Gas Prices Stink

I'm back in Tacoma this weekend...to buy gas.

Bellingham has the most expensive gas in the state by far, reaching $3.15 per gallon yesterday at most stations around downtown. Compare that to $2.70 per gallon around the Tacoma area, and you'd think Bellingham is one of those remote islands in the San Juans. Hamsters were able to avoid gas prices by riding the WTA for free during the month of August, but now the honeymoon is over and we're all breaking our wallets.

Seriously, I'm home for the holiday weekend, but I will be filling up while I'm here. For those interested, I found a nifty little Web site called www.washingtongasprices.com where you can find the most expensive and cheapest gas prices in your city.

Rock You Like a Hurricane

I'll take this time to put my belated 2 cents in about the Cindy Sheehan movement. Her actions are rewarded because the media needed to put a face on the anti-war movement, but her cause was asking too much. First off, she's already met the president and most people don't meet the president, so demanding a second meeting is unrealistic. Second, if the president meets with Sheehan, then he'll set a precedent that any families mourning the death of soldier can meet him. The president does not have time to do this. He's a little slow and needs as much time as possible to think about how to keep more soldiers from dying.

I'm a big fan of reading the news online, but I am overwhelmed by the coverage of the hurricane aftermath. Here's the basic information I've received over and over (ironically being repeated by me again):

• Eighty percent of New Orleans is underwater, and the water is rising.
• Alabama is under martial law because looting is out of control.
• People are dying and bodies are floating in the streets.
• People will continue to die as they resort to drinking the water they stand in, which is contaminated from death, gas leaks, sewage leaks, etc.
• Economic aftershocks will be severe.

Yes, the tsunami in Indonesia was much worse, but I don't like to compare disasters, and the event has a bigger effect closer to home. Now I'm off to get some gas while it's still under $3.

Good Intentions and McDonald's Dollars

Random notes:

1. Harry Potter is the greatest literary series of all-time.
2. I am working on a Yahoo system to post photos weekly again for all of you old Web site supporters. I'm not sure if I'll be able to host a Top 5 list.
3. I know that Bay Street Coffee (old Stuart's) is making a killing off of me because I'm here non-stop playing on the Internet. I'm starting to get strange looks.

Yesterday Scott and Courtney came over and relieved me of my of solitude in the basement. The night was a perfect example of how Scott functions.

First we went to Wal-Mart. I'll spare an analysis here. After we paid, Scott asked Courtney and I to stay behind while he scurried off to the internal McDonald's. After a couple minutes, we walked over to see what Scott was up to. We turned the corner and saw Scott standing frustrated, clearly aware of how much time this sidetrack was taking. He wanted to surprise us by getting a me an ice cream cone and Courtney a parfait.

Courtney asked, "Scott, what are you holding?" He tried hiding it from us, but we could see the strange rainbow-colored papers in his hand. Yes, he had McDonald's dollars.

This is the essence of Scott. He was trying to be a nice guy by getting us some treats, yet he used McDonald's dollars that his Mom hands out to bums at intersections to buy the treats. Good intentions, good intentions...

We ended the night in traditional fashion. Scott Netflixed (too embarrassed to actually rent the movie in a real store) "The Pacifier." The movie was horrible. Basically, Vin Diesel took a try at a "Kindergarten Cop"- esque flick that made Disney look like it lost a bet. I think I have seen every bad movie with Scott... some good, but most bad. That dude has a bad/weird taste in movies. I continue to watch them, too. What can I say? He's my best friend. "Dukes of Hazard" here I come.

iGod

Right now, our brothers and sisters in the South are asking God, “Why?” Some are speaking to God for the first time; some are trying to reconnect to Him. Others fight their confusion in trying to make sense of His plan.

Overall, Southerners are a more religious people than we are in the Northwest, but are we turning the corner to becoming a religious society, too?

According to the P-I, that far-out congregation at Mars Hill Church are making Seattleites believe. The hotbed for twentysomethings is 4,000 strong and growing. According to one Martian, pastor Mars Hill’s pastor Driscoll, “Won't budge on biblical issues…but he doesn't say (you're wrong) if you dress a certain way, have tattoos or purple hair; that's not a biblical issue."

That’s cool. Young Seattleites like physical individuality. They like music, too. The church hosts the Paradox, a well-known, all ages concert venue, on its campus – a way to attract young people to become interested in the church.

The Martians are even involved online. The church Web site offers free downloads of sermons and music, and the site had more than 1 million hits last year.

And finally the Catholics have caught on. According to a New York Times article, I believe a priest in the Netherlands can steer my Catholic upbringings back on track.

“Father Vonhögen began podcasting during a trip to Rome in February. When Pope John Paul II fell ill he captured reactions in and around the Vatican. Since then Father Vonhögen has done programs on the spiritual aspects of the "Star Wars" films and has discussed the Christian dimensions of the Harry Potter books.”

That’s right, podcasting has struck the secular world. Amen. It’s about time Catholics caught up to the rest of the world and did something semi-hip for a change. Now excuse me, but I have to strap on my Ipod, go for a run and listen to last week’s sermon.

Fircest v. Wal-Mart

Now I may be taking my Bellingham ideals back home with me here, but I don't think this idea of bringing a hell-raising Wal-Mart to Fircrest is a good one. As one Tacoma resident put it:

"Wal-Mart wants to be All-Mart, Only-Mart and Monopoly-Mart. Gig Harbor and University Place kept them out. Lakewood and Graham are fighting them. And we who love our community of Fircrest are going to fight them. We are 'too smart for Wal-Mart.' Wal-Mart has the worst employee-management relationships in the business. The lawsuits are constant and far too numerous to list. Suits involve discrimination, slow payment or denial of health benefit insurance claims and non-payment of overtime hours worked."

But this is all common knowledge by now. What isn't common knowledge is that only about 4 percent of the Fircrest is available for commercial development. The city has lost roughly 18 percent of its annual operating revenue to cuts from voter-approved initiatives, according to the TNT. Yes, the Tim Eyman voter initiative philosophy can have repercussions.

Simply put, Wal-Mart is striking out in Tacoma and its surrounding areas and now the giant is taking on the little safe-haven of Fircrest. Most seem opposed to the idea, except those in power, of course.

Sandwich-maker and occasional idiot Mayor Dave Viafore supports the idea. He sees the money, but does he see the bigger picture?

Don't worry about rezoning for more commercial property. The proposed Wal-Mart will stomp any business in its way. Fircrest is the little city, which should support the little people trying to run the little shop. Dave should know. I could buy that fresh pasta at Viafore's, or I could run down the street to that friendly Wal-Mart and save a couple bucks.