Editorials from Theslowlane

Remember Governor Moonbeams? Now there's Newt Gingrich

2012-01-27T16:09:00.000-08:00

Thinking outside the confines of the box, California Governor Jerry Brown was called Governor Moonbeams back at the time he was seeking nomination of the Democratic Party for US president around 1980.

Cynical pundits can now put the moonbeams label on Newt Gingrich for his recently revealed proposal to establish a colony on the moon by 2020.

If "liberal" Jerry Brown gets laughed at for thinking outside the confines of some journalist's cubicle, folks can now laugh at "conservative" Newt Gingrich.

Thinking beyond the mundane is something I applaud, but one does have to ask, where's the money going to come from for "fast tracking" a moon colony; especially while Republicans, like Newt, try and downsize the government. Of course government isn't the only source of money for space technology, but corporations don't seem to be clamoring for a moon base in the near future.

By the late 1970s, Governor Brown expressed a fascination with outer space and proposed that California launch its own space satellite. His 1980 campaign slogan was "protect the earth, serve the people and explore the universe."

In a nutshell, that's basically what society should be doing, but Brown got snickered at for presenting the "big picture."

So now it's Newt's turn. snicker, snicker. Who's going to pay for said moon colony?

Yes, even Republicans can be accused of idealistic dreams, thinking outside the mundane. Something I'd often applaud, being a space exploration advocate myself, but if Jerry Brown can get flack for this, so should Newt Gingrich.

Speaking of California, where far reaching ideas can percolate and Jerry Brown is now serving again, many years later, as governor, there's another way out proposal. This time it's not from the governor, but from another Republican; like Newt Gingrich.

Congressman Dan Lungren is toying with the idea of draining the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir to expose another Yosemite like valley in California. It's quite a dream to have a second valley like the majestic valley that graces Yosemite National Park. There's a cost, of course, which would be draining the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. Hetch Hetchy now provides water to the city of San Francisco and much of its surrounding area.

Hetch Hetchy Valley was flooded by a dam built early in the last century. That dam was opposed by an early environmentalist, John Muir, but the water stored in that reservoir has served San Francisco for decades. Draining that reservoir means having to find a new way of suppling San Francisco with water. It could be expensive; especially, as employees of the San Francisco Water Department point out, if it involves burning energy for pumping water all the way to the city. That water can currently flow all the way through a gravity feed system. Loss of the high reservoir (Hetch Hetchy) would, most likely, make pumping more necessary.

Is the San Francisco water department just a bunch of government bureaucrats who say it can't be done, or are they the true one's watching out for the taxpayer's pocketbook?

Lungren has proposed at least doing a study to look into the feasibility of this dream for a second Yosemite, but critics remind him that money is tight.

Dream on, both Republicans and Democrats. I can't fault folks for striving to have achievements beyond the mundane. As we dream, we all deserve the term moonbeams and we should be careful when we poke fun at people. Those who dream of living in glass houses can't throw many stones.

Bike path to Barkley Village in the snow

2012-01-18T16:17:00.001-08:00

Bellingham is having one of it's fairly rare snow events. A few folks still bike, but I prefer walking in the snow. Yesterday, I had a reason to go to the Barkley Village district. Took the bus out there and then walked back.

Tokyo House restaurant has a welcoming glow in the snow.

Plaza across the street from Tokyo House.

Barkley Village is sometimes called a "new urbanism" style of development. Slightly more density than the average strip mall sprawl. Some multi story buildings with use of brick and a "Main Street look" along New Market Street.

One of the things that causes me to go to Barkley more often than other satellite developments in Bellingham is the ease of access along Railroad Trail. It heads through the woods behind Barkley Village.

Being a non driver, trails make a difference to me.

Other developments in Bellingham, like Cordata and Bellis Fair Mall, are out where the sprawl is horrible. Few trails or pedestrian facilities. All built for the automobile. There are plans to retrofit some of those areas, but progress is real slow. Barkley seems more accessible to non drivers.

There still is plenty of parking for those who participate in mainstream culture. One of Barkley's biggest features is a 24 hour Haggens Super Market. It's near a large parking lot which also serves as the parking for businesses along New Market Street.

Across Woburn Street from the Haggens is a big construction site. New movie theaters. I hear 17 screens? Lots of grading. There will most likely be a big parking lot. Also some artificial wetlands for storm water retention.

One wonders if a big theater project will work, but at least it doesn't look like we're in a recession when you see the construction equipment going. Bellingham gets some spin off from the robust economy of Vancouver, BC, just across the border. It's still hard to find work here, but Vancouver's economic engine is close by. Shoppers come down to Bellingham to buy milk and other products by the truckload.

Canada is where the controversial coal trains are headed which rumble through Bellingham. They go to a coal port in Canada. Controversial because there is a proposal to build more port facilities on this side of the border which would likely increase the coal traffic being exported to "power house economies" in Asia.

Meanwhile the snowy world of the bike path is only a few feet from commerce.

Gay liberation may be the most successful of movements loosely called the left

2012-01-10T19:30:00.000-08:00

I remember when proposals to legalize gay marriage were thought of as radical and way out on the fringe of suggestions for adopting as planks in the Democratic Party platform.

Forward just a few decades to now and Democratic Governor Christine Gregoire feels Washington State is ready to legalize gay marriage at the state level. I'll have to hand it to the gay rights movement. Gay rights may be the most successful social cause that has been associated with left leaning politics.

Picture from Wikimedia Commons. Gay rights demonstration 11 July 1976 at the Democratic National Convention, New York City. Leffler/Library of Congress via pingnews.

Washington has had domestic partnership for gay and lesbian couples over the past few years. Sometimes called the "everything but marriage law," but now we may be ready for that next step; calling it marriage.

A few states have already taken that step and most importantly the whole nation of Canada has legalized gay marriage both at the provincial and national level.

What has happened to other causes brought up at various Democratic Party conventions over the decades? For many years, people have been marching for world peace. Are we any closer now than we were in say, 1976?

What about reducing our carbon footprint? Many a conference on global warming has come up with resolutions, but has the footprint actually been reduced?

How about fairness of income distribution? Especially in American society? Are common people getting a better deal than say in 1976?

Many would answer no, but in spite of what has seemed like gridlock over the years, the gay movement continues it's gradual progress. How can this be, when it was thought of as one of the most fringe of the causes, not that long ago?

Gay rights advocates deserve some pride for their successes. At the same time, one does have to wonder why other causes have been stuck in neutral all this time.

Besides gay rights, it seems like the most obvious progress being made in society is on the technological front. Back in the 1970s, no one had Smart Phones, access to Google or web sites.

Technology keeps marching forward though some would say more technology is not necessarily progress for the better. At the same time, of course, there are some who say that progress toward gay rights is not really for the better either. There are still folks adamantly opposed to things like legalized gay marriage.

Even within the gay community, itself, there are some who miss the days when gay life was more clandestine; more underground. They would say it had more color back then.

There is the famous comment that goes, "Promoting marriage among gays?" "Haven't the gays suffered enough as it is?" This implying marriage isn't really all that great.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of the concept of traditional marriage, but I am in favor of fairness and equality among both gay and heterosexual folks if they do wish to get married.

As for some of these other causes, like low carbon footprint or peace in the world, I don't know what's holding us back. Around the edges, maybe we can say progress is being made. Contrary to popular opinion, the rate of violent crime is actually dropping, according to recent crime statistics I've been reading. That's the rate of violent crime on a per capita basis, here in USA. Maybe that's a sign of progress toward more peace in the world.

In other causes, such as lowering the carbon footprint, it seems like some progress is being made behind the scenes, if nothing else. The technology for more efficient solar collectors is on it's way; so they say. Bike paths abound, throughout Bellingham at least, but its hard to say if use of these paths has gone "mainstream" or not.

Speaking of bike paths, another metric for measuring social progress could be in looking at the health of the population. After years of "wellness programs" are we any healthier than before or are things like obesity and diabetes on the increase?

Sometimes it feels like we're just running no place in a squirrel cage. Obesity seems to be on the rise, but at least less people are smoking. Maybe there's some progress.

Fairness of income distribution is really a tough one. Seems like society is just going backwards on that, but the descent into "income gap hell" is not as pronounced as one might think. Technology comes to the rescue again. At least poor people now can have access to things on the Internet that even the wealthy couldn't have dreamed of enjoying decades ago.

Views crossing I-5 from Railroad Trail in Bellingham

2012-01-10T18:06:00.000-08:00

Freeway looks kind of neat when crossing after sundown.
An hour or two earlier heading east.
While I-5 looks pretty ominous, or might I say "majestic," I'm glad I'm on the bike trail.

The best this Republican dominated House of Representatives can do

2012-01-04T16:25:00.001-08:00

When Obama reluctantly signed the recent defense authorization bill, maybe he should have vetoed it instead. He is getting a lot of flack for signing it because of the provisions about detaining US citizens. A real turkey of a bill. I think his only choice was to sign or veto, unless he has line item veto. That bill may have been the best bill this Congress, with the Republicans in the house of Representatives, could have sent him. The best this Congress could do. Good question to ask is, should he have just vetoed the whole thing and let the military starve for lack of funds?

Maybe he's like a batter in a baseball game who bats bad balls (bad bills) since that's the only balls the pitchers send him.

Ron Paul could teach Republicans a few lessons, but Obama still makes a better president

2012-01-01T21:43:00.000-08:00

Those who preach small government could learn a few lessons if Ron Paul were to really get the Republican nomination. A true libertarian in a more purist sense, Paul supports really cutting things like the military. Other Republicans talk small government and taxes, but still continue to support things like Homeland Security, Veterans benefits, the military, border patrol, Medicare and so forth. Things American people have become dependent on. Talking low taxes, but not cutting back on these things means deficit.

Libertarian thinking, which really would call for cutting back the government, is a good discussion point. A discussion point that could be turning Republicans inside out especially if Ron Paul were to get the nomination.

Still, I would hope Obama wins the presidency. Libertarian ideas make for an interesting part of the discussion, but small government would not provide the safety net, civil rights protections and environmental protections that we need, not to mention things like federally funded research and development. Libertarians would most likely lead to a world dominated by corporations and the most powerful. Even worse than today.

After globalization, US can't afford it's wealthy class anymore

2011-12-31T01:17:00.000-08:00

Globalization has brought a plethora of inexpensive products to our lives. Things made in other countries, where labor costs are lower, have created a bonanza for American consumers, but consumers are also workers. Outsourcing of jobs has hurt American workers.

Some of those jobs could come back if American worker/consumers worked for lower wages, but the cost of living is too high in USA for that to work very well. Workers can no longer afford to pay for the upper class which continues to go on (without a clue) as if nothing has changed.

The upper class creates much of the cost of living that workers can no longer afford. For instance American workers can no longer afford the cost of our health care system wrought with insurance company executives that rake in millions, star doctors that can command millions and the high price of malpractice insurance with it's associated payouts and all the trial lawyers involved.

Then there's the cost of our military, second to none. We can no longer afford to support that if we compete with workers in other countries.

Education with the likes of high priced college presidents is another thing no longer affordable.

Housing is another. Property values have been too high, but now we are seeing property value adjust downward. Markets do tend to reach an equilibrium eventually.

From our corporate executives to our high level professionals to even most of our politicians; we can't afford the cost that these people are imposing on the provision of services, such as health care in America.

Some people think we can still out compete cheap overseas labor by always doing things better. Using more technology for efficiency and making better products. They call this the American advantage. Problem is, there is no more American advantage. Other countries can do it better as well.

I'm not necessarily suggesting a race to the bottom where we all try to lower our incomes to the level of Chinese sweatshops. Incomes in China are raising anyway. It's just that those at the top of the American system have to do their part to face the new realities of a global economy. If workers are expected to work for low wages, they can't expect to be living in homes costing around a half million dollars or paying health insurance premiums of over $500 per month. The top providers of American services have to adjust their expectations closer to where the workers are headed.

Overall quality of life can still get better. One measure of "better" in quality of life is peace of mind. If workers feel like they can afford to live in their own country, they can have more peace of mind.

We'll most likely survive the Mayan Bug since we survived the Millennium Bug

2011-12-29T19:11:00.000-08:00

We're almost to 2012, the year of the Mayan Bug. We survived the Millennium Bug in year 2000 so we'll most likely sail through the Mayan Calender Bug come next December, when I hear it occurs.

Interesting coincidence. Both Mayan and Millennium start with "M."

Link to letter I sent out to a few people who still might expect to hear something from me via the US Postal Service.

Occupy Bellingham camp evicted December 28

2011-12-29T18:59:00.000-08:00

Bellingham's camp lasted longer than in some other cities, but eviction orders and police came on December 28. I think the occupation camps may have painted themselves into a corner where it looked like breaking camp would be akin to backing down. Unlike Egypt where people tried to keep occupying the square until Mubarak stepped down, changing USA culture is a longer process. The evolution of society keeps happening. Street protests in rainy weather will be hard to keep the momentum going, but come spring who knows.

Also, 2012 election is coming. While things in USA may not be that bad, like conditions in repressive Middle Eastern countries, the Republican House of Representatives, elected in 2010, is particularly bad. That election pushed things to the extreme, but this too shall pass if people vote.

Time for a break

2011-12-26T02:13:00.000-08:00

Even the 24 hour Haggens in Barkley Village took a break yesterday. Sometimes it's nice to see our 24 hour work a day world pause for a moment. Of course places like hospital emergency rooms and power plants can't, but people can value slowing down a bit more. Also slowing down at other times than just Christmas.

24 hour society is fine. Not everyone works 9-5. For instance me.

Taking breaks for rest and special moments is needed. Like summer vacations.

Peace sign in Christmas lights

2011-12-24T00:25:00.000-08:00

I may be too lazy to put up lights in my window, but I'm not too lazy to ride my bike around town looking at other people's lights. My bike is well lit.

3 pictures in this post.

Peace sign in Christmas lights on a fence in residential area.

Christmas Tree, a sequoia, near Edens Hall at Western Washington University. Lit up each year. This year with both blue and white lights.

Under tree it looks like stars through the branches.

Since I don't have kids, I don't really have to do Christmas shopping.

Christmas candor

2011-12-23T19:46:00.000-08:00

When the minister dropped by to say hello to our family on Christmas day when I was in college one year, Christmas was on a Saturday. He said he was planning to be at the church next morning because it was Sunday, but he wasn't quite sure what the service would be about the day after Christmas. He said it was like wondering what to do after the orgasm.

I grew up in a liberal church where transparency and candor were common. My folks chuckled with their mouths dropping and then we all sampled some Christmas cookies before he headed on to the next family of parishioners.

About the only thing I do for Christmas is bike around town enjoying Christmas lights

2011-12-22T15:52:00.000-08:00

It can feel like being on the outside looking in, but at least I'm missing the rat race. Biking around town after traffic calms down reveals quite a colorful show. That's the main thing I've done for the holidays so far.

In Bellingham, it seems like the most fantastic displays are on dead end streets, in keeping with Bellingham's theme "City of subdued excitement." It's almost like Bellingham tries to hide its flamboyance.

Not necessarily the most spectacular lights of the lot, but a nice sampling.

Under the tree; new cars.

With imagination one could think of the bright blue lights as looking like the Pleiades star cluster that I often admire in astronomy pictures.

Looking forward to dancing on the Solstice. Quite a few dancing events in Bellingham tonight.

Iraq war was probably a total waste

2011-12-22T15:47:00.000-08:00

Waste of lives and money. Just think if we had spent that money on clean energy research, space exploration and other good things like bike paths.

Somewhat diverging interests: labor, environment. Bellingham coal train issue

2011-12-18T16:33:00.000-08:00

Lots of interesting discussion on various blogs and forums.

On December 12, several folks tied themselves together across the BNSF tracks coming through Bellingham. This led to the first arrests, that I know about, which were associated with the Occupy Bellingham movement. This group is often now referred to as "The Bellingham 12." This protest took place on a day of action all up and down the west coast blocking things like port facilities.

I wasn't part of that protest, myself, but I know at least one of the people who were.

Photo by Jeff Krajewski, found on Facebook.

It got people talking and blogs are humming with discussion. Folks keep asking, what is the proper focus for the Occupy Wall Street movement?

There's the concern about unfair distribution of wealth; the so called 1 percent versus 99 percent issue. Other concerns are related, but all the issues have their differences as well. This protest had a lot to do with environmental issues, rather than just the income distribution problem.

Here in Bellingham, there is a lot of opposition to SSA Marine's proposal to build a large shipping port north of town. The new port would ship coal and some other bulk products, such as grain. Some coal trains are coming through now to an existing port just across the border in Canada. There is fear that more coal trains will come if the new facility is built on this side of the border. Big worries about the environment and global warming; thus the protest at railroad tracks. Coal would be exported to China and other places which burn it for power.

This issue points out a difficulty in expecting there to be one focus in movements such as Occupy Wall Street. The proposal to build a coal port is actually supported by a lot of union people. Union folks are thinking about the hundreds of permanent jobs that could be created by the port, plus many more temporary jobs created by its construction.

On the other hand, union folks are supposed to be one of the constituencies of Occupy Wall Street as workers are said to be concerned about the American middle class being gutted while the 1 percent accumulate more wealth.

Can those causes of saving the American middle class and protecting the environment cohabitate?

That question is especially important in Occupy Wall Street because of the democratic structure of the movement where a lot of interrelated concerns are brought to the table. The movement often takes whatever form people bring to it. It can be said that democracy is one of the worse ways to get anything done except it's better than the alternatives. What direction does Occupy Wall Street or Occupy Bellingham take? To some extent, it is what ever the people bring up from the grass roots.

Back to the question of whether the middle class and the environment can cohabitate; this is worth a lot of thought. Much of middle class lifestyles, in the past, have not been very good for the environment. Excessive driving, for instance. Part of the reason why China is such a big market for coal is the fact that it has 1.3 billion people. Many of them are aspiring to more middle class lifestyles.

Seems like large middle classes and the environment can only be compatible if a lot of change takes place. Change in business practices, change in technologies and change in lifestyles. It all kind of fits together in the discussion of how to get from here to the so called nirvana of a green economy.

Technology can be a big part of the change. I'm a fan of bicycling, but I even realize that the future may hold things like hydrogen powered cars. Clean energy will require technological advance.

Some ask if China, where much of the coal would go, is doing anything to make it's economy more green. Apparently it is. China is big in solar, wind and other green technologies. It's just big in traditional technologies, such as coal, as well. 1.3 billion people is a lot of consumers. One can say that China is running on all cylinders; to borrow a phrase from the internal combustion engine.

So, were people like my friend who was part of that protest blocking the railroad track helping the cause of Occupy, what ever that cause is? I guess the answer is unclear. At least this action stimulated a lot of discussion. It's another part of a big conversation about what the best pathways are to the future.

It might be more pleasurable to believe in something rather than being an atheist

2011-12-17T01:07:00.000-08:00

One of the things the writer Christopher Hitchens, who has recently passed away, was noted for was being an atheist. Basically, I assume that implies not believing in an afterlife. Someone I know recently put on Facebook this comment.

Right about now, Christopher Hitchens has confirmed his long held religious beliefs, or he is one surprised MOFO.

In reply I wrote, "If Hitchens atheistic beliefs are true, his awareness has ceased to exist just in time to miss experiencing the confirmation of his beliefs."

There's probably nobody holding up a sign at death saying, "dead end."

Come to think about it, it's pretty depressing to think that life ends at death. One even misses the confirmation that there is nothing which conceivably comes after death since, of course, one is no longer there to experience even that.

Believing in the possibility of something seems more enjoyable to me since, at least, it provides some hope for a future. I can imagine this hope would be especially useful at a time when one's life has little prognosis for much future. The hope would come in handy during this life at least.

If what most atheists say is true, one will not know the difference anyway. Like I mentioned before, I'm assuming one has to be conscious to even experience the reality of nothing.

One could say, belief will not let you down, or disappoint you in death since you have to be conscious to be disappointed.

A former Christian, I know, who's now leaning toward being an atheist does say something different. He says that he has less fear of death now, being an atheist, than he did being a Christian. Imagine that. More peace of mind from being an atheist. Partially that fear from being a Christian had to do with the teachings about hell that he grew up with. There was the constant fear and questions like, "is one was pleasing God."

I'll admit, nothing would sure be a lot better than something like a hell.

On the other hand, nothing still doesn't seem like it's enough.

Unlike my friend, I grew up in a very liberal Christian church. It is a church where the concept of a hell isn't really promoted.

That church is pretty open minded and I think there are even some atheists who attend that church. They attend mostly because it's a social center.

I have to admit that I don't go there, myself, as it doesn't fit into my schedule, but I get a good feeling when ever I do go.

There's probably no egotistical "man in the sky" who's offended if one's not fitting a church service into one's schedule.

Science has always met a lot to me and it does seem to be inconclusive, at best, as to whether there is a god or not.

Maybe I shouldn't say a god since that conjures up images of the man with a grey beard, which, other than Santa Clause, I don't really believe in.

Science does seem to indicate that there is still a lot out there we don't know about. The universe, by itself, is huge and there may even be other universes as well as stuff like multiple dimensions. Hard to conceptualize with our very limited minds.

There's a lot of interesting shows about physics I listen to on NPR Radio; for instance.

At least it seems like there is plenty of "stage" for things we still don't know about to exist. Science can be quite humbling.

The fundamentalist brands of religion tend to be more arrogant than the liberal brands. People claiming to know answers. Science tends to unravel a lot of beliefs. At the same time, I'd say we certainly haven't written the last chapter.

Might as well hold a hope about something since it can bring some comfort and pleasure to this life at least.

Occupy KGO? Former listener via ionospheric skip writes from Bellingham, WA. Now using internet

2011-12-14T15:46:00.000-08:00

KGO transmitter looks like it's behind prison fences when seen from Dumbarton Bridge bike path. Image taken on my 2004 bicycle tour.

I hear there is an "Occupy KGO." KGO Radio was a popular talk show station in San Francisco that I remember since the late 1960s. I grew up in Pullman, WA. but KGO's signal is heard up and down the west coast at night. Talk shows were booth liberal and conservative. Locally produced; rather than packaged off the network. Quite a forum for many years.

Occupy KGO video I found (December 15 2011). Interesting.

Just a few weeks ago, the new corporation, Cumulus Media, that bought KGO changed the format. Most of the talk show hosts were laid off.

Maybe I should say they almost totally changed the format. Some of hosts have remained, but there's a lot more news and less discussion now.

Constant news can be repetitive.

People are mad, thus the Occupy KGO uprising. There seems to be an occupy everything, these days anyway.

Rather than blowing my stack, I'm now using the internet. It's a relatively new source for talk radio. That's the great thing about the internet. So many choices and talk radio can still thrive. It's just thriving in new ways.

NPR is one of many talk sources available on the net as well as on the air. Since KGO's recent changes, I've started listening to a wonderful forum on KQED. It's hosted by former KGO talk host, Michael Krasney. Krasney went off KGO years ago and is now on KQED, a listener supported public broadcast station in San Francisco. I've always appreciated Krasney's "nice guy" style. He's not a yeller. There are interesting guests and one can learn a lot.

I listen on-line to Krasney's podcasts. They are archived, by subject. Easy to find the shows that interest me from months of well documented archives.

NPR stations, and the national NPR network, do a good job with archives. Not just a list of show dates, but there are small blurbs on each show to accompany the download link. Who were the guests, what was the book about and so forth.

Working as a custodian, I have lots of time to listen to the radio, but radio waves have trouble penetrating the building I work in. KQED's FM signal didn't make it to Bellingham anyway. That's where the podcast comes in handy. If I'm organized, I can download a bunch of interesting shows from different sources and take them with me. Learn things as I mop the floor.

I hear that KQED is tops in the ratings for San Francisco Bay Area radio. Nice to know as it breaks that old adage "the nice guy finishes last." Krasney does have a "nice guy" sound. There's more to KQED than Krasney, but Krasney's Forum is the only show I've downloaded from so far on that station.

Another talk station I've discovered is Wisconsin Public Radio. WHA, Madison is a flagship for something called the Ideas Network. Plenty of good stuff there.

Commercial talk radio seems to be a dying art, but it has always had its drawbacks. Advertisements pay the bill. As greed gets worse, the time devoted to boring ads goes up while time devoted to interesting talk goes down. Ads were very repetitive. One gets tired of hearing the same ad over and over again. Couldn't they be creative and write more variety in copy?

Listener support and even corporate underwriting seems to be a better model. Classic KING FM, in Seattle, has recently switched to the "listener support underwriting" model of funding. They used to be commercial.

Back at KGO there's still some talk. Weekend host Karel is going strong; so far at least.

One interesting tidbit, Karel is openly gay and he's one of the few hosts they kept. No I don't think the sky is falling for alternative views on the media. I'll still listen to KGO, occasionally, for Karel at least.

Many of the other hosts will be missed. John Rothman with his knowledge of history, Gene Burns, with his formerly libertarian now more Democratic perspective, Bill Wattenburg with his fairly conservative, but uniquely scientific point of view.

Maybe I will not miss Ray Taliaferro as much as he tended to be more of a yeller, but occasionally I'd listen and often agreed with what he said. His liberal perspective was on KGO since the 1970s.

KGO's Cumulus management (Cumulus Corporation) has killed most of talk on that station, but many of these former hosts are, from what I gather, being courted by other stations.

KSCO radio, in Santa Cruz, CA. seems interested and has already had Bill Wattenburg on. It's broadcast range is quite small compared to KGO, but KSCO is also on the Internet.

Rothman, Taliaferro and Burns were recently (Dec. 19) on one of Karel's shows that's not on KGO. Karel is also syndicated on other stations as well as being on the web. On that show, Rothman pointed out that Cumulus didn't fire their hosts, they fired their audience!

The internet is a game changer and my ears remain open.

My mini arcology. Neighborhood in one building

2011-12-10T02:09:00.000-08:00

In my college days of the late 1970s, others went to beer parties while I drew a few arcologies. While digging through my files, here's a look.

Image on the right is a more recent version done with Neopaint. Sloping blue surface is a solar collector, or could be windows over an atrium. Roofs can be green spaces. Nothing is to scale. It's just sketches of the concept.

Here are some excerpts from the descriptions I wrote back then.

Title: All In One Building.

AIB (All In One Building) is a community within one building. This little "city within the city" contains 90 dwelling units, a hotel, stores, offices and a recreation center. The building serves as an integrated living, working and playing environment for not only it's tenants, but others as well.

See more images.
Mission Statement:

People have dreamed of developing a whole city in one building. There are many advantages to this way of thinking. For instance:

* Efficient use of land.

* Energy savings for heating and transportation.

* The ability to visit anywhere in town without being exposed to inclement weather.

* Hopefully a unified community spirit.

AIB is a compromise between the standard apartment house and a free standing city. It is a "one building neighborhood" within a larger city. Due to it's location within the city, AIB's residents are able to take advantage of a wide range of facilities that are largely supported by outside customers. Things like stores, restaurants and a recreation center can serve the region, beyond just AIB's tenants, so these facilities can be larger than just the size of what would be economically viable for just the residents.

Some businesses, like a laundromat, could serve many uses such as washing towels for the recreation center, bedding for the hotel and various walk in customers from both within AIB and the surrounding area. Other common services could include things like a reception desk.

Side view. See more text below.

The AIB Chamber.

An organization of participants and residents of AIB. Makes AIB an active community, rather than just a place to rent. Members of the chamber could include:

* Residents of the apartments.

* Business owners and employees of firms that lease space from AIB, such as for retail and office space.

* Outside members, such as those joining the fitness club.

This building would be full of clubs and discussion groups. There would be dancing, dining, saunas and even swimming under one roof. Plus it could be located in a city, or possibly a college campus. Imagine a whole city made up of these kind of intentional communities.

See more images.

You can stretch all the economists end to end and you still won't reach the solution

2011-12-08T17:41:00.000-08:00

Maybe we should build a ladder to the moon made out of economists. The engineering project could create jobs. Some of the rungs could be lawyers too. Lawmakers, professors and journalists too. Pretty soon everyone is in the ladder. Then we ask, "are there entry level rungs on the ladder?"

Payroll tax cut may not be much better than Bush Social Security plan

2011-12-08T17:13:00.000-08:00

I benefit from the temporary cut in Social Security taxes that's been pushed by President Obama, but I worry about the integrity of the Social Security trust fund. Reducing the amount of revenue going into the trust fund was my biggest criticism of the Bush Social Security reform proposal of several years back. That plan called for cutting part of the Social Security tax so younger workers could put that money into private individual retirement accounts. Under that plan, the government would have to borrow money to keep up the level of Social Security benefits for current crop of retirees and older workers who would be "grad fathered in" to the old system. That was a long transition period and a lot of borrowing to make it work.

With that in mind, it's hard to justify a similar tax cut in Social Security to try and temporarily give more people spending money and prop up the economy.

That was the tax cut we got last year. The new plan is slightly better. It calls for a tax increase on millionaires to pay for the payroll tax cut. It's still probably not the best idea. Too much political posturing, even though I basically favor income redistribution concepts.

Yes, soak the wealthy pro football player bastards.

While I am troubled by all the tax cut posturing, I still support Obama. Still impressed with things like Obama's secretary of state, Hillary Clinton and her recent speech before the UN; GLBT rights as human rights. Still good reasons to vote for Obama.

We get the same rebate posturing from Congress, both Republicans and Democrats.

It's throwing the masses candy for votes while bankrupting the system in the long run. Hard to say if these rebates actually help the economy and I'm also counting the corporate tax giveaways and tax breaks that the wealthy get. It's a rebate war between rich and poor. A one up mans ship.

Tax candy so we can all go out and buy more Chinese products and imported oil.

Hillary Clinton's ground breaking speech on GLBT rights as human rights

2011-12-07T16:47:00.000-08:00

History in the making.

Today, I decided to watch the speech by Hillary Clinton on LGBT rights as human rights. It is a significant milestone.

Nothing was said, in the speech, about cutting off aid to countries that don't respect GLBT rights or tying that aid to progress on GLBT issues. Instead there was talk about a lot of behind the scenes funding and efforts to support individuals and organizations all over the world who are working for GLBT rights.

From my reading of the news, I do think there is some debate in the United Kingdom about linking foreign aid to GLBT issues.

This topic is being discussed around the world in which Hillary's speech is a cornerstone, but her contribution isn't the only energy going into the international discussion.

Personally, I often link GLBT issues to world population issues. The British discussion about foreign aid has come up in relation to new laws being considered in the nation of Nigeria against gay people. Harsh 14 year prison terms and so forth.

I see Nigeria as an example of one big worry about foreign aid. The "bottomless pit" problem. When populations are growing real fast, one can try to feed the population, but a few years later the hunger increases as there are many more people to feed. One can't keep up. Eventually one can suffer from "charity fatigue" as the growing problems seem overwhelming.

Also countries that don't respect human rights often remain in poverty killing off some of their most progressive thinkers and ideas.

I like to link population and environmental issues to feminist and gay rights issues.

While the talk from Hillary Clinton didn't address that link directly, that link is part of the broader discussion of which Hillary's speech is one of the cornerstones.

Last night, I listened to a segment of "World Have Your Say" on the BBC World Service radio. Very interesting international talk show. Callers were from Africa, on that segment, discussing gay rights, both pro and anti. Dialog is making history.

Some pictures of December 2 lighted bike parade in Bellingham

2011-12-03T22:01:00.000-08:00

During the Christmas season, there is the lighted boat parade. Why not have a lighted bike parade? Such an event happened in Bellingham December 2 2011. Coincided with the monthly Gallery Walk which takes place around downtown Bellingham on the first Friday of each month.

Lots of folks dress up and decorate around the holiday season. At the same time, many bikes don't have lights and can be a safety hazard. Why not decorate bikes with lights? A way to show off and also be lit up for safety. More folks will see your bike than your Christmas tree that's hidden behind a living room curtain.

Back wheel of my bike.
Costumes.
Lighted sculptures. A "light person" in foreground. Tent around where another rider sits in background.
Good sized turnout at starting point in front of Public Market on Cornwall Ave.
Under the streetlights.
One of the sponsoring web sites, Everybodybike.com.

Where would Wall Street be without Bureau of Labor Statistics?

2011-11-28T20:43:00.000-08:00

Lucky it was Department Of Commerce with it's Census Bureau, rather than the Department of Labor that Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry suggested eliminating. The Census is important, but without that constant stream of numbers flowing from the Bureau Of Labor Statistics, those friends of Republicans, who reside on Wall Street would be lost. Employment data, cost of living analysis and other barometers to the economy seem to give the stock market it's bearing. Is it good news or bad news? Should stocks go up or down? Without these figures, they might have to resort to using roulette wheels. Come to think about it, they might as well be using roulette wheels. Is it killing the goose that lays the golden egg?

Ipod better for environment than wood stove

2011-11-28T20:26:00.000-08:00

I think an Ipod puts less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, thus contributing less to global warming than a wood stove. It does take some energy to make the Ipod, but not much to use it. Overall, probably less total "carbon footprint."

A friend of mine pointed out, you can't cook over an Ipod. True. Nor will it heat your home. When He said that, I immediately thought about parabolic solar cookers, for some reason. Science to the rescue. This cooker featured in the 1956 documentary about the sun titled Our Mr. Sun.

Congratulations on the successful launch of curiosity

2011-11-27T00:51:00.000-08:00

Curiosity probe is now headed to Mars. Should arrive around August of 2012. A lot of interesting jobs are created putting something like that together.

On another note, Fabric Of The Cosmos Nova PBS series is very interesting. Available on the web, also DVD. Narrated by physicist Brian Greene. I watched on-line. So there's more to the vacuum of empty space than just "nothing."

No wonder some folks are trying to rev up the shopping economy, their rents and mortgages are due

2011-11-25T19:59:00.000-08:00

On so called Black Friday, I just bought an apple and chocolate milk. I don't blame some folks for wanting the shopping day to be a success if they must pay their high rents, mortgages and healthcare costs. I can afford to think more like what they call a hippy as long as my rent is very affordable.

I do work, but it's in another environment. If I worked at a Walmart, I'd dread overtime, but my rent is very low. That's a big problem with our economy. Products tend to be cheap while things like rents tend to be high. No wonder they are trying to rev up the shopping economy, their rents and mortgages are due.

Occupy Bellingham folks marched by Walmart today in protest. Walmart security called police, but police didn't show up. It was within the rights of the Occupy Wall Street citizens to protest, so the local police felt there was no need to show up.

I talked to a friend who called his "redneck" father by phone. The father was boasting that police in his town were reveling in the overtime they were getting due to dealing with OWS. The son said to his father, "here in Bellingham, there isn't really a need for overtime as the city establishment has been quite tolerant of the occupy movement." Little or no confrontation.

I pointed out that a redneck might be shooting themselves in the foot if they are boasting about police getting overtime. Overtime can mean higher taxes. Aren't rednecks anti tax?

The friend said, "good point," but his dad is beyond logic.

Remembering Pizza Haven and more

2011-11-25T01:34:00.000-08:00

I recently found a Facebook Group about remembering Pizza Haven, an old restaurant chain that used to have around 30 locations in the state of Washington.

My job was custodian at the downtown Bellingham location. That place is now Binyon optometrist. Good memories working part time with lots of free time for bicycling and thinking.

I've always opted for low pressure careers.

The Facebook Group brings back memories of some Pizza Haven culture.

Now I'm on custodial crew of downtown YMCA.

Below is ghostly image of lobby reflected in the door glass to a conference room. Outside window, one sees glare of mercury vapor lights that illuminate front facade of building. Just below is a glass owning over sidewalk. Across the street is the red signs of Key Bank.

Glad my living expenses remain low. The economy has worked for my modest needs so far, but I realize things aren't working that well for more and more people. In some cases, expectations are too high. In other cases, people are given a raw deal.

Voluntary simplicity is one strategy, in an economy where growth is difficult. A strategy to deal with lowering the carbon footprint.

Changing technology is also a way to deal with these things. Ipods most likely have a lower footprint on the environment than wood stoves.

We are living in a changing world and to some extent, upper income people are still living in a fantasy world. The world has big problems when CEOs of corporations and presidents of colleges still expect huge salaries while their businesses loose money and state supported institutions face large cuts.

Tuition at colleges is shooting way up. I'm glad my college days were cheap and I didn't have to deal with student loans.

Money is only one aspect of a job. Peace of mind is another.

It takes Superman, rather than the Super Committee to solve the deficit

2011-11-21T16:53:00.000-08:00

We need "Superman" to fly out of the sky and fix it all. Is Superman a dictatorship? The committee is one tool of Democracy. I'm not advocating dictatorship. That would be even worse. Superman is just an angle that comes up, by coincidence, because of the name "Super Committee."

Part of the problem is, democracy needs compromise. Senator Patty Murray, a Super Committee member, stated it well when she talked about the need for shared sacrifice.

I notice that if high income people can't pay anything more in taxes, everyone else seems to refuse to give an inch. They say, "No cuts to Medicare, veteran's benefits or whatever."

What happened to the concept of everyone pitching in to help out?

One would think the military might be good at this. They talk about sacrifice and serving one's country, even giving one's life for country, but they don't seem to want to give an inch either. Can't the Pentagon take cuts too?

When the automatic cuts go into effect, the cuts that were placed into law for the occasion of the Super Committee not agreeing on a deal, the Pentagon is cut. The Pentagon is cut along with everything across the board. However, now there's rumblings in Congress to spare every last penny of Pentagon budget.

Maybe our solders could lead the way in sacrifice, so our world wide military could be smaller. Would that endanger the nation? Maybe, but if our economy implodes, the nation is endanger anyway.

Another solution is to just print the money we need to run our government. Just print it and don't worry about the inflationary consequences of printing money.

Seems like part of the reason why our economy is in it's current state of despair is inflation. Not future inflation, but past inflation. USA has ALREADY priced itself out of world markets for many goods and services.

The cost of living and doing business in USA is pretty high. We already have the high cost of US medicine, we've had the housing bubble; even though that's now deflating, we've had the spiraling costs of corporate executives. We have had multi-million dollar law suites and, of course, we have way too many lawyers.

At the same time, overall inflation remains low. Cost of many products and services, such as MP3 players, keeps going down. There are strong factors, in the economy, that are anti inflationary. One of the most important of those factors is technology. It's getting cheaper to do lots of things. Labor is being replaced with robots which are often cheaper than workers, especially workers here in America that are saddled with high healthcare, housing and education costs.

Technology can also mean consumers providing their own service, like booking one's travel, on line, rather than employing a travel agent. We're getting more "self service checkout" in the supermarket. This situation has been building for a long time, but it is most likely accelerating today.

Here is an interesting aside. Years ago, the state of Oregon outlawed self service gas stations. I think they were trying to preserve jobs for gas station attendants. Law is still in effect today. That may not be the best way to preserve jobs, but it's interesting to note. I wonder about how many people know about that law, outside of Oregon, or if any other states do it?

There's a lot of factors holding down prices in some sectors of the economy. Standard worries about inflation may not apply. It certainly seems true that worries about inflation do not apply the same way in all sectors. Instead, there's concern about unemployment. One's hears people say, "it's unemployment stupid."

Technology is a game changer.

Technology can bring great advantage to society. More leisure, for instance, but we have to be willing to rethink some economics to make this work. Not giving an inch doesn't work.

Where to use hybrid buses, one of many topics occupying the park

2011-11-17T15:07:00.000-08:00

One of the "demands" being discussed in the Occupy Bellingham encampment is to make sure that Whatcom Transit Authority plans to give route 331 high priority for use of it's hybrid buses, when those buses become available to the fleet.

Some folks might ask, what does that have to do with Occupy Wall Street?

One of the chants I hear in the marches goes; "This is what democracy looks like."

When the request, about the 331 bus route, came up at an Occupy Bellingham meeting, it got "put on stack;" so to speak, in the lingo of the occupy meetings. A small show of hands came up for "ya" and hardly any hands came up for "nay."

After dropping by the meeting, I Later went home and looked up where the 331 route goes. That route is kind of like an "eclectic protest march in itself." From downtown, it meanders through the city to serve both the Barkley Village and Cordota areas.

According to an article, I read, in Bellingham Herald, the WTA plans to use it's new hybrid buses on routes with a lot of "stop and go." Hybrid vehicles are more advantageous for travel through city traffic than long distance highway application. The 331 seems to meet that criteria anyway; in my book at least.

So, what is the point of Occupy Wall Street? Aren't some of it's demands already resonating with common sense anyway? Aren't many of them already being met?

So far, the local police have allowed Occupy Bellingham's camp to remain in Maritime Heritage Park, as far as I know. I've only visited the camp twice with friends passing through. Noticed the hybrid bus suggestion on a list of proposals hanging from a wall made of plastic tarp.

Looks like the local camp is fairly clean compared to some of what I've been reading about from the media, at least, in other cities. On another wall of plastic tarp was a sign that says, "Drug Free Zone."

I don't know if the occupy movement, by itself, is pivotal to the social evolution that this country is going through. The occupy movement has been successful in getting people to think about problems, like the vast discrepancy of wealth in society. I see the OWS as just another part of the larger process of social evolution that takes place in society.

The revolution will be delicious

2011-11-12T18:36:00.001-08:00

Quote on a shopping bag I saw for sale at the Bellingham Food Coop.

"The revolution will be delicious."

I guess that's as good a reason as any to support said "revolution."

Also, one might add, the dancing is fun. Free form, non bar, hippy style dancing which is quite popular here in Bellingham. The mix of music, people and endorphins can create a delicious experience.

Then there's walking, bicycling and all that stuff. Tends to all go along with what is called sustainable living and sustainable economics.

Information overload graphic

2011-11-11T19:57:00.001-08:00

On Facebook and other places there has been a recent trend to present sound byte messages as graphics in order to be seen above the fray of messages, apps, games, videos, links and all that stuff cascading at our brains.

All ones in the date wouldn't be as unique if 20 was included

2011-11-11T15:32:00.001-08:00

11/11/11 wouldn't look so unique if it was 11/11/2011.

Healthcare may be dimming as an employment bright spot

2011-11-09T20:21:00.001-08:00

Recent article in Bellingham Herald about layoffs at Saint Joseph's Hospital. Budget cuts in state and federal programs are taking their toll.

Looks like a lot of articles in the media about employment trends of the future will need to be updated.

For years, healthcare has been cited as a place for future job growth. Some of these predictions were based on the large post war baby boom generation entering older ages and needing more medical services.

Well, the articles must have not taken into account economic issues related to budget cuts in spending on healthcare by governments. Also less and less employers are able to offer private insurance. Eventually this is bound to effect employment predictions in the healthcare industry.

Access to healthcare is also an issue. In some cases, Americans may be over medicated, including those in the post war baby boom generation. Getting older doesn't always imply needing lots more care. Healthier lifestyles can go a long ways to reducing the need for care, but there are still cases when needed care is not be available due to budgetary constraints. These economic issues are bound to effect both the availability of care and the prospects for future employment in the healthcare field.

It says "People's Bank," but the people are protesting

2011-11-06T01:40:00.000-07:00

Another rally of Occupy Bellingham protesters. November 4Th at corner of Magnolia and Cornwall. Rallies have been weekly for the past few weeks.

Sign asking people to vote with Chase Bank in background. 2012 might be able to improve Congress.

Oh dear, that's my bank, US Bank. It's "next down the street" as occupy Bellingham marchers stopped in front of banks on Holly Street. Personally, I don't have much gripe with US Bank. Maybe I should get around to studying what this bank is doing more. Banks have become kind of a scapegoat for so many things wrong in our economy. So far, I plan to keep my account as is.

See pictures of camp below.

This is a good time to be in the credit union business and possibly the move to smaller financial organizations is an important trend.

Biggest problem is greed. Greed can corrupt any institution large or small.

Here is some of what greed brings.

The politics of signing pledges for never raising taxes on the wealthy.

The economics of huge salaries for leaders in business and government.

The badly managed credit rating agencies, such as Standard & Poor, who rated those mortgage backed bonds with "triple A" when the bonds really should have been rated "junk."

Some poorly thought out deregulating of the finance industry; like repeal of Glass Steagall Act.

The ordinary people, some who may now be marching in the street. Many people benefited from their house values going up so fast prior to 2007 and thought they could use home ownership as a cash machine. It worked for a while, but like so many things, it was "too good to be true." Eventually, it crashed. A lot of ordinary people fell for this, while the business leaders, governments and credit rating folks drove the whole thing.

Ordinary people who don't bother to vote.

The trade imbalance with countries like China.

Unsustainable lifestyles and business practices.

Really, I don't think banks, or even corporations are all bad. It's just how they are used.

Bellingham's "occupy camp" is becoming like an alternative community. The city is allowing it to exist, so far. Here's a tent with solar power.

Composting and recycling. In Bellingham, even some supermarkets do this.

Of course there is a bike rack.

I'm not in the tent city, but I toured it after the rally.

See my Video. Just over 2 minutes.

Just a taste of People's Mic after Occupy Bellingham rally. Video

2011-11-06T01:36:00.000-07:00

Segment a bit over 2 minutes.

"This is what democracy looks like." That is one of the chants of Occupy Bellingham rallies.

March down the street and then "public process" can be tedious, but it is also kind of fun.

I brought my camera; I'm not doing much bike touring this time of year. Bike touring is what I often photograph.

Too bad my camera wasn't rolling when a woman described her experience in the Occupy Bellingham camp near the rally. She said it was very rewarding with a lot of good people. It almost sounded like she was making an ad for the Peace Corps; a memorable experience.

They are looking for more people to join the camp, bring them support and see what they are up to. The camp is set up in Maritime Heritage Park.

So far, it seems like a lot of smiles, but the long winter hasn't really set in yet.

Another step along the way of our changing culture.

I've met Future Man, who's in this video. He's also known for his volunteer efforts at the Bellingham Alternative Library. That's an eclectic learning center with things like "skill shares." I guess skill shares is another word for seminars.

That library is a nerve center and it's located in a collective household called the Sushi House.

Timeline dating back to early 1800s about global warming worry

2011-11-05T23:22:00.000-07:00

On blogs associated with Science Friday show on NPR Radio. Interesting timeline.

In comments section at end of article, see my comment about remembering a film made in 1958 with section about global warming.

Instead of saying extinct, the species go obsolete

2011-11-05T20:16:00.000-07:00

Maybe we don't have to worry about climate change. It just means a few species will go "obsolete." No big deal. New jobs can be created by the process of inventing new species. Bio engineering.

I'm just kidding.

Is this the thinking of business interests?

Could defaulting on debt be like a graduated tax on wealth?

2011-11-03T18:01:00.000-07:00

Looks like investors will be "taking a haircut" as Greece defaults even 50% on it's debt as the most recent agreement I heard about calls for. Those who have the most money will have the most to loose. The most money invested in Greek debt; that is.

Hopefully this is the case. At least it sounds logical to me. Of course, folks always try to Wiesel out of everything, but hopefully logic can prevail.

Does this mean that default is sort of like a graduated income tax? A graduated tax on accumulated wealth?

Big investors loose more than small investors.

Same thing could happen with default of US debt. The more money one has, the more one has to loose.

Default could be like the graduated tax that conservatives usually don't want.

If the wealthy don't pay the tax up front, like supporting a higher income tax, they may end up paying it later, if things default.

Large accumulations of wealth would loose more than small accumulations. Accumulations that are "invested" in these debts at least.

It could be sort of like justice in the end. Another term for this is "poetic justice."

Of course, people with less wealth have a lot to worry about also since even a slight haircut could mean the rent isn't paid or no dinner is on the table. Folks with vast sums of money can take a haircut and still have their basic survival needs met, but here's the catch.

Folks with vast sums of money still have worries. Its a different kind of worry. Folks with vaster wealth have worry about business responsibilities and obligations that can't be met. Watch out, if you are wealthy. Here come your employees, clients, vendors, customers and tax collectors. They are all banging down the door. The wealthy have a lot to worry about. The wealthy have more to loose.

Responsibilities = Headaches.

Still, our world wide debt load means we have to accept taking haircuts. It's best if this can be done as rationally as possible.

Rational haircutting can be a lot of things. One form of it might just be "means testing" for Medicare and Social Security.

If we can get through this rationally, and accept a few haircuts, we can get beyond the world debt crisis.

It was stupid, for the managers of all these various investment instruments to have lent out all this money anyway, but that's water under the bridge now. Or, maybe I should say, "that's money under the bridge;" ... the bridge that needs to be rebuilt.

It's all under the bridge now, but we need to look to the future. We have to take a haircut. The rich will have to take a bigger haircut. We have to resolve this debt mess and move on. Partial defaults, like what's likely happening to Greek debt, is part of the solution.

Printing money may ease the situation some, with the accompanying "tax" of inflation.

Means testing, budget cuts, tax increases and economic growth to pay down current debt. All these things are part of the solution.

Looks like the debt is so big that some of the solution will be "investor haircuts." When we get beyond this "debt overhang," we can move on into what will hopefully be a brighter future.

7 billion people, but population growth rate is slowing

2011-10-31T14:30:00.000-07:00

Yes the world is getting more crowded, but the growth rate is starting to slow down. Hope the rate slows down fast enough so the earth doesn't turn into a sardine can. This article is fairly optimistic that growth rates are slowing. Feminism and other changes in societies around the world are working.

Occupy Wall Street campers may not be "happy campers" when it comes to the state of the economy

2011-10-30T00:31:00.000-07:00

After the October 28 rally, some Occupy Bellingham folks set up camp in Maritime Heritage Park. They may not be happy campers about the state of the economy, but hopefully they are happy campers about networking and doing other things that a camp out of social change minded people will do. Seems like some smiles on people's faces, at least the first day. So far, the city has been flexible and allowed them to remain even though camping is normally not permitted in city parks.

There are usually quite a few homeless people sleeping in various nooks and crannies of Maritime Heritage Park anyway. One person pointed out that having the camp out might provide some support for the already homeless around in the park. For instance someone has set up a porta potty. Regular restrooms in that park are usually closed at night, according to article in Bellingham Herald.

Hoover ville?

For several years, Seattle area has had some organized camps for the homeless.

Halloween is a stay local celebration

2011-10-29T20:07:00.001-07:00

Happy Halloween. A holiday that people tend to celebrate locally, rather than Christmas and Thanksgiving where people travel long distances to be with families. Celebrate in your own community.

When safe haven investing enables unsafe borrowing

2011-10-28T06:17:00.000-07:00

During the end of the Clinton Administration, people were seriously thinking that the national debt could be totally paid off in the near future. One of my friends on Facebook recently posted a link to this article.

We are a long ways from that reality now.

Besides this dramatic change of fortune, the article brings up another concept; the use of national debt as an investment tool. Some economists, in the government, were starting to worry toward the end of the Clinton years that if there was no national debt, the government wouldn't be selling many bonds so there would be less of the "super secure" bonds for investors to buy. Money managers might have to park their funds in more risky investments, such as stocks, if the government didn't need to sell so many bonds.

Don't we wish we had that problem now?

It may not be seen as a serious problem compared to the out of control government debt of today, but less treasury bonds on the market for purchase would mean that investors would need a different strategy. The "safe haven" US Treasuries would not be as prolific as they are today.

Looks like the national debt has at least two purposes.

One purpose, of course, is to help fund the government when it is spending more money than taxes bring in. That's the purpose which most people think about.

Another purpose of national debt is to provide a safe haven for investors to park their money in US Treasury bonds.

This second purpose may play a part in enabling the national debt, to some extent.

Basically, it's all that money out there needing to be invested in safe bonds. That huge pool of money is part of the reason why interest rates have been low in recent years.

There's money coming from many sources. For instance, there's money coming from countries like China who run large trade surpluses, thus accumulating lots of cash to invest.

Another source of money is institutional investing such as retirement funds. This would also includes the Social Security Trust Fund which has created a vast source of revenue for purchasing of federal bonds.

Another source is the wealthy elite around the world. Rich folks with lots of money that they wish to hold onto.

All this capital, which is looking for safe parking, may be one of the byproducts of income disparity. As the rich get richer, they have more and more money to store. In recent times, this money has tended to favor safe haven type investments; like US Treasuries, rather than more risky investments such as stocks. It's often called the flight to safety.

Ironically, all this money has contributed to low interest rates and easy government borrowing. It can be said that this money has helped to "enable" government deficits.

If this money was not so readily available, governments, and the political climate that drives them, would have to behave differently. For instance, if it wasn't so easy to borrow money, the politics of conservative tax cutting folks might not be so popular. It's likely that tax cuts would have been less popular if they lead directly to cuts in popular government programs such as Medicare or veterans benefits.

Instead, we have been able to have tax cuts without serious consequences in terms of cuts to things like Medicare. Now, some of these cuts are being proposed to try and balance the budget and this is creating a political reaction. Notice popular reactions like Occupy Wall Street.

For years, the pool of money that is available for borrowing has enabled tax cuts at the same time as spending for things like two foreign wars and the Medicare drug benefit (Medicare Part D). If it wasn't so easy to borrow the money, we would have either raised taxes to pay for these things, or figured out how to live without these things.

It is easier to have never had these things in the first place than it is to take them away after we have already become dependent on them. It seems like it is harder to kill a program that people have become reliant on than it is to have never started the program in the first place.

Borrowing has enabled us to "have our cake and eat it too." Low taxes and the programs such as Medicare that people have become dependent on.

Part of this problem is related to the income disparity around the world. So much wealth among the rich that needs to be parked, thus enabling governments to spend above what they tax.

Ironically, safe haven investing is now leading to possible default. Governments that are so far in debt that paying off this debt is impractical. Just look at Greece right now. USA and other nations may not be far behind.

This huge pool of money that's looking for "safety" has also helped to enable bad banking practices in the private sector. Too much money floating around can lead to inflationary bubbles in the economy, such as the housing bubble.

This problem wouldn't be so bad if the economy was growing. If we were growing into a new frontier, for instance, money could be invested to create new wealth. Debts could be paid off from the ever increasing wealth.

For growth and creating new wealth, we currently face the problem of not having a frontier. The US has already tamed its western states. Environmental restraints make growth more difficult all around our limited Planet Earth.

To some extent, new technology can help to bring growth which is not necessarily dependent on a spacial frontier. Back in the 1990s, it can be said that we were able to grow the economy into cyberspace. New technology of the Internet was one of the things that blessed the Clinton administration with a growing economy.

These days, even the growth into cyberspace does not seem to be enough. Growth is stagnant at best. This can mean the formation of inflationary bubbles from capital, rather than real growth.

So we have had a lot of inflationary bubbles in the private sector and also a rush to park extra money in various instruments of government debt.

Public sector investment can grow the economy as well. For instance, investing in infrastructure can lead to economic growth. Investing in things like an educated workforce, better transportation or research and development comes to mind.

The problem is, much of current government investment is not in infrastructure. Instead it is in things like entitlements. Entitlement spending is things like people's retirement benefits. This type of spending is less likely to return increased wealth on the investment so future prospects for paying back the money are less likely.

Basically, there's been too much money available to borrow. More money than the recent growth of the economy can account for.

Higher taxes on the wealthy may be one step to help us get out of this situation. Seems like the wealthy have not wanted to pay enough taxes, but they, and the financial practices that so many of them support, have been more than willing to lend money to governments. Instead of paying taxes, they invest in government debt.

Maybe the wealthy, as well as the rest of us, should have paid more taxes to begin with. Paid more taxes rather than loaning out our money to governments and other entities that are likely to tax us anyway, as we "take a haircut" when they default.

Hard default is kind of a radical prediction. It's more likely that there will be some sort of "soft default," like when central banks and governments have to print money to meet debt obligations. This isn't quite the same as a true default, but it does lead to devaluation of currencies. It's the process of economies paying off their debts by basically inflating their way out of debt.

Economic growth could avoid the need for even a soft default, but the prospects of the kind of growth that would be needed to pay off this mountain of debt are daunting.

New technology and innovation; we need you to help us create growth. We will most likely also need to swallow hard and realize that much of this debt will not be paid back.

It's a case of "pay me now or pay me later." Wealthy folks, as well as the rest of society, have not wanted to pay high taxes, especially in USA, but people have been willing to park that money in government debt. Some of that parked money may turn out to be a tax in disguise.

Check out my blog by subject label

2011-10-23T01:56:00.000-07:00

Labels work well in the "Dynamic Views" version of my blog. It's a new feature offered by Blogger. Blogs that are hosted on Blogger, which is owned by Google, can now have what they call "Dynamic Views."

Works well with labels as a different mosaic can be created for each subject label. Check out the mosaic that's my subject list.

Dynamic views also allows the reader to view the blog in several formats. A drop down menu is provided in the upper left hand corner.

Blogger has been adding some new features. Keeping their programmers busy.

Walking can be a pleasure in Autumn and other times of the year

2011-10-23T01:35:00.000-07:00

Where a trail crosses between Barkley Village and Alabama Hill neighborhoods.

Good to be getting out of Iraq. It could reduce the deficit

2011-10-22T17:40:00.000-07:00

Occupy Wall Street is still going strong, but colder weather is bound to diminish it's numbers across USA, for a while. Conservatives will laugh and say that it's a "fair weather movement" which is passing, but don't laugh to hard, the issues don't go away.

In Congress, the "Super Committee" is set up with its mechanism for reducing our deficit. It is soon to come to it's deadlines.

November, December?

It's unlikely that the Supper Committee can come to agreement on how to reduce the deficit, so automatic "across the board cuts" are likely to be going into effect. The military will be bitching as it will be facing its share of automatic cuts; along with Medicare and all the other costly things. Pulling out of Iraq will help, but too many Republicans, like McCain (who spoke up October 21) keep foot dragging.

Obama has announced a plan to be just about out of Iraq by the holidays of this year. That's just a few more months.

If the military, Medicare and so forth don't accept their share of cuts, the Super Committee may have to back away from its goal of either cutting the deficit, or triggering the automatic across the board cuts. This could send the message that there is no resolve to cut the deficit. Stocks could be in for another drop as confidence keeps shaking.

The issues just don't go away. Occupy Wall Street doesn't even have to be in the streets for the statuesque to keep crumbling.

Pulling out of costly Iraq may help them piece the financial puzzle together a bit, but Republican foot dragging on pulling out of the war and Republican refusal to raise taxes on the wealthy could push us farther into financial insolvency.

If nothing else, at least taxing the rich would begin to create a sense of fairness. If people feel we are all in it together, they can pull together and do what it takes to make the financial puzzle work. If the perception is that the rich are getting off Scott free, then the masses pass the buck as well and decide it's someone else's job to solve the problem.

The buck never stops. Unlike what Truman said when he stated that "the buck stops here;" in reality, the buck never stops. Everyone blames everyone else and if the rich aren't part of the solution, no one else wants to be either.

At least we might be finally getting out of our costly involvement in Iraq.

Time to call it a day. We'll get back to it later

2011-10-21T23:16:00.000-07:00

Utility upgrade taking place around downtown Bellingham. New poles in some areas. I assume street light and phone lines will eventually be moved to the new pole, but this works for a while. Some old poles are coming out.

Behind YMCA, some transformers that are too close to buildings are coming down and new transformers are going underground. That ally should look less cluttered before too long.

The economy isn't totally dead, but there's always more stuff that needs to be done and more jobs that need to be created.

There's an old phrase that says, "a man's work is never done." These days, it should say "man and woman's work." Also, if the work were ever done, what would we do?

Going on vacation would be nice for at least part of the time.

Democracy might come easier in Libya than in Egypt, but hopefully can come to both

2011-10-20T14:44:00.000-07:00

Glad the old Libyan dictatorship has been overthrown. Libya has less population than Egypt so it may be easier to get the economy going again. Less people to feed plus there is a fairly easy source of revenue once the oil flows again. Hopefully this can also help Egypt since there have been a lot of Egyptian workers in the Libyan oil industry that sent money home to Egypt. Oil revenue can help in the near future, at least.

In the long run, it would be nice if the world were less dependent on the oil industry, but that's "down the road," so to speak. The road needs to turn into something more like a transit line and bike path.

Oil industry can be a corrupting force since so many oil exporting countries have been dictatorial societies, but this doesn't always have to be the case. Canada is a shining example of an open and multicultural society which exports a lot of oil. In fact Canada is the biggest oil exporting nation to the USA.

I wish both Libya and Egypt good fortune as they hopefully progress toward more democratic societies.

The world is changing.

New house construction

2011-10-18T16:53:00.000-07:00

Rare to see new house construction, but not that rare. With all the news about housing in the toilet, there's always been quite a trickle still around Bellingham. This one by Lake Samish. I'm surprised there's still any build able lakefront lots there.

Or, maybe they tore a house down to build this newer one?

There's construction here and there. Seems like usually folks building their retirement home. Probably not enough to employ all the idled contractors, realtors and other job seekers around.

That's the problem. Anemic recovery and if the recovery does pick up steam, here is the question. Is there enough land, not to mention ideal "lakefront" land, to allow for a robust recovery without people grumbling again about turning the lake into a toilet?

And now think about gas prices. When the economy picks up steam, they go up due to limited supply and demand.

That's why we need some major paradigm shifts. We need new ways to grow and improve the economy in sustainable ways.

People often say that they thought New York City couldn't grow any larger than it was in the late 1800s because there was an "absolute limit" to urban growth, due to the horse manure it generated.

We'll, we made it past that, but we had to be open to change.

Occupy Wall Street is just another step in the evolution of society

2011-10-16T16:38:00.000-07:00

I see Occupy Wall Street as not necessarily pivotal in the evolution/revolution of our society. It's just another part of the long term paradigm shift toward what can hopefully be a more equitable economy. Also a more sustainable economy.

Important steps, however.

It's good to see so many folks taking interest in the political process and the well being of the community as a whole. Not just personal profits and shortsighted self interests.

Maybe some key congressional races in 2012 will be another step.

Missed the boat that is sinking

2011-10-16T16:31:00.000-07:00

At times I felt like I missed the boat since I don't make enough money at my fairly pleasant job to be a homeowner in this market. Not enough money for the monthly mortgage payments to be figured as 1/3 of my income, given responsible banking practices at least.

Too bad, but now, I feel like I missed the boat that is sinking. That's not so bad. Who wants to be on the boat that's sinking?

Is it best to occupy a street?

2011-10-15T23:39:00.000-07:00

When folks were occupying Magnolia and Cornwall Streets, in Bellingham, on October 7, I was there also. Then I got to thinking, Magnolia Street is used by a lot of WTA Transit buses. People wanting to be less dependent on "big oil" are often using the bus.

Glad Magnolia wasn't occupied during the second protest October 14.

This may sound like trivializing the issue, but I've wondered what would happen if people decided to occupy Wall Street in Spokane? There is a Wall Street in Spokane, WA. and much of it is residential. Folks along that street might wonder why they were being occupied. Spokane is close to where I grew up.

Some creative signs from Occupy Wall Street protest in Bellingham

2011-10-15T21:51:00.000-07:00

Good message about rebooting our country's operating system, held at Magnolia and Cornwall October 14.

So many issues interrelate. People often ask what Occupy Wall Street is about. I'm not even sure I'm a hundred percent "sold out" fan of Occupy Wall Street, but there is a whole "raft" of interrelated issues being discussed.

I see it as just another part of our cultural "paradigm shift."

Seeking an economy that's better than what we have now. An economy that's more sustainable, in terms of the planet and our own well being. An economy that's more fair, in terms of distribution of income in society.

The income distribution graph, in USA, has gotten out of balance over the past few decades. Continued below.

Also Occupy Bellingham (the only one I've experienced) is kind of fun. Interesting people. A chance to see friends I haven't run into for a long time.

It's community building that is face to face.

Networking.

The process of culture that's an alternative to other uses of time. Other uses such as shopping, watching TV, fighting traffic and yes, I do spend some of my time at work. I still have a job. I'm not just watching folks on the street playing bongo drums all the time.

Sometimes folks play bongo drums in front of the building my job is in, but that's another story. It's living in Bellingham, our "blue state" (for the most part) city.

Someone on NPR interviewed an employee who works inside a Wall Street firm in New York City. They ask what people's reaction, inside Wall Street, was to the protests on the outside.

Basically, that person said he thought folks were angry at the wrong thing. Rather than Wall Street, they should be angry at the Federal Reserve for printing too much money and devaluing the dollar, he said.

Well, that reminded me of my last blog post about low interest rates. Federal Reserve has been trying to keep the economy going in face of high unemployment. Also to keep the government debt financed so Uncle Sam "appears" solvent, at least.

One can't really blame them for that.

Seems like the blame can just go round and round which is why I see this as a cultural issue.

It's a "paradigm shift" kind of thing.

In that blog post, I suggested other strategies to deal with unemployment, like job sharing and better distribution of the wealth. Maybe that's considered "spreading the misery," but really, we might do better, as a culture, if we used a bit less. If we had a bit less waste.

A somewhat more austere culture could continue to move forward, since new technology is always coming into the picture anyway. We could still progress toward more of a sense of prosperity.

Prosperity can be defined in different ways.

Much of our new technology points us in the direction of "smaller can be better." A big stereo system from the 1960s isn't necessarily better than an Ipod of 2011, just because it's larger. Smaller is sometimes just as good, if not better.

We need paradigm shifts toward an economy that's better than we've got now. Better, but not necessarily larger or more consuming. An economy that offers a fairer deal to more than just it's top people.

Much of it is about our overall sense of well being.

We may not all define our well being in the same way, but there can be some new consensus about what our priorities are.

Some signs from Occupy Wall Street protest in Bellingham, October 14 2011.

One would think savers would be marching on banks to protest low interest rates

2011-10-10T15:28:00.000-07:00

Protest in front of Bank Of America, Bellingham branch October 14 2011.

One would think savers should be marching on the banks demanding better return on savings; rather than just worrying about a $5 per month debit card fee. Maybe the fee is just a tipping point. People are mad at banks.

When I was a kid, banks often paid 5 1/4 interest on savings. Now, interest rates are rock bottom. Bad for savings, but cheap for borrowing; too cheap.

Of course it isn't really the fault of individual banks, it's the world banking system, and things like the Federal Reserve that set overall interest rates.

Part of the reason for the current financial crisis has been interest rates that are too low. When borrowing becomes too cheap, bubbles, such as the housing bubble, get inflated beyond what the normal economy can sustain. There's a disconnect if jobs don't pay much more then $10 per hour while single family homes sell for well over a quarter million.

Here in Bellingham, where the housing bubble hasn't really deflated that much yet, the houses are not being bought by workers who are first time homebuyers for the most part. It seems like the housing market is made up from people who already own and usually "bought in" before the bubble inflated. These are folks selling one house to move into another, such as people relocating for retirement. Also folks who inherit money. Not much reward for the working person.

I realize the situation is now different in other parts of USA where the bubble has deflated farther, but this situation is a classical problem of bubbles.

Another problem associated with low interest rates is governments borrowing when they should be taxing. Cheap interest rates have made it easier for governments to borrow money rather than do the "politically harder thing to do" which would be to collect the taxes needed for "pay as you go" budgeting.

Now governments are so far in debt that the world is quaking in fear.

"What happens when Greece, Spain and even Italy default?" "How can the US government pay off it's debt; especially now that the post war baby boom is entering it's age of entitlements?" Markets are understandably spooked.

Many Republicans say we need to cut government spending. That means cutting things like Medicare just as the baby boom reaches retirement years. Ya, right.

It looks like we need the spending for things like Medicare. Also Republicans, themselves tend to push for huge military spending.

If we had collected taxes all along to pay for the things we need, we wouldn't be in such a mess. Our expectations might not be so high, but one of today's main problems is this.

"Expectations that are way ahead of reality."

The credit card mentality.

One of the reasons why interest rates have been so low is to try and stimulate the economy and keep unemployment from going too high. Well, now interest rates are low and unemployment is still high. It's like we're addicted and we keep having to raise the dose.

Maybe we should try and find another way to maintain employment than always trying to rev up the economy with low interest rates.

Another possibility is the encourage companies, and the people who work for them, to ride out the downturns with temporarily shorter workweeks. Business volume rises and falls naturally. During the slow periods, cut back everyone's hours, rather than laying off some folks entirely.

I hear this "job sharing" solution is more popular in Germany and Germany's economy seems to be doing quite well by world standards. Maybe it's partially because less workers get totally laid off when business slows down so people stay in the game and keep their skills in use.

Here in USA, where layoffs rather than shorter work shifts are the norm, we have the problem of the long term unemployed who's skills, and often attitudes, go to hell, so to speak. After folks have been totally laid off, it's harder to get the workforce up and running again when business picks up.

Now we are having things like furloughed employees in the public sector at least. Maybe this is a step toward something better than total layoffs. Some private companies have experimented with job sharing solutions as well. Job sharing is nothing new. It's been around for decades, but not mainstream here in USA, at least.

Shorter workweeks can be hard on people with high overhead. When rent, or house payments take up most of the paycheck, there isn't much wiggle room. America's way of attaching health insurance to employment is a big problem as well. Shorter workweeks can mean loosing health insurance. Of course a lot of full time employees don't even have health insurance these days.

We need to start planning our lives and our economic institutions with less "fixed overhead costs." Less inflated housing is one step toward less overhead. Healthcare reform would be another step.

To get the economy going again, we just have to start thinking differently. We can't rely on bringing interest rates lower than zero. Maybe we can talk banks into loaning more money, like they did during the reckless bubble days, but this can't be done when everyone is spooked. Also, those reckless days of low interest and easy money helped get us into the mess we are in now.

We're like a car that's been trying to go forward by reeving the engine while the tires are spinning on ice. We need to slow down, take a few deep breaths and think differently.

Call this "major structural changes in the economy."

We need to try some new strategies. Changes in the way we plan the economy and our lives, for that matter. Moving forward toward a more sustainable economy.

Crosswalk etiquette and inertia

2011-10-10T14:27:00.000-07:00

When the crosswalk sign starts flashing don't walk, I hear on the radio that one is supposed to not start walking across the street. However the reality is different. Right after the light turns green and the walk sign says walk, there's often a cue of cars that were stopped at the red light. This cue can now go forward and there's a few cars in the cue that are making the free right turn across the crosswalk. Since they don't always stop when making that turn (even though they should) the crosswalk can be full of cars rounding the corner. There's often more traffic across the crosswalk when the walk sign says walk than there is after the walk sign starts flashing don't walk. When the walk sign is flashing don't walk and the cue of cars has passed, the intersection is often empty. That's when I often run across the street.

Bellingham is now installing some flashing crosswalks in areas where there are busy walks with no traffic light. Just push the button and the crosswalk starts flashing. At these crosswalks, I try to be polite and see what's happening with the traffic before I press the button. If cars are just about at the walk, I try to wait till they go past so they don't have to slam on the breaks. Remember, flashing crosswalks don't have a "green, yellow, red" traffic signal. I assume cars are expected to stop as soon as the walk starts flashing. There's no "yellow about to turn red" warning, like there is at intersections with regular stoplights. Keeping this in mind, I try and let the cars that are almost at the walk go on by before I press the button. Then I push the button so cars that are farther back (which are often speeding anyways) have a warning and start to slow down. By the time those cars get to the walk, I've often just finished crossing. Sometimes I jog across the street so as not to hold up traffic for very long at least.

One time I accidentally pushed the flashing crosswalk button right as a large truck was about to cross the walk. The truck stopped and I noticed smoke from the tires. Trucks have a lot of inertia so they are often harder to stop on short notice and also it takes more fuel to get going again.

I didn't see if the driver was upset or not, but later I had a discussion on Facebook with a friend of mine who is a former truck driver. I ask him if the driver would have been upset and his response was, good drivers realize "it comes with the territory." We do the best we can and there usually isn't much point in snarling about things. If more people took that attitude, the world would flow a lot easier.

Cornwall and Holly full of people for Occupy Wall Street, Bellingham version, October 7

2011-10-07T23:40:00.000-07:00

Newly awakened.

Occupy Wall Street is in Bellingham also

2011-10-06T15:58:00.000-07:00

Even though there isn't a street named Wall Street in Bellingham, Occupy Wall Street is here.

There's a rally planned for corner of Magnolia and Cornwall, Old Federal Building corner, Friday October 7 at 4 to 7 pm.

Someone handed me a flyer that says "all peaceful people and families welcome."

Old Federal Building has been the site of Friday peace vigils for years, since the late 1960s and more recently the location of Food Not Bombs, a free community food table.

Looks like there's going to be quite a turnout in Bellingham as well as other cities all across the nation as people are getting more frustrated with things like long term unemployment, growing disparity between super wealthy and the rest of society, decline of the middle class, cost of the state of war that never seems to end and looming threats of more budget cuts, lack of safety net and other things that folks can add to this list.

On Facebook, I saw an insightful cartoon showing Wall Street executives deciding to "occupy Main Street." On Main Street they found closed businesses, foreclosed houses and high unemployment so they said, "Well, now we know why they have all that free time."

The cartoon brilliantly cuts both ways addressing criticism that "protesters have a lot of time since they don't have to go to work." When unemployment goes up, people are likely to have more time for things like protests and civil disobedience. Executives, be advised.

Above: In front of Bank Of America on Thursday at Holly and Cornwall.
Below: At Holly and State.

I cut it out of picture accidentally, but it's www.costofwar.com.

Neutrinos faster than light? Maybe it wouldn't take 2 million years for email to get to Andromeda

2011-09-29T16:03:00.000-07:00

People think "snail mail" is slow. Light is a real slowpoke when it comes to sending information across cosmic distances. Even just the hint that something might be able to go faster than light is quite exciting. Possibly a historic moment. Who knows what it could mean for civilization in another 50 years. Another 25 years? Providing we ever find other civilizations out in the cosmos, we might not have to wait thousands, or millions of years for the emails to get back and forth.

Particles faster than light, revolution or mistake?.

I learned about this about a day after it was announced, but didn't get around to writing this to my blog till today. At least I didn't wait 5,000 years. Imagine if the blog server was 5,000 light years away.

Andromeda Galaxy is said to be 2 million light years away; time it takes for light to travel there. Shorter distances within our Milky Way Galaxy are still mostly measured in thousands and thousands of years.

Open house for Bellingham Housing Authority's green retrofit

2011-09-26T16:24:00.000-07:00

If nothing else, it's an opportunity to visit the roof of Lincoln Square high rise. Oh, what a view.

The view is interesting to me since downtown Bellingham is my neighborhood.

Reason for the visit was an open house to celebrate solar collectors on the roof and a green retrofit of the building.

In my book, a high rise is already green compared to low density housing that spreads out over the landscape. Easier to contain impact of 190 homes when they are studio apartments and all under one roof.

Stimulus money was available to make this even better. Solar collectors now provide part of the building's electricity.

Up on the roof, folks discussing the collectors. See if you can spot Mayor Dan Pike in the group.

Some might ask, why bother when Bellingham is so cloudy?

I learned that collectors often work better during overcast conditions. That's because diffuse light from bright clouds shines into collectors better than blue sky. Only when pointed right at the sun do collectors work best on a sunny day. Since the sun tracks across the sky, collectors spend most of their time looking at the blue sky; that is unless one has the type that rotate to follow the sun. For fixed collectors that don't move to follow the sun, bright clouds can scatter the light better than just looking at blue sky.

Of course in Bellingham, the clouds are often dark, but that's another story.

Looking across town, Washington Square has collectors also. One also sees Bellingham High School, Assumption Church and a bunch of other buildings.

Looking down to a green roof on top of a utility building. That's where the tour began.

Quite a bit was done besides just the solar collectors. Upgrades to air systems in the building can reduce stuffiness, but tenants have to be part of the solution as well. The place is now smoke free. Some might feel "big Brother" is taking over, but a smoke free environment is a big step toward a clean environment. One acquaintance of mine, who lives in BHA property, was anticipating the no smoking rule with both hope and trepidation. He hopes he can stop smoking, but fears he can't.

That sign in one tenant's window does say, "No More DADT." Remembering to celebrate the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, September 20 2011. Official day the military dropped that discriminatory policy.

Another part of the retrofit called for replacing 400 toilets. Several BHA buildings swapped out their old toilets with low flow toilets. I sometimes wonder if the low water flow toilets are really that much better, but that could be a whole topic in itself.

What does one do with 400 old toilets besides adding to the landfill?

Build a sidewalk. That's what they did. New sidewalk is between Whatcom Creek and Ohio Streets. Also serves as part of Bellingham's bike path system. Aggregate for concrete was made from 400 crushed toilets. Looks like just about any other concrete.

Non Sign II advertising nothing at Peace Arch Park

2011-09-24T17:44:00.000-07:00

Rather than being bombarded with commercial messages, this sculpture, commissioned by the US government, basically encases fresh air. Was installed in 2011.

From Wikipedia: A large public art installation entitled "Non-Sign II" was erected near the crossing booths. The art piece is a 'blank space' in the shape of a billboard sign, surrounded by a mass of twisted metal rods. Click on photo to enlarge.

Viewed on my way back from Vancouver in the Nexus Lane. I have a Nexus card even though I'm bicycling and I don't even go up to Canada that often. It's a long story, but I can tell it here.

They now require enhanced Washington State (drivers or non drivers) ID, Nexus or passport to cross the border. I don't have a passport and the year that the enhanced ID requirement went into effect the Washington State Department of Motor Vehicles was a madhouse. In Bellingham, it was by appointment only and booked clear till after that summer. Summer of 2009, so I decided to get a Nexus instead. It costs a bit more, but lasts 5 years. Nexus is pre screened and usually just a hello at the border. Fewer questions.

Now the enhanced ID is easier to get as the crowds have subsided after the switch over, but I've already got my Nexus.

Whatcom Transit Authority bus took me to Blaine on this latest trip Sept 16 2011. Then I biked to the Skytrain station at King George Highway. Skytrain took me and my bike on into Vancouver where I went dancing, that evening and stayed in a hotel. Next day I rode around downtown on peripheral bike paths at Coal Harbor and False Creek. Then took Skytrain back out to King George Highway. From there I biked back to Bellingham, WTA service in Whatcom County is very limited on Saturday.

Another one of my 2011 trips.

Trying to prop up middle class with tax breaks doesn't work especially when there are few middle class jobs

2011-09-23T16:26:00.000-07:00

Ever increasing tax breaks for families eclipse benefits for special interests reads headline in Washington Post and as government revenues decline, more middle class jobs go on the chopping block.

I say maybe it's time to stop trying to prop up the middle class with tax breaks. The problem is, there aren't enough "family wage" jobs so the middle class is disappearing anyway. More tax breaks may just exacerbate this problem by robbing governments of needed revenue, thus causing said governments to eliminate more middle class jobs as well as the funding for needed infrastructure which helps the private sector create jobs.

The middle class is declining because there aren't enough jobs that pay a mid level "family wage." In the private sector, it seems like the bulk of the jobs are low wage while a few extremely high wage jobs reside at the top. This contributes to growth at bottom and top of wage scales, but not much in the middle class.

Government tends to be a "last bastion" of middle class jobs. The jobs that are reasonably well paid for teachers and so forth. Many of these jobs are on the chopping block.

How can we bring back the middle class? That's a puzzle for sure. Put on your thinking cap.

Taxing the rich and redistributing that wealth to lower income people might get us part way there, but i doubt this solution would get us that far.

Another way to bring back the middle class might be to "grow the economy." Yes, rev up the economy. In an economic boom, wages eventually go up. One hears that a rising tide floats all boats.

This is a popular solution, but it's problematic as well.

Does the rising economy also push up prices? Does the gap between rich and poor just get wider and life becomes even more unaffordable for those close to the bottom?

Also one has to look at the environmental ramifications of a booming economy.

I'm not necessarily against increasing prosperity if changes in technology can provide this without destroying the environment. It's a solution we have to be careful with however.

Another solution might be to make living at low wage jobs more dignified. Maybe low wages are here to stay, so how can one still live, and even thrive, in spite of not being middle class?

Learning to live without the automobile, for instance. Can save lots of money.

Also healthier lifestyles. Living healthier so there can be less need for costly medical care.

Living in smaller, more dense residential settings is another part of this solution.

A lot of creative planning can go into what people call "downshifting."

All these solutions have some pluses and minuses, but at least we're using our thinking caps.

Tax breaks for the middle class are popular, but probably not such a good idea. For instance, the interest deduction on home mortgages is designed to, supposedly, make home ownership more affordable. Problem is, it may just toss money into the market, thus inflating the cost of houses. Government looses the tax revenue while house prices inflate. Home ownership is not necessarily any more affordable.

I hear that the mortgage deduction does not exist in Canada yet the percent of population being able to own a home is still comparable to USA.

Another problem with this deduction is that the high end houses get more. It tends to support McMansions for the wealthy as well as houses for the average person.

There are proposals to phase out the home mortgage deduction, or at least make it less available to "high end" homes. For instance as recommended by the Bowles-Simpson Commission.

Many of the tax breaks, designed for the middle class, end up doing more to help the wealthy in the long run as inflation and bracket creep take place.

Of course we should discuss more taxes on the wealthy, but as some Republicans point out, this might not net that much total revenue. How much total revenue can we squeeze out of just 1 percent of the population?

I'm for taxing the rich, but I realize it may not be a panacea in terms of revenue. Taxing the rich is very important, symbolically however. If the rich get off with low taxes, others become cynical.

If nothing else, taxing the rich creates the feeling of a more level playing field. That could do wonders for people's attitude and sense of fairness, if nothing else.

Still, the middle class (especially the upper middle class) is where a large chunk of the money still resides. We may have to look here if we want to increase revenue.

The main thing that would help the middle class is not more tax breaks, but an economy that creates more middle class jobs. Figuring out how to do that is the real challenge.

The skids to default are greased

2011-09-21T16:57:00.000-07:00

Quite a coincidence that the nation now likely to skid into default which has people worried about the contagion affect is Greece. The skids to default for many nations are being "greased," or actually Greeced. A new slang term in economics? One of my brainstorms.

Short video of Sahalie Falls

2011-09-20T17:17:00.000-07:00

On the McKenzie River northeast of Eugene, Oregon. Taken on my 2011 bicycle tour.

Photo of falls.

Railroad wigwag activated by public

2011-09-20T17:08:00.000-07:00

At Banks trail head of Vernonia Banks Trail northwest of Portland, Oregon. I'm finally putting the two videos I got from my 2011 bike tour on line.

Feeling of abundance and generosity creates wealth, not the Tea Party slogan of "hang onto your money"

2011-09-19T18:23:00.000-07:00

We're in a retrenchment mood, especially with the Tea Party Republicans.

Can't afford this, can't afford that.

The wealthy have lots of money, but most of them seem to be too uptight to invest it in much, except treasury bonds. It doesn't create a lot of jobs to manufacture a treasury bond. Treasuries just fund the government which really should be funded by collecting enough taxes. The catch with funding government through treasuries is that these instruments, supposedly, need to be paid back.

The rich are afraid and uptight about other private investments since they could loose money. There's less middle class buying power to create markets for investments in companies that sell products and services. It's a vicious cycle. A mood of retrenchment.

If society wants to go down this road, at least we could learn to better deal with less. Downsize and live with less affluence.

I don't see people adapting to this easily even though there are many notable "downshifting" movements. Most folks are still under pressure to be prosperous every time the rent is due. Costs of living are still high. Many of the products and services that people make are inexpensive, but other costs such as housing, health care, education and corporate executive salaries are still unsustainable.

As the uptight money interests; the corporations and Tea Party lead governments, want to cut back, the whole thing goes down into depression. Maybe everything will be brought down. Ruled by fear and holding onto your treasury bonds. Eventually treasuries may go belly up also.

We need to get past this uptight period and recreate the spirit of generosity. Possibly spending more, instead of less. Even if it means printing money, if we want prosperity. Scientific research is one avenue toward new wealth. I listened to a real interesting segment (around 20 minutes) on NPR Science Friday. It's about how basic research is needed for new kinds of wealth in the future. There are worries that the current mood of retrenchment may bring down the hope we've had for a long time that life keeps getting better for us and future generations.

I take a 2 pronged approach to economics. Learn to live and even thrive with less, if that's what's being thrown at us by the environment and economic conditions. At the same time, maybe we can use science, planning and other things to get to even greater, or at least greener, wealth in the future.

The whole definition of what constitutes wealth is also important. Wealth in quality of life, or wealth in better products and services. Maybe we can learn to better enjoy what we've got, but at the same time do what it takes to bring the better products and services.

A more fair distribution of wealth needs to be part of the picture also. How can there be mass markets for businesses to serve if the middle class is disappearing?

I don't think the Tea Party is going to get us to any of these goals. It's just going to make us want more while having less. As the wealthy hold onto their wealth, the feeling of generosity vanishes. Generosity being replaced by a Tea Party mantra of "we're broke."

Decline of middle class. Sour grapes. Middle class was hard to enter in Bellingham anyway

2011-09-14T16:39:00.000-07:00

Finding what people call a "real job" has not been easy for several decades here in Bellingham, WA. Perceived livability of this city means competition for "professional type" jobs has been fierce be it university faculty, or whatever. People with vast truckloads of credentials have eyed job openings for years ready to move into Bellingham from all over the world.

Now, many other parts of the country are joining Bellingham's tight market conditions for middle class jobs. It's kind of like the rest of the country can say, "we are Bellingham now."

Still, a lot of local people have survived and even thrived over the years with somewhat different expectations than the traditional "American dream." Innovations based on sustainable living and things like bicycle culture can keep expenses down while social connectedness is high. Some call Bellingham the last holdout of the hippies, but there are actually lots of counterculture currents in other parts of the country as well as the world.

On the surface, it looks like the middle class has been strong in Bellingham. With at least 3 major institutions of higher learning there has been a large percentage of the local workforce employed in state type jobs at places like Western Washington University. Also a lot of people choose to retire here, so they often still own homes and have incomes from employment in the other regions where they lived before retirement.

Our local private sector has not been as strong at creating family wage jobs as private sector employment has been in, say major metropolitan markets like Seattle. Still there is some mix of manufacturing, consulting and medical employment. As with a lot of places, Bellingham has lost several large manufacturing employers, such as Georgia Pacific Pulp and Paper mill. A few new manufacturing outfits have started up, but like in much of the country, those jobs are often outsourced or automated.

The rest of USA seems to be catching up with Bellingham's precarious middle class as economic conditions keep changing. It can be depressing, but it also means this country is going through a transition. We're in a paradigm shift that none of us really seem to understand that well.

Many forces are working against the statuesque of middle class America these days. Cuts in government spending are high on the list. Also the middle class is weakened by tax policies that have been tipping away from "sliding scale income tax." Tax policies are tipping more toward favoring the wealthy.

While these things seem more obvious as time goes on, people still tend to vote Republican much of the time. Hard to imagine, since Republicans are usually cold to the concept of "graduated income tax."

Still, there's more to this than just the politics. We are definitely in a transition that neither Republicans or Democrats can manage. Technology and automation creates some new opportunities, but it also eliminates the need for lots of formerly middle class jobs. For instance, people can now book travel online rather than using the services of a travel agent; thus meaning less jobs for travel agents. There are thousands of examples of this all across the economy.

Some folks might vote Republican as a case of "sour grapes." They say, "if we're struggling in the private sector, why do state employees still get such good benefits?"

Other factors hurting the middle class are environmental issues. People often don't like to see virgin lands bulldozed for new subdivisions of middle class homes, yet as population grows, new folks need places to live.

Automobiles are a great convenience, but global warming and peak oil has been lapping at car culture for years. I even remember a book that came out in the 1970s with the title "Death of the Automobile."

Middle class homes and cars are getting harder to come by.

No doubt we need to do things a lot differently as paradigm shifts continue into the future. While changes can be rough, there is a lot of innovation in lifestyles, business practices and government. There's lots of innovation here in Bellingham as well as in other places.

Many pioneers are finding ways to create sustainable culture and economics. Finding ways that sit well with the environment. Also finding ways to benefit from new technologies while still being able to pay the bills. It's all a challenge. A brighter, tho different, future is still possible.

To folks who say, about 911, that US corporations and foreign policy had it coming, I say

2011-09-13T16:22:00.000-07:00

Over 30,000 people die in the US each year in traffic accidents which could be seen as a byproduct of the corporate, oil economy. Still, I try to not be too bitter. There's both good and bad in pretty much all human activity including even our economy. Sometimes I feel like I'm caught between feuding fundamentalists of many fighting religions and belief systems just living on this planet. I hope I can stay out of their way and also hope I can try and not inadvertently join them.

20th anniversary of my first bike trip across America

2011-09-12T17:28:00.000-07:00

Bandshell in Huron, SD. 1991.

20 years after my first cross USA bike trip, I biked in western Washington and Oregon.

Felt just as good as I did in 1991. No aces and pains to think of. Did I cover as many miles each day as 20 years ago?

Hard to say as I couldn't figure out how to set the trip miles on my new odometer. I wasn't even sure if it was reading kilometers or miles either. Sometimes it would just flash zeros at me indicating it wasn't picking up the passing magnate on the wheel. I didn't try to figure it out. Probably the daily total of miles was less, but "what you don't know can't hurt you." The trip was still enjoyable. In 1991, I also had an electronic odometer and carefully kept track of daily trip miles. Seemed like back then, the odometer functions were more intuitive.

In 1991 my total trip miles was much farther than in 2011, but that's because I invested over 2 months of travel time into the 1991 trip. In 2011 the trip was only about 3 weeks.

The odometer hasn't changed much in the years, but some other things I carry have. No longer riding with me is that antenna booster for AM Radio called the Select-A-Tenna. It wasn't that heavy, but many of the talk stations I listened to in the past on AM radio have gone "all sports talk." Boring. For instance KIRO AM 710 out of Seattle is now sports. It's political talk is now on FM which the Select-A-Tenna doesn't help. I've never had much desire to "keep score." Keeping track of daily milage is one thing, but most important is just having a good time.

Instead of that antenna, I have a netbook computer. I stopped at a lot of WIFI places along the way. That's why my daily milage may be in decline; Facebook.

Since the mid 1980s, I have gone on some sort of bike tour every summer. It's been a fairly mellow and enjoyable legacy. Keeps me in reasonable shape, at least along with other things like dancing that I enjoy.

World Trade Center memories from 40 years ago

2011-09-10T20:31:00.000-07:00

Is it time for the media to move on from the horrible memories of ten years ago on 9/11?

I basically think yes. It should be remembered like we remember World War II. That was a tragedy also. Doesn't have to be the focus of current news and mindsets, but it still comes up in documentaries and so forth. Remembering to try and prevent another Hitler from happening. Remembering the heroism of past service members and so forth, but not having the media dominated by it. The mood of the country can move on, for the most part. Look to the future. Yes, various police agencies still need to be vigilant to keep up the guard, but that's a separate issue from having the mood of our country be dominated by 9/11.

I considered not writing about it myself, but friends suggested my views needed to be heard along with all the expected ten year hype about this topic.

Then I thumbed through some of my 1971 mail. Mail from 40 years ago when I was in high school and wrote to the World Trade Center for information. They sent a bunch of clippings and brochures that I still have.

More pleasant memories than a tragedy, but how dated. Space age communication with reel to reel tape and cameras as large as washing machines. Computers with cathode ray tubes and even push button phones.

Cutting edge, for 1971.

Pictures from World Trade Center brochures and a New York Times advertising supplement.

Pristine school

2011-09-06T13:14:00.000-07:00

I bike past Whatcom Middle School quite often and notice the progress on the rebuild after the fire of 2009. They basically rebuilt the whole school except for the gymnasium wing in back and two original entrances. It's now ready to open and all pristine before the first day of school.

At least humankind can build a new school with updated technology and make it look like the original building. I'm impressed as I bike by. schools aren't necessarily all crumbling, tho some could use more investment. Roads, on the other hand; many carry a lot more traffic than they were designed for.

See more images from some of my trips past the school.

Labor Day goal, a 3 day weekend

2011-09-05T16:33:00.000-07:00

Update Sept 9 2011. I just found this insightful article about Jobs going obsolete.

Less person hours are needed to run our economy and a lot of workers are idle. Maybe it's time to shorten the workweek again. How about a 32 hour workweek and a 3 day weekend?

The 40 hour workweek was seen as progress over longer workweeks in sweatshops of the past. That accomplishment is one of the things people celebrate on Labor Day, yet for many workers, even the 40 hour week is just a dream. Some are out of work, wishing they had a workweek. Others toil overtime in companies that have downsized and placed more of the burden on remaining workers who often toil beyond 40 hours. Still others work the 40 hours, but when one counts time spent on long distance commutes their day is almost shot. Little time for friends and family, let along sleep and exercise.

It's time to think about distributing work hours more evenly. Create jobs for some people who are currently out of work and maybe reduce the burden on many who are still working while feeling overworked and over stressed. Outcome could be a healthier balance for all and possibly less health care costs.

Rather than proposing legislation to reduce work time, I just propose discussion about the workweek, vacations and the overall economy. A shorter workweek isn't necessarily the solution for everyone, but it's something people can think about. Folks can work out answers for their own situations.

One thing that could help is lower cost of living. Some of the average living expenses seems unnecessary. For instance high rents and mortgages just to prop up inflated property values. Toiling to maintain national wealth is one thing, but toiling just to maintain a bubble seems like a waste of effort.

Technology is kind of a two edged sword. It can create a lot of new jobs and opportunities, thus lowering unemployment, but it also has the effect of reducing the amount of work needed for the same unit of productivity. When our economy is growing, the new opportunities from technology can out pace the tendency of technology reduce the need for work. At other times, especially when the economy isn't growing, technology's effect on reducing the need for labor is more evident. We are now in a real slow growth economy.

Better distribution of existing work burdens is in order.

Part of the reason why the economy is growing slowly is all the environmental restrictions and energy costs. Worries about global warming can put a damper on things. A shorter workweek, and reduced wealth expectations, can help us adjust to these environmental issues. Still, the type of wealth we consume can change so we don't necessarily have to just lower our expectations. New technology can create cleaner production. Still, the advent of cleaner production methods has trouble keeping pace with increasing demand for wealth.

Change in society, rather than just technology, can help us redefine what wealth truly means. More free time and less hassle for the average worker could be seen as a form of wealth. Something like the 3 day weekend could be seen as a form of progress for the economy, as the 40 hour week was once seen as progress.

I would guess that the super wealthy would not like the idea of a shorter work week. It would mean that the masses are not spending as much of their time playing the game that the wealthy tend to be "top dog" at.

What Am I doing indoors typing this essay? Glorious sunny day. I should ride my bike somewhere.

My 2011 bicycle trip photos now on line

2011-09-04T15:59:00.000-07:00

A quieter route under the freeways in Tacoma, WA.

Flickr photo gallery.

Blog entries.

Bellingham, WA. to Eugene, Oregon. Then east to McKenzie Valley and up to Portland, OR. Train back from Portland.

While US economy looked like it was crumbling, should I be going on vacation, or hunkering down and hoarding food?

Vacation wins. There's still plenty of food. Glad I do have a job. Not a real fancy job being a custodian, but it's a job. Offers month long vacation benefit. That can be worth more than higher pay.

Enjoy leisure while you can. Who knows what retirement will bring. Much of the current economic worry has to do with all the debt overhang. A lot of that debt is actually money people have "saved" (lent to the government) in hopes that the investments will still be whole, when time comes to cash in. A lot of folks are starting to cash in as post war baby boom reaches retirement. Hard to say if the economy will still be solvent enough, with governments and other entities paying back debts, to meet people's retirement expectations.

Might as well enjoy life now rather than storing too many of one's expectations for the future. Savings is a good idea, but balance is needed. Who wants to work too hard, now, just in hopes of being able to afford a great retirement. Much of that retirement can disappear given the condition of our economy. Also the condition of one's health. Don't work yourself to death.

No need to hoard food, yet, but good idea to hoard your health. Who knows what Medicare will be like in the next decades.

There's WIFI on a moving train

2011-08-26T15:29:00.000-07:00

I am on the Amtrak Cascades headed north at the end of my 2011 bicycle tour. Biked to Eugene and McKenzie Valley area of Oregon from Bellingham. Then biked back as far as Portland where I spent a day and got ready to take the train back to Bellingham. Now using WIFI on train, but soon to sign off and look out the window.

Why the marketplace isn't likely to solve global warming

2011-08-25T08:28:00.000-07:00

It would be a lot easier for the marketplace to react if peak oil was the only problem we faced. The price of oil would just go up as the true extraction cost of oil rose. For instance, oil prices could rise to reflect the cost of producing oil from sources like North Dakota's Bakken Shale where more has to be done to get the oil out of the ground. Eventually costs would rise so far that the marketplace would find cheaper alternatives. At first, it would shift to natural gas, coal and possibly nuclear, but eventually renewable sources such as wind and solar would be the cheapest alternatives as these other fuels run out or become too expensive.

The market could adjust to these true production costs. Problem is, we also face global warming where there is little direct production cost for the market to respond to. There are real costs to pumping oil out of sticky sources such as Bakken Shale, but there aren't that many real costs to releasing carbon dioxide from a chimney or tailpipe. As time goes on, it gets harder to pump oil out of the ground, but it doesn't get harder to push carbon dioxide out of a chimney. The cost of operating a chimney is global warming, but it is a more distant cost than what is felt directly by the owner of the chimney. The cost may be clear around the world such as rising sea levels and flooding in places like Bangladesh.

These distant costs don't automatically fall on the owner of the chimney the same way that the cost of extracting oil falls directly on the owner of an oil well. When extraction costs go up, oil well owners can pass that cost along to the consumer where the mechanisms of the marketplace can motivate change. With the smokestack, there is little direct cost to the owner to pass along to the consumer. Instead, an artificial cost has to be rigged; for instance there has to be a carbon tax. This is a tax imposed, most likely, by government to artificially make sending carbon dioxide out the chimney or tailpipe more costly.

"Cap and trade" seems like just a more complex way of expressing the concept of a carbon tax. That's where companies can trade carbon credits around, but someone still has to artificially impose these costs at the end of the smokestack. It seems like it just about has to be something like the "T" word. Taxes. This is problematic in a world that doesn't trust taxes. Also something subject to corruption and dispute. How does one calculate the true cost of carbon emissions?

It would be a lot easier if the only problem was the true cost of actually extracting the energy resource from the ground. We may be blessed, or really I should say cursed, with enough inexpensive fossil fuel reserves that we loose our climate stability before we run out of fossil fuel.

One other possible way that market forces might curb global warming is if the renewable energy technology ever becomes cheaper than fossil fuels. Technological advances are taking place with things like solar energy. It is conceivable that solar could become less expensive than mining our vast coal reserves. Then the solution becomes easier again.

Otherwise we have to either rely on the goodwill of people, smokestack owners and consumers to want to do the right thing, or we have to accept something like carbon taxes.

* Upper picture, I-5, Tacoma, WA.

* Lower picture, The Earth in 2008 Bellingham Ski to Sea parade.

Along Spring Water Trail

2011-08-24T22:15:00.000-07:00

Coming into Portland, Oregon along Spring Water Trail toward end of bicycle trip.

Enjoyed visiting Terwilliger Hot Springs east of Eugene in the McKenzie Valley. Then headed through west side of Cascades and a place called Detroit, Oregon. After that it was many more forested miles to the Portland area.

By Friday, I should be headed back to Bellingham on the train.

Streetlights in Springfield, Oregon

2011-08-17T22:35:00.000-07:00

Only I would ride over to Springfield at dusk to see what the streetlights look like when they are on. The bulbs look different than most streetlights, but I've only been through by day. This time I rode over there when it was getting dark to see what they look like at night. There's bike paths all the way over there, so why not.

Now I am visiting Eugene. Springfield is Eugene's neighbor to the east. Sort of like a "twin cities" with Eugene being "university and yuppie" while Springfield has a more of a lumber town character. Both are great biking cities.

When I pulled into the campground at Fern Ridge Reservoir, just west of Eugene, I ask the rangers at the check in office if there were any stores nearby. I wasn't that hungry, having eaten earlier on my ride down from Corvallis, but a bit more to snack on would be nice.

The store was another 3 miles away (and 3 miles back, makes a difference on a bike) so the ranger grabbed some cokes out of the fridge and raided the cupboards for all the cookies and crackers she could find. I offered to pay for the snacks, but she said, "don't worry, we love our bikes." I did pay the campground fee for my stay that night, but it was lower for bikes than for automotive camping.

Next morning a bus full of high school kids pulled up to the day use area where I was eating some of my snack food before riding off into Eugene. They were swarming around my table getting ready to go sailing. As I started to leave, the counselor ask me to give an impromptu talk about my travels. I talked a bit about my trip and they offered some advise on interesting places to visit in Eugene. They didn't mention streetlights in Springfield, but did suggest a place called Voodoo Doughnuts. It's near the city library. I checked it out and had a maple bar. Bumper stickers say "I got VD in Eugene" for Voodoo Doughnuts. Biking tends to burn off the sugar so I can partake of a few things like doughnuts.

Passing through Vernonia, Oregon

2011-08-14T19:25:00.000-07:00

Trees and graffiti growing inside an abandoned concrete building near Vernonia, Oregon. I camped at a town park just outside of Vernonia. This building stored sawdust fuel for a big mill that is no longer there. There is a small lake that was the mill pond. Campground is across lake from this building.

Looks almost like a cathedral inside old Vernonia fuel house. More images from there.

At the campground, some other campers caught crawdads in the Nehalem River for cooking. They look kind of creepy with their claws, but taste like lobster. I tried some and they were good. First time I have eaten crawdads.

Ferry from Cathlamet, WA to the Oregon side of Columbia River is quite small. Maybe only 8 cars and my bike. Even makes Lummi Island ferry look big, if that's believable.

Weather has been great. Overcast and delightfully cool in mornings, but no rain. Sunny and partly cloudy in afternoons.

In Forest Grove, I'm visiting a friend named Kody who used to live in Bellingham. He volunteered at the Radio Museum in Bellingham and is now attending an art college in Portland.

Crossing into Oregon

2011-08-12T13:51:00.000-07:00

Just took little ferry from Cathlamet, WA. across the Columbia River to the Oregon side. Now passing through Clatskanie, Oregon. Headed on south into Oregon.

Looks kind of funny to see the draw bridge go up

2011-08-07T22:17:00.001-07:00

We don't have bridges like Seattle's University Ave. in Bellingham. Opportunity for me and a cyclist waiting near me to visit.

I've been riding bike trails through Seattle area at a leasurely pace. Interurban, Green River and so forth.

At a drive-in just north of Seattle, someone called my name. He remembers dancing with me in Bellingham. Also remembers my web site.

This slow pace seems to make the world more friendly.

By the way, did you know you were on the radio?

2011-08-06T22:33:00.000-07:00

Passing water tower by cannery in Mount Vernon.

My first night out was in Mount Vernon where I dropped by the Friday meeting of Cascade Rainbow LGBTA Community Center. One of the folks I visited with is a local peace activist named Jerry Sumerseth. This fall, he was in the hospital for a while after suffering a fall at his home. While he was recovering, they did a tribute to him on KSVR Radio in mount Vernon. I happened to find tat interview in a Google search so I listened to the podcast last may.

Seeing Jerry reminded me of that radio show so I mentioned that I had heard the show. He looked a bit puzzled. Turned out he didn't know the show had been done. We turned on a laptop and went to the archive. Sure enough, there was the tribute to Jerry. He sat and listened to the show and was quite pleased to find out about it. Show was part of KSVR's Stand Up Speak Out public affairs show.

It's like, "by the way, did you know you were featured on the radio?" Made for a fun evening before I headed back to my motel.

Day two. After a glorious ride down Snohomish Centenial Trail, I'm staying in a hotel in South Everett. Not much camping in these urban areas, but the bike paths are nice. A new section of Centennial Trail starts north of Arlington. It starts at Bryant in Snohomish County, but plans are to build it on north to Skagit County line. Should be open in October 2011. South end of trail is in Snohomish.

New section of trail crossing Stilliguamish River north of Arlington.

Images from my trip on Flickr.

Weekend of bad news, except successful launch of Juno probe to Jupiter

2011-08-06T21:33:00.000-07:00

From the economy to the war in Afghanistan. A lot of bad news this weekend. About the only good news was the successful launch of the Juno space probe to Jupiter. It's our second probe to orbit Jupiter and the sixth one destined to Jupiter; counting the probes that passed the giant planet. Juno is scheduled to arrive at Jupiter in 5 years. Ingenuity at work again.

On a radio interview, I heard them say that solar collectors have really improved over recent years so Juno can be solar powered even out as far as Jupiter. Our last mission to Jupiter had to use plutonium RTGs which are a form of nuclear power.

Canadian dollars may be worth more, but our dollars might be prettier

2011-08-05T00:33:00.000-07:00

Our one dollar coin piece is pretty, but few people use it. Americans are kind of stuck in old traditions and don't seem to adjust to new things as quickly as Canadians do. Of course the Canadians don't have much choice. Their paper dollar is no longer printed. Also, Americans still remember being burned by the Susan B Anthony dollar. Nice idea, but it looked too much like a quarter. Seems symbolic of American's mistrust of bureaucracy. Sometimes I do wonder about planning. Both government planning and that of corporations. Our new dollar coin is fine, but people, and businesses, seem reluctant to use it. Openness to new things would help our economy.

Volunteer sector may be more vibrant than the private sector

2011-08-04T16:31:00.000-07:00

As the much credited, or hated, private sector struggles with recession and doesn't seem to have much job creation spunk, the volunteer sector is overlooked.

Volunteering isn't as likely to help us put food on the table, or maybe it can. There's volunteer gardening communities and the barter system. What volunteering does do well is allow people to follow their bliss path. Folks tend to volunteer for what they enjoy most and often it's the best fit for their skill sets.

In the marketplace of the business world, folks are often trapped in jobs they don't really like as they can't find what they really want to do.

An ideal world would seek the balance between private enterprise, volunteer efforts and the public sector.

I know that some folks are starving, loosing their homes and so forth, but high unemployment can also create some opportunities, if basic needs are still met. More time for participating in the volunteer sector. It's time for a paradigm shift and a rethinking of our entire economy.

Future generations may even enjoy a shorter workweek with more time for volunteering, among other joys of life.

Many people in Bellingham do seem to have a fairly healthy mindset of balance between the various sectors. Folks who live here often work at jobs that are way below their skill levels, but are the jobs they can find. We have folks with masters degrees and even PHDs who are waiting tables. At the same time, many of these people turn their skills loose volunteering. Volunteering in the community as well as on the internet.

Doing things like waiting tables isn't all bad anyway.

These trends seem to be happening nationwide. On the internet, and elsewhere, there are concepts like "crowd sourcing," and being a "prosumer." Prosumer derived from mixing the words producer and consumer. Think booking your own trips on-line rather than paying for a travel agency.

Healthy volunteerism can have feedback into the private sector. For instance, artists can add color to life in a town even though their crafts often go unpaid. That color can promote tourism and other economic activity where things like restaurants can thrive. It all kind of works together and the public sector is part of that equation as well.

Slow Clap For Congress

2011-08-03T12:35:00.000-07:00

My brother Jack's son named Chris Ashworth has started a web site called Slow Clap for Congress. A few of the claps from his new site made it into a sound byte on MSNBC national news. Part way into the story.

An anatomy of going viral. Great history of how the Slow Clap For Congress site went viral and then back to normal on Chris' blog. Link added Sept. 18 2011.

Some aspects of the debt ceiling deal are starting to hit, or clap, closer to home.

Interesting coincidence. There is my site called "Theslowlane" and now my brother's son has started something called Slow as well. Does it run in the family?

Here's my contribution.

Pit stop at my home

2011-08-03T08:54:00.000-07:00

Was in Bellingham for a few days between my trip to Vancouver and my trip south.

Worldwide economic news sounds so bad, some folks would be tempted to barricade themselves in their homes with a hoard of food and ammunition, but the world around me looks fine. Supermarkets are still as abundant as ever. Bank machines, laundromats, hotels, campgrounds, it's all still working.

As always, I think it's a good time to hoard your health, rather than food and ammo. Healthcare costs are among the biggest burdens in our economy. Who knows how available healthcare services might be in the future. Hopefully, they will figure out a way to keep things somewhat available.

Also now is a good time to go ahead and live one's life. A lot of promises have been made for retirements. With all the debt in the world, who knows what future retirement earnings will bring. Retirement savings are based on economies in the future paying back debt obligations. Planning for the future isn't bad, but living for the here and now makes sense as well. Keeping a balance. Some people sacrifice their lives for a fancy job hoping to have a great retirement. Well, some of my retirement is here and now as my work isn't super high paying, but vacations are sure nice. I do have some retirement assuming the world keeps upright.

Escape to Vancouver Gay Pride. That economy is huming

2011-08-02T13:20:00.000-07:00

While the US was mired in it's debt ceiling fight, I escaped 23 miles north to Canada. No, I wasn't trying to escape USA. It was the gay pride parade in Vancouver and I have vacation time.

My pictures of parade.

Ironically, as USA teeters on bankruptcy, it might be better to head for USA than Canada since the Canadian dollar is now more valuable (last I checked) than US currency. Unless our society breaks down so we actually start shooting at each other, USA offers travel bargains, but I survived Canada's strong dollar for just 2 days. The difference isn't that much.

Main problem is, or let's call it a virtue, gay pride is big business in Vancouver. Try finding a motel room that isn't booked, or priced off the planet. An estimated 750,000 people showed up for pride, if I heard that correctly. CBC Radio was estimating impact on traffic with road closures and so forth. Were they also counting folks who live in the effected neighborhoods?

I stayed way out in Surrey in an affordable motel. That wasn't bad, just take the elevated Skytrain and feel like you're able to fly right downtown in minutes. Getting to Surrey was a bike ride for me. Only about 35 sunny miles from Bellingham.

See bicycle trip pictures.

Some folks invited us Bellinghamsters to join Vancouver Polyamory contingent in the parade. I got lots of pictures. The Vancouver Sun even mentioned our contingent. They said people were looking for their dictionaries when we passed by. What is polyamory?

Out of all the mass of folks, the god of coincidence was shining on me. A friend of mine happened to be waiting at the same Skytrain stop as I. What are the chances of us running into each other with 750,000 in the milling crowds?

As the Skytrain whisked us back out of the city, we had a good talk. My friend says the recession seems less evident in the "Lower Mainland" than most of USA, or even a lot of Canada for that matter.

Lower Mainland is basically the Vancouver metro area. Economy is humming, tho I'm sure it has some problems.

What's happening?

Innovation. It's like a blue state economy. Of course, it's all because of gay pride. Don't you know, I've heard several economists say that gay people are good for the economy.

Well also BC benefits from abundant natural resources. In an overpopulated world hungry for stuff like energy, it helps to have lots resources in the ground (for some reason, Canadians seem to pronounce it REZORCES). Natural gas, oil, hydro power, (or sometimes they just say HYDRO instead of calling it power). They also seem to enjoy good planning with less blatant conflict between government and private enterprise.

We can learn a lot from examples north of the border.

Suggestion detecting bicycles at intersections

2011-07-30T10:54:00.000-07:00

How does a bicyclist know if they have activated the light at an intersection?

?????

Once in a blue moon, you will find a sign, like here on the WWU campus, assuring cylists that there is a bicycle detector in pavement, but how does one know if they've tripped it or not? Maybe they could paint a sign on the pavement indicating where the detector is located showing the best place to put the bike so it can activate the detector. Pedestrians often have an audio cue to let them know when the walk button has been pushed. For instance the tone of a beeping button changes pitch. Then when the walk light comes on, some of them even say, "walk light is on," "walk light is on." How about connecting the bicycle detector to that system so one can hear the change in tone when the detector has been activated?

Maybe someone has already thought of this, but I might as well suggest it.

Some walk light buttons have an LED light that changes color to indicate when the button is activated. That could be connected to the bicycle detector also. A cyclist can see this from the road without having to go over to the walk button.

In some cities, bicyclists even have their own button to push right by the bike lane without having to cross to the sidewalk and push the walk button. This is real nice, but more expensive to install. It's rare to find that sort of set up. More commonly, the pedestrian walk button is not very accessible to cyclists, but the detection system that works for cars is supposed to apply to the bike also. Problem is, it's hard to tell if you, with your small bike, have actually been detected.

Conservative Christians an oxymoron?

2011-07-28T23:16:00.000-07:00

Dilemma that Christians, especially conservative Christians face as right wing policies often contradict Sermon On The Mount. Interesting article Catholic Bishops Blast Boehner's Debt Plan from Faith In Public Life. Toward end of article is the phrase, "Keeping in mind that House Speaker John Boehner is Catholic, and is under enormous pressure from the Tea Party to move in the opposite direction, the bishops' position complicates his position even more."

I'm glad to see the mean spirited Republicans put in their place even by some of their own fellow, for the most part, conservatives.

Good question to ask Republicans. Would they roll back the Medicare prescription drug benefit that passed during the Bush administration?

2011-07-25T23:28:00.000-07:00

Roll back Medicare Part D? That specific of a proposal would go over like a led balloon. That's why it hasn't been discussed. Instead Republican Congressman Ryan's proposed budget calls for turning Medicare into block grants.

Hmm.

Folks might say, "okay," they don't understand what block grant means anyway. They'll say, between cans of beer with the football game playing in the background, "whatever."

Block grants. Kind of an esoteric topic. The Ryan budget did go over like a led balloon anyway.

Rolling back a specific benefit, like the drug benefit, or raising the copay would certainly make people upset. They'd understand that even better.

Budget impasse, let 2012 voters weigh in on the subject

2011-07-25T00:56:00.000-07:00

The best thing I've heard from several talk show hosts is that Congress should raise the debt ceiling and then both Republican and Democratic versions of budgets should be presented in the media. Let the voters weigh in on the subject in 2012.

Up until then, the budget is likely to continue to be way out of balance, but after 2012, voters can decide between "Republican big cuts no new taxes budget ideas" or Democrats "smaller cuts with some new taxes ideas." Democrats favor some tax hikes on high income people. I think the Democrat's plan is likely to be more popular, but who knows.

Both budgets are likely to have major cuts, because the numbers just don't add up either way. Much of the savings would have to come from medical care, veterans benefits and the military. That's where most of the money is spent. Hope we can find more efficient ways to maintain these things, whatever budget strategy is favored.

The person who is alleged to have done the mass shooting in Norway is said to be a fundamentalist

2011-07-25T00:51:00.000-07:00

An extreme outcome of fundamentalism run amok. Fundamentalist religion can lead to so much intolerance and fighting. He's said to be a Christian fundamentalist, which isn't any better than any other kind of fundamentalist.

Canada is probably more financially sound than USA

2011-07-24T01:59:00.000-07:00

Yes I think Canada is better managed and more worthy of being a "safe haven" for money than USA. It's finally getting recognized in money circles.

Lots of energy and natural resources plays a role. Canada is second largest country in the world in terms of land area. They have a lot of resources that the rest of the world uses, but they also have some sound policies when it comes to civil society and economics. It's about time Canada gets recognized in economic circles.

This also means an uptick in retail sales in places like Bellingham along the Canadian border. Kind of a side effect. Bellingham is in USA, just south of the metropolitan area of Vancouver, BC. Cross border retailing becomes a bright spot in the local economy when the Canadian dollar is strong.

Still, it means low pay retail jobs. Jobs are hard to find in Bellingham, but the city seems alive. Being alive is not just from economic issues. Being a "blue state" kind of town, Bellingham people try not to sink with our dollar. People continue smiling and going about their business of concerts in the park, art openings, jogging, bicycling, friends, political causes and so forth. There's often a lot of energy in Bellingham even among people who call themselves broke.

See article about Canadian dollar's effect on local retailing in Bellingham Herald. Canadian dollar touches multi-year high, could mean busy times for Whatcom County retailers.

Medicare, Medicaid cuts spell long term trouble for GOP brand

2011-07-22T15:15:00.000-07:00

Behind the short term worry about possible default of US government is the long term consequences of whatever budget emerges from the rubble.

I'm no fan of the GOP so I'm happy to see the Republican brand tarnished, but I realize that the Democratic brand isn't immune from being tarnished also.

Today's news is full of the possibility of a US government default with it's economic and political consequences. Polls are starting to show that Republicans could receive more of the blame, from pubic, than Democrats if such a debacle were to take place. Meanwhile, there still could be last minute deal making that could avert this looming crisis, but behind such deal making is the long term specter of huge cuts in spending. Popular programs such as Medicare and Medicaid are on the chopping block.

These cuts will have consequences. Pulling the plug on grandma doesn't sit well even within some of the Republican party who subscribes to right to life philosophy so hard that even death with dignity procedures don't sit well.

Speaking of suicide, it's political suicide.

Both Democrats and Republicans are calling for cuts, but the cuts of the Democrats are somewhat tamer. Tempered with a mix of tax increases that most Republicans, in the House at least, are dead set against.

Dead is a good word.

Consequences of medical cuts are wide ranging. There's the outcomes for the patients, themselves. Also for the families and others close to the patients. More of the burden for expensive medical care could be shifted to other family members, children and so forth at a time when this extra burden will be unwelcome.

Then there's the consequences within the medical profession itself. Long thought to be a lucrative career that always had job openings, it could see retrenchment, salary cuts and layoffs.

Of course the military, with it's big appetite for money, is also part of this equation. Medicine isn't the only obesity issue we face even though much of the military spending is medicine also. Much of military spending is now medical care for veterans.

Most of this budget issue is about protecting what we've already got. Protecting life and liberty, but not necessarily the pursuit of happiness. It's about basic survival whether against the specter of disease or terrorist attack.

Yes, there has got to be less expensive ways to protect life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Innovations can solve these problems, but the road to reining in these costs goes through minefields.

Keith and me at the Bellingham Food Coop

2011-07-18T04:15:00.000-07:00

Keith and his wife were visiting the Pacific Northwest from Arizona. Bellingham was one of their destinations. They have been following my web site for several years so they looked me up. We had a great visit. Nice to meet readers of my site.

Bicyclists, only this time they didn't have lots of time so they came in this small rental car. A Fiat. We took the car to some areas in Bellingham, but spent most of a lovely afternoon walking. One of the places we visited was a resident owned mobile home park. Lots of interesting discussion about sustainable living.

Obama should have allowed middle class taxes to go up

2011-07-17T00:08:00.000-07:00

Letting the Bush tax cuts expire would have been better for the economy, but difficult from a political prospective. Republicans had Obama cornered where he had to keep the tax cuts for the wealthy in order to keep the middle class part of the Bush tax cut. Really, he should have just allowed the whole thing to expire.

Tax cuts are said to create jobs, but this isn't happening. Where are the jobs? There's more to job creation than just tax policy.

Even if the middle class pays more taxes, it isn't that big a price to pay for having the wealthy pay more.

Without some tax increases, the government has to borrow too much money to pay for things that people seem to want. Medicare, veterans benefits, your grandmother in a nursing home, the military.

Maybe we should cut all these things, but I don't see many people jumping in support of big Medicare cuts, for instance.

When Congressman Ryan came out with his prototype of a "no new taxes, big spending cuts" budget, Republicans seemed to be slipping in the polls. Medicare is popular and senior citizens tend to be more likely to vote than other age groups.

Now we've got the budget impasse. Seems like taxes will have to go up.

Why the Bush plan to privatize part of Social Security was bad. It would add too much to the deficit

2011-07-17T00:02:00.000-07:00

Glad the Bush Social Security plan is dead. It's really old news, but I did hear these ideas come up again on a radio talk show. Most people criticize it for other reasons, but my main problem with the Bush Social Security plan was the added deficit it would create.

The plan would have allowed young people to divert part of their Social Security taxes away from the Social Security trust fund and into private retirement accounts. This would mean that during a long transition period, money would have to be borrowed to pay full Social Security benefits to people over a certain age who would still be retiring under the old system. Borrowing, even just for the transition period, would be quite hefty.

I'm glad that plan is not really being discussed that often anymore. That plan came out before 2008 when it looked like America was such a "safe haven" for money that we could borrow for everything. Borrow for the wars, borrow for the Bush prescription drug benefit.

The crash of 2008 spooked people. Most folks were spooked about relying on private investments for retirement savings, but more importantly, in my book, the national debt started ballooning more after 2008. Many private investments have recovered (so far at least) while the debt is still mounting.

I'll admit part of the ballooning of the debt was Obama's stimulus package. With this much debt from so many sources, the added borrowing for "transitioning" Social Security looks real foolhardy today.

Mobile home park is road to affordable home ownership

2011-07-16T03:22:00.000-07:00

Some friends of mine live in a mobile home park that is owned by the resident owners as a co-op. This could be a solution to affordable home ownership since even condominiums in the Bellingham area are usually well over $100,000. Buying a share in their mobile home park only costs $17,500. That's almost like owning the land under your home, but not quite. It's a share in the cooperatively owned park which allows one a space for their home, access to the central clubhouse and other benefits.

Each month members pay dues as well, but the dues are around $160 per month. That's quite reasonable compared to rent in most mobile home parks, let alone renting an apartment. The dues cover ongoing expenses such as water and sewer as well each resident's share of the property taxes that the park pays on all the land.

One also buys their mobile home unit which can be as low as $15,000. Most of the mobile homes are more than $15,000, but $25,000 - $60,000 is a likely range.

When one thinks about it, this is an affordable way to have home ownership, if ownership is desired. For instance, a mobile home for around $20,000 plus the park "buy in" share for $17,500 means buying a house for $37,500. For Bellingham, that's not bad.

Another affordable housing option in the Bellingham area is an organization called Kulshan Community Land Trust. They have some partial ownership schemes also, but I've noticed that the cheapest condominium, currently in their listing, is around $116,000!

$116,000!

That's Bellingham for you. They also work with owners who are buying houses, but these are usually even more expensive, tho I saw a house listed in their office window for $104,000.

Looks like mobile homes are less expensive, but Kulshan doesn't deal with those kind of properties. Mostly, I hear, because financing institutions basically overlook the mobile home option.

With lack of affordable housing such a big problem, I think mobile homes need to be taken more seriously. Problem is, urban zoning doesn't usually allow them. The park that my friends live in is near the city limits. It's still on the bus line tho. Mobile home parks aren't as dense as condominiums and density is good for environmental reasons, but they do tend to be denser than single family zones.

Pictured: One of my friend's neighbors has raised beds for gardening.

The park that my friends live in is quite nice with a small lake in the center, quite a bit of space between the units and a nice clubhouse.

Speaking of clubhouse, that brings up the topic of "community." People I know, that live in mobile home parks, seem to have lots of community. Talking to folks around the mailboxes, going to "Meet your neighbor" meals at the clubhouse and so forth.

My friends, who live in that park, think about it in terms of "intentional communities." They have interest in things like home gardening and sustainable communities. Mobile homes might be a good way to bring this about that is not super expensive.

Slowing population growth in Mexico is one factor reducing illegal immigration

2011-07-14T16:03:00.000-07:00

At least there's some good news out there. Birth rates in Mexico have been going down and that is one of many factors reducing illegal immigration. Diane Rehms, on NPR Radio, did an interesting show about recent immigration trends.

While decline in population growth wasn't the only factor, I find it interesting that it was mentioned.

Other factors include the worsening job market in USA creating less incentive to head north. Also improving economy in Mexico so more people feel they can stay put. Increased border enforcement has played a role also.

Looking at the demographics is a useful perspective. Immigration, both legal and illegal, has provided both good and bad effects to the US economy.

USA has been getting more crowded, but one of the good effects of immigration has been adding to the the supply of young people paying into our Social Security system. This helps offset the retiring bulge of our post war baby boom that is now reaching retirement age.

Come to think about it, the post war baby boom is a demographic issue also. A bulge in the population which, when retired, can use another bulge of young people to pay the Social Security taxes.

This brings up the topic of 12 million, or so, people already here in the US illegally. Many of these people have been paying into Social Security, but will not be able to legally get the retirement benefits when they reach old age, if they are still in USA. What will happen to this segment of the population? 12 million people without a livelihood can be a volatile situation. Something to worry about.

Here's where discussion of a path to citizenship for the millions already in this country illegally comes up. In the past, it has been a political no no. One of the worries against a path to citizenship has always been, "it will just open the floodgates so more folks will come in." Well, now that the flow of illegal immigration has slowed down, maybe that worry can subside thus allowing the political climate for a path to citizenship to improve.

Population growth has a lot to do with these issues. When population growth slows down, things begin to seem less overwhelming.

I got some photos at the Bellingham Pride Parade, Festival and Picnic

2011-07-13T19:36:00.000-07:00

Someone took my picture at Pride Picnic. Rainbow hat, rainbow glasses that I found along a bike trail and tie-dye shirt.

During the parade, I danced down Cornwall Avenue in the Faerie contingent. We were right behind Rainbow City Band which was playing YMCA by the Village People as we crossed Holly Street where a video camera was located.

It was a great weekend. I went to most things, but skipped out on a Saturday evening drag show at Rumors Cabaret. It was indoors on such a nice day so I rode my bike around Lake Padden instead and went to Rumors at sundown.

See

My photos.

Video of parade from that friend's camera on Cornwall and Holly. I'm toward the back of parade.

My video at festival.

It was another fun time.

Plastic shopping bags will soon be banned in Bellingham

2011-07-12T14:13:00.000-07:00

Reusable bags have sure improved over the years. They are preferable to the plastic or paper. Reusable bag pictured above.

Back in the 1980s, when plastic bags were fairly new, people started worrying about their environmental impact. I remember writing a letter to the editor defending plastic bags against paper bags. As a non driver, I liked the plastic over paper since paper crumbled in rain and tore easily. That was from the perspective of a non driver. Most environmentalists who worried about the bags still drove cars.

Back then, reusable bags were coming out also, but I think I remember some were $10. Now the reusable bags have gotten cheaper and better so I can withdraw my support for plastic bags.

City Council approves plastic shopping bag ban.

Obama deficit?

2011-07-11T03:46:00.000-07:00

Okay, maybe they shouldn't have had a stimulus program to try and reduce unemployment after the 2008 crash. If the private sector doesn't create the jobs, tough. Can't the people eat cake? If the infrastructure is crumbling, tough. Just let the bridges fall where they may.

Just kidding.