Olympia Time

History, politics, people of Oly WA

Category: Olympia (Page 10 of 13)

Show Jeff Kingsbury some love today

November 21, 2008 / / 2 Comments

UPDATE: More threads here at Olympia Standard, Olyblog and Olyforums. Show your support folks!

Because he needs it.

Today’s going to be hard for Jeff, one of our city council members, not just because he’s dealing with this, but because of all the talk that is going to surround it, a significant portion of that negative.

So, do your part and take part in the conversation in a positive way.

Here’s a message I sent around to friends this morning:

I’m sure most of you have already heard about the vile hate mail that targeted Jeff Kingsbury in the last few days.

Please show your support for Jeff in the discussion going on right now in various places online around town. Here are is the link to comment thread at the Olympian where you can show your support for Jeff

I’ll forward more threads when they pop up if you’re interested.

Just a few thoughts on how to best respond:

There will be negative comments towards Jeff, please do not directly take on this posters or engage in a “flame war.” This is exactly what they want you to do, to rise to the bait.

Instead, make sure you contact the forum administrators or editors so they can take the hateful, hurtful comments down. This is especially true for comment threads on the Olympian, as they have well laid out rules for their threads.

A simple positive message that you support Jeff and that he’s in your thoughts and/or prayers should do. Thanks.

Orca Books, the place to buy books online (who knew?)

October 5, 2008 / / 0 Comments

Aside from spending bookstore gift cards, I’ve found the best new way for me to buy books.

From now on, I’ll fill out the order form from Orca and exchange emails with the nice staff down there and pick up my book in a few days.

The process was amazingly like getting a book from the library, minus actually having to pay for the book at pick-up and a couple of emails.

Now that I think of it, the emails (and one phone call) were actually a very pleasant addition to the process. Made ordering a book a human process, rather than pulling out my credit card and punching in the numbers. I felt a lot better spending the money waiting until the book was available downtown.

I’m not too familiar with the plight of independent book stores against the giant book sellers, but I’m sure there have been some discussions on how to use the web to fight against amazon.com, B&N and Borders. While efforts like Booksense and Indiebound are commendable, it turns out (at least in my case) the best thing to do is to make it simple and pleasant to order a book for pickup.

Have nice and responsive staff and an email form that works. By making interacting with customers online a priority, Orca has secured me (again) as a loyal customer.

Oly2012 not netroots, for now

September 6, 2008 / / 0 Comments

You’re doing it wrong (from their email tonight):

Oly2012 is a net-roots organization dedicated to helping decision-makers significantly improve downtown Olympia before 2012 by mobilizing an active network of well-informed citizens.

Things I know about Oly2012 so far:

1. They don’t have a blog, a online bulletin board, or any sort of online exchange (private or public).

2. One of their founding members Pete Stroble does post at Everyday Olympia and Olyforums, but I think that’s a far cry from actually being a netroots organization.

I don’t have a quick definition right now, but being netroots is more than having an email newsletter and posting stuff to your site every once in awhile. They could add a blog, but its more about an online democratic decision making process than simply discussion.

Being at Everyday Olympia and Olyforums is a good start, but its not enough to call the organization netroots.

I need to think about this some more and email Pete. Or something.

Dear over-the-top anonymous commenter

August 25, 2008 / / 0 Comments

You are right, the port protests and the sometimes over the top reaction to the ithmus debate have nothing to do with each other:

Protesting war equipment at our port? Tall condos for rich people? Olympia as a nuclear-free zone? Improving downtown – but how? Traffic conditions(bikes & cars)

Our community needs to discuss a number of controversial issues, and every person has values, experiences and perspectives worth sharing. Solving our community concerns needs everyone’s voice – including YOURS!

On citizen journalism and this blog

August 18, 2008 / / 0 Comments

Chill out indeed:

Do you make any effort whatsoever to gather facts before you make statements, or do you just type whatever pops into your head? Because the leaders of the opponents to the rezone, people like Bonnie Jacobs, Bob Jacobs, Thad Curtz, Barbara Gooding, etc., were certainly not participants in the Port protests. There’s very little overlap between resistance to the “rezone for sale” of the isthmus, and Oly PMR. It just astonishes me that you would write something so ridiculous, that has no basis in fact. So much for citizen journalism.

Good point that none of the actual leaders of the “don’t wall” groups where down at the protests, but dude, chill.

Its still my opinion that we’re riding a wave of emotion in Olympia, pitting the people who supported the protests, to those who didn’t.

And, this blog isn’t for any sort of citizen journalism stuff, I never claimed that. I do try to do that sort of stuff at Olyblog.

Rhenda sez chill out folks

July 31, 2008 / / 0 Comments

Rhenda Strub, a new city councilmember here in Olympia, writes a pretty good piece on the ithmus issue here in town. Not on what she believes we should do, but on how we all need to take a deep breath:

The hyperbole is objectionable enough, but the anger coming from the people who want to talk about this issue is really astonishing. People who have lived here for much longer than me (6 years) tell me they’ve never seen anything like it.

To tell you the truth, I haven’t seen anything like it either. Even the old convention center debate wasn’t this divisive. What I think happened is that the social and political groups that formed around the port protest issue have continued and this is their new target. And, of course, there is a reaction to that energy and it keeps on bouncing around.

Also, good to see Rhenda blogging.

How a Ron Paul acolyte can win in Oly?

July 28, 2008 / / 0 Comments

Hmm:

As a candidate from the Campaign for Liberty movement you have the potential for strong support in Olympia, by appealing to what I call Olympia’s anarchist tendencies. The campaign may also need to morph its stance on illegal immigration to something that does not focus on a group of people. I might expound on that more later. There needs to be more emphasis on things that matter to people in liberal Olympia. There is a streak, a vein that runs through Olympia, and that is fear of unchecked power, and if that chord was struck I think Delavar can achieve stronger support. Here is just a couple of things that need emphaisis for your to garner support.

Opposition to war based on a non-interventionist stance.

Championing and, really, defend the Constitution, any transgression against it will not be tolerated.

Attack inflation. This issue alone can be tackled effectively by Delavar. The answer is there, it’s not rising prices, but falling dollar, right? And your solutions, Delavar, is different from other candidates, and it could ease the anxiety of many a voter.

I wonder… I would assume that the folks who would feel like even Cheryl Crist is too centrist would go for this guy. Though, maybe they’d hitch their wagons to him, thinking he actually has a chance to get to the general election.

I know the upcoming primary is essentially non-partisan, but assume that Crist doesn’t make it into the Top Two, losing too many Dem votes to incumbent Baird. That leaves Delavar and the other Republican, Christine Webb.

She might not be able to pick up enough of the conservative vote (because her campaign started really late) to get to face off against Baird, leaving Delavar the only hope of anarchists. In that case, in Delaver vs. Baird, I see Olympia (the far left part of town) going to Delavar.

The next big Olympia blog

July 25, 2008 / / 0 Comments

Will be Everyday Olympia:

It looks like OlyForums is going to become part of Mathias’ Everyday Olympia. That is to say the forum will be hosted there. The OlyForums.net URL will direct users to the forums themselves.

Mathias’ EDO probably would have continued to expand had he added forums there anyway, but Olyforums.net already has its own energized group of folks ready to talk to each other. Now, I suspect all EDO needs is one or two more front page bloggers and Mathias will be set.

Speaking of good Olympia Blogs, Oly Ost (means East Olympia) is pretty good.

One last Lakefair laugh (Republican Party as GOP)

July 24, 2008 / / 0 Comments

Forwarded by a fellow Thurston Dem:

Just a couple of thoughts.

Their sign isn’t very big, but with the wilting upper right hand corner, can you see that this is the Republican booth at Lakefair? I didn’t get down this far (only as far north on Water Street to get a Demo burger and an Elephant Ear), so I didn’t see this myself.

Maybe they didn’t have a big enough sign to be able to say “Thurston County Republicans?”

Maybe they didn’t have enough money for a second sign that said “Thurston County Republicans?” And, why don’t they sell burgers?

Maybe they’re guilty of the same distraction as Dino Rossi. Maybe no one will realize they’re Republicans?

« Older posts Newer posts »

© 2026 Olympia Time

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑