February 2009

As Congress considers the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, it is right that an investment in arts and culture be included in the package.

The currently proposed $50 million designated to bolster the NEA's budget will certainly be channeled to working artists and arts organizations throughout the country. While I appreciate the heart and soul impact the arts have on me as an individual and the role they play on building the character of my community, the real power of including arts in the economic stimulus package is the number of jobs it can preserve and create nationally and in our state.

Nationally, there are approximately 100,000 nonprofit arts organizations, which spend $63.1 billion annually. Without an economic stimulus for the nonprofit arts industry, experts expect about 10 percent of these organizations (ranging from large arts institutions like museums and operas to small community-based organizations in suburban, urban and rural areas) to shut their doors in 2009 - a loss of 260,000 jobs.

Your article "Initiative fights tunnel" on the front page of the Feb. 4 edition was very interesting. Vlad Oustimoviitch thinks that if Initiative 99 passes, the viaduct will be torn down and not replaced with anything.

If this were to happen, can you imagine what the citizens of Seattle would do to the governor? They would probably tar and feather her and give her a ride to the border.

The existing Alaska Way Viaduct should be retrofitted (strengthened) and thereby save the taxpayers much money.

Wm. D. Ward
Civil and Structural Engineer

What makes a "common-sense gun rule?" It is a term that seems to get thrown around a lot lately by politicians. In order for a gun law to be "common-sense" it would need to be an effective deterrent of crime. Calling any law which is focused on limiting licensed holders of concealed weapons from carrying them in public "common-sense" would imply that there must be licensed concealed weapons carriers committing crimes. Is that really the case? Are licensed concealed weapons carriers indeed committing crimes?

Allowing law-abiding citizens to carry concealed weapons in public does not increase crime rates. Florida adopted a right-to-carry law in 1987. At the time the law was passed, critics predicted increases in violence. When the law went into effect, the Dade County Police began a program to record all arrest and non-arrest incidents involving concealed carry licensees. Between September of 1987 and August of 1992, Dade County recorded only 4 crimes committed by licensees with firearms. None of these crimes resulted in an injury. The record-keeping program was abandoned in 1992 because there were not enough incidents to justify tracking them.

Facing the biggest deficit in state history, our Legislative leaders have an enormous task ahead of them as they work this session towards balancing the nearly $6 billion gap in the budget.

One thing is clear: relying solely on devastating cuts would have drastic consequences for families trying to weather the worst economic recession in at least a generation and would seriously weaken our long-term efforts to strengthen the economy and stabilize the middle class. It simply isn't an option.

The legislature's response to our budget crisis in the coming months will determine our ability to not only weather the current storm, but to emerge from the recession with an economically secure future.

I implore our legislative leaders to seek solutions that will not only protect the most vulnerable in the short-term, but that also set us up for economic recovery in the coming years.

Kursten Holabird
Seattle

I wanted to take a moment to thank you for choosing not to use the term "assisted suicide" in your recent article regarding the End-of-Life choice. Proponents of aid in dying have continually asked that media sources stop using the biased and inflammatory language of "suicide." This word is misleading and also can be very hurtful to family members of those who have chosen a peaceful death over intolerable suffering.
Being in the medical profession for over 35 years, I know only too well the vital importance of making our own choices.
Carolyn Clark
Bremerton

Although the location of The Dish has been described as "the nondescript neighborhood between Ballard and Fremont", we know better. It's Frelard, which we can claim for Ballard when Fremont isn't looking. The Dish is one of the highlights of this in-between area, the westernmost member of the triumvirate of restaurants in the historic buildings on Leary Way which we're delighted are still standing.

It's true everyone waits in line to eat at the Dish, unless you go on a weekday or get there at some ungodly hour. But the wait is pleasant as it can be. It's clear where to put your name on the list, in rainy weather there's a tarp to stand under, and self service coffee on a cute cart is offered outside. Once inside, familiar-feeling Formica tables greeted us, with menus and water already placed. That's a nice touch!

Breakfast and lunch are both served all day, in case you're one of those people who need a sandwich for breakfast. Omeletes are "build your own" or choose from a long list of favorites ($8.75 - $9.25), including Napoli, Denver, Oreck (isn't that a vacuum?), Roma, Tofu Delight, and Seattle to Portland.

Dear Green My Ballard,

I do have a question. I work for a local company that means well and is great to work for, but really doesn't do a good job of recycling or anything like that. Many things get thrown away that I feel bad about. I don't want to make a fuss but don't know what to do. Any advice is appreciated!

Name Withheld

Dear NW,

You know, it's a really tough position to be in and there is no easy answer. But don't give up! I think with a little homework and a gentle nudge to management, you could be the one to make a big difference, not only in conserving resources, but saving your company some money.

One place to start is to identify what, exactly, is being thrown away. Is there food involved, metals or chemicals? How much over a month's time is being discarded?

Then, before you talk to the boss, check out Resource Ventures, a service of Seattle Public Utilities. Resource Ventures is a free resource to help businesses conserve resources in areas of water conservation, waste prevention, recycling, green building and storm water pollution prevention.

As previously established Doug Warne of the long running Scandinavian Hour radio show is irrepressible. Which doesn't mean that he didn't need support to cope with a string of personal losses in the last year. In typical Doug fashion he now wants to make the support he's received available to others who have lost their spouses and partners. (See irrepressible again).

Last spring Doug called to ask my help in spreading the word about a support group called Widowed Information and Consultation Services (WICS). He had begun attending their meetings after his wife's death. At the time of his phone call his mother had also just died. One week after his phone call he suffered a loss that affected the entire Scandinavian community; his radio partner of 49 years, Ron Olsen died following a car crash while traveling in Norway.

As the date of the changeover from analog to digital comes closer, Feb. 17 to be exact, thoughts of crisp digital imaging has folks flocking to replace old televisions.

If you've tried to recycle any electronics in the last year or so you know that it can be costly. A CPU here, an old tv there, and pretty soon you're shelling out $50.

But not now. As of Jan. 1, a new Washington State law requires manufacturers to have a facility for recycling electronics, including televisions, for free. For Ballard, that facility is Goodwill, located at the corner of 8th Avenue Northwest and 65th. Not to rush, you have time as the program is solidly in place, but there is a limit of five items per person at one time.

The new law moves the financial burden from the consumer to the industry itself, with the hope that manufacturers will find incentive to produce more environmentally friendly products.

Toxic materials such as lead, mercury and cadmium that are found in many electronics are dangerous, so it's crucial that they get recycled and stay out of the landfill.

Slumdog Millionaire
Dir. Danny Boyle
120 min., R

"Slumdog Millionaire," directed by Danny Boyle ("Trainspotting," "28 Days Later"), is your typical love story - boy meets girl, boy looses girl, boy must get girl back. But, because this is Danny Boyle, it's more like boy meets girl, boy narrowly avoids intentional blinding, boy swindles fat tourists, boy gets mixed up with local gangsters, boy is tortured by police, then boy must get girl back. And, it is those detours that make "Slumdog Millionaire" an incredible film experience.

Jamal Malik, a child of an Indian slum, is a contestant on the Indian "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." When he finds himself one question way from the big jackpot, to the chagrin of the game's host and the delight of the nation, he is nabbed by the police.

The police, certain that Jamal is somehow cheating, interrogate him to discover how he knew each of his answers. This interrogation serves as a device for Jamal to tell of his life experiences, in which he improbably finds the answer to every question, and to ruminate on his lost love, Latika.