South Puget Sound Associate Professor of Sociology Dan Hall and the Olympia Paranormal Society (OPS) will team up tonight for a presentation entitled, “Sociology Meets the Paranormal.” The presentation will focus on using the concepts of sociology, like the social construct of reality, belief systems and subcultures, to examine a number of paranormal phenomena, from apparitions and haunting to “shadow people” and disembodied voices. Ghosts and haunting will particularly be the focus. Hall, an observer and participant with the Bellingham Observers of the Odd and Obscure (BOOO), will also draw from his experiences there, having investigated several cases in the Bellingham area. Basics of investigating paranormal events will also be covered. Lastly, Hall said he’ll play some Electronic Voice Phenomena recorded during his investigations. The OPS is also looking to into anomalies in the greater Olympia area. The presentation will take place at 7 p.m. at the South Puget Sound Hawks Prairie Center, located at 1401 Marvin Rd. NE, Suite 201 in Lacey, in Room 118. The presentation is free and is open to all. For more information about the event, contact Hall at olympiaparanormal@yahoo.com.

South Puget Sound Associate Professor of Sociology Dan Hall and the Olympia Paranormal Society (OPS) will team up tonight for a presentation entitled, “Sociology Meets the Paranormal.” The presentation will focus on using the concepts of sociology, like the social construct of reality, belief systems and subcultures, to examine a number of paranormal phenomena, from apparitions and haunting to “shadow people” and disembodied voices. Ghosts and haunting will particularly be the focus. Hall, an observer and participant with the Bellingham Observers of the Odd and Obscure (BOOO), will also draw from his experiences there, having investigated several cases in the Bellingham area. Basics of investigating paranormal events will also be covered. Lastly, Hall said he’ll play some Electronic Voice Phenomena recorded during his investigations. The OPS is also looking to into anomalies in the greater Olympia area. The presentation will take place at 7 p.m. at the South Puget Sound Hawks Prairie Center, located at 1401 Marvin Rd. NE, Suite 201 in Lacey, in Room 118. The presentation is free and is open to all. For more information about the event, contact Hall at olympiaparanormal@yahoo.com.

Thanks to Anthony Gargiulo for sharing these great photos from the November 2007 Port Protests.

Port of Olympia Protests

Jim Anderson, local blogger, puts together his list of whys he loves Olympia. The best is one that flies outside the radar of stuff that fits into the "visit Olympia" box.

More like "live Olympia":

The Spaghetti Bowl.

The name comes from the spaghetti feed fundraiser that always precedes the contest. The game starts after seven, but people line up for hours to get good seats at one of the most exciting sports events in the South Sound. Crosstown rivals Olympia High and Capital battle it out in Ingersoll stadium in front of thousands of screaming fans. Goodwill always prevails in the form of blended marching bands and drill teams for halftime entertainment.

Share your whys over at Jim's blog. Comments are off here.

 

April 17th 2009

Karaoke Oly Episode 9

Vicki Robin, Dee Williams Highlight College's Earth Day Event

Author Vicki Robin and activist Dee Williams are set to headline South Puget Sound Community College’s Earth Day Celebration, taking place Thursday, April 23 at the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts. The event, which begins at 11 a.m. and runs through 2 p.m., will feature a range of activities, booths, speakers and demonstrations.

Robin and Williams are the featured speakers. Robin, co-author of “Your Money or Your Life: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence,” has been a guest on hundreds of radio and television shows, from National Public Radio to The Oprah Winfrey Show. Called the prophet of "consumption-downsizers" by the New York Times, she is a frequent speaker on this issue at conferences; to corporate, academic, religious and environmental institutions; and at professional meetings of organizations seeking to understand and contribute to the national trend toward sustainable lifestyles.

Williams, who lives in an 84-square-foot home in Olympia, Her story has been featured in a number of publications including Time and Popular Science and on television and radio programs including CBS Good Morning America. Her home, completed in 2004, includes a solar power array, sustainable materials and a primitive water/sewer set-up. In addition to talking about making living more sustainably a reality, Williams will also have her house on display outside the Minnaert Center.

South Puget Sound To Celebrate Native American Heritage South Puget Sound Community College will host the college’s first Native American Heritage Celebration on Saturday, April 18 at the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts. The day-long event, kicking off at 11 a.m. and running through 5 p.m., will feature workshops, performances, presentations, vendors and more. The Minnaert Center Gallery will also be open, displaying an exhibit of Native American art exhibition, which begins April 9 and runs through April 30. Gallery hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m. Workshops will include carving, beading, basket weaving and general kids activities. The Canoe Families will be among the performances, which will also include traditional storytelling. Presentations will focus on native language, anthropology and more. Vendors will be on hand with food, arts and crafts and more. All activities are open to the public for this free, all-ages event. For more information about the Native American Heritage Celebration, contact Dave Rector, the Dean of Student Life at South Puget Sound, at (360) 596-5306. For questions about the gallery exhibition, contact the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts at (360) 596-5501. ABOUT THE MINNAERT CENTER: The Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts, South Puget Sound Community College’s signature building, houses a 500-seat main stage theater, the Black Box Theater, an art gallery and state-of-the-art music facilities. In addition, the building’s classrooms for art labs and choral and instrumental music rehearsals offer home bases for the college’s humanities and communication programs.

4392 x 1158

Here's a letter to certain key members of the House of Representatives from former Washington State Governor Dan Evans. It's addressed to Representatives Larry Seaquist, Jan Angel, and Marko Liias, whom are the sponsors of HB 1379, and House Local Government Committee Chair, Geoff Simpson:

Larry, Jan, Marko, and Geoff:
I know that three of you are the sponsors of HB 1379 and Geoff, that you are the chairman of the Local Government committee. As I'm sure you know the Senate amended this Bill to attach SB 5800, the Isthmus protection act. I am a strong believer in the strength and power of local government and normally would not support modifying their decisions. However there are some extra responsibilities for a Capital city. The state has invested millions of dollars over a century to build one of the finest state capitals in America. An essential part of the Capitol campus is the magnificent view North toward Puget Sound. Few other state capitals (and I have visited virtually every one) have the magnificent setting of our Capitol in Olympia. In this particular case I believe the state has an overriding interest in protecting this remarkable view. There are plenty of other places in downtown Olympia to build high-rise facilities of any kind but once the view in this particular place on the Isthmus is blocked it is gone forever.
I hope you will concur in the Senate amendments to HB 1379 in spite of the somewhat excessive and almost humorous opposition which charges those who want to preserve this unique view as a motley crew of panhandlers and radicals. I don't know how motley we are but all six former governors of Washington state support the Senate amendment.
Thanks for your consideration
Dan Evans
Governor 1965 -- 1977

 greetings.

please join us for artswalk 2009 at the 4th ave alehouse. 210 4th ave e. olympia.

april 24th w/ paul mauer + razors and red flags + ben hawkes + rikk beaty band + big blue van + fungus riot