Seattle Newspaper for the People by the People

Search result

obama - page 4

76 result(s) found.

SpaceX Plans to Send Two People on a trip around the Moon

SpaceX Going To The Moon

SpaceX has plans to send two private citizens around the Moon. The pair approached Elon Musk and SpaceX to prepare for this trailblazing adventure. This mission presents an opportunity for humans to return to deep space for the first time in 45 years. They will travel faster and further into the Solar System than any before them.

The trip around the Moon would take roughly one week. The mission would skim the surface of the Moon, go further out into deep space, and loop back to Earth, reaching approximately 300,000 to 400,000 miles. The launch is set tentatively in 2018 with the SpaceX yet untested Falcon Heavy rocket. It will be a private mission with two paying customers. The passengers are “very serious” about the trip and have already paid a “significant deposit,” according to Musk.

The two individuals going on the trip, who weren’t named, already know each other. They will begin initial training for the trip later this year. They wanted their identities to remain private for the time being. It was also stated that neither of these space explorers are from the Hollywood realm. Musk declined to comment on the exact cost of the trip, but said it was “comparable” or a little more than the cost of a crewed mission to the International Space Station- let’s just say it’s no small price tag for a trip around the moon. These trips are costly to the individual traveling to space, but could greatly benefit SpaceX. Musk commented that regular private trips like this could significantly impact SpaceX revenue for future explorations and innovation. “There’s a market for at least one or two of these per year,” Musk said, adding that lunar flyby missions might eventually constitute 10% to 20% of SpaceX’s revenue each year.

The passengers going on this expedition know that the risks are high. Musk said the flight would be on a self-directed spacecraft that needs no astronauts on board. It would be necessary for the two paying travelers to undergo “extensive training before going on the mission.” Musk commented that Dragon is designed to be an autonomous vehicle. The space explorers would be launched from the historic Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center late next year on SpaceX’s Dragon 2 vehicle on a Falcon Heavy rocket. That’s the same launch pad used by NASA for Apollo missions to the moon, as well as many space shuttle missions, including the last one. SpaceX flew its Falcon 9 from the KSC pad for the first time earlier in February.

NASA and SpaceX have a good working relationship. In a statement, NASA said it commends its industry partners for reaching higher. “We will work closely with SpaceX to ensure it safely meets the contractual obligations to return the launch of astronauts to US soil and continue to successfully deliver supplies to the International Space Station,” the agency said. SpaceX said that Nasa has encouraged privately crewed missions, saying that through them “long-term costs to the government decline and more flight reliability history is gained, benefiting both government and private missions.” NASA has financed much of SpaceX’s spacecraft development, and Musk said the agency has priority. If NASA wants to put its astronauts on the Falcon Heavy’s first moon flight, he said, SpaceX will comply. But the Falcon Heavy has not been through NASA’s rigorous reviews to be judged safe for astronauts.

Blue Origin Rocket
Blue Origin Rocket
SpaceX is not the only company trying to race to space. Rival spaceflight company Blue Origins, headed by Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos, has also announced plans to eventually take people and cargo to low Earth orbit with its own reusable rockets. In 2001, billionaire Dennis Tito became the world’s first space tourist for an estimated $20 million, booking a trip on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station, and about half a dozen others followed him into orbit. Space explorations seems to be heating back up after decades of little to no new exploration.

Many details about the Moon mission have yet to be made public. Mainly the names of the passengers, the reason they are so interested in going, what spacesuits and equipment will be necessary, whether the Federal Aviation Administration will give SpaceX the go-ahead, how the passengers will prepare, what emergency support and plans are in place, etc. The lack of information from this announcement has made some experts uneasy.

Chris Newman, an expert on space policy and law at the University of Sunderland in the UK, said that the aggressive timeline and budget are “extremely ambitious, and it remains to be seen if the practical difficulties associated with human spaceflight can match this ambition.” Some have expressed doubt about Musk’s aggressive timelines often falling short.

On the other hand, some experts have reacted more optimistically. Phil Larson, a former Obama administration space policy adviser and former SpaceX employee, said, “It will act as a stepping stone for the eventual human exploration of Mars, which is everyone’s ultimate goal.” Larson recognizes Musk’s timing is opportune “as a new administration grapples with their plans for NASA.” It seems that many of Musk’s goals are dependent on the upcoming decisions and favor of the new administration. “This goes to show that America’s commercial space industry is ready to go beyond Low Earth Orbit not in 10 years, but now,” he said. Dale Ketcham, chief of strategic alliances for Space Florida, said Musk’s announcement was somewhat of a surprise in the space community. “I do think most of us didn’t see it coming, but maybe we should have,” Ketcham said, referring to Musk’s reputation for innovation and challenging the status quo. Ketcham called Musk’s announcement “very exciting,” and said it will help drive competition among NASA and commercial space companies that could lead to an accelerated timeline for space exploration.

Whether you think it is a good or bad idea to send two people on a trip around the moon, it is hard to deny that the prospect is quite exciting.

You can follow Elon Musk on Instagram or his much more popular Twitter.

Facing The Truth About Political Lies

Politicians telling lies

One thing is true – you can’t fix stupid.  Its been proven over and over again that American is one of the dumbest countries around and this includes its people.  From education, spending, healthcare, and voting to name a few – we are simply the dumbest in the land.  This shouldn’t come as a surprise to you.  There have been many International tests that have proven this. I see them driving and I see them in Walmart. Stupid is everywhere and we can’t avoid it.

What really gets me is just how ignorant people are about the political process.  They believe our leaders are here to really help us but in reality their agenda always comes first.  They will all lie like dogs to protect their leadership perception and of course none of them makes a mistake.  Fingers are always pointed in the other direction when it comes to mistakes or the truth is twisted to make it sound better.

It’s interesting to me how gullible people are when it comes to their news and media.  They are so convinced their news channel is not bending the truth.  It doesn’t matter if you watch Fox News, CNN, or MSNBC, they all bend the truth to get their agendas out.  They also favor sides (Republicans vs. Democrats).  The truth is they all these channels are controlled by their respected political parties.  How often do you hear them talk about the Libertarians Presidential candidate?  You know there are more parties than just the Republicans and the Democrats right?  Over the years, we’ve been molded to just believe in two parties and you should support one side or the other depending on what channel you watch.  However, if you talk to a Fox News viewer or a CNN viewer they both believe their channel is less evil and “more truthful”.

Slavery:
There is no doubt the African American votes go to Obama and Hilary.  This question is why?  I’ve talked to many blacks and they are passionate about Obama.  They love him and will vote for the democrats (including Hilary) with their last dying breath.  There is no re-considering or logically analysis for their decision to support the democrats.  Even if I said the democrats block every attempt to abolish slavery – they would still vote for them.  “Well that was a long time ago”, I’ve heard which is the most pathetic answer.  Grudges are held against a white man like me but not against the party that voted against abolishing slavery every step of the way.  Hate to tell you but Republicans ended slavery folks.

19th Amendment: A Women’s Right to Vote
We all know Hilary has the women’s vote.  She (and the democrats) have played that card very well.  The perception of republicans being against women’s right has been molded for many years.  There is a whole strategy in fact to dupe a lot of disenchanted voters into the democratic heard to support them.  You may have heard about the “War on Women” talk that’s been planted against the Republicans the Democrats are doing a fantastic job of winning that war.  That fact is simple – in 1878 a California Republican who goes by the name A.A. Sargent introduced the 19th Amendment only to see it voted down by a Democrats.  Just like slavery and women’s rights, Republicans pushed these laws forward against the constant push back from Democrats.  Over the years, the Democrats have wised up and realized they really need these people’s vote so now they are on the other side of the fence.

To make a change you must vote:
Americans actually believe our presidential process is fair. I believe more and more people are wising up to this process. It was much more obvious this time around, however. Bernie lost before he even started. News and documents were published about how the Democratic bigwig leaders developed strategies behind the scene to oust him and they did just that. Hilary locked up the super delegates before Bernie even realized what they were. Trump was saying that all along about the process and probably one of the reasons Trump is falling under the Republican umbrella. Lets look here in Washington State. Bernie Sanders won this states Democratic caucuses by a landslide. It was devastating to Hilary. Bernie preached a lot about taking Wall Street back from the billionaire class. The final results were 72.7% in Bernie’s favor over Hilary. Bernie won every county in Washington State. It was a slandering over Hilary and “the people” spoke their minds at the polls. People wanted a real change. Unfortunately, our political leadership sided against Bernie and “the people”. The truth is Hilary had the super delegates in her pocket so it didn’t even matter. It turns out some of our leadership is corrupt and continue to side against what “the people” really wanted. Gov. Jay Inslee turned against the people and pushed for Hilary after the people side with Bernie. In addition, there is U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, and all six Democrats in the state’s U.S. House delegation will turn their backs on the people and vote for Hilary. Right after hearing Bernie won this state, these super delegates were standing by their position for Hilary winning the presidency. The process is corrupt and so is our Washington State leadership. The fact that they are not supporting the views and votes of the people clearly shows this as being a fact. Bernie was done before he started.

Bernie turns his backs on his supporters:
Bernie gained a lot of traction and supporters during his campaign. A lot of people wanted to support the democrats but wanted a candidate who appeared to be more truthful and real. With Obama and Hilary, they come across very political in the way they speak and over the years its become a turnoff. We have the Benghazi incident and many feel “hope” wasn’t really delivered as promised. Bernie offered a different perspective and sided more with the public. It turns out, however, Bernie wasn’t exactly honest and after he dropped out (Hilary wins) he immediately endorses Hilary and starts campaigning for her. It was odd how that turned around so quickly. It’s still a mystery how someone who is “for the people” quickly supports his main rival. It’s common for deals to happen after a candidate drops out. It’s common for the other side to support the loser financially (it’s expensive to run) while getting his support in return. That is what I suspect happened but honestly we will never know. One thing I do know is that it was extremely shady behavior.

Some items to think about as we move closer to the election.

Time For Fun It’s St Paddy’s Day!

St Paddy's Day 2015 Fun Times Photo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s that time of year to be Irish. If you’re not Irish just fake it like everyone else! It’s a day to have fun and meet new people. St Paddy’s Day is one of my favorite holidays. I actually rank it number 3 on my list of favorites because everyone is just so friendly. Certain days just make people come out of their shells and be more social and it’s one of those days. The most friendliest day in my opinion is actually New Years but Paddy’s Day is up there for sure. Downtown Seattle is busy this morning. The local bars are open early and people are dressed up in there green. If you listen closely, you can hear their fake accents as they choke down a early morning Guinness beer. I’m sure for lunch time the cabbage will be a popular item.

It is true though how people change for the holidays. You can feel it in the air and even in the way people talk to you on the street. It’s hard to explain but people’s moods really do change. I would consider myself social all year, however, if you’re single or shy then this is a great night to go out and meet a new friend. People are open and approachable. There are only a few days a year where everyone’s guards are down and this is one of them. Individuals are in a giving mood as well. They are kind and ready to solute and tap beers with you. I believe meeting new friendly people, generosity, and kindness are one of the best qualities in people. The truth is kindness is one of those things that can heal the soul. It can lift your spirit even if it’s only for one day.

It’s saddens me to only see this spirit only a few times a year. Our society mostly turns away from meeting new people. When was the last time you talked to someone in line or they tried to talk to you? Probably not recently. When was the last time you met someone new who was just an honest friend. We tend to grow up with our closest friends and when they are gone – that’s it. I’m unsure why are culture has moved in this direction. Perhaps what we’ve seen on TV or the whole don’t talk to strangers growing up talk. I’ve talked to many expats and frequent travels who passionately agree. Other countries simply are more friendly. Dr. Robi Ludwig said it best in her Huffington Post article about Acts of Kindness. I’m a big fan of her work. Dr. Robi’s views about Psychology and human nature is right on. With that being said, all these barriers and judgment that others may have are gone on St Paddy’s Day and that’s why I love it. It’s even lower on New Years Eve.

History of St. Paddy’s Day:
Also known as Saint Patrick’s Day – it started in the 17 century as a Christian feast day. Named after Saint Patrick who was a patron saint of Ireland. Is a day to have fun and celebrate the arrival of Christianity in Ireland as well as the Irish in general. It has been an official holiday in Ireland since 1903. Since the 1960’s the color green has been connected to Ireland. In American, it’s not an official holiday as you know but widely celebrated. The official St Patrick’s Festival runs 5 days in Ireland. Previously, it was 3 days but later modified to include another day of fun. Then again in 2009, it was moved up to 5 days and had close to 1 million visitors for event. The first Festival was in 1996 (March 17th of course).

Fun Photos:
Obama Irish Photo Funny

St Paddy's Day Dog Funny Photo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yogo for St Paddy's Day Funny Photo

 

 

 

 

 

 

St Patrick's Funny Saying Photo

Seattle Council Follow-Up

Washington State Transportation Tunnel Failure

To Emerald City Journal:

I just read your good article you wrote about the tunnel.

I wrote a letter that went to every city council member the morning they were supposed to get the real “scoop” from DOT. Well they got the real scoop except it was the kind you need a scoop shovel to get rid or and it “stinks”. Not one member on the council responded to me after the meeting. Can you imagine them sitting there listening to State Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson, spinning a story that would make a normal persons head spin but the Council Members didn’t argue with her. She says its too late to stop work on the tunnel because the tunnel is 70% complete (yes seventy). It would take a really good liar to be able to make a statement like that at this point. Why didn’t they stand up and declare the meeting over? Is this an insult to the taxpayers of Seattle and to the businesses that have been ruined during this last year of digging. Well I cant use the word digging because Bertha cant dig. What will it take to stop this nonsense? They cant drain the sound, and if they dig beside it they will hit water so they can never pump enough. All the politicians think is how to PUMP MORE MONEY into it, not water out of it.

The council hasn’t made a big deal of any of it publically. The money for the tunnel is gone on south and north portals and a pit to reach Bertha. How can you call this even a start on the tunnel? Its just a big gamble(but they already lost the money). Lets say they ever get the pit dug. Will the land around the pit hold up when they bring in a crane or cranes big enough to lift the front end of Bertha out or will we have Bertha and a crane or two to bury? Readers speak up now or forever hold your peace. Email council@seattle.gov and every member will get a copy. Flood them with e mails not water.

A gambler can quit anytime he wants. If he has lost his pay check, he still is better off to walk away before he puts the title to his car or house in the pot for the last game. It makes good photo ops for the Mayor. Maybe Obama can send Gruber to give a speech saying Taxpayers are too stupid to understand how good this is. See my letter to the council below or here.
Lilly

Update: Unfortunately, there has been no response from the City of Seattle Council as of 3/13/15. We are sadden to say the least. We continue to see the failed tunnel project move forward. Each day wasting more and more money which could have been spend on our education system, roads, or new options / roads to fix the mess this project has created. One thing we will never see is the Council admit they made a mistake with this project. They will continue the effort and talk less and less about all the money being dumped into it. When it finally is completed they will praise their hard work and how successful it was. It’s a complete failure and catastrophe. As news continues to come out about the tunnel (Alaska Way Viaduct Project), more and more injuries are being reported now. Medical / compensation claims are at there highest at over 1$ million dollars since 2012. According to an AP news report, there were more claims in 2014 then the last two years combined. The machine continues to sit with no action. It is believed that the machine will start running again in August 2015. The Seattle Council members fail to listen about all the wasted money. Aborting this project is the right action.

New Seattle Driver Tax Pending – Pay Per Mile

Seattle Driving Tax Pay Per Mile

A measure is on the table and is expected to be approved by the Washington State Transportation Commission. In short, this new pilot program (trial) would require drives to get a GPS device installed in their cars. They would then charge drivers per mile for the amount they drove on the public roads. They could start the initial testing of the pilot program in 2016. State Legislature would need to give final approval for the test project. The suggested program was modeled after a similar project happening in Oregon. All of this is in response by the Transportation Commission to help pay for roads since the gas tax revenue is supposedly not enough anymore.

The program would also give drivers several options of payments. You can choose the flat fee (all you can drive), odometer reporting, GPS locator installed, or download an app on their smartphone. The fee would be called a road usage fee. They also stated the drivers would get credit for any gas taxes paid.

If everything is approved and move forward the full program wouldn’t begin until 2018.

With that being said let me say it again (as I have said it many times before) and that is our leaders sit around all day just thinking this crap up. They have nothing better to do but think of ways to nickel and dime the public for the failed or horribly managed programs. This is another attempt and example of my very point. The issue with this moving forward is that it would need to be passed without voter support because there is no way the public would approve such a program. With that being said, the public did put Obama in office the second term (after a horrible first term) approved Obamacare so maybe I’m wrong. I would like to think, however, the public would be smart enough to know that getting tracked and paying more in taxes in a bad idea. What angers me is that this is just one step closer the government monitoring. It would be easy the government to weasel there way into it behind the scenes (under national security) and use it to their benefit as well. They do it now with Comcast and the phone companies so this program would be an easy entry point to make that happen. Just another way to get inside all our lives. Another way to track cars and track individuals. It’s really not far fetched considering their involvement with the other everyday items we use such as computers. This will never be discussed or mentioned just as it’s not mentioned with Comcast or our phone service providers.

The other issue is the argument of not enough tax revenue. Sure, I can see their point on this one. We are moving into a more hybrid culture. However, the state has been cooking the books for years on this revenue. People are driving more and working longer than they ever have before. Gas is coming down (only because it’s Winter) but will rise again as it always does. I honestly am not convinced gas prices adjust due to supply and demand anymore. It’s a controversial and debatable topic. Our government has milked just about every program and service we have available. They understand gas prices, have reserves, and understand how supply and demand can be manipulated so more taxes are paid on it. It would be silly to think over wise. It’s happening but the public is very naive about it.

With that being said, I vote a big fat NO WAY on this.

UPDATE: July 2015, Oregon is going to be testing out this program with 1500 drivers (volunteers). They branded the program OReGO (which is a stupid name – by the way). These drivers will submit their driving logs or install a device to monitor their miles. They will then pay a rate of 1.5 cents per mile to the state. States across the nation have expressed they cannot afford to pay for their roads so they continue to think of ways, laws, taxes ect to make repairs. As I’ve state my opinion above in the article, I wouldn’t support this new law. I can’t imagine anyone else supporting it either. States have been able to pass agendas which are not supported by the people. As long as it benefits them from a revenue perspective – laws have been known to pass successfully. I can only express the solution so many times on the Emerald City Journal and it’s the same for every problem we have (education, buses, gas taxes) the people just want transparency in spending. It’s that simple. The financial figures need to be broken down by item for projects and determine where the money is really being spent. If we are actually spending all our tax revenue appropriately, the people will understand the need – thus fully support an increase in taxes. The states and cities, however, know they continue to waste money on roads, projects, interstates, ramps, ect that really don’t need work (but passed to keep people working only). They do provide financial reports but the data is very general and doesn’t get into specifics of spending. This is done on purpose so it’s not criticized. This is where we need accountability and corrections to be made. If the city or states can clearly itemize their spending with valid work, salaries, jobs, then the people will comply with the tax reform efforts. They will have to – roads are a must have for everyone. It’s not that difficult just prove where that tax money is being spent for the roads. Until that happens, I will be keeping my checkbook closed.

The Major Issue With Healthcare

Affordable Healthcare Issues

As you know there are a lot of issues with Obamacare (affordable healthcare act). The biggest issue being the monthly fees and deductibles. I truly believe most people want to be healthy and have the luxury of a good healthcare program, however, the fees are just un-realistic. With a deducible starting at 5,000++, most couldn’t afford it anyway should something serious happen to them. One positive I like about Obamacare is that there are options available (healthcare exchanges). Again, they are all un-realistic like I said, however, so what’s the point. The thought of it is a good thing I believe.

I’ve said it a few times on the Emerald City Journal and that is related to the root of the issue with healthcare. The costs/fees hospitals are charging. Going to the ER for a broken arm and getting a 6,000 dollar bill in the mail is extremely unfair. It cost them about $100 dollars for that visit (including the x-ray). It’s the issue that everyone feels their time is worth a million dollars and they can charge 1000% interest on items. This includes medication as well. American is way over priced compared to Canada or Mexico medicine. The Government is to blame as well for not correcting this issue. They could simply say they are not going to pay them more than 2x cost and that would correct the issue. It would bring everything down when it comes to cost. The Government continues to turn a blind eye to that solution because they love the taxes and revenue it creates. It generates a massive amount of revenue for the hospitals and also the insurance companies. Sad but 100% true. Instead of Obamacare we should have just reviewed the fees and regulated them to a reasonable level. The people would have them been able to get an affordable healthcare program and also feel confident with going to a physician or ER trip without going into bankruptcy after each visit.

There was recently a story of a NJ man named Baer Hanusz-Rajkowski. He went to a local NJ ER hospital to get his cut finger checked. The man hit is finger with the claw side of the hammer and after a couple days of it not healing he went in to see if stiches would be needed. It turns out no stiches were needed nor was an x-ray. Overall, Hanusz-Rajkowsk got hit with an $8,200 bill for the emergency room visit. The Bayonne Medical Center also charged him $180 for a tetanus shot, $242 for sterile supplies, and $8 for some antibacterial ointment. With everything the bill came to nearly $9,000 dollars. This happen just last August and was featured on many news channels across the nation. When Bayonne Medical Center was questioned over the incident by the news ect they blamed the insurance company. This is exactly what I’m talking about. They feel they can just charge whatever they want because the “insurance company” will cover it. It’s the industry standard these days. People should be able to visit a doctor and make a ER visitor (cuts, broken arms, check-ups) out of pocket. No insurance should be needed for these minor issues. However, our system is setup to encourage these high mark ups which cost the hospital little to nothing to take care of or even look at. It’s all about money hungry hospitals, insurance companies, and our government wanting their “fair” share of the profits.

What we need to correct the healthcare problems is transparency and rules. We also need to kick out the leaders who are supporting this scandal behavior. Just as Obama promised in everything that he would do for us – Transparency. We need a public database or source where all the costs are displayed and their markup. This would eliminate all the overcharges and keep people honest. It would also keep the cost regulated to a fair level so the hospitals (medical industry) can make their fair share. However, looking a finger (who probably was a volunteer or intern) and wrapping it up with some ointment for $9,000 is simply unforgiving.

Letter To Seattle Council City Light CEO

Seattle City Lights

My letter to the Seattle council….

Sounds like someone got their wires crossed at City Light. Please delay your vote on the stupid stupid raise for the CEO of City Light. He was already getting a whopping 245,000. He is the highest paid city employee. What on earth can make him worth that? Now you want to give him a raise of almost $120,000. What are you thinking about, when we have no money for things the city needs you raise his pay to $364,000. That was all the information I have read or heard about and it was a shock. Completely out of line. He could fall off a light pole tomorrow and city light would go on just fine without him. Of course he doesn’t climb poles, or change bulbs or do anything we really need. He spins tales for the city and the Mayor. If he can go someplace for more pay, we city light customers will come help him pack. Remember you are representing the people of Seattle and there is no way you can think this is right or fair.

That was bad enough, but thank goodness for the Times article today (Sunday June 15) by Jim Brunner we learned there is something very wrong going on. People can stand to be screwed over, they can stand to be taxed unfairly, but one thing almost NO ONE can stand is a liar. Then top it off with a cover up. Have you taken some lessons from Susan Rice? She is the second best liar I have ever heard of. Obama is the number one. They sent her out to spin the tale of a video causing the Benghazi disaster AFTER it was well known by everyone that it was a terrorist attack. But wanted to keep it covered up so Obama could win a second term. Now she was back telling more lies that the deserter had served with dignity and distinction. She is trying to make Obama look good and facts or the truth has nothing to do with what she says. So City Lights Chief of Staff Sephir Hamilton hired a firm Brand.com to clean up the CEO’s image online. The only thing that should be online about Jorge Carrasco should be the TRUTH. Nothing taken away, nothing added. They call it a reputation-management service. The clear negatives by blanketing search results with positive content. In other words if the CEO has done some things he would like to keep covered up, just write something positive instead. If Mayor Murray is so hell bent on quality leadership he should not even be considering someone who is trying to cover their tracks.

Wait on your vote until you are sure (not just what the Mayor tells you) what it is he is trying to quash. Or is he being given a whopping raise a/k/a a pay off to promote the City’s green program. If the green program is so good it will make it by showing the people its good, not paying a CEO bribe money or pay off to promote it for you. The more lies and cover up’s the worse it will get. So don’t vote on the raise this morning.
Thank you
Lilly

Councilmember Nick Licata responds and does a very good job of explaining his point….

I too am troubled by the City Light CEO salary hike approved by the Council majority and have shared my concerns on the my Urban Politics blog and below.

To recap, the City Council voted 6-2 (Myself and Sawant opposed and Harrell was absent) last week to raise the City Light General Manager and CEO salary range by 45 percent, setting a new maximum of $364,481-per-year up from a $250,750 top-end salary. The Council vote paves the way for the Mayor to pay the highest paid Seattle city employee even more. The Mayor has said he will give General Manager and CEO Jorge Carrasco a 24 percent bump from his current salary of $244,954 up to $305,000.

Council proponents argued that Carrasco is underpaid in comparison to leaders of other publically owned utilities. Their conclusion originates from city staff analysis showing we pay our top City Light post less than other governments pay their utility heads. Past city staff studies reached the same conclusion. However, the relatability of the other salaries has been challenged because some utilities included as comparables in the staff analysis oversee multiple utility services, like water, while City Light just handles electricity. Regardless, on the surface, it would seem that one could justify the raise—albeit a very large raise on top of a very large salary when compared to what Seattle pays other city employees.

Councilmember Sawant and I raised objections of two kinds. First, and most obvious, is that in comparison to other City Light employees’ salaries, the General Manager and CEO’s new salary is out of line and sends the wrong message to our employees and the public. The big ticket salary basically says that CEOs of large corporations deserve a salary commensurate with whatever the market will bear, and that City Light must be a large corporation with its over 2,000 employees and budget of more than $1 billion. In other words, if other CEOs receive huge salaries, the City must offer the same to attract top talent.

Unfortunately, this trend has gone on for some time. In 1965, CEOs made more than 20 times what an average worker was paid. By 2012, that ratio was more than 10 times as skewed: CEOs made 273 times the average worker that year. I don’t believe that the Council, representing taxpayers, must conform to this pattern. By doing so, we contribute to the very problem of income and wealth inequality that now plagues our nation and undermines our economic stability. As workers are paid less and less, they have less to spend to keep our economy functioning smoothly. What’s more, workers are being pushed out of Seattle. Relative to wages, housing costs have become unaffordable. The irony is that since President Ronald Reagan embarked on a philosophy of letting the unfettered market determine what is fair in the 1980s, laborers have enjoyed an ever smaller share of the productivity gains their hard work produced. American workers are not being adequately compensated for their efforts.

The second objection raised is more to the point here in Seattle. Our city government has kept a tight lid on wages for average city employees. How can we fairly bargain with our employees after giving such an ostentatious salary increase to one individual? The Council and Mayor’s pay hike for the City Light General Manager and CEO justifiably creates hard feelings among our employees and sets up a very poor example for evaluating and rewarding performance.
It’s this last point that I most underscored during the meeting Monday. First, a little background—Carraso was confirmed in February 2004, and, that spring, a survey was conducted of City Light employees. It had been scheduled before Carrasco became the head of City Light. A report was issued on the findings, and four significant problems were identified:

• A troubling lack of confidence in the executive management
• Poor communication among the various levels within the utility
• Lack of adequate staffing to provide high-quality service
• A sense that quality and process improvements were not a priority

Another survey was taken in 2007 to see if these problems had been addressed during the first three years of Carrasco’s leadership. To assure that the survey was measuring the same concerns, 29 of the 50 questions asked were pulled from the 2004 survey, either exactly or using very similar language. More than three-quarters of City Light’s workforce responded to the survey, roughly the same rate as in 2004. The Council’s Central Staff reviewed the survey and concluded that the 2007 survey averages were statistically indistinguishable from those of the 2004 survey.

A staff report to the Council concluded, “ …the most striking conclusion to be drawn from the new survey is how little things have improved in the three-plus years since the first survey was done. In key areas – leadership, communication, and staffing – in which City Light did poorly in 2004, there has been no improvement.” Though some improvements were noted, the report said scores for key areas remained “at a level the survey developer would describe as a failing grade.”

The Council acts as the board of City Light, and I believe that we (and I include myself) should have required—at a minimum—that another survey be taken. We did not. There has not been another survey conducted since 2007. I asked the Superintendent at a June 9, 2014 meeting when another employee survey would be done. He said one will be done this year. However, our Central Staff know of no such effort.

So the bottom line is: why are we boosting the pay range for the City Light CEO when we have no evidence comparable to a survey showing employees believe that there has been improvement under Carrasco’s leadership? Carrasco has told me that he solicited input from employees when drafting a new City Light strategic plan City Light. I’m glad, they certainly should be involved. But that is not the same as a thorough review; that is not a survey showing how things have gone since 2007.

Unfortunately, we heard news recently that raises concerns things may not being going so smoothly at the utility. Thanks to the investigative reporting of Seattle Times reporter Jim Brunner, it was revealed to the Council and the public that City Light entered into a $47,500 contract with marketing firm Brand.com to engage in an “action plan” that included creating positive blog items and stories about City Light’s green image.

City Light has made strides with its sustainability programs—that is not to be challenged. But isn’t it more important to spend funds to assure that we have a well-run, efficient and responsive public utility? The money would have been much better spent on addressing the problems that were identified 10 years ago, reiterated in the 2007 employee survey and, for all we know, might still exist.

Thank you for taking an interest in our city and for taking a moment to share your thoughts with me.

Sincerely,

Nick

Seattle City Councilmember Nick Licata
206-684-8803

Steve Utash, White Detroit Tree Trimmer

Steve Utash Detroit

What makes a crime a hate crime? According to the news reports (or lack of reports) President Obama, Atty. Gen. Eric Holder, Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton, anything said or done toward a black person is a hate crime, all hell breaks loose. Every major network and newspapers will say a WHITE man did something to a BLACK man. Color is really stressed. If a bunch of BLACKS beat a WHITE man it is color blind. Major networks do not mention color unless its something against a black by a different race.. The media and the president do not mention BLACK against BLACK . Honduras has the highest murder rate of any country but Detroit has more. Obama if trying so hard to funnel billions to rebuild Detroit but until he stops the BLACK crime its useless. But the Monday morning news never bothers to tell how many murders the blacks do over the week end. The following are two glaring examples of how unimportant WHITE people have become.

This story pretty much says we are in a race war. Steve Utash, a tree trimmer in the Detroit area is an employed hard working WHITE man. He stopped at a gas station to buy gas on his way to work. As he was pulling out a little BLACK boy threw himself against the side of the van. The WHITE guy did NOT hit the BLACK boy like the news reported. (Watch the video on Google).The WHITE guy(Steve Utash) got out immediately and went to aide the little BLACK boy that was hurt. A mob of more than a dozen BLACKS came from every direction and beat the WHITE guy almost to death. They stole all his tools, his wallet and didn’t care a thing about the little BLACK boy that got hurt. Rumor has it they used the little boy as a decoy to make the truck stop so they could beat and loot. Steve Utash did everything a decent person would do and nearly got himself killed by a bunch of young BLACK THUGS. I am not sure at this point if Steve Utash ever got out of the hospital because my Seattle Times paper and none of the 3 major networks have mentioned the story at all. But there is a big difference in reporting crimes. If its against a WHITE, its not important, if its against a BLACK it gets the attention of even the President of the United States, but on this story he has not uttered a word. Can you imagine the uproar if a little White boy ran into the side of a Black mans van and when/if the black man tried to come to his assistance he was beat senseless by a dozen WHITE teenagers or young men. Every news cast, every paper would have been right on it. Not a peep when it’s the reverse. The president would have jumped in his toy called Air Force One and visited the boy in the hospital. What a photo op that would make.

OK you might say the President and Attorney General are too busy covering up their own crimes (Fast and Furious) (Bengasi),( NSA), (IRS),(VA), to bother with the tree trimmer . Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton must be busy too. BUT now look at this story of George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin and compare the coverage and attention it got. George Zimmerman was Hispanic(light colored), Trayvon Martin a BLACK teenager. You have all read/heard the details of that story so this is just about reporting. The BLACK teenager had Zimmerman on the sidewalk, beating his head into the cement saying he was going to kill him. Zimmerman shot him. Pure self defense. You cant very easily walk away is you are flat on your back. Not to much choice here but to shoot. The President of the United States dropped all the worldly problems and the story was on every channel. The newspapers carried it as headline news. The President praised Trayvon and said if he had a son he would want him to be just like Trayvon. Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton raved and ranted about this poor little BLACK boy in a hoodie (as if he was five or 6 years old) just trying to get home with his bag of skittles. Well this oversized BLACK teenager had been expelled from school, he was homeless, didn’t belong in this housing complex at all that Zimmerman was acting as a guard for. He was on drugs, and was carrying things that had just been stolen from someplace else. But Obama, Holder, Jackson, and Sharpton praised him and vilified Zimmerman. Zimmerman was acquitted in a court of law, but the president and his cheerleaders did not even respect the jury’s findings and to this day praise Trayvon. No one wants anyone shot, no one wants anyone beat up.

Which crime was a hate crime? It’s the crime of a group of BLACK THUGS beating/robbing a WHITE man but the President, attorney General, Jessie Jackson Al Sharpton are not the least interested.

This is about REPORTING unequally WHITE/BLACK crimes. The latest without going into detail is Cliven Bundy the Rancher in Nevada. The Federal Government is totally out of control and surrounded Bundy’s ranch. They came in with a regular armed army. Snipers on the hills, armored tanks, and helicopters rounding up his cattle because they say he owed grazing fees. Not one of the major networks mentioned it. My Seattle Times did not mention it. It was a huge story about the Government of the United States using the Bureau of Land Management to seize a WHITE mans property. It came close to being another Waco or Ruby Ridge but thank goodness the Fed’s backed off. Of course Harry Reid says its not over and I am sure anything he asks Obama to do it will be granted. But the networks are afraid to report a thing against the government or Blacks. BUT Bundy made the grave error of making a Racist remark. It was poor judgment on his part but yesterday every EVERY network told about what a Racist Bundy is. My Seattle Times even had his picture telling about his racist remark. They completely ignored the story of how the government came in like a military to seize a WHITE mans property over a debt. This is not even remotely saying who owes what it is to simply point out the favoritism BLACKS are getting from the President on down. Bundy just said what most people think but are afraid to say. It came out sounding terrible. But look for a minute at what he was trying to point out. Most older people have had to work hard at some point in their life. When doing that you are always trying to better yourself. With the Obama mentality it takes away all ambition or desire to better yourself. If you are raised to believe that somehow the Federal Government will furnish you with a nicer house, better food, and 24 hours to use as you see fit why does any of what you call poor people want to do anything? This includes poor whites too. They are all just as much SLAVES to the Federal Government as they were to the plantation owners. I don’t know anyone who thought slavery was good, or fair or right but there is not a whole lot of difference. If the poor black boy does the right thing and marries the little black pregnant girl, she gets her welfare cut off, they would have to pay for the babys delivery etc. The government encourages them to be “slaves to their rules” not to help the poor person but to simply get more votes. The politicians don’t mind raising working peoples taxes to give to someone who does nothing for their government hand out. If a politician campaigned that he would find a job for everyone on welfare, he would not get a vote from a welfare recipient. But The Bundy story got totally lost. The Federal Government is totally out of control. Bonuses to anyone of their workers who break the law. The story of the BLM never saw the light of day on any of the 3 major networks or my Seattle Times but the minute Bundy said what he thought, then the HUGE RACIST STORY hit the press. Think this might backfire because he still has people that think like him(I don’t think he is a racist) are sticking with him. Any thing that makes it look like a WHITE is against A BLACK makes all the news channels and the papers. The white poor are slaves to the Government rules just like the blacks The don’t bother to work because they don’t have to. Every free thing handed out without the person having to do something for it drags that person down. If you have savings you cant get welfare, so heck just spend it on drugs and booze or travel, then you qualify. If you buy a house you get taxed out of it, so better to stay poor and get a free house. on and on. But this was to show hour WHEN THE GOVERNMENT WENT IN AGAINST A WHITE ARMED TO THE TEETH, NO NEWS WAS REPORTED AT ALL. Can you imagine the government doing this to a black rancher or isn’t there any?

Another example of what the President thinks is important. I think (could be wrong) he is overseas on a visit but he took the time from the WORLDLY problems to take the microphone and talk about the Clippers owner, Donald Sterling berating his mistress for “associating with black people” Didn’t want Magic Johnson to come to his games or some other stupid thing. The president was able to take time out to do a photo op on that. I am not saying Sterling is not a racist but until and unless the president gets his priorities on blacks straight it will get worse and worse. To break into an overseas jaunt and all the TV stations and the papers carried the story but will not mention A DOZEN BLACKS IN DETROIT BEATING A WHITE MAN SENSELESS. Not one word. Sterling has black players and obviously has no morals but surely it is not the President of the United States problem. Watch for Jessie and Al to be on this case too.

I have found the only place to really find out what’s going on is to watch Hannity or Judge Jeanne on Fox news. or read the Emerald City Journal for a different slant on things.

Statewide Fundraiser For OSO Mudslide Victims

President Obama Air Force One OSO Fundraiser

To my followers on the Emerald City Journal. I am asking a small favor. We could raise a huge amount of money for the victims of OSO by requesting that President Obama JUST STAY HOME.

Whether you like him or not it costs the taxpayers millions for him to make a trip to our state. It costs between $179,500 or $288.00 per hour to fly Air Force One. That is our millions each time he gets on that plane. Remember they fly an extra decoy and there are loads of expenses that we can’t possibly know about. My idea is to ask all of you who read this to phone or email your Senator and request they tell Obama to stay home. Do not come to Washington State for nothing more than a photo shoot. Our Governor and my two senators have already had their photo op and can inform the president on what they saw. They saw the devastation when it was at its worst and promised to help anyway they can. THE WAY ANY OF YOUR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES can help is to have them tell The President not to squander a minimum of 8 million to come to Washington State.

Safeways, Home Depot, all the cash jars for donations and any others that have sent checks, or food or whatever are wonderful but one trip cancelled by the president would dwarf them all. I have emailed Senator Murray and Senator Cantwell and told them my feelings. I do not expect them to even see the email and some intern will punch in a form type email to me eventually.

When the President comes for his fundraisers, he will spend millions to have lunch with a rich crony on Mercer Island and raise $100,000. His idea of spending money is not like a common man’s idea of spending money. Just remember YOU are paying for it whether you admit it or not. So, if we could go viral and have everyone in the state request the president not visit our state. Just SENT A CHECK FOR THAT AMOUNT it would be so much better. Those people don’t need a cheesy cat smile and a hug, they need money. We cant afford to shut down our freeways, and downtown to protect him. So whether you like him or not, or agree with him or not I think you will all agree that 8 million in cash would do a lot more good in OSO that a smile and a handshake by him would do. If you don’t agree, nothing I can say will change your mind, if you do agree get the ball rolling. They need money for funerals, they have lost everything besides, wives, husbands, babies, neighbors and friends right now.

Our representatives were elected to represent WE THE PEOPLE not cozy up to the President to get votes. Remember when you write your check to the IRS on the 15th 90% of it will be totally squandered. Lets let the President play golf 7 days a week close to his home, just don’t spent 8 to 10 MILLION to fly here.
LLL

Washington State Affordable Healthcare Rates

Affordable Healthcare Act Seattle

The time is coming in just a matter of days when you can do the “right thing” and purchase Obamacare (Affordable Healthcare).  As you know, I strongly didn’t support Obama or the Affordable Healthcare Act.  I liked the idea, however, it doesn’t really correct the real issue and that is overpricing and ripping people off.  A better solution would have been for the Government to say “no” to all the bills and overpriced items.  Breaking an arm and going to the ER shouldn’t cost a family $5,000 dollars – when nothing is done with the broken arm except x-rays and an arm sling to go home with.  This is where the problem is and not enough was done to correct this.  None the less, we are here now with Affordable Healthcare Act and the supporters are going to have a shock and awe when they see the prices.  I can’t help but laugh each time I do a search online at the fees and really just wonder how everyone is going to pay for this?  They don’t have money now what makes you think this is “affordable”.  Most live paycheck to paycheck with just a few dollars left over each month.  I suspect everyone will just be supported by the Government or go into debt to the IRS over the fees of not getting it.  If you don’t have a job, you’ll pretty much be supported by the Government – what else are you going to do to participate into the program.  It’s a requirement so if you’re unemployed, you must get it through claiming poverty (applying) or paying the IRS fees.

I have looked at many comparison websites now.  For Washington State, this appears to be the main one: wahealthplanfinder.org.  Out of curiosity, I ran a basic search.  Husband (35 years old) and Wife (29 years old) making $45,00o per year with one child under 21 years of age.  The total came to a laughable $687 per month.  This maybe reduced to $346 per month with a Government subsidy (however that works) who knows when or how the check comes in the mail.  How about another you ask… OK how about a single male (35 years old) not married and no kids.  Lets say he makes $30,000 per year.  This basic search comes to $282 per month.  There is a subsidy of $73 dollars of that.  Who thinks these numbers up?  Out of the 314 million people in America paying for these high rates now you would think it would be more realistic wouldn’t you?  By the way, these numbers are from the exchange so they’re going to be higher through an insurance company.  It’s just laughable to me that people are just going to support this and pay it each month.

The next few months should be interesting to say the least.

 

 

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 8
Go to Top