Craig Welch Should Have Asked Al Gore Better Questions
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... [read more]

Secretary Reed refuses to answer these questions under oath and under penalty of perjury (RE: Eyman's lawsuit)
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... [read more]

How ironic: Mr. Disclosure Sam Reed asks the Court to block disclosure (RE: Eyman's lawsuit against Reed)
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... [read more]

Raging against traffic cameras
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... [read more]

Diversity Santa at Nordstrom's
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... [read more]

Ask John Koster to Run for Congress
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... [read more]

College student defends himself, kills intruder with sword
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... [read more]

Kirby on Kirby
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... [read more]

Washington Policy Center's Small Business Conference a success
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... [read more]

Tomorrow, At 12:59 PM, KCTS Will Be Showing "Power Of The Poor"
Here's a description from their schedule. "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... [read more]

Councilmember Licata wants more speed traps to boost revenue
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... [read more]

A Tribute To Kirby WIlbur
Please post your favorite memories of The Kirby Wilbur Show or of Kirby himself in the comments section below. If I get a decent amount I'll have them printed and bound into a book to give to Kirby. He's been... [read more]

Say It Ain't So! Kirby Wilbur Off The Air!
I was shocked to learn yesterday evening that Kirby Wilbur broadcast his final show yesterday morning. I'm sure I speak for conservatives around the Puget Sound area when I say how deeply saddened I am that this beacon of clear... [read more]

What's Mt. St. Helens Doing This Afternoon?
Looking pretty. And putting out a little steam. Cross posted at Jim Miller on Politics. (You can look at a current view here, though you may need to hurry to see anything like the picture above.)... [read more]

In 2005, Veteran (And Methodist Minister) Donald Sensing Wrote A Tribute For Veterans Day
It was worth reading then, and it is still worth reading.... [read more]

Olympia Democrats facing huge pressure to raise taxes
The front-page, above-the-fold news story in today's Seattle Times makes it clear that Olympia's Democrats -- Gregoire and the Dems who control the state house and state senate -- are facing huge pressure to raise taxes. It also illustrates the... [read more]

Do not slander X after Y
Today's Seattle Times editorial page: "Do not slander Islam after Fort Hood"There is a rush to link Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, with Islamic extremists and generally defame his faith by association ... Religious and political affiliations make... [read more]

Open breakfast briefing by KC Health Preparedness Manager
If you are wondering how King County is preparing/responding to the flu pandemic, there is an opportunity Thursday morning to hear Bryan Heartsfield, Preparedness Health and Medical Operations Manager for King County. Bryan will be reviewing the current situation and... [read more]

Four Right, One Wrong
In my election prediction post, I called four winners correctly, one wrong, and chickened out on one.  Here's what I predicted last week: Tomorrow, the Republicans will come close to a sweep.  McDonnell will win in Virginia by 13 points,... [read more]

Small Business Conference Tomorrow
Here are the essentials from the Washington Policy Center. Small business owners and policymakers from around the state will gather in SeaTac tomorrow to discuss the state's business climate and ideas for how policymakers can make Washington more supportive of... [read more]

Health "Reform" Open Thread
Have at it.... [read more]

"On The Internet, Nobody Knows You're A Dog"
Or an innocent child, or a grandparent with old-fashioned standards.  (If you somehow missed that famous cartoon, you can see it here.) Most people see the cartoon and think that it shows how anonymous individuals can post something on the... [read more]

King County Ballot Drop Boxes Are Insecure
You only have to look at one to understand that.... [read more]

Good News On The Brenton Case?
Maybe. Just after a memorial service for slain Seattle police Officer Tim Brenton concluded Friday afternoon, officers shot and arrested a man described as a person of interest in his killing. Tukwila police spokesman Mike Murphy said officers were... [read more]

It's Time To Call Your Congressman
It isn't too late to urge them to vote against the 2000-page monstrosity that Speaker Pelosi is calling health insurance reform.   The Democratic leadership is trying to rush the vote, but has not twisted enough arms to have 218... [read more]

The Health Care Clock
A handy website that tells you which page you should be on if you're to read the whole bill before the committee vote on it. It also has handy page and section references to important parts of the bill for... [read more]

Thirteen new taxes in House Democrat Health-care takeover bill
Americans for Tax Reform put together the tax increases in the latest version of Obama's health care takeover. Some of these are outright tax increases; some are reductions in deductions, which causes paying increased taxes; some lower the standard for... [read more]

Compare and Contrast
David Brooks: I think it is a suicide pact for the Republican Party, essentially taking a moderate Republican, dead-center in American politics, and saying, sorry, you are too liberal. That's crazy. George Will: Newt [Gingrich] was just tone deaf as... [read more]

The Spin Cycle: It's a wonder the washing machine isn't walking out the door!
Many news sources have gotten it right. Politico writes that "Dems and Incumbents get a wake up call". The AP writes: "For now, Obama must worry about the impact of the 2009 contests on health care reform, his signature legislative... [read more]

Three Republican Wins East Of The Cascades
One of them a defeat of an appointed Democrat, Laura Grant. Next year, I think it nearly certain that the Republicans will make further gains in the legislature.  But it is too soon, in my opinion, to even guess at... [read more]

Here is Eyman/Fagans statement on I-1033 given at 8 pm tonight
This is as true now as it was at 8 pm tonight: Whatever happens with Initiative 1033 tonight, Jack, Mike and I want everyone to know how proud we are of all our heroic supporters for getting 1033 before the... [read more]

Bruce Ramsey Misses Election Day
Now, he says, we just have Ballot-Counting Day. To me, it was important to go to vote.  There was ritual to it, and personal contact.   Always there was a row of poll workers. Mine was a lady well past... [read more]

Service Academies Sing the National Anthem
How many times have we suffered the likes of some rock star or a crotch grabbing Roseanne Barr slaughter the "Star Spangled Banner" at a sports event? The combined choirs of the service academies demonstrate how the National Anthem should... [read more]

Come Celebrate With Susan
Susan Hutchison will be having an Election Night Celebration this evening at the Bellevue Hyatt. The festivities start off at 6pm. Parking is free.... [read more]

Eyman: "Thank you for making Initiative 1033 a success"
Congratulations -- you did it. Jack, Mike, and I are very proud of all of you for working so hard to get Initiative 1033 before the voters this year. It was a Herculean effort getting 315,000 signatures in just 4... [read more]

Dow Constantine & "Jane Doe" vs. The Seattle Times, Part 4
The Seattle Times was successful today in its intervention in the matter of "Jane Doe" vs. King County. The county has released a copy of the notes between "Jane Doe" and her supervisor with names redacted. By the looks of... [read more]

Prediction Problems (Updated)
In this post, I promised I would make my own election predictions — and I will, with one exception.  I am putting my predictions in a separate post because I am unable to make one prediction, and I thought I... [read more]

Why biologists are baffled when coyotes kill people
You may have heard by now of the tragic death of Canadian singer-songwriter Taylor Mitchell last week, killed by coyotes while solo hiking in Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia. As is typical after these types of incidents,... [read more]

I-1033 victory celebration at Bellevue Hyatt -- join Eyman and others on election night
Congratulations -- working together, all of us have helped make the Initiative 1033 campaign a tremendous success. Join us at I-1033's victory celebration at the Bellevue Hyatt (900 Bellevue Way NE) on election night (several other campaigns are going to... [read more]

True Colors Fly in NY 23
In the supposedly solid Republican 23rd Congressional District in upstate New York, there will be a special election November 3, 2009 to fill the seat vacated by Cong. John McHugh who was appointed Secretary of the Army. The Republican district... [read more]

Geithner and Wrongthink
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was on Meet the Press with David Gregory today, and Gregory asked him, regarding the health insurance bills, "there is going to be a heavy burden on the middle-class through health care by taxes going up,... [read more]