Washblog

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Fix your bookmarks

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new blog cometh

There are some last minute glitches (polls and the recommend button showing way down at the bottom), but I am satisfied enough to launch the scoop version today at noon(ish). Some DNS changes need to be made, and that can take some time to replicate.

Being anonymously annoying now illegal?!?

[Cross-posted at my blog]

According to this story , the Prezdent just signed the "Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act" - which sounds like a good thing on the surface - but attached to the bill is a law making it illegal to post, email, or send "annoying" messages if you do so without disclosing your off-line identity.

Will this bring about the end of comment threads at Horsesass, or will this go largely ignored and unenforced - or could it be insidiously and selectively enforced?  Does this make this discussion at WA State Political Report completely moot?

This also brings up another annoyance of mine - in Washington State, our State Constitution requires that all laws stick to one subject - and we've had many laws tossed out by our Supreme Court because of this.  As I see it, a lot of the problems, and a lot of the shenanigans we have to put up with (especially in the Senate), have to do with unrelated riders attached to bills that are politically dangerous to vote against.  I could be wrong, but I believe the only way to fix this would be through an amendment to the Constitution - but I doubt that Congress would allow the easiest way they have to bring pork home to go away so easily.

Full disclosure, I use a screenname like many of you do.  What do you think about this law?  Will N in Seattle get 2 years in jail for occasionally "annoying" the readers at Soundpolitics?  Will the ACLU manage to get this tossed out?  Will this at all affect how you post comments or blog in the future?

Salutations

I would like to thank Brian for extending me the opportunity to post on Washblog. As a newly elected local official, it is always a special privilege to have direct access to such a rich forum for debate, discussion, and analysis. I must also admit that I have been extremely flattered and appreciative of the support that Brian lent me in my recent campaign.

For those of you that are more new to the site, you will probably be surprised to find out that this blog is less than a year old. Brian tells me the anniversary is coming up in January sometime, which to me is amazing. In less than a year, this site has attracted high level discussions that have ended up in the local press, and believe me, this site has been mentioned by more local and state elected officials than anyone here would imagine.

In closing, I would say to all of you: keep up the good work. I am truly humbled to be a part of such a unique community in our state's political discourse, and I hope that I will be able to contribute a small measure of the insightful analysis and discussion that are already the hallmark of Washblog. Oh, and I would love an invite to that anniversary party!

Best wishes to you all in 2006, and I look forward to sharing my thoughts on more substantive issues in the days and weeks to come.

Marko Liias
Mukilteo City Councilmember Elect

New site update

Unfortunately this has been a particularly busy week for me, being in Spokane on Monday and Tuesday, and now Aberdeen today. I can't wait for my rum & coke Friday!

So the new website - the base HTML work of the layout has been applied and the developers are inserting code that allows for diary recommendation, among other things - basically we are really close to migrating over to scoop. Really close meaning a matter of a few days. I know, switzer, I know.

Blog no longer broken

We'll see how long this lasts, hopefully all posts are restored and things are working again.

Longest Night Services

For those interested, this is an email I received from Kathy Sakahara:
(Please share this message broadly)
Friends,
I would like to invite you to join your allies within the United Methodist Church for a time of solidarity, reflection and hope – hope that this long night of discrimination will end soon.
Kathy Sakahara

LONGEST NIGHT SERVICES
The Pacific Northwest Reconciling Ministries Network will be holding two "Longest Night" services to offer a worship experience for our hurting community where all may pray for God's light to shine through the barriers that conspire to keep sexual minorities on the margins of society and church. The Longest Night Service will be held concurrently at Seattle First United Methodist Church and Tacoma First United Methodist Church at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, December 21.

Recently, the United Methodist Church's Judicial Council ruled that a pastor in Virginia was within church law to refuse membership to a gay man (Decision No. 1032). The consequences of this ruling remain unknown, but it appears to extend pastors the right to refuse membership to anyone. United Methodists are saddened and angered by this decision. The Longest Night Service reminds us that God's vision becomes real despite the strongest oppression and the deepest prejudice. On the Longest Night we invite all who hope for a better tomorrow and a more inclusive church to join us in prayer and worship of the God of freedom.

--------------------------------------------------------
Longest Night Service Wednesday, December 21 at 7:00 PM
Seattle First United Methodist Church
811 5th Ave Seattle, WA 98104
206-622-7278
www.firstchurchseattle.org/

AND

Tacoma First United Methodist Church
423 Martin Luther King Way
Tacoma, WA 98405
253-627-0129
www.gbgm-umc.org/fumctacoma/

Sponsored by the Reconciling Ministries Network of the Pacific Northwest,
www.pnwrmn.org/

"Many of us (in the United Methodist Church) are ashamed of our denomination’s official discrimination against gay and lesbian Christians, and appalled by the Council’s decisions, which essentially assert that it is not permissible for a United Methodist minister to be openly gay, but it is permissible for a United Methodist minister to be openly bigoted." Rev. Dr. Kathlyn James, Senior Pastor, First United Methodist Church of Seattle

Pea Soup

R&R has been extended another 24-48 hours due to some fog in Seattle, ah shucks.

The world famous Waikiki beach in Honolulu. Mai Tai heaven!

The incredible view from our room. The Royal Hawaiian is the pink hotel -  and great Mai Tais.

Defending America, one baby at a time.

What was a 20' wave over in Waimea Bay.

The baby just loves taking the trolly to Hilo Hattie!

Happy Birthday, you crazy old bastard!

Alaska Senator and noted ancient crank Ted Stevens turns 82 today!  Born on November 18, 1923, Stevens lived through the Depression, WWII, Korea and Vietnam and *gasp* the '70's, and through it all managed to expunge all traces of human kindness from his earthly husk.

Contact him today to wish him a Happy Birthday, remind him that Washingtonians prefer to make our own decisions regarding oil and our coastline, and lest he forgets, urge him to retire as promised now that his two favorite bridges have had their earmarks removed from the budget bill!

Also, in honor of Bob Smith and the hundreds of other voters who were illegally and fraudulently challenged by the ethically weak GOP, contact Chris Vance and demand that Lori Sotelo resign her post immediately.