Two women who said two U.S. Marine Corps recruiters forced them to have sex after they expressed interest in joining the force sued over the incidents on Wednesday.

The women, who were 17-year-old high school students at the time of the incident last year, allege that recruiters Staff Sgt. Joseph Dunzweiler and Sgt. Brian Fukushima told them they would have to submit sexually to join the Marines.

The story can be found here.

First of all, the recruiters (assuming all of this is true) should be punished. But really, can we get an IQ test on these two girls? Are you telling me you really thought you had to have sex to join the Armed Forces? It's no wonder kids can't pass the WASL.

EDIT: The two recruiters were punished.

From The Olympian:

On the same day Rep. Brendan Williams celebrated passage of his bill ensuring abortion clinics can keep fire insurance even after arson attacks, the Olympia lawmaker found himself in a fire of a different kind.

Angry Republicans demanded Tuesday that Williams, a Democrat, apologize on the floor of the House for allegedly making mischievous facial gestures behind the back of a Republican lawmaker who was making a serious speech on the floor during a rhetorical dispute over how best to give health care subsidies to small employers.

“It was acting like a child. We don’t appreciate that. We do serious work here,” House Republican Deputy Leader Mike Armstrong of Wenatchee said of Williams. “If it was an isolated incident, it would be different.”

This is an exerpt from an open letter to Jim Nicola, Artistic Director, New York Theater Workshop from Warren Guykema. From Palestine Chronicle Who is Afraid of Rachel Corrie?:

Dear Mr. Nicola:

I write an open letter to encourage you to set a firm date for the opening of "My Name is Rachel Corrie" and to ask you to help me understand what is going on at the workshop that caused it to "postpone" the production that, while apparently not "announced" as firm, was deemed certain enough that its London-based authors booked flights to New York to see it, and tickets were advertised on the Internet.

I live in Olympia, Washington and am a friend and supporter of the Corrie family, and also a friend of Andrew Ford Lyons, with whom you recently corresponded. I also read widely, and notice a substantial difference in your very personal response to Mr. Lyons -- it was simply all about having enough time, though this is a one-actor play and the actor knows the play cold -- and the report in The New York Times that you polled "the Jewish community" and detected a lot of edginess about several factors that really have nothing to do with the magnificent life Rachel lived for 23 years which is enshrined in this award-winning play. Now I see on your web site the suggestion that you are simply waiting to hear from the Royal Court Theatre in London. Which is it, Jim?

In a lifetime of playgoing, journalism and public service, I can't recall a theatre company polling any particular community to determine whether or when a dramatic work should be presented. The fact that you have done this and, on the basis of the results, have "postponed" this drama to a time uncertain makes me extremely uncomfortable about whether the arts are to retain their traditional, vigorous freedom of subject and expression. I speak as one who has consistently opposed attempts by the National Endowment for the Arts or other groups to pressure or influence what artists do.

Associated Press:

Contending that women have more options than they do in the event of an unintended pregnancy, men's rights activists are mounting a long shot legal campaign aimed at giving them the chance to opt out of financial responsibility for raising a child.

The National Center for Men has prepared a lawsuit -- nicknamed Roe v. Wade for Men -- to be filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Michigan on behalf of a 25-year-old computer programmer ordered to pay child support for his ex-girlfriend's daughter.

This is the part, though, that cracks me up.

"Roe is based on an extreme intrusion by the government -- literally to force a woman to continue a pregnancy she doesn't want," Brown said. "There's nothing equivalent for men. They have the same ability as women to use contraception, to get sterilized."

I've said before I agree that government intervention is an intrusion but we're talking about a case where one person is harming another. The only way we will ever get beyond this argument is when science is definitive as to the beginning of human life. It doesn't cut it that an abortion is legal but then with the same woman, if she were to be punched in the stomach resulting in the death of the "fetus," you're going to be charged. It just doesn't make sense how in one instance it's a "fetus" and in another instance you're going to be charged with murder/manslaughter.

Here's the relevant excerpt from Fresh Cup - the Voice of the Speciality Beverage Industry February 2006.

"Why Wi-fi? Pros and cons of a wireless cafe" by Kristine Hansen.

Some people in the industry , however, see no problem with offering free wireless Internet access, believing that if a customer can pay for a mocha and owns a laptop, they can probably order a second drink, too.

Dave Olson, minister of marketing at Zhonka, in Olympia, Wash, sell DSL Internet connections to a variety of companies (mostly cafes) in Olympia and throughout the Pacific Northwest. Cafe managers then turn around and offer wireless Internet to their coffee and tea sipping customers at no cost. "For us, it's a good marketing ploy," he says. "It promotes us in the community and puts out a lot of marketing goodwill. A year or so ago, it was mostly pay-per-use. Now people are drifting more toward doing the free thing."

With an Internet line and a piece of hardware that processes the signal, cafes can be up and running in no time. The initial set-up cost is between $30 and $50, according to Olson.

He believes pay-per-use Internet access turns customers off because they have to spend time entering their credit card information onto a home page and might have to make immediate decisions about the number of minutes or months they want to subscribe. Also, the fee to jump on the Internet might seem silly to some people when they have plunked down money for a mocha and pastry, and perhaps plugged a parking meter for the time they are in the cafe. "You're already in there paying for premium beverage and a place to sit," says Olson.

There is more but it is a little lame and misleading so ya gott

Associated Press:

Gov. Janet Napolitano on Wednesday ordered more National Guardsmen posted at the Mexican border to help stop illegal immigrants and curb related crimes.

National Guard troops have worked at the border since 1988, but Napolitano signed an order authorizing commanders to station an unspecified number of additional soldiers there to help federal agents.

Wow, an individual state is actually taking initiative.

From email:

The City of Olympia is considering adopting new street design standards to apply to new subdivisions.

Generally, the new standards will be more pedestrian friendly, slow traffic, make intersections easier to cross, and significantly reduce stormwater runoff.

The new standards will also reduce speed limits on some high-speed city streets.

These were developed over the past year by a committee consisting of two city council members (TJ Johnson and Joe Hyer), two Planning Commissioners (Cary Retlin and Roger Wilson), and two Bike/Ped Committee members (Christopher Jennings and Joe Ward).   They are a big improvement over the current standards.

The City is having a workshop and open house to discuss the standards. I strongly urge you to attend this workshop, Thursday, March 16, at City Hall.

I've attached the City's flyer on these new standards.

Please come to the open house, express your support for new street standards that encourage walking and slow traffic.  It will only take a few minutes.  We would prefer to NOT be outnumbered by the Master Builders (who probably SHOULD support these changes, as the narrower streets give them more land to sell in any given subdivision -- bigger lots or more lots -- but they don't always figure out what they should support).

Alernatively, an email to citycouncil@ci.olympia.wa.us expressing your support will also help.