We must make all children get quality education

posted 11:37 PM 05/19
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Our state legislators must figure out a way to “make ample provision” for educating all our children. Washington’s courts have ruled that:

 • The state must define and fully fund basic education.

 • Basic education includes both general education and special education.

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It’s homes that the homeless need — not shelter

posted 11:36 PM 05/12

Sometime during the late ’90s, I had a Pentium II computer. The screen was a CRT; the modem moved data at 15.6kbps. It ran Windows 95, had a 250MB hard-drive and, back in the day, it was the standard mainstream system found almost everywhere.

Republicans need to clean house to revive party

posted 11:36 PM 05/05

Our nation needs two healthy political parties. Currently, there is only one, the Democratic Party. The Republican Party today is on life support, but there is hope.

What do you mean — I’m responsible?

posted 11:37 PM 04/28

A few years ago, I gave the introductory lecture-discussion for the drug and alcohol unit of a local hospital. Each group of 20-30 people met for three weeks. Ages ranged from 16-60.

We’re getting a very bitter pill with Obamacare

posted 11:47 PM 04/21

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) was touted as the magic elixir — the answer to health care reform. The law is a bitter concoction that we are being forced to sip, swish and swallow. Obamacare will fail, forcing the American people into a single-payer, government system.

The agonies and ecstasies of small business

posted 11:36 PM 04/14

I never knew how stupid my boss could be until I started working for myself.

Fix education by keeping, rewarding good teachers

posted 11:34 PM 04/07

Are elected officials doing enough to retain and reward good teachers? Do they understand, for example, that student attendance (not poor teaching) is the No. 1 factor in school achievement?

Sometimes, the baggage is more than we can bear

posted 11:48 PM 03/31

I work for Habitat for Humanity.

If God is with the victor, what about the loser?

posted 11:36 PM 03/17

One weekend, our church softball team entered a double-elimination tourney. We lost our first game. Another loss would send us packing.

Everyone has suspicions when you live on the wild west

posted 11:40 PM 03/10

I am a traitor because I live on this side of Washington state.

Tighter gun laws won’t help to protect us from harm

posted 11:41 PM 03/03

On Sunday, March 16, 1975, Miriam Douglas was asleep with her 4-year-old daughter when Marvin Kent and James Morse broke in and raped her.

Nothing’s too simple when it comes to Oscars

posted 11:42 PM 02/24

Is it time to thank The Academy?

Within all of us is the capacity for kindness

posted 11:46 PM 02/03

My thanks to The Olympian for the invitation to participate on the 2013 Board of Contributors. I recently returned to Olympia after a 65-year absence.

Homelessness can be solved if we’re willing

posted 11:45 PM 01/06

There’s a lot of language in our community that surrounds and informs our understanding of housing – what it means to be housed or to not be housed, and what that means. The words we use when we talk literally say a lot about how we think and, perhaps more importantly, how we feel. Stabilized shelter has been a critical component of human living since the late-Pleistocene period and its discussion is deservedly bound to generate strong feelings in all persons who utilize or desire it.