The Colorado Massacre....

At the movie theater that was showing the new Batman movie Dark Knight Rising in Aurora, Colorado.  For someone to come in, kill 14 innocent people and hurt 50 others. Some that might turn into deaths later... Is so tragic.

I am praying for the families of husbands, wives, friends, children that might have been up at the late night movie. My prayers go out to you...

Fourth of July...

Hey guys. I just wanted to wish everyone reading my blog a happy and safe Fourth of July, 2012 this year!

Ann Rivers - How someone should serve...

I want to let publicly know how much I appreciate Ann has moved from being a repesentative of the 18th legislative house district into Joe Zarelli's senate seat to help him finish out his term. IF you really want to see how a legislator should conduct themselves, take a look at Ann, Ed Orcutt, Don Benton and a few others, they'll show you how to lead by example. 

I shall state that I may not politically agree with their viewpoints. But how they carry themselves, interact with consituents and represent the will of the people of their district to members of our state who may not know Clark County that well...

Things that go Boom. Could it be an economic engine?

Even though I know that there are some on the Oregon state side that complain about our fireworks, going across the columbia river, it IS one of the economic exports for clark county for both charity and other non-profit as well as a few for-profit stands that pay special assessment - fees and other basic state taxes to help support other services we depend on.

Vancouver does has a very controlled few days of the year you can blow off fireworks, I believe to be July 1st to July 5th at midnight, along with some time limits. The outer Clark County have a longer buying and light off season. And other cities in Clark County  might have their own rules or desires, so if you live here, please check into the proper rules BEFORE you light stuff off. 

Happy 4th ALL!

Politics - What drives me nuts?

Have you ever thought you got so sick and tired of the label making and approbation of the responsibility of making good decisions for the sake of what is best for your community?

Yes, I am frustrated with the fervor of illegitimate thought to kowtow to a certain political persuasion or another instead of what is best for Clark County community or simply, to whine about how this is or is not fair?

Guys, you have now represented me for near a decade now out of thirty-five year plus existence.

I CARE LESS:

-About what people do in the privacy of their bedroom or the legitimacy of their private relationship or the gender thereof. If you want to get married, what is it the business of government?

-What business you construct as long as you DO NOT inflict harm on some one else. That means if you want to sell controlled substances in a decent, fair way, why is it the governments job to babysit you?

-I do believe that taxes should be fairly applied, if they necessarily NEED to be at all. I do believe in giving everyone a level playing field in employment and trying to run a business. But do you think those special tax breaks for corporate businesses still need to exist, when they are usually applied for a special, political interest or region?

-If you so choose to join a group of other employees to bargain in good faith with a government or private employer, you should be able to opt out of having your dues going into political places that the are chosen by executive or group decision. I call it a way to protect the minority political free speech....

-There are some local political bloggers that are bitterly into opposed to various freeway project. Some for what I term good reasons, some questionable. I'm now stating my preference to find a workable, transportation solution for the columbia river crossing. And that may MEAN restarting this process over?

I am also into an electronic controlled, toll based system to add another bridge over the columbia river that surpasses around the whole current year 2000 or older idea of a bridge across river as it seems fit. I do not say I believe that this toll system should be implemented in variable tolling fashion for this system but I believe it probably could be financed through private means to help grow the future of our county.

I am not sure of the exact location as per se. There is a lot of proposals out there on this, so I won't belabor this point!

-Find an effective and cost efficient way to deal with our government problems. Step up and let the ideas flow. I don't always believe that the answer is to hire more people to through out at a problem. I am not saying that there aren't certain parts that work great right now but with the continued deficits that are facing in local, regional and state governments just to name a few, why are we not looking at solutions?

That may mean privatizing the fire and law enforcement in our community or how about regionalizing some of these functions? Like the sewer and water works, health department? If someone does not want to join in on the effort, they could hire the people for the right forces for non-emergent issues.

For police and fire, there are agreements in place for sharing of resources in emergent situations and I applaud this. But I also feel that due to the cost and financial strain as this is the highest cost center employee outside of executive positions in government, why are we not looking for merging or some other way to wring costs out for the communities in Clark County?

Maybe merge all of the suburban areas with fire department areas, City of Vancouver and other urban areas into subdistrict areas of a greater whole?

Well, I think this is a start. I may have more later. But this is my feelings for the moment in Clark County, Washington....

Ahh yes. I think we need some humor... (the columbia river crossing project and the local hounds of whinerville....)

While other blogs take more insane features of the columbia river crossing project, note here,  here and here?

There needs to be a little leavitt-y in the situation that have been still born around the local blogs for nearly two decades.

Now I know that Mayor Leavitt (and passionately Mr. Stuart) have their private moments and feelings about this project. I thought this song might some up the comments and conversations that have been going around recently and probably will sum up the mayors current position, quite nicely.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor for having some thick skin. And now, what I feel sums it up SO well.....

HOT<> HOT<> HOT!

Get out the water bottle, ice pack or find some great place that is cool! Expect the next three or four days to be in the upper 80s to mid 90s in Clark County, Washington. If you need to, go seek out the library, grocery store or some other great, cool place!!!