by Jim Miller, 06:09 AM
The Seattle Times reporter had a chance to ask the former vice president, and current climate change guru, a few questions, and this is all Welch came up with. It would be unfair, but not terribly unfair, to sum up that brief interview by saying that Welch asked Gore how news organizations can help sell Gore's message.
Read the rest >>by Tim Eyman, 05:17 AM
Concerning Secretary Sam Reed's request of the Court to avoid answering questions under oath and under the penalty of perjury, here are the questions:
Request for Admission #1: Admit or deny that the Secretary of State's Office released Referendum 71 petitions with the names, addresses and/or signatures of petitioners to third parties.
Response for #1:
Request for Admission #2: Admit or deny that State law and regulations adopted by the Secretary of State prohibit disclosure of lists of individuals for commercial purposes. RCW 42.56.070(9) and WAC 434-12A-110.
Response For #2:
Request for Admission #3: Admit or deny that the Secretary of State's Office does not ask public record act requestors if they intend to use public records for...Read the rest >>
by Tim Eyman, 01:14 PM
From 1912 through 2006 -- for 95 years -- every other Secretary of State protected the names, signatures, and home addresses of citizens who signed initiative and referendum petitions. Unlike all his predecessors and overruling 95 years of precedent, Sam Reed does not. In September, we learned that a powerful lobbyist had requested the personal information of citizens who signed 11 initiative petitions, 9 of which were initiatives that we had sponsored. We filed a lawsuit in Thurston County Superior Court asking the Court protect these citizens.
For months, Secretary Reed and his staff have made numerous claims that are at variance with the facts. The greatest thing about our lawsuit is the opportunity to have Secretary Reed answer questions...Read the rest >>
by Carter Mackley, 10:53 AM
Hat tip to one of our loyal readers (who can identify himself if he wants) for alerting us to this column by Seattle Times staff columnist Danny Westneat also complaining about automatically ticketing traffic cameras.
For the record, I am not against automated traffic enforcement devices per se. Nor would I be interested in organizing civil disobedience against them (as the same reader suggested I do). Automated devices can be cheaper than real people, and more objective.
I am against short yellow lights, where the evidence indicates that fewer drivers run red lights if given adequate time to stop. I am in favor of public officials who objectively look at available evidence regarding traffic devices and safety, and aren't tainted by a desire to use traffic enforcement to raise revenue. I have been in local government, and this is a pervasive tendency.
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by MarkGriswold, 08:32 PM
This Christmas come get your kids' picture taken at Nordstrom's with Diversity Santa! That's right. You can choose with which race of Santa your kids will get their photos taken.
Now I'm all for diversity. I believe Santa, as a symbol of Christmas, a holiday celebrated by races and cultures around the world, can and in fact should be portrayed as Black, Asian, Indian, Hispanic and any other color you can name.
I just question why they have to make such a big deal about it. Liberals love to claim how they love diversity and want to extinguish racism but by continuing to make such a big deal about race, underscoring the fact that there's a "Diversity Santa" or having...Read the rest >>
by pudge, 06:04 PM
Rick Larsen is the elected Representative for Washington's Second Congressional District. He's been there for several terms, and some of us think this is the year to unseat the guy who supports continued funding for corrupt organizations like ACORN, liberty-killing and economy-destroying health insurance reform, and nation-bankrupting stimulus.
We need a strong candidate in the Second CD: someone who is well-known and well-respected; who is unapologetically conservative; who is thoughtful, rather than merely opinionated; who works well with others; who can raise money; who appeals strongly to everyone from middle-of-the-road moderates to far-right libertarians, because even when they don't agree with his specific views, they agree with his goals and principles and the way he expresses them.
In the Snohomish...Read the rest >>
by Carter Mackley, 02:42 PM
As a criminal prosecutor for eight years I confronted numerous weird crimes and acts of violence, but I never had anyone kill someone with a sword as happened recently at John Hopkins University. Curious whether it makes any difference for most people that the student used a sword rather than a gun to defend himself.
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by MarkGriswold, 08:20 AM
I just got off the phone with Kirby. First the good news.
Our phone calls to advertisers appear to be helping. Kirby told me that Laura Kiel (Kiel Mortgage) has pulled her advertising from KVI and is unwilling to reconsider as long as Kirby is off the air. I'm sure other advertisers will follow. Kirby also mentioned that KVI has received more than 700 phone calls from listeners upset over the decision.
As for Jim Clayton's stated reasons behind Kirby's contract not being renewed, money and ratings, Kirby wants to tell his side of the story.
On November 6, Kirby and the rest of the station had their monthly meeting to discuss October's ratings. In that meeting Kirby was told...Read the rest >>
by Carter Mackley, 05:16 PM
If you missed Washington Policy Center's 2009 Small Business Conference last Tuesday you can see a video of some of the panel discussions here. You can subscribe to WPC's weekly email letter at the same link.
I was able to attend several sessions of the conference, including the panel discussion on health care. The panel spent a lot of time talking about ways to increase competition among health insurers. I would have appreciated more discussion about the moral hazard problem inherent in insurance -- a primary cause for increasing health costs. I sat by State Senator Randi Becker (2nd District, Eatonville). Senator Becker is a retired health care worker and understand's the system's problems well. Add her to...Read the rest >>
by Jim Miller, 09:43 AM
Here's a description from their schedule.
Read the rest >>"The Power of the Poor" tells the story of how a small group of economists helped defeat Peru's brutal Shining Path terrorists, pressured the government into making legal reforms that have lifted millions out of poverty and, in the process, became repeated targets for bombing and assassinations. It is a look at the vital role that efficient, inclusive laws and private property play in prosperity and social peace. Filmed on location and featuring Peruvian economist and author Hernando de Soto, the program relates how corruption and bureaucracy have locked two thirds of the world's population out of national and global economies. Forced to operate outside the rule of law, they have created...
by Carter Mackley, 08:33 AM
According to this Seattle Times article, Seattle Councilmember Nick Licata wants to increase use of automated "speed vans" and red-light cameras to increase revenue from traffic tickets.
Traffic control devices or enforcement practices should be about promoting safety, not increasing revenue. Available data indicates that short yellow lights contribute to red light violations, and that traffic safety increases by simply increasing the timing of yellow lights. Of course if revenue enhancement, rather than safety, is your goal, short yellow lights are what you want. Which is why several cities were caught shortening yellow light times just to raise ticket revenue.
This article in The Atlantic, argues that America would do better to...Read the rest >>
