Though it might seem like a minor point, the issue of the Sound Transit heavy rail route design through the south part of downtown Tacoma is becoming the defining issue of the 2009 mayoral race and having regional impacts as important as the defeat of Sound Transit Board Chair Greg Nickels in the Seattle mayoral primary.

The Tacoma Pierce News Tribune did a multi-article feature on the October 4 Sunday front page - including an online opinion poll. The poll is near the bottom of the middle column. As of the writing of this piece on Wednesday morning there have been 2900 votes, 85% in favor of the local business/citizen 'Post and Beam' alternative compared to the Sound Transit 'Berm' design.

Last night was the public hearing.

The crowd here was in support of post and beam in similar proportions, and the testimony and comments both well thought out and dramatic.

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.

I'm remembering the assasination of Thomas Wales, assistant US Attorney for Western Washington, on October 11, 2001, one year after the World Trade Center bombing and just as George W. Bush appointed John McKay to be his new boss.

Liberal Wales was responsible for the prosecution of white collar crime in Western Washington and was becoming quite well known for his community work, including his leadership of the Queen Anne Community Council. As I recall he had been with the US Attorney's office for 11 years. According to this wikipedia article Wales was a roommate of Joseph Patrick Kennedy in prep school - not sure if it was before or after the assasination of Robert.

Press speculation has centered around the theory that it was a gun rights activist who shot Wales as he also led the State gun control group, Ceasefire.

There never has been a single identified suspect for this theory - and that Mr. McKay's older brother, Mike held the same seat during the Bush I term and is currently engaged in the business of white collar criminal defense. Also worth noting is the prevalence of criticism of inappropriate government funding of companies controlled by the Downtown Seattle legal establishment by Seattle neighborhood groups.

This is just speculation, but the criticism of the Seattle legal establishment being unable to find a killer most likely among its midst holds up in other areas as well.

I am reminded of my first publication, a compilation of research on the subject of Socially Responsible Investment - on the heels of an administration occupying expansion of my alma mater's pioneering South African divestment.

The Hampshire College Report on Socially Responsible Investment

Ed. by Doug Tooley,

April 1983.

Preface
In 1976, Hampshire College bacame the first school in the country to divest from companies in South Africa. This opened the door for us to a much larger idea, that of using investments to reflect our ethics instead of those of the capitalistic ideology.

Let the Right One In

(Sweden)

2008

This is an original contribution to the Vampire genre - a tale of first love set stylistically in the dark winter nights of a Swedish town. It is perhaps the most beautiful, touching, horror film I've ever seen.

Here's the original trailer:

Dan Satterberg, prosecutor for King County Washington, and Rainn Wilson, the actor playing Dwight Shrute on NBC's 'The Office' are both from suburban Seattle. This blog piece irresponsibly speculates on a shared parentage, given the very close physical resemblance.

That's a nice professional picture of Rainn Wilson. Kinda looks like he could be the prosecutor for the nation's 12th largest County, right?

Compare to this somewhat embarassing 'backyard' shot of the real King County Prosecutor, Dan Satterberg.

For more Halloween fun, consider this advice from Satterberg, er, Rainn. (I'd better get this one right!)

If you talk about the history of tax initiatives in Washington State you can't avoid the name Tim Eyman. I've certainly not voted for every initiative Mr. Eyman has produced and his politics are definitely to the right of mine, yet still I take offense, major offense, at the way some, most of his opponents battle his proposals.

Frankly most of the opposition to 1033 is downright rabid. Demonization of your opponent as a strategy of negative politics can certainly work. However allowing this sort of politics in discussions about money, in the civic sphere or the corporate office, is definitely NOT something this country needs right now.

Consider the coverage of Joni Balter from the Seattle Times following the lead of former print columnist Joel Connelly.

Gil Kerlikowske, Drug Czar and Former Seattle Police Chief (a position he took from working with the DOJ in D.C.) is profiled by the iconic George Will.