Deep Lake, Millersylvania State Park

The park was established and built in the 1930s under the aegis and economic backing of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).

13 image composite 180º panorama
4433 x 567 version: www.flickr.com/photos/rwhitlock/2930162340/sizes/o/

Almost every week this is the "What's on the city council's plate this week" review. I don't cover everything, so if you want the full rundown, read the packet and agenda yourself.

Why hold an election on whether to conduct a study on the proposed ithmus park when just doing the study costs a lot less? City staff wonder:

Approximately $30-70,000 for just the feasibility analysis.  The source of funds for the feasibility analysis has been referred to the finance committee.

...the City Council would have to submit the measure to a vote of the people at the next election, in February 2009.  The February 2009 election would be considered a “special election.”  A special election typically costs the City between $100-120,000 depending on the number of issues on the ballot.   This is significantly higher than our costs for a general or primary election.  Special elections typically have few ballot measures as compared to a primary or general election.  Therefor; the costs are only shared with the jurisdictions that have ballot measures. 

I wonder too.

Watch the debate of the two candidates for Thurston PUD commissioner (district 3) here:

Something they keep on coming back to is whether the PUD should branch out from water and become an electric company as well. I wasn't sure of either's position at the end of the debate, I just got that both know that its something they need to consider.

Something to consider is the impact of establishing new PUDs to replace Puget Sound Energy provided electricity. The Washington PUD Association says PUDs could save money:

With access to low-cost power from the Bonneville Power Administration, a new electric-service public utility district would be able to charge rates up to 20 percent lower than rates projected for Puget Sound Energy, according to a study released today by the Washington Public Utility Districts Association.

The analysis by EES Consulting, a Kirkland-based management consulting firm specializing in the energy and other natural-resource-based industries, found that PSE rates have gone up sharply over the past several years – nearly 25 percent since 2002, or almost twice the national average.

PSE now has the highest rates of any electric utility in Washington, with the exception of a small utility serving the islands of San Juan County, and is asking the Utilities and Transportation Commission for permission to raise residential rates another 8.25 percent.

Nihilism rearing its head being stood with in solidarity over at South Sound indymedia:

On the evening of October 6th, we disabled four Olympian delivery vans by slashing their tires. The Olympian newspaper is responsible for many crimes. We will not be able to list all of them here, but we will try.

They have four reasons why it was done. And, comment over there. [Comments activated: seems there's more to discuss -- Rick]

...while walking to the store:

"Human Rights: One Size Fits All"

...I thought that was good =)

So, I had a odd day today...almost an overload-

-I'm going down to the Fourth Ave around 10 tonight to watch some music played by a friend and relax.

cheers

From CNN:

The congressional oversight committees said Thursday that the Americans targeted included military officers in Iraq who called friends and family in the United States.

This should be pretty interesting, a civilian intelligence agency conducting operations aimed at military officers in Iraq calling friends and family in the U.S. If it's narrow in scope that's one thing, but if this was a broad net I think it's quite another.

The NSA operates in "strict accordance with U.S. laws and regulations," she said. "Any allegation of wrongdoing by employees is thoroughly investigated" and if misconduct is discovered, "we take swift and certain remedial action."

If you believe the NSA operates "in strict accordance with U.S. laws and regulations," you're going to be disappointed. I think it's necessary to a degree to not abide by laws and regulations, but these allegations are shocking in that American military personnel are the ones targeted.

Jim Bamford (Body of Secrets: The Anatomy of the Ultra-Secret National Security Agency, A Pretext for War: 9/11, Iraq and the Abuse of America's Intelligence Agencies) interviewed the former linguists who are making the allegations, which the NSA is saying are "unsubstatiated."

Chad. Think about this quote. I gleaned it from someone who posts on this blog. Do you think it applies to our situation. Also with Guglielmo, for example, and others - whom I know I agree with on most of the basics.

"Indeed in nothing is the power of the Dark Lord more clearly shown than in the estrangement that divides all those who still oppose him."

- Haldir of Lothlorien
(The Lord of the Rings trilogy; The Fellowship of the Ring)