HorsesAss.Org

We got a dusting of snow Downtown but not too much. And there’s more snow further North and less South.

Snow will is now peaking in the greater Puget Sound area and it will snow heavily for the next two hours or so then lighten and change to rain. Changeover to rain has already occured along the coast (as planned) and that changeover will gradually spread from southwest to northeast. We’re still thinking Seattle changeover to rain around 9 am or so.

Leave extra time to get to work as people might finally realize it’s OK to slow down a bit (and be one of those people if you drive) and public transit is extra crowded. I’m already regretting my decision to go back to work today, but I’m feeling OK, so I guess I should. Here’s a list of school closures/delays.

How is it in your neck of the woods?

If you were online at all today, you probably saw a headline like this one from Reuters:

U.S. teens smoke more marijuana, but back off other drugs: survey

The article starts out with fingers pointed exactly where we’d expect them to be pointed:

U.S. teenagers are smoking more marijuana, but backing away from other harmful drugs and doing less binge drinking, according to a report from federal health researchers released Wednesday.

Easier access to marijuana provided by new state laws allowing the drug for medical treatment may be a factor, according to the report from the National Institutes of Health.

…

More teens are smoking marijuana in part because they see less risk from regular use, according to the “Monitoring the Future” survey.

There’s only one small problem. The data in the Monitoring the Future survey doesn’t really back this up at all. If you click to the survey here, they have excellent charts showing just how weak this claim is. Here’s the chart for those in 8th, 10th, and 12th grade who’ve reported using marijuana in the past year:

The percentage of teens reporting marijuana use has been relatively steady since the mid 1990s and still much lower than the late 1970s. The chart of those reporting daily use is a little closer to showing some kind of increase, but still well below use levels in the 1970s.

The purpose of all of this isn’t a mystery. Anti-drug groups are desperate to find ways to show how drug law reform is backfiring. They like to point to surveys that show that people perceive marijuana as being safer than they used to. Well, yeah, they probably should. Americans in general are learning more and more that marijuana is safer than we’ve been told. But that hasn’t translated into any big spikes in use among teens. Why? Probably because of this chart, which shows what percentage of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders say that marijuana is “fairly easy” or “very easy” to get:

That’s the real story here, that the gradual regulation of marijuana markets has the opposite effect on teen availability than what we’ve long been led to believe. But this chart and what it shows isn’t what makes the headlines. Instead, imaginary claims from government officials are uncritically passed along as news, and the important story is buried.

I’m feeling like crap, so I’m heading to bed as soon as I get home. If I’m feeling better (or knowing me if I just can’t sleep) later on, I’ll post something. But otherwise, zzzzzzzzzz for me. Here are some topics:

– Christmas recipes

– Newtonmass recipes

– Carl is a dummy for walking to DL when he was already feeling a bit down.

– Carl should have taken his car, so it’s his own fault.

– How this won’t change Carl’s WARONCARZ stances, that are totally real.

– Something something Ed Murray

– Socialism!

– Communism!

– Is there a difference between the two?

– Obama

– Thanks Obama!

– #THANKSOBAMA!

– Oh, the Senate passed a shitty budget, but it’s probably better than the sequester budget.

– Get well soon, Carl*

– The State GOP. What, why?**

– How many pieces on this list before it feels like it’s just padding?

– Have we hit that already?

– Was it somewhere between “Here are some topics” and “Christmas recipes” or did it manage to be before that?

– Does Carl know his stupid lists are stupid, and even worse when he’s only going at 50% at the most?

– Whatever you want: you’re an adult

[Read more…]

The major issue next year in Seattle will be the push to get a $15 minimum wage either passed by the City Council or the voters. And I’m heartened to see that Council Member Elect Sawant is going to keep the pressure on.

Asked whether she’d be willing to wait until the end of mayor-elect Ed Murray’s first four-year term—Murray has said he wants to get to $15 an hour by the end of his first term in office—Sawant said no. “I think that’s too late, because working people … have to put food on the table today. They have to pay the rent every month. They can’t tell their landlord to wait four years.”

However, despite the emphasis on urgency, she struck a more conciliatory note on the specifics. “This is not something that we want to come up with unilaterally.” (Sawant has a habit of referring to herself in the plural).

I think that’s a bit of an unfair characterization given that she’s there with a large group of people, but whatever. The larger point that there will be a continued push from Murray’s, and the median council member’s, left probably bodes well for passing it.

I know Murray campaigned on passing it and I have no reason to doubt he wants to pass it for political as well as moral reasons. But I worry that he’s more concerned with irenic posturing to business interests than pressing ahead when there’s momentum. So hopefully this campaign will be a check on the people who are surely trying to process it to death.

If you’re interested in checking it out, there’s 15now.org. Looks like right now, they’re just trying to get your contact info. But there will presumably be more info once the push kicks into high gear.

Tonight is our last meeting of the year, so please join us for a pint of wassial or ale at this holiday edition of the Seattle Chapter of Drinking Liberally. We won’t be meeting for the following two Tuesdays (Christmas eve and New Years eve).

We meet tonight and every Tuesday evening (well…with a few holiday exceptions) at the Montlake Ale House, 2307 24th Avenue E. Our normal starting time is 8:00pm.

Can’t make it to Seattle tonight? Check out one of the other DL meetings over the next week.

Tonight the Tri-Cities and Shelton chapters also meet. The Lakewood and South Seattle chapters meets this Wednesday. For Thursday, the Spokane and Tacoma chapters meet.

With 212 chapters of Living Liberally, including eighteen in Washington state, four in Oregon, and three more in Idaho, chances are excellent there’s a chapter meeting near you.

– Congrats to the happy couple, but man alive do I not like public proposals.

– I’m not sure if Frank Chiachiere’s FrequentRide model over at Seattle Transit Blog would work to help save Metro, but I’m glad it’s pushing something beyond the status quo as the maximal position of transit advocates.

– A willingness to critique both sides isn’t evidence of any particular wisdom–the critique could simply be wrong. (Journalists, in particular, make this mistake with alarming regularity.) False equivalence isn’t nuance. And moderation in writing style isn’t depth. But there is something to be said for real nuance.

– Mike McGinn is still feisty on his exit.

– I’m as big a fan of Sriracha as anyone, but no. (h/t)

Cathy McMorris Rodgers is being horrible again.

“This is a Democrat party that has no interest in working with Republicans — one that’s openly hostile to American values and the Constitution,” said McMorris Rodgers, a member of the House Republican Leadership.

House Speaker John Boehner and Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, R-Washington. They have resisted strong, Senate-passed Violence Against Women Act bill, but appear resigned to letting it pass.R-Wash., Republican leaders in the House

McMorris Rodgers did not identify which “American values” to which her Democratic colleagues, including eight in the Washington delegation, are hostile.

“Just look at President Obama’s actions on Obamacare and immigration — he has been using unprecedented executive power to rule by decree: The Left will stop at nothing to achieve their goals,” added McMorris Rodgers.

Man, the imaginary Obama is really a horrible person. Why first he gets a moderate health care plan through Congress and then he doesn’t support repealing it! Then he supports immigration reform and takes some minor actions on the fringes that are well within his power as he waits to push reform more broadly and still deports lots of people! Is there nothing this monster isn’t capable of?

Seriously, there have been things that the executive has done that I don’t like: NSA spying is too far, and as I say, I wish there were a lot fewer deportations. Mostly though, it’s the routine executive overreach that we see in every administration. But she can’t very well write a fundraising letter, “Obama has a rather broad interpretation of his war powers, but it’s less than Bush, who I supported. Also, most other presidents since Adams almost got us into an undeclared war with the French have had a pretty broad idea of their war powers. Finally, the drone program that I supported under Bush is following it’s natural course, but we should probably reign it in. A contribution of $25, $50, or $100 will make sure we can continue to have nonsense hearings on whatever the right wing echo chamber is blathering on about now.”

– Seattle Bike Blog Magazine looks pretty nice.

– Someone tell Megyn Kelly about the first rule of holes.

– Broken saddles and saddle maintenance

– Oregon deserves WAY better than what Cover Oregon has done (or hasn’t done)

– In the last open thread, I linked to a playful list of suggestions about what was blocking Bertha. Here’s a more serious thing.

Last week’s contest was won by milwhcky. It was right here in Seattle, in South Lake Union.

This week’s is a random location somewhere in Colorado, good luck!

Genesis 5:1-3
This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.

And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth.

Discuss.

Sugar’s sweet (and bipartisan) subsidy.

The Handshake Heard around the Wingnutosphere:

• Jon: A fucking handshake?
• David Pakman: Obama shakes hand with Castro—EVERYBODY PANIC!!!
• Young Turks: Obama shakes Raul Castro’s hand…heads explode.

Top 10 races for 2014:

• #10.
• #9.
• #7.
• #6.

The Republican’s 12 Days of Congress.

Stephen: Walmart and college graduates.

Mark Fiore: I’m an internet company, I’m the government.

The Baby Bargain:

• Young Turks: We have a deal.
• O’Donnell: Poor Paul Ryan.
• Cillizza: How the budget deadline is like “Seinfeld”.
• Thom: Is the budget deal really an austerity budget?
• Young Turks: Who is the big winner from the budget deal? The Pentagon, of course.
• Sam Seder: People are the big losers.
• Jon and John in a bargain shouting match.
• Pap and Ed: Bipartisan budget deal is a disaster.
• Young Turks: Cat fight between Paul Ryan and Marco Rubio.

Absurdity Today: This BAD SANTA leaves lumps of coal in your lung instead of your stocking..

Young Turks: Plane crash launches new Birfer conspiracy theories.

Ask the White House: Immigration Reform.

David Pakman: Mostly White people show up at Rand Paul’s event for Black people.

Remembering Mandela:

• Obama remembers Nelson Mandela:
• Sharpton: Why are U.S. Republicans & FAUX compelled to smear Nelson Mandela?
• Maddow: Racist right-wing Republican America rejects Mandela’s hero status.
• Ann Telnaes: Our changing views of Mandela.
• David Pakman: ‘Fake’ sign language interpreter at Mandela memorial hallucinated
• Sam Seder: Fake interpreter story gets even weirder

An inside look at the Washington Governor’s mansion.

WA bar owner will sue state if patrons not allowed to smoke cannabis in members only room.

Mental Floss: 26 interesting facts about beer.

Holiday tour of the Washington Governor’s Mansion.

The rap spoof video that pisses off Karl Rove.

The politics of landing Boeing.

Cillizza: The gun bill loophole you need to know about.

Ann Telnaes: McCain compares Obama to Chamberlain.

More Skirmishes in the War on the War on Christmas™:

• Megyn Kelly claims Santa AND Jesus are White (via Crooks and Liars).
• Young Turks: Megyn Kelly is dreaming of a White, White Christmas
• Sam Seder: Don’t worry kids, Jesus and Santa are White!!
• Jon on FOX’s War on Christmas: Shit’s Getting Weird edition (via Crooks and Liars).
• Chris Hayes: Santa should not be a White man anymore.
• Stephen: Bill-O the Clown’s .
• Lonely Night: A holiday song
• News from the War on Christmas.
• David Pakman: Gretchen Carlson flips out over Festivus pole.
• Stephen: Florida’s Festivus pole.

Chris Christie’s bridge scandal explained.

Yes…the bipartisan campaign that rocked Washington.

Young Turks: Satan is causing trouble in Oklahoma.

Maddow: Senate Republicans engage in 4 days of obstructionism:

Stephen: Huckabee’s 12 days of ObamaCare (via Crooks and Liars).

This Week in the Republican War on Women™:

• The Republicans are at it again: Michigan passes “rape Insurance” bill.
• David Pakman: MI women must purchase separate “rape insurance” for access to abortion services.
• Young Turks: Michigan G.O.P. passes draconian “rape insurance” bill.
• Sam Seder: Republican law requires women to purchase rape insurance.
• Cillizza: Michigan passes controversial abortion bill
• Rush Limbaugh’s guide to sexually harassing women (via Crooks and Liars).
• Sam Seder: Daily Caller writer Patrick Howley, “There’s a silent majority of women who want to be ogled.”

Sharpton: The Republican Grinches who are stealing Christmas.

White House: West Wing Week.

Young Turks: Elian Gonzalez grows up…and Cenk tells an AWESOME story.

Pap and Sam Seder: The unrelenting war on the poor.

Last week’s Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza can be found here.

This seems like a reasonable rule change for Seattle City Council committee hearings:

The new rules give the presiding officer at a council meeting the right to kick a commenter out of council meetings for up to 28 days (up from the originally proposed 14, since council committees may not meet for several weeks on end) for “outbursts” from the audience or from disruptions that block other people from speaking.

The new rules also limit public comment in front of committees to “matters within the purview of the specific committee or an item listed on that day’s agenda.” That change actually could broaden the scope of public comment at committees, because committee chairs currently have the discretion to limit public comment to items that are actually on their agendas. Public comment at full council would remain limited to items on the agenda.

However, to the chagrin of council members like Sally Bagshaw, who has been verbally abused by Stand Up America’s Sam Bellomio (who ran against Bagshaw this year) over and over, the rules don’t prohibit foul language or outbursts at the public speakers’ podium, as long as they’re relevant to legislation or the business of a specific committee.

As most of you goat fucking shit for brains know, I’m pretty pro swearing. And if you want to go in front of a meeting and use language that adults use, well, OK. But the worst thing at those meetings is when people decide to talk about something that isn’t on topic. Seriously, if I’m using my afternoon or evening to give testimony or report on it, don’t waste my time, or the time of the rest of the public, with some nonsense asides.

The charter schools law that was passed by the voters last year was ruled unconstitutional by a King County Superior Court Judge.

But, Judge Rietschel concludes: “A charter school cannot be defined as a common school because it is not under the control of the voters of the school district. The statute places control under a private non-profit organization, a local charter board and/or the Charter Commission.”

In other words, charter schools may not be funded with state dollars dedicated to funding our state’s common schools.

On to the state supreme court.

Now look, in Seattle and for much of the rest of the state, the way the school board is structured is problematic. And the politics around school closures a few years ago was ridiculous. Still, there is a measure of accountability to the public in school districts.

This desire to get taxpayer money without any accountability is problematic. The proponents of these types of, ahem, reforms never want to structure school board races so the boards are more accountable, or to pay board members better so the job isn’t part time.

UW President Michael Young just got a raise to $570,000 . But, under his hiring agreement, he would receive an additional million in “deferred compensation” if he stays through 2016.

Presumably, all this compensation is based on Young’s “fitness” to serve the lofty role as a University President. In creating that contract, the Board of Regents inherently expressed a belief that Young has the temperament, wisdom, and values to lead the state’s premier institution of higher learning—to serve as the state’s intellectual commander-in-chief, if you will.

But given his recent public statement, it’s a façade. Rather than serving as a thoughtful steward of our state’s intellectual life, he has succumb to FOX News style truth-is-whatever-makes-me-feel-redeemed punditry.

And that makes him an embezzler—after millions of our tax dollars.

I know, I know, that doesn’t sound like he is an embezzler in the classic sense. I mean, it’s not like he is actually stealing money he isn’t entitled to. And, granted, he really does have a contract for his salary. But hear me out….

You see, I used to believe that accuracy and truthfulness in describing things like “embezzler” were an important part of being a writer, thinker, and all-around good citizen. But, I’ve recently learned that intellectual honesty isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I’ve learned that sometimes it is okay to be incendiary to get people’s attention.

Where did I learn how to avoid being encumbered by truth? Why…from President Young, himself!

Last week, Young claimed that Washington State’s Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) plan is “a strange program—a Ponzi scheme, essentially.” (ST link).

The statement is entirely inaccurate. GET is nothing at all like a Ponzi scheme. Calling it a Ponzi scheme defies the actual definition of a Ponzi scheme.

Such a statement coming from the U.W. President is absolutely stunning! Is it now okay for a University President to, essentially, lie to the citizens of the state. Is it moral for Young to belittle 150,000 families by suggesting they have invested in “vaporware” for their children that is really just the opposite (i.e. guaranteed)? Is it right for a University President to besmirch a functioning program that is the only sure financial path to a college education for many middle class Washington families?

Through a spokesperson we learn that Young’s use of “Ponzi scheme” is “a handy quip to explain what he perceives as the financial fragility of the GET program.”

The Seattle Times’ columnist Danny Westneat takes Young to task over his misleading words:

“No, GET is not like a Ponzi scheme, not at all,” said state Treasurer Jim McIntire, when I asked him about Young’s comment. “I would hope that what was going on here is that he misspoke.”

GET, or Guaranteed Education Tuition, is factually not like a Ponzi scheme, except in the most superficial ways. For starters, it’s an open book. Last month it got an “A” risk rating from the state actuary. It has $2.5 billion invested, in federal bonds and equity funds, that last year returned a healthy 16 percent.

Westneat’s “most superficial way” is, essentially, that there is investment and, therefore, risk—you know, like any insurance program, any retirement plan, loans, layaway, venture capital, real estate purchases, or even just investing in a college education. They’re all fuckin Ponzi schemes because someone is taking some kind of risk. Hell…by this definition even Young invested in a Ponzi scheme when he agreed to deferred compensation, because there is some chance he will not last until 2016. Man…what a gullible bozo to fall for that old Ponzi scheme!

But to be fair, we should hear Young’s side of the story. Westneat to the rescue:

“It’s incendiary, I admit,” Young said when I called him. “But this can be a real go-along to get-along community. You have to be a little incendiary around here to get people’s attention.”

Young said the GET program, because it’s a defined-benefit plan (it pledges to pay no matter what happens to the investments), is a ticking time bomb. He compared it to Detroit going bankrupt in part due to its crippling defined-benefit pensions.

“It’s 100 percent predictable that this is going to go south,” Young said. “It might be fine now, but let’s have this conversation six years from now. It’s going to need an infusion of capital to prop it up.”

That’s not what the state actuary predicts. But I can’t say who’s right.

I see…it’s because Detroit. Nevermind that there are 20,000 cities in the U.S. and the vast majority have not been crippled by defined-benefits pensions. There is a reason that Detroit went bankrupt, and the root cause isn’t the pension obligations!

So, that’s why I can say he is an embezzler. Not because he has stolen any money. He’s fine right now but, hey, let’s have this conversation two years from now. I’m just sayin’. And, it’s okay to be “just sayin’” in an incendiary way, because I’m just trying to get people’s attention. Think of it as a handy quip to point out the fragile position that Young put himself and the University in.

Thanks to President Young, truth be damned, we can all behave like FOX News pundits!