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[WSMom]

Yesterday my teenager and I spent two hours on this link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21116732/

listening to each of the viable candidates positions on major issues. Great learning experience for both of us. We’re still undecided between Sen.’s Clinton, Obama & Edwards. We feel that all three of them would be excellent change for the better. Listening to Romney, Guiliani & Huckabee was quite a learning experience too. There is no question in my mind that I will support whoever is on the Democrat ticket.

[Ken]

Anyone have questions about the process?

I have a few about the changes rumored for this year, but I probably know more about the process than most having chaired my precinct caucus in both presidential years and off years.

Basic info is

Feb 9th at 1 pm.

Registered voters can caucus but any resident can attend and take part in the discussions.

The sign in sheet is where you must affirm you are a Democrat (on that day)

So far the planning seems to indicate that there will be refreshments (coffee, pastries, etc) and the sign in sheet will be used to track both the initial choice as well as any changes in support during the caucus.

Each precinct will need a chair (usually the PCO if there is one) and a secretary and a tally clerk. Forms and checklists will be provided to aid those who are unfamiliar with the process.

Relatively heavy turnout is expected and efforts are underway to streamline the sign-in process as well as the choosing of delegates.

Speaking of turnout, here is an example. During the last presidential nominating process, my precinct had 48 people show up out of around 400 registered voters (approx 88% of those self identified as Democrats) so estimated 350 as Democrats.

During the off year caucus, there were 4 of us that showed so we could not even fill all the allowed delegates for the precinct.

This is where grass roots organizing has a chance to multiply their vote since the power defaults to those who show up.

So far the “primary” election will just be a popularity contest for those who are too lazy or unable to participate in the caucus for some reason. It does indeed exclude those working on Saturday, deployed, and ill from the process but remember this is a party function, paid for by the local districts (that is where our annual dues go) and donations collected at the caucus. (so bring a few bucks for the donations envelope)It is not meant to be a beauty contest for the public at large.

Also note, each precincts number of delegates it can send to the district and county conventions, is determined by voter turnout in the previous general elections. (I am trying to find the formula and exact method for delegate assignment but so far …)

Details for the 34th LD Democrats

http://www.34dems.org

King County Dems caucus page

http://www.kcdems.net/

WA State Democrats page

http://www.wa-democrats.org/

[JanS]

chas…I saw an article about a car just the other day…that gets “300 mpg”…runs partially on electricity, so the “mpg” thing doens’t ring very true, as…how do you measure electricity in mpg’s…but it was an interesting looking vehicle…

jetson’s , anyone?

http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/new_cars/4237853.html?series=19

I find it interesting that more and more people are talking about the economy, especially surrounding gas prices, which in turn raises prices on goods, while sometimes income doesn’t keep up…as opposed to the war in Iraq, etc, becoming a lesser important thing…like it’s there, we’re learning to live with it, it’s just a fact, oh, well…very interesting indeed…

[WSB]

We actually are posting a feature on the Pee Wee group, probably tomorrow – interviewed its president a few days back. Their registration is under way now. We also have a message out to a contact with West Seattle Little League to ask them about any key dates coming up so we can share that info too.

[credmond]

One way I strive to be able to stop for pedestrians wanting to cross 35th is to go the speed limit on 35th. It’s 35 miles per hour, not 40 or 45 or 50. Of course, about two-thirds of the cars are passing me on the left. But those of us in the curb lane are at least in a position to slow down and stop, and since there’s usually at least two or three of us going the legal speed, that is a lot of cars to be stopping and drivers in the other lanes pay attention. I’ve stopped for any number of pedestrians in the area around Camp Long up to Morgan St. and had no problems and others eventually stopped to allow the pedestrians to cross. By not recognizing the need to stop sooner, others merely delayed the entire flow of traffic as the pedestrians weren’t going to cross until all 4 lanes were stopped – as it should be. We can subtly enforce the laws ourselves by actually abiding in them. Strange concept, I know. Oh, I also bike and walk on 35th – all the time, and ride the bus. So I do have a good feel for how traffic flows throughout the day and week. The alternative to not being nice, by the way, is to put 35th on a road diet – reduce it to one travel lane in each direction with a center turn lane. Which would be better?

[credmond]

If you’re lucky, on a Comcast main trunk, in a popular area for them then you’ll do fine. If there’s a lot of Comcast folks in a single neighborhood, they respond fast if one of them has a problem, they don’t want to generate a serious customer migration. We’ve got two digital set boxes – now about 5 years old, and two equally ancient remotes. The Comcast software is only slightly less sucky than the AAT MotoRazr software on my cell phone – which is to say they both suck a lot. But they work, and like an old microwave, they do what you tell them to do even if it takes some weird contortion of the buttons to do it. If you’re in some isolated Comcast, single customer, zone, I’d expect your service would get pretty bad even if you had their latest set boxes and fancy, back-lit, remotes. Ask around, if other neighbors in your area have Comcast and are happy with it, then you in the right area for Comcast. If you see a lot of dish antennas on people’s houses or balcony’s, see which one has the most logos and ask a couple of folks what they think.

I personally think it totally depends on where you are in West Seattle. I think Highland Park/White Center is a dish network area. Gatewood Hill seems to be a fairly happy Comcast area. The Junction seems to be in love with their DSL (and why not, the freakin’ switch is about 100 yards from everyone).

[san]

I personally boycott Starbucks. The coffee is terrible, and the environment is just fake and creepy. And, seriously, does West Seattle really need 11!? Flippin’ outrageous! Why do people support that place? Stick with the little guy shops. The coffee is usually great, and the people you buy from actually have personalities. It’s nice to see your joe hand-made instead of recreated via button pushing. Just my 2 cents.

[credmond]

And anyone who’s seen “Who Killed the Electric Car, would have some thoughts for the 500-gallon coin and the thousand-gallon coin, too. Remember when “What was good for GM, was good for the Country.” Different era, different media, but – hey, we all got suckered in then. That was the heyday of the late 40’s and ’50’s when it was drive everywhere on gas so cheap it must have made your head spin. As a teenager in PA, I used to fill my mom’s car with Gulftane – I think it was 85 octane, but it was only 12 cents a gallon and her tank only held 13 gallons. All I needed to do after a date was make sure I had a dollar left in my pocket. We all fell for it then, too. And now we argue over how to replace the Viaduct. How ’bout electric cars? At least our electricity is “mostly” renewable and does a small amount of damage (fish) and its cost is pretty darned predictable.

[scottso]

The B-Town Blog aims to tell “all you oughta know about Burien,” including News, Events, Videos, Webcams, Reviews and much more. Published/Edited by West Seattle native Scott Schaefer, a three-time National Emmy Award winning Writer for “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” the B-town Blog is seeking Contributors in the general Burien area. Find out more at http://www.b-townblog.com. Thanks!

[Kata]

I have to say that I find this discussion pretty amusing, but then I’ve spent most of my life in Minneapolis, where the whole idea that drivers should yield to pedestrians in crosswalks is a strange and foreign concept. I am continually amazed by how easy and safe it is to get across the street here, by contrast, and how very deferential most drivers are to the rights of pedestrians. (Perhaps if one is used to more civil behavior by drivers, the exceptions stand out more glaringly and cause more anger.)

[Kata]

I’ve had a membership at ASF since September, and have been pretty happy with it. The pluses, to me, are the quantity and variety of equipment available (aerobics machines, weight machines and free weights), and the fact that I’ve never seen it so crowded that I couldn’t get on the machine I wanted. I do wish they kept the women’s locker room cleaner, and had staff available on the 3rd floor to deal with problems that might arise. But on the whole, I’ve found it a really good deal for the money.

[acemotel]

I have had Comcast for many years, and have had great reception and service. I like the company because it’s locally managed, and they do a lot of community service projects in the city. I think Comcast gets a bad rap, because compared to dish companies, they provide many many local jobs and are involved with their communities. When was the last time you heard of any dish company contributing anything to the neighborhood?

[JayDee]

Dear All:

I just bought a HD TV and it is being delivered tomorrow. I have normal Comcast Cable, but I dislike Comcast (Value, Customer Service are my beefs), and would like to explore other possible HD sources.

My main concern is how well these work in West Seattle in terms of HD picture quality (PQ) and the local vendors. Secondly comes price. My sister pays $100 plus for her Comcast HD and that seems steeper than the real (not intro) costs of Dish or Direct. If Dish is $59, Direct is $49 (for instance, for similar lineups) then PQ and equipment/service would be the deciding factor. From my exploration on the web, I’ve seen that PQ is a local thing, and connected to quality of installation, and cable equipment, dish set-up.

If Comcast is really superior in PQ (Because, with HD, PQ is key) then maybe it is work sucking it up. But my experience has been less than Comcastic and I am willing to change.

Thanks for your advice – JayDee

[JayDee]

Todd:

You would be missing a great opportunity if you didn’t visit the West Seattle Farmer’s Market and talked with Wade of Rockridge Orchards, one of the vendors.

Rockridge sells Bamboo, and Wade is a great resource. Now, he may not have some with him right now, but he can bring them on the truck if this is the right time to plant. I’ve been sharing my bamboo stories with him for the last couple of years and with his advice about mulching, mine have reached their species height.

Secondly, look into “Clumping” rather than running bamboo. A great resource is a local distributor’s brochure “Discovering Bamboo” by Boo-Shoot Gardens. It is $16 ordered off their website, and it is a great, up-to-date reference if you are looking to buy (Well, in addition to Wade.).

Good luck – A Bamboo “Foamer” (rabid about them)- JayDee.

[Aim]

<i>Can anybody recommend a good bottled salad dressing that isn’t $14 a bottle or loaded with sugar, HFCS or MSG?</i>

Kayleigh, we use balsamic vinegar. Get a hig quality one and heat it in a saucepan for just a few minutes, until it just barely begins to thicken. It will still seem too “thin” but it will continue to thicken, so take it off the heat earlier than would be instinct.

As it cools it thickens more, and you will end up with a nicely textured dressing that’s got all the sweetness of balsamic and no “vinegary” taste. If you like the vinegary taste, add a few drops of uncooked balsamic back in.

You can cook up a couple of teaspoons at a time, and it’s so easy and delicious.

Lower-effort alternative: extra virgin olive oil and balsamic. Go half and half in an empty glass jar, put the lid on and shake. Add salt and pepper to taste.

[azure]

Is there anyone in West Seattle (or nearby) doing safe and effective electrolysis? I am reluctant to go with a yellow pages ad for such a delicate service. Thanks in advance for your recommendations.

[Michell]

My son is about to turn 5. He really wants to play baseball. I understand there is both little league and a peewee baseball league in West Seattle. Does anyone have any advice/comments/suggestions to share (good and bad) regarding the two groups?

And does anyone know the 2008 registration information for the little league? I can’t seem to find it.

Thanks!!

[Kayleigh]

I guess the HFCS is a thickener in the salad dressings. Maybe this is why all the low-cal bottled salad dressings and most of the regular salad dressings I’ve tried were awful. Why would you put corn syrup on vegetables?

Can anybody recommend a good bottled salad dressing that isn’t $14 a bottle or loaded with sugar, HFCS or MSG?

[Anonymous]

When I was looking for something unique I went to every nursery in the greater Seattle area. The choices were slim and not that healthy looking. A friend sent me to Bamboo Gardens of Washington. It’s between Redmond and Fall City, but if you have an afternoon, it is so worth the drive. They have a complete forest almost, of full grown (some are 30+ feet) bamboo. You really get a feel for what they will become. I thought I was looking for black, like everyone always is. But when I saw all the choices, many were much more attractive. Look at their website and you’ll see what I mean. Everything from shrub to timber varieties.

[SA]

eigenwijs,

I recently joined ASF in my quest for triathlon glory. :) The price of $50/month is accurate and is even cheaper if you pre-pay for the full year as they give you an extra three months free… thus 15 months for $600.

I’ve had the chance to try 24HF a couple of times and much prefer ASF. I’m a big fan of the pool, the spin classes (Ed and Stacy are great instructors) and the weights/strength equipment although I think the cardio equipment is old and mostly crap… my tennis club has better cardio equipment.

Other than for spin classes I rarely use the club during peak hours so I can’t tell you how busy all the equipment is. However, parking is limited during these times so you can expect to park on the street.

Hope this helps. :)

[Anonymous]

Can anyone recommend a good marriage counselor or sex therapist who is in the West Seattle area?

[credmond]

I love Peet’s in Fremont and forever rue the day that Starbucks bought Seattle’s Best since the Caffe Torrefazione (also at Fremont) was such a wonderful place to sit and sip and as soon as Starbucks completed the acquisition, that location and the other one in Occidental Square disappeared. One more reason I try diligently to never grace the threshold of a Starbucks store. Having said that, I would like to say that the only decent Starbucks in the entire city is the one at 23rd and Jackson – very cool and very hip baristas. But, that’s the ONLY Starbucks I ever enter.

[k]

Looks like Peet’s fans may get their wish! I would not doubt if one of the many locations they are looking to open will be here in West Seattle. There was an article in the seattle times on Dec 28th speaking of their expansion.

[eigenwijs]

I’d be interested in hearing more about All Star Fitness. I belong to 24 Hour Fitness and am considering a switch. I currently pay about $21/month at 24HF and was quoted $50/month by ASF. There are way more options at ASF, which makes the extra $$ almost worth it – pool, women’s only workout area, climbing wall, etc. The 24HF facility is small, and at peak times (5 PM – 7 PM) is VERY crowded – members are asked to limit their time on the cardio equipment to 20 minutes when it’s busy. I’m sorry – but if I am going through the effort to get to the gym, I want to work out for how long I want to work out and 20 minutes just isn’t worth it!

Some other things I am not satisfied with are the temperature – it’s very warm at 24HF. Often I am sweaty before I even get on a machine! They also don’t seem to have any cell phone policy, and I have had to listen to someone’s lengthy conversation about what they did last night a few too many times. With the demand on equipment, you can’t really just pick up and move to another machine, so you are held hostage listening to the phone call.

So any input on ASF and whether making the switch is worth it would be appreciated!

[CoffeeGurl]

Jason Durante, the owner of Durante and Associates. He’s been my personal and business accountant for 5 years. He’s smart, has a frightening encyclopedic knowledge of taxes, saves me money and he’s easy to talk with! His office is right here in the West Seattle Junction too.

Jason Durante

206.933.7839

Lora Lewis

Owner Hotwire Online Coffeehouse