Spin Control 2.0
A critical eye on the 2008 election season
Break out the popcorn
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Here's a chance to impress your date, courtesy of the City of Spokane. Councilman Richard Rush is hosting a film series, for free, at City Hall.
And even a discussion afterwards to explore your impressions of the film. How deep can you get?
One Friday a month through June, he'll be showing a film, with the Jan. 16 offering being "The Art and Science of Renzo Piano."
Don't go looking this one up in Dan Webster's Movies and More, though...
Today's fun video: Stewart jabs the Senate
Idaho's Larry Craig has a cameo in this one
Today's video: New rules in the U.S. House
What the House did on the first day (after swearing in the newcomers).
Gregoire's in Iraq
Gov. Chris Gregoire's hush-hush announcement this morning? She made a trip to Iraq to visit the 81st Brigade, which is on duty there.
Check out the story here of her press conference from Baghdad.
It was a telephonic press conference, with Gregoire over there, and the news media from Washington calling in from around the state. Some members of the West Side media seemed a bit peeved that she'd go off, not tell anyone and generate all kinds of speculation.
Speculation like she was going to be the nominee for Commerce Secretary with Bill Richardson pulling out. Maybe the staff learned something about how to handle things when the gov is out of town, one reporter asked.
This is just going by phone talk, of course, but Gregoire seemed genuinely surprised by the speculation. She said she'd only heard about it that morning, after spending one night on a C-130 and the next day on the ground in Iraq.
As for the secrecy, it was out of her hands, Gregoire said. The State and Defense departments have rules that prevented the staff from saying anything until today.
Rumor mill: Something big coming Tuesday
Gov. Chris Gregoire's office has an early announcement of something big -- they won't say what -- Tuesday morning.
Early, as in possibly before 8 a.m.
That means it's timed to something in another time zone, such as Eastern Standard Time, which is what the other Washington runs on.
While they won't say what it is, there is an indication of WHAT IT IS NOT...
New video: Franken certified Minn. senator
This just in. Democrat Al Franken has been certified the winner in that Minnesota Senate race, over Republican incumbent Norm Coleman.
Coleman has a week to challenge the results.
Taking the initiative
Monday is the opening day of the initiative season in Washington (which lasts even longer than Baseball Season, because it goes from today until the general election.)
There to throw out the first pitch, as expected, was Tim Eyman, with a tax limiting initiative.
But Eyman wasn't the only one sending paperwork into the secretary of state's office...
Today's videos: Richardson out; '09 in
Richardson bags Commerce gig
One more review of 2008
Magnuson Club cancelled
The Magnuson Club, that venerable monthly gathering of Democrats for lunch, news and gossip, has cancelled today's meeting.
Because of snow...but you probably guessed that.
One way to pass the time in Olympia
The Legislature returns to Olympia in eight days facing the biggest budget crisis in decades, but we all know the honorables will do little about that but talk until mid-March, when the next revenue forecast comes out.
They’ll need to fill up nearly two months with other things. The question is, will those be mostly things of substance or mostly things of fluff, such as last week’s proposal by State Rep. Mike Armstrong, R-Wenatchee, to designate Aplets and Cotlets as the state candy. (Think of the nasty floor debate with the Almond Roca supporters.)
How about something that wouldn’t cost the state a cent, and could illuminate a portion of the campaign system that most voters don’t even realize is pretty dark?
Like what? Go inside the blog to find out.
Tim Eyman: He's baaaackk (of course)
The following things are reliable indicators that a new year has begun:
The big ball drops in Times Square.
Several hundred brave but foolish souls dash into Lake Coeur d'Alene.
Tim Eyman announces he's got a new intiative to file with the Secretary of State's office.
Surprise, surprise, surprise, as Gomer Pyle would say. This initiative is all about....
Today's fun video: More New Year's resolutions
Obama Girl moderates resolutions
Today's fun videos: Before the holidays get away
OK, this seems like Christmas lights, and Christmas is so 2008. But this video may surprise you about half way in...and it's not a Christmas carol.
For those more into New Year's Day, here's a celebration from where the day started.
Sweet dreams in Olympia
For those who think the upcoming Washington legislative session is going to be about the budget, the budget and the budget, Rep. Mike Armstrong would beg to differ.
The Wenatchee Republican is planning to have the Legislature declare aplets and cotlets the official state candy.
If Armstrong succeeds, the chewy fruit and nut concoctions would join the willow goldfinch, the coast Rhodendron, the bluebunch wheatgrass...
A rare East Sider win
Peter Goldmark is a rarity in statewide politics, the Washington secretary of state's office confirmed today: An East Sider who won a statewide office.
Now it's true that Goldmark did set up a residence in Seattle for the campaign, and did better in Western Washington counties than most Eastern Washington counties, he is nonetheless an Okanogan native and rancher. As such, he's the first person with an East Side address at the start of his campaign to win statewide office in ...well, a really long time.
Just how long depends on the office. Go inside to find out more
City Hall closed; park still open
Here's a snow-induced conundrum, brought on by press releases, five minutes apart, from city offices.
2:59 p.m. Marlene Feist, the city's chief spokeswoman, notifies the media that City Hall is being closed for the rest of the day "because of treacherous conditions..."
"The Mayor is encouraging those who don't need to be on the roads to stay home," the press release says.
3:04 p.m. Nancy Goodspeed, who handles news and information for city parks, says "Riverfront Park will stay open despite the weather." The Skyride is closed, but could open on Tuesday "weather permitting."
Since when did riding the Carrousel become a necessity?
The Christmas Trivia Quiz: A holiday tradition
Having survived the 2008 election, the War on Christmas and the War on the War on Christmas, can only mean one thing: Must be time for the Spin Control Christmas Quiz.
This annual feature stems from several things. Newspapers are always hurting for something to fill their pages around Christmas; the author soaked up way too much Christmas trivia in a former job which involved reading lots of newspaper filler over the holidays; and over the years readers offered other bits of Christmas trivia, so the stuff piles up.
Some of this year’s questions have a government or political theme, others are just, well, trivial.
Take your best shot:
1. Poinsettias became a holiday staple in the United States thanks to what type of government official?
a.) A president
b.) A U.S. Senator
c.) A governor
d.) An ambassador
2. In the song “The 12 Days of Christmas” what day involves government officials?
a.) Day 6
b.) Day 8
c.) Day 10
d.) Day 12
3. According to the Bible, who was emperor when Jesus was born in Bethlehem?
a.) Julius
b.) Augustus
c.) Tiberius
d.) Claudius
4. Which of the following do not have a display in the Washington state Capitol this year?
a.) Christians
b.) Jews
c.) Pagans
d.) Atheists
5. The original Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, lived about 1,400 years ago and had a day job. Was he
a.) A duke in what’s now Holland
b.) A count in what’s now Romania
c.) A prince in what’s now Italy
c.) A bishop in what’s now Turkey
6. What’s the name of the angel who told the shepherds “peace on earth to men of good will.”
a.) Michael
b.) Gabriel
c.) Malachi
d.) None of the above
7. Who set Christmas Day as Dec. 25th?
a.) Constantine, the first Christian emperor of Rome
b.) Pope Gregory, who established the basic calendar we use
c.) St. Luke the Evangelist, who wrote the most complete Nativity account
d.) William the Conqueror, who was crowned king of England on that day in 1066
8. American newspapers used to make a big deal out of what foreign leader’s Christmas tree, describing it for readers in great detail every year?
a.) The king of England
b.) The kaiser of Germany
c.) The czar of Russia
d.) The emperor of Spain
9. In “It’s a Wonderful Life”, Mr. Potter is mostly a mean, rich banker, but he does hold a government position at one point. What was it?
a.) He was on the Planning Commission, so he could stop houses being built at Bailey Park.
b.) He was on the Public Safety Committee, which is why he could swear out an arrest warrant against George
c.) He was a member of the state Financial Institutions Department, which is why the bank examiner kept showing up at the Building & Loan.
d.) He was the head of the Draft Board, which is how he knew George was 4F.
10. Abbreviating Christmas as Xmas drives some people crazy but others say it’s no big deal. What does the X stand for?
a.) It’s an atheist’s way of saying Jesus didn’t exist.
b.) It’s an agnostic’s way of saying Jesus is an unknown factor.
c.) It’s a use of a letter from a foreign language.
d.) It’s a 19th Century abbreviation for “I’m not writing this out because everyone knows what it means.”
11. What’s the name of Rudolph’s girlfriend (or more accurately, doe-friend) in the animated classic “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer”?
a.) Marie
b.) Clarice
c.) Olive
d.) Lisa
12. The U.S. Postal Service issued its first Christmas stamp in 1961. When did it issue its first Hanukkah stamp?
a.) 1961, they were released at the same time
b.) 1962, because sales were so good the previous year
c.) 1971, when Richard Nixon was courting the Jewish vote for his re-election
d.) 1996, in a joint effort with the Israeli government.
For answers, go inside the blog.
McMorris Rodgers on earmark panel
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers will be the chairwoman of a House Earmark Reform Committee trying to rein in a process that results in billions of dollars of projects being slipped into legislation each year.
Wait a minute, you might be saying. McMorris Rodgers is a Republican, and Democrats control Congress. So how can she be a committee chairwoman?
Today's fun video: Ferrell won't have Bush to kick around much longer
What will comedians do without George W. Bush? Hard to say. But Will Ferrell takes one last pass at the prez.
The weather outside might be frightful
Looking for a reason to feel superior to that big city over on the shores of Puget Sound? Try this:
The Associated Press reports that Seattle Schools were closed today on the threat of snow.
Not on actual snow. The streets were clear. So clear that the chains that were put on Metro buses overnight when snow was in the forecast had to be taken off in the morning because they were kicking up sparks on the dry pavement.
School officials say they like to err on the side of caution. Back in 1990, a surprise snow storm paralyzed the city and resulted in more than 1,000 students spending the night at school.
Must've been before all those SUVs were sold to soccer moms in Seattle.
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