Confused City Employees

2005-05-12T09:58:00.000-07:00

A tree rooted in ground owned by the city of Seattle fell into 74 year old Joyce Johnson's yard. She figured that the city would come clean up the mess, however,

"The city explained that private property owners who live next to city property are, in many cases, responsible for the trees on that adjacent city property."

Futher,

"[Seattle Transportation Department spokeswoman Liz] Rankin explained that most of the old trees throughout the city were planted to satisfy the demands of a public that desired a community filled with green. Because citizens enjoy the benefits of those trees, it's the citizens' responsibility to help maintain them."

Isn't this (for lack of a better term at the moment) double-banging this poor woman? She is 'the city', isn't she? She pays taxes so that the City of Seattle can exist and people like Rankin have jobs.

One of my favorite parts from the article says,

"it's important to know [who is responsible for certain trees], because a permit is required to cut down or trim trees on city property or public easements."

Isn't that nice? You pay us to plant them, you have to pay us if you want to trim them or cut them down, and if they fall, you have to pay to clean them up. All while paying us to do...what, exactly?

Illegal Immigrant Health Care

2005-05-10T09:32:00.000-07:00

I have a couple of problems with this. First is the slippery slope. How long until we (since we are FedGov) start paying for all the health care of illegals?

Second springs from a point made in the article:

"It seems to me that if the federal government has abdicated its responsibility for immigration enforcement, then it's responsible for making those jurisdictions whole," said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank based in Washington.

Why isn't this $1 Billion going to border enforcement? In 2003, the INS budget was $6.5 Billion. Why are we paying so much to pay for health care of people that cross the border illegally instead of giving the INS a 15% bump to prevent it from happening?

Washington sucks sometimes.

60 years ago today

2005-05-06T11:20:00.000-07:00

On May 6, 1945, the only mainland American causualties from enemy action were sustained in Bly, Oregon. The flock of a pastor, five children and his wife, were killed by a Japanese Balloon Bomb. The Klamath Herald and News has a story on the anniversary.

From the Mitchell Monument webpage, the pastor, Achie Mitchell, became a missionary in Vietnam. He was abducted by the Viet Cong in 1962 and was never seen again.

Former schoolmate is a Gypsy Joker President?

2005-05-05T11:39:00.000-07:00

Matt Wright, a former school mate of mine, and former classmate of my brother, was sentenced Tuesday for first-degree burglary, second-degree robbery and third-degree assault. The thing that blew my mind was this:

"Wright is believed to be a former president of the Gypsy Joker Motorcycle Club "

People surprise you. I never knew Matt had leadership skills.

Funny how people change. Matt wasn't a bad kid. Now he's going to jail for ten years...staying in Klamath can do that to you.

Quarter Complaints (Defending Gov K, I must be sick)

2005-05-05T11:31:00.001-07:00

The Klamath Falls newspaper is once again complaining about the Oregon State Quarter. The debut of the quarter will be in Portland, while Crater Lake is in Klamath county, roughly 250 mile south.

Randy Adams says

"it's a matter of right versus wrong, big versus small, and ignorance versus greed"

While I agree that Crater Lake would have been an amazing, and appropriate, place to hold the unveiling, other states have not launched their quarters at the places represented.

The Missouri quarter shows the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. However, the unveiling was held at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia, half way across the state. Kansas also unveiled theirs at their state fair, upstaging ZZ Top.

California, showing a natural wonder that rivals Crater Lake, is unveiling theirs, not at Yosemite, but in Sacramento.

If it were about right versus wrong, as Mr. Adams asserts, perhaps the best place to debut the Oregon quarter is on the steps of the capitol in Salem. It is, after all, Oregon's quarter, not Klamath County's.

If it were about big versus small, maybe Mr. Adams should consider the cost to the state and FedGov to get dozens of people to Crater lake versus Portland. I'm sure from the dollars perspective, this is a decision of small over large.

If it were about ignorance versus greed, Mr. Adams would not be ignorant of the fact that many states don't debut them at the locations shown on the obverse. He would also not chastise the decision without first examining his own greed.

The full gamut of emotions

2005-04-27T13:31:00.000-07:00

Thanks Ron, for pointing this out. It made me sad, but I'm sure it is cathartic for those that send them in.

A 'successful' legislative session

2005-04-27T10:13:00.000-07:00

The state legislature had a great session this year. Flouting the will of the people on multiple occasions (I-601 gutting, gas tax increase); election reform "requiring ID", ID being a utility bill or paycheck; fighting meth, fighting meaning "requiring ID" to purchase cold medicine, ID being a state issued photo ID.

The only success I see is that it is now harder to buy fight a cold than it is to vote.

NEA Wackiness

2005-04-20T14:18:00.000-07:00

The ~~No Education Anywhere~~ National Education Association has filed a lawsuit against FedGov's lack of funding for the No Child Left Behind Act. From the CNN article,

The suit, citing a series of cost studies, outlines billions of dollars in expenses to meet the law's mandates. They include the costs of adding yearly testing, getting all children up to grade level in reading and math, and ensuring teachers are highly qualified.

To cover those costs, the suit says, states have shifted money away from such other priorities as foreign languages, art and smaller classes. The money gap has hurt schools' ability to meet progress goals, which in turn has damaged their reputations, the suit says.

Apparently, the NEA thinks learning French is more important than being able to read a job application and being able to tell the difference between Manet and Monet is more important than being able to balance a checkbook.

As for damaged reputations, any school that doesn't produce people that can read, write and mathematically compute at a functional level deserves a bad rap.

Yosemite

2005-04-19T11:33:00.000-07:00

Today, CNN notes completion of the restoration around the base of Yosemite Falls.

I LOVE Yosemite. In my opinion, it is the most beautiful place on Earth. My parents spent their honeymoon there. I fell in love with photography there, at the age of 12.

But some environmental groups aren't happy with the restoration. CNN quotes Joyce Eden of Friends of Yosemite Valley, "This is way, way overdone. It degrades the natural environment as well as the visitor's experience -- the quieter experience that's more connected to nature."

The Friends of Yosemite Valley was founded by three climbers with the "specific purpose is the protection of the climbing heritage and the natural environment of Yosemite Valley on behalf of past, present and future climbers, and on behalf of the public generally" from a lawsuit filed by the group and its founders. From its website, “Yosemite is a living natural wonder, and it belongs to you and all Americans.” But, based on a news story from MetroActive, Eden and her friends think "that catering to the commercial needs of park visitors should be secondary to the park's primary mission of preserving the natural habitat."

Based on the 1980 Yosemite General Management Plan Eden is right in her assessment of the park's primary mission. The GMP goes even further, calling "to remove all automobiles from Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove and to redirect development to the periphery of the park and beyond..." which seems to be in direct conflict with the National Park Service's mission to run all national parks "in such manner and by such means as to leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."

By removal of all automobiles from Yosemite, it will be impossible for all people to enjoy its wonders. The handicapped, children, the old, and the infirm will all be denied access if vehicle access is restricted. I love Yosemite; I believe that it should be protected...to an extent. We all have the right to see the wonders of Yosemite, we all pay taxes to support its operation. To limit access to only those who are able enough to hike in, or wealthy enough to be helicoptered in is unfair.

In the end, Mz. Eden and her friends feel that places like Yosemite should be their own taxpayer funded wilderness playgrounds. Over 1106 square miles of the 1189.5 square mile park is already wilderness, and thus inaccessable to anything but pack animals and foot traffic. Now the Friends of Yosemite Valley want more. They don't want normal people to have easy access to areas like these because they think their right to a "quieter experience that's more connected to nature" outweighs everyone elses right to share in the beauty that is Yosemite.

And the beat goes on

2005-04-18T17:28:00.000-07:00

Today, Governor Chris Gregoire signed into law a bill that guts I-601. I-601, which became RCW 43.135 specifically required a two-thirds majority vote of each house to raise state revenue above the level of economic and population growth. So much for the will of the people.

During her campaign, Gregoire wanted to start "Making State Government More Efficient, Effective, And Accountable to Taxpayers." Hey Mrs. Gob'na, so much for being accountable to the taxpayers.

I'm currently drafting a letter to Mrs. Gregoire, and my state senators and representatives informing them that my wife and I intend to take our incomes elsewhere as soon as possible. I'll post it when I get it done.

More silliness from the Governor

2005-04-18T17:22:00.000-07:00

Governor Gregoire plans to change King County from honoring former Vice President William Rufus DeVane King because the Veep supposedly owned slaves (if they knew for sure he was gay would they still rename it?). If that's the sole reason, as stated by the 1986 King County Resolution, then shouldn't we be renaming the entire state of Washington?

Why is 'bipartisan' a good thing?

2005-04-18T12:25:00.000-07:00

I'm getting real tired hearing about bi-partisan this and bi-partisan that. Why is that a good thing? I'm not a democrat or republican. While my fedgov views turn toward the conservative, I consider myself a little 'l' libertarian. Smoke pot if you want, be gay, just stay out of my pockets. So this bipartisan crap really bothers me.

Congress and the media continue to force this silly two party system down our throats. Government was never intended to be run by two competing blocs. As we see every day, it limits discussion and prevents meaningful legislation. George Washington warned us against political parties in his farewell address. He talked of the very things we see today in national debate.

As a Libertarian, or Green, or Socialist Worker, do you really feel your beliefs are accurately represented by a "bipartisan commission" made up of Republocrats? I know I don't.

I get joy out of hearing about politicians like Dave Reichert (formerly King County Sherriff and the man that put the Green River Killer behind bars) crossing party lines. In Mr. Reichert's case, he went against his Republican Party and voted against intervening in the Shiavo case. Republican or Democrat, the media beats up those that don't vote with the party. I think the media, instead, should be vilifying those legislators that don't vote with their constituents. That is by far the greater evil.

Quick Civics Lesson

2005-04-15T12:23:00.000-07:00

A Letter to the Editor of the Seattle times today needs a lesson on the three branches of government:

They v. the People

How deep can we sink?

They (U.S. House Appropriations Committee) threatened to cut off funding for the U.S. Supreme Court?

I thought there was a limit to the depth they (the Bush administration) would stoop to get their way, but I was wrong. There is no limit!

— Ki Punches, Everett

Ki, three branches of government, my friend. The executive does not control the budget, despite the way the media makes it sound.

The Wonder (as in what the f) full (as in of it) WEA

2005-04-15T09:28:00.000-07:00

Since T-rav’s girlfriend is going to be a teacher in Washington State, I started kicking around to try and find the state pay scale. Instead I found something better, the WEA Continuing Resolutions. Some things in it really bothered me. First was the specific section in direct violation of state law:

CR E-5 RIGHT TO STRIKE (RA-96)
The Washington Education Association believes that when local school directors and/or elected state legislative and executive officials fail to respond to the needs of students, educators, or support personnel; and when bargaining in good faith does not exist, it is the right of members of local affiliates to vote to authorize a strike.

The Association also believes its right to call upon WEA members to authorize a statewide strike when the state legislature and governor fail to adequately meet the needs of education.

However, RCW 41.56.120, titled PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' COLLECTIVE BARGAINING states:
“Right to strike not granted. Nothing contained in this chapter shall permit or grant any public employee the right to strike or refuse to perform his official duties.”

The next thing that bugged me was the things that have no business being the focus of a teacher organization. For example,

CR I-9 HEALTH CARE REFORM (RA-92, 03)

The Washington Education Association supports health care reform that is designed to control costs, ensure equitable access to comprehensive health care services including mental health parity for all, and fairly distributes the costs of health care throughout our society.

This is, sadly, a federal discussion right now. A state employee organization should not be worrying about this. Furthermore, their health care is already provided by the state. Perhaps if they worried more about doing their job, our children would be better education. More on that in a bit.

CR I-12 PUBLIC CAMPAIGN FINANCING (RA-04)

The Washington Education Association believes that elections are a public good, that our representatives should first and foremost be accountable to the people and their will, that support from voters, not ability to fundraise, should be the criteria by which a person should be judged fit to be a candidate for public office and that a system of public campaign financing should be enacted in Washington state to further these ends.

People that identified themselves as teachers contributed over $47,000 to the candidates for Governor in the 2004 election. Nearly $40,000 of it was donated to Democrats. Nearly $1,500 was donated by WEA employees to 2004 Gubernatorial candidates. None of it went to Republicans. While the disparity may indicated that a high majority of teachers and WEA employees think Democrats are the better candidates, why are their members contributing so much to these candidates if the important qualification is “not ability to fundraise”?

Additionally in 2004, WEA-PAC lobbyists spent over $150,000 in contributions. The Seattle Education Association spent another $21,000 in contributions. I wonder what the WEA would think of campaign finance reform that eliminated all PAC’s…

Next are the things that just really make me wonder. The WEA should be concerned, first and foremost, with the education of our children. I know they’re a union, so I know that their true purpose is to celebrate mediocrity. Find as many ways as possible to say they want education to improve but not support in any way any idea that may actually achieve that goal…Things like these.

CR A-6 STANDARDIZED TESTS (RA-85, 02)

The Washington Education Association believes standardized tests are acceptable when they meet the following criteria:

12. Test scores must not be used for school-to-school comparisons.

You’re joking right? What should be used to compare schools or the quality of the education they provide? The WEA doesn’t say.

CR D-5 NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION (RA-98)
The Washington Education Association supports the efforts of members to demonstrate excellence in teaching by obtaining National Board certification.

The Association also believes National Board certification should remain a voluntary process. It should not be used as criteria for continuing employment, state certification, renewal of state certification, evaluation, dismissal, or promotion. Members choosing not to participate will not be negatively impacted.

So our members should demonstrate excellence, but if they choose not to be excellent, that should not hurt them. The WEA talks a lot about quality education and quality learning environments, but this is the only place that they give specific criteria for quality teachers. Then they tell us that we really shouldn’t use it as criteria for anything related to the job…

CR D-8 TESTING OF CERTIFICATED EMPLOYEES (RA-87, 95)
The Washington Education Association believes that testing must not be used for recertification of certificated personnel. The Association also believes that pencil and paper type tests must not be used as a condition of employment.

The WEA does not believe that its employees should be tested. For anything. Not for mastery of subject matter, which should be a job requirement. Not for teaching ability, which is a close second to subject mastery.

Once again, the WEA supports nothing that would actually get rid of bad teachers. It quickly becomes apparent that the teacher’s union is only concerned with keeping their membership base intact.

CR E-17 PROFESSIONAL SALARIES (RA-87, 01)
The Washington Education Association believes that the salary policy of any school system should be based on clearly defined factors which are applicable to salaries for all professional services and responsibilities.

Professional salary schedules for certificated employees must:

17. not be based on employee evaluation;

So the WEA doesn’t want objective standards such as teacher testing or national certifications to be used in teacher evaluations or salary planning. They don’t want salaries to be based on teacher evaluations. Since pay shouldn’t be based on employee evaluations, merit pay logically follows…

CR E-15 MERIT PAY (RA-85)

The Washington Education Association opposes merit pay as a basis for determining salary increases.

The WEA spends a lot of time spouting off to the voters that teacher pay needs to be increased. They say how important it is to retain good teachers. Maybe if they would lobby for things like merit pay the people would start supporting them and we could retain those good teachers. But the WEA wants bad teachers to be paid the same as good teachers.

Near the end of the document, the WEA starts to get real contradictory. Sections CR G-1 ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES and CR H-3 STUDENTS' RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND ACADEMIC FREEDOM make statements such as, “The Washington Education Association believes that academic freedom is a professional right to investigate, research, publish, or teach any subject matter free of censorship.” They also make the statement, “The Association opposes any and all efforts to limit the availability of competing political ideas and beliefs peacefully presented.” And this, “The Association also believes in the right of students and teachers to have free access to information without regard to content.” And in section CR I-11 PROMOTION OF CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS, “The Association also supports programs and instruction that encourage individuals to seek greater understanding of other people's perspectives and experiences in an atmosphere of respect and dignity.” As to student academic freedom they state, “The Association also believes its affiliates should work to ensure that the students in the schools of the state of Washington have the right to:
1. study issues, which have political, economic, scientific, or social significance;
2. have free access to all relevant information including the materials that circulate freely in the community;
3. hear and assess in the classroom or in general assemblies student speakers with points of view that may be at variance with those of the majority of the citizens in the community;”

Then, in sections CR I-8 EXTREMIST GROUPS and CR I-10 INSTITUTIONAL DISCRIMINATION, they state “The Association opposes and condemns the philosophy and practices of extremist groups and their efforts to recruit young people in our schools,” and “The Washington Education Association opposes any participation in a program sponsored by or using facilities of an organization which denies membership to certain segments of our society on the basis of age, creed, disability, ethnic background, gender, marital status, national origin, political activities or beliefs, race, religion, sexual orientation, or size. The Association also opposes the action of affiliates who form any type of liaison with such organizations.”

First off, define extremist groups. Are Republicans extremists? Are Libertarians? Is the Washington State Cattlemen’s Association? Does the WEA think that students or teachers should not watch The Masters golf tournament because Augusta denies membership to women? What is their view on schools for the deaf or blind since they limit their enrollment to “certain segments of our society on the basis of…disability”? Would they be offended by the KKK coming to campus since they believe students have the right to “hear… speakers with points of view that may be at variance with those of the majority of the citizens in the community”? Since they oppose participation in a program sponsored by “an organization which denies membership… on the basis of… ethnic background”, would they refuse to participate in a program by the NAACP during Black History Month?

Do they really want academic freedom for teachers and students or only academic freedom that agrees with the views of the organization?

So what we have is an organization that openly advocates violation of the law, addresses issues that it has no organizational interest in, avoids responsibility or objective standards for its members, and advocates "freedom" as long as it agrees with their sensiblities. Will the WEA label itself an extremist group?

Oregon Governor doesn't care what people think

2005-04-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

Gay marriage is, without a doubt, a state issue, not a federal one. My personal position is one of apathy. I don't really care either way.

But the people of Oregon have already made their decision. They passed Measure 36 which defined marriage to a man and a woman. The specific text of the measure states:

"It is the policy of Oregon, and its political subdivisions, that only a marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or legally recognized as a marriage."

Apparently Governor Kulongoski, whose job it is to enforce this change to the state Constitution, hasn't read the measure.

The wording of the amendment makes clear that Oregonians do not want the legal rights and priveledges of marriage extended to gay couples. Still, Kulongoski thinks they should be.

Ted, do your job. Let the legislature and the voters do theirs.

When blogs die...should Dax get a royalty?

2005-04-12T22:34:00.000-07:00

I was going through my useless little blogger profile (click on the me link on the right), clicking on my favorites to see who might like the things I like. When I clicked on Dax Johnson I had two realizations. The first was that it bugged me that only four other people listed Dax as a favorite.

I'm not surprised if you haven't heard of Dax. He's a self taught pianist that makes the piano do weird things. You think it's synthesized or there are instruments hidden somewhere. Until you see him live and watch him stick his arm under the piano lid...

The second thought was would I really blog for the forseeable future. My reaction, I guess, is yes. I may not do it as often as I would like, or should, but I'll probably always do it. It at least gives me the illusion that someone out there is listening to me rant about things...like damn people doing TCP and UDP scans on my ports. I've had 24 events in the last 90 minutes. It's pissing me off.

I guess I'll always wonder what will happen to those poor orphaned blogs. Probably nothing, at least until Blogger starts charging. At which point I'm sure they'll begin recycling those after a certain amount of time.

Non-citizen Voting

2005-04-05T07:13:00.000-07:00

Today's Seattle Times editorial regarding a new election challenge states, "State election officials are not aware of a single documented instance where a non-citizen voted in the governor's race." Oh really? SoundPolitics.com has documented at least two cases. Sharkansky discussed this with King County no later than March 15th (over two weeks ago). Apparently King County has not informed the state...

UPDATE: Sound Politics just posed a rebuttal to the above quote.

Democrats = Socialist...yeah, but openly???

2005-04-04T13:24:00.000-07:00

While doing a little more research on Amtrak I found this. Isn't at least remotely frightening that a site run by two "by two veteran Democratic consultants" prominently displays a stylized picture of Vladimir Lenin? Frightens me...especially living in a county that's 85% Democrat.

More on Moedritzer

2005-04-04T11:29:00.000-07:00

A Google search on Mr. Moedritzer shows that he’s an architect.

Amazingly, one of the projects Mike worked on used wood in its construction. Since Seattle is a “sustainable” community, I’m sure all the wood must have been harvested, cut, and prepared within the city limits…

Mike is also an energy conscious guy. Here he’s concerned about the Mariners wasting energy by turning on the stadium lights during sunny days. Oh yeah, Seattle is “sustainable” so all that electricity for the stadiums, not to mention all the office buildings and homes is generated in the city limits. What, there are no wind turbines or dams or nuclear plants in Seattle to generate all that power? But I though Seattle was “sustainable”.

He also likes to play baseball. I’m sure the grass he plays on was grown from seeds raised in Seattle. I’m also sure that the fertilizer put on that grass was made in Seattle. I’m sure that the leather of his glove, cleats and ball were made from animals raised in the city limits.

He won’t even go to Cooperstown because they didn’t show Bull Durham. He’d have to drive or fly and that would use foreign oil which we know isn’t “sustainable”.

Mr. Moedritzer, the world is far more complicated than your isolated view allows. A sustainable environment implies a certain level of self-sufficiency. Unfortunately, Mike, urban areas will never be sustainable...no matter how much you like to tell yourself they will.

Sustainable urban areas?

2005-04-04T11:24:00.000-07:00

There was an interesting Letter to the Editor yesterday in the Seattle Times.
"Subsidies for the boonies
Why is it always people living out in the hinterlands in places like North Bend or Snohomish or Gig Harbor who whine the loudest about high taxes in their letters to the editor?
If their taxes are indeed high these people should take a look at themselves. They're part of the problem. In no small measure people living in the low-density boonies are a greater burden on state and local governments to provide schools, roads and highways, sewer, water, police and fire protection, etc.
It costs way more than they are paying to sustain that far-flung low density. The reality is that we who live in efficient, sustainable, denser urban communities subsidize outer-suburban and ex-urban development with our tax contributions.
If people living on the fringes want that lifestyle, they should quit crying. They're getting off easy in not having to pay for the true cost of that choice themselves. It is city-dwellers who should be complaining!
— Mike Moedritzer, Seattle"

Mike Moedritzer is complaining about all the people in the “hinterlands” complaining about their taxes being too high. He uses “sustainable” and “urban” together in the same sentence.

Urban centers are sustainable, huh? Funny, considering the city of Seattle essentially produces zero agricultural products. How can any urban center be “sustainable” when it produces none of the food it consumes?

Mike seems to think that Seattle could exist completely cut off from the outside world. I guess he doesn’t realize that starvation would set in rather quickly. When he hasn’t eaten for a few days, maybe he’ll realize that if he wants that lifestyle then he “should quit crying.”

In the end, everyone loses

2005-03-31T10:05:00.000-08:00

Terri Shiavo died today.

O, I have suffered
With those that I saw suffer!
-Miranda

Now cracks a noble heart.
-Horatio

We are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.
-Prospero

Amtrak

2005-03-29T14:30:00.001-08:00

An editorial (reg req or no reg here) yesterday in the Seattle Times by Neal Peirce talks about Amtrak.

Peirce starts talking numbers. He had to do that. Nothing gets me more interested in a story than giving me numbers to average or manipulate. So here we go.

Peirce says:

"...an abrupt cutoff of federal support, currently $1.2 billion a year..."

"...last year increased its ridership 4.3 percent, to 25 million passengers..."

For fun, let’s assume that no one riding on Amtrak ever makes multiple trips. At 25 million unique passengers, the government spends $48 each. Seattle to Portland today is running at $31 one way taking 3 and a half hours, not a profitable route. Driving takes just under 3 hours to cover 180 miles. Seattle to Eugene runs $50 one way and takes just over 6 hours. Driving takes approximately 4 ½ hours to cover 280 miles. Seattle to Whitefish, Montana costs $67 and takes nearly 14 hours. Driving takes approximately 9 hours to cover 530 miles. If you assume 17 miles per gallon in a car at $2.29 per gallon, the cost to drive is $24.25, $37.72, and $71.39 respectively. With the added flexibility of being able to leave whenever you want, a car is much more economical.

Well, what about urban areas. New York Penn Station to Newark, New Jersey, obviously a commuter route (17 minutes on the train), cost $27, running every thirty minutes during the day and every 17 or so during the rush. This pair is served by light rail also. On the subway system, the trip takes approximately 33 minutes. But there are many more options as three to four subway trains leave in the same time span during the rush. Additionally, the fare for the subway is $1.50. Amtrak costs 18 times as much for only twice the speed and one quarter of the flexibility

How bad does it get? The White House states "...it would literally be cheaper for Amtrak to buy each passenger a plane ticket to the next destination. For example, a round trip ticket for direct flights between San Antonio and Chicago (the Texas Eagle route) can be purchased for as little as $216." Per passenger loss on that route is $258.

Peirce also goes on to mention:

"...Amtrak shutdown would be a body blow to the crowded Northeast Corridor (Boston-Washington)..."

Amtrak runs daily commuter service in the Northeast. So it’s safe to assume that ridership is definitely not 25 million unique passengers. So we can find the other bound of the per rider expense to our wallets. 25 million passenger trips, 730 daily trips per year per passenger gives us a ridership of 34,247 people. At $1.2 billion, that works out to $35,040 per passenger.

Somewhere between $48 and $35,000 is the actual cost. From Amtrak’s own website

"Each day, approximately 68,000 passengers travel on Amtrak."

This number is simply 25 million passengers spread evenly over 365 days in a year. Obviously not accurate, but we’ll run with it. If we assume these are the same people every day, the cost is roughly $17,650 per person.

So let’s assume that half the trips are made by people commuting 5 days a week to and from work. That’s 520 trips per commuter per year. That’s 24,039 people using Amtrak to commute and 12.5 million that use it only once. At $48 per trip, means we spend nearly $25,000 per commuter.

Peirce states that, "Other advanced nations are now building world-class rail systems." While this is true, many of them are implementing high speed rail. The infrastructure requirements of high speed rail are far beyond our current system. 97% of the track used by Amtrak was designed to transport freight.

If you’ve ever ridden Amtrak, you know how bumpy the ride is. You also know how slow the trains move the majority of the time. The freight lines that own the rail don’t care whether or not the wheat or oil or potatoes on board get thrown around a bit. Their trains can fly down the tracks at 80 miles per hour because a few bumps doesn’t hurt anything. Amtrak has humans on board that don’t care for being bounced against the sides of the car.

To have a truly functioning passenger rail service modeled on Europe and Japan, a huge investment in infrastructure must be made. A high speed national rail would have to move away from renting right of ways to owning and building its own tracks.

Other concerns would still exist, however. Most Americans don’t really care for trains rolling through their neighborhoods. They’re noisy and unsafe to people near the tracks. Trains are actually forced to slow down in towns, as well as blow their horns at crossings, making more noise. A system of tunnels would need to be constructed to allow trains to pass at speed under small towns like Sumner, WA. A few miles of tunnel for the Alaskan Way Viaduct is going to cost somewhere between $6 billion and $11 billion.

Europe and Japan are not forced to deal with the expanse or extremes of our geography. A drive from Lynden, WA to Key West, FL is just under 3,600 miles. Add to that two major mountain ranges, multiple major rivers, myriad temperature extremes, the costs to build an efficient line begins to build.

Peirce cites Senator Kennedy, "Japan and Germany, notes Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., spend about 20 percent of their national transportation budgets on trains, compared with the 2 percent Amtrak has requested."

Light rail costs approximately $23 million per mile on a relatively flat surface. The Colorado Rapid Transit Alliance estimates their proposed rail running between 80 and 110 mph will cost $40 million to $60 million per mile. (By comparison, highway construction runs $5 million to $10 million.) Even at the low end, which would be to assume no elevation change, no tunnels, no right of way purchases, etc., the cost of a rail from Lynden to Key West would be $144 billion. That one line is nearly three times the total budget for the Department of Transportation.

If we were to build a high speed rail system comparable to the heavy rail passenger system already in place, we would need to build roughly 22,000 miles of track. Total cost just to actually put rails in: $880 billion dollars.
$880,000,000,000
By 2036 at Peirce and Kennedy’s 20%, we will have paid for the rails.

That number assumes $40 million per rail mile. It doesn’t include rights of way, extraneous infrastructure such as tunnels and bridges, or any other possible nit that could drive up the cost. If we consider those and government cost performance, we should probably double the number. That pushes us out to 2047. This project would cost more and take longer than fixing Social Security.

Amtrak is a dinosaur. It is inefficient in time and expense. Implementing high speed rail will be a huge expense for a small, if even existent, benefit. Until rail can get you from Seattle to LA in two and a half hours, most people will fly.

Let Amtrak die.

Looking forward to Halloween

2005-03-19T00:35:00.000-08:00

I've decided to go as Napoleon Dynamite. Can't decide on what out fit to wear, though. Should I do the generic unicorn outfit, the wedding scene outfit, or the Vote For Pedro outfit.

I think I'm even going to grow my hair out and get it colored and permed. May have to take Monday and Tuesday off that week.

My brother's friend Ron

2005-03-17T11:01:00.000-08:00

RonDiggity and the New Mexico Kid (hey G, it's better than Arkansas Dave Rudabaugh) are good friends. If I remember correctly, RD came up to Seattle with tNMK and we met at the Claim Jumpers' (no link you gluttonous bastards) in Redmond. Ron's life is so the opposite of mine. You can check him out at Liquid Etchings.

You're gonna do what?

2005-03-16T18:22:00.000-08:00

Foxnews reported yesterday that tsunami survivors are suing the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The case was filed in the Southern District New York. Apparently, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center didn't do enough to warn people. Forget the fact that it is the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center...

Does Congress vote on anything real?

2005-03-16T11:38:00.000-08:00

CNN today proclaims, "Senate votes for ANWR oil drilling". But did they really? Always go to the source...

Today the Senate is considering Senate Concurrent Resolution 18, AKA the appropriations bill. The big hullaballo is about Section 304 which states, "If...the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources reports a bill or joint resolution, or... blah blah blah..., that permits exploration and production of oil in the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and such measure is enacted; and...the reconciliation instruction set out in section 201(a)(4) is met,...the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may revise committee allocations for that committee and other appropriate budgetary aggregates and allocations of new budget authority and outlays by the amount provided by that measure for that purpose, but the adjustment may not exceed $350,000,000 in new budget authority in each of fiscal years 2008 through 2010."

Lots of words...but guess what. All of the news media's hype is irrelevant. The Senate didn't approve the appropriations bill, they only struck down an amendment. The amendment, called Senate Amendment 168 states only "Strike Section 201(a)(4)."

Section 201 (a)(4) states "COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES- The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources shall report changes in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient to reduce outlays by $33,000,000 in fiscal year 2006, and $2,658,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2006 through 2010."

So here, apparently, is the line of thinking: By not passing an amendment that eliminates a forced reduction in spending, the Republican controlled Senate has allowed oil drilling in ANRW to begin.

Am I missing something???

Thanks to one of my Senators, Maria Cantwell, for putting up a bogus amendment so that the media can villify the Republicans. Had she really wanted to stop drilling in ANWR, she would have moved to amend Section 304, where drilling in ANWR is actually discussed.

All I'm going to say about the Gay Marriage Issue

2005-03-05T00:27:00.000-08:00

On this coming Tuesday, the Washington State Supreme Court will decide the constitutionality of the state law that defines marriage as between a man and a woman.

Right off, I'll say that I don't believe in a Constitutional Amendment banning gay marriage. First, I think it really is a states rights issue. Second, the few CA's that limit the rights of the people have been utter failures. Take Prohibition for example.

At the state level, however, the issue does need to be dissected a bit.

There are three prevailing views of marriage. Those opposed to gay marriage view marriage as a religious issue. Marriage is a sacred pact with God, blessed by God, made in faith to spend the rest of your life committed to another person. It mirrors the life long commitment to God. Religious documents say that God considers homosexuality a sin; therefore the blessing of God could never occur in a marriage of two men or two women.

Most heterosexual supporters of gay marriage view marriage as a legal construct. This view has only really been able to take shape since the "separation of church and state." Based on the privileges provided to married couples in our society, there is no wonder that supporters consider marriage a vehicle of the state. The privileges can provide hope of a better life. Since marriage is a legal and state supported institution, it should not be denied to any citizen.

The third view is that held by homosexual couples themselves. Love, love, love. They breathe, they bleed, they love. They love as strongly and passionately as any man or woman can. The fact that they find someone they choose to commit their life to is as difficult for homosexuals as it is for heterosexuals. If gays love as straights love, they should be able to profess that love to the world in the same way.

We can all talk until we're blue in the face. "Just don't call it marriage," I hear on talk radio. "Hateful, bigoted, ignorant, right-wing conservatives," I read in the paper. A rose by any other name, I say. Can't we all just get along, I say.

"If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge and if I have faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing."

Jesus gives us an answer, whether or not anyone wants to hear it, "and now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love."

We can find an answer...to make everyone happy.

Mt. St. Helens

2005-02-24T13:10:00.000-08:00

Beautiful view at the mountain today.

The new dome continues to grow. For an idea of how big it has gotten check out this pic. That is a person in the circle...

Diagnosis: Fat Slob

2005-02-24T12:41:00.000-08:00

The diagnoses are in. I have sleep apnea and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

First the apnea. I had an AHI of just over 48 (normal runs below 10). In 7.6 hours of sleep I had nearly 300 events. No wonder I'm always tired...

I have been sleeping with my CPAP for a week now. I'm sure I'm still paying my sleep debt, but I know the thing works. I slept without it a few nights ago and was wasted all day. THAT MACHINE KICKS A$$!

And now the NASH. It's basically fatty deposits in the liver that can't be attributed to other liver problems (Hep B&C ruled out, cirrhosis ruled out, hemochromatosis ruled out). Typically strikes severly overweight people, but since Will Smith has a BMI of 27 I guess we're all fat now. Doc says, "lose 10 to 20 and see me in three to six."

My wife is very happy...

Burning My Eyes

2005-02-24T12:28:00.000-08:00

Grant, you have my weather. Please return. Bright yellow thing in sky hurts my eyes.

Little Brother

2005-02-24T11:21:00.000-08:00

I finally found my little brother's blog here.

Methinks he has never liked me, but I'm proud of him. The smartest guy I know, by far, and destined to be overwhelmingly successful.

Santiam Pass

2005-02-01T18:45:00.000-08:00

Speaking of Santiam Pass, on our return trip from my parents during Christmas break, we drove home over Santiam Pass. Amazingly, we made it (thank God for 4 wheel drive). My little brother and his girlfriend had to turn around and try a different route. The snow was falling so hard and the road was so bad that we were only doing 35mph at the summit. This is what it looks like in B&W.

My Son

2005-02-01T18:36:00.000-08:00

Since I mentioned the topic of turning a photo into a painting, here's one I did of my son.

I enlarged it to an 8x10 for my parents and my wife's mother for this past Christmas.

Is it a painting or a photo...or both

2005-01-28T17:57:00.000-08:00

This one happens to be a photo. I know absolutely nothing about this artist, but I love her work. Her name is ElisaM and she lives in Italy. She also has some wonderful photos that she has editted into paintings. I did that with one of my son once. Other than that, I'll let her work speak for her.

Elisa's Photos

Gold Country

2005-01-27T15:28:00.000-08:00

While we're on the topic of gold country and my family, I thought I'd talk a bit about my grandfather. He was El Dorado County Assessor for, I think, sixteen years. Here's a picture of my grandpa, his wife, and my son.

As you can tell, my grandpa is a cowboy. He raises Paints. As he said to me, they have "California and Texas quality at Oregon prices."

Their website is a work in progress, as you can see. Their horses, however, are absolutely beautiful.

Thomas Kinkade, Painter of Light

2005-01-27T09:31:00.000-08:00

For my first picture, a Thomas Kinkade. When Kinkade's name comes out, everyone thinks of quaint cottages. Some people love them and some hate them. I'm not a particularly big fan of his cottages, but I do think that his painting entitled "Almost Heaven" is one of the greatest pieces of art ever created.

One of the coolest things about Kinkade painting is the way they react to light. Here is something I would highly recommend. If you ever happen upon a gallery that has his paintings, ask to have one taken into a room for viewing that has a light on a dimmer circuit. Point one of the spotlights or track lights on the painting and then slowly dim the lights. I won't ruin the effect for you by trying to tell you what happens, but give it a shot. I'm sure you'll have a MUCH greater appreciation of Thomas Kinkade's talent if you do.

For more Kinkade, try his official homepage.

As a sidenote, Kinkade grew up in gold country, as did most of my family.

I have nothing interesting to say

2005-01-27T08:28:00.000-08:00

I've decided that I have nothing interesting to say. For the most part, I am calling an end to my blogging life. I've decided to start p(hoto/icture/ainting)logging instead. When I get the urge I'm going to post a picture and a link to the artist or picture itself.

Counting votes in Washington...for a third time...

2004-12-03T17:58:00.000-08:00

Here we go again. We’re counting votes for the third time here in the Green (or more appropriately Blue) State of Washington. This time it’s a hand recount. Of course, everyone knows that counting by hand is sooo much more accurate than machine counts.

Today, Democratic Party Chairman Paul Berendt said, “We're going to count every vote in every county, whether it's a Rossi county or a Gregoire county.” It’s essentially the same statement he made with tears in his eyes on November 12th when King County Superior Court Judge Dean Lum ordered the names of over 900 voters with errors on their provisional ballots be turned over to the Democrats. Berendt wants so bad ‘to count every vote.’

Hogwash! If that was true, then why was an assistant on Christine Gregoire’s Communications staff quoted in the Seattle Times on November 14th saying “the canvassers knock on doors and ask if the person is a Gregoire voter. If they say no, we just tell them to have a nice day. If they said yes, then they continue with the process.”

Until today, the final day to request a recount, the democrats have not formally made any charges of voter fraud. The party filed suit in the state Supreme Court, asking to allow reconsidering ballots that had been rejected earlier. The suit is filed on behalf of four voters.

One of the four mentioned in the Seattle Times piece, Ronald Taro Suyematsu, says he never received his absentee ballot. Suyematsu also says that when he went to his precinct polling place to cast a provisional ballot he didn’t show up on the registration list. Supposedly as a result, his vote was never counted.

Hmmm, did you actually ever register to vote Ron?

I still don’t understand why we allow a ballot with the party initial circled to be counted as a vote. If the directions say “Fill in the oval completely. Use blue or black ink,” then why the hell do we count a ballot where the voter “apparently marked an X in ovals with a blue pen,” or “they made a check mark or a used red pen that a machine can't read.”

Really, how tough is it. I’m sorry you didn’t have time to read the directions, or ask for help, or ask an election official for a black pen. In my opinion, if you can’t follow the directions your vote shouldn’t count; if you didn't take the time to register your vote shouldn't count. Every vote should count but every fly speck and slash on a ballot is not a vote.

Reality TV can hurt

2004-11-19T13:47:00.000-08:00

This poor woman. I enjoy some reality TV, but makeover shows tend to bother me a bit. I'm all for the ladies on "The Swan" transforming themselves, but I always wonder what happens to them if they don't get selected to move on to the paegent. I had never considered what would happen to the women if the producers pulled the plug in the middle of the process. Apparently all the producers are required by their contracts to provide is a plane ticket home...sad.

Home Delivery Fails to Deliver