Chasing arrows do not guarantee safe passage from shelf to curb to factory to shelf again.

Not all numbers within the triangle (Resin Identification Code) are accepted for recycling.

I'm SO THANKFUL the city switched to one giant comingled bin.

Here's how it was: one bin for cans - my favorite thing to recycle. When everything worked out you might have a few shiny flat envelopes that used to be cans of soup. Since I rarely eat canned soup this bin was never full.

For some inexplicable reason manufacturers created new cans that could only be opened on the top. You could never crush them completely nor you you easily empty them by puncturing the bottom to relieve the vacuum. However, even without crushing, the bin was NEVER full.

http://www.bestchineseshows.com/node/2482

1908 has the unusual distinction of having two gentlemen from the southeast corner of Washington State representing the two major parties in a gubernatorial election. The victor was Samuel Goodlove Cosgrove of Pomeroy, who served a grand total of one day in office before leaving for California, where he died shortly after arrival. Runner-up John Pattison hailed from Colfax. They were the first nominees for Washington governor elected directly by the people through a primary election rather than being selected by a party convention.

John Pattison was born in Albany, NY in Jan. 1859.

Jan. 1859. I am going to jar the continuity here with a side note that seems worthy of mention. I cannot help but notice that about half of the Ungovernors up to this date have birthdates in months that begin with the letter "J." January: Young, Dunlap, Frink, Pattison. June: Semple, Sullivan, Caton. Big deal, right?

John was the son of John and Elizabeth Pattison, both Protestant Irish immigrants. His father had served in the Union Army during the Civil War. John Jr. left home at the age of 14 and headed for Silverton, Colorado "and engaged in mining for six years with varying though reasonable success, he went from there through Arizona and New Mexico, looking for a better mining location, and spending about two years in that country, making money, but at heavy expense." Having had ancestors myself who were his mining contemporaries, in nearby Ouray, Colorado I can guess Pattison became a later convert to the silver cause in 1896.

Yes, you read the headline right.  Baseball though, not conscription.

Shocked isn't the right word.  Appalled, maybe.  Sad, definitely.

I'll set the scene.  Around 2:30pm this afternoon I took my 8 year old son Sam to Tumwater High School to register him for baseball.  He played T-Ball a few years ago and didn't really enjoy himself but wanted to give it another shot and I agree with him.

Since the initial season of baseball he's played two years of football and basketball and found his rhythm as an athlete on the grow.  He has a long way to go but his progress is highly commendable.  I am extremely proud of his dedication even when he continually struggles against more gifted athletes.  He never quits.

Having been told this was a "tryout" I was a little concerned for Sam.  Everyone plays, sure.  But how much?  Is this tryout serious?  Should we have skipped basketball this morning to ready his groundball skills?  I watched him take a couple grounders to the face a few days ago because he won't sit in his seat while fielding.  Same thing in the classroom.

When it was our turn to hand in our registration we were asked to come back at 4:30pm and given a number.  More kids than anticipated had registered.  No big deal.  My curiosity began to peak and I decided to ask about this tryout and why the number?  I mean, he has a name.  The friendly woman at the registration desk suggested I look in the gym to better understand what was expected of Sam later this afternoon.

WOW!

So the sunset has come and gone and the Pedestrian Interference Ordinance (PIO) has become law. Part of the leverage used to get the PIO passed was a characterization of downtown Olympia as a crime ridden cesspool. Anyone reading the daily zero comments would notice stuff like this:

I have the unfortunate task of attending a meeting in downtown Oly once a month. I hate going there. The sight of all the worthless "YOUNG" homeless make me sick. I passed at least half a dozen of these "waste of human life" begging me for my hard earned money. I have no sympathy for any of these people. Everyone in this world has a chance to make the right choices. Yeah, there are peoplewho have received the short end of the stick, but if they are strong and want to overcome their shortcomings then they will. These worthless souls have chosen to be lazy and a drain on society. I could care less if they freeze to death. I never had anything handed to me. But I worked hard, got an education, a good job, and I am happy knowing that my neighbors don't have to pay my way through life. It's called PRIDE. Something these "homeless" don't have. I'm with the guy that said send them to Evergreen. That place already sticks and is a dump. Stop ruining a great city, and stop feeling sorry for people who can help themselves but choose not to.

nonymous | 02.02.07 - 9:51 am |