The Renton Marketing Campaign is sponsoring a “Film Frnzy” competition for budding film makers to demonstrate their skills right here on our own streets. The Seattle Times gave this nice coverage in yesterday’s paper. See the article by clicking here
My father-in-law, a nuclear physiscist at LLNL, passed this bit of humor along to me….:-)
The Heaviest Element Known to Science
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories has discovered the heaviest element yet known to science.
The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.
These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons.
Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A tiny amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second, to take from 4 days to 4 years to complete.
Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2- 6 years. It does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places.
In fact, Governmentium’s mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes.
This characteristic of morons promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass.
When catalysed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.
Trader Joes IS CONSIDERING a Renton store!!! Now’s the time to encourage them!!
The Mayor and Council President report that Trader Joes is seriously considering a store at the Landing right now. You can help by letting them know they are wanted!
Please click the link below, and register your support with them. Also, tell everyone in my comment section that you want to see them in town… I’ll make sure they see your comments!
Thanks,
Randy
Here is the note from the Mayor and Council President:
> It’ worth a try. Let’s get the word out!
>
> Marcie
>
> ————– Forwarded Message: ————–
> From: denislaw@comcast.net
> To: denislaw@comcast.net (Denis Law)
> Subject: Trader Joe’s
> Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:49:52 +0000
>
> We understand that the developers of The Landing are having additional
> discussions with Trader Joe’s about locating a store here in Renton, and there
> is some interest. They recommend those who would like to see a Trader Joe’s to
> fill out a simple “vote” to register your support. Feel free to encourage your
> neighbors and others to also vote:
>
> http://traderjoes.com/location_requests_form.aspx
>
> Thanks.
Denis
Renton Police looking for suspect in sexual assault in the Highlands
Renton Police looking for suspect in sexual assault in the Highlands
The Renton Police Department is asking for the public’s help in finding a black male in his early 20s who sexually assaulted a 45-year-old Renton woman on the night of Oct. 3.
The victim told police she was assaulted at about 11:30 p.m. in the 2800 block of Sunset Boulevard Northeast by a man who got into the passenger side of her car. She had just returned to her car from a local business.
She described the suspect as a black male, 20 to 25 years old, medium height, slender build and squinty eyes. He was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, dark puffy jacket and saggy blue jeans.
How sick is that?! Man running the questionable “check-point” program admits to child rape!
I’ve openly shared my disagreement with the idea of homeland security “checkpoints” along our state highways, as seeming too unconstitutional and orwellian to me. (Click here to see my last entry on the subject.) Enforcing immigration at our borders is one thing, but stopping our citizens randomly and asking for documents and explanations seems like a clear fourth ammendment violation to me. Homeland Security has argued that checkpoints are allowed within 100 miles of a state border based on a supreme court ruling; but I and many others believe they have misinterpreted the ruling–permanent checkpoints are allowed within a 100 mile zone as necessary to patrol for incoming visitors in remote areas; the high court did not say they can set up random checkpoints to question travelers their daily travels between cities within our state.
So this program has been extremely controversial, as locals have been inconvenienced and frightened, and international visitors have been detained and harrased. In a few cases, alleged immingration violators have been captured and arrested, but questions remain whether any of these arrests would withstand constitutional challenge through the US Supreme Court. Meanwhile, families of those arrrested are in tears while the tough-talking head of the effort, Joseph Giuliano, tells them how bad their loved ones are.
Well, today it was announced that Joseph Giuliano–the face of this effort– has , by his own admission, been raping a 14-year old girl on a regular basis for many, many months.
Life is so full of sick ironies that it can make your head spin.
I know this man is just one bad apple among a group of hard-working agents that are trying to protect us. But he, the sick child-rapist, appears to be the one IN CHARGE of this program. ALL his decisions are now suspect. Meanwhile, as I’ve said before, these checkpoints should be eliminated and the agents reassigned at our borders and our ports.
Retirement fund losses on our minds….
While I’m trying not to think about it too much, it’s tough not dwell a little on my retirement fund (401-K) losses from the last year–the last few months in particular. Everything looked so great a year ago; like many other people at my day job, I even kicked around ideas of trying to retire when I hit 55. Now, who knows?
This article in the New York Times explains that my pondering is nearly universal for those of us that have been in the workforce for a while.
How are the rest of you Rentonites feeling? Do you feel prepared for possible tough times ahead? Do you think you will be able to rebuild before your planned retirement? Will you be working until age 95?
Such a strange twist; the head of the AFL-CIO tells the Republican nominee to quit rabble rousing
In this article it is reported that AFL-CIO President John Sweeney encourages John McCain to tone down the rabble-rousing at his rallies.
Yes, I know that organized labor is partisan, and there are many who would call this a political ploy. But it still is teaming with irony, isn’t it? Who would have thought the head of the AFL-CIO would be warning the Republican Presidential Nominee that he is getting his crowds too whipped up.
I was glad to see John McCain take steps to tone down his most outspoken and frenzied supporters. It was the right thing for him to do, and it was probably politically astute as well.
I met AFL-CIO president John Sweeney when he stopped by a picket line during our 40-day SPEEA (Boeing Engineering) strike. Engineers have a hard time being rabble-ish, even when they want to. We scream things like “Ya…you will never finish your finite element code for your center body structure!…so there!” and other upstart comments like that.
Your Library comments are REALLY GOOD! Please keep them coming!!!
Oct11
2008
Written by Randy Corman
2008
Written by Randy Corman
I am very impressed by the informative, thorough, and insightful comments you are all submitting on the “Library future” blog. If you have not joined into this dialouge, please consider doing it now. I know many, many decision makers are reading your opinions.
Here is the link! Please contribute your thoughts!
Enlightening (and scary) article about dog bites
My wife Cathy with our Newfoundland named Dolly. Dolly is as sweet as Nana in Peter Pan, and she descends from dogs that saved ship-wreck victims in Canada; but as with all dogs, we have an obligation to still manage her as if she could be dangerous.
The Seattle Times ran an educational article about dog bites today. I love dogs, and have never gone without one or two canines to keep me company. But this article explains how even the breeds with reputations for love and affection, like golden retrievers, have overturned lives with devastating face bites.
There are some good warnings here for all of us dog owners. Read the article here
P.S. As a footnote, if you have a dog, make sure you have very good liability insurance. Even the smallest dogs can devastate a child, and it is part of responsible animal ownership to carry good insurance.
Renton faces some exciting but confusing choices regarding our library services
The council and mayor had a two-and-a-half hour meeting yesterday to discuss future options and opportunities for our library system.
While we don’t have a lot of money to throw around right now, we recognize that we need to create a long-term plan very soon for two reasons:
(1) Our current downtown library and highlands library are both getting lots of use, and have not seen major updates in decades. Meanwhile, our infill population has been growing fast (in places like the Landing), and we have annexed many new neighborhoods like Benson Hill. Furthermore, a rough economy historically increases library use.
(2) Perhaps even more pressing (planning wise), we are seeing incorporation drives in Fairwood and on the West Hill. Both of these areas currently get library service from the King County Library System. Furthermore, both of the areas are actually paying extra taxes, on voter approved bonds, for the King County Library System to remodel and update the libraries in their areas (Fairwood and Skyway). Residents in both areas are asking what annexation would mean to their future libaray service, and we would like to know the answer to the question.
So, with these pressures in mind, we looked at volumes of data yesterday, including citizen suggestions, a consultants study, staff recommendations, a library board recommendation, and many other items, and had a rip-roaring talk about what we want to do with our libraries.
After hours of discussion, we arrived at four basic options (some council members would say it was three, with two variants on one option, but I will call it four options.)
Option A: Do nothing.
Keep buying some new books each year, and maintaining existing buildings, out of our general fund for a cost of about 18 cents per thousand dollars of assessed valuation. ($18 per year per $100,000 of assessed valuation). With this option, residents can continue to use King County libraries under a reciprocal agreement (which my lovely wife Cathy helped put in place while she was on Library Board…yay!). The reciprocal agreement requires a fee to King County, to keep things fair, which amounts to about $250,000 per year–also paid out of general fund.
All 82,000 residents of Renton get a Renton library card and are eligible to receive free King County Library cards.
Option B: Remodel existing downtown and highlands libraries, with burst of new books and new equipment
This option includes the elements of Option A, but would ask voters to additionally approve a bond for significant updating of the buildings and equipment in both libraries, as well as a one-time burst of new books for both facilities. The bond value and total work scope could be further refined, but I estimate that a bond of 5 to 10 cents per thousand (five to ten dollars for $100,000 of home value), for ten years, would give us a pretty nice remodel.
Option C: Build larger, new-generation Renton Libraries under our own Renton Library system (while maintaining a reciprocal agreement)
We would build all-new buildings in downtown and the highlands, to house a significantly expanded book collection, other new print materials, and technology. The buildings would also include other elements requested by citizens such as meeting rooms, class rooms, coffee bars, etc.
With our growing population, the downtown library could be roughly the size of the Bellevue King County Library (the largest branch of the king County System).
This option would cost us the existing $18 per $100,000 asseses valuation that we currently pay for library service, plus an additional $21 per $100,000 for the capital expenses of building, plus an additional $17 per $100,000 for the extra staff and maintenance costs of the larger libraries, for a total of $56 per $100,000 in home value.
Hence, if you live in a $300,000 house, your total library cost would be $168 per year; $54 of which is already coming out of our general fund (you wouldn’t see a change in this part); plus a bond that costs $63 per year for 20 years for the new buildings; plus an operations levy of $51 per year to cover the additional new service.
Put another way, this option would cost you $114 more per year, until the new-building bonds were paid off–at which time the increase would drop to $51 more per year than today. (In today’s dollars)
Option D: Build a new downtown library, and join the King County Library System
In this option, we would work with King County to get agreement that we would build a new library downtown, probably close the highlands branch (which is only 6800 square feet and not big enough for them to efficiently manage), and then join the King County Library System to manage our library. All residents in the city would be assessed the $39 per $100,000 fee that King County charges for library service. Hence, the owner of a $300,000 home would pay $107 per year for operation of the library under this plan.
The new library would most likely have to be paid for by our residents, to “buy into” the King County System. We feel we could devote the current $18 dollars per $100,000 we have budgeted for library in our general fund for this purpose, so the new library bonds would be taken care of by our exisiting budget.
Hence, this option is almost the exact same cost as Option C. It integrates us fully with the King County library, but gets us a slightly smaller library downtown and probably eliminates the branch in the highlands. On the plus side, it makes it simple to understand our relationship with KCLS–we are one and the same, which makes annexations easier. On the negative side, we are stuck with whatever cost increases KCLS might pass along in the future, and we can not be as personal about our choices of services, books, and policies.
As a final note, we would work hard with this option to ensure that our personnel would get picked up by King County, so that we could enjoy familiar faces at the library and our employees would be taken care of.
COUNCIL DISCUSSED all these options and more, and considered all facets of each option; questions like what about existing library bonds in Fairwood and Skyway (residents still have to pay them…about $20 per year on a $300,000 house), what about King County’s shortfalls in revenues, what would be the timing and priority, etc.)
In the end, just about everyone of us flip-flopped back and forth on whether we should remain independant, or join King County. Data shows that you, the residents, have very mixed feelings about this as well. Many of you like the larger print collection of the Renton system, and the shorter wait times, but many of you also like the expansive collection of the total King County System. Then there is the argument that the reciprocal agreement can give us both…at least as long as it can be kept in place, and nothing seems to be threatening to change it.
The Library board and staff have both looked at this puzzle already, and both gave the recommendation to remaining independent…but with a deep understanding of those who want to join King County.
I have to say that at the time of this writing I am leaning towards remaining independent, and starting to do the early planning on two new buildings to be brought forward for citizen vote when the economy improves. But that is how I feel tonight.
My wife Cathy will be getting all this info for the first time when she reads this blog. She has been asking me for the data, but I said it was too complicated to explain, and she would have to wait until I wrote it down. So Cathy, let me know what you think in the comment section below 🙂
And all the rest of you, if you made it through this….Tell me what you would prefer for the future of our library system!
Thanks,
Randy
The Dow Jones Avarage drops another 7% today…
I’m not planning on moving back in with Mom, but I am starting to give up on my dream of early retirement.
Email from citizen regarding I-985; answered by mayor above
I received this question in council email today. Mayor Law answered it for me (see blog above)
One more email chain about photo-enforcement; a question at Renton High School
A concern from a Renton high Student about the photo-enforcement system next to the school….
Activist Tim Eyman, and Former State DOT head Doug McDonald debated I-985 at our Monday meeting
We had a civil, somewhat passionate, forum about the pros and cons of I-985 at our Council Meeting on Monday night.
This initiative has the worthy goal of trying to reduce traffic congestion, something we are all in favor of; but the initiative seeks to do it in some questionable ways (such as opening HOV lanes up to all traffic 18 hours per day, and sending local traffic photo enforcement fines–currently used to reduce speeding in neighborhoods– to a new traffic congestion fund in Olympia)
After hearing the pros and cons, and taking comments from citizens, council went on record opposing this initiative.
The city published a press release today with more information on this topic:
Do you agree or disagree with our recommendation… How do you plan to vote?
Here is the press release:
What would have happened if we had bought 250 duplexes?….
The discussion on another thread got me wondering about other possible outcomes of our highland renewal debates two years ago. I think fate, and uppity citizens, may have helped us dodge a bullet; credit has dried up, property owners are losing equity, and and builders are taking losses on their projects.
Here are my thoughts on the topic.
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