Fairweather

lol. OK, so it's annoying because the website makes you subscribe if you have more than like 5 views, which makes it hard to average any kind of numbers -- but I assumed you must have done this since you certainly wouldn't have just jumped to the conclusion that "I see a whole lotta $70-$85k" just by glancing at the first page of 20 employees out of tens of thousands, right? so imagine my surprise when I discovered that a) it's pretty easy to bypass their registration screen and even query their database yourself and b) the average pay for teaching positions is not anywhere near what you suggest it is. Weird, right? Not sure how TTK's pet jellyfish derives average from I see a lotta, but hey, the point remains that teacher's poverty claims are questionable--at best. Especially given their 180+ a few schedule. As to Ivan's more thoughtful response, well, I agree it's total bullshit that a salary sort for, say, Seattle SD reveals pages of admin jobs (non-union, even!) that are pulling down more than the state Governor. Not to mention the guaranteed pension and health benefits that the common folk in the private sector no longer enjoy...

I see a whole lotta $70-$85k. Pretty good money, IMO. My guess is that most deserve it--but far too many don't. http://wwwb.thenewstribune.com/databases/school_pay/

Not sure this is true at all. Didn't pretty much every local education measure on the ballot just pass across the state last night? I think the people really just want to see the shitty teachers gone and the good teachers properly rewarded. Too subjective a standard for the WEA? Not fair? Well, welcome to the real world.

You, of course, being one of the grownups. Forgive me if I crack a smile, but this is kind of funny coming from the same guy who has been banned here repeatedly for his boorish and downright vulgar behavior. I was hoping to engage sans the personal attacks--since we do agree on a few things--but this has once again proven impossible to do with cc.com's resident narcissist. You're a pretty weird guy.

I think private sector collective bargaining is necessary to offset wage-fixing that takes place in the corporate world. No problem with private sector unions. And, on the public side, I agree that teachers should be paid what they're worth. Unfortunately, the NEA/WEA thinks all teachers are all equally qualified. Good teachers ought to be outraged that they are being paid the same as the the bad ones. No reason they ought to be allowed to bargain collectively--at least to the degree that they presently are. (Ditto police and firefighters, BTW.) FDR was a "tool" too, I guess: All Government employees should realize that the process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service. It has its distinct and insurmountable limitations when applied to public personnel management. The very nature and purposes of Government make it impossible for administrative officials to represent fully or to bind the employer in mutual discussions with Government employee organizations. The employer is the whole people, who speak by means of laws enacted by their representatives in Congress. Accordingly, administrative officials and employees alike are governed and guided, and in many instances restricted, by laws which establish policies, procedures, or rules in personnel matters. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=15445

Don't know how to break this to you, but, other than your fellow teachers, there aren't too many folks who actually like your union. There are those who hate it, and those who tolerate it. And when the bill for McCleary comes due, it's gonna be even less popular.

Good ideas all, but even if you can get such legislation passed, politicians and law bullies will always find wiggle room--or a sympathetic judge who doesn't give a rat's ass about the 4th.

That was Taft--my favorite. He also had to have his car towed the final quarter mile to Paradise by a team of mules when it got stuck in the mud during the summer of 1911.

Maybe, but a healthy fear of slippery slopes (left and right) provides a useful tension. As for the drones and phones and NSA and all the other bullshit, I think anything less than a constitutional amendment is leaving free a door that swings wide with each new administration. Especially since recent execs (GW and BO) have grown fond of signing statements and other bizarre interpretations of Congressional legislation.

Good call, I guess Harrison didn't last long enough to ring up a tally. Go ahead and take #9 off the evil list.

Not sure who these benevolent leaders are. Show me one and I'll bet I can show you the mass grave in his back yard.

Not sure I agree with you re Garfield. Famous for other reasons.

Pretty much #7 through #15 were evil. Except maybe number 13. Nobody gives a shit about him.

He was pretty fucking evil.

Does your ATM spit out 20s or 5s?

Hard to disagree with that sentiment.

I think ole Fremont Lenin has been splattered with red paint representing blood once or twice, so I gotta agree with the usual suspects here this time. My problem would be with the useful idiots who washed it off.

Not to worry, GGK, your new overlords are getting raises to pay for their dachas on Hood Canal and Mazama and Leavenworth. Meet your new bosses, same as your old bosses: http://www.komonews.com/news/local/CEO-of-Washington-health-exchange-gets-13-percent-raise-232750371.html

I agree 100%. Still, admissions criteria in the Wilderness Act didn't stop advocates for Wild Sky--or prevent gerrymandered additions around Mount Hood. I think many of our elected reps still truly believe that recreationalists and hard-core greens are on the same page. It's up to us to let them know this is, for the most part, no longer true. Congressman Derek Kilmer was off to a good start--but it looks like he's going to get it wrong. (Page 6 seems to underline his support for Wild Olympics/Rivers). http://kilmer.house.gov/sites/kilmer.house.gov/files/wysiwyg_uploaded/Olympic%20Peninsula%20Economic%20Development%20Initiative_3.pdf

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. On one hand, a radical "repeal the Wilderness Act" stance would open up a real can of worms that none of us, I suspect, want to eat. "Amending" the Act is a good idea, but since the 1964 Act has no sunset provision like most other environmental legislation, the original would, I believe, have to be repealed to move forward. Again, this could turn out badly. My thoughts might look something like this: Pass a new Act that looks exactly like the 1964 original--not a letter or semicolon out of place. But add a ten-year sunset provision at the end of new law--again, one just like most other environmental legislation already has. This would put the debate back into the hands of the people and we could have this new ten-year discussion through our elected representatives minus all the judicial (and administrative) nonsense that has made such a mockery of the original legislation.

Assuming you're a PC guy, Adobe Premier Elements does a good job of editing GoPro video and capturing stills. (I have v.10) It's not too expensive, fairly intuitive, has some pretty good/easy sharing features. My .02; I'm sure there are other good/better options. I have no idea what the author of this post used, but he sure put together a great show.

Here's a still picture taken from GoPro footage showing the chock stone pitch:

Great post, Hans. One little point to clarify though: the Westside Road in Mount Rainier NP hasn't washed away. In fact, it is almost entirely intact. Only a small 100 foot section at Dry Creek is regularly threatened--and NPS staff in pickup trucks and quads easily cross this section and drive the length of the road regularly during the summer months. In fact, they did some significant (and unannounced?) regrading of about 1/4 mile above the washout just two years ago. The 1992 EA called for a 20-year "reevaluation" of the road's status once the South Tahoma Glacier was finished with its cycle of outburst floods. That would have been 2012, but to date this promise has not been kept, but it will supposedly be addressed in their next Master Plan. I think that's in 2016. But back to the topic here: Save the chalet!!

That would be great. The historic preservation portion is already in the Act itself, but as for trail maintenance, well, rumor has it that at least one USFS manager, faced with protests from the radical green faction, took away his trail crew's chain saws--and sent them out with hand augurs and dynamite instead. Problem solved. The worst part of all this is that groups like Wilderness Watch are actually doing long-term, permanent harm to the true wilderness ideal. Use is down, and support for wilderness expansion in places like NCNP (Alps proposal) and ONP (Wild Olympics proposal) is virtually nil among locals and actual users. One last thing: it's important to distinguish between Olympic Park Associates--radical greens who are, for all intents and purposes, the peninsula's equivalent of the NCCC--and Friends of Olympic National Park who support historically-biased access for hikers, climbers, equestrians, and skiers.

I'd say there's a pretty big difference, but don't let facts stand in the way, Junior. Of course, we probably shouldn't limit this little survey of Democrat corruption to Illinois--after all, there's always Christie's predecessor, John Corzine, who stole $1.6 Billion of other people's money in investment schemes. But here we go: Rod Blagojevich — Governor from 2003 through 2009, when he became the first Illinois governor in history to be impeached. Convicted of numerous corruption charges Monday, including allegations that he tried to sell or trade President Barack Obama's old Senate seat. George Ryan — Governor from 1999 through 2003. After leaving office, was convicted of racketeering for actions as governor and secretary of state. In November 2007, began serving 6 1/2 years in federal prison. U.S. Rep. Dan Rostenkowski — Pleaded guilty to corruption charges and left office in 1995. Served 17 months in prison, but was pardoned by President Bill Clinton. Rostenkowski was a representative from 1959-95. U.S. Rep. Mel Reynolds — Convicted of misconduct with a 16-year-old campaign volunteer and resigned in 1995. Served more than two years in prison. Later convicted on federal wire and bank fraud charges and sentenced to more than six years in prison. President Clinton commuted that sentence. Dan Walker — Governor from 1973-1977. Pleaded guilty to bank fraud and other charges in 1987 related to his business activities after leaving office. Spent just over a year and a half in federal prison. Otto Kerner — Governor from 1961-1968. Resigned to become judge, then was convicted of bribery related to his tenure as governor. Sentenced to three years in prison. William G. Stratton — Governor from 1953-1961. Indicted after leaving office on income-tax evasion charges but was acquitted. Secretary of State Paul Powell — Roughly $800,000 was found stuffed in shoe boxes Powell's home after he died in 1970. Auditor Orville Hodge — Pleaded guilty in the 1950s to embezzling more than $1.5 million from the state while in office. He used the money to buy two planes, four automobiles and homes in Illinois and Florida. Attorney General William Scott — Convicted of tax fraud and spent a year in prison in the 1980s. Was Illinois attorney general from 1969-80. And let's not forget Jesse Jackson Jr. In jail.