When you think of Olympia, Washington, what's the first thing to come to mind?

The online team over at the Olympian has been working to find a system that will curtail the flaming (and worse) that has been so problematic on their comment threads of late. They have recently implemented a simple way to flag comments that are abusive, and they are committed to holding to the policy of banning folks who don't play nice.

If any OlyBloggers were inclined to bop over to the Olympian and lend a hand by keeping their team informed about bad behavior, I've been assured that there will be swift consequences for the trolls. So, maybe it's safe to go back in the water again.

Ignorant Movie Review:  Fast Food Nation

Response to title:  My non-genetic sister forced this book on me several years ago and I loved it, but not once did I think, "this should be a movie!"  I think I'm more intrigued by the fact that it has been made into a movie, than by the prospect of the movie itself.

Response to curbside poster:  Excellent use of symbols:  a hamburger and an American flag.  America's claim = easy consumption.

Response post-credits:  As I was walking to the Capitol Theater my aforementioned sister called and let slip that this film is not the nonfictional documentary film I was expecting.   Instead, the movie is more akin to a joined series of fictional plotted vignettes narratively following the true stories publicized by the book.  I think the results are so-so.  The story is cohesive; Luis Guzmán excluded, the acting is not as good as I would expect (I blame a less than stellar script); the antipodean use of white as a symbol of corruption is tasteful and not over the top; the cattle herd as humanity metaphor is tired.  I wouldn't recommend the movie for families, but overall it's a good watch.

Rating: 3.25 out of 5 Oly Stubbies.

[via email from Vince]

Wednesday 1/17 at 5:00pm, the Olympia Downtown Association and the Olympia City Council are having a legislative reception at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts. I believe everybody is welcome.

Death and taxes used to be what was listed as inevitable, now we can add spam. (I love my delete email spam button.)

Mr Bun

What have you got, then?

Waitress

Well there's egg and bacon; egg, sausage and bacon; egg and spam; egg, bacon and spam; egg, bacon, sausage and spam; spam, bacon, sausage and spam; spam, egg, spam, spam, bacon and spam; spam, spam, spam, egg and spam; spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, baked beans, spam, spam, spam and spam; or lobster thermidor aux crevettes with a mornay sauce garnished with truffle pâté, brandy and a fried egg on top and spam.

Mrs Bun 

Have you got anything without spam in it?

Waitress

Well there's spam, egg, sausage and spam. That's not got much spam in it.

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