The Geezer

The Geezer: Time for Mark's Holiday posting, 2011

2011-12-23T12:03:00.000-08:00

The Geezer: Time for Mark's Holiday posting, 2011

Time for Mark's Holiday posting, 2011

2011-12-23T11:27:00.000-08:00

Well, goodness, that time of the year again, when the Geezer reflects on doins’ and dealins’, then takes electrons to fingertips to blather those observations and obfuscations.

So, sit back, and learn from my wit and wisdom. This should not take long, and no brain cells were destroyed in production of this spew.

This has been a four star year for me again. Most are, life is too short not to have it so.

This isn’t all commentary, but I have an idea to get our country moving. If you don’t have strict budgetary restraints, buy American! Be optimistic. Help your neighbors who may be suffering. Lastly, you have heard it before from others, but I am about ready to toss all the incumbents out! The politics around continuing the payroll tax cuts, the renewal of unemployment insurance, and the Keystone pipeline about tip the old Geezer over. Two months does not allow enough time for anything on UI and payroll tax cuts. The resistance to the pipeline is nutz, sends jobs overseas, increases dependence on “foreign” oil, and you greeners, are you nutz? You would rather have petrol refined in China, with no environmental regs, instead of Houston/Port Arthur where we have some. You ever see pix of the air in China?

Be mindful of what you read and hear. New unemployment apps being down is good, 100,000 new jobs is not, because it takes 140,000 just to absorb new entrants to the job market. Methinks it is a plot to protect the re-election of the guy I heard described as “a cross between Erkel, and the guy from MAD magazine (Alfred E. Newman)”

Holey-moley. ‘Nuf said.

The thing that was most often a consideration for me this year was that annoying schmooge on my vocal chord.

I was going to go to Dr. Zappem (Upendra Parvathenini) but the review physicians in Baw-stone said I should get surgery instead. So, ended up with Dr. Slicem’ (Tanya Meyer) who is about my kid’s age. Sheesh. But what an artist she is. The pics taken right after the four hour surgery showed nothing. I mean, nothing. You couldn’t tell anyone was in there slicing and dicing, at all. Truly amazing.

That was the good news, but she couldn’t get it all. So, back to Dr. Zappem and his magic machine and crew. 35 treatments, one a day, twice on Fridays! It is like a huge radio broadcast tower, RF energy. Folks, now I know why they don’t want you climbing up on those towers. At the end, the front of my neck had no skin on it, just white flesh. Yowsers. See it here

I was only concerned about it getting infected, but it didn’t and now is back to normal, as is my voice, save for the kewel “permanent tan” where there was no skin for a while.

Doc said, prior to last treatment, we got it all, interesting, because I thought they were not to speculate, and it takes a new CAT scan to confirm. He is going to confirm that next week in any event.

Cancer is really oversold, IMHO. It is sold on a scare basis, and this treatment place says they are the best another says they are, etc. etc. All accompanied by soothing music, and the soft verbiage delivery. Truth is, most of it they can get rid of these days. Really. Do you research, have a plan, get the best crew you can, and they fix you right up.

My technicians were nothing but the best, folks of good spirit. My dietician was a sweet young thing, worried about me losing weight, which is still a puzzlement to this day. Me, losing weight. Not on this planet. And the Oncology nurse was an ornery old cuss, who I called Nurse Rached, to her face. She took that well, and her colleagues chuckled and nodded their heads in agreement when I referred to her so. She is a weird bird and I think, mean. Found out she was a retired Lt. Colonel in the Army, so I changed tactic, and started calling her Colonel. After that, she seemed to like me better, go figure.

It never hurt; in fact, I can’t even say it was irritating. More like just an annoyance, like getting the goo they make you put on there on the collar of your t-shirt.

What did I do for fun? The annual pre-father’s day trip to Spokane. Went to Colville and took in a Washington Coalition for Open Government schmooze, put up the big letter M in front of the Sherman Pass camera, which is circled here:

Went up the Aenas valley on a forest/BIA road that was, uh, interesting. Including the creek that ran down the middle of the road for about 50 yards. No impassable trees across it, but it was, uh, interesting. Came out on the Sanpoil River, over the mountains to Welpinit. Across the excellent BIA furnished, Colville tribal run FREE ferry across the Columbia, which was a very slick setup, all mechanized docking, nice chat with the deckhand, a displaced logger and tribal member. It is so nice to talk with someone who really, really likes their job, even in zero degree weather with the wind blowing. Then on to SCC where we had our annual Father’s conference, with the usual suspects. Lots of good news there, most notably the DSHS program to have first choice of placement when a kid is taken from a home with their FATHER, which had not always been the choice before.

Another trip to Whistler with my road trip buddy, Pat, where I got up close and personal with one of the “resident bears” See the pix here:

They are sooooo cute, and friendly, from a distance. And no, there was no telephoto on when I took that pic.

Went on an adventure, trying to find this provincial park, only 6 km. the sign said. Only trouble was the forks in the road weren’t marked. I took the most ‘straight ahead’ and obvious branch but the road deteriorated greatly. However, soon there were “street signs”, very nice ones, along the way. After pondering a bit, I figured out I was on the cross country ski trails, and the signs were for the skiers. One place, well, it wasn’t quite like a Jeep commercial, but I did comment, we are committed now, no way am I backing up this hill. My road-trip buddy heard me say that before, a couple of years ago.

Oh, and even in mid-August, there was way plenty of snow left up there, see the pic here:

Yes, that is me, and I am 6’2” on most days, depending on what convenience store or bank I am leaving. (Props to Ron White for that line)

At the end of my treatment, another road trip to Spokane for a weekend. Stayed at Louis Davenport’s place. Do you know that the Davenport Hotel once had the largest PBX (telephone private branch exchange) north of SF? Or that the Crab Louis was created there and named for Mr. Davenport? Went up to my friend Jennifer’s place, met her boyfriend WE (gotta have a better word for male friends over 65 than boyfriends, methinks) I call him WE because I hear “we this”, and “we that”, and since her bro-in-law that lives across the street is named Steve also, like he is, I call him WE.

Never saw the place with the garden working in the summertime. Stuff sure grows fast over there. Her turkeys are—make that were (now eaten) -- funny, when the Rottweiler goes in the pen with them, they follow him around like he has food for them or something. Funniest thing I saw in a long time.

Not being employed is less than high fun. Doing OK, but Christmas presents are uh, modest this year, sorry gang.

El Gato is getting a bit older. Still jumps up fluidly, but sometimes walks like an old man. Still a faithful kitty, loves to snuggle with his daddy when I take a nap, and we watch O’Reilly with a bowl of ice cream each night, prior to bed.

The Evergreen State Fair which is actually the Snohomish County Fair, but don’t tell anyone, where I am on the board, had its best year ever, taking in max money, with great weather. Very proud of that. JP Patches did one of his last shows for us, well attended.

I am advising a new Domestic Violence accountability group on media, public records, and dealing with politicians and bureaucrats, the Washington Domestic Violence Commission, whose goal is to insure true victims get services, and to monitor the courts and their hangers-on who work hard (and spend your tax dollars) to separate good loving parents from their kids without justification while providing a good living to themselves and their consorts. So far, we have a Kingco judge on record calling one fellow “deranged”. Geez, I thought judges used to be lawyers, and they know better than to make records that can come back and bite them. We are having high fun keeping them accountable. Next up, we involve the She-riff (Sheriff Barbie, aka Susan Rahr) by making her investigate all the questionable accusations which all have sworn attestation that a crime was committed. I called the Barbie yesterday and gave her a heads up on that plan. When you don’t have power, and the other folks do, you have to go with guerilla tactics, and she understands that.

I wonder if that book I bought her for Christmas, or the following comment on her website that I made had anything to do with it? “Put Sheriff Barbie's pic back on the front page of your website. She is sorta hot, for an old broad.” You can put a uniform on the girlie, but you can’t take the grrl out of the uniform. For those of you who don’t know her, her pic can be found here:

Her reply was “How will I ever maintain my humility…” Flattery works, boyz.

Can’t finish without a shout out to my WSDOT friends. They said “no one will miss the viaduct”. Of course, they got it wrong again, I LIKE the viaduct. So, Travis Phelps, the viaduct teardown spinmeister, gave me a piece of said structure, inscribed “To the Geezer, for keeping us honest”. That I do.

I could tell more stories, but I won’t. It does remind me of the question……why do these folks keep doing business with you, when you always give them grief? Indeed, I just must be a charming cuss……or something.

Best to you all, thanks for reading, and look forward to another spew and blather next year.

Two stories for you for Christmas

2011-12-21T16:22:00.000-08:00

Somewhat unlike other years, I want to share with you some messages that I was fortunate enough to get.

The theme is basically this: Maintain hope, things will get better. Be kind to your fellow travelers on planet earth.

Miracles will happen.

Hope you enjoy these as much as I did.

Mark

Understand that things happen for a reason

The brand new pastor and his wife, newly assigned to their first ministry, to reopen a church in suburban Brooklyn , arrived in early October excited about their opportunities. When they saw their church, it was very run down and needed much work. They set a goal to have everything done in time to have their first service on Christmas Eve.
They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering walls, painting, etc, and on December 18 were ahead of schedule and just about finished.
On December 19 a terrible tempest - a driving rainstorm hit the area and lasted for two days.
On the 21st, the pastor went over to the church. His heart sank when he saw that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster about 20 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary just behind the pulpit, beginning about head high.
The pastor cleaned up the mess on the floor, and not knowing what else to do but postpone the Christmas Eve service, headed home. On the way he noticed that a local business was having a flea market type sale for charity, so he stopped in. One of the items was a beautiful, handmade, ivory colored, crocheted tablecloth with exquisite work, fine colors and a Cross embroidered right in the center. It was just the right size to cover the hole in the front wall. He bought it and headed back to the church.
By this time it had started to snow. An older woman running from the opposite direction was trying to catch the bus. She missed it. The pastor invited her to wait in the warm church for the next bus 45 minutes later.
She sat in a pew and paid no attention to the pastor while he got a ladder, hangers, etc., to put up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and it covered up the entire problem area.
Then he noticed the woman walking down the center aisle. Her face was like a sheet. “Pastor,” she asked, “where did you get that tablecloth?” The pastor explained. The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the initials, EBG were crocheted into it there. They were. These were the initials of the woman, and she had made this tablecloth 35 years before, in Austria .
The woman could hardly believe it as the pastor told how he had just gotten “The Tablecloth”. The woman explained that before the war she and her husband were well-to-do people in Austria .
When the Nazis came, she was forced to leave. Her husband was going to follow her the next week. He was captured, sent to prison and never saw her husband or her home again.
The pastor wanted to give her the tablecloth; but she made the pastor keep it for the church. The pastor insisted on driving her home. That was the least he could do. She lived on the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day for a housecleaning job.
What a wonderful service they had on Christmas Eve. The church was almost full. The music and the spirit were great. At the end of the service, the pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and many said that they would return.
One older man, whom the pastor recognized from the neighborhood continued to sit in one of the pews and stare, and the pastor wondered why he wasn't leaving.
The man asked him where he got the tablecloth on the front wall because it was identical to one that his wife had made years ago when they lived in Austria before the war and how could there be two tablecloths so much alike?
He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he forced his wife to flee for her safety and he was supposed to follow her, but he was arrested and put in a prison. He never saw his wife or his home again all the 35 years between.
The pastor asked him if he would allow him to take him for a little ride. They drove to Staten Island and to the same house where the pastor had taken the woman three days earlier.
He helped the man climb the three flights of stairs to the woman's apartment, knocked on the door and he saw the greatest Christmas reunion he could ever imagine.

Christmas at the Gas Station

The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn't been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. It was just another day to him. He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a reason to celebrate. He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless man stepped through.

Instead of throwing the man out, Old George as he was known by his customers, told the man to come and sit by the heater and warm up. "Thank you, but I don't mean to intrude," said the stranger. "I see you're busy, I'll just go."

"Not without something hot in your belly." George said.

He turned and opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger. "It ain't much, but it's hot and tasty. Stew ... Made it myself. When you're done, there's coffee and it's fresh."

Just at that moment he heard the "ding" of the driveway bell. "Excuse me, be right back," George said. There in the driveway was an old '53 Chevy. Steam was rolling out of the front.. The driver was panicked. "Mister can you help me!" said the driver, with a deep Spanish accent. "My wife is with child and my car is broken." George opened the hood. It was bad. The block looked cracked from the cold, the car was dead.

"You ain't going in this thing," George said as he turned away.

"But Mister, please help ..." The door of the office closed behind George as he went inside. He went to the office wall and got the keys to his old truck, and went back outside. He walked around the building, opened the garage, started the truck and drove it around to where the couple was waiting. "Here, take my truck," he said. "She ain't the best thing you ever looked at, but she runs real good."

George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it sped off into the night. He turned and walked back inside the office. "Glad I gave 'em the truck, their tires were shot too. That 'ol truck has brand new ." George thought he was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone. The Thermos was on the desk, empty, with a used coffee cup beside it. "Well, at least he got something in his belly," George thought.

George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start. It cranked slowly, but it started. He pulled it into the garage where the truck had been. He thought he would tinker with it for something to do. Christmas Eve meant no customers. He discovered the the block hadn't cracked, it was just the bottom hose on the radiator. "Well, shoot, I can fix this," he said to himself. So he put a new one on.

"Those tires ain't gonna get 'em through the winter either." He took the snow treads off of his wife's old Lincoln. They were like new and he wasn't going to drive the car anyway.

As he was working, he heard shots being fired. He ran outside and beside a police car an officer lay on the cold ground. Bleeding from the left shoulder, the officer moaned, "Please help me."

George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training he had received in the Army as a medic. He knew the wound needed attention. "Pressure to stop the bleeding," he thought. The uniform company had been there that morning and had left clean shop towels. He used those and duct tape to bind the wound. "Hey, they say duct tape can fix anythin'," he said, trying to make the policeman feel at ease.

"Something for pain," George thought. All he had was the pills he used for his back. "These ought to work." He put some water in a cup and gave the policeman the pills. "You hang in there, I'm going to get you an ambulance."

The phone was dead. "Maybe I can get one of your buddies on that there talk box out in your car." He went out only to find that a bullet had gone into the dashboard destroying the two way radio.

He went back in to find the policeman sitting up. "Thanks," said the officer. "You could have left me there. The guy that shot me is still in the area."

George sat down beside him, "I would never leave an injured man in the Army and I ain't gonna leave you." George pulled back the bandage to check for bleeding. "Looks worse than what it is. Bullet passed right through 'ya. Good thing it missed the important stuff though. I think with time your gonna be right as rain."

George got up and poured a cup of coffee. "How do you take it?" he asked.

"None for me," said the officer..

"Oh, yer gonna drink this. Best in the city. Too bad I ain't got no donuts." The officer laughed and winced at the same time.

The front door of the office flew open. In burst a young man with a gun. "Give me all your cash! Do it now!" the young man yelled. His hand was shaking and George could tell that he had never done anything like this before.

"That's the guy that shot me!" exclaimed the officer.

"Son, why are you doing this?" asked George, "You need to put the cannon away. Somebody else might get hurt."

The young man was confused. "Shut up old man, or I'll shoot you, too. Now give me the cash!"

The cop was reaching for his gun. "Put that thing away," George said to the cop, "we got one too many in here now."

He turned his attention to the young man. "Son, it's Christmas Eve. If you need money, well then, here. It ain't much but it's all I got. Now put that pea shooter away."

George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young man, reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time. The young man released his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and began to cry. "I'm not very good at this am I? All I wanted was to buy something for my wife and son," he went on. "I've lost my job, my rent is due, my car got repossessed last week."

George handed the gun to the cop. "Son, we all get in a bit of squeeze now and then. The road gets hard sometimes, but we make it through the best we can."

He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair across from the cop. "Sometimes we do stupid things." George handed the young man a cup of coffee. "Bein' stupid is one of the things that makes us human. Comin' in here with a gun ain't the answer. Now sit there and get warm and we'll sort this thing out."

The young man had stopped crying. He looked over to the cop. "Sorry I shot you. It just went off. I'm sorry officer."

"Shut up and drink your coffee " the cop said.

George could hear the sounds of sirens outside. A police car and an ambulance skidded to a halt. Two cops came through the door, guns drawn. "Chuck! You ok?" one of the cops asked the wounded officer.

"Not bad for a guy who took a bullet. How did you find me?"

"GPS locator in the car. Best thing since sliced bread. Who did this?" the other cop asked as he approached the young man.

Chuck answered him, "I don't know. The guy ran off into the dark. Just dropped his gun and ran."

George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other.

"That guy work here?" the wounded cop continued.

"Yep," George said, "just hired him this morning. Boy lost his job."

The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher. The young man leaned over the wounded cop and whispered, "Why?"

Chuck just said, "Merry Christmas boy ... and you too, George, and thanks for everything."

"Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there. That ought to solve some of your problems."

George went into the back room and came out with a box. He pulled out a ring box. "Here you go, something for the little woman. I don't think Martha would mind. She said it would come in handy some day."

The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he ever saw. "I can't take this," said the young man. "It means something to you."

"And now it means something to you," replied George. "I got my memories. That's all I need."

George reached into the box again. An airplane, a car and a truck appeared next. They were toys that the oil company had left for him to sell. "Here's something for that little man of yours."

The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150 that the old man had handed him earlier.

"And what are you supposed to buy Christmas dinner with? You keep that too," George said. "Now git home to your family."

The young man turned with tears streaming down his face. "I'll be here in the morning for work, if that job offer is still good."

"Nope. I'm closed Christmas day," George said. "See ya the day after."

George turned around to find that the stranger had returned. "Where'd you come from? I thought you left?"

"I have been here. I have always been here," said the stranger. "You say you don't celebrate Christmas. Why?"

"Well, after my wife passed away, I just couldn't see what all the bother was. Puttin' up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Bakin' cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn't the same by myself and besides I was gettin' a little chubby."

The stranger put his hand on George's shoulder. "But you do celebrate the holiday, George. You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold and hungry. The woman with child will bear a son and he will become a great doctor.

The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being killed by terrorists. The young man who tried to rob you will make you a rich man and not take any for himself. "That is the spirit of the season and you keep it as good as any man."

George was taken aback by all this stranger had said. "And how do you know all this?" asked the old man.

"Trust me, George. I have the inside track on this sort of thing. And when your days are done you will be with Martha again."

The stranger moved toward the door. "If you will excuse me, George, I have to go now. I have to go home where there is a big celebration planned."

George watched as the old leather jacket and the torn pants that the stranger was wearing turned into a white robe. A golden light began to fill the room.

"You see, George ... it's My birthday. Merry Christmas."

Time for Mark's Holiday posting, 2010

2010-12-24T19:12:00.000-08:00

http://thespinmeister.blogspot.com/2008/03/gasp-did-he-really-wear-pix-of-pole.html
I save that one for when I have meetings with misandrous judges from Hazard County (Thurston, to the uninitiated) or where representatives of Wimmin’s Industries, Inc are in attendance. Yea, the same cabal that refers to us when we walk into the room with a “here come the usual suspects”. Such respect they show for all.

On, whining mode off.

Made it up in the mountains a few times, nice hikes, nice days great company. Ran into one gent I knew from Tacoma, who I had not seen for 30 years. Good thing he had a name tag on! Been running into lots of folks, one just today that used to pour me coffee at Chez Denny at Island Crossing. I didn’t recognize her, and lemme tell ya, it is unnerving to have a woman come up to you on the street and say “I know you”, when you don’t at all recognize her.

Took a ride on a Zeppelin, the largest airship in the world. Cost an arm and a leg, but hey, it was fun. Happy Birthday, from me to me. Also rode on Mr. WSDOT’s snowplow when they opened the North Cascades Highway. That took two years of jonesing, and a kind and sympathetic newspaper publisher I know. They insisted that they only take journalists, so, I became one for a day. I promised the publisher pix and a story, and I got both front page, above the fold, with a byline. It amused and impressed my journo friends, who welcomed me as one of them. It bewildered my “regular” work colleagues that I was multi-talented, and it amazed me that if you go to plan B, then plan C, eventually you can get the bureaucracy to do what you want them to do.

Got to tour a Dreamlifter, a modified 747-400, with a bulbous body and cut off tail that swings open. It flies around the world to pick up parts, whole body sections, wings, and the like for our 787. Got to sit in the right seat, but nutz, can’t take pix on the Boeing property.

I did get a pix of me in the right seat of a 787, taken off the property, so legal to snap a pix. You can see me looking spiffily professional below.

In the political activity department, I have been trying to get appointed to the Evergreen State Fair Board (Monroe) for the last three years. Got some pushback from my County Council member, pushback from the appointing authority, the county executive's staff, so I got down to plan C, and found Aaron Reardon at a budget meeting. Chatted him up, as I am prone to do, and told him straight away that I wanted that appointment, and wanted an answer on my application. I reminded him that "Go pound sand, Mahnkey" is a legit answer, and just tell me that if that is the case. He was gracious, as always, said of course we want someone like you, that is a mover and shaker, and by golly, I got appointed.

In the disappointment department, I was jonesing for a chance to test the evacuation for the 787. They load it up with B employees, get some cabin crew from real airlines, turn off the lights, and we get to go down the emergency evacation slides, but only half of them work, and they t'aint telling which ones work, and which don't. Tried various types of contacts, no kewpie. After a summer meeting where Pat Shanahan, a V.P. of airplane programs spoke, I chatted him up, asked who I needed to talk to, and he gave me a name. Then I said, can I tell them Pat sent me, and he graciously said of course. However, they did the drill before that, so I didn't make that one happen. My work colleagues are aghast that I did that, but hey, he puts his pants on one leg at a time, and I worked briefly for one of his direct reports, so had some previous interaction with him.

So, those were the great adventures. Made it up to Whistler on Memorial Day, not much mud, no snow, and no people. Had one of the glass bottomed Peak-to-Peak gondolas to myself, a normally impossible task. Made it to the ocean last weekend, storms, hail, lightning, and yup, no people. 248 unit place at Long Beach and TWO cars in the parking lot. Not much problem getting an upgrade to a two bedroom suite, third floor, full ocean view. All for my geezer rate of $66. Saw-WEET.

Lastly, many have inquired about my “toasty” voice. Got some smooge on my vocal chord. Kewel full-motion video pictures in color, saw it myself. Of course to get the little camera thingy down there you gargle anesthetic, which you have to keep on your chords. They tell ya it will sound like you are talking underwater, but I think these guys inspired and prototyped waterboarding, because it felt like I was drowning, actually. So, I have this young surgeon, about the age of my youngest kids, who is going to dive in there and figure out what it is. Not to worry, easy to come out, but many have asked, so I am telling ya now. Don’t be going and taking out life insurance policies on the Geezer, I have too much more work to do, making bureaucrats and politicians do what the sheeples want, and what is right and just.

Gato and I wish you well, a bright new year, and prosperity, joyful delight, all that you deserve coming to you is my wish.

Mark
AKA The Geezer

El Gato Wishes you a Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T19:06:00.001-08:00

Old, but still true

2010-03-01T19:16:00.000-08:00

Recently, during research at my Crystal Falls laboratory, my ‘assistant’ DJ and I discovered the following element. I am reasonably confident that other like-minded individuals have uncovered this same truth. We have been able to publish our findings ahead of the rest. You may all use your own capable scientific minds in applying simple logic to confirm our results.

“ This is the discovery of the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element, Governmentium (Gv) has one neuron, 25 assistant neurons, 85 deputy neurons, and 198 assistant deputy neurons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.

These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact.

A minute amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second to from four days to four years to complete. Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2-6 years, it does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neurons and deputy neurons exchange places. In fact, Governmentium’s mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neurons, forming isadopes.

This characteristic of moron promotion suggests that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass. When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administration, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons…….” Respectfully submitted: Dr. T. Geexer, and DJ “Honeycutt” MD (Moron Detector)*

Keep officers’ deaths in perspective

2009-12-30T15:57:00.000-08:00

From the Lynnwood Enterprise, a subsidiary of the Washington Post, published 12-30-2009

Keep officers’ deaths in perspective
By Mark Mahnkey

King County Sheriff Sue Rahr shared with me a very moving “In Memory” note about the recently fallen Lakewood Police officers.

It caused me to reflect on how this tragedy was handled, and how it came to pass.

Now, let me be clear, I believe each man and woman, when they go out to work, deserves to come home in the same condition they left. Everyone has the right to choose their job, balancing personal interest, remuneration, safety and a host of other things.

There are many who “keep us safe” and die on the job, without fanfare or concern for their families. There is no balance, and no loss of life is worth more than another, no life should be celebrated more than for the least of us.

There are many who die daily “keeping us safe.” The devoted WSDOT folks, who are also public servants and keep us safe no less than the police, lost a fellow named Neal Richards clearing a landslide last month. There was barely a passing mention of his death, yet he too is a public servant survived by a wife and two kids. Isn’t Mr. Richards’ life and his family’s financial situation equally important?

And where is the judge’s name that let Clemmons out on bail? It is Thomas Felnagle of Pierce County. Just because judges wear robes, they are not saints. This same group, just a bunch of politicians, screams for keeping judicial discretion, yet fails to engage their brain in the bail discussion while serving up justice. Why is the media protecting his vapid decision to let this guy out, when he was facing life on a third strike? Then, the politician/judge hides when asked to justify his ruling. At least Gov. Mike Huckabee addressed his thinking on the issue of clemency…

There were so many issues to come together to form the perfect storm on this. Huckabee should have commuted Clemmons’ early sentence, rightly. A juvenile gets 106 years for a misdemeanor crime? But since then, where is the notice the cops broke a “Top 10 rule” to vary their routine? Where is the notice that Clemmons’ family had a chance in May to get him help and failed to do so? Where is the notice that his aunt called the police, rightly, and ratted him out, but who then got paid back by the city with having her house trashed when she was the responsible one doing the right thing?

If we are idolizing one public servant that keeps us safe, we should do so for all. And we should keep it dignified.

Sad, unacceptable things happened, for certain, but as a friend notes, “If my family were exterminated by a similar vermin, would the cops give the same attention to catching the bad guy?”

Sheriff Rahr is correct that we must ask “why.” What do these acts mean, and what must we do differently in the future? I plan on joining her in asking those questions.

Mark Mahnkey is public policy director at the Washington Civil Rights Council and was formerly on the faculty at Washington State University. He can be reached at 206-202-2272 or contact@wacrc.org.

Mark’s Christmas Musings, also known as Mark’s blather and spew

2009-12-24T20:40:00.000-08:00

Mark’s Christmas Musings, also known as Mark’s blather and spew

I had a bit of a challenge getting into it today. Started wrapping presents, and it just wasn’t as much fun as it should be. Forgot to put on the Christmas music, yeah, that’s the ticket. So, I did, my own little collection I made, and then all was good.

I do get such a kick out of getting stuff that is just right for my family. But, the jolly fat guy (me) had to cut back a bit this year. Longer commute, more expenses, loss of overtime just makes it more of a challenge.

But, you do believe in Santa, dontcha? I do. In fact I just went to www.noradsanta.org, where the Santa tracker is, and saw that Santa just left Brazil and is headed for North America, so I have to type fast. Do you know that the guy that got that phone call at the Air Force base in Colorado long ago, when Sears misprinted the “talk to Santa” number, and instead printed the “red phone” number and started the NORAD Santa tracker died this year? A shame. Story here: http://www.noradsanta.org/en/whytrack.html

So, I gave El Gato (click for picture) my faithful cat part one of his Christmas dinner. Steamed Wild Alaskan Salmon Appetizer (in a delicate broth, says the label.) I kid you not. Looks and smells like what you and I would eat. $1.29 per. Yup, nothing too good for my guard kitty, who keeps the house safe while I work. Tomorrow he gets the main course, Fancy Feast Elegant Medley, Tender Turkey Tuscany in a savory sauce, with long grain rice and garden greens. Also pricy, but he gets a big kitty attitude every day when I feed him his Purina One “Senior Formula” kibbles.

Such a great companion and joy he is to me, and I don’t even like cats.

Yes, Santa is still alive, and we see evidence all around. You ever have a “stretch present” you wanted—like a stretch goal at work, you probably won’t make it but just perhaps……..

I got mine this year courtesy of one of my wonderful kids. Got Dad a bunch of “boy gifts”. Wonderful!!!!

Cheech and Chong are right. Remember their bit, “Santa and his Old Lady”? It is about the question “is Santa still around”, with all the crap that goes on around us. Cheech doubted Santa still came around due to “too much recession, man”. “Too much repression, man” Tommy Chong replies. Yes, that is what we have, both recession and repression. My wish is that we have less of each, but each of us must work to make that happen. I believe, do you? Won’t you join me?

So, what is good? The Toys for Tots and other toy drives, including ours at the lazy “B” gave toys to foster kids this year. Good start, those kids didn’t choose to be where they are, and it is nice that everyone gets something.

How about that guy whose wife stole his kid, went to Brazil, then died, just got his kid back today that he hadn’t seen for 5 years. I call that a win.

I got to see the 787 make its first flight, a plane which I worked on the software for manufacture. Volunteered for duty that day, and was less than 75 yards from the runway just a few feet ahead of where the wheels left the ground. Now, that was tres kewel! Now, if I could just get on that team that does the evacuation test for certification, where they run everyone off the plane down those slides. I really want to do that, but not as the result of a crash. I think I finally found the lady that coordinates that, and she invited me to ping her end of January. That would be SAW-WEET to get to do that.

My boss-lady got a promotion, so I don’t know who I will be working for, and I am particular about my bosses. Perhaps I will apply for a position she will have in her new position. Back to Everett would be nice. Could go to South Carolina, I suppose for a couple of years. And I did apply for a position today in Grottaglie Italy with our partner. A two year gig, lotsa OT and no taxes on that income.

In the Mark the Media Whore department, I will have another op-ed published in the Enterprise next week (a subsidiary of the Washington Post, published weekly by the Everett Herald) And, I was interviewed by a chap for AOL,com-Finance, who was writing about the economic effects of false allegations of Domestic Violence.

In the keeping kids with access to both parents front, our bill is still alive this legislative session, but likely won’t see action. However, thanks to the Public Records Act, we showed Senator Hargrove (D) Hoquiam that the judges aren’t doing what he wanted when he changed the law, so we need a bit more data and a modification in a form, and he will have the evidence he needs to move our bill. Our meeting two weeks ago was warm, and he told us how much he appreciates our fact based presentation, instead of just whining. It is a long slog, but kids deserve both parents in their lives in a meaningful way even when the parents are no longer together. The social pathologies exhibited when that doesn’t happen are many, and the cost just to the state of Washington is $711 Million each year, according to a think tank study.

I am still movin’ and shakin’ instead of bobbin’ and weavin’. Still like to get outside, and up in the mountains, and have a list of places to go next summer. Of course, I have those irritating old folk’s things; wear a mucho sexy elastic sock on one calf due to circulation issues, but moving around solves that problem. Still go hard at projects for as long as it takes, I am energized by work, work with a great crew, and wake up 4 of 5 days without the alarm, ready to rock. That is a very nice thing!

Well, time to sign off. I just saw the Canadian NORAD CF-18s and the American NORAD fighter pilots in either the F-15 or the F-16 go by to meet Santa.

Best to all, I love all you guys and gals.

Mark

Holiday thoughts from the Geezer

2009-11-26T20:24:00.000-08:00

This won't be one of those "holiday" notes, where I tell you about the $100,000 wedding of our daughter, or the month we spent in the south of France. Nor will it be "all the stuff I am thankful for".

I actually had some time to reflect today, and here are the results of that reflection. Yes, this is random thoughts, so don't look for consistency.

I was walking into the house, past the garden hose hanging by the garage. Nice hose, got it for Christmas last year. Was there anything wrong with the old one? No, shorter, smaller diameter, kinked up sometimes, but it was faithful in delivering water to the end of the nozzle. The boys asked what I wanted so I told them 75 foot, anti-kink, 5/8 inch flexible hose, and it showed up.

I looked over my list for this year, and I feel so rich and blessed that there is absolutely nothing I couldn't do without on that list, or frankly, anything I need. Nice to have stuff, for certain, but nothing I” really" need.

We are all so fortunate here. Even those with only a little in our great country mostly have food and shelter, there are few if any $750 annual incomes in the USA.

I have great friends. I have a great bunch of folks I do volunteer work with. It is a labor of love, brought about by personal experience. We will not benefit by it, but our families and our kids certainly will. And other folk's kids, and in the end, society in general, with better outcomes for kids, and lower taxes chasing the social pathologies we hope to eliminate.

We give our time freely, and for that great bunch of men and women I am thankful.

I have memories of some opportunities I have been blessed with I would like to share. This list is not exhaustive. The heck with meeting Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, Slick Willie Clinton and their ilk. I am more impressed with a little old lady in Mission BC that I had the fortune to visit with along with my friend, Sara on a few Christmas Days in years past, when our kids were with their other parents. It was her "extra" grandma. Nice old lady, told great stories, and she always referred to me as Sara's husband, so it was nice to get a promotion once a year.

She made blankets for the troops during the war, World War II for you younguns, had a sharp mind, could even remember her operator number that was sewn in each blanket. One time, we went up, without calling first (Sara used to roll like that, probably still does. She would have been comfortable being of age in the 60's) and the house was dark. I was fearful she may have died, but the neighbor confirmed that she fell, and was in a nursing home in Port Coquitlam.

Down the road we went.

She was there only a week, but could tell you how many minutes until the next bus came by, just from looking out the window during her week's stay. I want to be like her when I get old. Sharp as a tack. I really don't know why I am still impressed, but it was truly a blessing to be able to meet her, and to have a road trip with great company on a day that otherwise may have been a bit of a downer, without the kids.

When we had the grocery stores in Tacoma, all the big chains, and the small ones were closed, save for ours on Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was a "superette", which means a small supermarket, with meat and produce. It was such a delight to hear folks thank us for being open, with stories about relatives they didn't think would come, but did, and they, without proper holiday dinner food, but we provided for them, and contributed to their family enjoyment.

Yup, that is the sort of thing that I am thankful for, along with the fact I really have all I need.

My sincere wish is that you take a moment, and no matter what your station in life right now, find some simple things as I did, and reflect on their richness, and recall the joy that they brought you.

That is it; I said there was not a plot, or a start or end.

Best for the holidays, keep up the good fight, and be blessed with riches, as to your needs.

SnoCo DV shelter changes name, but not tactics

2008-10-27T12:05:00.000-07:00

Now calling themselves Domestic Violence Services of Snohomish County, instead of the Center for BATTERED WOMEN, becuase they want to serve men, yeah, right.

Note this from the business pages. Operative part below:

Cost is $15 plus an unwrapped gift or gift card for a mother or child

Guess the men and their children they now serve get bupkis.

Geezer OUT!!!!

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20081027/BIZ/710279956&SearchID=73334242920869

Special eventsHelp the South Snohomish County Chamber of Commerce take a bite out of domestic violence with a lunch donated by Outback Steakhouse, from noon to 2 p.m. Nov. 19, at 10121 Evergreen Way, No. 15, Everett. Proceeds benefit Domestic Violence Services of Snohomish County. Cost is $15 plus an unwrapped gift or gift card for a mother or child. For information, call Julie Martin or Vicci Hilty at 425-259-2827. For information about Domestic Violence Services of Snohomish County, go to www.dvs-snoco.org.

King County (Seattle) Sheriff Sue Rahr wants to hear from the sheeples, unless it is about DV

2008-05-07T19:27:00.000-07:00

There was an article on Monday, in the Seattle P-I fishwrapper, about finding missing persons using cell phone records. Sorry, the on-line version was cut down and doesn’t have the quote about "we don't want to assist perps in finding their DV victims".

Now the story had nothing to do with DV, she inserted that little bait.

So, having a "relationship" with her Spinmeister, Sgt. John Urquhart, I wrote him a note, and copied her (text below) on what I thought of that.

I thought the note was fairly complimentary, but not the evil Sheriff Susan Rahr, who is in bed with the DV Divas, and their FLEAS© (That is Family Law Elitist Attorneys).

Bottom line, she thought she was replying to Herr Urquhart, but instead, sent it to the Geezer.

Now we know what the pols think of us, when we take the time to write at their invitation, and tell them what we think.

Oh, and that is really her desk phone number in her signature line.

----- Original Message -----

From: Rahr, Susan

To: The Geezer

Sent: Monday, May 05, 2008 2:06 PM

Subject: RE: Two things, two emails, this is the first

Who is this jerk?

Sue Rahr, King County Sheriff

516 3rd Ave.

Seattle, Wa. 98104

206-296-4155

From: The Geezer

Sent: Monday, May 05, 2008 7:49 AM

To: Urquhart, John

Subject: Two things, two emails, this is the first

Your boss did a nice job with the press on the cell phone tracking article this morning. No doubt due to your working with her, to give her just the right words.

You can tell her that I said so.

And I don't say nice things about her that often.

However, (a good friend told me to always ignore everything before the words however or but) her dragging the canard DV into it really detracted from the piece......from memory.....'we don't want to reunite an abuser with his victim'.......

So, I can make a public records request, or you can just tell me. How may times, over what time frame (last year or last two years) have there been requests that you determined were an abuser chasing down the victim of DV requesting you track them down via cell records??

Yeah, that is what I thought.

The Geez

FLEAS © Lisa Scott

Gasp! Did he really wear a pix of a pole dancer on his shirt to a public meeting?

2008-03-08T21:11:00.001-08:00

Here's a pic of one of the guys who is very supportive of children as well as supporting changes in the Washington Child Support guidelines and custody arrangements in Washington state. Not quite wearing a billboard in public, but close to it.

Who is he anyway? Looks kinda like that Geezer guy that runs this blog.

WSDOT pisses away more of your highway dollar. This time to save the little fishies

2008-03-08T20:40:00.001-08:00

Dem boyz at the Transportation Department musta got a new shipment of fine weed and been inhalin'.

Now they spend $300K on lighting the path underwater for the little fishies.

Yep, lights under the PT ferry dock (or at least when it runs ferry dock) to keep the little buggers from being scared.

Read it in the top link. Really, this is so weird I couldn't make it up, really.

Here is what I think about it, and my response to their crowing and spinning.

Seems the Geez outed some judges

2007-05-13T15:59:00.000-07:00

Seems the Geez outed some judges

READ THE LETTER TO THE EDITOR IN THE EVERETT HERALD HERE

Stinky things been doin' in Snohomish County Courts.

Records kept in the Administrator of Courts, not in Clerks office.
Records deemed to be "administrative" and kept only 6 months, instead of six years
Records charged for as "real" court records, even though they claimed them to be administrative. They should have been charged for at "public records" rates, of a buck or two, not $25 each.
Records anointed as "not to be used as court records", yet the same court accepted them as court records.
Money for payment of copies (CD's) not receipted with numbered receipts--violation of state audit rules, and only cash taken
Handwritten petty cash fund checks written for "picnics", "camp fees", and "Nike athletic shoes", none of which is a legitimate expenditure of your hard earned tax dollars.
A commissioner's wife is the Court's public disclosure officer, and custodian of the CDs. No appearance of conflict of interest there, nosireebob.

Their response:

Ok, you caught us, we will move them back to the Clerks office and keep for six years.
No, we are not going to turn ourselves in for destroying court records without permission, and prematurely, tough.
We changed them back to be "real" court records.
We went neener-neener, and turned off the recording devices in the Commissioner's Courts, just for spite. No public policy reason, or no reason at all, or rationale, was given for letting the expensive recording equipment gather dust, instead of recording the public's business.
We have no concern about the appearance of conflict of interest in having the commissioner's wife be the public records office, and keeper of the CDs.
Important to note that they DO record Juvenile and Mental Health proceedings in front of Commissioners, but NOT family court.

Save for traffic tickets, the majority of Joe and Sally Sixpack's doings in the court are in family court. Yet your elected politicians will not engage with the great unwashed masses (me) in dialogue about their court administration, but instead send me to their patronage appointee who is the Court Administrator. He is accomplished at shoulder shrugging, and throwing his predecessor under the bus, but fairly worthless as to answering questions otherwise.

Do we not expect our friggin' JUDGES to follow the law? And to be accountable for their actions, and protect the public interest, by recording their courtrooms like thirty-seven out of the thirty-nine counties do?

I guess that is too much to ask.

Full letter to the editor published in the Everett Herald today, reproduced below.

The Geezer

Proceedings are no longer recorded

Jim Haley's excellent article on the issues in South County courts is only a part of the problem with Snohomish County courts. (Wednesday, "Court workers make discontent public.")

The same attitude is found at the Superior Courts, too. The Washington Civil Rights Council noticed that Commissioners Courts records were not being kept by the county clerk and were being destroyed after six months instead of six years, as required by law.

Several years ago, over Judge Wynne's signature, the court recordings were removed from the custody of the clerk to the court administrator's office, and deemed by fiat "administrative records" instead of the court records that they rightfully are.

When the Civil Rights Council brought this to their attention, the judges rightfully turned them over to the county clerk and pledged to keep them for the mandated six years.

The last few years of records were destroyed, contrary to state law, but the court is not concerned with this, according to a conversation we had with court administrator Bob Terwilliger.

In what appears to be retaliation, Judge Wynne turned off the recording machinery in the Commissioners Courts last month, leaving the good people of Snohomish County severely restricted in their ability to appeal the decisions made in Commissioners Courts. Upon inquiring of the judge why he did this, he did not have the courtesy to admit to receiving our communication.

Their hubris and lack of respect for folks who put these politicians in office, and their desire to keep their rulings in the dark and unavailable to the citizens, is repugnant and indefensible.

When added to their failure to issue numbered receipts when taking cash, as required by law, and their payment of public funds for disallowed uses such as picnics and athletic shoes, we also have serious doubt as to how these courts are run.

The Geezer

Director, Public Policy

Washington Civil Rights Council

Everett

Everett Herald lies about gender pay differences, AGAIN

2007-05-10T20:31:00.000-07:00

So, a year or so ago, the Everett Herald spins that tired old story about wimmin' being paid less than men.

I went after them, they finally tell me that since it was a Job Fair section, it was advertising, not news, and that the content was written by Everett Community College.

Sheesh. So, they blow the Geez off, fine.

Now again, they see the AAUW report in the link above, and start salivating all over again.

Editorial opinion is opinion, fine, but I do expect those folks who buy ink by the barrel to do some research before forming their opinion.

So, the Geez takes electrons on fingertips, and writes some eloquent sheyt, as he is prone to do from time to time, to smack them down.

The editorial editor says, no, Geez, we have very important op-ed pieces coming up, and so you have to write a 300 word letter.

Their very important op-ed pieces included a verbatim Governatrix press release, which is spun daily and available on the Guv's website and a breast-beating puff piece by the Prez. of the Edmonds Community College. Either he is an illegitimate son of someone down at the Herald, or has some mighty fine pix of their dalliances, because he sure gets his oar in the water with his self-serving crap.

So, I write the publisher, who doesn't even give the courtesy of a reply. Just get a reply from the editorial editor that says you were way over in words.

Well, hell.

So, I thought you may enjoy that note to the publisher, which is below.

Enjoy,

The Geezer

Sent: Monday, May 07, 2007 9:16 PM
To: Allen Funk
Cc: Bob Bolerjack; Carol MacPherson; Elisa Teague-Cooper
Subject: Editorial policy at the Herald

Hello, Allen--

First, my bonafides.

I have been reading the Herald since there were block letters on top of the building, no Sunday paper and a row of VW Beetles out in front. Cruise the hallways, and you will see the picture still hanging in your building.

Second, you should know that I have been certified as a political gadfly by the King Co. Sheriff's Dept.

Occasionally I have a lucent and cogent thought.

The other day, after reading your editorial about women making 75 cents to a man's dollar came out was one of those times.

I fired off a smarmy letter, as is my habit, to Mr. Bolerjack, who, apparently in need of a round of verbal sparring, was considerate enough to ring me up.

As is my style, I suggested that his, and yours, by extension, analysis of the AAUW report was wrong, misleading and downright the result of drinking too much Kool-Aid from the misandric and hate-filled Wimmin's Industries.

I offered to write an op-ed, and was told, no, no, booked far in advance with too many very important articles for that. He did invite me to write a letter, which is very constricted to try and develop the issue. Nonetheless, I enlisted my colleague from the Washington Civil Rights Council, Elisa Teague-Cooper, and we knocked one out. It was not published.

I noticed over the next week that those very important pieces he had scheduled included a darn near verbatim press release from the Governatrix (new press photo here), which is available daily on the Governor's website and another breast-beating puff piece from Jack Oharah, who must be a stepson of someone down there, or if not, I want to see those pictures he must have of someone in your company!

Not what I would consider urgent issues of the day.

This is the second time the Herald has printed that (un)factoid. The first time was in a Job Fair supplement shortly after Ms. Iverson came on board, and when I tried to track that one down, the ad department didn't want to respond, and when they did, through Ms. Iverson's assistance, the deferred responsibility because that article was written by ECC folks. Of course, no where in the tab was there a disclaimer that it was a production of the ad, rather than news department.

So, turning smarmy mode off for a moment, hoping you are still reading, and understanding my warped sense of humor, let’s analyze that AAUW article that was used as the basis of your corporate opinion.

First, let’s apply Mark's acid test, shall we? If true, that you can pay a woman 75 cents to get the same work product you would pay a man to do, why hasn't an entrepreneur fired all the men, hired only women, and by the labor savings kicked the competition's ass?

Because, it 'taint true, Mr. Funk!

Now, running down the article, I offer the following, some of which I stole from those more articulate than I.

Equal Pay Day has become one of our annual rites of spring. This year the gender victimologists came armed with a new report from the American Association of University Women, Behind the Pay Gap, which purports to show that one year after graduation, women are paid 80% of what men earn.

The AAUW’s press release featured this startling statement: "Women earn less even when working in the same career field, likely due to sex discrimination." So no surprise, you trumpeted the 80% figure like it was revealed truth.

But women who are familiar with the AAUW’s long-standing gender agenda began to question the study.

Mary Kay Ham sardonically wondered why she, as a highly-educated columnist, should be paid less than a dime-a-dozen brain surgeon. To settle the issue, I suggest you download the report and see for yourself. I quickly noticed that the 80% figure is deceptive because it doesn’t take into account differences in work hours, occupational choices, commutes, danger (hence pay) of the job and other key variables.

When you do that, the wage gap shrinks dramatically. As the AAUW report finally admits on page 39: "The regression analysis of earnings one year after graduation for the combined sample of women and men shows a gender pay difference of 5 percent, controlling for educational and occupational choices as well as demographic and personal characteristics."

But it turns out the AAUW study omitted a number of important factors in its analysis, so even the 5% figure is exaggerated.

For example, many men coming out of high school enter the military and later go to college. These men command a bigger paycheck upon graduation. Likewise, men tend to accept big-city jobs with longer commute times. But the AAUW glossed over those facts.

Of greater concern is how the AAUW shoe-horned the many thousands of jobs into 11 broad occupational categories.

For just one example, take the medical profession which is evenly divided between the sexes, compared to nursing which is overwhelmingly female. The AAUW lumped all doctors and nurses into the same "medical professions" group. So you guessed it -- doctors are paid more than nurses, and that’s discrimination!

And women who major in business administration gravitate to HR, while men often specialize in finance. Employees who manage a corporation’s financial lifeblood tend to be paid well. But the AAUW put both groups into the "business and management" category. Yikes, more discrimination!

This isn’t the first time the American Association of University Women resorted to smoke-and-mirrors research to further its political agenda.

Back in 1992 the AAUW published the report, How Schools Shortchange Girls. The report purported to show that American schoolgirls were being kept down by the ever-present patriarchy. Man, they make those guys sound so powerful, I want to go to their meetings, and join up, but I just can't find them anywhere.

Diane Ravitch, former assistant secretary of education, took issue with that conclusion, saying flatly, "The AAUW report was just completely wrong. What was so bizarre is that it came out right at the time that girls had just overtaken boys in almost every area."

To redeem itself, the AAUW finally came out with a second report. Gender Gaps: Where Schools Still Fail Our Children had to admit that "National data indicate that girls consistently earn either equivalent or higher grades than boys in all subjects at all points in their academic careers."

But that oops-I-goofed document could not reverse the hysteria generated by the first report, which fueled the passage of the Gender Equity in Education Act in 1994, a law that contributes to the boy crisis I first saw near the end of my 13 year service as a school board member, and that we’re now seeing fully developed in education.

Again, this pay gap myth is perpetuated by your editorial, as it was with the Job Fair insert. You demonstrated the same tactic that the misandric and hateful Women's Industry always uses, repeat the same lie, over and over, and eventually it becomes accepted as the truth.

See: Superbowl Sunday, Rule of Thumb, Hospital Emergency room admissions, the whole Title IX issue, and the like.

Is it too much to ask that you take more care in analysis and conclusions in your editorial positions?

And I know you buy the ink, not me, but is it unreasonable to expect that when a local boy has facts and figures that shine some light on the darkness of your conclusions that you do not print even a letter to the editor? A letter signed by me and my colleague from the Washington Civil Rights Council?

Thanks for listening.

Thoughts about President Ford, and a story

2006-12-27T08:51:00.000-08:00

I have been very fortunate to meet several US presidents. Ford, Reagan, Clinton, and shrub (lower case intentional)

I met President Ford when he was just a congressman from Michigan. He must have been some substantial congressman, as he was on a speaking tour, including Pullman. As fate would have it, a high school buddy, fellow Boy Scout, and pilot later to fly for United had been engaged to fly him around the state, first to Wenatchee, then to Pullman.

Since my bud had to cool his heels while Ford spoke, and since I was attending school at WSU, he called me up to entertain him for an hour or so.

I was at the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport when they landed, and debarked. John was gracious in introducing me, and Ford seemed like a regular guy, real genuine. Just before he was hustled off by the WSU folks, he turned to me and said, “Mark, when I was in Wenatchee they gave me a box of beautiful apples. I will be on the road for the rest of the week, so will have a difficult time carting them around. Can you take them back, and hand them out to your friends?”

Well, sure, like college kids don’t like to eat.

A simple gesture from a regular guy, which was much appreciated.

Perhaps that was before politics was the hardball game it is today, but I doubt it. I suspect that it was more an indication of the personality and graciousness of the man who was to one day become President.

The Geezer

The Geezer's holiday wishes for others

2006-12-26T20:20:00.000-08:00

Mark’s holiday wishes.

Ok, this isn’t my Christmas list, let's be clear about that.

One thing the Geez always wants to do, but never seems to get to it, is to just do some reflecting on life, and things in general. No, you won’t see any rants here, but you will see what I “see”, and what I wish for those things that I see.

The Geez lives in a trailer park, he likes to say. It really isn’t a trailer park, and he doesn’t live in a trailer. He lives in a 4-plex which is located in a trailer park. But, it isn’t even really a trailer park, but instead a residential RV park. Only about three real house trailers in here, the rest are either powered recreational vehicles, or recreational trailers, not made with longevity in mind, or designed for constant occupancy. If you are wondering, let the Geez edumacate you. A house trailer has no holding tank, an RV does.

This is not, to borrow a Tom Leykis term, your “prime demographic”. Some work, most are on the dole of some sort. Some have issues, like my convicted felon drug dealer neighbor, or my level three sex-offender neighbor. Not unlike the folks you live around, mine just admit to it.

So, what for these folks?

For Val, no allergies, and lots of junk to sell. For Carol, take your meds, honey, and life will be better, and less of a struggle for you. Mr. Ed, with your house trailer that can’t be moved, may this place not sell to someone who wants to build something else on it. Hope the lazy B keeps you employed sweeping floors for them. Keith, and Mattie, thank for the Christmas card, it means a lot coming from my neighbors. Mattie is the 40 pound—or so it seems—cat that was a stray, called Mattie because the cat was just a huge hair mat before Keith took him/her in.

Larry, well, he will do ok. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a stash-o-cash somewhere, under his mattress. Laney, who just left us to run off to Nawrleans with a guy she only met in person once, a happy, mutually fulfilling life, free of using others, mutual or not.

Gerald, glad you finally got on SS, dude. Tough to be single, alone, but keep up a good face, after being a laborer all your life, then finding no one wants to hire you when you get to your late 50’s. Nick, bless you Nick. Hope I see you often at the library, and you continue to grow, learn and investigate as you pass age 85. You are special. You are the only person I know who still has, and uses, a rotary phone.

For El Gato, the formerly stray cat, may I be able to give you love, and return the love and companionship you have shown me.

So, those are the neighbors.

My dear friends and family seem to be moving forward, Karen and Guinn, like an old married couple. Well they are, sort of. Diane and Keith, getting married at, uh, “over 65”. And fie on that person who mentioned at the reception, “what number is this for Keith? 4? 5?”

Actually, I think it is five, but who cares. If they get along, and they do, very well, good for them. Of course, the fact that Diane is still “hot” at 65, well, the Geez never thought he would say that about a 65 year old.

Yes, some folks I know and my family are getting along well. You know who you are, and I have fond wishes for you, too, but you probably need a bit less praying, attention, or whatever from me. You will do just fine, you know how the game is played, and have the tools to play with.

Lastly, for all the kids who don’t have a strong, frequent relationship with both parents, regardless of their parenting skills, I wish you continued involvement with both. There are lessons to be learned, both from “good” and “less skilled” parents. May you recognize the benefits of their hard work, perseverance, self-reliance, and benevolence.

This Aussie has it right!

2006-09-30T09:43:00.000-07:00

Aussie Christianj, who blogs at What men think of Women, writes with great clarity. Here is today's gem, which I believe should be spread far and wide.

He writes:

Well, men aren't stupid, despite near-constant whinging to the contrary by women.

Men look at some of these women and say "Let's see: she expects me to earn more than she does, be her knight in shining armor, do the cooking, the cleaning, dress in bespoke suits and tuxes to go anywhere, listen to her constant, endless bellyaching about every little damn thing like one of her girlfriends and if I should marry her, when she gets into some midlife funk, she's going to sue for divorce and take half of my life's work and any kids we have."

The male mind then turns the gears for a little while, netting this out on the bottom line of life:"Nope. No sale."

You can read the whole magilla here:

http://whatmenthinkofwomen.blogspot.com/2006/09/ally-mcbeal-clones-are-out-there.html

The Gub'mint need to 'splain it to me

2006-08-28T20:27:00.000-07:00

Ok, the Geez reads in the Pee Eye fishwrapper that it is illegal to listen to your IPod on headphones while driving.

Fair enough.

However, they give driver's licenses to deaf folks. Now, not dissin' deaf folks, but either you need to hear, or you don't, to drive.

So, which is it, FU-WA? That is the Feminist Utopia of Washington, Governatrix Greg-wire, proprietor, to the uninitiated.

Also, the Geez like to communicate with nature in the summertime, all three days of it. Goes for these torture tests called hikes, on rocks and roots called trails.

Geez sweats like a stuck pig on said hikes, and likes to cool down when he is done. So, he likes to stop at the country store for a "road coke" (beer, to the uninitiated) on the way home. That would be one of the about four brewskis that the Geez ingests per anum. Now, Geez busts the law all to heck, if he sips it goin' down the road, like a Coca-Cola, but it is legal to stop in a tav, and chug it.

A beer in yer belly, is a beer in yer belly, with the same net effect on yer drivin'.

So, nanny-state, 'splain that one to me too.

Geezer out

Too bad it takes a Woman to say it to be taken seriously

2005-12-10T21:43:00.000-08:00

Never heard of this woman who writes commentary for the LA Times, but she is spot on for mentioning this.

Thank her for speaking out by writing her here, and write the Times congrats for running this piece here.

Below, the article, and following that, the commentary of Harry Crouch, who you can write here, if you think he is effin' brilliant, which he is, sayeth the Geezer.

Shouldn't men have 'choice' too?

FOR PRO-CHOICERS like myself, Supreme Court nominee Samuel A. Alito Jr.'s position regarding spousal consent for abortion seems like one more loose rock in the ongoing erosion of Roe vs. Wade. Even those of us who are too young to remember the pre-Roe era often see any threat to abortion rights as a threat to our very destinies. We are, after all, the generation that grew up under Title IX, singing along to "Free to Be You and Me" (you know, the 1972 children's record where Marlo Thomas and Alan Alda remind us that mommies can be plumbers and boys can have dolls). When it comes to self-determination, we're as determined as it gets.

But even though I was raised believing in the inviolability of a woman's right to choose, the older I get, the more I wonder if this idea of choice is being fairly applied.
Most people now accept that women, especially teenagers, often make decisions regarding abortion based on educational and career goals and whether the father of the unborn child is someone they want to hang around with for the next few decades. The "choice" in this equation is not only a matter of whether to carry an individual fetus to term but a question of what kind of life the woman wishes to lead.

But what about the kind of life men want to lead? On Dec. 1, Dalton Conley, director of the Center for Advanced Social Science Research at New York University, published an article on the Op-Ed page of the New York Times arguing that Alito's position on spousal consent did not go far enough.

Describing his own experience with a girlfriend who terminated a pregnancy against his wishes, Conley took some brave steps down the slippery slope of this debate, suggesting that if a father is willing to assume full responsibility for a child not wanted by a mother, he should be able to obtain an injunction stopping her from having an abortion — and he should be able to do so regardless of whether or not he's married to her.

Conley freely acknowledges the many obvious caveats in this position — the most salient being the fact that regardless of how "full" that male responsibility might be, the physical burden of pregnancy and childbirth will always put most of the onus on women. But as much as I shudder at the idea of a man, husband or not, obtaining an injunction telling me what I can or cannot do with my own body, I would argue that it is Conley who has not gone far enough.

Since we're throwing around radical ideas about abortion rights, let me raise this question: If abortion is to remain legal and relatively unrestricted — and I believe it should — why shouldn't men have the right during at least the first trimester of pregnancy to terminate their legal and financial rights and responsibilities to the child?

As Conley laments, the law does not currently allow for men to protect the futures of the fetuses they help create. What he doesn't mention — indeed, no one ever seems to — is the degree to which men also cannot protect their own futures. The way the law is now, a man who gets a woman pregnant is not only powerless to force her to terminate the pregnancy, he also has a complete legal obligation to support that child for at least 18 years.

In other words, although women are able to take control of their futures by choosing from at least a small range of options — abortion, adoption or keeping the child — a man can be forced to be a father to a child he never wanted and cannot financially support. I even know of cases in which the woman absolves the man of responsibility, only to have the courts demand payment anyway. That takes the notion of "choice" very far from anything resembling equality.

I realize I've just alienated feminists (among whose ranks I generally count myself) as well as pro-lifers, neither of whom are always above platitudes such as "You should have kept your pants on." But that reasoning is by now as reductive as suggesting that a rape victim "asked for it." Yes, people often act irresponsibly and yes, abortion should be avoided whenever possible. But just as women should not be punished for choosing to terminate a pregnancy, men should not be punished when those women choose not to.

One problem, of course, is that the child is likely to bear the brunt of whatever punishment remains to be doled out. A father who terminates his rights, although not technically a deadbeat dad, has still helped create a kid who is not fully supported. And (in case you were wondering) there are dozens of other holes in my theory as well: What if a husband wants to terminate his rights — should that be allowed? What if a father is underage and wants to terminate but his parents forbid him? Should a father's decision-making time be limited to the first trimester? Should couples on first dates discuss their positions on the matter? Should Internet dating profiles let men check a box saying "will waive parental rights" next to the box indicating his astrological sign?

There's also the danger that my idea is not just a slippery slope but a major mudslide on the way to Conley's idea. If a man can legally dissociate himself from a pregnancy, some will argue, why couldn't he also bind himself to it and force it to term? That notion horrifies me, just as my plan probably horrifies others. But that doesn't mean these ideas aren't worth discussing. Though it may be hard to find an adult male who's sufficiently undiplomatic to admit out loud that he'd like to have the option I'm proposing, let alone potentially take it, I know more than a few parents of teenage boys who lose sleep over the prospect of their sons landing in the kind of trouble from which they'll have no power to extricate themselves.

And although the notion of women "tricking" men into fatherhood now sounds arcane and sexist, we'd be blind not to recognize the extent to which some women are capable of tricking themselves into thinking men will stick around, despite all evidence to the contrary. Allowing men to legally (if not always gracefully) bow out of fatherhood would, at the very least, start a conversation for which we haven't yet found the right words.

Actually, there's one word we've had all along: choice. We just need to broaden its definition.

Harry's comment follows:

Dear Editor,

Meghan Daum's insightful commentary "Shouldn't men have choice too" might
be enhanced with a bit of clarity.

Women's choices are pick a dad, abstinence, diaphragms, condoms,
spermicides, "The Pill", injections, implants, "Overnight Pill",
intrauterine device, abortion, adopt-out, keep baby, give baby away, sell
baby, auction baby, infanticide.

Men's choices are abstinence, condoms, invasive surgery, cash, credit
card, bankruptcy, prison, suicide.

Fairness and balance are long over due.

Harry Crouch
Director San Diego Men's Center
President PaternityFraudDNA.com

Smokin' and Tokin' in Silly Seattle

2005-12-03T21:46:00.000-08:00

This is fiction, at least for a few more days. Then it will be fact.

So, the Geez is in Silly Seattle, and decides to light up a fag*. Nope, not harassing gays, but that is what we called them in the days of James Dean, and Robert Mitchum.

Standing next to the Geez is a 60's leftover, toking on a "phattie", a large marijuana joint, for those who don't know.

Both of us standing in front of a closed business, showing our PC Seattle aloofness by not recognizing each other. Along comes a blue-gun thug, stops his trick ride with the huge Visibar, and enough lights to blind New York City, and gives me the old UAWMF. Up Against the Wall, Mother-Fucker, for those who missed the 60's.

I said WTF, that guy next to me is smokin' a joint!!!! I am consuming my LEGAL drug of choice.

Well, Sheriff Clem explains to me that since enforcement of marijuana laws is the LOWEST priority in Silly Seattle, that smoking a legal, tobacco cigarette, within 25 feet of a public place must take precedence in enforcement.

Welcome to the Peoples Republic of Seattle, in the FU-WA (feminist utopia of Washington)

The leftover hippie did finally recognize my presence, as he took a massive toke just as the cop car was pulling away, with me handcuffed in the back seat.

Oh, well.

The Geezer

Who also blogs at The Hate Male Post.

* Fag is not the only term we don't use any more. My kids don't believe that the Fun Forest at the Seattle Center was originally called the Gay Way. Never thought you'd get a history lesson reading my sheyt, did ya?

Everett Herald spins again on DV

2005-11-21T19:26:00.000-08:00

The Geez was rudely awakened at Chez Denny at 5 ayem today by this article in the Everett Herald. Now, the Herald is generally sympathetic to the genderists that run the Everett Center for Battered Women, but this time they give props to the City Prosecutor.

My emailed response is below. Lets see if Ms. Reporter has the cajones to read it all the way through, and take me up on my gracious offer to spread some truth.

Email follows:

Hello, Krista

You may be new, or I may not be paying attention, but this is the first time I noticed your byline.

Unlike many who write, I will tell you my biases upfront. Got your armored underwear on? Good.

I have read the Herald since I was six years old, and now my youngest calls me the Geezer (affectionately) Ask Robert how old I am if you think it relevant.

I have twice been the victim of DV, even though I abhor that word. First time wife #1 chased me down a dead end hallway with a 12" bladed kitchen knife. No biggie.

Second time, wife #2 set the five bedroom house on fire, which I paid for with the 12 hour day I just worked, while I was snoozing in the Barcalounger® in the basement, after she left the house with the babies. That one kinda pisses me off when I think about it.

So, now you know my bonafides. I work with Families First of Washington, The Other Parent, and the Washington Civil Rights Council, helping non-custodial men and women, and the men and women that love them, battle the system that is so stacked against them in many areas, and DV, particularly in divorce or custody matters, is certainly the "silver bullet" and the "nuclear option" for moving a guy out of his house, guarantying custody, and a large court-enforced child support award.

Those are my biases. None of this is for publication, by the way, even though Robert Jamieson has written about me in the Pee-Eye Fishwrapper, without my name attached.

Now, on to the article.

First the sidebar on page one. Your source, the Center for Battered Women (NOT men) is known for spreading disinformation, and blatant untruths. I invite you to call me before you print next time, to get "the rest of the story" any time they tell you anything, particularly of a statistical nature. The number is XXX-XXX-XXXX, which is my cell, on 24X7, and I love to talk to the press. The sidebar does not refer to men, but I invite you to have a man call, and see what they do. Answer: One night's voucher in the roach-infested "no-tell" motel, which does zip-nada for a man fleeing an abusive and out of control woman, particularly with children. If a man has no children, they will direct him to a friends couch. Go ahead, find a guy to call them, I will wait...............

Of course, they will SAY they serve men (see above) but they count men that are railroaded into their "treatment" programs, which are not treatment at all, but a yelling session by the genderists (gender feminists, rad-fems, feminazis--take your choice, The boyz told me to quit using feminazi) called the Duluth Model. It is not about treatment, or anger management, and most men in there do not need it. It is simply old communist style indoctrination, using the "wheel of control" as a model. More on the wheel later.

In paragraph two, you talk about beating victims. Do you know that most DV is not about beating, but about loud domestic disagreements, often accompanied by drugs or alcohol? Do you know that it is NOT hard for men or women to leave, but that they actually have a model, or a need, for that heated kind of confrontation? I didn't think you knew that. More later on that, again.

As a reporter, I am surprised (NOT) that you didn't ask why 50 percent of the (you said defendant) plaintiffs failed to press charges in the old days. Actually it is the state that presses charges, IE The people VS. Mr. Smith. The alleged victim didn't press charges in the old days because they knew they were majorly complicit in the action, and were afraid of being busted themselves. Now, you think guys go from zero to "punching" in two seconds? No, women push, shove, kick, scream, and do other "encouraging" behaviors, and they know it, so they didn't show up to testify. Thanks to Sen. Biden, and the copious funding of VAWA, the "service providers", shelters, cops and persecutors (sic) smelled money, and created programs. What they had wasn't working so they created "no drop”, mandatory arrest and other questionable practices. They defined DV to include denigrating speech, yelling, and yes, even a discussion, no matter how calm, about financial spending habits. Yes, according to the laws of the FU-WA (Feminist Utopia of Washington), reigning in the little woman's out of control spending habits is DV!!!!! Check the "wheel of control" mentioned above.

Now, after millions of dollars, and 8 years, prosecution in the City of Everett jumped to 73 percent of DV cases. Hmmmm, Ms. Reporter, you compare that number to prosecution of other police reported crimes? Burglary? Theft? Assault (non-DV)? I didn't think you took the time to do that. You would find that way fewer of those cases are prosecuted, which you inadvertently point out, but only your most discerning readers would notice, by mentioning that DV is 20% of the city persecutors (SIC) caseload. Now, in the grand scheme of things, with the loosey-goosey definition of DV, why did you not mention that that seems out of balance?

And you neglected to mention that all DV crimes are already covered under assault laws!!!! So, why do we need special DV laws, special DV prosecutors, and special DV advocates training judges, police and prosecutors? And why do we spend so much on this type of assault instead of all assaults? IS NOT EVERY VICTIM OF ASSAULT IMPORTANT???????? Then why not prosecute some of the non-DV cases?

Lastly, lets take a look at the training the prosecutors, cops, and judges take. Let me give you a little snippet from a real judges training course.

Ready?

New Jersey municipal judge Richard Russell actually urged his colleagues to violate basic constitutional protections: "Your job is not to become concerned about the constitutional rights of the man that you’re violating as you grant a restraining order," he told a judges’ training seminar in 1994. "Throw him out on the street, give him the clothes on his back and tell him, see ya around. . . . We don’t have to worry about the rights."

I would make a crappy reporter, because my editor would cut my stuff to shreds, because I am old school, and tell the WHOLE story, even the part that doesn't bleed, or otherwise titillate.

********************

Now, I am old, and at home in cornfusion (sic), but when we got to where we talked about Lt. Olafson talking to the perps, I am unclear as to the bulleted comments "men seeking sympathy" and the meaning of the prosecutor and the genderist from the Battered Women's Center head nodding. The way I read it, the bulleted items were NOT viewed by the literati as DV, when, of course, all bulleted items, save perhaps the first one, ARE DV!!!!!

Now, it gets even foggier beyond that. Understand that the CBW makes a ton 'o cash from the "treatment" (NOT) that they provide, by charging these (majorly) men for that treatment, in a group setting, at between $30 and $100 per hour. Additionally, there was a recent US Supreme Court Case in the last couple of months that confirmed that the police are NOT obligated to enforce restraining orders or no contact orders, and therefore the prosecutor, Mr. Cox, is way off base suggesting he and the blue gunned thugs can or will protect supposed victims.

Cox's story of "taking all day" in court on a case, with the "victim" under oath stating that it never happened is over the top. Ask him how many non-DV assaults he has taken "all day" to present. And with the mandatory arrest policies, based on only "saying that it hurts", with no visible marks, and conflicting stories, it is very possible the "victim" was telling the truth!!!

Ok, enough. If you want to hear an up close and personal story about DV, call me. Three doors down is a "lady" who got her next door neighbor thrown in jail for attempting to speak with her about her abysmal treatment of her dog.

Within a week, she got her BF thrown in the pokey for DV, and later that day, admitted that she was the instigator, and that she intentionally yelled so that the neighbors would call the cops. Now, he got out, but can't go to HIS house, where she was staying, or drive HIS car, which she drives like a maniac, even though she has no ownership of the house or the car. Tell me how that is fair????????

VAWA expired 9/30, let the mayhem begin!!!!

2005-10-09T20:21:00.000-07:00

Well, VAWA expired on Sept. 30.

Congress failed to renew VAWA by September 30th, so society has now officially collapsed, and the patriarchs and their minions are in charge, and running wild in the street. Just look out your window right this very minute to gape at the ongoing atrocities!

Men everywhere are now taking advantage of this window of opportunity by punching, kicking, dissing and dousing their girlfriends, wives and any other stray females with gasoline and lighting them ablaze! They also are taking the credit cards out of their hands, and freely having “domestic issues discussions”, without fear of the blue gunned thugs breaking down their doors to haul them off to the hoosegow for making them feel bad, or in fear (of not buying the new shoes, I guess).

And wimmin’ everywhere are, geez, when I look out it seems they are carrying on as usual. Running about their business, walking down dark streets, going into supply closets with males and the like, totally oblivious to the sword of Damocles that hangs over their heads this very instant. Don’t they realize that RAPE and WIFE-BEATING have now been legalized??? They ought to be running-around in terror, screaming their heads-off.

But then the Geezer would ask them how that is different from yesterday.

Searching for evidence that this country has been ripped asunder by the rampaging mobs of testosterone-addled barbarians venting their pent-up maleness without anything standing in their way, the Geezer finds none.

Geez does take great joy in that hundreds of newly-graduated Wimmins’ studies majors will soon find themselves without job opportunities if federal support to Wimmin’s Centers dry-up.

Warning ladies---Brimstone is just up your street, and down your alley, soon to visit your house.

NOT!

I made some minor changes to a real Support Enforcement press release

2005-09-08T17:08:00.000-07:00

SEPT. 9, 2005 NO. 69-69

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Ben Dover, Division of Child Support, (360) 663-5445
Bum Focker, Ph. D., Division of Child Support, (360) 663-5050

PUBLIC MEETINGS TO BE HELD ON GUARANTEED
INCREASES TO PAYING PARENTS CHILD SUPPORT SCHEDULE

OLYMPIA -- The public will have the opportunity cry and whine about increases to the state’s child support rate schedule that we are sure to make. We have employed the best spinners of data, known rad-fems, and the largest private child support collection agency to cook up data to guarantee that paying parents will be bent over even further. Even though our schedule now includes costs of health club memberships, and beauty salon treatments for custodial parents, we propose to now include that elusive pony that Mark Mahnkey, agency critic, always accuses us of having in the schedule.

The Child Support Workgroup, which consists of legislators, judges, public officials, NOW lobbyists and citizens (but citizens only after a bunch of whining from the dead-beat dad lobby) was appointed by Governatrix Christine Greg-wire’s corrupt head of OSE, and known father hater, Ray L. Weaver. Weaver’s appointments came as his last official act before being asked to resign under pressure, and being placed on the last train leaving Washington State. “This group was carefully appointed to include only those with a ‘dog in the hunt’,” Weaver was quoted as saying. “We wanted to be sure we only had folks on there whose next paycheck depends on fomenting additional dissent, raising support obligations to drive out the maximum number of delinquents, and to insure that new cases, particularly guys that would have paid anyway, would come under the system, allowing us to do major chest-thumping and backslapping as we crow about the huge increases in support that we are collecting.” This will make us look like we are actually doing something, rather than just building a bureaucracy and effin’ the dog.

The forums have carefully been designed to hear only the testimony we want to hear, and will be packed with the obligatory rad-fems, NOW members, and with substantial representation from the DV industry, who will be there to oppose shared parenting. It has scheduled the Seattle meeting for Sept. 19 and the Kennewick meeting for Sept. 26, both in an undisclosed location, to make it hard for the secret patriarchy of dead-beats to find it.

“These forums will provide an overview of the current Child Support Schedule, taking up the majority of the time, then allow the public the opportunity to comment on recommended changes for the last five minutes,” said Ben Dover, director of the Department of Social and Health Services Division of Child Support.

“The workgroup has spent several months scheming on how to increase the schedule to levels far in excess of half the cost of food, clothing, shelter, guidance and a hug, and far in excess of what we know it costs to keep a child, which would be the amount we pay for foster care, and now wants to hear from two carefully selected parents who do not work, and therefore can get there three hours in advance of the meeting to be first to sign up to speak, before the final recommendations are made, even though we know what those are, and will ignore any of those nasty dads who just want to get out of support, should they show up and bloviate,” he added.

The workgroup is reviewing the current rates and is scheduled to recommend changes to the carefully selected list of items which ignores the most egregious issues with the schedule, but is limited only to those items this group can see will help them build their bureaucracy. The schedule is supposedly used by courts and the state to set child support amounts, but we all know that the judges regularly blow it off, and do what ever they want, ignoring the law.

Interested persons may comment on the proposals by sending email to In your dreams @dshs.wa.gov or up your arse@dshs.wa.gov or by attending the forums. All such commentary will be shredded without reading, to make excellent bedding for Mr. Dover’s pet rat cage.

For more information contact the division’s Flackmeisters at 1-800-EAT-SHIT.

# # #

Blue Code alive and well with Jim Fuda's sheriff's candidacy

2005-09-03T09:55:00.000-07:00

As the fellow who surfaced this issue, let me comment.

First, full disclosure.

I am an acquaintance (not a "friend", as the Times said) of Greg Schmidt. I have three months off work, so have some excess bandwidth. For kicks and giggles, I made a public disclosure request of ALL the candidates, and got 500+ pages on each of the King County employees, Rahr and Fuda, and only 80 pages from Seattle PD, who employs Greg Schmidt. Hmmmmmm. Also, please note that Rahr allowed more than was required by law to be disclosed about her, to her credit.

So, I am going through this stuff, and find a couple of interesting things. First, Sue (Go Cougs) Rahr was busted on a petty charge of using company email for personal use when she was Chief in the City of Shoreline for sending a Clinton joke--a really good one--to someone. It was her second violation of the rule, and she took an unpaid leave day for it as a sanction. BFD. Interesting that the first time she was busted for mis-using company email, it was for replying with “thanks” to a fellow KC employee not in the sheriff’s department, who was not disciplined. So much for equity.

Why are they wasting time investigating this kind of petty crap, instead of using the resources to catch the puke that ripped off my $99 car stereo last month? If she would have picked up the phone, and told the joke on the company phone, it would have been ok. But I digress.

The only other interesting thing about the sheriff’s candidacy is her contributors. She certainly is plugged in to the Seattle elite. Folks contribute to campaigns, based on my experience as a three time elected official, because you can do something for them, or prevent what your opponent will do to them. Or, because you are just a friend wanting to show goodwill, and making a nominal contribution. Now, Rahr’s contributor list shows amounts way beyond that, from folks who, frankly, it won’t make a tinkers damn bit of difference to regardless of who gets elected. Big money folks contributed the max, way beyond what could be reasonably be expected. I mean old and new Seattle names, besides the Governatrix, a former Secy. Of State, former US Senators, small town mayors outside of King County that want to run for state senator, known rad-fems that and the like. Very interesting mix and lotsa bux.

When I had Fuda's file, I was reminded that in both our frivolous youths, just a year or two ago, that he was busted back to patrolman for a year, for a) filing a false expense report, b) lying to the prosecutor and c) failing to rat out his partner over $300 bucks in drug buy money that disappeared. The “blue code” seems to be alive and well with Mr. Fuda.

That suggests to me a lack of veracity, and brings questions to mind as to his suitability and temperament for the top cop job.

So, my index finger is turning red paging though all this stuff, when I come upon a Highline Community College transcript, where I note he got B and C grades. I also note that the Sheriff was inconsistent in what they redacted on various docs. Some places grades are redacted, some places they are not. Pretty sloppy work, as either they disclosed stuff they shouldn't have, or didn't disclose stuff they should have.

Anyhow, I get to a diploma from the prestigious Kingsfield University, which had a stench about it to my brilliant and observant mind. Turning bullshit filter up to "high", I made a note of this doc, and also noted that he went from an 'average' student to one who graduated Cum Laude, and with Distinction. Hmmmmmmm, I said, scratching the three hairs left on my head.

So, the next doc is the memo saying give the ol' boy a 2% raise.

Fine. I go back to my trailer court hovel, and crank up the squirrels that power the internet, and discover (on a German website, no less) that this university is a diploma mill, closed by the FTC in 2002-2003. I additionally note that three states who boldly identify "diploma mills" on their state's education website mention that this is one of those schools. Illinois, Michigan, and Oregon are the states, if ya wanna know.

Being an inquisitive fellow, I call a nice lady in the cop shop’s personnel department, and ask if the pay bump depends on it being an accredited university, and she assures me it does. When I drill down and ask how they check it out, she replies the HECB. Well, the HEC Board doesn't give a rat's about out of state institutions, and I mentioned that. Her response was that the guy who usually does the checking retired, and she gives me to some young fellow, who assures me again, it must be an accredited institution, and assures me that he checks them very, very carefully.

Ooooooooookkkkkaayyyyy.

Trucking back down to the cop shop to re-review the disclosed documents and verify that I saw what I thought I saw, I got copies this time. The legal department’s AA, a very sincere woman named Michelle Monohon, from Tacoma, is sitting next to me, and for giggles, I hold it up, point it towards her, and say, “Hey, Michelle, you ever see a diploma mill diploma? You are looking at one right now.”

She, rejecting the ‘blue code’, and being a good public servant, but unknownst to me, tells her boss as she is required to do, and that kicked off the investigation.

Seems that Ms. Rahr’s management failed to write a good policy, as the requirement that the degree be from an accredited institution is NOT in policy. In fact, it is in the labor union contract, where it is not spelled out clearly either. Sloppy, sloppy stuff.

So, Mr. Fuda could skate on this one, even though the Sheriff’s spinmeister, Sgt. John U., says it could be fraud. Tough cop talk methinks, on his part.

Now, if Mr. Fuda thought it was "cool" to have this (non) degree, please ponder this: It is NOT listed on his campaign website, www.jimfuda.com, even though his Highline CC degree is. How cool is that, as my young sons would say.

Ok, the Geezers fingers are tired, but thought you may want to know the rest of this story. I did not make the complaint as reported in the Times fishwrapper on Friday. Michelle did, rightfully. It was not my intention to cause that, in fact, I didn't even consider that she would be required to report, just trying to engage in social conversation with a person who showed utmost courtesy in delivering and facilitating my public records request.

Perry's wife on KING tonight

2005-06-20T22:15:00.000-07:00

Made me darn near puke.

Shame on KING for talking to her, and more shame on her for her smirking denial of withholding visitation. "Why, he just saw his daughter six months ago", she said, with a smirk. The attitude was thick, and obvious, her joy unconcealable.

Bad man, quit his high paying job after the divorce, she says.

Visitation was NEVER withheld, she exclaimed.

We will never know.

What we do know is he wanted to support his kids, and his sandwich board claimed such, but in his own house.

The claims he states in the recent article in Spare Change are true. Peonage, constitutional deprivation of dad's rights, and the like.

Too bad he got so close to the edge with the flag burning, and his ultimate demise.

The pain must have gotten to a point where it was unbearable.

Next time you have the opportunity to give someone a mulligan, please do so. It may be the kindness that keeps them with us. Don't give up the good fight, though, and continue to press for the dignity and value of men and fathers everywhere.

Geezer.

Sno-Isle Library policy discounts men's issues

2005-06-20T06:38:00.000-07:00

Detecting a "hole" in the Sno-Isle Library collection, I requested that they add Tom Ellis's book, Rantings of a Single Male to the collection.

I have not read this, just heard its promotion, and read reviews on Amazon.

It was rejected because it was not "professionally reviewed", therefore not meeting the library's policy.

I pointed out that that policy would have excluded the early writings of the civil rights movement, and the equity feminism movement, but to no avail.

Here is the email I sent to Mme. Director, who I count as my friend, and was my former employer.

To: Jonalyn Woolf-IvorySubject: Re: Rantings of a Single Man

Jonalyn--

It is not about this book in particular. I offered Fred Reed's books as an example too. He is not reviewed, but certainly is an accomplished author, having written the police column for a Washington DC newspaper, and currently retired, but writing a weekly technology column for them too. His past engagements include writing for the Stars and Stripes, Soldier of Fortune, and other mainstream publications. So, his recounts in article form, of his boyhood growing up in Virginia, would not count either.

The difficulty I have with the policy is that is causes a serious imbalance in the collection. This is particularly critical in the area of emerging movements, and in combating the "popularly believed, but purely urban legends" of the wholesale victimization of women, and the secret patriarchy that supposedly perpetuates that.

If this were applied in the late 50's to the 60's, you would have nothing about the civil rights movement, or the early movements of equity feminism in your collection, both of which I worked for and supported, as the roots of those movements and enlightenments were made up of ''yellers and screamers, discontents, and other folks who got no respect.....and no reviews".

Now, we have an emerging body who wants to raise consciousness of the dire straits that many men face in today's society, and the lack of respect and marginalization that they currently endure. They have been majorly disenfranchised, their children have been stripped from them, they are valued only for their "Human ATM machine" capabilities.

They take the most dangerous jobs (90+% of workplace deaths are men), die 7 years earlier, commit suicide 12X the rate of women, and yet my library tells me that those issues are not important enough to have a balanced collection for those who wish to explore the great untold truths in these areas.

I challenged you to punch some relevant search words into your own search thingy, which it appears you did not bother to do.

Well, let me share the results of my efforts in doing so.

Women's rights--199 hits
Men's rights--2 hits--of course, since men have no rights, that should not be a surprise

Women's studies--39 hits
Men's studies--5 hits

Women's issues 44 hits
Men's issues 3 hits

Women and Domestic Violence 43 hits
Men and domestic violence 10 hits

abused women 152 hits
abused men 33 hits.

Totals
Women whatever 477
Men whatever 53

Now, how on earth can you tell me that the collection, as driven by your current selection process, is without bias as to having resources for discovering this great emerging issue?????

Your process is driven to perpetuate the fallacies that men have it great, that the patriarchy is alive and well, and that wimmin' are still running around barefoot and pregnant.

I want a discussion on the board's part, since they are the sponsors of the current policy, as to how it perpetuates this huge imbalance in points of view in your collection, perpetuates the myths of woman as victim, and I want to find a way to get more balance in your collection on these emerging issues as to the status (or lack of the same) of men in this modern, woman dominated society.

I can give you reviewed statistics that would cause your jaw to drop on the dreadful way men are treated these days by society, and the conspiracy, via untruths and perpetuation of long ago debunked "facts" to further marginalize men in today's society.

Remember it is not people that we wrestle with but principalities behind the people

2005-06-19T11:53:00.000-07:00

Just got an email that RIP---

Remember it is not people that we wrestle with but principalities behind the people.

I was just pondering that the other day. The peeps are no longer in charge, the bureaucrats are. Folks are so overwhelmed (see my conspiracy theory about traffic congestion) that they have little time to study the issues, and no incentive to see who is doing what, and react to it, due to the perception that this or that politician or regime will not give you much different results, so you may as well work, take care of family, not participate and get maximum efficiency in your life that way, rather than by taking the time to study issues and have input into the process.

So, what happens is the bureaucrats and other interested parties (see: Follow the money) act in their own self interest, in cahoots with the pols who rubber stamp their crap, as the pols have no time to study the issues or ask the questions themselves, being fully devoted to raising more cash to keep their jobs.

Sad state of affairs.

So, am I gonna be the last man standing, studying the issues, and calling out the bureaucrats, who will use their self-generated rules to strike down the nail that sticks up? Or should I go quietly in the night, put head in shell, to stay below radar, and get very, very selfish with my time and efforts, pay them their "protection" money, and go along with the sheeples?

Such a dilemma.

Short thoughts on the Patriarchy--and you thought I couldn't do short thoughts on anything!

2005-06-09T21:34:00.000-07:00

Ya know, the more I hear about this Patriarchy thingy, the more appealing it sounds.

Like, I get to control all the money, the sex, everything around me, my whole environment. I can rape, pillage, denigrate and all those things that sound so fun.

Only trouble is, if I currently have all this privilege, how come I never see or feel it???

So, can one of you fine fellows tell me where the next meeting of these Patriarchy guys is? Must have a ton 'o them, to orchestrate all they are accused of, and a hella network for communications.

Removing tongue from cheek, I am, The Geezer.

Oprah--Naw, don't stop reading, this is good.

2005-06-03T21:08:00.000-07:00

So, the quasi-squeezie poo call me up last night, and says, Oprah is going to talk about sex!

Yeah, I said, I like sex. She says, you should watch it before you go to bed.

Now, having visions of being chased all night by a corpulent Nubian blob, I deferred to agree to watch part of it.

So, I turn it on about 9:20 or so, and here is this pussified man, who hasn't had the ol' lady give it up in TWO FRIGGIN' YEARS, on there.

Oprah is not Dr. Phil, so I figgered it would be all his fault. To her credit, the ebony money machine did not pose that thought, but certainly did not analyze the situation, but instead sent them to a love spa, or somesuch.

Often, what is observed, but not said, speaks louder. Married 15 years, with a 7 year old kid, there was a depiction of the family watching the lobotomy box, he on one couch, and mom and the kid snuggling warmly on the other. 'Scuse me, why was the kid cuddling with mom instead of the ol' man?

Cut-----man driving pickup, obviously some kind of builder, probably in management. Ralphie works 14 hours a day........ No mention of momma working. He likes sex in the morning, which she refuses.

Geezer's observation, and filling in the blanks follow.

First, if he works 14 hours a day, he isn't up to boinking the cutie at night, he wants to rest. If he did, the quality would be inferior to what he would want to provide. Does she work, or get to stay home with the kid? Does she drive a paid for $2000 car, or does he buy her a nice ride with a big payment, hence have to work 14 hours a day?

The solution is obvious to me.

Here it is.

She gets a job, so he can work 8 hours a day, and have a life with the family she wanted to have.

Kiddy-kins moves to the other couch with the cat or dog, and mom and dad cuddle on the other couch.

They adjust their (obviously rich, from the house) lifestyle, so the poor schmuck doesn't work all the time, and doesn't have to generate the income she spends.

She serves him breakfast in a French maid's outfit every morning before work, and gives him an exquisite BJ for dessert. Ed note: Nothing like an exquisite BJ to improve MY outlook on life.

She is a spoiled brat, like that Jennifer woman who skated on her wedding. No need to go to a sex boot camp, just for some understanding. If your deal included your working yer butt off to support your family, while wifey-poo eats bon-bons, watches Oprah, and sucks up Diet Pepsi, she better have dinner on the table, be cleaned up, same with the kid, and give it up on demand.

Who trained this guy to put up with this, and think that it is OK for him to run himself into the ground, with no "compensating" effort from his partner?

Hell, he could hire what he is getting for much less.

Ok. Rant mode off. But just for a little while.

Greeners, Spotted Owls, Farmland and Mudflats

2005-06-03T20:38:00.000-07:00

Well, the Greeners are as schizoid as can be. Want to preserve that farmland, yuppers.

So, 15 years ago, when I moved back to be a Snoho (oops, can't say that or I will be booted from the Snohomish School District), the county of my youth, there were 10-15 dairy farms from Lowell to Larimer, along the Lowell-Larimer Road. Now there are two.

Uh, now, if we invested in the barn, the land, the herd, and all, why would we shut it down, unless we weren't making a buck or two? Well, because we weren't making that buck. But should that stop the Greeners from insisting that we cannot use our land for a higher economic purpose? No, it appears not.

The Island Crossing area along I-5--Arlington - Silvana exit, for you townies, has not been farmed for some time, so ol' Dwayne Lane ("I'll take care of you") wants to move his Chevy dealership out of the pit of a facility in Arlington, to the freeway. But wait, the Greens say, that is farmland, so you cannot build there. Even though it hasn't been farmed for some time, is on the exit, has other freeway services nearby and the like.

Now, these are the same folks, who, six miles south, encouraged the abandonment of farmland just south of Marysville to build a, yup, mudflat!!!! The same ones who brokered the sale of the Beringer Berry farm to the east of the freeway, to the developers. Of course, it is for a higher purpose, they will tell you. Seems that folks who want to develop in the built up areas, can buy this swampland and use it for a mosquito breeding operation, instead of having the same on their property. And, as a generous parting gift, they can pay full commercial rates for it, even though it is useless except for farming or flooding.

So, on the one hand, if they can hold up the bad capitalists and sell them lowland farms for full price, it is ok, but on the other, the Island Crossing site should be preserved. Low lying land is low lying land.

Weller's restaurant property is for sale at the same exit and right next door to some land owned by "Fast" Eddie Goodridge, the young buck chair of the Stilly Tribe with the fast car, who is trying to get his illegal billboard site turned into trust lands. Are they gonna be politically incorrect, and fight the tribe when they want to turn farmland on the north side of SR 530 into a casino?

You heard it here first, folks. It will happen. So remember, natives good, unless you are a white native, like Dwayne Lane. Heck, all he did was take a sleepy Dodge dealership in downtown Everett, and build it into a large family owned business, employing hundreds, and contributing to every charity in town. So why should we cut him any slack? Wrong kind of native, methinks.

Oh, the Northern Spotted Owl.

Almost forgot about that rascal.

I was thinking of my friend in Forks, a fellow politician in recovery. He used to read (and disconnect) electric meters for the PUD. Spotted Owls put the formerly vibrant town of Forks on the ropes. Er, should I say NORTHERN spotted owls, the posterchild of the greeners.

Did you know there is a flourishing and growing species of Southern Spotted Owls? Nope, the mainstream press neglected to tell you about those. Genetically identical to the Northern owl, but living in the south. No shortage of owls, no threat of extinction.

Just a plethora of cockeyed science, clueless judges, bought off scientists, and disingenuous greeners who will purport to tell you to the square yard how much forest each of these mouse eaters needs.

Yaknow, if these guys were around in prehistoric times, we would still have dinosaurs, and would be dodging them while driving down I-5.

It's Father Bashing Time!!!

2005-05-30T06:45:00.000-07:00

Well, I see our faithful persecutor of the county of King is cranking up for his annual father bashing on Father's Day.

Would the same thing be tolerated if directed to Muthas on Mutha's Day? I doubt it.

Starts with an innocent notice buried way inside the paper, about "child support amnesty" giving beatdead dads an opportunity to not take the new hot, younger woman to some tropical isle, and instead pay their back support in the next week or two.

Then we will come after you, it says.

Of course, most who can pay, do, and the ones that don't majorly have less than $10K annual income.

Nonetheless, some feminazi (I betcha) in his office dreams this up every year at this time, so that on / just prior to Father's Day, (s)he can parade some unfortunate men before the public, in a show of how effective the prosecutor is, going after those dads who abandoned their family, even though the wife is the one who filed the divorce, majorly.

They must have another professional athlete who used to make big buxx, and now works at the car wash, and has minimal income to pay his support obligation that was set when he was making megamillions, in the wings.

Sure wouldn't want to parade a bunch of barely English speaking immigrants who work hard, but have no money, out for the press now would we.

I wanna see them parade wimmin out who don't take care of the kids like this on Mother's Day, not to embarrass the Moms, but to stand back and feel the heat from the wimmin's industries, about how uncaring the prosecutor is.

I nominate two for next year. The mother who got her kiddy-kins carjacked, while she left the car running to run into the LIQUOR STORE at 10 AM, and the mother who unfortunately lost her two kids in Silverdale because she TOOK THE BATTERIES out of the SMOKE DETECTOR, because cooking set it off. Geezushkeericed, lady, maybe if you cleaned your kitchen, and watched while you cook, that wouldn't happen, and your two daughters would be alive.

Can't legislate against stupidity, and while I am no fan on state intervention in families, perhaps an example here or there may be helpful in having folks understand how important protecting your children is, as opposed to your selfish convenience.

Rant mode off, but not for long I am sure.

The Geezer has a few questions for you!

2005-05-22T04:54:00.000-07:00

Driving down the road in my rented Kia, and realizing I live in a trailer park, I got to thinking I may be turning into the personification of white trash.

That simple ponderance caused me to ask more questions.

Let us see if you, the reader, can shed some light, rather than heat and wind, on these.............

Just write your answers on apiece of electronic paper, and email them to thespinmeister@gmail.com.

The one with the most correct answers can go on a tour of Olympia, and the newspaper's editorial offices, and share their brilliance with the dims, er, ah, Dems. Ready???

The gub'mint says both parents should support their kiddy-kins after divorce. So, when a guy can't do that because he is injured, or unemployed, and can't pay his child support we throw him in jail.

When wimmin' can't support their kids, because they don't have the money, we:

A) toss em in the wimmin's greybar like men

B) give them the money in the form of welfare and then make the man pay it back. If he can't, we throw his arse back in jail, where he cannot work to pay for his kids, and it costs the sheeples over $100 simolians per day to keep him there. Oh, yeah, and we take his drivers license, to make it easy for him to get to work and pay us back after we let him out, too.

See how easy this quiz is???? Makin' a ton-o-sense here, aren't I?

Next question.

The state always says it acts in the best interest of children. Fact: most child abuse occurs in single female headed households.

So, the state:

A) awards custody to single females 85% of the time, to act in the best interest of the children and keep them safe

B) finding no parental unfitness, awards shared custody and shared residential time to both parents, benefiting the kids by having additional adults in their life for guidance, and having them interact with their fathers, their natural protectors.

Now you rockin'!!! Keep going, as this is a lot easier than you thought.

The feminazis (and the Everett Herald) tell you that equally qualified wimmin' make 75 cents to a man's dollar. Tom Leykis (love em or hate em) has offered $20K for the last two years to any woman who can demonstrate she has been paid less than a man with equal training, education, experience, and output doing the same job for the same company, with no takers. Given that,

Name the entrepreneur who said, Whoa! If I fire all the men, and hire only women, I can save 25% of my labor bill, and kick the competition's ASS!!!!!

Sound transit and their ilk tell us that they deserve half or so of the "highway" funds, because the bozos on the bus aren't in their cars taking up space on the road. Good enough. Let's carry that one step farther. Until busses are full to standing room, they are still wasting money, so to encourage ridership:

A) They have a free fare policy during rush hour, to take even more cars off the road, and fill up the busses

or

B) Increase the fare during rush hour, thereby reducing the number of folks on the bus.

Note: It does not count as ridership when the gub'mint gives their employees free bus passes. That is just an additional fringe benefit. Ever notice how many folks have those gub'mint ID cards and ride free?

Taking care of our kids, and being expected to use a small dose of common sense is in the public's best interest.

So, if a parent either leaves their kid in the car while they run into the liquor store, and the car is carjacked because the engine is running, or if a parent removes batteries from the smoke detector because cooking (in a filthy kitchen, no doubt) sets them off, we:

A) Give comfort to the grieving parents, even though their over the top egregious behavior placed their kids in danger, or killed them

or

B) Prosecute them for terminal stupidity, and make them stand nekkid in a freezer for an hour.

Ummmmm, some of these questions don't seem to have answers, Geezer.

You puttin' me on???

Stonecipher thinks with the little head instead of the big head, and the Wimmin' once again get a big PASS

2005-03-07T20:22:00.000-08:00

If ol' Harry agreed to the Code of Conduct, and it prohibited the behavior, then he should get the axe.

But that is not quite what the story said. It said, like Ron Popiel, "but wait, there's more!"

And then the trail went cold. Seems that if the company code of conduct applies to ol' Harry, it should apply to his "female executive" too, but, once again in the world, the Wimmin' get a pass.

There is an inherent danger in fishing in the company pond, and someone of his acumen should be aware of that. Of course, it is not our business, really, just between he and the missus as to what deal they cut.

I sure hope Tom Leykis is right, and that wimmin are attracted to money, power and prestige, because Harry ain't no stud-muffin, in anyone's book. Of course, have you seen what Boeing female execs look like? Don't check right before bedtime, or risk nightmares.

As far as how it will affect the company, it seems they have been chewing through top executives at a hefty burn rate, and I would be concerned that folks may not be ready to step into the job, at least internal folks, which they have shown a preference for.

Since Stonecipher came from M-D, I am certain that there are many at the lazy B who will not shed a tear.

New-Weasel and Probation Nation

2005-03-07T20:20:00.000-08:00

I am a Cougar, and no fan of Slick Rick Neuheisel or the Dawgs, but Rick got whacked unfairly.

What does fellow coug call him? The fairly maligned, but unfairly fired.

Now, I don't suppose I care much about the NCAA having to give up the green, but I sure wish Barbara Hedges and Dr. Lee Huntsman had to write the check out of their personal account for the money that the UW pays him, because, of course, it is not the UW that pays for their errors, but you and I, via our taxes.

Barbara and Lee can continue to get their large pensions, and lounge on the beach sipping adult beverages, with no consequences for their egregious behavior.

Nutz.

2005-03-02T16:45:00.000-08:00

Don't piss me off.

El Gato comes by for a brushing, but I wanted to play first. Seems he took exception to that. Kinda snooty, for a stray cat, being cared for by a guy who doesn't like cats, don't ya think?

Of course, this is one special cat! Comes when you call him, doesn't have an attitude too often, and swaggers when he walks, just like our President.

Can't argue with that, now, can you?

The cool blue wave gives you the cool blue finger

2005-02-25T20:19:00.000-08:00

Sound Transit, civility, and my love for raunchy jokes.

Ok, ya think for a minute the ol' fart lost it, looking at the headline.

Yuppers, I will admit it. My name is Bill and I'm........er, wrong pew, sorry.

I like the ribald and joke of questionable color as well as the next person.

But I know when to tell them, and when to tone it down.

Sound Transit does not.

They musta been watching too much of that blue humor on the WB network or somesuch, to think that their current crop of radio ads is consistent with the dignity of a gub'mint agency.

Now, catchy is good, edgy is an excuse for the borderline obscene.

"We wanted to be edgy, says their spinmeister, and you are the only one that has questioned the ads" he says.

Well, ok, I guess. I wasn't questioning them, just their appropriateness for a public agency.

If you haven't heard them, let me cut and paste fer ya.

Suggesting you can do stuff on the bus, or train, or whatever with the big blue wave on it, the commercial, suggests

RIP

Like reading something good for a change

WOMAN 2: The Pirate of Desire.

WOMAN: Or, romance novels. Sound Transit. Ride the wave.

Now, that isn't the worst, but an old magazine and paperback distributor friend of mine called them romance novels in polite company, bodice rippers in not so polite company, and many contemporary common-taters call them what they really are, female porn.

Something good for a change, indeed.

But, you say, Mark, that ain't squat. Usually takes something really outrageous to gits yer goin'.

Ok, how about this one:

RIP--Reads in part, if you didn't get that the first time.

(REFINED BRITISH ACCENT) Presenting great reads in commuting history. This week we celebrate some of the finest bumper stickers on the road.

-Beer drinkers make better lovers.

-I need someone really bad. Are you really bad?

-Your kid may be an honor student, but you're still an idiot.

-I'm not your type, I'm not inflatable.

MAN: Horn broken. Watch for finger

So, how do you know my type isn't inflatable? Huh? Gubmint been in my bedroom again? My apologies to the hoochie chicks that they gub'mint may have seen there--I thought it was a secure crib, honest.

And horn broken, watch for finger? From a public agency? Gimmeafrigginbreak.

I asked if they ran this past any of the brass, and was assured that it was reviewed and approved by Ms. Earl, Vern Stoner, both very nice folks, and the Board Chair. Who gives a hoot what a Pierce County Lawyer thinks, though.

Lets stay with the very gracious Ms. Earl, who once sat in front of me at a taping for a TV special on transportation. Not being a big fan of the agency who gives you half of what they promised, for twice the price, yet tells you that they are "on budget", with a straight face yet, I found myself kicking her chair all during the taping. Not once did she turn around and give me a dirty look. Master politician, that woman!

And Vern Stoner, her deputy, has a great long record of public service. I worked closely with his peeps when he was running Employment Security. Fine gent, and a good solid public servant.

So, did they have simultaneous brain-farts when they approved this turkey?

Believe it or not, I am seriously offended by this total lack of taste.

The blue wave gives me the blue finger, indeed.

Kid again, purchasing his first car. More car tax stories for ya

2005-02-25T19:52:00.000-08:00

So, the kid, being a chip off the old block-head, cuts a sweet deal on a car.

Didn't steal it, mind you, just found a willing seller. I drove the chick-magnet, and it was pretty sweet, however the clutch seemed near the end of its useful life. So, I tells junior, "Hey, maybe you want to mention it, and how $600-$800 bucks this soon after purchase is a bit much for the old college kid, yada, yada" Bottom line, will ya take $200 less than yer askin'.

It was really fairly priced, but Honda clutches are not, so it was a reasonable request, and a deal was struck between a willing buyer, and a willing seller.

Thas' what I learnt in economics class, as best my foggy mind recalls. A sale at arms length, between a willing buyer and a willing seller sets the price. Yup, musta been awake that day, instead of nodding off. How was I to know that tall slender drink-o-water teaching would return when we were both much older, to be president of the university????? WSU, for those who don't know.

So, junior gets an official bill of sale, all legal like, and trots down to his friendly local licensing place to make a legal and timely transfer of title. If ya gonna be a cop, you should set a good example, and the kid, having taken leave of his senses, made that choice.

The nice lady behind the counter, not appearing to be a tool of the gub'mint, says, hey, sonny, you got a hella buy on that pimp ride. Even though you paid $4200 dead presidents, the state-o-wa is gonna give you the privilege of unjustly enriching them by paying tax on $6400, or some such.

Uh, the kid sez, being of sharp mental ability like his ol' man, that would cost me over a hundred bucks more than it should. Wassup with that?

The state, enjoying bending over the sheeples to give them their just desserts, has a "range" for what cars should cost. Seems that bottom range for this ride is $4250. If he would have paid 50 bucks more, he could have saved more than $100 in sales tax. Now, how does that help the state???? Oh, yeah. Diane Sharpe's law--don't look for logic where there is none.

She gleefully explains that if he would have LIED, and had a bill of sale for $50 bucks more, it would be no sweat, and he would pay tax on the sale amount.

So, junior says, WTF (maybe I said that, junior is too polite to say that), and goes and finds the guy and gets a phony bill of sale.

Now, will the state-o-wa go to H-E-double hockey sticks for encouraging lying? I sure hope so.

It is that damn depreciation schedule coming back to bite yer butt, that is what it is.

Lets kill the sucker, and bury it so deep it doesn't rear its ugly head again, and thereby encourage our young that honesty pays.

Not that lying pays, which is the lesson of the bureaucracy.

Shame on them.

$30 tabs? Not for long!

2005-02-25T19:40:00.000-08:00

Now, the gub'mint, they like that car tab tax. Along comes Tim-meister of Muk-a-muk, writes up a fancy initiative, and the sheeples tell the gub'mint no more expensive tabs.

Well, methinks that the sheeples mind not so much paying a reasonable amount for car tabs, but they don't like the gub'mint lying to them.

Reasonable, to my twisted mind, anyway.

This thing called the depreciation table, on which car tab tax was based, had about as much relation to reality as does Villi and Mary Kay.

It way overvalued cars, and their tax.

The sheeples said, horsepuckey, and be gone with you, and so it was in the territories.

Then comes the old smokey backrooms in Olytown, with the bureaucrats saying, "drat, the sheeples are on to us. But we are NEVER ever wrong, therefore we will find another way to bend them over".

Sure enough, under the guise of the poor cities and counties, and their crumbling roads, there is a bill to institute a local "option" car tab tax of only $25--this year that is, going on up to $35, once the gub'mint distracts the poor sheeples in a couple of years.

Yuppers, I am sure they can use the money, but have you taken a look-see at your property tax statement? The part that says "county road tax"? Go ahead and get it, I will wait.

You say, jumping gehosifat, there sure looks as if I pay them folks plenty for the potholes out in front of the house, howcome they need more money?

Well, this curmudgeon thinks that the gub'mint doesn't like to be told what to do by the sheeples, and this is the gub'mint's way of getting back in your pocketbook.

I report, you decide.

(apologies to Fox News)

Kid, Redux

2005-02-18T20:39:00.000-08:00

Well, after trashing my baby yesterday about moving to Minn., and working at Wal-Mart, I must admit I did raise up a fine young man.

He showed the good taste to ask the old man to check out a car that he wanted to buy. Now, I am not a mechanic, but used to wash cars when I was 14 and 15 for my scoutmaster, who, convienently, owned the Ford dealership in beautiful downtown Gig Harbor. Ears open, mouth shut, and you learn some stuff.

Oh, and since the title says "gub'mint foibles", I should point out that no children were harmed in that activity, which you must be 18 to do now, nor was I harmed picking strawberries when I was 10 and 11, a fact which again, the gub'mint, in an effort to create and perpetuate the entitlement class, has prohibited to kids. Wonder what they know that they find they must protect us from about that. Oh, yeah, that work has its rewards. For if we all had a good work ethic, then there would be far fewer dispensers of our tax money employed, now, wouldn't there. But I digress, and rant.

So, the kid is now a proud owner, along with BECU, of a cute silver Civic, even has a hole in the roof. Not a chick magnet, furshure, but it should serve him well, and of course papa is happy that he thinks enough of my opinion to ask me to check it out.

Kids

2005-02-17T21:42:00.000-08:00

Yea, even though they are 21, they are kids.

So, my baby tells me today that after 4 years of college, he wants some "time off", and is moving to Minn. for reasons unknown.

Wants to be a street cop, but instead, is gonna go play with the hoochie-chick, and do what? Work at Wal-Mart?

Ah, children. But as the boy sez, "Don't parent me! I don't need parenting. You do".

Thas' 'm boy.

Gotta love 'em.

The Geezer hisself--A man's place is in the kitchen

2005-02-17T21:30:00.000-08:00

The Geezer

Working Poor in the 2/9 Pee-Eye Fish-wrapper

2005-02-10T22:20:00.000-08:00

Now, we all remember some time when we were the working poor, but I suspect we "owned" what we were doing, and had a plan for a way out of where we were.

This would have been an even better article if they took that poor Lake Stevens single mother (which is NOT a badge of honor, by the way) and made her more accountable. Hell, if her old boyfriend is paying the rent, and you and I are paying for her daycare via welfare, then why the hell doesn't she get along well on the 21K she claims to make for the rest of her expenses?

And since when do those ER tech folks make less than 12-14 bucks an hour, which, full time like the rest of us work, comes out to more than the 21K she claims to make.

Nowhere is the obvious solution for her mentioned, give the kids to their father to raise, if she can't raise them.

Nice sob story, but why on earth did the author of that piece not ask enough questions to get the whole picture?

Perhaps that poor single mother would not look so poor and downtrodden, if ya took the time to "do the math".

So, tomorrow they gonna explain why she has two young kids if she can't support them? Is she getting (tax free) child support, which would add another $6K (pre-tax about $9K) to her income? And how about the $ 3K or so in tax relief for being head of household?

Now, even giving a break for $21K being full time wages, add the $72oo the squeezie-poo pays for rent, the $3K tax relief, and about $6K (non-taxable) child support, and what--$4K in childcare relief, lemme see, that totals--enter calculator sound here--$37,200 per year.

If she needs financial advice on how to raise two kids on that amount, I will help her out, and show her how to live like a queen--no, welfare wasn't in there preceeding queen, but I know you read it that way anyway. Sorry, but nary a tear is shed here, as when you look at the rest of the story (apologies to you, Paul), she ain't rollin' in it, but she is a far cry from the "working poor".

And why does she need a "near new" car at 19% interest? Why couldn't she pay cash for a $1500 car, like I have been driving for the last three years, with great results?

Gimmeafrigginbreak.