Curious Blue is my favorite show on KAOS 89.3. You should totally listen on Saturday nights at 6 p.m. There isn't a place to dance in Olympia to really good dance music, so why not dance at home or wherever you fancy? The host, Andrew Austin, is a very knowledgable fellow about music, and very funny. You can tell he really gives a rat's ass about the music he plays (disco, dub, dance, punk, electro, etc etc) and his listeners. This is a radio show to be dedicated to. I already bear my ring.

"I've always been true to you, in my own sick way" is the story of my life. In other news, I have taken Morrissey back into my heart.

I know I do. Goldy has an idea about what to do:

Coulter’s fatal attraction towards American liberalism is nothing short of stalking, and should be treated as such. But if federal authorities under Bush refuse to take seriously even a threat against an ex-President, we’re obviously going to have to rely on local authorities for personal protection.

That’s why I intend to seek a restraining order in King County District Court, ordering Coulter to cease her harassing conduct, and barring her from contacting or surveilling me and from coming within 100 yards of me or my place of work or residence. And I encourage all other registered Democrats, or otherwise self-identifed liberal or left-leaning Americans, to join me by filing for similar restraining orders in their own local jurisdictions.

Now I’m sure that Coulter might contest that we are overreacting to her attempts at humor, and of course, she would certainly be free to do so… in thousands of local courtrooms scattered throughout the nation, and at great personal expense of time and money.

But to silently do nothing as Coulter and others continue to transmit eliminationist rhetoric into mainstream political discourse, not only invites further threats of violence… it also invites action.

Dave is passing the hat over at Orcinus. While you're there, read his great post "From Rhetoric to Action." Here's a preview:

Last weekend, Jacob Robida acted out this dynamic in real life: He walked into a tavern in New Bedford, Mass., and, after inquiring whether it was a gay bar -- and being informed that it was -- began a murderous rampage with a hatchet and a handgun, leaving three bar patrons injured, one of them in critical condition. When pulled over in Arkansas for a traffic violation, he shot and killed a Gassville police officer, launching a 20-mile pursuit that culminated when his car was disabled in nearby Norfolk. He then killed his female passenger, 33-year-old Jennifer Rena Bailey, and then was shot himself when he pointed his weapon at police.

[snip]

Jacob Robida's rampage was all about reminding gay Americans that they are unsafe in our society -- that their lives are forfeit because haters like Robida say so. People like this get their fuel from demagogues who claim that inflicting this kind of violence on such outcasts is their right. Not only is it their right, but it is the right thing to do.

Now, is there any chance a hate-crimes law would have stopped Jacob Robida? No, of course not. But having a hate-crimes law on the books is an essential first step in changing the environment in which all the little Jacob Robidas out there become possible.

Haters like these always believe that they are acting out the real wishes of the majority community. And so it is essential -- always -- that they be repudiated. Publicly and with great fanfare.

Time is running out for doing something about Wal-Mart's using the state to pay health care costs for its employees. From The Oympian:

Democratic Rep. Brendan Williams of Olympia tried turning up the heat on House Speaker Frank Chopp on Friday over legislation that could force major companies like Wal-Mart to provide employees with health insurance.

Labor groups, including the State Labor Council, have been working on Chopp and individual legislators for weeks. One union launched advertising.

But time is running out for action before Tuesday’s deadline for passing bills out of their chambers of origin.

Here's the operative text from House Bill 2517-S:

(2) It is the intent of the legislature to set minimum labor standards for some large employers in Washington state with respect to health benefit expenditures, and to further the state's interest in ensuring that its residents have access to appropriate health care services. Ensuring that employers do not eliminate employer-paid health care is important for minimizing the burden on taxpayers and the public health system, and protecting the health, safety, and well-being of the residents of Washington state.

I'm curious to hear where our conservative friends come down on this question: do you support "pro business" or "low taxes," because there's no having it both ways on this one.

Rainy Day Records, Video, & Skates will be moving this spring from their W. Harrison location down to 5th and Franklin. We will miss them up here on the west side, but new location sounds good also. Easily part of walkable Oly and on the route to and from Timberland library.

The Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation is sponsoring some in-depth, high quality training in nonviolence using the national FOR’s curriculum “Creating a Culture of Peace: Nonviolence Training for Personal and Social Change.

Bangkok Post:

Tehran (dpa) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Saturday that the Palestinians and "other nations" will eventually remove Israel from the region.

"We ask the West to remove what they created sixty years ago and if they do not listen to our recommendations, then the Palestinian nation and other nations will eventually do this for them," Ahmadinejad said in a ceremony marking the 27th anniversary of the Islamic revolution.

Just another day at the office for President Ahmadinejad.