Editorials from Theslowlane

My gallery for our 2013 WNBR clothing optional ride in Bellingham is posted on Flickr

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:39:00 +0000

Follow link to my Gallery on Flickr. Photos rated "G" will show and Flickr members can turn off safety filters to see photos rated more "R."

The ride was a great success with an estimate of around 120 participants. It was "low carbon footprint" fun. Protesting the shells that hide us in more ways than one. The automobile being one of those shells.

Above photo taken on Holly Street soon after police tried to politely ask riders to cover up certain parts. During the last few years, ride has been allowed until, supposedly, the first citizen complaint is called in. As culture evolves, quite a few cities, such as Seattle, are starting to make room for this event. The solstice parade, in Seattle's Fremont Neighborhood is becoming a major tourist draw.

In our society, eroticism is used to sell beer, cars and then weight loss diets. Why not use some of that energy to advocate healthy and low carbon footprint lifestyles?

Unwanted privacy

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 01:41:00 +0000

After enjoying Bellingham's clothing optional ride where exposure is cherished, I found a troubling message on my answering machine. It was from one of my sisters who lives in another part of the state. The message went:

"I haven't seen you on Facebook recently." "The last post was May 31." "Just wondering if you were okay."

I returned the call to assure her that I was still alive. My Facebook wall had gone dark to everyone except me. Turns out I had accidentally hit the wrong button and set the default on my posts to private. Privacy settings are close to the log out button so it's easy to get into that screen by accident. Everything I had wanted to share, since May 31, was met with deathly silence.

My sister realized that she may have overreacted. Wondered if I had mysteriously disappeared, taken ill or had an accident on my bike. She did mention that she had found a few more recent posts on Google Plus so she was less worried after that. She comments that she enjoys my posts.

I reset my privacy option to "public" and then re posted the things I'd wanted to share all along. So much for helping to promote the naked bike ride on my wall.

It might have not made that big a difference anyway as most of my local friends already knew about the ride from other means. Lots of folks were networking it all around town on their various social media tools, including Facebook. This was also a year that major media, such as Bellingham Herald, Cascadia Weekly, KISM and KBAI Radio spread the word. The ride was a great success.

Privacy isn't always a good thing, if one wants to have engagement with the community, promote a business or share one's opinion. As for the economy and business, this was the first year that Bellingham's naked ride got contributions from local businesses. Raffle prizes, ice cream and other things that promoted the businesses and helped with expenses. The ride is getting more established as a new part of our culture; like the naked painted bike ride in Seattle's Fremont District.

See below.

Art I recently found on Facebook.

I have nothing against privacy, however. It's just that I haven't been that worried about it while the rest of our nation broils in controversy about the NSA data mining. I've been more worried about not having a voice. One can say, "if the government is listening, I've got some opinions."

When my Facebook wall went dark, I wondered why people suddenly stopped liking and commenting on my posts.

Bellingham's naked and clothing optional bike ride 2013 was a great success

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 00:33:00 +0000

Over 100 people participated. The biggest turnout, so far, since the rides started in Bellingham. Rides in other parts of the world can be huge.

Lots of painted cyclists, signs and costumes. Fun dancing at the end of the ride also. I plan to share more as I sort images and ideas. Meanwhile here's a great sign that was part of the ride.

Radio and newspapers starting to notice our ride

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 22:08:00 +0000

Bellingham's Naked Bike Ride has now made the pages of the Bellingham Herald. June 5th article.

Also, I was one of three folks who were interviewed on "The Joe Show." Podcast available. show aired May 29 on Progressive Talk KBAI 930 AM.

Zack interviewed on KISM Radio.

Article in Cascadia Weekly.

This year's ride takes place Friday June 7th starting point near I and Astor preperation around 1:30-3:45 ride begins around 3:45. A dance is planned at end of ride around 5 pm. Remember your sunscreen and be safe.

Yes, maybe we could cut "other" things; like those uneeded military tanks

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Sat, 25 May 2013 08:05:00 +0000

Oklahoma Senator Coburn wants any disaster relief bill to be offset by cuts in other government spending. He even includes disaster relief that could come to his own state of Oklahoma. At least he's consistent, but I know one place they can cut which many in Congress aren't likely to support. Congress seems to be pushing a bunch of tanks on our military when even the military planners say they aren't needed. Republicans, from Ohio and other states and even a few Democrats are anxious to keep the tank factory in business even when the military admits it has enough tanks. Ohio is a swing state.

I-5 Skagit River Bridge needed wider shoulders

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:05:00 +0000

This is just my speculation, so far, but maybe the I-5 bridge over the Skagit River collapsed because it didn't have enough room for bicycles.

Allowed on I-5's wide shoulders in that region, bicycles must exit at George Hopper Road just before narrow I-5 Skagit River crossing.

Quite a few posts on social media have been comparing the I-5 collapse to the famous I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis, MN. which prompted national debate about our nation's aging infrastructure. Republicans and low tax advocates have come under fire for our crumbling infrastructure, but they'll come back with a defense.

"It was an errant truck, rather than poor infrastructure that's to blame for the I-5 bridge collapse."

Even though investigation is just starting, it looks like an over sized load hit one of the bridge trusses causing the bridge to fail.

Maybe I should say errant trucking company, rather than errant truck. The route must have not been researched properly as the load was prepared for shipping. This is what I can gather from media coverage so far.

So, does an over sized load let our infrastructure off the hook?

According to an article in Bellingham Herald, bridge was listed as "structurally sound, but functionally obsolete" including narrow shoulders. My speculation is that the truck didn't clear the top girders where they are rounded down toward the narrow sides. If there had been wider shoulders, the fit wouldn't have been so tight.

That's my speculation, so maybe one can say, "if there had been shoulder room for bikes, the bridge would have had better clearance?" Bicycles are allowed on many sections of I-5 where there are wide shoulders; especially in more rural areas including most of Skagit County; except the Skagit River crossing, last I knew.

The only picture I can contribute to the blog / social media buzz about this event in our region is the "bikes must exit here" sign at George Hopper Exit in Burlington. This is last exit headed south just before the shoulders got too narrow on that I-5 crossing.

Most of the time, I use other roads besides I-5 through Whatcom and Skagit Counties anyway.

Bicycles must exit and use the Highway 99 "Riveside Drive" crossing. Now it looks like cars and trucks must exit and use Highway 99 as well.

Highway 99, has a nice new bridge even though it's not designed for all I-5 and 99 traffic. Another interesting tidbit of history. Steel trusses from old Highway 99 bridge (torn down before the new 99 bridge was built) have been used to construct Depot Market Square, where the Bellingham Farmer's Market is held.

Also, though not an afterthought, I'm glad no one was killed. Reminds me of the airplane that crash landed, a few years back, on the Hudson River, in New York, but all the passengers survived. A happy end to that story.

Naked and / or bare as you dare bike ride planned for Bellingham June 7 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:32:00 +0000

Screen shot for top of page.

I've been helping Zack to create a web page with ride details.

Gathering to start around 1:30 near West Holly and I streets, follow signs. Ride, itself begins at 4 and hopefully ends with a dance.

They also have an organizing page on Facebook.

See more of my writing and photography from past rides under this blog label. Scroll down at that label.

A Republican style argument for immigration

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Sun, 12 May 2013 09:02:00 +0000

I listened to a part of the Larry Cudlow radio show. He tends to lean Republican and conservative, but some Republicans are changing their stereotype image on immigration reform. Larry sees immigration as a growth issue. People come to America and start businesses, work hard and that's growth. He's pro growth.

I'm kind of for growth also, but I think we also have to think about the limited natural environment. I'm not against immigration, but I think we need to learn to live with less carbon footprint. Like, come to America if you agree not to drive fossil fuel burning vehicles.

Larry pretty much dismisses much of the worry about our growing carbon footprint. He's a grow the economy person. I think we have to find ways to grow the economy without harming the environment and also find ways to curb world population growth; that is until we're ready to start colonizing outer space.

Cutting Pepsi with unsweetened ice tea reduces sugar

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:04:00 +0000

A simple way to reduce the soda pop sugar problem. If the soda fountain at a restaurant has unsweetened ice tea, I get that instead of the sugary drink. Then I top it off with a little of the Pepsi or Coke. Just enough to cut the somewhat bitter flavor of unsweetened ice tea. It's sort of like Pepsi lite. Less carbonation and sugar.

If the soda fountain isn't self serve, I get the restaurant staff to mix the drinks for me, or quite often, I just have water. Water is healthy, but it's kind of boring. The unsweetened ice tea with a touch of soda pop is more interesting.

Austerity doesn't really work without deflation

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 23:14:00 +0000

In our economy, I don't think austerity would work without deflation. "Deflation" meaning the lowering of things like property values, salaries and so forth. This started to happen during the crash of 2008, but it didn't get as far as it could have. Also deflation brings lots of "adjustment problems" like people being upside down in their homes. In reality, deflation hasn't really taken hold that much. Housing prices are starting to climb again and rents have never really dropped that much. Health care costs, executive pay and many other "costs" in our society continue to climb.

One might think that austerity could work under the philosophy of "starving the beast." Just cut the flow of money and things come down. One might say that austerity could trim everything from people's unrealistic expectations about life to fat union contracts as things adjust to an environment of less money. Well, it hasn't really worked, or at least it hasn't work very evenly. Also, not that many people work under fat union contracts anymore. Instead, austerity has led to vast unemployment. This actually adds the costs to society that are associated with long term unemployment.

In spite of attempts at austerity, the cost of living, that most people face, continues to grow. Health care costs, for instance, have kept growing. Maybe slowing a bit, but not slowing enough. Many of these costs are driven by the continuing and relentless rise in salaries of corporate executives; for instance, I'm remembering the recent Time Magazine article discussing hospital costs and hospital administrator salaries.

Austerity doesn't really work unless there's true deflation and true deflation may not be desirable. One might say, "be careful what you ask for cause you might get it."

By austerity, I mean (for the most part) governments cutting back on spending. Government tends to prop up consumer spending, these days. With out it, we'd be spending less, but spending less needs to go hand in hand with deflation; especially for the percentage of Americans who are living paycheck to paycheck and aren't living very extravagantly. For instance, people can cut down on the size of their housing, but in some areas, just a one room apartment can be costly. One might say, move to a cheaper area, but does that help our economy's efficiency's; especially considering where jobs are and the commute distances?

Without deflation, austerity just tends to add to the gap between the wealthy and the average person as the wealthy aren't willing to practice enough austerity themselves.

A relaxed time on the tea bus

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 08:59:00 +0000

I'm pictured, sitting in the background while a local musician is in foreground. We're having tea and conversation on the Tea Bus while it was parked at Farmer's Market in Bellingham. Pictured on the tea bus's blog. It was serving tea and community. I met some interesting people including the owner, Guisepi Spadafora. Tea Bus was also at Western Washington University where it made headlines in Western Front.

See about Guisepi's visit to Bellingham on his blog.

Posted earlier on April 13

Parked near the Saturday Market in Bellingham last week was a portable tea house in a van. The tea is free. It's a way to meet other folks and promote conversation. A slower pace of life. I stopped in and met a few folks. Nice idea. It doesn't have a fixed schedule. It will just come back "sometime." Makes its way around the country to various communities and events. The owner lives on less money than most people require. There's a donation jar, but it's hard to find. He is working on plans to run the vehicle with waste oil from restaurants. It was a nice place to relax and meet some other folks. Good conversations.

Interesting web site also Free Tea Party.

Summer is on it's way

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 23:17:00 +0000

And these displays have appeared in the windows of a local shoe store.

Public radio offers many choices in Bellingham

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 23:47:00 +0000

Mostly due to translators (or, should these be called "repeaters?") there are a lot of public radio choices in the air over Bellingham. I remember, back in the 1980s when there were nearly none.

We now have a translator for KOUW, Seattle's big non commercial news and talk voice. It's at 90.3; KQOW. KUOW also has "KUOW2" with similar programming. There's a lot of public radio stuff out there like "The Ideas Network" from Wisconsin Public Radio, for instance. In Bellingham, KUOW2 is on 90.7 and no need for a digital receiver here.

Then we also have 2 voices from Northwest Public Radio. That's another NPR station based out of Pullman, WA. NWPR offers classical music on 91.7 and news/talk on 104.7; KZAZ.

We also have a translator for KPLU in Tacoma. It features jazz, but I'm not much of a jazz fan so I tend to forget about that one. At least I'm not much of a KPLU jazz fan. Some jazz is more interesting, but the jazz I've heard on KPLU sounds monotonous to me.

Near downtown Bellingham, one can get KMRE at 102.3, the voice of the radio museum. Mostly old time radio music, but has a few features; like the Chuckanut Radio Hour; a locally produced drama.

I tend to forget we also have the voice of Western Washington University, KUGS at 89.3. It's mostly rock music, or maybe they don't call it rock anymore. Hip Hop, Trance, Rap, Techno, whatever. I haven't tuned in for a while.

On the AM band, we have one of the only Progressive Talk stations around. Possibly the only one in the Pacific Northwest. KBAI on 930 AM. Most of the time, it's the Progressive Talk network, but it does have a real informative local interview show called The Joe Show. Live and local with lots of guests at noon each weekday. Also available via podcast. KBAI is owned by the same company that brings us KGMI, another talk voice in this area. Both are commercial, rather than Public stations, but they are worth noting.

We are close to Vancouver, BC so some of their stations reach us with ease, like CBU Radio on both AM and FM with differing flavors of the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). Mostly news and talk on 88.1 or 690 AM and mostly music on other FM frequencies out of Vancouver and Victoria.

For the most part, it seems like commercial broadcast radio is dying across the USA. Especially on AM, it seems like the hedge fund managers who have bought up nearly all the stations think that all listeners care about is sports. Who needs radio for that anyway? One can go directly to the game you want on the web.

While commercial radio seems to be dying, public radio seems to get stronger. In San Francisco Bay Area, a commercial station called KGO was top rated news talk radio for years until more recently when it began slipping in the ratings. Last year it was bought by a company called Cumulus which took off most of it's talk programming and sent it even deeper in the ratings. Meanwhile, PBS's KQED is said to be top in Bay Area ratings with thoughtful shows like Forum (run by a former KGO host) which I enjoy via podcast.

PBS TV over the air in Bellingham area

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 04:20:00 +0000

After years of not bothering to have a TV, I discovered that there is a PBS station that can be picked up from the air in parts of Bellingham. Folks with a line of sight view to the top of Mount Constitution, on Orcas Island, should be able to get it. Much of Bellingham sees Orcas Island across the bay.

We get the Bellingham area booster for KBTC out of Tacoma. It's in full digital HD on channel 28-1. KBTC also brings along WLD world news at 28-2 and TVW at 28.3. These sub channels are lower resolution, but still okay. WLD even rebroadcasts Al Jazeera News as parts of it's international news schedule. TVW is a C-Span channel for Washington State originating from Olympia.

In the past, just about all the Bellingham TV antennas could get was Channel 12. Channel 12 and maybe a few Canadian stations. Well, now there's more. Channel 12 is still on and it also brings along something called "Cool TV" at 12-2; rock videos.

Canadian channels abound also as I have a line of sight view to mountains north of Vancouver from my downtown Bellingham location. There's CBC, CTV and OMNI TV. Bellingham has a shopping channel and a Spanish station as well.

My antenna works inside my apartment so the signal gets through the wood walls at least.

I don't watch much TV, but having these choices made it worth while for me to go out and buy a 14 inch cinema style HD screen. Cost not much more than $100. My "old" TV is almost small enough to fit in a pocket. It's digital also since I purchased it in 2009. That screen is so small, I decided to upgrade.

I remember when my parents bought their first color TV back in the mid 1960s. They said it was nearly $400; in 1964 dollars! Electronics is a real bargain in the modern world.

Cable may not be such a bargain, but I just use my antenna. I still don't plan to watch that much TV, I'm not really a TV kind of guy. I'm more into radio.

Making the antenna is part of the fun. I found directions on a web site for my first antenna. Made from coat hangers and chicken wire. It worked for a while, but came apart due to my lack of things like a soldering iron to weld it together.

Next I bought a more professionally made antenna of similar design from Radio Shack; Only around $35.

Then I made my own reflector with aluminum foil. I taped the foil to the antenna and then laminated it with clear packaging tape so it wouldn't tear so easily.

Home made aluminum foil reflector improves reception. It also looks better against my wall, in my opinion. Entire antenna is around 3 X 2 ft.

Behind reflector is the guts of the antenna. Cross beam style elements like in my old antenna made from chicken wire, only this holds up better. The two connectors are hooked to a small 300 ohm to 75 ohm transformer which is available at electronics stores. Coaxial cable runs to my TV.

I don't watch enough TV to justify cable. My internet comes from DSL over the phone line. Only around $54 per month broadband including telephone service.

It is nice to at least have TV. 12 channels isn't bad. More than I remember, in the Bellingham of years ago. We're living in the digital age.

North Korea gets in the way

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 09:01:00 +0000

Unfortunately, just as momentum is mounting to cut back on the US military, life gets in the way. N. Korea all but declares war on USA making cutting the military harder to sell. Still, do we need all those new 100 million dollar fighter jets they're planning to buy? I forgot the numbers, F-22's? F-35's? After while it's all just a blur.

Unofficial addition to Bellingham Art Walk

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 04:24:00 +0000

During the monthly Bellingham Art Walk, my friend Kevyn invited people on a tour of art in the halls at Mount Baker Apartments where he lives. A few of us met him at the door so he could let us in. Others lived in the building. Art from various sources displayed in the halls including some left in apartments after tenants moved out. See more images here including a view out over downtown Bellingham from the 8th floor.

Stopping at the red light can be meditative

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 23:29:00 +0000

Several nights ago, when I was biking back from a friend's house, a taxi driver called out to me from his window. He said I was the only person he had seen that actually stopped at the red light. I took it as a compliment. I assume he met the only bicyclist that stops. I hope its an exaggeration as it's pretty bad if bicyclists don't stop at red lights. I know quite a few run red lights giving bicyclists a bad name. I usually try to follow rules and I don't mind stopping for the little breaks in my travel. The pauses are meditative.

People will pay thousands of dollars to go to a meditation retreat. Not having that kind of money, I try and just make living less of a rat race by doing things like just taking the pauses for red lights.

Occasionally, tho, when I'm walking, I walk when it says don't walk. That's just because there are often more cars turning on the red than going through the intersection.

Most of the time, I don't mind stopping cause it's meditative and I'm not in a hurry; not to mention for safety also.

Weekend bicycling in Whatcom and Skagit Counties

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 23:46:00 +0000

Seed processing plant in Ferndale, WA.

And what a wonderful weekend it was, weather wise. I may have put 90 miles on the bike over the past 2 days. Saturday, to the Blanchard area of Skagit County and then Sunday to north Whatcom County. Pictures from some of my recent "weekend style" rides, since the start of 2013, are starting to appear on my Flickr account.

Don't work too hard

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 04:12:00 +0000

Cyprus banks, safe havens and tradgedy of the commons

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 09:22:00 +0000

What good is money without a vibrant economy? Money can just be numbers in a computer. Even gold isn't edible.

So many of the world's wealthy don't seem to care about their communities. They hoard money, looking for tax shelters and so forth. They hoard their money in places like the infamous banks of Cyprus that are now teetering on bankruptcy. Wealthy Russian and other investors have dumped money into those banks, from what I understand.

Vast fortunes can be numbers in a bank account, but there has to be an economy of goods and services for the wealth to be realized. So many of the rich don't do much to contribute to the wealth of society. They often look for ways to dodge taxes. They pay low wages to their employees and try to figure out how to put as little into the overall health of society as they can. Then they expect their money to remain safe in the society that they so often neglect.

At least when one buys stock in a corporation, one assumes that wealth is dependent on the health of the corporation. If the corporation isn't healthy, the stock can loose value. That's understood.

Seems like these days, a lot of investment isn't in stock. The investment is in so called "safe haven" investments, like bank deposits or government securities. These are things that are supposed to retain their value in spite of ups and downs in the economy. Safe haven investments are often heavily placed in government debt which, in the age of Grover Norquist, is problematic. If governments aren't allowed to collect the taxes they need to pay off their debts, the money can come into question.

Maintaining the perceived wealth of the world, whether it's in bank accounts, stocks, real estate or whatever, requires there to be a healthy and vibrant economy. This requires investments in both private and public infrastructure and other things such as education. The wealthy class can't just "park" their money. They need to be part of the solution also.

Some of my thoughts after hearing news about the banking crisis in Cyprus. Also this interesting round table type discussion on the Diane Rehm Show carried over NPR Radio.

Boehner backing away from 24/7 debt crisis mode

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 03:57:00 +0000

GOP Speaker of the House Boehner came clean on yesterday’s edition of ABC’s "This Week" and admitted that "we do not have an immediate debt crisis." Landmark remark. My take on this is that the debt is like global warming. A serious long term problem, but not a crisis, tho people would feel that one must phrase it in crisis language to get anything done in Washington. Humans tend to respond to crisis while procrastinating the rest of the time. Then again, making everything a crisis isn't effective either as we either become gridlocked with anxiety or callus to the 24/7 background noise of "crisis;" like in "crying wolf." We have problems, like the debt, but even Boehner must realize that panic isn't usually productive.

Fun dancing at Bellingham Food Coop party. More fun than a corporation

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 22:18:00 +0000

They rent the majestic Bellingham Cruise Terminal (where Alaska Ferry berths) for their annual meeting, banquit and dancing. I missed most of the meeting and banquit, but got there in time for the dancing. Music from a live band named Pole Cat. Party was a gift to the community. Co-op members, but also free to the public.

Cruise terminal is quite a dramatic structure for Bellingham. Co-op dressed it up with banners for salmon safe, urban farming and other healthy concepts.

I got there in time for the last of the meeting. Financial reports and so forth. Like a corporation's annual report, but more fun than a corporation. Also, the share holders are the members with strong representation from the public. Community based.

Through the porthole like structure of the terminal building, watching as Coop Board member candidates gave presentations.

Fun dancing to the music of Polecat.

Across the atrium from the dancers.

Cruise Terminal clock.

Purple Church Gotta Dance has moved

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 08:42:00 +0000

To the side entrance of this building near Holly and Forest in Bellingham. Follow red arrow to use side entrance. Friday evenings 7:30 to 9 PM till into June. Stops at 9. Stops for summer. It's in an old YMCA gymnasium. Nice location with a lot of green paint.

At my age, I might normally be complaining about my ankles when I jump and pound my feet to the floor, but my feet and ankles are fine, so far (knock on wood, but knock on wood without plaster). All of our dancing was knocking plaster out of the ceiling in the apartment downstairs at the old Purple Church location. That is one reason for the move. Dances seem to be getting a bit bigger and now there's more space.

County Council approves Reconveyance

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 04:30:00 +0000

County Council approves Reconveyance for quite a bit of land around Lake Whatcom. It goes from state timber lands to county park and watershed preservation. Hurray.

Article in Herald.

I added my own photo for this blog entry.

Also, I'll add some things I heard on The Joe Teehan show. These lands used to be managed by County, but management was given over to state, back (I think) in 1930s. Now county is assuming management again. State used land for DNR (Department Of Natural Resources) timber management which helped fund Mount Baker School District, but an anonymous donor has stepped forward to cover much of that revenue stream if reconveyance was approved.

Also, there can still be some timber from the new parklands, very carefully managed. Several years ago, I read an article about careful logging that still takes place in Seattle watershed forests. Part of forest management.

So Whatcom County has a new park which will help preserve Lake Whatcom water and will be low maintenance cost. Good move.

Biggest obstacle to taxing the rich is usually the voters

noreply@blogger.com (Robert Ashworth) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 22:54:00 +0000

Biggest obstacle to taxing the rich seems to be the voters. For example, here in Washington State, the voters sent a resounding 63.9 % yes to an initiative that would require 2/3rds vote in legislature for any tax increase. I-1185. Anti tax sentiment was still strong at the ballot box even though that same election was considered a liberal victory for legalized pot and gay marriage. The two thirds requirement has since been tossed out as unconstitutional by the Washington State Supreme Court, but seems like it's hard to get new taxes, on the rich or anyone else past the voters. California voters did pass a state tax increase in 2012, but such vote is still rare. If we really want to tax the rich, we have a lot of educating to do at the grass roots level. Convincing voters to vote for tax measures that can tax the rich.

Ballotpedia article on I-1185.