A few weeks ago I went on my first nonworking vacation in living memory and discovered in the process that some things have changed.Over the years we've used a well-known van service to carry us to and from Sea-Tac. I needn't name the company, though in the past it's given good shuttle and I express appreciation for that.Our drivers on these latest runs were personable, even chatty. But each also seemed virtually bonded with, and certainly reliant upon, a new gadget on the dashboard of his van: a little GPS screen on which his itinerary was displayed, while a computerized voice-HAL-like, albeit female-sounding-issued instructions at key points in the journey
If sheep could talk, I imagine we would hear some pretty interesting stories about why they follow the ram with the bell on any wild goose chase that worthy decides to undertake. Yet notwithstanding ewe mute-ness, those of you with an imagination can likely conjure up a few sheep responses."He's the biggest sheep I've ever seen. Who am I to step out of line?""He's so handsome, and he gets special food. I just hope he eventually notices me here in the middle of the flock looking exactly like everybody else."
A few weeks ago I went on my first nonworking vacation in living memory and discovered in the process that some things have changed.Over the years we've used a well-known van service to carry us to and from Sea-Tac. I needn't name the company, though in the past it's given good shuttle and I express appreciation for that.Our drivers on these latest runs were personable, even chatty. But each also seemed virtually bonded with, and certainly reliant upon, a new gadget on the dashboard of his van: a little GPS screen on which his itinerary was displayed, while a computerized voice-HAL-like, albeit female-sounding-issued instructions at key points in the journey.
This August, northbound I-5 from Spokane Street into downtown will be reduced to as little as one lane during daylight hours as construction crews repair the freeway's bridge deck. How do the powers-that-be suggest that commuters cope?On the WSDOT Web page describing the project, under "What Can Drivers Do?," the first bulleted item is: "Take a vacation between Aug. 10-29."Let's set aside the fact that many people don't even have three weeks of vacation in a year. Let's even ignore the bureaucratic arrogance in assuming that we can plan our precious vacation time to suit highway construction schedules.WSDOT also suggests ("use alternate routes") that drivers flood neighborhood streets in Georgetown, Beacon Hill and the Rainier Valley. Presumably by this last bit they're suggesting MLK Jr. Boulevard South should be an alternate route. Have they even driven it in the past three years?
Hopelink will launch its annual End Summer Hunger fund and food drive in April, with the proceeds going to stock Hopelink's six food banks in north and east King County for the high-demand summer months when subsidized meal programs at schools are not available, and for homelessness prevention. In 2006, the End Summer Hunger campaign raised more than $115,000 in monetary and food donations.Nearly 13 percent of the school children in school districts in Hopelink's service areas in north and east King County receive free or reduced cost breakfasts and lunches during the school year.
The Kirkland Jaycees are looking for volunteers to help with their Annual Joc N' Cop Basketball Jam, to be held June 23, 7:30 p.m. at Lake Washington High School.The Harlem Globetrotters once again will provide entertainment and some friendly hoops competition. . Please contact Don Kelly at 445-1498 or kirklandjaycees@hotmail.com if you are interested.
At the request of Kirkland City Council, the Parking Advisory Board is considering public input on how additional pay parking should be placed in the Lake Street and Central Way parking lot. The way the lot currently is designed, the center stalls cost $1 an hour for up to four hours, while the 20 perimeter stalls are free for up to two hours.According to a memo from City Manager Dave Ramsay, "the two main reasons for pay parking are improved parking management (more turnover, more stalls available) and providing funding for future parking supply.
After 17 years at the helm, Pacific Publishing Company Inc. president Tom Haley is retiring.Haley's last day at work will be Friday, March 30. Pacific Publishing owns and operates the Beacon Hill News & South District Journal and six other local community newspapers: Magnolia News, Queen Anne News, Capitol Hill Times, North Seattle Herald-Outlook, Madison Park Times and the Kirkland Courier. The company also performs web-printing services for some 250 clients.Haley, 64, will be available as a consultant to Pacific Publishing owner and Chief Executive Officer Peter Bernhard of Danville, Calif., who will assume the role of company president. Bernhard, a career newspaper person, also owns community newspapers in Nevada.
After 17 years at the helm, Pacific Publishing Company Inc. president Tom Haley is retiring.Haley's last day at work will be Friday, March 30. Pacific Publishing owns and operates the Beacon Hill News & South District Journal and six other local community newspapers: Magnolia News, Queen Anne News, Capitol Hill Times, North Seattle Herald-Outlook, Madison Park Times and the Kirkland Courier. The company also performs web-printing services for some 250 clients.Haley, 64, will be available as a consultant to Pacific Publishing owner and Chief Executive Officer Peter Bernhard of Danville, Calif., who will assume the role of company president. Bernhard, a career newspaper person, also owns community newspapers in Nevada
A pioneering African-American athlete, and a friend and doctor to some of the city's movers and shakers, longtime Queen Anne resident Homer Harris passed away in his home on March 17. He was 91 and had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease.Mr. Harris was a standout football player who captained the Garfield High School team in 1933 and wanted to play football at the University of Washington after he graduated.It wasn't to be; the Huskies did not allow black players on the team then. However, Iowa State University did, and he went on to become the first African American to captain the Top 10 team. Mr. Harris was also inducted into the Iowa sports hall of fame five years ago in recognition of his contributions to the Hawkeyes.
It was a wild night out two Saturdays ago-St. Patrick's Day-but not in the way you might think. I'm talking about the PAWS (Progressive Animal Welfare Society) annual fund raising dinner held at the W Hotel.PAWS is a unique organization that started in the Northwest in 1967, and is celebrating 40 years of saving animals that have been abandoned or injured, and either returning them to the wild or finding good homes for domesticated animals.
The Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra, the oldest community orchestra-established in 1944-is presenting Beethoven's Seventh Symphony, "The Eroica," for one performance only, Sunday, April 1, at 3 p.m. It will take place at Meany Hall at University of Washington. Balancing out the concert is the adventurous "Concerto for 23 Winds," an ensemble by Walter Hartley, and "The Story of Babar, The Little Elephant" by Francis Poulenc, narrated by Miss Marta, host of Classic Kid FM on KING-FM Radio
I wish young children today had my childhood," says Queen Anne resident Flora De Grande. "It was a lovely life, but those were different years. Kids haffa too much freedom now-it's a mess. Some kids haffa sex at age 12, can you imagine? I had braids at that age!"Flora was born in 1924 in Arzignano, Italy, an industrial town near Verona. Everything from motors, to leather, to silk was manufactured there.The second of Beatrice and Giovanni Savioli's three daughters, she was actually their third-born child. Sadly, their second-born died at 13 months. Her name was Flora, and our Flora was named after her.<
A case can be made that Alfred Hitchcock was the most successful director in motion picture history. Certainly he's the most recognizeddirector in motion picture history. His name's a household word, he's the exemplar of an entire genre ("the Master of Suspense") and in an Internet age he did not live to see, he holds the rec- ord for most hits on film-information Web sites.r>Last year the Seattle Art Museum Film Series sampled 10 of Hitchcock's movies: a mostly stellar bunch, starting with his best-loved pre-Hollywood titles ("The 39 Steps" and "The Lady Vanishes") and including the only Hitchcock film ever sanctified with a best-picture Oscar ("Rebecca" - the prize was collected by producer David O. Selznick), the director's personal favorite ("Shadow of a Doubt") and the 1958 flop now generally regarded as his masterpiece, and certainly his most personal film ("Vertigo"). Now SAM film curator Greg Olson has returned to the well for a second 10. It's a mixed lot, heavy on late-career efforts and some entries that, high-profile in their day, have not aged as well as other films neglected in that day. Still, the well is deep, and there's plenty here to fascinate and entertain.
Seattle Opera's Young Artists Program returns to the Theatre at Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue for six performances of Giuseppe Verdi's "Falstaff," March 30-31 and April 1, 4, 6 and 7.Verdi's comic opera draws its plot from the three Shakespeare plays featuring the portly rogue Sir John Falstaff ("Henry IV parts 1 and 2" and "The Merry Wives of Windsor"). Drawing inspiration from Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, director Peter Kazaras plans to use Donald Eastman's set and Cynthia Savage's costumes in such a way that the audience will see how some of the magic of a stage performance is created.