By David Anderson Why are football players stereotypically dumb? Why are blondes the brunt of jokes? And what does this have to do the collapse of our country? The answer, with respect to those on the gridiron, is not that they can’t handle homework. And blondes, well, the fact that they have more fun is to suggest a […]
Letter: Tillicum Taken Off Life-Support
By David Anderson On its way to the morgue, Tillicum takes a detour with a flicker-of-life new lane for I-5. Vital signs: Backbone connectivity deterioration; critical lifeline threatened let alone curtailment of future growth and the latter only if delays in treatment are immediately addressed; congestion and clogging of arterials and choke points severe, experienced […]
Letter: Rail Rock ‘n Roll
By David Anderson It’s called “summer’s biggest moving party,” a chance for people to rock out before the train rolls on. Given the low view of high speed rail that unappreciative folks have taken toward the Point Defiance Rail Bypass that proposes to reroute passenger trains through Tillicum and other points of interest along I-5 […]
Letter: A Transportation “Listening” Tour?
By David Anderson “State Senate leaders have announced the details of a ‘listening tour’ that will collect public input on transportation needs,” Jordan Schrader is reporting in the August 28 Tacoma News Tribune. Groan. Given I-5’s competing-demand-for-capacity, 275 miles in our state described by Douglas B. MacDonald in Crosscut, this past May 16, as “in desperate need of repair, rehabilitation, […]
Letter: Rowers – and Celebrities – On the Rocks
Nine girls soaking wet, a submerged boat, a dislocated thumb and a trip to the hospital. A Cornish proverb runs, “He who will not be ruled by the rudder must be ruled by the rock.” It had all started out well enough as most disasters do.
Letter: What’s In a Name?
By David Anderson Batman saving our planet notwithstanding, “a generation without fathers is a generation without moorings.” And thus without superheroes. What’s in a name? How about the title, role, and name of Batman? Or, though never to be as household a name as 41-year-old Ben Affleck who is slated to be cast as the 8th Dark Knight in the […]
Letter: Discretion Is Advised
By David Anderson “Pedophilia, incest and graphic sex,” is on all Washington public schools’ recommended reading list for 11th graders this September. Is your child entering 11th grade in September – anywhere in any of Washington’s public schools or those of any of 45 other states that have adopted the Common Core curriculum?
Letter: Scams Sully the Lottery? What?
By David Anderson ‘You’ve won a lottery prize!’ the caller says in his best broken English. Dropping the phone you shout excitedly to the family ‘We won the lottery!’
Letter: Rail Road Rage
By David Anderson You’ve no doubt heard of the engineer texting – but tailgating another train, really? Conductors deliberately preventing other locomotives from merging – telling ‘the little train that could’ it can’t – or chasing down another train?