Hey, let's be careful so that private interests aren't allowed to dominate public policy!

Even if the funding for a park doesn't currently exist, that is no reason to deny the eventual opportunity to build a park. I believe that a park on the Isthmus is feasible. Why? Well, most importantly, I think that the residents and future residents of Olympia need a park. Why do we need a park?

We need a park on the Isthmus because

Power Substation, this is in between 5th and Legion on Cherry Street, almost kitty corner to the site of the future Olympia City Hall.

Razor wire protects military hummer vehicles (humvees) from intruders.

Solidarity with Women's Resistance to War!

26 participants in a nonviolent blockade of military cargo between Port of Olympia and Fort Lewis are being charged by the Thurston County Office of the Prosecutor. The first of those being charged will be arraigned tomorrow. Of the 26, 25 are women. The 26 are part of an action that is commonly referred to as the Women's Blockade, or Women's Action.

43 people in all were arrested in the November 13th, 2007 Women's Blockade. 39 of those who were arrested are female.

Last Friday, supporters of the Oly 26 vigiled at Percival Landing. Turn-out was good. About 40 people showed up.

The first arraignment of members of the Oly 26 is scheduled for tomorrow morning at the Thurston County Courthouse, up on the hill above Capitol Lake. Proceeding's are scheduled to start at 9:30 AM.

see more on the flipside: photos from Capitol Forest, more from the vigil, Percival Landing, and an Olympia Alley in Autumn

Antonia Juhasz at the Capitol Theater at 7 PM on Monday, October 20th, 2008 will present her new book The Tyranny of Oil: The World's Most Powerful Industry, and What We Must Do To Stop It.

Link to event details: Antonia Juhasz at the Capitol Theater October 20, 2008

Juhasz will also appear at SPSCC earlier in the day at 2 PM. More details about that event: Antonia Juhasz at South Puget Sound Community College

more about the book on the flipside:

I believe that The Olympian has done a disservice to the community in regard to what has been its biased coverage of the Isthmus debacle. I submitted a letter to the editor last week (on Wednesday the 24th of September).

I just telephoned the paper today to ask about it - because I usually receive a verification call within a couple days of submission. Not so this time. It turns out the letter was not selected for publication. The letter contains a critique of The Olympian's coverage of the Isthmus Rezone.

Another letter I can remember having gone unpublished was a critique of The Olympian's "comments section" - where hate speech against gays, against people of color, against ethnic groups, and etc., is tolerated.

Does The Olympian have a policy of not publishing letters that are critical of The Olympian?

Maybe the newspaper would be more successful if they found a way to integrate constructive criticism.

Here's the unpublished letter, without further ado:

September 24, 2008

To the Editors:

Coverage of the isthmus rezone proposal in The Olympian has been disappointing. Coverage has been incomplete and biased in favor of the rezone. Where is the appropriate skepticism and attitude of oversight?

Meanwhile, the Olympian has portrayed those who oppose the Urban Waterfront Isthmus Building Height Rezone (proposed by Triway Enterprises) as "simplistic nay-sayers." Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, opposition to the proposal is based on a multitude of reasons: reasons that are both complex and meaningful, and sophisticated and solid. To brand the opposition as somehow simplistic is, quite frankly, insulting.

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I heard a rumor that 600 people have been arrested!

Wow!

Topic: Boing Boing just published a Q&A regarding its Moderation Policy.

Hyperlocal relevance: Well, really it's meta hyperlocal in its relevance, in that I found much of the content edifying with regard to blog comments and thought it should be shared with my fellow OlyBloggers.

Favorite part: Disemvowelling. I love it. I need it. I want it for OlyBlog.

Edit: I left out the hyperlink the the actual article. Stellar.