Motley Blog

As I recall neighborhood matching funds were started in Seattle. I believe they were either Ford Foundation supported or the Foundation noted their success in the first year.

This was just as I was finishing off my degree (at 24) and I got involved. As a side project I did a proposal for a tree planting in Squire Park, between Seattle University and 23rd. I believe this was the first of its sort. I was not involved in the implementation - as I recall the project was completed by the YMCA led by Richard Conlin, now a Seattle City Councilmember.

One of the things this project did was give me my first opportunity at trying out Geographic Information Services. The graphics here are rough, but they are functional.

In the summer of 1994 I was given the honor of editing the Vision Seattle Newsletter, City Watch. Here I talk a little about communications as they apply to civic and neighborhood decision making, as I take up those reins.

This isn't so much a biographical item as an interesting story which I was a somewhat close spectator of.

The district election reform effort would play out as a major scandal. Though not conceived as an attack on the Seattle establishment, it was certainly an effort to make electability more accessible to the average citizen. Kerman Kermoade, the author of the following clipping was a friend on the Vision board, doing this as a project for his later life Poly Sci degree. I was at the initial organizing meetings for their effort in support and followed the issue loosely.

As you may recall this became a scandal when it was revealed that food executive (and active Republican) Tom Stewart was making illegal contributions as a way to seek revenge for previous battles with the City bureaucracy. I wasn't active in the campaign nor know anything about the details of Stewart's other city battles. Stewart, with his company, has since left the State, one of several biggies in the last decade or so.

Tacoma, as you may know, has a mixed system of at-large and district seats - the particular mix I came to favor out of observing these debates. Seattle still talks about it, but does nothing.

This is a partial scan of a full spread on the Madrona neighborhood published in the community newspaper the North Seattle Press. This is, I believe, a good example of advocacy journalism, I served as Secretary of the Community Council for 3 years. I'd like to think it reads better than the typical chamber of commerce promotion stuff.

Here's some published architectural photography from the Seattle Press, classic military housing at the Sandpoint Naval Station.

I also had the opportunity to work with Councilmember Chong's Staff, Matt Fox and Jay Sauceda, as well as Tim Baker, staffing a community forum on the future of this public asset. Good event and I do believe some positive seeds were sown in that well run (and substantive) community forum.

I was doing some early morning grumbling about some unusual traffic on the neighborhood arterial a block from my house only to be quite surprised when cops starting pouring out of the unmarked vehicles in front of me.

My Tacoma neighborhood has some great homeowners and a lot of potential - it's Lincoln/McKinley on the ridge to the South of the Tacoma Dome. However the owner-occupiers are less than 50% of the population, the rest not exactly the best sorts of renters. Tacoma's been a dumping ground for recent prison releases and we're one of the areas that gets em big time - worse even are the folks that whose next stop is into jail. I've not even looked at the sex predator list, but certainly have heard the stories.

We're not all that far from UW-T, so hopefully those folks will start moving in here at some point - at the moment though the best renters by far are the illegals. I'm in a personal situation where renting would've been the right choice, but I'm not comfortable renting to this market.

On a related note, on my return from Seattle last Thursday there was a very aggressive semi-driver giving new meaning to the term 'class A' - tailgating me as if I was blocking him, though he had nowhere to go. The trailer was from New Century Transportation, the cab a rental from Ryder. I wrote down an identifier, but I'm not sure if it was the plate or trailer number - R54126, in case anyone does a web search. This was about 3:25p. I'd be happy to testify if his behavior results in any problems.

Sunshine State

Written and Directed by John Sayles

Starring Angela Bassett, Edie Falco, Timothy Hutton, and Alan King

2002

This is another gem from the legendary John Sayles who has a profound ability to capture a place and its people. This ensemble movie will likely only appeal to those that have gotten involved in their local community as it does refer to many of the typical conflicts that manifest themselves as real drama in our real lives.

The story involves two old established neighboring beachfront communities facing development threats, one black, the other white - race is a factor in the story, but it is secondary.

One idea that this story implicitly raises is whether neighborhood segregation is not always a bad thing - in this case the two seperate neighborhoods do seem to work - including forming a larger community between them.

Army Officer Appointment Acceptance and Oath of Office

I (insert name), having been appointed a (insert rank) in the U.S. Army under the conditions indicated in this document, do accept such appointment and do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter, so help me God.

From the Washington State Constitution, Article IV

SECTION 28 OATH OF JUDGES. Every judge of the supreme court, and every judge of a superior court shall, before entering upon the duties of his office, take and subscribe an oath that he will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Washington, and will faithfully and impartially discharge the duties of judge to the best of his ability, which oath shall be filed in the office of the secretary of state.

New York Times stringer and author Tim Egan (The Good Rain) opines in the New York Times on the steep decline of housing prices in the greater San Francisco 'sprawl' zone. Anecdotally Egan cites the case of Lathrop California, two hours from the Bay Area in the Central Valley. Housing prices there have dropped from a peak of $500,000 to $150,000.

This is an interesting phenomenon, certainly both worthy and timely. But where Egan takes his analysis of this tragedy is truly irresponsible.

First, he implies that the problem in Lathrop and surrounding communities is the model of foreclosure throughout the United States. Then, curiously, he defines such areas as slums in a typical Seattle passive aggressive manner.

As a lefty independent I was once a fan of Sarah Palin. Her opposition to oil corruption in nearby Alaska - especially in opposition to the old school machine boy Senator Stevens impressed, as did her appointment by John McCain.

Even recently I'd give her props for the above, but I can no longer do so.

Below the jump is a 'Petition For Review (PFR) to the Growth Management Hearings Board concerning the ramifications and processes of the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

The jurisdiction of this PFR extends the envelope of practice before the board, consistent with the law and appropriate to the circumstances. These circumstances include the alleged victimization of the petitioner by King County, its Courts and officers (public and private) and the State of Washington as an inappropriate growth management practice. As such, State Courts massive jurisdictional problems over the matters at hand.

Please note that petitioners academic, civic, and professional experience in these subjects is substantial, likely in a preponderance of measures exceeding that of Board members in depth and seniority. Board members Paegler and Earling have direct familiarity with this history and petitioner in fact ‘trained’ them in some regards during the professional emergence of Growth Management.

Lastly please note that there are substantive and procedural matters regarding this case that must remain confidential to the Board and Respondents.

Or, as Bob Dylan would say, "The Times they are a-Changing..."

I’ve just returned from a sunny Christmas Day hike, out my backdoor, in the foothills of the south slope of the San Juan Mountains.. These days a hike of mine is not a very long event, but, thankfully there is plenty of magic within that range, not to mention plenty more backcountry to inspire meditations upon possible, tempting, future routes.

Today I found an awesome view/meditation spot, in the cliffs exactly above the abode where I have been living for six months. At the top, there are several ledges about seat height stepping back from the main cliff, with several ‘bonsai’ type pines extending out over the edge. The only difference between these trees and an ‘authentic’ Bonsai is that these are full size, fully ‘real’, if you will. In any case, a spot I will return to – at least until someone rolls down one of those ledge rocks unto my bedroom!

The infamous Washington State native, University of Washington student, Amanda Knox is in the news once again regarding the brutal murder of her BRITISH roommate Meredith Kercher., in Italy.

With the overturning of her appeal she now stands convicted of Murder, but as she has remained outside of Italy she is still free. This may well have been negotiated in advance, we shall see if Italy attempts to extradite her.

It is truly amazing how much of the legal pull in Seattle was used to free her defending the reputation of the premier State school - the same school that also produced Ted Bundy. Curiously, this is not the only international play by local law, the other was the Martin Pang Arson/Fireman Death case which involved an extradition in violation of existing agreements.

This unprecedented global legal presence was built upon the business transactions of the Boeing Corporation with just about every global government, a presence that remains even after the departure of Boeing Corporate for Chicago. These days the control of that presence lies first in the hands of Microsoft, and their legal Counsel -K&L Gates (Gates, Senior), a firm which most curiously, has a proclivity for female character assassination.

Curiouser and curiouser.

Having been motivated to follow the recent coverage of the La Plata County Sheriff race I am surprised at the lack of outrage of the threatening behavior of current Sheriff Duke Schirard in his efforts to combat Domestic Violence allegations. These threats are to our Republic’s institutions as domestic violence is to a family.

Personally, I believe this abusive governmental authority, under color of State Law, to be the very root of the cycle of abuse – abuse whose very worst example is the crucifixion of Jesus Christ under Judeo-Roman law two millennia ago. Call it ‘uber DV’, if you will.

I have been attending the documentary film festival, Mountainfilm, in Telluride, Colorado and have watched the premieres of two films that portray different products of the Iraq war - 'The Age of Consequences' on global warming and 'Almost Sunrise' on the damage done to our veterans in a war that is perceived by many to be unjust. Both films are resonating strongly with me, each upon its own merits; all the more so in their synergy.

Almost Sunrise

Directed by Michael Collins

Starring Tom Voss and Anthony Anderson

2016

Almost Sunrise tells the deeply personal story of Tom and Anthony, two Iraq veterans damaged by the unjust Iraq War and their journey to healing via a cross country trek. The film advances the diagnosis of 'Moral Injury' and alternative treatments as opposed to the current VA based medication paradigm. Almost Sunrise is both a challenging critique of the Iraq war and an effective salve for its injuries - not the least of which is the community which it is inspiring.

The Age of Consequences

Directed by Jared P. Scott

2016

The Age of Consequences is not your typical global warming documentary, presenting the under publicized analyses of the military on the subject in an easily accessible and thorough risk analysis framework. The summary conclusion comparing the dangers of global warming to full blown nuclear war is one of the big take away's and the positive economic benefits of restructuring our energy system into alternative methods another. The hiring of vets to do this work is also crucial

I personally would extend this climate change analysis to a critique of our Middle East policy since George H.W. Bush - we have spent trillions of dollars defending strategic oil interests whose continued consumption is the biggest threat to the entire world's public safety - not to mention destroying thousands upon thousands of human lives.