Nerd alert! I'm an information junkie, and I've worked inside agencies that produce an abundance of regional, local and state data and information. Now there are certainly constraints to the information published by agencies like regional planning councils, state data affiliates, economic development councils, the census, and etc. So, my question to you is: Where do you get local information that helps you assemble snapshots of reality, facts, cases for the issues you support?

• Newspaper
• Administrative data
• Local/regional government
• Anecdotes
• Life experience
• ???

It's so important that we know the information sources used by elected officials and other decision makers and, if there are shortcomings in the sources, we find ways to supplement them. Here's an example of a local data source that is heavily used by local elected officials - The Profile of Thurston County. Have you seen or used it? How do you get your information?

Because mother nature made bottles for a reason:

Thank you, Delta Airlines. Thank you for finally taking a stand against the #1 scourge of the skies: nursing women.

Last month a woman nursing her child was asked to leave the plane after she refused to hide under a blanket. She claims she was in the “next to last row” in the “window seat.” That her husband was next to her, and none of her breast was showing. As if it matters, that none of the passengers could actually see her. If they can’t see her, they could surely hear all that contented suckling. And what about Jesus, ma’am? As we know, he’s watching us all, especially those of us at an increased altitude. Do you think he wants to look at that?

Now Little Miss My Child Needs to Eat is suing, and no one, not even Barbara Walters, has supported the two airlines as they struggle to help everyone forget what breasts are for. Oh, Barbara. I'll never forget that moment last year, when she pursed her lips and told the world what they could do with Breasts on a Plane. I can still remember that look in her eyes: so haunted, so judgmental.The only thing I ever got out of my breasts was some wood shavings, she seemed to say. And that was when I was interviewing Anwar Sadat.

Now more than ever, someone's got to take a stand. Every day, the International League of Breast Fetishists continue their breast-forcing campaign. The World Health Organization claims that breastfeeding is the most important thing you can do for a baby’s health. The American Academy of Pediatrics insists that there are “health, nutrional, immunologic, developmental, psychologic, social, economic, and environmental benefits” to breastfeeding. The CDC is committed to promoting breastfeeding around the world.

At 5:30, me and my kids joined a group of homeless people and advocates at Bread and Roses on 4th Ave for dinner before the council meeting. The B& R staff and interns were staying late, keeping the center open so that the homeless who wanted to speak at the council meeting would have a dry place to wait until 7pm. Someone who opposed the ordinances sent Bread and Roses a $60 donation for dinner. The advocates were harried (though cheerful) after an already intense ten hour day, and scrambled to find something that could feed this many people on only $60. Like the loaves and fishes, nine fresh, New York style pizzas arrived.

Every corner of the little office was packed with people. A few homeless people who are leaders in the community practised their speeches, and everyone listened attentively. They were captivating. They outlined how the ordinances would affect the poor, talked about the hardships of street life, cited laws already on the books that address problem behaviors, and made a plea for comprehensive solutions to the problems of poverty, such low-income and transitional housing, and the much-needed day center in Olympia. Then the leaders reminded everyone to be respectful of all the speakers at the meeting.

At 6:30, the band left to walk through the downpour to city hall. I took a van to drop off the two older kids, and then transport myself, the baby, and a disabled man who couldn't make the walk. I couldn't help but feel that we were a part of something great.

- Military service on my paternal side dates back to the Civil War, with at least two known Union soldiers and another who we believe fought for the Confederacy (as the family was from Missouri).

- One family member was killed during World War One

- There is a Bronze Star on my maternal side from the Korean Conflict. It should be noted that the same family member who received the Bronze Star spoke out against the conflict before joining the military. I found this interesting, since Korea was an international action. This establishes a history of my family being against the United States participating in international military action.

- More than likely, our family owned slaves at one point or another.

- Integration has played an enormous role. My paternal side, in the mid-1800s when coming to the United States from Spain, dropped any Spanish references and took on Anglo names. My maternal side stopped teaching Spanish as a language to their children in order to integrate more easily.

I don't know whether these are good or bad, but they have certainly had the intended benefit our ancestors had hoped in that later generations can move easily in the United States without any stigma of having immigrated into the country.

- Family who have come to the United States legally from Mexico and who are the children of those who came from Mexico are against illegal immigration. Completely against it, in fact.

They also bring up Mexico's immigration policies toward those from Central America (which is immediate deporation, no questions asked) and question the motives behind the Mexican government pushing for the United States to take on illegal aliens.

- With that said, they have also stated current policies toward limiting Spanish-speaking businesses are becoming more racist. They believe that English should be spoken among the general public but that a private business (hey, we're back to the whole "being able to control your own property") should be able to operate in any language they deem appropriate for their patrons.

From AfterDowningStreet.org:

Tonight, the Citizens' Movement to Impeach Bush/Cheney were joined by about 40 supporters to ask the Olympia City Council to pass a resolution calling for an investigation to launch impeachment proceedings for President Bush and Vice President Cheney.

George Hartwell, the spokesperson for the group, stated, "We do not believe it is an exaggeration to say that our government has been taken over by a clique of extremists in Washington, DC who are bent on shredding the Constitution and our democracy."

Fellow conservative Don Surber takes Powerline to task for staging a nonsensical poll about the quality of newspapers they disagree with. As noted by emmettoconnell, Powerline picked on The Olympian for all the wrong reasons.

How dare the local newspaper challenge my opinions?

Scott Johnson at the Powerline blog asked the musical question, “Is your newspaper America’s worst?