No plastic bag that has every been created has biodegraded back into the soil. More and more these bags are recycled to be reused for different uses - such as a bench out of grocery bags.
The Seattle City Council wants to impose a 20-cent tax on bags - paper AND plastic - used in grocery […]
April 25, 2008
April 18, 2008
It’s clear, and appropriate that NBA owners vote in their own interests. But when they push that interest beyond the law and beyond contractual obligations, that’s a moment where they’re standing under the hoop and take a dunked ball facial.
They voted today, 28-2 to welcome and accept The Seattle Supersonics move to Oklahoma City, which was recently the home of the displaced New Orleans Hornets.
Here’s video of today’s press conference with NBA Commissioner David Stern and close friend and, since 2006, Sonics owner Clay Bennett. Bennett, by the way, sold off the Seattle Storm saying Oklahoma didn’t need “those type of women.”
I’ve written here before about the power and the nobility for municipal government to say, “no” to owners who have, traditionally made hundreds of millions of dollars as individuals or a small group of individuals. To say no to owners who ask too much.
Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, who was singled out as an obstacle by Sterns and Bennett, today, also had a brief public comment and Q&A Session (video) He said the city and the state have not given up, and the owners’ decision does not change anything about their approach.
Washington Governor Christine Gregoire’s statement today:
“This is a sad day for basketball fans across Washington state. The Sonics have a proud, storied 41-year history in Seattle and, as a sports fan, I am very disappointed with today’s action by the National Basketball Association (NBA) owners to relocate the Sonics to Oklahoma City.
“The owners’ action is especially frustrating in light of recent revelations that (owner) Mr. Bennett and his partners were not acting in good faith when they purchased the team and agreed in writing to make every effort to keep the team in Seattle. We now know that was never their intention.
“Despite today’s action, the team’s former owners have announced plans to sue the team’s current owners with the intention of reversing the sale of the Sonics. The City of Seattle also has a pending case to force the current owners to honor their KeyArena lease and keep the Sonics in Seattle.
“Seattle is a great sports city and a great city for professional basketball. I want to thank Sonics fans for their support for the team through the years. Their recent efforts to keep the team in Seattle in recent months have been nothing short of impressive.”
April 6, 2008
There’s So much out there. I’ve saved hundreds of links and will likely only get back to a handful of them as events move on. But the next few “Gossamer Strands” posts will help highlight some of them.
•••
WHAT? No comments, but still they’re closed at this citizen’s journal following the Obama campaign. One that was […]
March 7, 2008
John McCain has an interesting choice to make as to who should be his vice presidential running mate. In the most basic of terms the considerations are wide. It’s not even clear the so-called “Maverick” would pick a Republican, though it would be a pretty craven Democrat who would accept his request. What’s that, Joe Lieberman?
A woman? Someone in a wheelchair? A general?
How about Colin Powell? Woah, that one is worth a long, considering pause isn’t it?
Regionally does it matter? Likely not another southwest presence but what about Arnold Schwarzenegger to help drag California to his side? I think it is technically constitutionally legal for a naturalized American to be vice president. National media would shine the biggest spotlight on this campaign.
Laura Ingraham? McCain likes the blondes.
Would he want to strengthen his hawkish (to put it mildly) positions or push someone who would balance where he is perceived as weak.
Does he accept that he is not conservative enough and that being more conservative would actually help with the general electorate?
Would he bring Jonah Goldberg aboard so the right-leaning blogosphere would finally come aboard?
Michael Bloomberg is a serious consideration. What say you?
March 5, 2008
With his own confetti strewn picture atop his Web site, Independent candidate Ralph Nader wants people to not only listen to his views but to vote for him and send him money to become the 44th President of America.
Currently there sure do seem to be a lot of potential defectors from the Democratic Party if their preferred candidate doesn’t get the nomination. From the right, it’s hard to think Nader’s anti-corporate stance - not a bad thing - will draw many Republican defectors unhappy with John McCain. After all, they don’t like him because of McCain-Feingold’s attempted stripping of money power from corporations. McCain isn’t right enough.
Nader lays down 12 major issues he says are “off the table” of the other candidates. They are:
• Adopt single payer national health insurance
• Cut the huge, bloated, wasteful military budget
• No to nuclear power, solar energy first
• Aggressive crackdown on corporate crime and corporate welfare
• Open up the Presidential debates
• Adopt a carbon pollution tax
• Reverse U.S. policy in the Middle East
• Impeach Bush/Cheney
• Repeal the Taft-Hartley anti-union law
• Adopt a Wall Street securities speculation tax
• Put an end to ballot access obstructionism
• Work to end corporate personhood
Here Nader makes the pitch why he’s a better choice than McCain or Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton:
March 4, 2008
After a sweep of the states tonight, In what was a fairly substantial - and conservative speech - John McCain accepts the Republican nomination for the 2008 presidential race. This is a big deal for McCain who has been trying for so long.
Because he wrapped up the campaign, in all but math weeks ago, this speech has been prepared for a while.
In Austin, Texas, speech below:
-
PSR Site Notes
- Dedicated to State News, Straight Up. Political State Report is brought to you by Temple Stark. For guidelines on becoming a regular contributor go here.
- Recent Comments
- Links Resources
- RSS - Syndicate Us
Advertise on the Government Relations Blog Network
The Blogroll