Seattle skyline, looking northwest (Photo by MS(R)M)
Hi again and yep, from the ramparts of the Bastion on the Puget Sound, it’s been another interesting week.
Seattle Now America’s Most Congested City
According to a recent study conducted by the Global Positioning System company and as reported in the Puget Sound Business Journal, Seattle now tops the list as the nation’s most gridlocked metropolis. We beat out Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and New York (yep, in that order) for this dubious distinction.
Well, living (technically) right across a narrow ship canal from Seattle proper, this does not come as good news. I am not, however, surprised. I moved here in 1990. I’ve watched both the growth and the attempts to deal with it. Now the light rail project is running and rapidly expanding. Seattle, in conjunction with the Nissan Motor Company, is moving toward electric cars and buses by installing hundreds of recharging stations and a major Nissan dealership here.
Other, less media-visible, changes are taking place. More people are walking or bicycling. Bus ridership is slowly but steadily increasing, after an understandable decline due to a rise in unemployment since the Recession started. There are more electric scooters on the streets and I’m sure that before the winter’s out, quite a few of us will also be using skis, snowboards and ice-skates to get around.
It took us awhile to make that list and we might not be off it for several years. But I have absolutely no quality of life issues with this city. As far as I’m concerned, it’s still one of the best places ~ at least from San Diego, California to the Canadian border ~ to live.
The Amanda Knox Verdict
I was as shocked as I imagine most of you were to learn of the verdict in the Amanda Knox Murder Case. As the parents of the victim themselves said, “This is not a time to celebrate.” Our hearts certainly go out to all those involved. I live three blocks from the University of Washington and there’s a good chance I might have seen Ms. Knox, like once I saw Gov. Chris Gregoire’s younger daughter in the Post Office.
By American, Canadian and British standards of law, Ms. Knox was not given due process. Italy, however, and like France and many other nations, places the burden of proof on the accused, who are considered guilty until they prove themselves innocent.
Amanda Knox, for whatever reasons, apparently chose to live in a country whose customs and legal system she did not understand. My sense is that she assumed what others have assumed in the past and that is that there is some kind of immunity that goes with being an American.
Perhaps once but certainly no longer. Ms. Knox engaged in behavior that would have been at risk where I live, three blocks from her alma mater, the University of Washington. That behavior led to the death of another guest of Italy, this one from Britain.
Regardless of how any of us feel about it, Amanda Knox is going to spend at least eleven years in prison before she is eligible for parole. The appeals process in Italy is a brutally fruitless formality and my real fear here is that the Knox family’s attempt to change that will only cause very uncomfortable repercussions for her daughter inside.
If Amanda and her family can accept this and make of this the learning experience it could be, perhaps some good will come of it. If they persist in pressing the Italians, they run the real risk of making it harder for their daughter than it already is. That, to me, would only compound that tragedy and I will pray it does not happen.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From You Guys
I was listening to a radio slot about this. There is a lot of good will toward Knox from Britain although it was a Brit that died in such awful circumstances. The Italian judicial system has flaws and they will out. Hillary Clinton’s exclamation that “what are you doing to my girl?” didn’t help, unfortunately. It is sad for all but justice is flawed in circumstances and I for one do not judge.
Francesca,
Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom
Economic Forecast Guardedly Optimistic
In a story headlined “Jobs Report Is Strongest Since the Start of the Recession,” New York Times staffer Louis Uchitelle reports:
In the best report since the recession began two years ago, only 11,000 jobs disappeared last month, the government said on Friday, and the unemployment rate actually dipped, to 10 percent, from 10.2 percent the previous month.
For more on this one, please go here.
Green Jobs On The Rapid Rise
Whether it’s auto workers learning to build hybrid or electric cars; carpenters and construction workers learning to use new materials; or attorneys venturing into a new branch of law, jobs are on the rise in the environmentally-appropriate sector. According to Los Angeles Times reporter Tiffany Hsu:
President Obama has said that he hopes to create 5 million green jobs within a decade. The U.S. Conference of Mayors estimates that the "green economy" could account for as much as 10% of job growth over the next 30 years.
From 1998 to 2007, green jobs increased almost three times faster than growth in the non-environmental sector, according to a report by the Pew Charitable Trust and also quoted in this story.
I highly recommend going here for more.
To the Fourth Flag, With Thanks For A Good Example
As continuing follow-up to our coverage of the worst storm in Britain in a quarter century, Francesca decided to return to Cumbria. She raised a team (she’s a landscape/environmental architect), got funding from the Crown and arrived back up there this past Monday. She’s out mucking about and having the time of her life helping to restore that English county’s transportation infrastructure.
She continues to be amazed and touched by the quiet humanity of her fellow Brits. Last night, she bussed school kids to a Christmas party and asked me later if it was normal to cry for brave children.
Several of you have asked when she expects to return to Oxfordshire. She estimates before Christmas, but that’s a best case scenario. She’ll be up there, as she put it, “Until I’m sure this kind of thing (the washout of so many roads and bridges) can never happen again.” If you’d like to extend your good wishes, email them to us here at minstrel312@aol.com and I’ll forward them. She’s on the move a lot and only checks her email once a day.
CRITTER STUFF
Winter’s come early to our part of the world so aside from a coyote cruising through one of Seattle’s neighborhoods last week and then disappearing, there are no headlines this time. HOWEVER…
In looking for some, I found a site that explains how a lot of species are adapting to a changing world. It also happens to be the website of my favorite critter-conscious agency, the National Wildlife Foundation.
This one is also richly educational and a definite family-shared experience. Check it out here.
FROM YOU GUYS FOR YOU GUYS
This one came to us from several of you and we’ve chosen the sentiments which I think best speak for all.
Please take a moment to say "thank you" to our troops abroad, for the upcoming holidays.
If you go to this website, you can pick out a thank you card. Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You cannot choose who gets it, but it will go to a member of the American armed services
Whether you are for or against the war, our soldiers over there need to know we are behind them. This takes just 10 seconds and it's a wonderful way to say thank you. Please take the time and please take the time to pass it on for others to do. We can never say enough thank you's.
The Northstar Journal could not agree more.
UNDER THE CATEGORY YOU GUYS THINK I MAKE THIS STUFF UP
It looks like there’s a husband in Sweden who is not going to prison for killing his wife because authorities have determined that it was a moose who did the deed. It is not too early in the investigation to determine whether there was any connection between the man and the beast and when asked about this specifically, authorities declined comment. Yep, go here for more on this one.
That’s it for this week. We’ve got some cool stuff down below you might want to check out. Stay the course, gang. We’re getting there and we’re going to make it. And thanks once again for the ear. And stuff.
Mick, Fran and Dennis
NORTHSTAR RECOMMENDS
FUN STUFF
How about a trip to Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo to watch a couple of grizzly bears in their Northwest setting? Yep, click here and thanks to our friends at Puget Sound NBC affiliate KING 5.
If you’re into a real interesting and visual escape, we certainly recommend The Art In LA website. It’s a virtual art gallery created by a real gentle, occasionally obnoxious but totally good-hearted soul with standards as fine as those of any engineer I’ve ever met. It’s also a good place for healthy meditation. If you’re lucky, you might just run into the artist herself. Her name is Colleen and she’s a trip, trust me. Yep, she was born under the fourth flag on our masthead.
For those into words that resonate, there are fewer finer contemporary craftsman I know than a man named Mike Browne, professionally known as Tomatoman Mike and the publisher of The Tomato Man Times. He’s as Northern Californian as John Steinbeck, albeit with a dash of Sam Clemmons, Bret Harte and Robert W. Service in him. He’s a romp to read, trust me.
From Peggy Hill, in Sacramento, CA
I have information to share that will bring joy to a lot of people locally and otherwise..... (See's Candy!) and hopefully, a new community pool at Carmichael Park.
Kiwanis Club of Carmichael, CA is partnering with See's Candy to raise funds for the proposed Aquatic Center at Carmichael Park. H&R Block has donated space for us to set up the candy shop and people can avoid long lines at See's Candy stores and visit the Carmichael Kiwanis store instead!
Bel Air Shopping Center (next to Starbucks) MAP
Oh by the way, the prices of the candies whether bought at a regular Sees Candy Store or from us are the same.
Ten foods that really do help prevent cancer.
If you’d like to know whether your eating habits are either adding years to your life or taking them off, take this RealAge quiz. It will not only score your real age against your health age but give you a program for improvement. I’ve been working this one for about a month now and yep, I feel a lot better.
Want to know how to live to be 100? Try this one.
Ever had trouble getting behind eating a lot of fruits and vegetables despite how good they are for you? Ever had trouble selling that one to your kids and grandkids? Ever been totally sold on the idea then gone to the market and been totally tasered by the price of good health in some places? If your answer is yes to any or all of the above, you really need to check this site out. Fruits and veggies: more matters.
ONLINE TOOLS FOR THE KIT
WorldStart.com - The best source of computer information, tips, education, entertainment, industry news, graphics and useful websites.
PC World – This is the best source we’ve found yet for totally free, useful, reliable and secure (no viruses) downloads ranging from games through utilities and with a nice selection of screen savers, etc. What I particularly appreciate about it is how easy the site is to navigate. They also have a daily letter featuring two “daily downloads.”
CCleaner - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com
The home of Spybot-S&D! “For the past few years I've been using two free programs to remove the tracking cookies we accumulate every time we visit a site. Both have proven safe and reliable. Try them. You'll be surprised at the amount of binary barnacles your pore little hard accumulates as it sails the cyber seas. Sorry, but neither program eliminates alliterative purple patch prose. Like mine.”
Mike Browne, Sacramento, CA
Free People Search – This is an American online White Pages that I found really simple, quick and user friendly. I looked for myself under the several versions of my name and it found them all. It’s also free and doesn’t involve anything to download.
Know Thy Elected Officials - Just type in your zip code and this site will supply you with the names and contact information for your legislators from the state level up. This is a two click site with a host of other relevant features.
MEDIA
Overview
For those interested in what’s going on in the world of magazines and newspapers in general, we highly recommend Woodenhorsepub.com. They publish a weekly online newsletter for media professionals and for readers simply interested in the future of the publications they enjoy and an advance on new ones they might. Their website is located here.
Entertainment
U Got Style is a monthly ezine dedicated to independent films. Fully illustrated, it features hard news, interviews, reviews and a wide variety of other information. It’s also fun to read.
Vinyl Cafe with Stuart McLean – Live from the smallest record store in North America. Canadian humor, entertainment and commentary at its maple leaf best. Popular on National Public Radio in the States.
BBC Knowledge Magazine – designed to give the American magazine National Geographic the proverbial run for its money,
News
BBC – Best source of international news.
The New York Times – Best source of American news.
The Vancouver Sun -- outstanding source for Canadian national, provincial, and world news.
Reuters – Best source of an international perspective on American headlines.
Sightline Daily (formerly Tidepool) – Best source of Pacific Northwest regional news. Delivered daily by email, it covers Alaska, British Columbia, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. They also put out an excellent weekly environmental edition.
KING 5 News – Best source of video news of Seattle and the Greater Puget Sound.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
The Northstar General Store
Well, marching orders have come down from on high. We need to start selling stuff on this site. That does not, however, in any way, shape or form obligate you to buy any of the weird stuff that’s likely to appear on the shelves. We’re going to keep it real simple; Paypal for those who have it and regular mail/post and a personal check for those who don’t. We’re also soliciting others who have things they’d like to run here and signing them on for ten percent commission. One of the first things we’re putting out is a 2010 Sasha the Cat calendar. If you’re interested in sharing this experience with us and helping build it, by all means, email us here and we’ll talk.
TALENT FOR HIRE
Rusty Miller, Freelance Photojournalist – Whether it’s a one time press release, book or product review, difficult business correspondence, resume or classified ad composition you need, take a look at the services offered menu on my writer-for-hire homepage and we’ll get together on it.
Are you a travel editor looking for color shots of Seattle? Are you an art dealer looking for new work to carry on consignment? You might enjoy checking out a gallery of my work for sale
No comments:
Post a Comment