Search Results for 'aF'

[trvlgrl]

I’m not one for dentists, but I was referred to Dr. Naden a few years ago and I love him. No pain ever and the staff is so friendly. Shelley does my cleanings and I highly recommend her as well.

[karen]

Just because your child is eligible for Spectrum doesn’t mean that they will do best there. We were in Spectrum last year at Laffayette and it was a bad situation. Our child is in Gatewood and we are very happy with the challenges he is being given. I agree that it depends on the teacher and the school.

Spectrum is a very fast and challenging program but we found very little room for different learning styles in the program. Since our child is both “gifted” and “special” we did not find it to be a good fit.

[add]

When the Charlestown Cafe reopens, that’s a good place for a “diner” breakfast, too – not exactly in the Junction, but if it’s a nice day, it would be a nice walk!

[WSMom]

If you want to eat breakfast at Easy Street be sure to not peek into the kitchen afterwards. It looks so greasy and filthy I nearly lost it. Can’t find it in me to go again, sorry.

[Erik]

The Federal Reserve, which is not a part of the U.S. Government – it’s a privately held consortium of international bankers with the charge of creating and loaning the U.S. money for a nice profit, can do as it pleases.

They have decided, along with their fellow European FEDs (Bank of England, Bank of France, Bank of Germany) that it’s important to save the large banks so that we can keep the illusion of a stable monetary policy afloat.

They’ve had a history of creating the problem then coming up with the solution to it. Look at today’s headline of how the FED will become a new financial super-cop. This is giving all the keys to the fox so they can keep us hens even more penned up. Greenspan can be blamed for the present problems for luring so many into the trap by dangling ultra low interest rates to entice the hordes into the game.

Some interesting or scary reading is about how this country has wrestled the pressures of trying to keep a central bank from taking over and finally succumbing in 1912 with the present Federal Reserve and the non-ratified Income Tax we all love to pay to cover the interest on this money.

Past presidents that have tried to float their own interest-free greenbacks in defiance of the central bank (Lincoln and Kennedy to name two) somehow had shortened presidencies, so their policies were quickly scrapped once the successor took over.

Congress can try all it wants to change the rules but the facts are that we are in debt to these banks and they have the control.

In short, this is why I don’t identify with being a D or an R because I feel our problems are much deeper.

[Huindekmi]

Awareness is great. But being aware of a problem without being aware of how your actions affect it isn’t much use.

The point of earth hour was to raise awareness of global warming and the greenhouse gases that are released from our behavior. World wide, most electricity is generated by burning fossil fuels. In the US, coal produces most of our energy.

However, in the Northwest, most of our electricity comes from Hydro. WSB posted a link to Seattle City Light’s fuel mix, showing that 98% of our electricity comes from sources that do not generate greenhouse gases (hydro, wind, nuclear). That list is an annualized average. This time of the year, when there is an overabundance of hydro capacity, the mix is slanted even higher towards hydro.

This is where awareness of your own actions comes into play. Burning candles puts out much more greenhouse gases than turning on the equivalent lightbulb in the northwest. How many took part in earth hour by generating a higher carbon footprint than they would have by not changing their behavior? How many are aware of the choice that they made?

If you really want to help reduce your carbon footprint, turn down the thermostat, as most homes in the area are heated by burning natural gas or oil. Drive less. Burn less.

Recognize which fuels you are using and take steps to reduce the activities that require fossil fuels to be burned. That is awareness.

[Shibaguyz]

Just wanted to interject a thought here… thank goodness for forums such as these where a person can do such things as throw a thought out into the metaverse and have it bounce around for a while…

Earth Hour, Valentines Day, Teacher Appreciation Day, Black History Month, Gay Pride Month, Veterans Day, 4th of July… all of these are about awareness. And, mind you, most of the time they aren’t FOR the folks who already live their lives accordingly with the principles expressed on that day/month. Some aspect of them is for the affirmation and edification of those involved in those movements/communities. But often it is for a reminder to those of us who sometimes forget.

You might tell your partner every day how much they mean to you and show them in every way that they are the most important person in your life. Valentines Day is a time for those who sometimes forget to reflect and maybe express a not-all-that-common sentiment to someone special.

You might be perfectly secure in your ethnic or cultural heritage and community. You might not need a week-long special on NPR, Lifetime or Bravo to remind you of how lucky you are to be an individual with unique qualities. That thought might occur to you every morning and come as a common reflection throughout the day.

You might not need reminding of the people who have come before you who fought for the rights and privileges you enjoy every day because of their sacrifice. You might naturally reflect on these wondrous, historic events daily.

You might recycle, re-use, conserve and preserve every waking moment of your life. You might never turn down your receipt at the coffee shop or at the bank atm to cut down on the use of paper, you might turn off unnecessary heaters and lights. You MIGHT even have changed all of your lights out for energy savers or even LED’s.

YOU might do these things. Thank goodness if you are that complete of a soul. Most of us still struggle to do all of those thing consistently and feel good if we just get part of the puzzle of life together. For those of us poor slobs who haven’t gotten it all quite right yet, I’m thankful for reminders like Earth Day, Earth Hour, Valentines Day, etc…

That’s one side of the coin. Little events like those are good reminders and educational opportunities for folks who either don’t have the whole picture completed yet or who just want to learn more and gather more information for how to do it all better.

The flip side is this: there are those out there who already “get it” or have that piece of the puzzle or maybe even just have one particular piece and can share that with someone else who doesn’t have it yet. It seems like those folks might feel some sense of obligation to help out and step to the front to be counted among the ones who can or do or are. Helping raise awareness by the showing of solidarity has crumbled more than a few intellectual, physical and idealistically awry walls.

In addition, it is an incredible fueling for the soul when you see others like yourself who have been through similar circumstances. You can speak as a community when you might otherwise have not met. You can gain strength and maybe even find a renewed sense of hope or vigor to push you through when you just don’t “feel like it.”

Sometimes it is just letting others know you “are present” and you “get it” or “are aware” that is important. Sharing information for educational purposes and for swapping of ideas is a powerful tool of change.

Rather than feeling smug about what I have already accomplished and stating my piousness by boycotting such vulgar public displays, maybe just keeping to myself and not condemning the folks who do participate (for whatever reason they decide to participate) would be more appropriate.

No, public displays of these sorts are not for everyone. Not all people who are “fighting the good fight” or “have raised their awareness” feel comfortable with putting themselves out there. Nothing wrong with that. Everyone is just on a different place in the journey. If you aren’t comfortable with it or if you don’t feel like you need it, then just step back and let those who are comfortable step out. Let those who do need it seek out those who can or want to share.

On whichever side of the coin your life is stamped, I’m sure we can all do with a good look at the flip side and allow those who like/want/need to participate in such events their joy/desire/necessity. Rather than snorting derisively and spouting statements of triviality at the occasions, it might be better to just sit back and let it pass us by. Let those who feed off of these events draw from it what they need.

Maybe someone finds the courage to declare their self worth, maybe another cuts back on their “carbon footprint,” perhaps someone learns a new method of sustainability that they can pass on to one other person later on. There could even be the chance that someone who feels a little lonely suddenly finds themselves in the welcoming arms of a community or that special someone they never knew existed before.

Live and let live may sound cliche but hey… sometimes cliches come from a good initial idea. As long as their fireworks don’t land on my house and burn it down, why should I care if it gives them a boost?

[hopey]

Thanks, TR! I would love to hear from folks at Sanislo. Like I said, I really think their unique tumbling program would help my stepson tremendously. I am just concerned about how his academic needs will be met as well.

Yes, we’re on the waiting list for Lafayette Spectrum, so that is GREAT news about your experience. How long ago was that?

[JoB]

charlabob…

you got that right. this will be big business.. and it’s high time somebody figured that out.

Now.. if they can just do it in volume so th prices for this big business are affordable for the masses…

the technology mostly already exists.. it just isn’t affordable.

it sounds like you had a grand two hours.. my nap was good:)

[WSB]

Hopey, I answered you in the Sanislo thread too, but two quick things here:

-Re: dealing with gifted kids who are not in Spectrum (or APP) – It so completely depends on the school and teacher. There is nothing official outside of the potpourri of “ALO’s.” We spent 2nd grade in a “regular” program and it wasn’t pretty, but it turned out that the teacher was on the brink of retirement and she had just pretty much had it with everything and everyone. She was an interesting lady otherwise and if we had caught her earlier in her career, might have had different results.

-As I wrote in the other thread, we were on the Lafayette Spectrum waitlist until just a couple weeks till school started. It’s been a few years so I can’t remember – did they tell you where you are on the list (how far down)? Things can also change even after school starts. At the school we are now at (Spectrum middle-school program), three wait-listed kids turned up about a week into the school year.

[WSB]

Hopey, I can tell you that Sanislo is one of the schools we have spent the most time covering lately because it’s got a lot going on and its parents are working hard to get the word about it. If you don’t hear from some of them here by later today, I’ll ping my most frequent contact and call her attention to this thread.

Have you looked at the website yet?

http://sanislo.org

This is the “unofficial official” website.

Separate from that, I’m sadly not surprised to hear it’s tough to get your first choice. I think the school-age demographic is growing faster than Seattle Public Schools gave it credit for, and the closure of schools might have been pennywise-poundfoolish.

Did they waitlist you for Lafayette (Spectrum and not)? The year our son started there (also third grade) he was on the waitlist till school was just a few weeks away; then a spot opened up. — TR

[hopey]

We were shocked too. For what it’s worth, this is for a new third grade student. Our choices were:

Lafayette Spectrum

Lafayette

Schmitz

Sanislo

John Muir Spectrum

We figured it’d be better to keep him in WS than travel for Spectrum. That may not have been the right decision. We’ll see.

I’m hoping some Sanislo parents can step up and help us feel a little better about this. :)

[hopey]

I am fairly new to Seattle and this is my first time going through the school registration process. My stepson qualifies as “gifted” and was confirmed eligible for the Spectrum program. What we didn’t know was how hard it would be to get him into a Spectrum school!

For now he will be going to Sanislo, but he is on the waiting list for Lafayette Spectrum. How does Seattle Public Schools deal with these kids who are gifted and need additional challenges, but aren’t in a “gifted program”? How do these kids get the help they need?

Also, any success stories to help us feel more positive about being on the waiting list for Spectrum?

[WSMommy]

I am sorry, I don’t know what the latte reference means. I am new to the Seattle and the forum and I thought this was a good place to find out about a school that my child is scheduled to attend in the fall.

More important than the latte reference…. Bonnie, I am sorry if you took offense to the special needs comment I made. The special needs children themselves aren’t the problem, it’s the district’s lack of support for the team and staff that need to care for them. sorry if I hurt your feelings, I did not mean too. :(

Lowmanbeach, thank you for the numbers. I will go to those school’s website to see if I can find the total numbers of students at those schools and compare the ratios and see if I can find out if the numbers at Gatewood greatly increased after Fairmont closed. I appreciate your help.

[karen]

My child goes to Gatewood and I don’t see this problem. Gatewood in an inclusive school, which means that all children are in the classroom – including the special needs kids – like mine. Maybe someone who doesn’t like this model has spoken with you about it?

I am there often. I see the respect that all of the staff gives to the students. when a child needs extra help everyone there is willing to help. I’ve seen kids hanging out in the office, with the principle, at the library, in the hall with a helper, whatever is needed. The classes are well run and seem productive. My 8 year old spent a large part of yesterday teaching me about minerals and their properties. I am VERY happy with the school.

[Sue]

House, I agree with you totally on the housing issue – this is one of my big soapbox issues. I think way too many people put more energy into the mundane things in their lives than they do into buying a house. “Somebody” tells them it’s a good idea to get involved in real estate or they “must” have a house, and they blindly sign stuff without understanding it. When my apartment proposed going condo, we were offered the chance to buy. As a renter for 22 years, I didn’t know a thing about real estate. I took the time to learn, and to ask questions if I didn’t understand something.

I can truly see how easy it is to get suckered into some of these bad loans – when they told me my payments (mortgage/interest/dues) would be $2600/mo. on the fixed mortgage, they also said I could pay “only” $1700 if I went with 5 year adjustable, interest-only. That’s a big difference and makes the place look a lot more affordable. And it’s easy to believe you’ll be in a better place financially 5 years from now and buy into it. But once I educated myself how it all worked, versus my own situation, I decided the risk was too high.

People are free to make their own decisions about what risk they wish to take with housing, but then they need to also take the personal responsibility to deal with it and not expect handouts if it goes bad. And I don’t blindly accept ignorance here – when you make a decision this big, you need to understand what you’re getting into. I work in the legal field, so I was fortune enough to understand what I was reading. If I wasn’t, I would have hired someone to do it. If someone can’t afford to hire legal/financial people to assist them with such a huge decision, then they can’t afford to buy a home.

[Crowe]

I forgot who, but asked if Big john’s PFI could donate something for the raffle.The answer is yes, can I get more info on when and where to take donation? It will probably be a small food gift basket.

[WSB]

Here is my semi-educated guess. Sorry no actual facts, these things tend to be impossible to look up (even back at the tv station, calls to Fort Lewis/McChord duty officers were tough to get thru the info-wall):

Last time this happened it was because of a military salute at Safeco Field.

Looking up the plan for Mariners’ home opener Tuesday, it’s Salute to Armed Forces Night

(The Mariners are proud to honor the men and women of the U.S. Armed Services. The evening will feature a special pre-game ceremony beginning at 6:30pm. – is the official description on the Mariners’ website)

I would bet you dimes to dollars this was rehearsal. Last time they staged off Alki and roared in.

Even if somehow this wasn’t related, be prepared for something similar on Tuesday — here’s our post from last year:

https://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=1346

TR

[herongrrrl]

I think the Fairmont students were divided up more or less evenly around other WS schools. Didn’t Fairmont parents have a choice about where their students went after the school closed, as they would in any other case as the district is set up now? I know class sizes at many local schools got bigger after Fairmont closed.

There are children with special needs and behavioral problems all throughout the school district. If they are truly causing havoc at any particular school, I would say that has a lot more to do with with school’s management than the students themselves. My daughter’s public school classroom had a very challenging new student in it at the beginning of this school year (in addition to several other high-needs students who have been in her cohort at that school since kindergarten), and I was impressed with how hard all the staff involved worked to make a very difficult situation work as well as was possible.

[WSMommy]

I’m not trolling, I am concerned. I had heard that majority of the children with special needs and behavioral problems were sent to Gatewood and are causing havic at the school. I was told that the teachers and parents have been trying to get help from the district but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

[WSMommy]

Hi WS parrents, I am interested in hearing more about the problems at Gatewood created after Fairmont closed. I had heard that the school is having issues and I would like to more about them. anyone?

[JoB]

House…

now that was an attention getting post…

earth day.. how about living it every day and letting the world… and your children who remember hallmark moments like this… know you think it’s important…

If we are making assumptions about people with psychological problems.. i have to admit that i secretly assume that republicans have severe psychological problems… too bad they don’t get press: ;->

I am not into recession “hype” .. but am sure paying a lot for food and gas these days.. and they aren’t discretionary spending.

We are able to ride it out.. but i worry that those who have already been making choices between food and medicine will have to begin making choices between making it to their jobs and eating.

a trader joes in the high point would do a lot of good…

again.. some folks find the Metropolitan Market affordable only for special items… and some only for their free coupons.

Many high point residents could use an affordable market within walking distance in their neighborhood that doesn’t stock mainly junk food.

Think of it.. helping people to make healthy food choices…

And it would bring some much needed jobs and commerce into the neighborhood.. all to the good.

I am out of time. Plants trump controversy every day for me. I am off to meet plant people at cafe Lardo:)

Welcome back:)

[JoB]

A group of people interested in biointensive gardening .. or just gardening in general.. are meeting today at cafe Lardo at 2 PM.

Th shibguyz, JoB and Velvet bulldog have committed…

anyone else is welcome to come with their love of plants and any garden plans/books/etc…

[JoB]

West Seattle Blog Forum community members met today at Uptown Espresso to plan a fund raiser for Puget Sound Lock & Key owned by Mike Dein and Troy Silverman… who lost their business to a arson fire.

it’s absolutely amazing what this group of people can put together in a week!

We had a special guest, the owner of the Admiral Pub, Eric Galanti.

Together, we have worked out the basic details for the event.

The fund raiser will be held on Saturday April 19 from 6 to 9 PM at the Admiral Pub (the folks who brought you the recent fund raiser for the Rat City Roller Girls…)

ok, i confess, i have a thing for roller skating.. and who can resist a name like rat city roller girls ;~)

We will have a voluntary cover charge and donation jar for the business.. special Mike drinks… which will come with a free raffle ticket… (all the proceeds donated directly to Puget Sound Lock & Key for rebuilding purposes) … a dart tournament, a rocking juke box… a pool table… and… a raffle for donated items… including original artwork, massages, haircuts , local gift cards and more.

Once again.. i am afraid we won’t have room for the dunking tank.. but WSB forum members will be there to defend their positions… if they can:)

all i can say is that i got the gift of a lime green “Hot for HIllary” mug at today’s meeting from JT ;0

it makes a statement i can relate to next to my computer:)

Someone in the coffee shop asked us who we are.. so we thought it might be a good time to answer that.

We are no more.. and no less.. than a group of West Seattle neighbors.. most of whom post regularly in the forum.. (all of us read the blog) … who saw another chance to get together with their neighbors and have some fun..

That we can do so and help a local business through some tough times is just a bonus.

So… keep an eye on what we are up to.

If you want to join us.. send me an email with your real name, contact info and moniker to Joanne@brayden.org. Real people (no trolls or other legendary characters please) will be added to our email communication list.

You can comment or offer suggestions here…

Please keep them at least somewhat positive as we are doing our best to do good…

[Shibaguyz]

Okay… we’re now dealing with a broken windshield that has to be replaced (thank you trucks on the highway without covered loads) and a puppy that has some health isssues. So… let’s meet at 2pm at Ladro on California.

Bring any books, web resources or verbal adivice you can. If you are new to the urban gardening scene, then come with an open mind and we’ll all learn from each other.

See you all tomorrow at Cafe Ladro on California at 2pm.

talk to you soon…

The Shibaguyz