I want your pictures of things happening in Whatcom County and throughout the world. Just email them to tracy@kgmi.com.  Will post them with your name (optional) and won’t give them to anyone else without your permission.

Some people are never happy. I’ve found reaction to Bellingham Mayor Dan Pike’s sales tax proposal and the Whatcom Transportation Authority’s measure before that interesting.

The WTA asked voters if sales taxes should be raised to pay for bus service – they said no. Pike is now proposing putting a tax increase to pay for transportation projects and some transit service on a ballot.

What surprises me is how angry some people get over the idea of even giving voters the chance to raise their taxes. I’ve heard from many listeners who can’t believe anyone would consider putting such measures up for a vote.

Some of the more fiscally conservative activists I know have advocated for votes on tax increases – locally Brett Bonner and regionally Tim Eyman, just to name two.

I completely understand why people oppose tax increases and campaign against them as Bonner did with the WTA proposal. But I don’t know why so many of you are against allowing the majority of voters to decide if taxes should be increased to pay for things like roads and transit. Do you not trust the voters?

I would love to hear from at least one conservative who truly believes that the threats and obscene phone calls some Democratic members of congress have been receiving are wrong and totally unacceptable – period.

I don’t want to hear people say it was worse when George W. Bush was president but the liberal media didn’t report it. Or, the calls are really coming from leftists who are trying to make Republicans look bad. And please don’t respond if you think this garbage is justified.

Commentator Dave Ross interviewed a congressman whose five year old daughter accidentally answered a call on speakerphone and heard a woman say “I’m going to kill you!” That makes me so sad – a little girl shouldn’t have to worry about things like that.

So please God – give me just one conservative who says this is not right and must stop! No caveats, no excuses, no justifications and no blaming others.

I know some of you out there don’t like high school basketball on KGMI because it interferes with your programs. I understand that and I’m truly sorry.

But, having the games on is important to many people. Parents, grandparents, friends and fans all listen to the broadcasts.

With the streaming on our website, people can tune in anywhere in the world. Just imagine a parent or sibling serving in Iraq or Afghanistan being able to listen to the game – how great would that be for him or her.

Plus, we have so many good teams in Whatcom County – how can you not get at least a little excited about schools from Bellingham, Lynden, Everson, and Laurel all competing for state championships. The games are also a way for the businesses that sponsor the broadcasts to connect with their community.

To the very angry people who have written, called, and emailed me about how much they hate high school basketball – again I’m sorry – but it will all be over next week.

Sorry I haven’t blogged for a while – it’s been crazy around here lately.

We’re thinking about how we can better serve you with KGMI.COM, Facebook, Twitter, KGMI Listener Club, and even cell phones.

A daily email newsletter, more stories on Twitter and Facebook, and news texts are some of the things we’re kicking around.

I would love to hear some of your ideas – just leave a comment here, email me at tracy@kgmi.com or give me a call a 360-734-9790

A Progressive think tank sent this to me - what do you think?

On October 12, Limbaugh responded to critics by claiming that he is “colorblind,” “treat[s] everybody equally” and that he “doesn’t see [President Obama] as black,” but rather as “president of the United States.” As Media Matters’ research documents, there are at least 28 examples of Limbaugh making racially charged remarks, including:

· “We are being told that we have to hope [Obama] succeeds, that we have to bend over, grab the ankles … because his father was black.”

· “I do believe” Obama is an “angry black guy.”

· “[I]n Obama’s America, the white kids now get beat up with the black kids cheering.”

· “Obama’s entire economic program is reparations.”

· Obama is “more African in his roots than he is American” and is “behaving like an African colonial despot.”

· Obama is “Halfrican-American.”

· “Obama has disowned his white half … he’s decided he’s got to go all in on the black side.”

· Sotomayor “a reverse racist” appointed by Obama, “the greatest living example of a reverse racist.”

· Obama “wants us to have the same health care and plan that he had in Kenya” and “wants to be the black FDR.”

· Latching onto LA Times op-ed, Limbaugh sings “Barack, The Magic Negro.”

· “God does not have a birth certificate. Neither does Obama”; Obama “has yet to prove he’s a citizen.”

· Limbaugh on Gates controversy: “Here you have a black president trying to destroy a white policeman.”

· Limbaugh suggests Obama would not have acted on Somali pirates if he’d known they were “actually young, black Muslim teenagers.”

· Limbaugh suggests Democrats, media believe “you can’t criticize the little black man-child.”

“The government’s been taking care of [young blacks] their whole lives.”
· “The days of [minorities] not having any power are over, and they are angry.”

“[M]inorities never do anything for which they have to apologize.”
· Limbaugh: “The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well.”

· Limbaugh says “NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips.”

Limbaugh declares basketball “the favorite sport of gangs.”
Limbaugh invented “racial component” to Hackett’s decision to withdraw from Ohio primary race.
Limbaugh on Survivor series: “African-American tribe” worst swimmers, Hispanics “will do things other people won’t do.”
Limbaugh suggested Colin Powell only supported Obama because of race.
Limbaugh: Gates is an “angry racist.”
Limbaugh called illegal immigrants an “invasive species.”
Limbaugh repeatedly calls Native Americans “Injuns.”
Limbaugh says Democrats’ interest in Darfur is securing black “voting bloc.”
Limbaugh says that if “feminazis” had remembered to oppose “affirmative action for black guys … they wouldn’t face the situation they face today.”
For more information, please see: http://mediamatters.org/research/200910130049

The City of Bellingham recently began streaming its government and educational television channel, BTV10, on the City website. BTV10 programming is now available 24/7 to anyone with a computer and high-speed internet access. On-line viewers will see exactly what Comcast cable customers would see on Channel 10, without the need for cable television service.

Bellingham Mayor Dan Pike said BTV10 is key to supporting City priorities of government transparency, involving people in decisions that affect them, and providing timely, accurate information about City programs and services.

“We are very pleased to announce this new service, allowing extensive access to government and educational programming on BTV10,” Mayor Dan Pike said. “People who do not have cable television service can now watch their City government in action, along with a host of other programs and announcements sponsored by public agencies.”

This new service joins the City’s online “video-on-demand” archives of past City Council meetings and other video-recorded special meetings and events. Access to past meeting materials is of particular interest to people researching topics discussed at Bellingham City Council meetings.

Pike said the improvements cost less than $1,500 while significantly expanding the reach of BTV10.

Bellingham TV Channel 10 (BTV10), operated by the City of Bellingham, provides information about the City of Bellingham and other public agencies to the greater Bellingham community through the delivery of quality television broadcast services. It is funded entirely from franchise fees that are dedicated by City ordinance to television services. BTV10 services include:

Videotaping and broadcasting meetings of the Bellingham City Council and other City meetings, events and programs
Broadcasting meetings of the Whatcom County Council
Broadcasting programs produced and sponsored by/for government, education or other public agencies
Live broadcasting of Channel 10 over the Internet
Video on demand of select BTV10 programming
On-line BTV10 program schedule

By WILLIAM YARDLEY

The former chairman of the Whatcom County Republican Party has created a political action committee he insists isn’t affiliated with the party or a new property rights group.

But at least one candidate the former GOP leader Chet Dow has taken aim at doesn’t believe him.

For more go to: http://blogs.bellinghamherald.com/politics/

From Whatcom Peace & Justice Center…

The Board of Directors of the Whatcom Peace & Justice Center is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2009 Howard Harris Lifetime Peacemaker Award.

Bill Distler and James Gillies are combat veterans of the Vietnam War who have turned their experiences of war into service for peace and justice for over 30 years. Their front-line efforts in the anti-war movement take a special sort of courage. Their personal battles with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder have not stopped them from being leaders for social change. Rather, these struggles have strengthened their drive and resolve to make a positive difference in the world. Their peace activism and tireless work on behalf of other veterans is extraordinary.

During the 1980s, Bill and James advocated for victims of the Central American wars. James raised money for generators for Nicaraguan hospitals. Bill spent time in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua working on peaceful projects. The two veterans met in 1990 while being interviewed for a film about Vietnam.

James was active in the Veterans Speakers Alliance in San Francisco during the 1980s when many vets’ services had been shut down by the government. He helped build an active support network at the grassroots level, working to prevent veterans from falling through the cracks. Once in Bellingham, James devoted his time to working at the local Vets Center helping vets through the maze of paperwork to get deserved health care and financial assistance. Later, he was instrumental in the founding of the Bellingham Veterans for Peace Cpl. Jonathan Santos Memorial Chapter 111.

Bill also helped get VFP 111 established. He and James have helped every year with Arlington Northwest, the memorial for fallen GI’s and Iraqi civilians on Memorial Day at Peace Arch Park. Bill is an avid reader and voracious researcher, and puts his information to good use in brilliant writing, submitting editorials and letters far and wide. His writing has appeared in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Tikkun Magazine, and The Bellingham Herald. In the last congressional election, Bill ran as a write-in candidate against Rick Larsen, effectively bringing vital progressive issues to the forefront of community dialogue. He regularly attends the historic Friday Afternoon Peace Vigil.

Bill and James have spoken in dozens of college and high school classrooms and assemblies, making regular visits to Mark Galvin’s classroom at Squalicum High School.

The award ceremony will take place at the Whatcom Peace & Justice Center’s 6th Annual International Day of Peace on Monday, September 21st, at First Congregational Church, 2401 Cornwall Avenue, at 7:00 PM. It is an inspiring family event featuring Keynote Speaker Rev. John Dear, Musician Swil Kanim as Master of Ceremonies, The Kulshan Chorus, and a simultaneous Children’s Peace Art Program. It will be preceded by a half-mile peace march which gathers at Maritime Heritage Park at 6:15pm.

Honored guest John Dear, S.J., is an author and lifelong peacemaker recently nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Dear’s work for peace has taken him to Central America, the Middle East, Northern Ireland, the halls of Washington, DC, and the desert of New Mexico. His stories of solidarity with the oppressed and nonviolent civil disobedience are eloquent and inspiring.

The United Nations’ theme for this year’s celebration is “WMD: We Must Disarm!”

All are welcome to attend.