December 2006

At 17 years old, on the small island of Saipan in the Pacific Islands, Mona Hickey became the one-thousandth person to start a blog on Blogger, the free blog publishing software.

"I was on a small island and I needed an outlet, for whatever high school anxieties I was having and that was the perfect way to do it," said Hickey, who has since made her home in West Seattle.

When Hickey first started publishing her deepest and most personal thoughts online, it was 1999 and blogs were relatively new.

A little holiday discipline goes a long way

By Annette Herrick

While it may be difficult to lose weight during the holidays at least you can prevent the pounds from creeping on. Here's how:

First, know that green bean casserole is not a vegetable. I don't think I need to elaborate on this. Point taken?

Next, on the morning of a big party have eggs and cheese for breakfast, no toast or cinnamon rolls. This will keep your blood sugar in balance before you hit the buffet tables.

Learning about diversity

By Georgie Bright Kunkel

"As long as you keep a person down, some part of you has to be down there to hold the person down, so it means you cannot soar as you otherwise might". - Marian Anderson interview, Dec. 30, 1957

For a small-town white girl who never saw a black face until I left my small town to gain a college education, I had a lot to learn about diversity. Looking back at college, I remember only white students.

We wonder what the world would be like if we awoke in 2007 and these events were taking place:

- Mayor "Cut'n'cover" Nickels suddenly has a major stroke of genius and decides that the tunnel was not the best or cheapest idea and began leading the bandwagon for an inexpensive, soaring, beautiful bridge across the downtown waterfront. The elegant structure would bring thousands of tourists to town to see it and marvel at the forward thinking of our city and its visionary leader - even the developers and the downtown business cadre loved this inexpensive replacement.

Let's do something about Darfur

By Tyler Smith

Today, we are witnessing yet another genocide unfold. In Sudan, the Islamist government based in Khartoum has slaughtered nearly 400,000 black Africans in the country's western Darfur region. Over 2.5 million people have been driven from their homes. In hastily assembled refugee camps, food rations have been cut in half due to shortages.

We wish to thank the Ballard community for responding to our request for funds to purchase sleeping bags and for the volunteers for the Thanksgiving dinner for our neighbors in need served at Calvary Lutheran Church.

We were able to purchase 120 sleeping bags, then Crown Hill Lutheran Church sent 23 sleeping bags so all the people that needed bags were given one. It was overwhelming to say the least.

The Ballard Food Bank staff directed the efforts by cooking the dinner. Sid Andrews from Fallen Brothers organization procured much of the food that we served.

homes 'shameful'

What is happening in Ballard with the displacement of tenants from their affordable apartments in order to make way for the development of market-rate condominiums is so antithetical to the spirit of this season.

Please be advised that the corporation known as Seattle Cellars Ltd., A Wine Merchant, doing business at 2505 2nd Ave., #102, Seattle, WA 98121 was dissolved as of September 5, 2006. Any person or company having a claim against the corporation must present the claim in the manner as provided in chapter 23B.14 RCW by service of process on or mailing to the corporation at address below a written notice of the claim. The claim must be presented One Hundred and Twenty (120) days of the effective date of this notice.

No. 06-4-06520-1SEA

PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS

RCW 11.40.030

In the matter of the Estate ALLAN E.

No. 06-4-06519-8SEA

PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS

RCW 11.40.030

In the matter of the Estate ALVIN L.