HorsesAss.Org

You can’t smoke in-flight, but the Transportation Security Administration has decided to lift its two-year ban on carrying cigarette lighters on airplanes.

“Taking lighters away is security theater,” [TSA assistant secretary Kip] Hawley said. “It trivializes the security process.”

And yet I still can’t carry on a fucking bottle of water!

I understand why restaurant operators might object to King County’s new labeling rules as a bit too onerous. As a consumer, I look forward to having the nutritional information, but as a restaurateur I’m sure I would chafe at the expense in time and money. Still, I found at least one of the arguments against these new regulations to be less than convincing.

Chris Clifford, a Renton resident who said he’s owned several restaurants in King County, said very few customers need labeling to know that a 16-ounce steak rolled in butter is fattening.

“I have a six-letter word to describe them: It’s ‘stupid!’ ” Clifford told the board. “You can’t help stupid people.” Instead of menu labeling, Clifford suggested a “warning label” on the restaurant door: “Eating here is fattening and could kill you.”

Yeah… I want to eat at the restaurant where they think I’m stupid. Anybody know what restaurants Clifford owns, so that I can be sure to avoid them? Or perhaps the council should have taken him up on his suggestion and mandated a warning label on Clifford’s doors.

Little debating tip here Chris: if you’re gonna argue against health regulations, perhaps you shouldn’t display such utter contempt for the health and wellbeing of your customers.

My first ride on my new (to me) bike was short and interesting:

Riding in traffic is hard. It’s tough to get used to cars whizzing by while I’m trying to avoid a panic attack.

Bike shorts might be a good investment. I went only about 2 miles, but my taint is killing me.

Shifting. It’s not as easy as I thought it would be.

I’m going for it again this weekend, so wish me luck.

Wow. Apparently, I live in a $1.5 million home. So how does a semi-impoverished blogger like me afford a mansion like that? Well it all depends on how you The Seattle Times does the math.

Zillow.com “zestimates™” that the modest, South Seattle home I purchased ten years ago for $187K would now set you back a cool half-million bucks, but according to the math wizards at the Times, that number is completely meaningless. No, rather than using present day dollars to calculate the cost of my house — you know, the actual purchase price — the Times insists on valuing my home in terms of “year of expenditure” dollars, ie the principal borrowed plus every penny of interest over the course of the loan.

At least, that’s how the Times insists on calculating the cost of the light rail portion of the Roads and Transit package headed to the ballot this November. Rather than simply reporting the $10.8 billion price of the rail proposal, they insist on presenting a $30 billion price tag after 40 years of interest and inflation is worked in. Likewise, a half-million dollar mortgage at 7-percent would total about $1.5 million in principal and interest over the course of a 40-year loan. See how that works?

But of course, I don’t live in a $1.5 million house. I live in a half-million dollar house. That’s about what it would fetch on the open market, and that’s about what it would cost me to replace it with a comparable house in the same neighborhood. To claim my house is worth three times that price would be just plain silly. And misleading.

The same holds true of light rail.

According to an editorial in today’s Seattle Times…

Reichert is a conservative — maybe too conservative for his district.

Reichert a conservative? Who knew?

There are so many things I’m itching to write about, but a quote the other day from Rep. Dave Reichert (R-Sheriff’s Department) keeps sticking in my craw. The Seattle Times’ David Postman asked Reichert about his unwavering support for the president’s strategy in Iraq, and the congressman’s choice of words was telling.

Reichert still firmly supports President Bush. The congressman is a former sheriff. When he talks about the war he frequently relates it to police work.

Of course, Reichert always relates everything to his police work. I’m told a waiter once asked him if he needed a few more minutes to decide, and he snapped back something about “looking Gary Ridgeway straight in the eyes.” (Did I mention Reichert is a former sheriff?) But I digress…

And in this case he sees parallels between the criticism aimed at Bush and his most famous case, the hunt for the Green River Killer.

“During Green River we were just hammered on by the press and the community and I got hammered by people and criticized and I just feel some of the same pressures are being applied to the president.”

So, um, what the congressman is really telling us about the war in Iraq is that President Bush is the real victim here? … Just like Reichert was during the 18 years of the Green River Killer investigation?

How incredibly narcissistic. Dozens of young women were brutally strangled by Gary Ridgeway — some, years after Reichert personally dismissed Ridgeway as a suspect, early in the investigation — but ultimately it was Reichert who was the victim, hammered and criticized by an unfeeling press and an impatient community. How did he ever survive the pressure?

Likewise, it is not the hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqis or the 3,600 slain American troops and their families who are the victims of the president’s military misadventures… but Bush himself.

I have repeatedly ridiculed the Times for praising Reichert’s “conscience-driven independent streak,” when in fact he has displayed little independence at all. Now I’m not so sure he even has a conscience.

Hypocrisy isn’t just for elected Republicans. It’s an important “family value” for the whole cult!

Read Mr. Blumenthal’s post here.

So, imagine you’re a member of a Democratic legislative district, and you’re being asked to endorse a candidate. Dollars to donuts the candidates doing the asking are Democrats, right? Well, if you’re attending the 48th LD endorsement meeting tonight (7PM, Stevenson Elementary School Library, 14220 NE 8th St in Bellevue,) you may be in for a bit of a surprise.

Word has it that incumbent Bellevue City Councilman Phil Noble will be there tonight, asking for the 48th LD endorsement, and backed by at least one prominent local Democratic legislator. But while the council race is technically nonpartisan, Noble’s PDC reports show that he most definitely is not. Indeed, judging by the contributions Noble has both given and received, he’s about as Republican as they come.

Over the past few years Noble has contributed to a rogues gallery of Republican notables, including David Irons Jr., Luke Esser, Jane Hague, Reagan Dunn, Kathy Lambert, Jim Horn and Rodney Tom. In fact, I only recognize one Democratic name on the entire list: 48th LD Rep. Ross Hunter.

And Noble’s list of contributors over the years is equally Republican in pedigree, including Skip Rowley, Bellevue Square Associates (ie Kemper Freeman Jr.), Charles Conner, Washington Assoc. of Realtors, Bennett Homes, Realtors PAC, Rental Housing Assoc., Affordable Housing Council, Luke Esser and Diane Tebelius. It’s like the invitee list to a BIAW cocktail party.

On the other hand, Noble’s challenger, Bellevue small business owner Keri Andrews, is 100-percent Democratic — and 100-percent progressive — sporting endorsements from Progressive Majority, Sierra Club, Washington Conservation Voters, Bellevue Firefighters, WA State Women’s Political Caucus, Darcy Burner, state Senators Eric Oemig and Brian Weinstein, 41st LD Dems and more.

We all know a Democrat when we see one, and Phil Noble ain’t it. I can’t imagine the 48th LD Dems giving him the nod, whatever the political arm-twisting.

UPDATE:
They’re website doesn’t say so, but apparently tonight’s endorsement meeting is a potluck affair at 11522 NE 21st ST (NW corner of 116AVE NE & NE 21st ST.) Potluck starts at 6:15, candidates scheduled to start talking at 7:15. If you’re resident of the 48th, and a real Democrat, please stop by and support the real Democratic candidate.

UPDATE, UPDATE:
Phil Noble spoke at the meeting tonight, and asked the Dems not to endorse in a nonpartisan race, as it would be wrong to insert partisanship into the city council. Keri Andrews was unanimously endorsed.

On Larry King last night, Larry Flynt said he has a whole list of people in D.C. who have been up to no good (a la Senator Vitter). In particular, he was shocked at seeing one Senator on his list.

Wild-ass speculation…Go!

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry Waxman is investigating whether or not the travel done by the Drug Czar in 2006 was politically motivated. Throughout 2006, Drug Czar John Walters’ travel schedule was a roster of the some of the most vulnerable Republicans in Congress.

In an email passing along thanks from Karl Rove for these visits, the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s (ONDCP) White House liaison Douglas Simon wrote:

Folks,

I just wanted to give you all a summary of a post November 7th update I received the other night. Presidential personnel pulled together a meeting of all of the Administration’s White House Liaison’s and the WH Political Affairs office. Karl Rove opened the meeting with a thank you for all of the work that went into the surrogate appearances by Cabinet members and for the 72 Hour deployment. He specifically thanked, for going above and beyond the call of duty, the Dept. of Commerce, Transportation, Agriculture, AND the WH Drug Policy Office.

This recognition is not something we hear everyday and we should feel confident that our hard work is noticed. All of this is due to our efforts preparing the Director and the Deputies for their trips and events. Director Walters and the Deputies covered thousands of miles to attend numerous official events all across the country. The Director and the Deputies deserve the most recognition because they actually had to give up time with their families for the god awful places we sent them. I attached the flnal list of all of the official events that the Director and Deputies attended.

One of those “god awful places” they sent Drug Czar Walters to was Kent, where he met with Dave Reichert in March of 2006. Granted, they talked about meth, which is certainly a valid concern to people in “god awful places” like Kent. But I’d imagine there’s more of a concern that their federal tax dollars were being spent on the Drug Czar being a Republican campaign prop for all of 2006 as well.

[emphasis mine in the email]

I’m filling in for Frank Shiers again tonight from 9PM to 1AM on Newsradio 710-KIRO, and, well… I’ve got a jam-packed show.

9PM: Open lines with Allan Prell
Former KIRO host Allan Prell joins me for the hour to talk about his knew book Ka-Ching, and talk about talk radio in general. (Perhaps he’ll give me some tips!”

10PM: Ask the candidate, with Bill Sherman
Bill Sherman, Democratic candidate for King County Prosecutor joins me for the hour to give us a campaign update, and take your calls. Have questions about the criminal justice system? Here’s your chance to ask an expert.

11PM: Is your food safe to eat?
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing today on “Diminished Capacity: Can the FDA Assure the Safety and Security of the Nation’s Food Supply?” And, well… it wasn’t pretty. Ben Huh of Itcmo.com joins me for the hour for detailed report on today’s hearing, and the latest on our smoldering food safety crisis.

Midnight: Filibustering the war occupation in Iraq
Debate on the Senate floor is ongoing as I type, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid threatens to continue it all night long? Will the Republicans filibuster? Will the Democrats fold? Tune in and find out.

Tune in tonight (or listen to the live stream) and give me a call: 1-877-710-KIRO (5476).

“If we invested one tenth of the amount of time, money, and effort that we do on the war on terrorism on these food safety poisonings, we would reduce, probably by a factor of ten, the poisonings of Americans, which are in the tens of thousands every year. I would suggest in this hearing if we think of this threat in these terms, then we will respond accordingly.”

That was Congressman Jay Inslee at today’s House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations’ hearing on “Diminished Capacity: Can the FDA Assure the Safety and Security of the Nation’s Food Supply?” (Itchmo has thorough coverage of the hearing.) And in fact, the situation is much worse than even Rep. Inslee describes. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control:

An estimated 76 million cases of foodborne disease occur each year in the United States. The great majority of these cases are mild and cause symptoms for only a day or two. Some cases are more serious, and CDC estimates that there are 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths related to foodborne diseases each year.

I conclude my piece in The Nation by highlighting that in the six years since 9/11, ten times as many Americans have died from foodborne illness than died in the terrorist attacks. Rep. Inslee rightly points out that had Osama bin Laden been responsible for the E-Coli, melamine and other poisonings, we would do something about it, and at only a fraction of the cost of Bush’s “war on terror.”

But of course, that would require an administration that actually believes that ensuring the safety of our domestic food supply is a legitimate role of government.

PROGRAMMING NOTE:
I’m filling in for Frank Shiers tonight on 710-KIRO, and Ben from Itchmo will be my guest in the 11PM hour, talking about today’s food safety hearing.

Join us at the Seattle chapter of Drinking Liberally for another exciting evening of politics under the influence. We meet at 8PM at the Montlake Ale House, 2307 24th Avenue E.

Our Seattle hosts are Nick Beaudrot of Electoral Math and HorsesAss contributer TheHim (also at Blog Reload and EFFin’ Unsound).

If you find yourself in the Tri-Cities area this evening, check out McCranium for the local Drinking Liberally. Otherwise, check out the Drinking Liberally web site for dates and times at a chapter near you.

NOTE (from Goldy):
I’m filling in for Frank Shiers tonight from 9PM to 1AM on 710-KIRO, so while I’ll be stopping by early, I won’t be hanging out. FYI, my guests tonight will be former KIRO host Allan Prell at 9PM and KC Prosecutor candidate Bill Sherman at 10PM.

(Apparently, Dan noticed the empty page first.)

What the Seattle Times said:

Legislation that passed the House last week would begin redeploying troops within 120 days and complete transition to a limited military presence by April 1.

Republican Congressman Dave Reichert of Washington voted with the president, and missed a big opportunity to distinguish himself. This is the direction our country has to take.

[…] There is no good time to get out of Iraq, but once we know we must leave, there is no excuse to put off the decision. Delay is also a decision, the wrong one with enormous costs in human life.

From now until November 2008, Darcy Burner will be relentlessly attacked as lacking the experience necessary to serve this region in Congress, but there should be little doubt how Burner would have voted on the House redeployment bill. She would have exercised the judgment to vote against the president, and with the values of her district. She would have displayed the leadership necessary to start bringing our troops home now, not months from now, and only when political expediency makes it absolutely necessary.

I hope the Times’ editors remember this before they sit down to write their next Reichert endorsement.

UPDATE:
Postman interviews Reichert on Iraq:

Reichert still firmly supports President Bush. The congressman is a former sheriff. When he talks about the war he frequently relates it to police work. And in this case he sees parallels between the criticism aimed at Bush and his most famous case, the hunt for the Green River Killer.

“During Green River we were just hammered on by the press and the community and I got hammered by people and criticized and I just feel some of the same pressures are being applied to the president.”

It should be noted that it took 18 years to catch the Green River Killer, even though they had enough evidence to make Gary Ridgeway a prime suspect early on.

That Reichert references his law enforcement career in response to every question is pathetic. That once again people are dying while he hamfistedly continues his investigation is a tragedy. Why do voters constantly reward such mediocrity?