From The Olympian:

It's really good to see a lot of herring, as they're an important food source for so many Puget Sound animals. If herring struggle, almost every other animal struggles as well.

Dimpling herring and other small fish are feeding on plankton -- which are tiny plants and animals that are part of the web of life for all water creatures.

I've lived in South Sound for almost 10 years now, and I've never seen so many seals and sea lions in Budd Inlet at this time of year. I know they eat herring, but I'm wondering if other food, such as squid, is hanging around as well.

Nancy Jim Parsons: The Life and Legacy of a Master Cowlitz/Nisqually Indian Basketweaver – An illustrated presentation by historian Drew Crooks on a master basketmaker who lived in southern Puget Sound area from ca.1871 to 1918. Nancy Jim Parsons created wonderful baskets during a time of great cultural change. Program is free and open to the public. State Capital Museum 360-753-2580

Good day to you and thank you for checking in to read my Blog. I woke up this fine day with the air outside nice and cool and the sky a nice shade of blue. IT was cool because there was no cloud cover last night. It is often pleasant here where I live. No more snow and ice and scraping of ice off the windshield for me. I have lived in Angeles City, the Philippines for 11 years now. I have settled down and no longer travel, other than an exciting car trip to the original capital of the Philippines (Vigan) up North and a few years ago an exciting car trip way down south to that place where that famous Navigator Magellan first landed in the Philippines, now called Tacloban province of Leyte. On the waterfront there is a park aptly named Magellan Park to commemorate his landing in the 1500’s. It is a very nice and clean little park. But then those trips are fodder for other adventure stories. Oh, you may ask, “Am I living near Mt Pinatubo which erupted 12 or so years ago?

[from the website]

Conceived and designed by Kathy Welsh, this absolutely gorgeous twin-size quilt is completely handmade and one of a kind! The individual blocks were created by well known Chow Chow artists from the U.S. and Canada.

This year's theme is "The Chinese Year Of The Dog" and honors the 100th anniversary of the Chow Chow Club, Inc., established 1906. Done in sumptious reds, golds, greens, and blues, it's a true celebration of needle arts with blocks done in cross stitch, applique, and both hand and machine embroidery. These pictures can't do justice to the richness of the fabrics and beautiful details like metallic thread and crystals.

The quilt will be raffled on April 28th at the 2006 Chow Chow Club, Inc.'s National Specialty Show in Olympia, Washington. You do not have to be present to win! If you're not at the show, we'll notify you and ship the quilt to you at our expense -- even if you live outside the U.S. Buy tickets here.

This discussion on Portland Indymedia got me to thinking: maybe the differences are really just too great between the remnants of the "New Left" and the Antiglobalization / Anti-imperialist resistance which grows in the Gen-X and younger folks.

I especially like what Citizen K said here:

"This returns us to the U.S. antiwar "movement," composed mainly of the aging remnants of whatever is left of the U.S. middle class. The median age of most rallies, meetings and vigils I have attended has been well into the fifties. You have to figure most people will only come out if they are already secure in their retirement; if they're still working, they won't come out because they have a boss to fear.

What must be recognized is that there is a leadership to the antiwar movement, despite what Scott Ritter says, and I am not referring to ANSWER or Not in Our Name, even though these folks have never received enough credit for organizing the really major events against the war. What I am referring to is the force or forces behind the much smaller, community-scaled events where like-minded individuals really have a chance to make contact with each other.

These groups include, but are not limited to, the various "Peace and Justice" centers, Sound Nonviolent Opponents of War (remember them?), the Fellowship of Reconciliation, etc. All have this much in common: they are very much faith-based, operating with the support and cooperation of local churches, which in turn donate funds and meeting space. What we must do is follow the money trail and ask where this funding is really coming from."

So, if this is reality, what are we gonna DO about it?

From Scientists Warn, 'Don't Pollute the Puget Sound':

Because of the sound's geography, polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs are still being found in Chinook salmon caught in its waters, at levels up to six times higher than fish from the Columbia and Sacramento rivers and along the east side of Vancouver Island. PCBs have been banned since the 1970s.

"Once it's here, it stays in the sound," said Sandra O'Neill, a fish contamination expert with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

That's just one example of the way Puget Sound is polluted by what consumers flush down drain pipes. Scientists are also finding fish dosed with antidepressants and shellfish tainted with amnesia-causing toxins, researchers said at the Wednesday forum.

"People need to be mad as hell about this situation, but they aren't," said Brad Ack, head of the Puget Sound Action Team, a government agency. "We haven't gotten the message across."