Within the hour, bars and clubs all over the city will be killing the music for five minutes, exactly at midnight. They’re protesting new legislation that will regulate their business.
I live downtown. I don’t mind the nightclub patrons as much as I used to. It used to be hard to get to sleep on the weekends, but I’ve adjusted to it. More often than not I’m out there with the kids, enjoying an adult beverage or three.
So why are the nightclub owners and the Mayor’s office battling? The clubs are worried they’ll get stuck with the kind of responsibilities the cops currently have. The city is trying to standardize the way we regulate clubs in the neighborhoods. But the two sides aren’t working together.
I’m sick of club owners who seem to have little regard for the neighborhoods in which they do business. I’m sick of the broke-dick city government which is making a problem worse.
Check out this post by Erica at the Slog:
What happens when you have a hearing on nightlife in a neighborhood without any bars?
You get a hearing where all anybody wants to talk about is potholes, P-Patches, and traffic signals, as I learned tonight at the Bitter Lake Community Center, where council member Sally Clark presided (solo) over a “meeting” of her neighborhoods committee.
It gets worse. Apparently, the geezers of Bitter Lake weren’t psyched about nightclub policy.
Erica concludes:
Maybe next time they could hold a hearing on Social Security at the Venom nightclub.
For an old Seattleite this seems almost fictional. For most of my 40 yrs here, “night life” meant the burly gurly porny stuff on skid row.
The “new” city Will lives in is fascinating to me. Nothing like the Seattle of the craftsman homes and workman’s cottages.
What are the truths?
Average family size 0.87
Average age 24
Average sexual preference yes
Hobbies bar hopping and blogging
A Seattle neghborhod w/o kids!
Is this really Seattle or some sort of Ray Bradbury concept as in the ghosts of Mars? Or is SeattleJew the ghost?
Hmmm…. other Seattle neighborhoods have summer street fests. Whatsabout Belltown??? Sounds like an idea!
SeattleJew:
The Seattle you grew up in still exists.
I think it’s called Auburn, or Federal Way. Let me check back.
The reality is that families largely decamped from Seattle a generation ago. The houses were bigger East, North, and South, the air was cleaner, the schools were shiny and new, and there weren’t all those nasty minorities to deal with either.
Obviously, Seattle didn’t turn into a burned-out husk surrounded with suburbs like Detroit. But the people who moved in were generally not the kid-having type.
The families I know who have kids (myself included) are usually hardcore city rats. We’re here because we like dragging our little brats out to the museums, the science center, weird squirmy food, etc. When we’re kid-free we go out to the theater, or gallery-hopping.
If happiness were a park, a library, a mailbox to get CDs from Amazon, and a pizza place in the strip mall, there is no way on Earth I’d be pissing good money away to live in Seattle. You can do that anywhere. Living in a Craftsman is nice, but Lincon, NE has ’em too, and they’re not nearly as expensive.
The new Seattle is a nice enough place, but it has things like nightclubs. I’m good with that, but the clubs (and the people they bring) also aren’t right in front of my house.
Most of us would get forcibly ejected from a meeting on Social Security by the preznit’s men because we don’t support its demolition.
Can any of you wingnut economics gurus explain how you to bolster the system’s solvency by looting $1 trillion from future revenues for private accounts?
Who’s In Charge of U.S. Attorneys?
I thought the attorney general was. Apparently I was wrong. Gonzales told the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday that John McKay was fired because of “serious concerns about his judgment” but then claimed those concerns didn’t originate with him, nor did he target McKay for dismissal. Moreover, Gonzo doesn’t know who did!
It appears the attorney general is merely a low-level non-supervisory employee without hiring and firing authority.
“By David Bowermaster
“Seattle Times staff reporter
“John McKay was fired as U.S. attorney for Western Washington because there were ‘serious concerns about his judgment,’ Attorney General Alberto Gonzales testified Thursday.
“Yet Gonzales also told the Senate Judiciary Committee he was not the source of the concerns about McKay and was not the person who targeted him for dismissal. And the attorney general said he does not know who, exactly, determined McKay and seven colleagues needed to go. …
“Gonzales made no reference to McKay’s handling of allegations of voter fraud during the 2004 governor’s race in Washington state. Democrats have suggested McKay was fired because he did not convene a grand jury and file charges related to the election ….”
Quoted under Fair Use; for complete story and/or copyright info see http://tinyurl.com/2k2bqf
Roger Rabbit Commentary: It’s time for Gonzo to take a figurative bullet for the team. Personally, he hope they shit on him and he squeals.
This news story is pretty fucking incredible, if you ask me. Gonzales is not in charge of his own department; he’s merely a water boy for the WH’s political operatives. This admission greatly strengthens the Democrats’ argument that the real motive behind the firings was to protect GOP voter suppression operations, and to use the government’s prosecutorial power to smear Democrats. If anybody ever fucks with MY right to vote, I’ll hunt the bastard down and God only knows what I’ll do when I find him, but I WILL find him!
Yesterday, the state senate debated Sen. Eric Oemig’s impeachment resolution. Here are excerpts from the speechs of Sens. Oemig (D) and Swecker (R), via David Postman:
Sen. Oemig:
“Democracy is often easier to enjoy than it is to participate in and protect. We inherited a great democracy and those who shaped it were not perfect. It’d be easier to point out their mistakes than to live up to their example.
“Our American tradition, our inherited tradition, is to aim high. And we’re bound to make mistakes. … But it’s with action that we fix our mistakes. And when people are honestly mistaken and they learn the truth, they either cease to be mistaken or they cease to be honest. … We cannot restore the lives lost in Iraq, or the lost limbs or the lives shattered. But we can act.
“Our commander in chief … abused our proud traditions and brought us torture while telling us we don’t torture. He … spied on American citizens while telling us we don’t spy. And he made claims about aluminum tubes and yellow cake that the evidence did not support. …
“I would never trust this president with the life of my son. How can I trust him with the lives of my neighbors’ kids? How many more lives will this president sacrifice from Washington state? … For the soldiers … and … [their] mothers, we must end this war.
“The commander in chief must be relieved of duty. The framers of our Constitution gave us the tools of impeachment and conviction. We must not be afraid to use these tools.”
Sen. Swecker:
“We find ourselves on the floor of the Senate today hearing speeches about war and peace and perhaps even impeaching a president. That’s … not what we were elected to do. I’m not saying these issues aren’t important. They are. …
“As many of you probably know, I’m a veteran of the Vietnam War. … As a veteran, I can tell you that people deciding to volunteer to serve their country … do this for a variety of reasons; patriotism, educational opportunities, family tradition, belief in a cause. But once they get into combat, that all goes away and they share one thing in common: The desire to see the war end. …
“But what keeps them engaged and what makes many of them sign up to go back? It’s their deep desire for freedom on the part of people they are there to serve. The desire for freedom, to them, out weighs all else. …
“I’ve been in combat and I’ve seen the eyes of the people that I was there to help. You can’t turn away. Their faces stay with you. You see the suffering and you realize you can help them and help the people back home.
“We all want peace. But peace at the price of freedom is failure. That’s what I believe. …”
Quoted under Fair Use; for complete article and/or copyright info see http://tinyurl.com/jwxhl
Roger Rabbit Commentary: Swecker is bullshitting when he says soldiers fight for a “deep desire for freedom,” and he knows it. Soldiers fight for their buddies. Period. The Medal of Honor hero in my unit sacrificed himself to save his buddies. He was in his second tour and he volunteered to go back to Vietnam because new guys didn’t know how to take care of themselves and he wanted to help them survive. It’s the same in every army — German, Russian, French, British, Roman, Greek, at all times in history. You read about it in history books. Soldiers fight because of their buddies, not for abstract things like “country” or “freedom” or some ideology, and any veteran can tell you that. Swecker would tell you that, too, if you could get him to be honest.
Swecker also is bullshitting about why we’re still in Iraq. Certainly not to help Iraqis, 90% of whom want us to leave, according to polls. Our original mission is a closed account — Saddam is dead, there are no WMDs. We’re still there so terrorists won’t take over Iraq and use it as a base to stage attacks against us. We went there to protect our own interests, and we stay there to protect our own interests. It’s never been about helping Iraqis. Swecker knows this, too, but he won’t admit it because he wants to make the administration’s motives to look better than they are. He knows he’s putting lipstick on a pig, and the rest of us know he is, too. He’s not fooling anyone.
Swecker is full of shit.
I would never advocate impeaching a president because I disagree with his politics, or even because he’s incompetent. Impeachment is the remedy for lawbreaking, violating citizens’ Constitutional rights, or violating the oath of office. Bush has done all of those things. That’s why he should be impeached. If you don’t impeach him, you won’t impeach anyone, because he’s as egregious case as we’ll ever get. Oemig nailed it; you can cease to be mistaken or cease to be honest, but you can’t be both.
McCain says people criticizing his “joke” about bombing Iran should “get a life.”
Meanwhile, Republicans are criticizing Reid for stating the obvious — that we’ve lost the war in Iraq.
What’s wrong with these people?
McCain should not, ever, get a single vote from any moderate much less any liberal. Any guy who goes to a VFW hall in a redneck state to crack jokes about starting a war against a country that has not attacked or threatened us is not fit to be walking loose on the streets let alone fit to sit in the White House on the nuclear trigger.
PelletHead:
Would you have wanted Mike Mansfield to tell you and the troops the war you “fought” in was a failure while you are still out in battle? Of let’s say Everett Dirksen was the leader instead of Mansfield, would you agree with it if said by him?
BTW, PelletHead through their proxy Lebanon, Iran has attacked us before. I guess 243 Marines dying has no bearing upon you?
Here is something Hilary would asked Bill not to do when visiting Seattle if she wuz preznit:
“The former president also told CNN he would be willing to play some role in Sen. Clinton’s presidential administration if asked.
“If she asked me to do something, whatever it was, I’d probably do something,” the former president said.”
Bill: Stay out of the Seattle nightclubs. Stay away from those “hemp haired hos”!
Was there any “33” candle vigils in Seattle nightclubs last night?
Does any Moonbat get the irony of “33” candles instead of “32?
Mr Stupid: Looks like your little brother (wow more than one of you lived) won’t be visiting Seattle nightclubs in the future: http://www.news4jax.com/news/12445023/detail.html
MR Stupid: Did they let your sister out of the loony bin?
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,267043,00.html
I guess we won’t be seeing these people anytime soon at Seattle nightclubs. But…. Nancy Pelosi wanted to go and grovel in front of them…
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04.....38;emc=rss
It’s from the NY Loony Times so it has to be good!
I guess some residents across from this proposed liquor store won’t be visiting Seattle night clubs.
http://media.www.dailypennsylv.....2386.shtml
Political Correctness run amok!
Maybe Jim McGreevey will visit Seattle nightclubs:
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/.....038;coll=1
“He has a lot to offer,” said Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union)
Maybe these people will want to visit Seattle Nightclubs:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/w.....htm?csp=34
Hey they are only people!
jsa
I wonder if you are correct. West Seattle, Magnolia, Capital Hill, the CD, etc are still hugely single family.
I wonder if we are becoming two cities?
@10 “Would you have wanted Mike Mansfield to tell you and the troops the war you ‘fought’ in was a failure while you are still out in battle?”
I knew that before I got there, dumbass. And it was painfully obvious every day I was there. I didn’t need NBC or CBS to tell me that. The “rah-rah” of the brass and the sycophantic media were a fucking insult to the intelligence of anyone who had any intelligence.
@10 “BTW, PelletHead through their proxy Lebanon, Iran has attacked us before. I guess 243 Marines dying has no bearing upon you?”
Those Marines are dead because an idiotic C-in-C put them there as a tripwire, and people who had nothing to lose tripped the wire. And no, there’s no proof Iran had anything to do with it. Don’t you think Ronnie would have bombed them if there was? Or was he too cowardly to confront Iran?
Oh, one more thing — what do you think will happen to the world economy if we attack Iran and they close the Strait of Hormuz? Do you have a fucking clue?
@11 I don’t suppose you want to repeat Imus’ slur, do ya? You’re flirting with it, but you don’t have it in you to say it. Maybe you’re afraid those girls would beat the shit out of you.
They play basketball better than you, neener neener.
Public Notice: After you read #9 scroll down to #19as there’s no content in #10-18.
there’s no content in #10-18.
ZIP, ZILCH, NICHT, NADA..
FIRST PUDDY SAYS IMUS’ REMARKS WERE “DISGUSTING” AND THEN HE MODIFIES THEM TO HIS OWN USES.
WHAT A LOSER.
ANOTHER GOP crook uncovered this week. Will we have enough prison space to hold all the right wing cowards, traitors and crooks?
AP is reporting…
“FBI Raids Renzi Family Business, Congressman Leaves Intelligence Panel “In a second blow to House Republicans this week, the FBI raided a business tied to the family of Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) Thursday afternoon as part of an ongoing investigation…”
Whatever happened to the Publican pledge to “restore honor to government?” Already more righties have been caught in criminal activity in six years than Dems were caught in the previous eight – and that’s with eight years of Publican witch hunts. You right wing ass wipes must be proud.
Hey, Roger…you’ve raised several worthy issues here. So much so that I’m sure Goldy and Will will start a thread devoted to each one. In the meantime, the issue begun in this thread is also worthy of discussion.
The trollfucks pollute this place with too many attempts to change the subject as it is.
Now, that being said…it seems that any discussion of things like nightclub noise or people pissing in the alleys is predicated in the assumption that “Seattle” is to be defined as Belltown, Cap Hill, S. Lake Union and maybe some of Columbia City…basically where the developer dudes are making hay building and selling the latest crop of trendy condos. Likewise, the statement that “families have all move out of Seattle” may be derived from the “evidence” that there’s a lot of new homes being built in the ‘burbs.
So, this begs the question: What are Wedgwood, Wallingford, Ballard, West Seattle, etc…..chopped liver?
ArtFart @ 28:
I hate to do drive-by postings, but I’m busy at work today and Fridays generally suck for me because I commute from Vancouver back to Seattle for a few days of R&R. Time that should be spent blogging is instead spent on the train reading dry books about modern Russian politics.
Anyhoo…
The issue is partially one of density. The other issue is who is actually living in those single-family houses? The anecdotal evidence is that it’s not families. I was going to draw out census data to prove that, but my egg timer isn’t cooperating. Here’s the last place I was looking.
http://www.census.gov/prod/www.....1-1950.htm
I got diarrhia of the mouth. Everyone knows it.
Roger Rabbit says: @11 I don’t suppose you want to repeat Imus’ slur, do ya? You’re flirting with it, but you don’t have it in you to say it. Maybe you’re afraid those girls would beat the shit out of you.
You are naturally stupid and can’t remember anything. Senility is definitely arriving soon at the PelletHead burrow. Those Voice of Chalk Scratching words correctly translated! He use TowHeaded Ho’s. Look it up – DUMBASS!
#30: Mr Racist or Mr Stupid.
But don’t worry, Darryl, Will or Voice of Chalk Scratching has your back. They won’t out a libtard MORON!
YOS LIB BRO says: Blah blah blah
FIRST PUDDY SAYS IMUS’ REMARKS WERE “DISGUSTING” AND THEN HE MODIFIES THEM TO HIS OWN USES.
Do you remember what Voice of Chalk Scratching blogged as a thread header last week? No? You are still clueless as always. “TowHeaded Hos”. Tow from the German word touw – hemp haired. You know the stuff you and Mr Stupid do each night in his BONG! Voice of Chalk Scratching’s words – DUMBASS #2.
No memory, still clueless and still a LOSER. I agree.
Voice of Chalk Scratching: If this is what you call your friends and they have no mental history past a day or two – YOU ALL PROVE MY POINT!
GBS, at least you copy things to your desktop!