Last word on the subject of the week: If you're voting to put the fox in charge of the chicken coop, and if you're doing this to please a relative, spouse or friend who consistently tries to dominate your life, remember that you possess one of the world's greatest powers, the Secret Ballot. No matter what scoundrels trying to undo our civil rights and liberties may tell you, no one will ever know how you voted. This would be a good time to look into your own soul.

Let's suppose for a minute that a newly elected president of the US has been elected and is able to get Congress to
• pass legislation expanding health care, including confirming the principles and major provisions of Roe v Wade, rendering the Supreme Court irrelevant in the matter
• pass a plan for loans (or grants or tax offsets) for first-time home purchase and small business startup
• pass the border reform act that was both introduced by Republicans and then killed by that same party
and
• pass a constitutional amendment abolishing the Electoral College in favor of direct popular vote for president and vide-president and sending it to the states
• letting justice take its course regardless of political considerations in the matter of persons who have conspired or acted against the Constitution or have been convicted of other crimes
• accepting blame and being willing nto change course when policies misfire.

Now let's suppose the other person is elected, whose program would include
• reducing benefits, excluding participants and transferring public funds from Medicare and Social Security, principally to reduce taxes, including creating laws on female health care that are solely pro-natal and assign all medical decisions to unelected, politically appointed bureaucrats with no scientific training
• using police and military power to round up people based on their appearance, accent or name
• separating families based on their ability to provide ad hoc documentation of their nationality notwithstanding that they had been seized without warrant
• deporting those who cannot satisfy politically appointed bureaucrats of their right of residence with consequent loss of property and civil rights
• attempt to manipulate voting rights and procedures to insure continued power of a minority
• pardoning persons based on political considerations of persons who have conspired or acted against the Constitution or have been convicted of other crimes
• blaming every misstep on the actions of others.

Which of those sets of policies is likely to harm you or your family, and how?

Which of those sets of policies is likely to benefit you or your family, and how?

Which set is most consistent with American values?

Which of those platforms are you going to vote for this fall?

Personalities are transient; policies affect generations.

The increasingly incoherent ramblings of the "Get off my lawn!" candidate — are our current manifestation of "The Emperor's New Clothes" by H.C. Andersen. My guess is that virtually all of the US population has heard or read the story. How can it be that so many did not grasp the moral?

Someone has to come forward and speak the truth. It cannot be a political opponent; it must, as in the fable, be someone pure, innocent and without purpose or guile.

Brothers and sisters, if you need an excuse, vote for VP Harris and Gov. Walz as mere caretakers and earn another choice in 2028, proposed by an embarrassed but reawakened and honest (R) Party. The clearly unprepared JD Vance is not qualified to step into the presidency, and the likelihood of Tr*mp making it to 83 having resumed speaking in complete sentences are not great.

(Image: Former president D. Tr*mp, indicating to rally participants where to look at the Sun during an upcoming eclipse. Courtesy Smoldering Stump Gazette and Creative Commons.)

By Edward Muguluma*, via Tom Herriman

Here's a Beautiful story from Edward Muguluma, School Director at Kisa Primary School in Nansana, Uganda:

In Nansana village, is where you find a resilient struggling mother named Sanyu nakasenge aged 53 years old who has been a resident for more than 18 years now. With three little ones Charles Luvumu (7), Divine Naluyombya (13) and Malcom Luzinda (10) all relying on her tender care, life's burdens have often weighed heavy upon her shoulders with no one to help her out as they divorced with the husband due to family mistreatment after the birth of their last born charles. So when hardship knocked relentlessly on her door, she turned to the beacon of hope in her community—Kisa Foundation Uganda.

Embraced by the warmth of the support by Richmond rotary club,Sanyu embarked on a journey of empowerment. Through the unwavering guidance at Kisa Foundation Uganda, she honed her skills in tailoring where she could stitch her dreams into reality with every thread she wove. Four months flew by and Sanyu had emerged not only a skilled seamstress but also a beacon of determination.

With a sewing machine gifted to her, Sanyu has transformed the humble veranda of her rented home into a sanctuary of craftsmanship where she has been living a quite long now.

Amidst the good and bad times with her beautiful children, she had stitched together a future brimming with promise.

Though the weight of school fees for her kids is very heavy on her, Sanyu can at least cater for her children's feeding on a daily through working on her veranda with her sewing machine.

With tearful gratitude, she has on and on whispered her thanks to Richmond rotary club through kisa foundation Uganda, for they had not only dressed her in skills but also adorned her life with a new found hope.
____________
* Edward Muguluma is school director at Kisa Primary School in Nansana, Uganda, a part of the Kampala metropolitan area. Tom Herriman is the former publisher of the Seattle Press and a community organizer.

For the past ten years I've been working with a group that is seeking to help small, minority businesses to start farming enterprises. Our emphasis has been on indoor farming and lately on microgreens.

An associate of one of our members had acquired a substantial endowment of equipment for controlled environment agriculture (CEA) and recently moved it to a location on an island in Puget Sound. Much of the food produced was distributed via food banks in the northern part of the Seattle metropolitan area. Our group had previously provided a modest amount of fresh green produce to the distribution effort, and I can attest to the efficacy of their program.

Within a day of the delivery the equipment and before it could become operational it was set afire by person or persons unknown and totally destroyed with a loss of about $250,000. The non-profit was of course devastated.

Because the affected organization is related to a minority community, no one is seriously discounting the probability that the attack was racially or ethnically motivated.

Anyone wishing to know more or to help may find more information here
(https://www.kiro7.com/.../whi.../OTC2UZDOJFGY7KWGHQ46YJZZ5Q/)
plus a GoFundMe here (https://www.gofundme.com/.../support-blackseed-farms)

And if you live in the area and hear the inevitable whispers, the Island County sheriff wants to hear from you. Someone needs to go to jail.

The theme of this years gathering is Accelerating Inclusion.

All are welcome. Join your neighbors at Spruce Elementary 17405 42nd Ave W, Lynnwood from 5:30 to 7:30 PM March 8.

Sponsored by Edmonds Schools, City of Lynnwood, LETI.

Steve Pool was a reporter at Seattle's KOMO TV for about 40 years. He died recently from complications of Alzheimer's Disease after cementing a model legacy for the Northwest.

The video linked below is a tribute from his colleagues. (The source is YouTube, so of course there's an ad at the beginning; you can suppress it after a few seconds of really, really information about dog food, patent medicine, etc. Not our fault.)

View the video

County council member Jeanne Kohl-Welles gave us a heads-up on this story, reported by Seattle Times. (Follow link below to read the whole story.)

"A loose barge drifted through Elliott Bay on Thursday (2 November) afternoon, colliding with the marina near Pier 66 and briefly triggering calls for evacuation in nearby buildings.

The barge has been secured, no injuries have been reported and the evacuation was eventually called off, according to Seattle Fire Department spokesperson David Cuerpo.

The Coast Guard was notified at 1:25 p.m. that the floating platform was drifting from Terminal 18 toward Pier 66 in Elliott Bay.

The wayward barge could have caused more damage if not for quick thinking by Capt. Dan Krehbiel, who was manning the King County Water Taxi from West Seattle to Pier 50. Around 1 p.m., he noticed it floating without any tugboats, apparently heading toward the Great Wheel and the Seattle Aquarium, according to a spokesperson for King County Metro."

Our admiration goes to Capt. Krehbiel.

Original story

In the northwestern United States, lutefisk has risen to a standard of culinary preference matched only by Christmas fruitcake.

Good Recipes for Lutefisk

Note: This section was formerly subtitled Recipes for Good Lutefisk, but readers wrote in to say that was an oxymoron, so we changed it.

We've scoured the globe seeking recipes for lutefisk. To add your recipe for lutefisk, send it here.

Update, February 2004. Still waiting.
Update, April 2005. We've decided to accept Adequate Recipes...
Update, December 2005. This space for rent.

First submission received: The following seems to be the consensus approach to lutefisk.

• Place your lutefisk on the kitchen counter for approximately fifteen minutes.
• Season and cook your lutefisk according to any recipe of your choice.
• Wrap your lutefisk in ordinary newspaper.
• Throw it out!

About World Peace

We lied; if anything is antithetical to peace it is seeking consensus about lutefisk. (Originally published ca. 2002.)

The military community is invited to meet with recruiters from 75 businesses and government employers at the Seahawks Military Hiring and Resource Fair — powered by Boeing.

The event is open to members and families in all branches of the military: active duty, National Guard, Reserves and Veterans, as well as Department of Defense employees.

Full-time and part-time jobs will be available. Participating employers are YesVets members – those recognized for hiring Veterans.

“Veterans make up around 15% of Boeing’s workforce, and we know they make our company better,” said Devon Rumsey, a Veteran with Boeing’s Workforce Development Team. “We’ll be at the Seahawks Military Hiring and Resource Fair to help connect Veterans and their families with meaningful work in our community.”

More than two dozen Veterans-service organizations, including Task Force 12, will also be on hand to offer a variety of support services. Task Force 12 comprises the Seattle Seahawks and local grassroots nonprofits that support military service members, veterans and their families.

Job-search experts from WorkSource will be available to help job seekers improve their resumes and interviewing skills.

• WHAT: Seahawks Military Hiring and Resource Fair
  
• WHEN: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 23, 2023
  
• WHERE: Lumen Field, Seattle

“With amazing support from our friends at Boeing, the Seattle Seahawks are teaming up with the YesVets organization to hold our second annual Military Hiring and Resource Fair, dedicated to our military community,” said Seahawks Community Engagement Manager Nino Gray Jr. “Dedicated Pacific Northwest employers and resource organizations will stand ready to help service members, Veterans and their families find jobs and support. Veteran-owned food trucks will entice attendees and military vehicles will be on display.”

Registration and instructions for attendees:

Register online or at the door. When you register online, you can sign the required form, get a door entry code and receive event reminders. If you register at the door, you might need to wait in line to get your door entry code and sign the required form.

Get prepared. Practice your pitch to summarize your skills, experience and career goals. Have your resume available. You can print it on-site.

Register for the Hilton Honors Military Program if you live more than 50 miles from Lumen Field and you would like to stay in a nearby hotel. You can earn points that are good for free or reduced-price hotel stays. Go to your closest WorkSource center to register.

Park for free. The event will be in West Field Plaza at Lumen Field. Park in the north lot at 221 S. King St., Seattle. Enter Lumen Field at the northwest gate, adjacent to the north parking lot. Learn how to get to Lumen Field by bus or light rail.

Additional benefits

Eligible attendees can sign up to get a free laptop and cellphone. Stop by the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs booth to see if you qualify.

All pre-registered job seekers will be automatically entered in a drawing to win two free tickets to the Seahawks Salute to Service game with two pregame sideline passes.

Questions? For more information about the hiring and resource fair, contact the Employment Security Department at the following link.

More information

The Washington State Department of Labor and Industry has announced a grant that will allow Latino Educational Training Institute of Lynnwood (LETI) to continue its efforts on the issue of security for another year.

LETI will use the money to expand the site and develop new forms of dissemination, including electronic and printed materials and support for employers in the training of their workers.

The first products of the new series will begin to appear in the summer of 2023. Look at these pages!

Original article:

LETI recibe subvención para proyecto nuevo

El Departamento de Trabajo e Industria del Estado de Washington ha anunciado una subvención que permitirá a LETI continuar sus esfuerzos en el tema de la seguridad durante un año más.

LETI utilizará el dinero para ampliar el sitio y desarrollar nuevas formas de difusión, incluidos materiales electrónicos e impresos y apoyo a los empleadores en la capacitación de sus trabajadores.

Los primeros productos de la nueva serie comenzarán a aparecer en el verano de 2023. ¡Mira estas páginas!

One hundred and thirty million Russians can be wrong. But they're not blind or deaf or stupid. Perhaps we can help them understand what's going on in Ukraine. It might cost a few cents per minute, but it just might work. Call or text a new Russian friend today. Some possible messages follow.

To call a Russian phone from the USA, first dial 01 for for international numbers, then one for calls from the USA, then 7 for Russia, then add a 3 or 4 digit city (area) code (NOT beginning with 6 or 7, because those are in Kazakhstan, go figure!), then add the individual phone number, which will have either 3 or four numbers, making a total of ten after the country code 7. Area codes beginning with 9 are for mobile phones.

E.g., to call Ivan Ivanovich Ivanetz in Irkutsk,

Continues...

TextForFree

In Washington, 4,892,508 people or 64% of the state has received at least one dose. Overall, 4,403,203 people or 57% of Washington's population has been fully vaccinated.

UPDATE 20 August — In Washington, 5,037,448 people or 66% of the state has received at least one dose. Overall, 4,497,187 people or 59% of Washington's population has been fully vaccinated.

OLYMPIA – Washington’s economy added 22,700 jobs in July and the state’s preliminary seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment rate dropped slightly to 5.1 percent from June to July, according to the Employment Security Department (ESD).

The peak level of unemployment during the coronavirus emergency was 16.3 percent in April of 2020. The June 2021 level was 5.2 percent.

“The state’s job market recovery has gathered considerable momentum this summer” said Paul Turek, economist for the department. “But while additional progress over the next month is a reasonable expectation, the rise of the Delta variant could mute some of the rebound.”

ESD released the preliminary job estimates from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics as part of its Monthly Employment Report.

The department also announced that June’s previously reported unemployment rate of 5.2 percent was confirmed. June’s preliminary estimated gain of 24,100 jobs was revised upward to a gain of 25,600 jobs.

The national unemployment rate dropped from 5.9 percent in June to 5.4 percent in July. In July 2020, the national unemployment rate (revised) was 10.2 percent.

ESD paid unemployment insurance benefits to 316,343 people in July, a decrease of 43,623 over the previous month.

Labor supply constraints are easing

The state’s labor force in July was 3,905,900 – an increase of 18,800 people from the previous month. In the Seattle/Bellevue/Everett region, the labor force increased by 3,400 over the same period.

From July 2020 to July 2021, the state’s labor force decreased by 14,500 while the Seattle/Bellevue/Everett region increased by 27,100.

The labor force is the total number of people, both employed and unemployed, over the age of 16.

From June to July, the number of people who were unemployed statewide decreased from 201,600 to 199,200. In the Seattle/Bellevue/Everett region, the number of people who were unemployed decreased from 89,700 to 89,200 over the same period.

Nine industry sectors expanded, three industry sectors contracted and one industry sector remained constant in July

Private sector employment increased by 21,300 jobs while government employment increased by 1,400 jobs. Provided below is a summary of the job gains and losses in all thirteen industry sectors.

Industrial sectors leading the hiring gains are Leisure and hospitality, Education and health services, and Wholesale trade.

OLYMPIA – Washington’s economy added 24,100 jobs in June and the state’s preliminary seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment rate stayed constant 5.2 percent from May to June, according to the Employment Security Department (ESD).

*Revised from previous preliminary estimates. Preliminary monthly estimates for jobs losses or gains are based on a small Bureau of Labor Statistics payroll survey while actual figures reported the following month are based on a more complete survey.

“The labor market recovery picked up some speed this month after slowing over the previous two months” said Paul Turek, economist for the department. “Job opportunities are rising as the economy reopens over the summer.”

ESD released the preliminary job estimates from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics as part of its Monthly Employment Report.

The department also announced that May’s previously reported unemployment rate of 5.3 percent was revised to 5.2 percent. May’s preliminary estimated gain of 8,300 jobs was revised upward to a gain of 9,100 jobs.

The national unemployment rate rose slightly from 5.8 percent in May to 5.9 percent in June. In June 2020, the national unemployment rate (revised) was 11.1 percent.

ESD paid unemployment insurance benefits to 359,966 people in June, a decrease of 34,254 over the previous month.

Employers luring more workers back to the job market

The state’s labor force in June was 3,889,100 – an increase of 15,600 people from the previous month. In the Seattle/Bellevue/Everett region, the labor force increased by 300 over the same period.

From June 2020 to June 2021, the state’s labor force increased by 11,500 while the Seattle/Bellevue/Everett region increased by 30,400.

The labor force is the total number of people, both employed and unemployed, over the age of 16.

From May to June, the number of people who were unemployed statewide decreased slightly from 203,200 to 203,000. In the Seattle/Bellevue/Everett region, the number of people who were unemployed increased from 89,400 to 90,100 over the same period.

Nine industry sectors expanded, three industry sectors contracted and one industry sector remained constant in June

Private sector employment increased by 20,000 jobs while government employment increased by 4,100 jobs. Provided below is a summary of the job gains and losses in leading and trailing thirteen industry sectors.

Industry sector Job gains/losses
Education and health services + 8,200
Professional and business services + 5,600
Leisure and hospitality + 4,100


Declining sectors were 0
Other services - 200
Manufacturing - 400
Financial activities - 700


Leisure and hospitality jobs are in high demand

Washington gained an estimated 197,000 jobs from June 2020 – June 2021, not seasonally adjusted. Private sector employment rose by 6.9 percent, up an estimated 181,600 jobs, while public sector employment rose by 2.8 percent, up an estimated 15,400 jobs.

From June 2020 – June 2021, twelve major industry sectors expanded while one industry sector contracted.

The three industry sectors with the largest employment gains year-over-year, not seasonally adjusted, were:

Leisure and hospitality up 56,500 jobs
Education and health services up 42,100 jobs
Retail trade up 31,000 jobs

The one industry sector which contracted year-over-year, not seasonally adjusted, was manufacturing, down 13,200 jobs

Note: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently updated its “alternative measures of labor underutilization” for states to include annual averages for 2020. One such alternative measure is the U-6 rate, which considers not only the unemployed population in the official “U-3” unemployment rate, but also marginally attached workers and those employed part time for economic reasons. The U-6 rate is defined by BLS as the “total unemployed, plus all marginally attached workers, plus total employed part time for economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all marginally attached workers.” This U-6 measure measures the “unemployed, underemployed, and those who are not looking but who want a job.”

The U-6 unemployment rate for the second quarter 2020 through the first quarter 2021 for Washington state was 15.8 percent. This was higher compared to the 14.8 percent U-6 unemployment annual 2020 rate. The U.S. U-6 unemployment rate for the second quarter 2020 through the first quarter 2021 was 14.5 percent.