Saturday, January 19, 2008

Share the Dream of
A World Without War

Join the Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action for a traditional vigil and direct action at the gates of Naval Base Kitsap, Bangor, on Saturday, January 19. Honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as together we resist nuclear weapons, the occupation of Iraq, and the bombing of Iran.

CALL FOR ARTISTS

Here Today Temporary Public Art Project

FINAL DEADLINE: January 18, 2008

What kind of art would you create in downtown Olympia? The City of Olympia is commissioning local artists to create temporary public art projects/installations in downtown Olympia August 1-31, 2008. “Here Today” celebrates a sense of place through performance, visual, literary, moving picture or any other artistic medium. It’s about learning some of the ropes of public art. For an updated prospectus, look online at www.olympiawa.gov/cityservices/par, email Stephanie Johnson, Arts & Events Manager at sjohnso1@ci.olympia.wa.us or call 360/709-2678.

So I'm just sitting in my living room reading a book minding my own business like a normal guy, when I realize I'm hearing a faint voice from the other side of the house. I look around to see if any of my four cats hear this as well, but they are nowhere to be seen.

So I creep down the hallway and as I near the utility room door I hear a tiny announcer voice, "And springtime is still a few months away, meaning we won't be able to grab those small, flightless baby birds that fall out of the nests for awhile. So, until we can give you mews about the weather turning warmer, here are some tips on how to drive your humans crazy while housebound ..."

I probably should've waited to hear what they said next, but instead I went into the room and saw a little video camera set up, pointed at all four cats sitting in a row, looking up at me with total innocent big-eyed faces. Yeah. Right.

So my word of warning. Don't leave your cats alone in a room with a TV and remote. They might be watching the "Four Cats Forecasts For Cats."

With that said, have a great week and keep your smiles on:)

So why do us that are pro- 2nd amendment types like to have our guns with us? Are we compensating for something? Are we paranoid? Or do we think like good Boy Scouts and are prepared?

People like Anon-Larry think it isn’t a good use of money/resources. Or they think it’s unlikely it will ever be needed. Perhaps they believe it’s a risk to their well being if us gun lovers have our gun with us.

Of course I would disagree with each of those assertions. Guns hold their value very well, much better than a car or a computer for example. People who say it’s unlikely you will ever really need a gun, and yes they’re probably correct. But it is also highly unlikely you will need your seatbelt, but we put them on each time we get in the car. I can remember our first car that came with seatbelts. It was a 1966 Dodge Charger. I wore my seatbelt then, and still do to this day. In 42+ years of wearing a seatbelt, I have been involved in only two collisions neither of which wearing a seatbelt would have mattered. But guns, like a seatbelt, if you really need it you want to be sure you have it. Also, carrying a gun has next to no risk to John Q. Citizen.

So why do we gun nuts carry our guns, and why do the anti-gunners hate it so much?

So I drove Tammy to the bus stop this morning, not even a quarter-mile from our apartment. The roads were frozen and slippery.

I dropped her off, said goodbye, then tried to leave: The engine would only grind. It sounded like a flooded engine, but in the three years I've had this car the engine never flooded.

I walked back to the apartment to grab my phone, and a phonebook in case I needed a tow truck. By the time I got back to the car, maybe fifteen minutes later, the car fired right up. Actually, it made a trembly-rumbly sound like maybe it was trying to burp something out of its system but then ran as smooth as normal.

I decided to just head straight for work, which fortunately is only a mile and a half from home. On the way the window completely fogged up and when I blasted the defroster it didn't go away. I had to drive slowly (especially down the 4th Ave hill with its two roundabouts) and by the time I pulled into work the windows were just starting to get cleared.

After parking I tested the car once and it fired right up.

Now, I've needed to make an appointment anyway because I need new brakes soon, but now I'm wondering what else I might be dealing with. Maybe it just didn't like being cold, but experience has shown me that when a car acts up it's not just a one-time tantrum.

I have somewhere's between 2 or 3 years of payments left on this car. Back when we got the car I was a temp and due to circumstances stemming from my divorce and job loss in 2001 I wasn't able to get approval at any car lot. So my folks actually bought it, and I make payments to them.

Now I have a good job and if I was looking for a car from scratch I'd be able to get approval for a decent used car.