With the dawn of a new year comes the hope of a new beginning and the possibility for a more satisfying life. Unfortunately, the grim reality for millions of the working poor is that 2007 will be another year of elusive prosperity.In fact, the gap between the rich and poor continues to widen. According to the Center for Budget and Policy, the top one percent's average income equaled 20 percent of the entire nation's pretax income and has increased 200 percent from 1979 to 2003. During this same period, the bottom 20 percent experienced a paltry 14 percent rise in income. Furthermore, those living 50 percent below the 2005 poverty level of $7,800 for a family of three was at the highest number since such stats were first complied in 1975.The practice of off-shoring living-wage jobs, the rise in low-paying jobs, the decline in jobs requiring college education and the infusion of those booted from the welfare rolls have contributed to the ballooning of the working class. Despite the bleak prospects for many living paycheck to paycheck, our government financed Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program has been a silver lining in an otherwise depressing outlook for low-wage earners.
Imagine the shock of having your arms full of firewood while standing adjacent to a 100-year-old diadora pine tree and surreally watching it slowing crash to the ground. This actually happened Friday night, Jan. 5, during our most recent 100-year storm errr... that is, 14 days after our last 100-year storm. Homeowner Lori Hamilton had just had an arborist out the day before to examine the tree for stability and health after a massive limb crashed down during the Dec. 21 storm. The limb damaged a portion of the roofline and took down several other trees in its wake. It had taken several days and great effort to clear the debris caused by the storm as Hamilton's property juts up against the Mount Baker Park. Precariously balanced limbs posed a safety hazard to Hamilton's home and had already caused her many sleepless nights. Little did Hamilton know that the great giant, growing right up against her picturesque Swiss Chalet home, had shaky foundations. Its minimal root system was possibly already dying from the inside out. Hamilton's neighbors, the Abrahamsen's, described the sound as akin to a car crash and raced out to find the mammoth tree completely blocking 34th Avenue South near South Lander Street with Hamilton standing nearby, shaking like a leaf.
On Nov. 8, 1961, the legendary Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. took his friend, Rev. Samuel McKinney, up on an ivitation to come to Seattle to be a part of a lecture series. McKinney and King became friends at Morehouse College in Atlanta. The 1961 lecture series was sponsored by the Brotherhood of Mount Zion Baptist Church and was held over two days at the University of Washington, Temple de Hirsch, Garfield High School and the Eagles Auditorium. It was King's only visit to the Emerald City. The great Civil Rights leader was assassinated seven years later in Memphis, Tenn., on April 4, 1968. In April 2005, King County and Washington state lawmakers officially renamed the county in honor of Dr. King. The idea came from local journalist Shelby Scates, who felt the name change would stand as a symbol for justice and equality, ideas for which King fought hard.
Washington's chapter of the Institute for Justice (IFJ) is located on the sixth floor of a beautifully renovated building in Pioneer Square. Its walls are tastefully decorated with modern art, its conference tables piled high with legal papers and books as the IFJ prepares for court litigation on behalf of a small, waste hauling company trying to compete with the city's contracted firms. In addition to providing free litigation services to protect small entrepreneurs from unconstitutional infringement by government upon free speech and property rights, the IFJ has been active recently in the Rainier Valley trying to educate the public and raise awareness about eminent domain abuse, defined as the forced purchase by government of private property for transfer to other private entities.However, organizations such as Media Transparency have a different view of the Institute for Justice. Some see the IFJ's campaign against eminent domain abuse as part of a thrust to give corporate interests free range to make money at the expense of the urban environment. To them, following the IFJ's advice would be tantamount to throwing out the Rainier Valley's neighborhood planning dreams of pedestrian-friendly town centers with safe and attractive affordable-housing. If housing for low-income residents continued to exist, Media Transparency associates say, it would be an over-priced, shoddy breeding ground for crime and parking lots in front of big box stores would increasingly line our major thoroughfares.
As of press time on Monday, Jan. 8, five Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) barricades blocked off a one-half mile section of Rainier Avenue South from 57th Avenue South to 84th Avenue South after approximately 100 cubic yards of hillside slid down covering all of Rainier Avenue early Sunday morning. According to SDOT officials, the first call came in around 3:30 a.m. reporting a mudslide on Rainier Avenue South. When workers arrived on the scene they found mud, debris and 30-foot tall trees standing upright in the middle of the road. It appeared that the saturated hillside and the entire backyard of the house above it had given way due to the recent rain. Three smaller slides were located nearby. As a result, SDOT closed Rainier Avenue South for 12 hours as they cleaned up the mud, trees and debris from all three slides. Geologists were also called out to do site surveys on the property above the largest slide and found that the house was solid and was not in imminent danger of slipping down the hill. Gregg Hirakawa, SDOT communications director, stated that the slide, along with three other smaller slides located just north of the primary slide area, were all cosmetic and not considered dangerous. Karen, an 18-year resident of South Rainier Beach who only gave her first name, has never seen a slide along the two-mile stretch of Rainier Avenue South that overlooks Lake Washington. She was shocked when she went out to get her paper only to see a chunk of the hillside, and quite a few upright trees, on the road. Other neighborhood residents investigating the slide wondered whether or not it was the beginning of something more.
James and Cici Ly don't exactly look the way you might at first imagine two business folk taking on coffee giants like Starbucks would look.They look much younger than that.That's because they are much younger than most startup business owners.The two new owners (since November 2005) of Zingaro's, the inde-pendent coffee café on Mercer directly across from Metropolitan Market(the former Larry's) have a combined age of 51.But the Lys have not let their relative youth stand in the way of their dreams.And 14 months in, both James, 23, and Cici (Chen Chheav), 28, are cautiously optimistic about the direction of their joint business venture."We had anticipated that it would take some time to settle [in]," Cici said, "but things are going OK.""After one year things are looking pretty good," James agreed.Both of the young Lys learned about customer service firsthand, working in their parents' bakery on the Eastside; the elder Lys established the business in the Bellevue area after escaping Cambodia during the bad days of the early 1970s, known to most Americans through the film "The Killing Fields," when more than a million Cambodians were killed in a brutal civil war turned repressive dictatorship.
When Billy Wilder died early in 2002, halfway through his 96th year, we lost the last great director of Hollywood's golden age. He hadn't made a movie since 1981, but that scarcely mattered. Most of the films he'd directed, and at least half a dozen more he'd co-written for other filmmakers, had long since become permanent classics - movies to which audiences turn again and again as unfailingly entertaining pictures and, even more, as touchstones that remind us what good movies are supposed to deliver.This is all the more remarkable given that, for much of Wilder's career, and depending on the fickleness of popular taste at any moment, he often found himself a figure of controversy. Even when he was riding high, with one hit after another and frequent mention for awards, his scabrous wit and insistent pushing of the envelope of taste and decorum got him into trouble at least as much as it brought him admiration. He could seem ahead of his time because his films were outspoken about aspects of life and society other filmmakers hadn't dared even to think about. But that, too, could work against him; with the passage of a few years, what once seemed original and daring might have become passé. We build film series around directors, but he was a writer first - not just in terms of career chronology but in the essence of his creative focus. Legend has it that Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond, his last writing partner, insisted on giving their screenplay of "The Apartment" (1960) one final polish - several days after the film had won the Academy Awards for best picture, direction and original screenplay. But his work has also gifted us with dozens of "moments," distillations of mood, image, action, music and performance that finally no one can write.
On Nov. 8, 1961, the legendary Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. took up Rev. Samuel McKinney's offer to be a part of a lecture series in Seattle. McKinney and King had become friends at Morehouse College in Atlanta.The 1961 lecture series was sponsored by the Brotherhood of Mount Zion Baptist Church and was held over two days in several locations, including at the University of Washington, Temple de Hirsch, Garfield High School and the Eagles Auditorium. It would be King's only visit to the Emerald City.He was assassinated seven years later in Memphis, Tenn., on April 4, 1968. In April 2005, King County and Washington State lawmakers officially renamed the county in honor of the great civil rights leader.The idea came from local journalist Shelby Scates, who suggested that the name change would stand as a symbol for justice and equality-ideas for which King fought hard.This year Seattle is hosting several celebrations in honor of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and his work.
Seattle Opera is crowning the year commemorating the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth with a brand new production of "Don Giovanni" at McGraw Hall, opening on Saturday, Jan. 13, and concluding Jan. 27.I have many fond memories of past productions of "Don Gio-vanni," which was my hus-band's favorite Mozart opera, as far back as the 1967-68 season.The1968 production - in April, to be exact - boasted only four performances. It featured Joshua Hecht as Don Giovanni, Joan Sutherland as Donna Anna and her husband, coach and mentor Richard Bonynge conducting. A memorable production, made even more so by the great voice of Sutherland, who had charmed Seattle audiences in her appearance in Delibes' opera "Lakmé."Australian soprano Joan Sutherland, considered "the Voice of the Century," was a guest, together with her conductor husband, on our radio program, "The British Hour." We dedicated a whole program to them in honor of Australia Day, including Monty Python's Eric Idle spoof on Australian wines ("Wogga Wogga Plonk"), which quite upset some of the more conservative Australian listeners. We also arranged a reception for the Bonynges and cast at the British Consulate, with the Australian consul flying in from San Francisco. The reception was much enjoyed by all; Joan Sutherland exhibited quite a sense of humor, and regaled us with many amusing stories and anecdotes.
Seattle Opera is crowning the year commemorating the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth with a brand new production of "Don Giovanni" at McGraw Hall, opening on Saturday, Jan. 13, and concluding Jan. 27.I have many fond memories of past productions of "Don Gio-vanni," which was my hus-band's favorite Mozart opera, as far back as the 1967-68 season.The1968 production - in April, to be exact - boasted only four performances. It featured Joshua Hecht as Don Giovanni, Joan Sutherland as Donna Anna and her husband, coach and mentor Richard Bonynge conducting. A memorable production, made even more so by the great voice of Sutherland, who had charmed Seattle audiences in her appearance in Delibes' opera "Lakmé."Australian soprano Joan Sutherland, considered "the Voice of the Century," was a guest, together with her conductor husband, on our radio program, "The British Hour." We dedicated a whole program to them in honor of Australia Day, including Monty Python's Eric Idle spoof on Australian wines ("Wogga Wogga Plonk"), which quite upset some of the more conservative Australian listeners. We also arranged a reception for the Bonynges and cast at the British Consulate, with the Australian consul flying in from San Francisco. The reception was much enjoyed by all; Joan Sutherland exhibited quite a sense of humor, and regaled us with many amusing stories and anecdotes.
Members of the National Society of Film Critics met Saturday, Jan. 6, to vote their preferences among the top films of 2006. As it happens, several titles figuring strongly in the balloting will have their Seattle openings this Friday, Jan. 12.Best picture went to the unique Spanish blend of fairy tale, familial drama and civil-war thriller "Pan's Labyrinth," written and directed by Mexican horror specialist Guillermo del Toro. The film, also a runner-up for best direction and cinematography, will play at the Harvard Exit.Winner of the award for best direction was Paul Greengrass for "United 93." A source in the room at Sardi's Saturday afternoon reports that Clint Eastwood led on the first ballot, for "Letters from Iwo Jima," but did not appear on a majority of ballots cast and so could not be declared the winner. "Letters," which was a runner-up for best picture, opens Friday at the Egyptian Theatre.
If the weather's got you down and you need a post-holiday treat to drive away the midwinter pall that's blackening your spirits, then run, don't walk, to Seattle Center House and take in Seattle Shakespeare Company's production of "The Comedy of Errors." It's another little gem by this under-funded theater group led by the brilliant Stephanie Shine.No one, not even Ms. Shine, manages to produce a stunning success every time, but she does it more often than is reasonable to expect. When she's on her game she creates magic, and the current production of "Comedy" is sheer wizardry.I have to admit that I groaned when I learned that this was to be the winter production. It's a tired piece, with gag lines and situations that have become hackneyed, and it has far more silliness than substance. As Shakespeare goes, this is not a masterwork. Yet Ms. Shine and her company have turned it into a delicious romp that winds up tugging at your emotions.
Whenever costume designer Marie-Therese Cramer teams up with director Chris Alexander and set designer Robert Dahlstrom, it seems the production they are working on literally transcends time.The trio's vision for Jacques Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffmann" at Seattle Opera in 2005 skipped around in time. Sets ranged from an ornate opera house of the past to the futuristic trappings of the Olympia scene, and costumes from a metallic outfit harking back to the 1927 sci-fi movie "Metropolis" and a dress that blended Greta Garbo glamour with the garb of a Greek statue. A similar approach will be applied to Seattle Opera's upcoming production of Mozart's "Don Giovanni" despite Mozart's setting of 17th-century Seville, underscoring the eternal essence of the conflict."The interesting thing about 'Don Giovanni' is, I think the story can happen at any time, and it happens again and again. I'm afraid many women know that," Cramer said.Based on the legend of playboy Don Juan, Mozart's Don Giovanni is a rake who lives large, seducing women with a frequently irresistible allure at the drop of a hat.
Is there anything worse than working on plumbing? I think not.Given a choice between working on plumbing and undergoing a root canal, bring on the Novocain.Electrical stuff around the house is all pretty standard-two wires in most cases, a hot wire and a return, and maybe a green ground wire. A three way switch-uation is more challenging, but it's manageable.When you go to buy a new switch, or plug, while you have a variety of designs, the manufacturers have standardized on what you need-one screw for the hot wire, and one for the cold.Carpentry is the same. If you are demented enough to tear into your wall, you'll find the same thing wherever you go: studs on 16-inch centers, two-by-four construction, drywall over the framing, etc. A quick afternoon class at Lowe's or Home Depot, and you're off and running on your project.Not so with plumbing. The simplest job-say, replacing the washers in a kitchen or bathroom faucet-becomes a hunt for the Holy Grail. You will need a full tank of gas in the car, plus an extensive vocabulary of profanities.For instance, look at the array of faucet stems available to you in the stores. You'll find Grohe, American Standard (talk about an oxymoron) Porcher, Toto, Moen, Price Pfister (do you pronounce the P?), Kohler, Hansgrohe (related to Grohe?)-the list goes on. And they all have their "proprietary design." In other words, you have zero chance of finding interchangeable parts. Assuming you know what brand faucet you have, many, once out of the box, are unidentifiable.
With the election of Nancy Pelosi to the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives, a truly historic moment has arrived. This is the highest elected position that has been achieved by a woman in the history of the United States democratic system of government. Yes, let's pause and celebrate. And perhaps speculate for a moment - she is third in line to the Presidency....Of the two front-page photographs in The New York Times last week, the first showed her with the women in her family and a grandchild, and in the second photo she was surrounded by young children related to her and to other members of the House. Obviously, this was meant to convey the nurturing image principle. And they were inspiring images, new to our culture, and certainly refreshing. Aside from the images, the words spilling out from both sides of the aisle were laced with concepts of sharing: bipartisanship, partnership, cooperation, working together, collectively pursuing and implementing the message for change sent by the voters in the 2006 election cycle.All well and good, except for the other actions taking place last week.