Hi again from the Bastion on the Puget Sound. We’d like to wish all of you in Canada and the United States, “Happy Independence Day.” The first of you celebrated on July First. The second lights off fireworks tonight.
I think it’s very appropriate that two such close neighbors and staunch friends have this annual holiday so close together. Yours is a relationship unique among nations because it has been, for the most part, a bloodless one.
We are one another’s largest trading partner and our military forces have served along side one another for well over a century now. I personally had the distinct privilege of being in the American Navy and working with at that time what they called the Royal Canadian Navy. If, God forbid, I ever need to go into combat again to protect my family and my community, I hope I have them on my right, behind me and out in front.
As much as America’s continued Recession saddens me, I am glad that Canada is recovering. It’s taken what to most of the world might consider incredibly out of the box thinking but which to your average “Leaf” (after the maple leaf in their flag) is just like, “Hey, no big deal.” And they’re thinking, ‘We’ve been living like this for two hundred bloody years and now the Yank’s paying attention?”
Sometimes it takes tough times to find out who your real friends are. Two of the largest and most democratic nations not only on the face of the planet, but in history, are that to one another.
I don’t know how the rest of you define “cool,” but that’s an example that works in the Northstar house. Happy birthday, guys.
IN OTHER NEWS
Thanks, among other things, to a recent $1.32-million federal grant, Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire plans to make the 276 miles from the Canadian border south to the Oregon state line an “electric highway.” With Nissan establishing a major dealership in Seattle for their electric Leaf, the Greater Puget Sound seeing more recharging stations, and two public transit systems upgrading and refurbishing their electric buses and trolleys, there’s some momentum behind this one. Yep, for more, go here.
Definitely under the category, “Thank You, Lord, Some Things Never Change,” we totally enjoyed this look back at when bicycles were “all the rage,” as it were around here, over a century ago. Bikes have come a long way and the folks riding these days are some bigger and better fed. But the land hasn’t changed. Nor, I suspect, have the people who ride them. Yep, for more, go here.
I am an unabashed fan of Michelle Obama and the nice thing about owning my own magazine, instead of working for someone who owns one, is that I can say that and not worry about losing my job if the word gets out. So yep, she ranks right up there, for me, with Coretta Scott King, Barbara Bush, Princess Di, Bernadette Devlin, Eleanor Roosevelt and Maya Angelou in terms of women I admire. She’s genuine and what she’s doing on the national level with, for example, this story on exercising with DC kids as another battle in her ongoing campaign against childhood obesity, is just another example of what she’s been doing since she’s been a mom. She’s just now getting more attention than most good moms. Yep, for more on this particular “cool maternal parenting example,” go here.
SURVIVING HARD TIMES
Okay, I’m also a little skeptical of any article that promises “Ten Minutes A Day to Change Your Life.” However, so far what I’ve learned about surviving hard times also includes taking a break and reading something recommended by a friend. This is also a real easy and relaxing article to relax with on a Sunday, so to check it out, yep, go here.
ON THE CANCER FRONT
Sometimes, the best news is delivered straight to the source. For more on a story entitled “Scientists Cite Advances on Two Kinds of Cancer,” yep, go here.
And because we were asked to run this again, okay, a quick question. Do you like lemons? Cool, me too, especially in iced tea, and very especially in salmon filets and shrimp cocktails. Well, turns out that melanoma, or “skin cancer” as it’s better known, hates lemons as much as I will walk across the street and down the block to avoid an eggplant. For more on this and other tips on reducing your personal risks in these regards, yep, please go here.
RESOURCES AND RELATED LINKS:
American Cancer Statistics 2009
Canadian Cancer Statistics 2009
National Cancer Institute (American)
Fighting Breast Cancer: Breast Cancer Survivor Stories
HEALTH NEWS
Given these stressful times, it’s probably a good idea to remind all of us about a few real simple things we can incorporate in our daily routine to keep us from keeling over with what the medical professionals sometimes refer to as “a cardiac incident,” but which I call a heart attack. It’s entitled “Stop A Stroke With This Many Walks” and yep, I read the whole thing too. On a coffee break. A very short coffee break. So and stuff.
Well for those of us with every intention of outlasting our critics, it looks as though soon we may be able to determine how long we actually will live. Scientists studying centenarians (those who live to be one hundred or more) have identified a number of genetic characteristics which they believe will soon lead them to tests which can determine ~ all other factors such as medical history, diet, exercise, etc. being equal ~ how long someone can be expected to live. I found this fascinating so yep, go here.
SEATTLE SCENES
If you’re planning to visit Seattle in the near future, you might want to check these sites out first.
SUMMER GUIDE
Let us steer you to the best beaches, festivals and fun.
JULY EVENTS 2010
Seattle International BeerFestJuly 2-4, 2010 - Seattle Center - Downtown Seattle Washington Celebrating the world's most legendary brewing styles and the nations that made them famous. Come taste over 130 world-class beers from more than 15 countries. Hours: Friday 12 PM - 10 PM; Saturday 12 PM - 10 PM; Sunday 12 PM - 7 PM. Admission is $20, which includes a glass and 10 beer tickets.
July 4th Celebrations July 4, 2010 - Various Locations throughout the Seattle Washington Area Anywhere you are in Seattle, you'll find birthday parties for the good old U.S.A. Local newspapers carry all the particulars... so you can find anything from 'huge' fireworks displays ... to small-town parades and picnics. A Seattle favorite, the Chase Family Fourth fireworks display is set with a breathtaking downtown Seattle as a backdrop on Lake Union.
Other activities include Chase Playfield (Kids Area), Street Scramble, National Anthem performed by members of the School of Rock: Northwest All-Stars, food booths and beer gardens. Festivities begin at Noon with a 'huge' pyrotechnic extravaganza at 10 PM. Touted as the Eastside's largest, the Bellevue Family 4th in Bellevue Downtown Park offers music, kids entertainment, food booths, a Community Spotlight Pavilion and a really nice fireworks display at 10 PM. Festival hours are from 4 PM - 10:30 PM. Click for -> July 4th Weekend Hotel Specials in Seattle
Seattle Chamber Music Society Summer Festival July 5 - 30, 2010 - Benaroya Hall - Downtown Seattle WA The Seattle Chamber Music Society presents its 27th Summer Festival, held July 5th - July 30th. The main Summer Season consists of Twelve Concerts each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings... beginning at 8:00 PM.
Chinatown-International District Summer Festival July 10-11, 2010 - Hing Hay Park - Downtown Seattle WA Known to be the largest Asian-American Streetfair in Washington, the International District Summer Festival offers a variety of Asian-inspired Entertainment including... Japanese Drumming, Chinese Martial Arts, Filipino Dancing, Lion and Dragon dances plus ... live concerts featuring Jazz, New Age and Pop music. You'll find lots of hand-made Arts & Crafts, authentic Asian Cuisine, even a Karaoke Stage for those that feel inspired to showcase their vocal talents. Chinatown-International District Summer Festival hours are: Saturday, 11 AM - 8 PM; Sunday, 11 AM - 6 PM. Admission is Free.
Bite of Seattle July 16-18, 2010 - Seattle Center - Downtown Seattle Washington First introduced to the Seattle area in 1982 at Greenlake with 26 Restaurants and 1 Entertainment Stage, the ` Bite of Seattle ' has grown into one of Seattle's largest Summer Festivals, with more than 50 of Seattle's finest Restaurants... 30 Food Product Companies... 5 Beer Gardens... live Entertainment... a Comedy Club... Piano Bar... Wine Tasting... and more! Festival Hours: Friday & Saturday 11 AM - 9 PM; Sunday 11 AM - 8 PM. Nearby Hotels: Red Lion Hotel on 5th Avenue - Executive Pacific Plaza Hotel
Torchlight Parade at Seafair July 31, 2010 - Seattle Center - Downtown Seattle Washington Come celebrate the Northwest's largest lighted parade in Downtown Seattle! The famous Torchlight Parade at Seafair is one of Seattle's biggest nights for family tradition, so you won't want to miss the Macy's-style helium balloons, local bands, drill teams, beautifully illuminated floats, and naturally the Seafair Clowns and Pirates. The parade begins at 7:30 PM at Seattle Center, and continues south down Fourth Ave. to Second Ave. and King Street. Over 300,000 people lined the parade route last year... so we suggest you get here early for the best viewing spots.
PART OF SEATTLE HAD TO BE REBUILT because the tides made toilets, which we didn’t have when our pioneering antecedents first got here, back up. The Pioneer Square Underground Tour tells most of us all we know about what lies underneath Seattle our fair city. It's a touristy exploration of the city's oldest basements, a jokey excursion through an urban underbelly filled with commentary about the foibles, and drinking habits of the city's lusty pioneers. It's the closest many of us come to seeing firsthand the archaeology of the city. Yep, for more on this one:
SEATTLE FACTS AND FIGURES
Seattle Rainfall in Comparison To Other US Cities
Seattle Geography & Climate
For more information about Seattle
For live cameras on Seattle, the Puget Sound and Washington State
CRITTER STUFF
A family of bears continues to hang out in the town of Sammamish, a community of about 40,000 east of Seattle and south of Redmond, where Microsoft is located. It’s a very pretty place on a plateau and the east shores of a large lake, with forested mountains rising all around. Local residents are pretty laid back about such visitations. As one person we spoke with expressed it, “People come from all over the world to vacation in their yard. Why shouldn’t they spend a few days in the big city?” Yep, for video on this one, go here.
Here are two things I’m sure glad I know now. Apparently when male mice cry, female mice get very amorous. Maybe that accounts for why tough guys only get any in the movies. The other thing I’m sure glad I know now is that according to another scientific study (which I hope was not funded with MY tax dollars), Calvin Klein’s cologne “Obsession for Men” is also attractive to cheetahs. I’ve got a photo shoot later this year in the veldt and my assistance has a positive “thing” for designer jeans and perfume that sounds like the name of a badly translated French romance novel, so this was definitely a heads up on that one.
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Recommended Related Links:
BBC’s wildlife finder
National Geographic Daily News - Animals
PART OF SEATTLE HAD TO BE REBUILT because the tides made toilets, which we didn’t have when our pioneering antecedents first got here, back up. The Pioneer Square Underground Tour tells most of us all we know about what lies underneath Seattle our fair city. It's a touristy exploration of the city's oldest basements, a jokey excursion through an urban underbelly filled with commentary about the foibles, and drinking habits of the city's lusty pioneers. It's the closest many of us come to seeing firsthand the archaeology of the city. Yep, for more on this one:
SEATTLE FACTS AND FIGURES
Seattle Rainfall in Comparison To Other US Cities
Seattle Geography & Climate
For more information about Seattle
For live cameras on Seattle, the Puget Sound and Washington State
CRITTER STUFF
A family of bears continues to hang out in the town of Sammamish, a community of about 40,000 east of Seattle and south of Redmond, where Microsoft is located. It’s a very pretty place on a plateau and the east shores of a large lake, with forested mountains rising all around. Local residents are pretty laid back about such visitations. As one person we spoke with expressed it, “People come from all over the world to vacation in their yard. Why shouldn’t they spend a few days in the big city?” Yep, for video on this one, go here.
Here are two things I’m sure glad I know now. Apparently when male mice cry, female mice get very amorous. Maybe that accounts for why tough guys only get any in the movies. The other thing I’m sure glad I know now is that according to another scientific study (which I hope was not funded with MY tax dollars), Calvin Klein’s cologne “Obsession for Men” is also attractive to cheetahs. I’ve got a photo shoot later this year in the veldt and my assistance has a positive “thing” for designer jeans and perfume that sounds like the name of a badly translated French romance novel, so this was definitely a heads up on that one.
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Recommended Related Links:
BBC’s wildlife finder
National Geographic Daily News - Animals
YOU GUYS (STILL OCCASIONALLY) THINK I MAKE THIS STUFF UP
I’ve never been to New York City because I hear really weird stuff goes on there. And just about the time I’m almost talked out of that notion, something happens to make me believe that not only is New York City the most interesting place in the world, it is profoundly NOT for a country boy. Even their perspective is different. It’s like there’s two stargates connecting us. Check this out.
SHARK BITES FISHERMAN TRYING TO REMOVE LURE
By Patty Lane, CNNRadio
New York(CNN) -- A 20-year-old man out fishing off New York's Long Island was bitten Saturday by a shark that he had just caught.
The man was trying to take the lure out of the shark's mouth when he was bitten, the U.S. Coast Guard told CNNRadio.
"It rolled over and bit down on his right bicep," said Petty Officer Thomas McKenzie.
The man, who was not identified, was on a recreational fishing boat about 25 nautical miles south of Shinnecock, New York. The Coast Guard took him ashore, where he was treated by medics and taken to a hospital.
"As I understand it, the injury wasn't too bad," McKenzie said.
On the holiday weekend, sharks are not the biggest threat, McKenzie said.
"The biggest threat to mariners on the waters at this time is intoxication while boating or lack of situational awareness," he said.
McKenzie reminds boaters to have a good time but use common sense on the water and use a life jacket.
"It's a fairly rare event," he said of the fisherman's wounds. "However, this individual was fishing for blue shark."
I find it very reassuring that drunken boaters are more of a threat than sharks who bite the hands that catch them. I also thought it was interesting how they used this story to plug water safety. In the third line from the bottom, I’m still not sure what “lack of situational awareness” is. It sounds a little like our expression, “Well, that was dumb.”
What really bothers me, though, because it speaks to the critter-sensitivity level of people back there, is that not one word was said about what happened to the shark after it bit a human situational awareness impaired enough to fish for something that nature designed as the ultimate ocean population control device.
And this post-adolescent angler, was he drunk, common sense challenged, or just stupid? Is he capable of reproducing? Are there a lot of people in New York City like him?
Until I get answers to these questions, I’m staying on my side of the mountains. With the drawbridge up.
Well, that’s it for now. Thanks for the ear. Before you leave, if you’re in a shopping mood and into some interesting choices? We’ve got a “reader stocked” General Store that you might want to check out. If you’d like to sell something with us or know someone who does, email us at minstrel312@aol.com and we’ll see what we can do.
Rusty
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