Disqus - Latest Comments for malamute

Re: A California Town Bleeds From Sequestration's Cuts

malamute — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:33:45 -0000

All Congress had to do was to re-institute responsible tax rates and there would be no sequestration cuts.

Re: Spice Route quietly closes its doors, new eatery to open soon - Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

malamute — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 19:16:26 -0000

Yes, I am grateful that the Singh's were so generous to the community. And the food was excellent. What a shame.

Re: FCC: 6,500 cell sites down after Hurricane Irene

malamute — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:07:03 -0000

True, but the carriers certainly can't be relied on to publish their outage stats. With the push toward building a public safety broadband voice network, such stats are essential to building models the drive proper engineering and informed policy making.

Re: New survey spotlights residents’ unmet health care needs - Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

malamute — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 01:00:46 -0000

Highline is a non-profit corporation.

http://www2.guidestar.org/o...

Re: The Day Comcast’s Data Cap Policy Killed my Internet for 1 Year [Updated]

malamute — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 22:25:38 -0000

For wireline services, regulated monopoly status is essential to incentivize buildouts. The capital costs and fixed operating costs are enormous. Wireline markets can only be profitable when there is one and only carrier.

This is a long established fact. It as been a fundamental element of the wireline telecommunications market since the 1930's.

Re: Three new cougar cubs come to the Cougar Mountain Zoo | Picture This - Issaquah Reporter

malamute — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 20:42:36 -0000

Concur. It's not adequately explained why they're not being prepared for a life in the wild.

If CM Zoo is so strapped for cash that it must use these animals as a cash cow, it raises serious questions about their ability to provide their animals a decent life:

"The zoo is still trying to raise about $10,000 to modify its cougar habitat to accommodate them as they grow...To help socialize the cubs and to help raise money, the zoo is
offering cougar encounters, 20 minutes of play time for about $500...None of the cougars have been named, because they’re giving those with sponsorships."

Re: Let’s tighten our borders, for Mexico’s sake | Letter to the Editor - Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

malamute — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 12:38:57 -0000

We indeed need an orderly immigration process; an expanded guest worker program with realistic targets is the answer. A highly-militarized border will not result in one. It will only enrich defense contractors and their vaporware. I invite you to read more about the technical foundations of the "Strategic Border Initiative", the body of purchase contracts that have risen as a result, and their technical performance record to date.

Bottom line: an armed, walled border is bound to fail. Moreover, a restrictionist border policy will impose unintended costs on our economy that far exceed any costs undocumented immigrants impose. Lastly, the Obama administration has been pretty aggressive in workplace immigration documentation inspections, to the point where there is now a backlash - see Georgia.

(BTW, I welcome the democratic uprisings in North Africa as much as anyone; more, in fact, since I support the President's decision to provide the Libyan rebels with air support. This is an unpopular position on both my progressive left and the right. The jury is still out and what these nations will look like - democracy is fragile, and radical Islamist political parties see an opportunity here.)

Re: Let’s tighten our borders, for Mexico’s sake | Letter to the Editor - Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

malamute — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 04:27:51 -0000

"Eighty thousand of the 93,000 attendees where cheering for Mexico and booing the American team."

This is perfectly understandable, given the level of baseless demonization they have suffered.

" If the millions of low-income Mexicans were forced to stay in Mexico,
without the benefit of the billions which are sent each year from
America, the Mexican population would ultimately revolt and demand the
opportunity to share in the wealth of this resource-rich country. "

This is largely fantasy - see Nigeria..or Iraq. There's a term for the syndrome that afflicts resource rich, democratically backward, economically underdeveloped countries: "The Curse of Oil Wealth", or more generally "The Resource Curse" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

Nonetheless, a populist revolt followed by some level of stability is possible in a petro-state - see Venezuela. I doubt that's what Mr. Harvey envisions as an ideal solution.

Re: Sea Levels Rising at Fastest Rate in 2000 Years

malamute — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 18:25:47 -0000

If the consequences were limited to 8 inches of additional sea level, then yes - nothing much to worry about. As you well know the consequences are going to be much more severe, varied, and costly to mitigate than that.

Re: District says the high school’s main structure should be torn down - Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

malamute — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:14:39 -0000

Building A is a dangerous, wasteful, disgraceful building. We are fortunate that a teardown will be cheaper than a retrofit, and that so much of the concrete can be recycled.

Re: District says the high school’s main structure should be torn down - Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

malamute — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:13:42 -0000

Energy efficiency performance metrics should be established, but Building A's design is obviously
*highly* energy inefficient - many of the classroom doors on that monstrosity open directly to the outside. I've never seen anything like this in a school building. This building was obviously designed in the era before the first energy crisis of the 1970's.

Re: Vashon ferry worker on leave after road rage incident - Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

malamute — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:33:51 -0000

True, it is hearsay. It would not hold up in court. This is obviously the lens through which KCSO views this matter.

Citizens can and should observe much lower standards of proof in their ordinary, informal, extra-judicial policing. Here in this forum, I have advocated a similar approach toward the young man accused of propositioning minors last summer; heightened vigilance, confrontation and ostracism when necessary.

By all accounts, this is unnecessary in Mr. Bryce's case. I'm moving on.

Re: Vashon ferry worker on leave after road rage incident - Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

malamute — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:22:06 -0000

"Sadly though, it makes me feel that there might be another person I'd like to live on this island without.."

Act with consideration for your neighbors at all times and you'll never have an issue. Obey the Golden Rule.

Re: Vashon ferry worker on leave after road rage incident - Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

malamute — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:13:52 -0000

A number of respondents are incorrectly choosing to focus on Mr. Bryce's personal attributes - his friendliness, his long record of WSF service - rather than looking at this issue in its obvious, more important context. This surprises me.

A number of citizens have begged, BEGGED drivers to slow down in the pages of this very newspaper over the past few months. This kind of reaction is not elicited by the ordinary 5-to-10 over that we all engage in. There is a real problem with reckless driving, whether you choose to acknowledge it or not.

We are fortunate that Mr. Bryce worked for the ferry system; the additional media attention will hopefully prompt KCSO and/or KC Roads to finally act (a few roundabouts and speed bumps in town and at Center could put an end to this once and for all).

Personally, I'm not holding my breath. On Vashon, KCSO is staffed only sufficiently enough to close the barn door after the horse has escaped. So, until they act the onus is upon the rest of us to police ourselves.

Re: Vashon ferry worker on leave after road rage incident - Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

malamute — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:15:40 -0000

"It crosses the line from small town nosiness to something entirely more
creepy when people start to conduct video surveillance on their
neighbors. Seriously, is this the kind of world we want to live in?"

This is an exceptional circumstance, a guy doing 50 in THE TOWN CENTER.

Yes, there are circumstances when moral necessity demands people overcome their natural laziness and inclination to look the other way, and to confront those who could really hurt others through their selfishness.

In the Army, they call this "moral courage".

Re: Vashon ferry worker on leave after road rage incident - Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

malamute — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:12:45 -0000

" I'd rather live on an island with the guy who spread the Danish, than with the guy who did the filming."

I'd rather people not double the speed limit in front of Ober Park. I care much less about how people feel about sandwiches, danishes, and cameras.

There is no expectation of privacy on a public right-of-way.

Re: Vashon ferry worker on leave after road rage incident - Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

malamute — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:09:43 -0000

"It is not yours, Mr. Schillers or my right to take the law into my own hands and that means never."

Wrong. In this case, Mr. Bryce's extreme disregard for the safety of others on a street that we all share MANDATED third-party action.

Tell Mr. Bryce to slow down. Big Brother may not be watching, but Little Brother is.

Re: Merchants hope to curb credit card use - Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

malamute — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 00:11:24 -0000

"I get it. You're 'modern', we're behind the times, and the banks take a little cut on every transaction. "

Whine all you want, Ivan, but the vast majority of Americans - consumers and businesses alike - are with me on this one, particularly those under 30. The texture and tempo of our lives - for better or worse - is driving paper currency to its demise.

As for subsidization, paper instruments are far more expensive to handle than electronic transactions; this is why the IRS, Social Security and every employer in the nation prefers electronic deposit. In the aggregate, it is likely that electronic currency users subsidize the dwindling number of users who cling to paper instruments

But, really, I'm not interested in picking a fight. Rather than fight the inevitable, we are better served by using the opportunities presented by this technological shift to liberate us from our currency oligopoly. I have presented one idea, a small step: a retail point-of-sale network that is an extension of the current ATM network maintained by our nation's credit unions. I encourage you to be more forward looking and present ideas in that vein.

Re: Vashon ferry worker on leave after road rage incident - Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

malamute — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 19:54:44 -0000

"I find it telling that the King County Sheriff's Office did not take up the case."

Don't read too much into that. Neither the prosecutor nor KCSO have much interest in devoting resources to policing traffic on a rural island. We're in the same precinct as White Center.

Re: Vashon ferry worker on leave after road rage incident - Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

malamute — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 13:30:07 -0000

"You should just mind your own business,"

A WSF employee exceeding 50 MPH through the town center on the way to work is our business.

Re: Vashon ferry worker on leave after road rage incident - Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

malamute — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 13:15:54 -0000

1. You need to re-read the article. Mr. Schiller took the story to KING 5 only after he notified KCSO and they did nothing. It is true that Mr. Schiller apparently needs a nice tall glass of common sense, but vigilantism is inevitable - and necessary - when important laws are repeatedly broken without consequence.

2. Mr. Bryce's employment with the ferry system is perfectly germane to this discussion. The accusation is that Mr. Bryce regularly exceeds 50 MPH through the town center (!) on his way to work on the boat. As we all know, this is twice the 25 MPH speed limit (it turns 40 on the outskirts, and 50 for a stretch near the community care center). As a taxpayer and a fare-payer, I expect much better from our WSF employees. The ferry system is correct to recognize this by placing him on leave while they investigate (and, presumably, wrangle with his union). Working for WSF is a privilege, not a right.

Re: Merchants hope to curb credit card use - Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

malamute — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 23:39:30 -0000

Exactly. We need not paper, but an alternative electronic payment system that is not subject to the usurious terms imposed on small merchants by Big Finance.

Independent credit unions have already organized themselves into a cooperative ATM network; why can't this network be extended to points-of-sale for businesses who are members?

http://www.co-opfs.org/publ...

Re: Merchants hope to curb credit card use - Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

malamute — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 03:15:20 -0000

I read now that the UK is phasing out checks ("cheques") by 2018:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/...

Will we be far behind?

Re: Merchants hope to curb credit card use - Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

malamute — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 01:31:35 -0000

"Have you asked yourself the question, 'Why are hard currency instruments becoming obsolete?' "

I don't really need to - the answer is self-evident: cash is inconvenient compared to more technologically-advanced alternatives. I don't even carry it anymore, and I'm not the only one by far.

We don't like to think of ourselves this way, but we are residents of metro Seattle. Our economy orbits around technology.

I am the first to stick up for local businesses, and I am sensitive to the undesirable level of control that Big Finance wields over our ecommerce infrastructure. Returning to 19th-century financial instruments is not the answer to this conundrum; our community is more demanding than that.

And, as I originally stated, our kids - all born after the dawn of ecommerce - just won't put up with that. The future viability of Island businesses demands that they be more forward-looking.

I would hope that our cadre of talented and progressive citizens would leverage our collective buying power, our talent, and our communitarian spirit to develop a more technologically acceptable solution than paper instruments.

Re: Merchants hope to curb credit card use - Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

malamute — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 20:37:01 -0000

" It's easy to tell them to 'factor the costs into their pricing' yet if
by doing that they lose the sale, then they go out of business."

Very few will lose sales over the addition of debit/credit card swipe fees.

Engels is quoted in the article. They are an exception; consumers are already aware that Engels' gas pricing* is enormous compared to Chevron, Mom's Deli, and Williams, and they object to paying the card transaction fees *on top* of that price differential. They are already cranky about >$4 gallon gas; when presented with the additional transaction fee they will simply say "eff you" and drive into town.

This is the 21st century. Hard currency instruments are becoming obsolete; the Island's geographic and cultural isolation don't change that fact. Businesses need to get onboard; if that means establishing some sort of off-the-grid electronic, local commerce scrip coop with PSCCU's assistance then do it.

*I'm not criticizing Engels - they do what they must to stay in business. Recognizing that fact doesn't change the behavior of Maury consumers.