• Sperling's Best Places named Olympia the 16th Best Place in the country. For families, Olympia makes Sperling's top three!

• Forbes magazine ranks Olympia among the Best Small Places for Business in America.

• Inc.com's list of Boomtowns 2006 placed Olympia in both the Overall and Hottest Small Cities categories.
• Yahoo Real Estate said Olympia is one of the six Best Places in the U.S. to Buy a Home What are some of the factors that make real estate great? A strong economy, and high opportunity due to a lack of strip malls and corporate chain stores are some of the reasons noted. (Take that, Lacey.)

I noticed that Bayview has changed the sign in front of the store to include a reminder that they are a "locally owned" business. I assume this is evidence that Storeman's accountant is reporting that 2006 is not looking like such a great year. This got me to thinking about what it means to be "locally owned." What is the relationship between a business and the community? What can a business ask for based on this relationship, and what can the community ask for?

First, the point of contention: refusal to stock Plan B, a form of emergency contraception. I think there is no dispute that Storeman looked into his own heart, and made a decision that it was wrong, based on his religious beliefs. I'm pretty sure he didn't come under any pressure from the community to not stock Plan B -- it was his idea, and his idea alone.

I think it's fair to say that the response to this in Olympia has been negative, in a word. There have been well organized, and well populated demonstrations against this policy since the summer, and even the counterprotesters focused primarily on Storeman's right to not stock Plan B, not on Plan B per se (although I know of one person who did demonstrate against Plan B itself, and he demonstrated a not too firm grip on human biology with respect to reproduction when I pressed him on it).

So now, when it's starting to hurt the bottom line, we see the appeal: "We're locally owned." The message is clear: "You should shop here because we're better than Safeway or Top Food, who will just ship your dollars out of state." But, this brings up the question, are they really all that different? Bayview certainly isn't listening to the local voices calling for access to emergency birth control. That doesn't seem very invested in the local community.

The point that really struck me after seeing the new sign was that, Bayview receives certain advantages just from being in Olympia. For example, I'm sure people talked it up as a cool place to shop (as I know I did before the boycott). Storeman's benefits from that. And if, say, the City of Olympia included Bayview as an example of a successful local business, which they may do, for all I know, then Storeman's benefits. I'm sure Storeman's would welcome almost any kind of positive exposure that comes from being associated with Olympia, and accept it without a second thought.

This is beginning to sound like a one-way relationship, isn't it? What are the prospects that Storeman's would be willing to do some couples counseling (i.e., mediation with members of the community)? It seems like the right move, because right now, it looks like neither Storeman's or the community are getting their needs met by this relationship.

I have a love/hate relationship with this time of the year.  Maybe hate is too strong of a word.  I just always feel a little sorrowful that the year is over.  Like I am saying goodbye to an old friend.  Yet at the same time, I love the feeling of a new beginning.  I love that I feel so invigorated to set new goals for myself.  I love the motivation that comes to clear out all the old clutter from the last year - both mental clutter and house clutter.  I love the promise that the new year brings.  The chance to try again - to strive towards living the life you want to live.  Here are just some of my resolutions/goals for 2007!

*Material things - Before I buy something new - Can I make it myself?  If not then try to find it used first, then local, then access whether it's really a need, then big box store.    

*Get back on my budget!  I have one but I'm lazy about it and I let myself cheat.

*Destroy dependency on one convenience food item a month (even if it's an organic convenience food!  I always justify myself with that).  Either figure out a way to make it myself or get rid of it all together

*Vegetable garden!!!  Start planning NOW!

*Continue to teach my children kindness and the importance of walking lightly on the earth.

*Tackle the clutter that lurks in my bedroom closet and under the bed!  Banish it and never let it return again!

*Find and stick with a menu planning/grocery list system (I think I've created it!  It's sad that menu planning excites me so.)

*Be kinder to myself.  Don't be so hard on myself.  Take time for myself.

The three legislators from the 22nd District will take part in a moderated discussion on upcoming issues for the next legislative session on January 2. The forum will be at Mud Bay Coffee in Olympia from 5 to 6 p.m.

Members of the public are invited to attend and to take part in a moderated discussion. Senator Karen Fraser and Representatives Sam Hunt and Brendan Williams will be on hand. The forum will be moderated by Russ Olson, secretary/treasurer of the 22nd Legislative District Democrats.

Can we really have any impact on the global climate problems through what we do in our own lives? Isn't it just too big? Well, the light bulb going on above your head can really work for the planet if the bulb is a compact fluorescent, and especially if it replaces an incandescent bulb.Why? Can that really matter? Yes, it can. The compact fluroescent (CF) bulb generally uses 13 watts to produce the same amount of light that an incandescent produces using 60 watts of power.

Think about the possibility of cutting the need for new power plants by simply pulling all the incandescent bulbs in the country and replacing them with compact fluorescents. Plus the CF bulbs last much longer than incandescent bulb so you get to save a little energy yourself and there is really is no question that CF bulbs are cheaper over the life of the bulb if you are just cheap and could care less about global warming.
So how much difference could this really make? Here are the numbers courtesy the Union of Concerned Scientists:

If every household in the United States replaced one regular light bulb with an energy-saving model, we could reduce global warming pollution by more than 90 billion pounds over the life of the bulbs; the same as taking 6.3 million cars off the road.

That's about the same amount of cars I was stuck behind at Milepost 95 one day last week.

Why would the US hesitate to pass legislation that phases out the production and importation of incandescent bulbs if industry is not willing to transition out of common sense, a survival instinct, and ethics?

Where: Olympia , 4th Avenue Bridge

Who: 3000 people (each person will represent 1 US and over 200 Iraqi lives lost)

Come to the 4th Avenue Bridge in Olympia and bring your friends. Let's SHOW what it looks like to lose 3000 people and try to begin to grasp what losing 655,000 people is like as well.

Here's to a healthy and happy new year for all.

(Click picture for a surprise)

[edit: Updated Jan/1/07:] Please see Suzanne Swift Rally Moved to Fort Lewis

We welcome Spec. Swift's scheduled release on Wednesday, Januray 3rd and join the call for an immediate medical discharge with full benefits. We will gather at Ground Zero near the main gates of Bangor Naval Base and then line the streets with signs supporting Spec. Swift and other women soldiers as they face double danger in the military. Please remember that our message on January 3rd is about sexual assault in the military and support of Spec. Swift, not about the war.

from email:

Suzanne Swift Support Rally
Freed from the brig at Bangor, confined in the military until 2009.
Wednesday, Jan. 3rd
11:30 am
Bangor Naval Base ***changed to: Fort Lewis, Dupont-Steilacoom Gate, exit 119 off of I-5.
Ground Zero
16159 Clear Creek Rd
Poulsbo, Washington
Directions are available at www.gzcenter.org/directions-gz.htm

Specialist Suzanne Swift, after suffering sexual assault while deployed in Iraq, went AWOL to escape the commanding officers who exploited her. Currently, she is being held at the brig at Bangor Naval Base serving 30 days for going AWOL, while her perpetrators are free. For more information visit www.suzanneswift.org.

Carpools
Lacey - changed to 11:00am at Martin Way Park and Ride, one block from the movie theater
Olympia - 10:30 am at Harrison & Division at the Grocery Outlet parking lot

[edit:]Carpool Information: If you're driving to this event, and you have room in your car, please consider stopping by one of these two locations to see if there is anyone waiting for a ride:

1. Division and Harrison Grocery Outlet (et al.) parking lot - near the former Rainy Day location. Time: departure at 7:30 am (hopeful riders may want to arrive early.)

2. Martin Way Park & Ride (exit 109 off I-5). To depart at 7:40 am. Again, riders may want to arrive a little early.

If you want a ride, just show up, although there are no guarantees. And if you have space in your vehicle, please stop by one (or both) of these locations.

Hope to see you the day after tomorrow, Thursday Jan 4, at a carpool rendezvous location near you, and at the rally![/edit]

from email:

Join Lt. Watada's supporters including military families, veterans, youth and students, people of color, workers, religious communities and activists to rally at the gates of Ft. Lewis for a peaceful non-violent demonstration.

Speakers Program begins at 10 am