Saturday, May 30, 2015

COUNTY COMMISSIONER CANDIDATE RESPONSE TO CABLE ACCESS ARTICLE

County Commissioner Bryan D. Frazier wrote yours truly in response to my Port Angeles Digest article" So they want a TVW or CSPAN channel here?
Here is what Frazier wrote:

Information is the most powerful tool the public can have to hold accountable those whom they have elected to represent them.

Providing public access television in addition to live on-line video streaming are excellent methods to ensure open government and access to the information the public requires to make informed decisions about local issues that may affect their quality of life and financial stability.

Byan Frazier
County Commission Candidate

The time of day at which the commissioner meetings are held does not offer sufficient public access. People go to their jobs and those with disabilities or the elderly that require transportation assistance more often than not cannot attend.

Public access TV and live on-line video streaming would offer them access. The video feed can be viewed on a dedicated county or city web page and in addition, these videos can be archived for later viewing or review for those who could not watch the live feeds.

The debate over whether this can or cannot, should or should not be done and how would this be paid for is premature. This requires investigation into FIRST; what equipment, infrastructure and personnel are required and SECOND; how much will this cost per month or annually? We already know how much start- up capital we have on hand ($60,000.00) sitting in an account for this project.

I will personally begin the investigation into this issue and start making inquiries at Wave Cable first and then network out from there. My 15 years’ experience in public service as an instructor and my background as a form small business owner, business manager and community activists have taught me to identify problem issues and find solutions. This will take some time to accomplish and I will report my progress and provide the information I receive.

Once we have the answers we can open up the debate anew and I urge public input. I want to hear what they have to say about public access TV and on-line video streaming.

My willingness to get involved and take on the tasks required to find solutions is what sets me apart from other candidates.

WEEKLY PORT ANGELES DIGEST: SO THEY WANT A LOCAL CSPAN OR TVW CHANNEL HERE?

But is it worth it in the long run?

Getting through to city council–good luck
(PORT O CALL) Port O Call attempts to bring important matters before the city council. One is the ambulance switcheroo deal the city has worked out with Olympic Ambulance. It is not in the best interest of the city residents but the council defends it–at the behest of city staff.
Another story we published has to do with the lack of access to our public access channel on Wave Cable. This subject was discussed at city council recently–almost. Phil Lusk, a hundred thousand dollar a year deputy director brought a goofy side show designed to scare everyone away from having an access channel even suggesting we’d have to put up with naked preachers on TV. ---read more

Editorial Comment: In his statement to this publication City Council candidate Dan Bateman shared his take on this issue:
I believe government should be open and accessible to the people.

Dan Bateham
City Council Candidate

Our current elected officials have denied real access to our many citizens who cannot make the trip to city hall or the courthouse. There is a solution for this.
Remember, only through access and transparency can the people be aware of what their elected officials are doing in their name and on their dime.
One way this can be done here locally is for the city council to allow access to the public access TV channel we have already been paying Wave Broadband for since 2002.
Let's demand a live hookup in both the City and the County meeting rooms. Let's let our local elected officials be seen in their their action or inaction on vital issues; and then we will hear the people's voices loud and clear as they hold local government accountable and have them take care of the people's business with viable common sense.---Dan Bateham
My question is who is going to pay for access to channel 3, and who is going to run it? We had a TV news station running channel 3 years ago, by Dennis Bragg. However, he gotten a job elsewhere, plus the expense of running the station was overwhelming. So, who is going to pay the bill? The city? or a private contractor? I also asked Dale Wilson of Port of Call who had been promoting this, who is going to pay for this, and who will run it? He wrote back with this answer: "This "deal" is already paid for. There has been $60,000 sitting in an account since 2002 set aside just for this project.
The "operation" should be run by an independent board of directors which should include people from the education sector, the government sector and the public sector. Public meaning just plain folks who want to see our students gain more experience in electronic news gathering and electronic field production techniques. Also, as a side benefit, more taxpayers can sit at home and watch their elected officials do the public's business. Everyone who spends taxpayer money should be televised so the taxpayers can determine if their interests are being protected. I asked Wilson what he would like to have a TVW/CSPAN kind of operation? He added the following: "Yes, but with a regular re-hash, perhaps on a weekly basis, where news people gather in a studio and discuss the week's events. Followed up by in studio interviews with news makers and others who have a penchant for communicating with the wider community."
okay, now here is a problem as I see when the $60,000 is used up and it will be used up quickly for sure where are they going to get money to pay for it after the $60,000 is gone? Plus there's been news reports that cable is on it's last legs, and more people are turning to the internet for news and information, plus entertainment. Heck you could post such videos on you-tube at no cost! So, with that being said that more people are turning to the net, and cable is on it's last legs according to published reports, will it be worth it?

Related story from the Verge:

The great unbundling: cable TV as we know it is dying

Over the last two weeks, Verizon and Disney have been having a public spat about the future of cable television

Now for some side note items:

Cherie Kidd
City Council Candidate

This was part of new question I posed to local candidates which yours truly asked what differentiates you from your opponent during this election. Dan Bateman gave his take, so here is Cherie Kidd's answer: "My experience, knowledge and accomplishments clearly set me apart from my opponent. I have worked hard to serve the people of Port Angeles during my time on the city council. I worked from the beginning to save our William Shore Memorial Pool. Our beautiful new waterfront has been an ongoing collaboration for the past 7 years. Ournew Civic Historic District made history for Port Angeles. Greater transparency at city hall is a benefit for all of our citizens. I am also involved in community service via civic clubs. I am past president of the noon Kiwanis Club and vice present of the noon Soroptimists. As a business owner, I fight for lower taxes and regulations and promote Port Angeles as a great place to live and work. It would be an honor to continue to represent the people of Port Angeles"---Cherie Kidd
She is running against Bateman during this election.
But! there's more I gotten responses from two Port Commissioner candidates.
One is from Connie Beauvais, who running against our pal Lee Whetham, and Rick (Doc) Robinson, Michael Breidenbach.

She sent yours truly her press release announcing her candidacy:

Port Angeles, WA, May 7, 2015 -- Connie Beauvais, Vice Chair of the Clallam County Planning Commission and 2015 Charter Review Commissioner, has announced her candidacy for the District 3 position of Commissioner, for the Port of Port Angeles.

Connie Beauvais
Port Commission Candidate

In detailing her reasons for running, Ms. Beauvais states, “For quite some time I have been asking myself and other individuals and groups: ‘What is your vision for Clallam County? Where do you see us in five years? Where do you see us in 20 years?’ What I have come to realize is that the Port of Port Angeles is the most important economic driver in Clallam County. When I learned that Port Commissioner John Calhoun was not going to run again, I saw an opportunity to make a difference. Significant groundwork has been laid by the Port over the years, but there is room for much more. We have many valuable resources available to us in this County, and there is a lot of work left to be done. I want to put Clallam County firmly on the road to economic prosperity.”
”The Port is a public asset and needs thoughtful, creative management to afford our community the best possible economic outcomes. I’m looking forward to promoting the Port and its assets to create more jobs, working aggressively for cleanup of the harbor, engaging much more with the public, and operating within a balanced budget.”
In addition to her Charter Review and Planning Commission duties, Ms. Beauvais currently manages the Crescent Water Association which provides drinking water to approximately 2800 people in the Joyce area. She has previously worked in the private sector, owned her own businesses, served administratively in school districts in California and Alaska, and as a civil service employee for Naval Security Group Activity on Adak Island in Alaska.
She lives with husband Jim on 34 acres west of Joyce where they have operated Alpacas of Cedar Wind for the past 20 years.---Connie Beauvais Announces Candidacy for Port of Port Angeles Commissioner, District 3

One of her opponents Richard "Doc" Robinson
Answered my question on what differentiates him from the other candidates for Port Commission: What differentiates me? That's for the voters to decide.
As I see it...
1. 15 years logistics and transportation businessman and planner. I think business and know the language of policymakers.
2. My vision of our port as our leader in creating business and good jobs. From micro-loan programs for wood and carbon fiber products to generating a Master Plan for the expansion of Marine Services at one end and Tourism at the other, the port is our good jobs engine.
3. I say and will keep saying the unpopular things, such we all need to support our schools. Turn off the street lights if necessary. Put first things first. We must propel all our children to their future. Good schools also means good employers will want to raise their children here. We have everything else to offer employers, except schools. Schools are a jobs issue, jobs now from new businesses, jobs later from our children being ready to compete.
4. My willingness to listen. The other day it was how a big old motor condo boat was abandoned in our Marina and we are left the high cost of its asbestos abatement and demolition. Are there no performance bonds or quarterly seaworthiness tests? This is a management issue similar to the Port leases.
5. My curiosity about how we turn problems into money. We have pollution clean-up we are required to do. Are we creating a local business, hiring and training local employees, and are we finding the grants to do this work?
6. We have a ton of challenges. The county is not rich, the city is broke and everything costs more than it should. But you know, that is what makes the effort worth while. We have to do more, with less. We have to argue less, cooperate, contribute and shift our town from the logging town it was, to the mixed industry and tourism town it will be. The answer for all of us is on a kitchen magnet I picked up at Swain's - "Wag More, Bark Less."-----Richard "Doc" Robinson
(I have yet to hear from the other candidates which I sent emails too with the same question)

OTHER LOCAL NEWS STORIES
Utility rate hike seen as a likelihood as Port Angeles City Council starts budget priorities discussion at Tuesday work session
(PENINSULA DAILY NEWS) That's one thing Port Angeles residents can count on as City Council members begin discussing 2015 and 2016 budget priorities for the mammoth utilities department at a 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. work session Tuesday.

Port Angeles electric utility discount program running out of money
(PENINSULA DAILY NEWS) An electric utility discount program that saved 650 low-income households up to about $100 a month this year has been so successful it will run out of money June 19, the City Council learned this week. But council members said at a utility rates work session Tuesday that they may fund the program later this fall; just in time to buffer the impact of traditionally high winter electric bills.

Port Angeles port commissioners reject sale of acreage to waterfront company
(PENINSULA DAILY NEWS) PORT ANGELES — The Port of Port Angeles rang up “no sale” Tuesday on 4 acres of harbor front that Platypus Marine Inc. wants to buy.
Port commissioners voted unanimously to instruct their executive director to continue pursuing a lease of the land that Platypus already occupies at Marine Drive and Cedar Street.

Port of Port Angeles divvies $65,000 in grant money between 8 groups
(PENINSULA DAILY NEWS) Eight trade and tourism agencies in Clallam County will share; and almost share alike ; $65,000 from the Port of Port Angeles.

Port of Port Angeles pares $320,660 from spending; topside repairs, logs lead losses
(PENINSULA DAILY NEWS) Sinking log exports and topside repairs that were shanghaied to Singapore have led the Port of Port Angeles to trim its spending by $320,660 for 2015.

Clallam County secures discount medications with agreement
(PENINSULA DAILY NEWS) Clallam County has inked an agreement with Public Health-Seattle & King County to provide prepackaged medications at a discounted rate

Landmark barn comes down
(SEQUIM GAZETTE) Time finally took its toll on a historical barn settled between U.S. Highway 101 and Brownfield Road.

Forks passes resolution calling for Olympic National Park to minimize West End damage from Highway 101 work
(FORK FORUM/PDN) Forks City Council members have passed a resolution calling on Olympic National Park to restrict West End impacts from a project to improve U.S. Highway 101 along Lake Crescent.

PLA, county at loggerheads: arbitration requested
(PT. LEADER) First, negotiate. If that fails, arbitrate.
A dispute continues to heat up between Port Ludlow Associates (PLA) and Jefferson County over PLA's logging of more than 140 acres that the county insists is illegal but which PLA says it had the right to do.

FROM ACROSS THE STRAIT

Mayor pushes other municipalities to set up their own housing trust
(VICTORIA NEWS) Victoria's mayor is hoping other municipalities will consider creating their own housing trust fund to address the issue of homelessness in the Capital Regional District.

Belleville Terminal to receive $17.4-million in upgrades
(VICTORIA NEWS) The Belleville Ferry Terminal is going to look a lot different over the next few years after the province and two local companies announced a $17.4-million investment to upgrade the facility Thursday.

Ex-employee says it’s routine for B.C. government to destroy emails.
(TIMES COLONIST) The B.C. government’s political appointees routinely destroy emails to avoid releasing them to the public under the province’s Freedom of Information law, an ex-employee says.

Les Chan, Disability Advocate dropped in from Victoria B.C

Friday and had coffee with yours truly. Talked about his plan to educate the Port Angeles

Community on disability issues. I introduced him to Tim Bruce, the Director

of the Clallam County advisory board of Developmental Disabilities. Bruce said he arrange Chan to talk with the board at their next local meeting in September.

WHAT'S ON TAP FOR NEXT WEEK
CLALLAM COUNTY COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM HIGHLIGHT: General Fund Reserves – One time expenditure to Homeless Task Force fund (1 of 2)/$300,000:Health and Human Services, Homelessness Task Force – One time expenditure (2 of 2) $300,000
Full agenda: http://websrv7.clallam.net/forms/uploads/bocc_meeting_agenda.pdf
Agenda details; http://websrv7.clallam.net/forms/uploads/bocc_meeting_packet.pdf

City of Port Angeles Agenda highlight item: Clallam County Economic Development Council Contract.
Summary: Since 2012, City Council has authorized one year contracts with the Clallam County Economic Development Council (EDC). In 2014 the EDC began efforts to make a significant transition. A strategic plan was drafted focusing on four primary objectives. The objectives include increasing jobs, employment, median wages, and median household income.
Earlier this year, City staff worked with other EDC partners to refine an initial work plan presented by EDC staff. Efforts were made to ensure that the workplan contained measurable outcomes. On April 30 ,2015 the EDC Board agreed to all proposed changes contained in the work plan. City staff has incorporated the work plan as Exhibit A of a new one year contract.
During Council priority setting efforts earlier this year contracts with outside entities were
identified as low priority items. In light of this policy direction the proposed contract is anticipated to be a one year transitional commitment. This is consistent with EDC bylaw changes that were also initiated to transition the organization from a public sector board to a private sector board.”
Attached is the proposed contract and work plan. The City’s contribution towards this contract will be $15,000. This amount was incorporated in the 2015 budget.
Staff recommends that Council discuss the merit of a one year transitional contract with the EDC and if satisfactory, authorize the Mayor to sign the contract and to make minor modifications as necessary.
Another highlight agenda item on the City Council agenda for Tuesday: Priority Setting Resolution / Conduct second reading
In 2012, the City began developing a Long-Range Financial Plan, with
the expectation that the plan would be used as one of the tools to assist with the development of the annual City budget. The Long-Range Financial Plan allows the City to assess current and future financial projections to ensure that City programs and services are sustainable into the future.
Financial forecasts are updated annually and reviewed prior to the annual budget process.
Beginning in January 2015, the City embarked on a priority setting process. The purpose of this
process was to identify and prioritize programs and services provided by the City. Again, the goal is to continue to provide services that are sustainable based on the City’s projected financial situation, and potentially eliminate those services deemed “lower priorities” if the need arises. The priority setting process started with Department Directors identifying their department’s lowest priority programs and services relative to each Department’s core mission. Council held numerous work sessions and a public listening session to review and discuss the low priority items. Next, Council individually scored each low priority item, and a consolidated list was assembled. Finally, Council reached consensus on the program and service priorities. The priorities, which will be used as another tool in balancing the 2015-2016 budgets, are categorized into the following
three groups:
• Group 1 – Highest priorities. Cannot be reduced without Council consensus.
o Maintain Public Safety
o Maintain Existing Infrastructure
o Maintain Support Services for External and Internal Customers
• Group 2 – Can be reduced if additional budget reductions are required.
o Public Safety and Prevention
o Beautification and Quality of Life
o Employee Wellness
• Group 3 – Lowest priorities. First to be eliminated to balance budget.
o Support to External Agencies
o Internal Efficiencies and Low Priority Program Reductions
For more agenda items see here: http://wa-portangeles.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/2273

OTHER LOCAL AND REGIONAL MEETINGS
PORT TOWNSEND CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS MEETING AGENDA
Agenda item highlight: Proposed code amendments to expand the applicability of PUD provisions to the C-II and M/C zones.

Full agenda: http://cityofpt.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=4&event_id=236

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?

Psalm 56:4 NKJV

Saturday, May 23, 2015

WEEKLY PORT ANGELES DIGEST: LOCAL COPPERS APPARENTLY DIDN'T GET THE MESSAGE!

Downtown Port Angeles police patrols increase in advance of officer dedicated to area

PENINSULA DAILY NEWS: PORT ANGELES — The Police Department began full-time downtown patrols last week as a prelude to permanently filling a dedicated downtown officer position that’s been vacant since December, police officials said. The duties of the downtown resource officer include patrolling downtown streets and staffing a centrally located office in The Gateway transit center at Lincoln and Front streets.

( Maybe the local police department hadn't gotten the memo from the DOJ or from our fearless leader President Obama, that any police presence intimidates the citizens of the communities they serve in! See story from the Rush Limbaugh show on Thursday:

Rush quoted in saying:"The cops have adopted the Obama stance, and that is restraint. And in Baltimore that means you can't see 'em. And that's supposed to make it no crime. See, in the Obama world and the Democrat Party world, the presence of cops equals violence, because the cops are intimidating, and the cops are provocative, and the cops are the cops. They cause unrest and they cause people to engage in violence because they're so biased and extremist and racist. So the Obama theory is the cops' presence causes violence. Pulling the cops back to the point where you can't see them, that will give you a peaceful community. Of course, it's just the exact opposite, and anybody with a scintilla of common sense knows it.' click here to see transcript

So yeah, the local police apparently didn't get the memo, that their mere presence intimidates the populace! Yep! someone just didn't get the memo! You may ask why did I bring this up? To show what happens in the nation or internationally effects us, in some form or another, we can not just ignore what's going on in the world around our town! )

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

“Give me liberty or give me death!” ---Patrick Henry

By Peter Ripley, Publisher

Peter Ripley, Publisher

"Give me liberty, or give me death!" is a quotation attributed to Patrick Henry from a speech he made to the Virginia Convention in 1775, at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia.

As we commemorate those who have fallen to protect or freedoms and way of life. Our very freedoms which so many had paid the ultimate sacrifice in times of war is now being threaten from forces who oppose our very being.

Quoting our First Amendment: “The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances. It was adopted on December 15, 1791, as one of the ten amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights.

Yet, there are those who live within our mist who wants state, local, and national governments to adopt a law based on religious beliefs. I am talking about Sharia Law. Yet, those who scream the separation of church and state, seems to have no problem in allowing Islamic law like Sharia, to be implemented! Like some parts of Texas, which is an affront to our Bill of Rights!

Two women in Texas however sees the threat that Sharia Law poses, meaning the end of our God given free will, and ending of our Constitutional rights

One of these women which I now refer to as daughters of liberty, is Pam Gellar, who is now marked for death by those who claim to be members of a peaceful religion, Islam!

Related story: Pamela Geller Confronted Evil, so the Left Hates Her

Pamela Geller — the woman whose group, the American Freedom Defense Initiative, organized the Muhammad-cartoon drawing contest in Garland, Texas — may be the most hated person in America right now. She is certainly the Left’s chief villain; and, sad to say, though few conservatives hate her, more than a few have condemned her.

The second daughter of liberty: Mayor Beth Van Duyne of Irving Texas

According to The Political Insider: Muslims are ANGRY at Texas Mayor After She Stops “Sharia Court”… Here Is Her EPIC Response!

This radical group of Muslims is not pleased with the Mayor of Irving, Texas after she put the end to America’s first “Sharia Court.” Mayor Beth Van Duyne has accused mosque leaders of creating separate laws for Muslims, which is why the city voted to stop these supposedly “voluntary” tribunals from operating.

The Imam in charge of this Tribune kangaroo court, wants the mayor to be defeated! So we have death threats on one woman defending free speech, we have another woman a mayor, being intimidated! So, much for a “peaceful religion”

Now another abridgment of free speech is happening locally actually. NO, it's not as controversial as two Texas women standing up against a foreign law based on religion, being imposed on an unsuspecting populace which takes away our rights. It's about threatening legal action by a law firm against a local newspaper, called Port O Call for running a story of a court case involving the Wilbur decision.

The details of the story isn't relevant to my point I am trying to put forth . Now since that story as appeared in the Port O Call the publisher is being threatened legal action for publishing the story called: Justice has left the building. They gotten a letter from an law firm representing one of the people mention in the article demanding an apology, and retraction of the story, if they don't a law suit will be forth coming!

Sounds to me this is a case of a Slapp!

Which is defined as: A strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP) is a lawsuit that is intended to censor, intimidate, and silence critics by burdening them with the cost of a legal defense until they abandon their criticism or opposition.[1]

The typical SLAPP plaintiff does not normally expect to win the lawsuit. The plaintiff's goals are accomplished if the defendant succumbs to fear, intimidation, mounting legal costs or simple exhaustion and abandons the criticism. In some cases, repeated frivolous litigation against a defendant may raise the cost of directors and officers liability insurance for that party, interfering with an organization's ability to operate.[2] A SLAPP may also intimidate others from participating in the debate. A SLAPP is often preceded by a legal threat. The difficulty is that plaintiffs do not present themselves to the Court admitting that their intent is to censor, intimidate or silence their critics. Hence, the difficulty in drafting SLAPP legislation, and in applying it, is to craft an approach which affords an early termination to invalid abusive suits, without denying a legitimate day in court to valid good faith claims.---read more

Why you may ask why I share with you these three stories? Because of this similarity, whether it's from some religious sect pushing their own law on others and using any means to get their way through intimidation and threats to silence anyone who opposes them, or an law agency using threats of legal action against a publication to silence them it still slaps the face of every service man and woman who defended our liberties and freedoms we at times take for granted. The media should stand up to any infringement of our basic rights, not bury their head in the sand and hope it will go away. I just like bully tactics in any form! Mostly any breach of our free speech whether it's acceptable or not should not be censored.

To prove my point readers I am tempted to post two bikini clad women up on this site, see how much flax I would get doing that!

Sunday, May 17, 2015

DO YOU REMEMBER WHERE YOU WERE WHEN ST. HELENS' BLEW HER TOP?

A look back 35 years after Mount St. Helens' deadly eruption
SEATTLE (AP) — Thirty-five years ago, Mount St. Helens in southwest Washington state erupted, killing 57 people, blasting more than 1,300 feet off the top and raining volcanic ash for miles around. Today, the volcano has become a world-class outdoor laboratory for the study of volcanoes, ecosystems and forestry, as well as a major recreational and tourist destination.

( I remember when I heard the news that St. Helen's blew I was in Discovery Bay, with my family on vacation, I was a kid back then.)

More news from the religion of "peace" folks!
Christian Lives Don't Matter?
So far as liberals, including Barack Obama, are concerned, dead people only count if they happen to be black criminals killed by white cops, not if, as in the majority of cases, they’re black people being killed by other black people.---PATRIOT POST

Ayatollah Speaks to Teachers, Who Chant: ‘Death to America! Death to England!...Death to Israel!
(CNSNews.com) - Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, addressed a gathering of Iranian teachers on May 6, who responded to his address by chanting: “God is great! Khamene'i is the leader! Death to the enemies of the leadership! Death to America! Death to England! Death to the hypocrites! Death to Israel!”

You Will Become Muslims When We Rape You, ISIS Told Yazidi Girls
(CNSNews.com) – Yazidi girls kidnapped by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria jihadists were given the chance to convert to Islam but told if they refused they would automatically become Muslims anyway the moment an ISIS fighter raped them, U.S. lawmakers heard on Wednesday.

Special Forces kill ISIS commander in secret raid: Dramatic firefight ends with more than fifty jihadists killed despite using children as human shields - and chief's wife who runs sick trafficking network is also captured
U.S. Special Forces have killed a top ISIS commander in charge of their lucrative oil business, and captured his slaver wife in a dramatic overnight raid.
Elite forces stormed a residential building in the Syrian city of Deir Ezzor, killing 12 jihadists in hand-to-hand combat before claiming the scalp of Abu Sayyaf, the twisted regime's 'oil minister'.---DAILY MAIL UK

ISIS in Ramadi: Like the Tet 1968?
If Syria is — in the words of Al Arabiya’s Washington correspondent Nadia Bilbassy — likely to be remembered as Obama’s Rwanda, will the ISIS offensive now underway in Iraq go down as the president’s Tet? Their attack on the city of Ramadi caught the media by surprise and the first reports coming out of the city were tinged with an alarm born of shock.---PJ MEDIA

Pope Francis Refers to Holocaust Denier, Anti-Semite, and Terrorist as an ‘Angel of Peace’
Francis said he thought the gift was appropriate since “you are an angel of peace.” During his 2014 visit to Israel and the West Bank, Francis called both Abbas and Israeli President Shimon Peres men of peace.---PJMEDIA

(These Islamic Nazis makes it so easy, they by their actions and deeds proves my case even more how they crave power and control. They kill and slaughter of their own people of they dare speak against them, they kill Christians and Jews alike without remorse or regret. Yet, we have a president who looks the other way.)

More Commentaries

Vladimir Putin calls Ukraine fascist and country’s new law helps make his case
As Ukraine continues its battle against separatists, corruption and a collapsing economy, it has taken a dangerous step that could further tear the country apart: Ukraine’s parliament, the Supreme Rada, passed a draft law last month honoring organizations involved in mass ethnic cleansing during World War Two.---REUTERS

Fifty years on, practical lessons from German-Israeli friendship
On the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties, Israel and Germany offer a model for others in reconciling after a dismal past like the Holocaust.---CSMONITOR

Israeli Ambassador on Iran Deal: ‘We Cannot Roll the Dice’ on Survival of Jewish State
Ron Dermer, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, snapped his fingers to signify how quickly the Jewish state could go from being strong to vulnerable in the face of a nuclear Iran.---DAILY SIGNAL

Ignore Politicians Saying Amtrak Crash Is Proof More Funding Is Needed. We First Need to Know More.
On Tuesday night, an Amtrak train travelling on the Northeast Corridor crashed near Philadelphia, killing at least seven and injuring over 200 others.---DAILY SIGNAL

STEPHANOPOULOS APOLOGIZES…SORT OF
George Stephanopolous (I cannnot believe how many times I've had to write that name this week), has apologized for the conflict of interest he created when he deposited three $25,000 checks into the Clinton Foundation's bank account.----AMERICAN SPECTATOR

RELATED STORY: From the Rush Limbuagh show on Friday: Really? You're Just Figuring All This Out About George Stephanopoulos?
" Clinton became the front-runner, and Perot was finally dealt with, but during that campaign it was George Stephanopoulos and James Carville and Paul Begala that were running the Clinton campaign operation, and they called themselves "the war room." And their purpose, like the bimbo eruptions division, was to simply set out and destroy anybody who came forward with any credible criticism of the Clintons either regarding a Clinton scandal or anything else that Clinton was talking about, say potential policy or what have you. " -----read more

Another related story: Flashback: George Stephanopoulos to Hillary Clinton: 'I Love You'
Former Democratic operative turned journalist George Stephanopoulos was rocked this week by the revelation that he donated $75,000 to the Clinton Foundation, an action he kept from the public and his bosses at ABC. ---NEWS BUSTERS

George Stephanopoulos’s Clinton Foundation Hypocrisy Is Staggering
The problem with George Stephanopoulos’s Clinton-gate mess is that his own words prove him to be both a bully and a hypocrite, as well as abjectly unethical.---NATIONAL REVIEW

President Obama and the Gulf Arabs
Saudi Arabia is so angry at the emerging nuclear agreement between Iran and the major powers that it is threatening to develop its own nuclear capability — one more indication of the deep differences between the United States and the Persian Gulf Arab states over the deal, which the major powers and Iran aim to complete by June 30----NEW YORK TIMES

Ralph Nader: Why run for president if you don't have a real chance?
The 2016 presidential election is attracting an unusually large number of hopefuls. The Republicans will probably field more than a dozen candidates and the Democrats, as many as five. Presently, very few of these supposed contenders have a real chance of becoming president. Republicans Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina and Ted Cruz are long shots. On the Democratic side, that term applies to everyone but Hillary Rodham Clinton.---LA TIMES

A Chinese-Russian alliance that complicates the Middle East
Though on a very small scale, Russian and Chinese navies have engaged in their first joint exercises in the Mediterranean. On the one hand, it shows a level of cooperation and the expanding horizons of Chinese maritime interests in the Middle East. On the other hand, Russian and Chinese interests in the region are divergent.---WASHINGTON TIMES

Jeb Bush’s alarming caution
Jeb Bush promised he would be his “own man,” and this week he proved it — alas for him.
The former Florida governor, often regarded as the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, managed over an extraordinary 72 hours to demonstrate that he is not anything like his older brother, the former president. He showed himself to be indecisive, uncertain where he stands, afraid of his shadow and nakedly calculating.----WASHINGTON POST

Don't feed the Amtrak beast
Remember when Congress responded to the alleged malfunction of Toyota brakes by offering the company $1 billion and telling its heroic employees to keep up the good work? No, neither do we.---WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev sentence is justified
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s life is a meager compensation for the murder of Martin Richard, Lingzi Lu, Krystle Campbell, and Sean Collier. But it is the highest price he can be made to pay under our system of justice, and a jury of his peers has unanimously recommended that he pay it.---BOSTON GLOBE

Clinton has to watch out for Warren
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) says she won't run for president. Many observers speculate the now-senior senator from Massachusetts is either biding her time or is waiting for an honest-to-goodness serious draft. For someone who was just elected to the Senate in 2012, the she has become a major name and force in the Democratic Party.---THE HILL

Is Christianity in America doomed?
Last month, New Atheist God-hater Daniel Dennett wrote an op-ed column in The Wall Street Journal that used a Pew poll to argue that the future of religion is bleak. I responded with a column of my own in which I mocked this claim, since the poll Dennett relied on actually made mixed predictions about the future of religion in the United States and painted a fairly rosy picture of its next few decades around the globe.---THE WEEK

Autism Reveals Problems in How We Measure Success
Eight-year-old Charlie has an infectious smile. He loves swimming, hiking, and skiing. And he’s smart, too. By the age of 2, he knew every letter, color, shape, and number. “He loved books and wanted us to read to him for hours,” his mom Tricia said.---TIME

Benghazi controversy explained
It’s been nearly three years since the Sept. 11, 2012, attacks in Benghazi, Libya, and the events of that night still remain a political controversy. The eighth investigation into the tragedy is currently under way. But, as previously expected, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will not be called upon to testify, just yet. ---YAHOO NEWS

Facing questions over foreign donations, Hillary Clinton starts cutting ties to Bill’s foundation
Hillary Clinton and the Clinton Foundation moved swiftly Friday to begin cutting ties as she prepares to announce her candidacy for president, amid mounting criticism over millions of dollars in foreign donations that have poured into the foundation’s coffers.---YAHOO NEWS

Body camera policies must block officers' previewing of video in use-of-force cases: Editorial
These days, it's tough to find anyone who really opposes the idea of police officers wearing body cameras for recording their encounters with the public.---THE OREGONIAN

Obama's Casual Slander of American Christians
Earlier this week, Harvard professor Robert Putnam did a Q&A with Washington Post religion reporter Michelle Boorstein, headlined "Have faith groups been too absent in the fight on poverty?" Here is Putnam's answer to that question---WEEKLY STANDARD

Henry Johnson’s honor: WWI hero set for long-overdue presidential medal
It was exactly 97 years ago, May 15, 1918, in a front-line World War I outpost near the Tourbe and Aisne Rivers in northeast France, that an American infantryman from Albany, Pvt. Henry Johnson, repelled a German attack.---NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Why humanity may yet reach the stars
It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but it’s starting to look as if Einstein might just have been right about that speed of light thing. From apparently superluminal radio sources in deep space, to the neutrinos that were supposed to be arriving ahead of schedule at the Grand Sasso experiment in Italy, every apparent exception to Einstein’s ultimate speed law has turned out to be a phantom. Even in the quantum realm, where entangled particles seem to communicate with each other instantaneously across any distance, no useful information is shared at anything other than the speed of light.---REUTERS

He Is Heavy. He’s My Brother.
WASHINGTON — IT isn’t about what we know now.
It’s about what we knew then.
It is simply not true, as Republican presidential aspirant Scott Walker said on Friday, that “any president would have likely taken the same action Bush did with the information he had.”---NEW YORK TIMES

INSPIRATIONAL MESSAGE

From Gospel Way: Hating Relatives and Forsaking Possessions - Luke 14:26,33
Luke 14:26 says, "If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife, and children, brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." Verse 33 adds that one cannot be Jesus' disciple unless he forsakes all that he possesses.
Jesus here shows some of the reasons why people may reject discipleship in His kingdom. To be a disciple one must pay a severe cost. Sacrifice and hardship are required. So Jesus urges people to consider the cost before becoming disciples. Many, after becoming disciples, will find that they are unwilling to continue, so they will be rejected. One should realize from the outset what he is getting into.
Hating our relatives
Does this mean we must literally hate our own parents, wife, children, etc.? Notice that Jesus says we must even hate our own lives. Clearly this is not absolute or literal. We are told to love others as we love ourselves, and no one hates his own flesh (see again Matt. 22:36-40; Eph. 5:29).
"Hate" here does not mean to have no love at all nor to actively seek the harm of others. All Bible passages must be understood by comparing them to other passages. Many other Scriptures command us to love everyone (Matt. 22:36-40). Surely that includes our family. Ephesians 5:22-25 commands men to love their wives, and Titus 2:4 commands wives to love their husbands and children. Clearly, then, Luke 14:26 does not literally mean to hate our family members.
Sometimes the Bible uses the term "hate" in a comparative sense. Genesis 29:31 says that Jacob hated his wife Leah, but v30 shows that really this means he loved Rachel, his other wife, more than he did Leah. So "hate" is used in a comparative sense to mean "loving one thing or person less that we love another." See also Genesis 25:34.
This is the point in Luke 14:26. Jesus is not saying that we are to have malice or ill will toward our family. That would contradict other plain passages. Instead, Christ is saying that we must always put Him before our families. Our love for Christ must be greater than our love for anyone or anything else.
Matthew 10:37 helps to explain Luke 14:26. Jesus said, "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."
We may never actually be required to literally give up our relationship with our loved ones to please the Lord, and we may never be required to actually die for His cause, but we must be willing to do so. Many have had to do these things. And even if we don't actually give up our family, their desires must always come second to the will of Jesus. And even if we don't physically die for His cause, we must devote our lives to seeking His cause above all else. This is what it means to bear our cross and follow Him (see Luke 9:23-27).
Jesus plainly says that people who are not willing to pay this price simply cannot be His disciples. They may think they are disciples, they may appear to others to be, and no one may know till judgment that they are not true disciples. But Jesus does not consider such half-hearted followers to be true disciples, despite their pretensions. There is no point starting to serve the Lord, unless we are willing to give true, whole-hearted commitment, seeking His will above all else. See also v33 below. Cf. Matthew 6:19-33; 10:34-39; 16:24-27; Romans 8:5-8; 12:1,2; John 6:27,63; Luke 12:15-21; 1 Timothy 4:8; 6:6-19; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; 8:5; 10:3,4; Colossians 3:1,2; Galatians 2:20.
Forsaking our possessions
On v33 Jesus added that the price we must be willing to pay is to forsake all that we have. Again, we may not physically lose all we possess, but we must be willing to do so if necessary to please the Lord. And many have made exactly this sacrifice. And even if we do not lose them physically, we must commit ourselves to using them for His service. Far too many of us are too attached to our material pursuits. If we are not willing to sacrifice them for His cause, we simply cannot be disciples.
Note that Jesus is not teaching a blanket requirement that all disciples must give up all possessions or that it is a sin for Christians to own property. If so, what do we do with our possessions when we are converted? Do we give them to others? No, they could not possess them either, or they would be in sin! Many other passages show disciples who were acceptable though they owned property. Zacchaeus was accepted by Jesus when he committed to give only half his goods to the poor (Luke 19:1-10). Cf. Acts 12:12; 21:8; etc. Just as we are not literally required to "hate" our family members, so we may not be literally required to give up all possessions.
But, while we may not have to give up all possessions, there is a real warning here for us. We must not be so attached to our possessions that we would not be willing to give them up for the Lord (Luke 14:33; Matt. 6:19-33). If we are so attached, then we are not true disciples.
Are we willing to pay the price?
For further study I encourage the reader to go to www.gospelway.com/instruct/ and study our online articles about Biblical family relationships.
(c) Copyright David E. Pratte, 2/5/2005
ref. http://www.gospelway.com/topics/family/hating_parents.php

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

Romans 11:33 NKJV

Saturday, May 16, 2015

WEEKLY PORT ANGELES DIGEST: SISSI BRUCH A SHOO- IN WHILE OTHERS CONTESTED---UPDATE!

These are the final Talley of candidates for the Port, County, and City of PA races

Running for Port Commissioner: Rick (Doc) Robinson, Lee Whetham, Connie Beauvais, Michael Breidenbach

Running for Port Angeles City Council: Shan Pak, Michael Merideth, Marolee Smith, position 5

Sissi Bruch--position 6

Cherie Kidd, Dan Bateham Position 7

County Commission: Jim McEntire, Mark Ozias, Bryan D. Frazier

See here for complete candidate filing

(Looks like Sissi Bruch will be in the only uncontested race for city council, while Cherrie Kidd will face Dan Bateham for the Position 7, Shan pak will be in a primary with , Michael Merideth, Marolee Smith, position 5. So looks like Sissi won't really need to campaign or anything since she is a shoe in. And here I was fully prepared to have a headline today that would read: " Council Candidate in a non election, election." But that's out the window because filers for those contested races now filed on Friday the last day for candidates to file. Up until then Shan Pak, and Cherie Kidd were also heading for non contested races, but now those two will have to actually earn their spots on the council and convince the voting public they are up for the task.

In another primary race which was probably a surprise to our pal Lee Whetham, who only served 15 months on the City Council. Has Three contenders running against him: Connie Beauvais, Michael Breidenbach, and Rick (Doc) Robinson. My! Lee do these folks knows something about you we don't?

Like for the example of you waffling over that fireworks ordinance. Something that Whetham suggested to happen so he can appease those who are against private fireworks. Then he saw that the cops were going to have issues enforcing it, he ended up voting against the ordinance and said more discussion is needed. I think he just didn't want to look bad to the cops.

And the most recent during a speech he made at the Port O Call event, he mention he wants the city council to get a pay raise, and include medical benefits! All this while the city is in a $238,000 deficit! You tell me, does that make sense? So what do these guys have on him that's the question of the day.

In another primary looks like County Commissioner Jim McEntire, will face; Mark Ozias, Bryan D. Frazier. So looks like a full election, except for one on the city council Sissi Bruch who is running uncontested. Now, I sent emails to these candidates offering them the opportunity to have their say on their elections; thus far I heard from one of the City Council Candidates who is now in a primary: Marolee Smith

Here is here press release she offered:

Port Angeles, WA, (May 15, 2015) -- Marolee Smith today has announced her candidacy for the council seat vacated by Dan diGuilio.

Smith is a 20 year Port Angeles native who is concerned about the future of her town.

“I am particularly concerned about the lack of long-term planning, increased utility rates and questionable new fees that now plague the town,” says Smith. “This is all the responsibility of your city council which has become a rubber stamp at the expense of the public. There needs to be a change.”

There are three candidates contesting for position #5. This, means there will be a primary election on August 4, 2015, to narrow the field to two candidates. The other two candidates are Shan Pak and Michael Merideth. Ms. Smith has not met either of her opponents, yet. She said, “Clearly we are going to end up with, at least, one new face on the city council. That, alone, makes me hopeful. The more new blood we can infuse in the council, the better it will be for everyone.”

She makes it clear that she wants to listen to the residents, and give them a represented voice. “I think we (as a community) need to stop having our council approve everything the city asks for, without more discussion, and without careful thought.”

Ms. Smith, a former downtown business owner, has great empathy for those trying to do business in town. Her goal is to find ways to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit, and aid the established small- to medium-sized businesses that are so vital to our community’s financial health as well as its future.

She says her biggest hope, is that we can unify the Port Angeles vision. This begins with getting rampant costs and last minute desperate measures under control, and work to create a cohesive positive vision for the future of Port Angeles.

MORE PRESS RELEASES RECEIVED: UPDATE!

Bryan Frazier Files For County Commissioner

For Immediate Release: Bryan Frazier Announces Candidacy for Clallam County

Commissioner District 1

Bryan Frazier 30 resident of rural Carlsborg filed today to run for the position of Clallam County Commissioner-District 1.

Bryan is running for County Commissioner because he believes that Clallam County can achieve better solutions to simple and complex issues when the citizens are listened to and fully involved before making decisions that affect the quality of life in the county. He is dedicated to revitalizing the Clallam County Economy and improving the existing infrastructure that is vital to support existing businesses and employment and would make Clallam County a desirable and dependable area to locate families, new businesses and create opportunities for living wage employment.

Bryan’s Priorities are:

Revitalizing Clallam County’s Economy
Provide approachable, open and transparent government for all citizens at all levels.
Improve existing infrastructure
Cut unnecessary wasteful spending to provide funding for vital and necessary public programs and services.

For information or to get involved, please call (360) 683-4424 or (360) 670-1416

Bryan Frazier Biography:

Bryan Frazier (D)

Clallam County Commissioner (District 1)

Community Based Leadership

Summary: Bryan Frazier is an experienced former small business owner and community organizer who helped found the 501 4C Citizens For The Preservation Of Carlsborg Community Action Group when his neighbor needed him most. Bryan dedicated 15 years of service to Clallam County Fire District #3 as a volunteer Firefighter/EMT, in- service instructor and training officer. He attended Officer Training School and achieved the rank of Lieutenant. Bryan was simultaneously employed as an EMT with Olympic Ambulance Service in Sequim for 8 years and served as interim manager for one and a half years. Bryan has tirelessly, always answered the call of his community with dedication and professionalism.

Core Qualifications:

Former small business owner
Managerial and workforce training experience
Experience with Land Use Planning Codes and Regulations
Experience working within budgetary guidelines and policies to achieve fiscally responsible and financially desirable outcomes
Successes in bringing local citizen together to achieve a common goal
Knowledgeable of water quantity and quality issues facing Clallam County

Status:

Sequim resident since 1986

Clallam County resident since 1983

Married to wife Florence for 32 years

Opinion Contributor to Port O Call News

Dan Bateham: City Council Candidate

I am Dan Bateham (my last name is pronounce like the words "bay dum")     I took a look at your blog and see you are doing good work. Thank you for this opportunity.

Here is a little information for you, see below ...

- Please note In the next few days I will have a website up at danbateham.com where you can learn more in depth about who I am and why I am running for office on the Port Angeles City Council, Position No. 7.

Attached you will find a picture of me taken yesterday, May 15, 2015, at the Clallam County Elections Office filing to run; and  I am including a link to a short (about one minute) video of myself with my first announcement of running for office and why.  -- YouTube link: https://youtu.be/YghVTS_s_fc

I have been a resident of Port Angeles for fifteen years. I retired from the military after after serving our country in the U.S. Army for twenty years from 1977-1997. I am getting involved now because I see we, in this beautiful city, need a voice at city hall and we need to get things back on track. I see a need for us to challenge the status quo.

- Families need real sustainable wages.
- Businesses need an environment in which they can thrive.
- Our children and grandchildren, truly our future, need opportunities to get involved.
- And we all need to know Port Angeles is a safe and healthy place to live.

To make this happen, the people who live in this beautiful city, all of us, need a voice and we need to be heard. I can promise I will fight the status quo; and we will be heard.

I will fight for all of us to have ...

- Transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility in local government.
- Incentives and common sense solutions working with our local businesses.
- Real opportunities for our young people to get involved.

It's time to get the American Dream back and on track here this beautiful city, our home, Port Angeles.

Again, thank you Peter, for this opportunity.


Dan Bateham
207 Wolcott St, Port Angeles, WA 98362
cell phone: (360) 775-7712
email: danbateham@gmail.com
website: danbateham.com (will be live sometime during the week of May 17 - May 23)
Candidate for Port Angeles City Council, Position No.7
Be sure to vote! Let your voice be heard!