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Headline News - page 48

Free Lunch Families Get More Perks With Comcast Internet Essentials

Low Income Internet Seattle - Internet Essentials Program

Yes, Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus, but his name has been changed to “government handouts”. Children who qualify for a free lunch already were insured a free college education even though their grade point average was just above flunking. It had to be a 2.0, which would not give any kid much incentive to study hard because you could get that grade without opening your book and going with a multiple-choice answer. You would have a 50/50 chance of guessing right. That sure would not make you college material. That is not what this article is about.

They get new perks now. They would qualify for Internet Essentials. They would only pay $9.95 for Internet service, and could buy a new computer for $149.99. WOW. That is really a deal and all your have to do to qualify is (I would have to guess here) be on welfare. The state or federal government does not have a money tree. They take it away from the private sector workers, skim off a huge amount for administering these programs to give away all this STUFF. You and I will see our Comcast bills go up. Sometime this mess must stop but the country is broke and still giving things to families who may be drug users, drunks, or whatever and encouraging them to stay dependant on government hand outs. It’s a real vote getter. I am not against a kid getting a free lunch. Don’t want to see anyone hungry, but there has to be an incentive to try to better yourself, not just demand more “services” from the government.

Here is the PDF about the program:

Update: This program is still active through the city or housing authority for those who need it. This is a nationwide program and as of 2019, comcast stated it is being used in about 7 million households. The real question, however, is it really helping or hurting?

Here are more resources if you need help getting online and you’re low income:

Here are some avenues through which low-income residents in Seattle could potentially access discounted internet:

  1. National Programs:
    • Comcast Internet Essentials: Comcast offers Internet Essentials, which is a low-cost home internet service for qualifying households. This program provides affordable internet for eligible low-income households at reduced prices.
    • AT&T Access: AT&T also offers a similar low-cost internet service for qualifying low-income households.
  2. Local Programs and Initiatives:
    • The City of Seattle might have specific programs or partnerships with local ISPs to provide discounted internet services for its residents. It’s recommended to check with the city’s official website or the local public library for up-to-date information.
  3. Non-Profit Organizations:
    • Some non-profit organizations might offer programs or grants for low-income individuals or families to get discounted internet services.
  4. Federal Assistance:
    • The Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program, which was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, provides a temporary discount on monthly broadband bills for qualifying low-income households. While this might be a temporary measure, it’s worthwhile for residents to check if they qualify.

For the most current information and to see if new programs have been introduced after 2022, it’s a good idea for residents to check directly with the City of Seattle’s official resources, local ISPs, and the FCC’s website.

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Stick A Fork In The Super Committee – It’s Over

Like most things in Washington – they fail.  The 12 member group “Super Commitee” formed after the debt ceiling crisis to greatly reduce our debt by November has officially failed.  In fact, you can stick a fork in this “Super Committee” because it’s over.  The failure wasn’t due to it’s members (both Republicans & Democrats) but due to bribes kickbacks the members are now getting to only enhance their own political agendas.  The problem is a procedural issue where this type of behavior is still allowed in our system. 

If you don’t know the theory it’s simple actually.  The group members sit around a table to discuss debt reduction and cutting programs for spending.  Companies and special groups in the public gives these members cash/contributions to help them with their campaigns and by doing so the political member supports them (by not messing with them – or cutting them).  In short, they “buy influence” in the group.  I call this corruption while others argue it’s legal. 

These kickbacks must stop after people are elected.  I understand running for a position and getting elected is expensive.  You’ll need private funding for this and your political views to the public represent the groups that are investing in you getting elected.  The public votes and if they like what you’re saying and the groups you represent then you get elected (that is fair).  Once elected, however, you represent the people and shouldn’t be able to accept bribes kickbacks anymore.  How can we have elected officials in office who with just a little bit of money will change their mind about topics and/or vote accordingly by persuasion.  It’s not about the people’s wants or needs then. 

The “buy influence” corruption must end after someone is elected.  It’s unfair to the public and these officials belong in jail.

 

Georgetown Corson Ave Construction Update

Seattle Construction Area Photo

The road construction project continues in Georgetown on Corson Ave.  A project that could have been pushed a few years is now more tax money wasted.  With all the public transit in trouble, you would think we could have transitioned some of this money (perhaps a million) to help people get to work and continue to ride the bus.   I guess paving a road is more important then keeping people working and getting them to work on time (without cutting more routes).  Not only are we wasting money for this paving project that could have been used better elsewhere we are also wasting additional police resources who will be sitting around (playing on the Internet in their cars) at the construction project to help watch flaggers direct vehicles around the area. 

The Georgetown Corson Ave construction project is about to start.
There goes Corson Ave, Seattle
They paved it but still dirty
It’s time for more cleanup and starting on the other side of the street.

To continue on this topic, Georgetown’s Corson Ave was shut down for several months while they made it “more safe”.   Above and below, you’ll see some of the construction photos. We have several more now available.  This has to be one of the worst road jobs I have ever seen.  They didn’t even pave the road!  Now it is has a bunch of patches all over the place. 

Here are the final photos of the Corson Ave Street construction project. 2011

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UW Football Coach Is the Highest Paid State Worker At $1.98 million

Well that pretty well tells us where there priorities are. Steve Sarkisian, football coach at the UW was paid $1.98 million last year (gross pay).  The second highest paid state worker was the UW Basketball coach, Lorenzo Romar at $1.14 million. Think about that for a minute. These were numbers published in the Times which were obtained from the Office of Financial Management . I am going to just stop with those two to get the point across that I am trying to make. The webs of lies, and twists and turns and bass-ackwards talk when talking budgets or expenses just makes your heads roll. I have to ask some questions here. Who signs those two bozo’s pay checks? If they are classed as state workers, then they must work for the state. If the state signs their paycheck how can they say they are not paid by the taxpayers or tuition? If the athletic program generates its own money it should not even be a part of the University. They should have a sports university, completely separate. They should build their own buildings, purchase land for their stadiums and sports fields. They will screw this up somehow by saying they are giving free tuition to the sports players. But look at the reputation the sports players have. The UW recruits these so called jocks, they do not care if they can read or write. They help them cheat to get in and when the recruits feel so important they drive drunk or rape underage girls or even go on to be a pimp Romar would try to cover it up. It’s plain sick.

I know you might not agree with me, but I think sports have gone completely haywire. It is not the most important profession in the world. It pays the best, and ruins more young lives than it helps. The kids are so intent on a sports scholarship they don’t bother to learn how to make any other living. When they fail to get to be a player they don’t know how to do anything. You would think a public university where parents pay high tuition so their children can be doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers would be rewarded more than a kid that can kick a ball or do hoops. It is not fair to taxpayers or hard working parents paying tuition to be paying so much overhead. Geez it’s bad enough to pay the UW President Young an obscene salary and furnish him a mansion but his pay is peanuts compared to the Coach’s.

Hope this article generates enough interest or anger to make others ask some questions about the expenses at the UW. Do they say out of one side of their mouth their pay does not come from taxes or tuitions but still factor it in when the Office of Financial Management figures their costs? Sports figures have ruined the lives of so many. They get more money than they will ever need and just go crazy. There are not many Jim Zorns and Steve Largents who can actually handle money. Now on a different spin that is not about money. If you look at the necessities of life. What sort of people do we need? I will list a few in the order of what I call importance. First and foremost you need a farmer to grow your food. You need a man that can dig wells or figure out how to get water to you. You need engineers and architects to build houses and bridges etc. I could go on and fill pages of what kind of people we really need to make our life even livable but you know what, a football or basketball coach is the least needed thing in the scheme of things. They can generate a lot of money and maybe feel important but when push comes to shove I would have to make this comparison. In the garden of life everything has a purpose. Honey bees might sting but they need to pollinate the blossoms where as I cannot figure out in the scheme of things the slug contributes anything to make our lives better. I put the sports and their obscene money making schemes right with the slugs. I think sports are great if they really are sports and entertainment, but these are just money making schemes for billionaire sports owners. I don’t think anyone that is called a state employee should be making more than $200,000 a year tops. This article will not agree with a lot of peoples thinking but hope that if their house falls down in a flood or earthquake they have a coach’s phone number handy to call and not call 911 for police or fireman. LLL

Queen Anne Farmers Market Today (Thursday)

It’s Thursday today, and honestly it’s pretty slow.  Well pack up the kids or take a late lunch break to visit the Queen Anne Farmers Market.  The Queen Anne Farmers Market opens at 3pm and goes until 7:30pm tonight.  The market offers a wide selection of food, plants, and entertainment to keep you busy.  More importantly you’ll experience a little sunshine, breath some fresh air, and get out of the house.  The Queen Anne Farmers Market features about 40 farmers/vendors selling their freshes supply available.  Make a trip to 1 Crockett St in Seattle and experience some of the freshes food in town.

Queen Anne Farmers Market
Queen Anne Farmers Market

Transportation Funding Package

Hold on to your wallets. Seattle has created a “Seattle Transportation Benefit District”. This will consist of 9 Seattle city council members. One thing they are tinkering with is raising car tab fees. It will be divided up as follows.

  • an $80 vehicle license fee, with:
  • 50% of the revenue would go to transit
  • 30% of the revenue would go to street maintenance
  • 20% of the revenue would go to pedestrian, neighborhood, and bicycle improvements.

This message came out in “The Reader” that Mayor Mike McGinn sends out which is very informative but which I seldom agree with. The Mayor is blaming the recession AND the Eyman initiatives for all the money problems. He says he has no money for basic street maintenance. How can that be? Look all over the city at the projects going on. These are not basic maintenance. They have torn up my whole street and re-doing it when it did not even have a pot hole. They must have a list or plan to tear up a street every few years or who knows if they even have a plan. But the money the transportation department squanders would pave a yellow brick road most anyplace. Instead it just raises our property tax, car license fees and anything else they can sqeak through without a vote. Look what the city council did with the tunnel that no one wants, no one can afford, and will be so dangerous only a fool would go in it. Not sure if they are putting a bike lane in it for the Mayor or not.

When you count on the government to fix the problem that the government created, it will never work. I am not against future planning, I am not against rebuilding things that need rebuilding but we have a bunch of buffo’s that seem to just sit and make a plan and then tell us “worker bees” we are going to get a new road, a new bridge, a new tunnel and it wont cost us a thing. The city will pay and X amount, the state will kick in a few millions, then the good old Federal Government will surely write a check for the rest. They have not told most of the sheep out here that the money tree is really their own pocket. They count on you being so busy with going to work, and your family that you just pay your taxes and stay quiet. BUT right now people have lost their jobs, taxes are maxed but the planners are still planning away.

We need 9 council members that think like Tim Eyman and Elizabeth Campbell and there would be some changes in the city’s spending. The transit drivers are the third highest paid in the nation. That should change. The salaries they pay the people in the transportation department are obscene. Top dog at DOT has a salary of $600,000 and picture what the whole department squanders away. The more they raise the taxes the more raises and bonuses they will get. They muddle it by saying that appropriations committee set the funds aside, or they have to spend millions of city/state dollars to get federal funds but you never hear a thing about government efficiency.

“The Reader” said the Mayor and City Council members want to hear from you. Please contact them. Their addresses are on our website for your convenience here. If enough people start to complain someone will hear about it. Right now any letter I have written to the council members or my congressman had resulted in a boiler plate answer, one size fits all. I could have written a letter saying the “neighbors hamster peed on my lawn”, or tell them to put aside their “funding packages until the recession is over’, and I would have gotten the same answer from them. I want to give credit where credit is due. Mayor McGinn sends a boiler plate letter first but you do get a personal e mail that mentions what you had written him about.

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Technology Destroyed The USPS

The United States Postal Service posted a loss of 3.1 billion dollars for the months of April – June 2011.  Total losses for the year are now at 5.7 billion dollars.  Postmaster General, Patrick Donahoe, keeps saying that aggressive actions are being taken to reduce their costs due to less customer demand but obviously his “aggressive actions” are not enough.  I do know, however, that every year the postal rates continue to increase more and more.  Did you really think that you could continue raising your stamp rates and expect the public and technology to just stand by the sidelines doing nothing?   

The reality is technology destroyed the United States Post Office and it maybe to late to save it.  Banks have setup free payment options that make it extremely easy for everyone to get their bills paid ontime. Many digital PO Boxes are now available where your physical mail is delivered to them and with just a click of a mouse you can shread, read online, and/or forward your mail back if wanted.  The monthly cost is very small for the service. The Internet has setup their own payment options (like Paypal) which allow people to send money to an email address instead of the post office.

Our mailing and payment technology only continues to get better while the USPS continues to operate with an older mindset.  In short, like any business you must grow and adapt to public wants and newer creative technology.  Newer and better services are created because the current one in place lacks features or has become outdated (and increasingly expensive).  That is how our capitalistic World works folks.  They have failed due to their lack of technology upgrades (and services they could have provided to the public).  Since they had a monopoly pretty much in the postal niche they could have really capitalized on it – but they didn’t.

I’m sure their solution to this problem will be to raise postal stamps again.  They will also try to limit the days mail is delivered which will cause more damage for them.  What they should be doing is investing and building out better technology.  They need to create services like the ones above that let businesses (local or international) open PO Boxes in any state for a monthly fee.  It should allow customers/companies access to their mail online without having to go to the mail box.  Do they realize how much money they would make with a service like that?  Less gas, employees, trucks, and billing (it’s automated!).  How about a monthly service that pushes all your physical mail to your email address?  Millions of people (maybe hundreds of millions) would order that service for $12 bucks a month.  It would save people time, gas, miles, money, envelopes, etc plus it would be more secure.  Hell think if you made that service a global service where international companies could order one (capturing global currency revenue).  That is some serious hands free and automated revenue.  Many parents have a hard time packing up the kids just to go the post office or store and the monthly fee is easily worth it for them.

There is still opportunities available to make it work for the USPS.  However, technology will destroy them if major innovated changes are not made quickly.  Out the old and in with the new!

 

Opinion: FDA Agency Will Kill People In 2012

I understand the title of this article is hardcore but the reality is that a recent decision by the FDA Agency will kill people in 2012 in my opinion. It could be you, a loved one, or maybe a close friend.

Starting in 2012, Primatene Mist will be taken off the shelves by the FDA Agency due to “CFCs depleting the ozone”. If you don’t know what Primatene Mist is, it’s the ONLY over-the-counter immediate relief for asthma. There is nothing that compares to Primatene Mist and with thousands of positive reviews online, it works perfectly. It costs about $15 dollars at Walmart (over the counter) and is very popular because it works – fast (unlike a tablet that takes time to dissolve). I’ve personally been on Primatene Mist my whole life, like the thousands and thousands of people who use it every day to “just get by” or for emergencies because with asthma, a simple sneeze can trigger an asthmatic attack. Primatene Mist has rescued me on several occasions and would even say that it may have saved my life on several occasions (plus many trips to the ER). The same is true for thousands of other customers who have asthma worse than I do. I have challenged myself on several occasions to just find one negative review (or customer/medical problems) with Primatene Mist online. Out of the thousands and thousands of customer who use it everyday there is nothing negative. In fact, you find why more medical issues with aspirin. Primatene Mist has been a safe and effective treatment for asthma symptoms for over 40 years now. After reading all the reviews and feedback regarding the FDA’s decision to ban Primatene Mist, their customers are extremely angry, and death is discussed quite often (due to prescription costs, waiting times at doctors’ offices, and the low quality of medication not working for them). They are seriously concerned they will die due to the FDA Agency.

Is this FDA decision meant to push people to spend money on doctor visits, ER visits, insurance, and over priced asthma prescriptions forever? Does the FDA really care about CFC’s depleting the ozone? If that was the case, why not pull hairspray, fire extinguishers, paint booths, air conditioning, and perfumes.  It’s a reckless decision by the FDA Agency (leaving no other solution available) and unfortunately many more asthmatics will die in 2012 as compared to the previous years.

I’m starting to question the honesty of the FDA Agency (working in raise revenue and/or with other drug companies) after this outlaw decision scheduled to kill people in 2012.  It makes you question their expertise and “nanny” behaviors.   When do we, as citizens, draw the line and say that is enough?  This isn’t a life threatening decision but more of power play to keep control and ownership of the public.  We don’t want the FDA in our personal lives or making decisions to control our lives right?  When do we say no that is a personal heath choice and not a legal or World health decision?  The FDA Agencies job is national defense and science. Those are the only issues that should require FDA involvement.  If not, the FDA will be banning sugar next because it’s unhealthy (actually soda has been taken out of school already mostly).  If not several years from now it will only get worse.  You know cancer is less common in women who have had children and it’s more common in women who have had abortions.  Breast cancer is one of the most expensive diseases we have, however, should it be monitored and forced on you to make the world a more “healthy” place.  There is a line that shouldn’t be crossed in personal choice and healthy (or not) lifestyles and we need to make sure that line is not crossed with the FDA.

Primatene Mist
Primatene Mist

Update: It’s back on the market. FDA shouldn’t have touched it in the first place. As an asthmatic, I still stand by this article. You don’t play with life-or-death medicine. Looking back at the situation, I believe (my opinion) the government was making some secret deals behind closed doors to force asthmatics into a monthly healthcare program and $300+ inhalers. The motive is simple, increase tax revenue and increase the profit for big pharma. With this said, Primatene Mist shouldn’t be your only inhaler, and you should consult a physician about a maintenance inhaler so you don’t find yourself in a serious medical situation. Flare-ups happen so be safe and take precautions to protect your airways.

Seafair Seattle Last Day Today

One of Seattle’s biggest events each year is Seafair. Sunday (today) is the last day and with the weather being so good this weekend you can be sure it will be filled with familys and party animals having fun. If you hurry you can still make the Seattle Seafair this year. Take note the party will continue all day and the hydroplane racing is action packed with hardcore fans. The United States Navy’s Blue Angels take over the city at 1:35pm and their will be several road closures starting at about 12:30pm.

The Albert Lee Cup will be decided today (last day of the Seafair event) at there will be $25,000 up for grabs for the winner. Tickets to the final Seattle Seafair event are $30 at the gate. Children 5 and under are free.

Enjoy the sun at the Seafair.

Personal Opinon: Referendum 1 Pitts Mayor Against City Council (2011)

There is something very odd going on with the tunnel process. There must be a steadfast rule of who can sign contracts. In other words, if it’s the Mayor’s job and he refuses to sign the agreement, then common sense would make one believe that there was something wrong with the agreement that the Mayor wanted cleared up.

Instead of getting with the Mayor to work it out legally, City Council President Richard Conlin signed it. Then, a petition to recall him was thrown out by a judge who said there was insufficient evidence that he broke the law. Us peons need to be educated on how a City Council member can sign an environmental impact statement and collude with City Attorney Pete Homes to bring a lawsuit to block a tunnel referendum and delaying placing Initiative 101 on the ballot is legal.

It appears Conlin exceeded his authority under the city charter by signing the environmental impact statement draft. The public now gets to vote on a referendum, which really means nothing. The anti-tunnel statement urges Seattleites to “stand up to the politicians” who, in 2009, cut risky and expensive backroom deals to pursue the tunnel project. The pro-tunnel statement says the debate is over and will only be prolonged by the Mayors, “delay and obstruction”. He has stood up for the wishes of the people, and knows there will be cost overruns and the city property owners will have to pay them.

City Council member Tim Burgess says a no vote will just make the city council pass another ordinance to go forward with the tunnel construction. If that were challenged, it would take a year to reach the ballot, and “BY THEN CONSTRUCTION OF THE TUNNEL WILL BE WELL UNDERWAY”. That should not happen.

It is all being done for big business and the labor community that writes big checks for their campaigns. Its all done against the will of the people paying for it. Referendum 1 should stop the whole project until they come up with the answers to these questions. Do the majority of the people want a tunnel? How is it going to be paid for? Who pays for the cost overruns? What tolls will they charge? They already know it will not help traffic.

People will avoid the thing even if there are no tolls. Can you imagine anything more stupid than a tunnel through an earthquake zone right by a decaying sea wall? If we challenge anything the city does, Pete Holmes takes it upon himself to file a lawsuit and gets a judge he probably plays golf with to rubber stamp it. Mayor McGinn is looked on as a troublemaker for the council members, but he is trying to follow the wishes of the people who elected him. As the anti tunnel people keep chipping away more shady stuff comes to the surface.

For a judge to say there is insufficient evidence he broke the law. Geez, what more evidence did he need? Either Conlin can sign agreements or the Mayor refuses to sign them. It’s a simple yes he can, or no he can’t. But he did, and they say our vote on the referendum will mean nothing. Why are we voting?

Update: So what happened with Referendum 1 and the Tunnel Project?

Referendum 1 in Seattle, related to the Alaskan Way Viaduct tunnel replacement project, was a significant vote that took place in the context of a broader debate about the best way to replace the aging and seismically vulnerable Viaduct. The tunnel project, officially known as the State Route 99 Tunnel, was approved by Seattle voters with a majority in favor during the August 16, 2011 ballot.

This approval was largely seen as a green light for the City Council to proceed with agreements critical to the tunnel’s construction and a reflection of the city’s desire to move forward after years of discussion and previous rejections of other options.

The project was notable for its ambition to create a tunnel that would maintain unobstructed traffic flow through downtown Seattle, while removing the elevated highway structure that had previously dominated the waterfront. Despite its approval, the tunnel project faced criticism and challenges, including concerns about cost overruns and the impact of tolling necessary to fund part of the project.

The completion of the tunnel was aimed at significantly altering the city’s traffic and urban landscape, prioritizing a solution that avoided long-term disruptions during construction and aimed at a more aesthetically pleasing waterfront.

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