Breck Girl Can't Even Take Responsibility For His Own Haircut

Apparently, John Edwards wasn't even there when he got a $400 haircut.

Believe it or not, John Edwards is claiming that wasn't inolved in his own haircut.

Water of the West

I have received reports from numerous Palousitics readers about a University of Idaho College of Natural Resources Palouse water supply survey in the mail (see image below). As far as I can tell, this is being sent randomly to Pullman and Moscow residents (I have not received one.)



From what I can gather, this survey is part of a new graduate water resources program at UI called "Water of the West." This program was approved by the State Board of Education on April 20, after after receiving a $1.6M Strategic Initiative grant last year.

According to the website:

As part of the Strategic Initiative grant, faculty in the Water Resources Program are applying an integrative process the issue of water resources sustainability in the Palouse Basin. Recent legal and political conflict over development of groundwater in the Palouse basin has increased awareness of potential water management problems that may threaten the sustainability of current water use levels and the potential for future population growth. Urban development is thought to threaten water quality by increasing storm water runoff and degrading wetlands and riparian corridors. Development of monocultural agriculture in the Palouse region may have altered patterns and quality of runoff and infiltration.

From a legal perspective, the Palouse Basin faces numerous issues ranging from jurisdictional issues related to ground and surface water boundaries, to the legal separation between water quality and quantity. The Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR) recently held a public meeting in the basin to explore the public interest in adjudicating the Idaho portion of the basin (a process of determining and cataloguing water rights). At the interface between law and policy on the one hand, and science and engineering on the other, are questions concerning the degree of scientific certainty necessary to make decisions, the cost and feasibility of engineering solutions, the legality of their implementation, and the design of institutions to meet these challenges. From a social and economic perspective, the basin faces the problem of planning for future growth in the face of a divided public. Numerous scientists have described the basin’s hydrogeologic complexity and uncertainties in understanding of recharge and connections between the surface and groundwater systems. Finally, like so many water bodies in the West, development has come at the expense of its native habitat.

This survey would appear to be part of gathering the "stakeholder input." If you received one, be sure to let them know the only stake being held is the one being driven into Whitman County's heart by the City of Moscow.

It's Only Wrong When It's Israel

Headline:

Lebanese army shells refugee camp
-- BASSEM MROUE, Associated Press
I'm waiting for widespread Arab/Muslim condemnation of Lebanon, for Ahmadinejad to call for Lebanon's destruction, for Al-Qaeda to do the same, for the usual cast and crew of anti-Israeli national governments to threaten Lebanon with this and that, for a chorus of loons to condemn the U.S. for supporting the democratically elected Lebanese government, and for our own homegrown lefties to hold an anti-Lebanese candlelight hackeysack/lack of bar soap/save the rainforest/cause-of-the-week peace vigil, with lots of pictures of Che Guevara.

I will not hold my breath for this, however.

Paddling Without an Oar

For those who thought Queen Nancy's invocation of "NCIS" as the case-cracker in the Delling homicide investigation was bizarre, you ain't seen nothing yet.

In yesterday's Moscow-Pullman Daily News, columnist Vera White revealed:

A couple of weeks ago, a casual reference on the Z-FUN 106 morning show sent Moscow city officials into a tizzy. Show host Steve Shannon mentioned that the voice of Paddles the Moose sounded "a little gay." Mayor Nancy Chaney immediately sprung into action with a letter defending the sexuality of the moose chosen for an ad campaign for the Hamilton-Lowe Aquatics Center.

Copies of Chaney's letter circulated to the City Council and numerous staff members. Although the INKster failed to see the comparison, Chaney likened Steve's nebulous comment to the Don Imus "fiasco" of a few weeks ago when CBS fired the morning talk show host for racial slurs.

If anyone should be taken to task for Paddles, it's the Moscow Parks and Recreation Department, which, according to Chaney, "spent a good deal of money and effort to develop the ad campaign" geared to draw people to the city's pool facilities.

If that's the case, the INKster thinks they might have come up with something a tad better than Paddles, a thinly disguised take-off on Bullwinkle, the dim-witted cartoon character originating decades ago. She is not suggesting anything inappropriate here, but as the INKster recalls, Bullwinkle did tend to spend a lot of time on "fishing trips" with his "good friend" Rocky the Flying Squirrel. Even worse, he consorted with documented communists Boris and Natasha!

While she's on the subject, the INKster will share her thoughts on animal "gender orientation." She's always been far more suspicious of elk (the animal, not lodge members) as being a little light in the hoof.

Although the INKster isn't living in Moscow now, she's sure the hint that Paddles might sound gay wouldn't keep her from enjoying the pool. The only thing preventing that would be appearing publicly in a bathing suit. It appears, however, the city would be better served if it marshaled its forces to deal in a timely manner with things like zoning issues, transportation, and street maintenance.

She also would suggest that Mayor Chaney lighten up. Surely there are more important matters to deal with rather than wasting her time and that of the city staff to defend the possible sexual leanings of a talking moose.

The INKster would like to remind Chaney and crew that through the years, the station and its owners have been very generous in providing community services for worthy causes across the Palouse.

How can anyone possibly defend this woman? She's an embarrassment to Moscow and the Palouse.

Gee, No One Invited Whitman County?

There was a story in yesterday's Moscow-Pullman Daily News about the Moscow Congress, which is part of the process of rewriting the city’s comprehensive plan. Shockingly, no Whitman County residents participated.

I guarantee you that if there were any such gathering in Whitman County, Moscow residents would demand to attend. In fact, some quotes from the story demonstrated that attitude:

“We can’t talk about land use without including Pullman,” Moscow resident Bill McLaughlin said.

“We need to focus on the region when we think about economic development. The changing of the character is affected by what both communities do.”

No thanks, Bill. As it is, in today's Daily News, Mayor Moonbat, in discussing Moscow's new "sustainability" intern, said:

"Sustainability doesn't stop at jurisdictional boundaries; it exists within an ecosystem or a region."

"Sustainability" may not stop at the border, but your kingdowm does, Queen.

I may have been wrong about Bill Parks, however:

Moscow resident and Northwest River Supplies owner Bill Parks said the opposite of sprawl is “extremely high prices for housing.”

“Smart growth means high prices,” he said.

Absolutely true. And some Moscow residents do get it:

Moscow resident Laura Taylor said Moscow needs to make it easier for businesses to locate without putting a bunch of conditions on development.

“Both (Whitman and Latah) counties are starved for tax dollars,” she said. “We don’t have the option to manage growth that is going to occur outside of our boundaries.”

"Firefighters concerned about safety, response"

From Wednesday's Moscow-Pullman Daily News:

Personnel at Station 2 using ambulance, not fire engine as primary vehicle

Administrative changes within the Pullman Fire Department have union representatives concerned about delayed response times and firefighter safety.

Lt. Rudy Fisher, vice president of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local No. 1892 and a 15-year veteran of the Pullman Fire Department, said the recent decision to have personnel at Station No. 2 - at the intersection of Terre View Drive and Stadium Way - use an ambulance as their primary vehicle is a source of frustration.

Until recently, Station 2 personnel drove a fire engine to most calls. The fire engine is useful in fire and medical situations as it has EMT gear on board.

"With the engine, we could cover both sides of the equation," he said, noting the only thing an engine can't do is transport a patient to the hospital. "(The new directive) really ties our hands for our daily activities. It's ridiculous. It just gutted our entire response time."

Operations Officer Mike Heston said the decision should not affect the desired response time of four minutes or less anywhere in Pullman.

"Well, it may be touchy to them (at Station 2), but not to me. When they come to work, they do what I tell them to do," he said. "Management dictates how you respond and what you respond in."

Fisher said Station 2 employees are constantly switching gear, such as fire turnouts, between the ambulance and engine. He said those added responsibilities put firefighters at risk of injury, especially within the tight quarters of the Station 2 garage and facing the pressure of maintaining an adequate response time. Fisher said the garage floor gets slippery in the winter months.

"Hopefully, nobody gets hurt, but that would be the final straw," he said. "It's a dangerous situation when guys are hustling needlessly."

Fisher said Station 2 was proposed as a self-sufficient station, manned with enough employees to handle both an ambulance and fire engine. At maximum staffing, six line firefighters - those who are first responders in emergencies - are present at Station No. 1, and three are at Station 2. Fifty percent of the time, four firefighters work at Station 1 and two work at Station 2.

Two people are needed to run both an engine and an ambulance.

"Don't give us the smoke and mirrors effect when we've got two guys jumping between vehicles," Fisher said.

Fisher said the Grand Avenue Station 1 staff is depleted when Station 2 constantly needs backup because of understaffing. Pullman also has mutual-aid agreements with Moscow, Palouse, Colfax and Rural Fire District 12, which can provide support if the PFD is short on manpower.

Capt. Eric Reiber, president of Local 1892, said the union is not yet officially involved in the issue.

The union can't do "a lot, other than education, unless we can nail it to a safety violation," Reiber said. "And right now, even though it isn't good for our people or the public, it isn't really a safety violation. It's just very frustrating."

Reiber says nine more employees are needed in the department - three more on each day's three shifts.

"Our biggest concern is public safety," Reiber said. "When we enter this position, our goal is to provide the best service we can to the public. And now, we don't feel that we're providing the best service we can. We're not going to be providing the best service, and that doesn't sit well with us. We're adamant that we have enough people to do the job and do it safely."

Heston agreed.

"Every year, our goal is to get more people," he said, adding that it costs the department $100,000 for every new employee hired when benefits, wages and training are considered. "It's a matter of economics. Who's going to give up what?"

Heston said the department will have to survive without more personnel, and he'll continue to push for more staff during the city's yearly budget cycle.

Response times are not suffering, he said.

"Not yet, but we're getting close," he said. "But we're set up to cover each other. That's why we're here."

Fisher said money is not the issue. He said the city isn't trying hard enough to fund more positions.

"It's nice to have goals," he said. "But they're not looking outside the box."

Heston said if development continues in the city - which would increase Pullman's revenue through sales taxes - the City Council likely would feel more comfortable about hiring additional personnel.

"They support us downtown (at City Hall). It's just a matter of where the money is coming from," he said. "Some guys are going to want to see (more personnel) overnight, but these things take time."

This sounds like a typical labor-management dispute. I think given the fact that the city has been having to dip into emergency reserves every year to balance the budget, I don't think the city council is being unsupportive of the fire department. I'm sure they would love to add more firefighters, but it's just like everything else. When Pullman residents send half of their sales tax money over the border into Moscow, what else can we expect?

A Wal-Mart Supercenter will provide enough tax reevenue to add those 9 firefighters at $100,000 apiece.

Technorati Tags: wal-mart walmart

When Little People Step Out Of Line

Liberals are the friends of obedient little drones. Step out of line and they'll crush you.

Has anyone else noticed that the great bastions of liberalism are all for the little guy, until the little guy steps out of line or otherwise threatens their authority? In the last week or so, two of the most powerful leftwing institutions in the state of Washington have turned the full force of their authority upon the little people with whom they profess to stand. Union members who dare to dissent from their leaders’ political orthodoxy will find less take home money in their paychecks as their earnings are funneled into Democratic Party war chests. And a female student at Washington State University who stood up to a prominent faculty member will soon learn the consequences of challenging WSU’s power structure.
Our liberal Democrat dominated legislature, clearly anticipating an unfavorable United State Supreme Court, recently passed a law that will facilitate labor unions dipping into their members’ pockets for money to underwrite Democratic political campaigns. Fifteen years ago, an overwhelming majority of Washington voters passed an initiative that banned the union practice of forcibly taking the earnings of its membership and using it for partisan politics. Ever since, Washington’s Democrats and the labor unions have made every effort to violate the clear intent of the law.
In the early days after the initiative’s passage, our current governor, who was then the Attorney General, did her level best to avoid enforcing the law. Her motivation was pretty obvious. She is one of the most ruthlessly ambitious politicians this state has ever produced and she had her sights set higher than the Attorney General’s office. The Paycheck Protection Act reduced union political collections by 85% and an upwardly mobile politician in a position to determine the state’s law enforcement priorities could accumulate political IOU’s and keep the cash flowing into her own campaign coffers by undermining the law. So, she did exactly that until a lawsuit by a dissenting teacher forced her to do her job.
Not only did the Democrats legislate the Paycheck Protection Act into oblivion, they also attached an “emergency” provision that will prevent the voters from restoring the law they passed with a 72% majority in 1992. The little people spoke, were ignored and are now banned from speaking up again. Meanwhile Democrats, through the unions, will continue to dip into the pockets of the little people. And if the little people know what’s good for them, they’ll learn to like it.
Closer to home here at Washington State University, a student is about to experience the full force of the WSU legal juggernaut for accusing a treasured and apparently very powerful faculty member of sexual harassment. Long after the original complaint was filed, the WSU Board of Regents approved a settlement with Bernardo Gallegos, a lavishly well-paid professor in the College of Education that will essentially guarantee that the lawsuit that the student filed against him will be crushed under the nearly inexhaustible weight of the university’s legal resources.
In exchange for his resignation, the university will defend Dr. Gallegos against a lawsuit filed against him by his accuser. In effect, this will likely mean that pursuing the lawsuit will exhaust the plaintiff’s financial resources and ensure that any victory will be pyrrhic at best. In all probability, the case will have to be dropped.
The University's Center for Human Rights found merit in her complaint against Bernardo Gallegos. Certainly the agreement reached between Gallegos and the university is not the sort that gives confidence in the innocence of the accused or the benevolence of the university. In exchange for resigning his $133,000 per year job, Gallego gets $87,000 and the university’s legal representation in court.
The smell test invokes my gag reflex.
Back in the early 1990’s Florynce Kennedy, who had helped found the Feminist Party and was prominent in the National Organization for Women, gave the game away regarding the politics of sexual harassment. She said that women should never pursue sexual harassment charges against politically left-leaning men. If a powerful liberal sought sexual favors in the workplace, the proper course of action was submission.
Bill Clinton certainly knew how to exploit this principle, as it was his accusers who were ultimately ostracized. And now, it will be the accuser here who will suffer.
The message here is that liberalism requires obedience. Don’t step out of line.

Spineless in Boulder

A University of Colorado committee has recommended that Ward Churchill be suspended for a year and not fired as was the original finding.

It's a good thing that we don't have jellyfish like this running the US Congress, otherwise they'd be trying to engineer our surrender in Iraq.

For Good Traffic, Mention Jenna Jameson

My own website isn't quite experiencing an Instalanche today, but traffic is way above average.

I think it's because I mentioned a porn star in one of today's posts.

"Residents' voices shouldn't go unheard"

If you would like to sign the petition referenced in the editorial below from today's Moscow-Pullman Daily News, please click here.

It shouldn't take a tragedy to bring change.

That could be the case in Pullman, however, if the City Council doesn't take appropriate action regarding parking revisions on the section of Larry Street that runs past Pullman High School's baseball field.

Anyone who has attended a Greyhound or American Legion baseball game at the field can attest congestion is a problem. Cars parked on both sides of the street leave little room for traffic flow in either lane, and little or no room for bicyclists and pedestrians.

A group of Military Hill residents took their concerns to the council last month. The council weighed the input and decided to restripe Larry Street. The changes will allow 7.5 feet of parking space on either side of the road and 11-foot lanes for traffic.

That's a start, but it's not enough.

The group has responded by circulating an online petition seeking further changes. The goal is to have the south side of the street designated as a no-parking area.

City and Pullman School District officials are considering other potential ways to mitigate the problem, including building a path from the high school parking lot to the ballfield bleachers to encourage off-street parking.

There's no better encouragement than making some on-street parking illegal.

"I've had close calls where I have to come to a complete and instant stop to avoid hitting people," said Susan Forbes, a Valhalla Street resident who has signed the petition. "It just seems like it's going to be a matter of time before a serious injury or accident occurs."

The concerns of residents alone should be enough to sway the council. As of today, 49 people have signed the petition, most of whom likely live in the area or drive along Larry Street on a regular basis.

They know the situation better than anyone else, and their collective voices shouldn't go unheard.