King-- You sound like a Port Townsend liberal (all politics aside, really) in that a number of folks in this area are doing just that-- changing the way they live to benefit not only salmon but all the natural environment. Smaller, eco-friendly houses, living off the grid, making wise environmental choices in everything from recycling greywater to storing rain to use in their organic gardens. Some of it is rubbing off on me...

Aunty-- I will try to get that issue by hook or by crook.

As far as the warmwater fishing goes-- the tackle industry calls it adipose fever-- whenever of salmon or steelhead are doing well, fishing for other species stops in the Northwest. This is especially true in the fall when bass fishing drops off, and a lot of bass guys hook up their sleds. Since some of the walleye fishermen use sleds as well, when the salmon or steelhead are in, all they have to do is change some of their tackle boxes.

You may also be seeing the effects of the economy. When folks are laid off or unemployed, they tend to go fishing more often-- as witnessed by the increase in hook sales; they go way up in a down economy. Another thing that seems evident is that there is more disposable income (contradictory, I know) in that sales of aluminum boats are way up-- a number of factories are sold out of their production or have a substantial backlog of orders. More disposable income puts more people on the road chasing fish.

Thinking about it a bit more, since the blackmouth fishery seems to have tanked over the last few years, it could be that saltwater guys are moving around a lot and may be in rivers or bays or places they haven't fished before. I know that several folks from around here are fishing in SW Washington because of better opportunity.

Keith

KJ,

The huge house thing is an interesting phenom. Baby boomers grew up in homes that where 1200sf or less. Here the avg is 2800sf new const. and the family is smaller. 2x the resources used for the same number of people. I would bet if polled about environmental issues they would all claim them to be a high priority.

Well said all! I think this is a very good start at working towards common goals. I would like to steal another liberal credo, "Act locally, think Globally." This is something I certianly could do better at. Every year I tell myself I am going to do more than just write letters and I never do. I would love nothing more than to raise/harvest all of my own food. I look at a package of hamburger and wonder just how many dead cows are contained in that one package!

I have never sent a letter to the White House but the local politicians are probably sick of hearing from me.......TK's right.....The buck starts here!

The Seattle Times, a family owned newpaper, opined in their Sunday editorial about the death tax. They said it better than I could. This is one thing Bush needs to get rid of during his second term:

It is time to cut a deal on the death tax. Democrats and Republicans in Congress have had different approaches, but all have constituents who face the same problem.

The problem is that heirs to a large family business face a marginal rate of 45 to 55 percent on the federal estate tax. If they don't plan ahead, this will cause them to sell the business. Or they can plan ahead by buying life insurance with money that should have been invested in the business. Many privately held Puget Sound area companies have been sold for estate taxes, including the Everett Herald, Ben Bridge Jeweler and the Frank Russell Co.

This is not a theoretical issue for us. We are a local company. We do not want to sell out to Gannett, Hearst, Viacom, Walt Disney, Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation or somebody else.

A high death tax is not comparable to a high income tax. The top rate of income tax is 35 percent and used to be double that. But people earn income in dollars and can pay a high income tax if they have to. The death tax is like the property tax on a house. In Seattle, the property tax is a bit more than 1 percent of value of a house. Imagine inheriting a house and having to pay the government 48 percent of its value. Imagine having to plan for that, years ahead — and how that might affect your willingness to invest in your house.

That is the problem for family business in America — and for every employee who works in one.

Supporters of this tax advertised it as a way to bill the rich. Actually, what it does is force family owners to sell to corporate giants, to tie up their money in trusts and to purchase a lot of wasteful life insurance. It has diverted money that could have created good-paying jobs.

In the past few years, estate-tax repeal was blocked in the Senate by Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D. Many Senate Democrats understand this issue far better than Daschle did, and several have offered reasonable compromises.

The next step is to propose a plan that will repeal or dramatically lower this tax, which handicaps family companies in their effort to grow and create family-wage jobs.


Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

Unfortunatley I believe this "kiss the ring" administration will continue as is. It seems to me that if you are on board you have to be there 100% and no exceptions... if you disagree with anything you are shoved outta the way. Exclusive and not inclusive.

I heard from insiders that right after innauguration day Bush is going to get legislation to sign that will abbrogate the treaties signed in the 1800s giving the tribes land and fishing rights. The religious right is behind the move to stop the spread of gambling. I noticed a new casino announced its grand opening this weekend in Arlington...450 new slot machines....waited until the election was over I guess. Wouldn't want to appear to be expanding gambling now would they.

One can dream, eh Grandpa? But if he could really pull that off, I'll cancel that topless Cadillac I rented for Bush to ride in through Dallas.

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It's kinda funny, now that I-892 failed and the Tribes don't have to compete with tax paying non-tribal casinos' slots---They don't seem to be as concerned with the expansion of 'Evil' gambling.

Has anyone seen a Tribe sponsered 'Concerned Moms Against Gambling' commercial warning us about the 'Evils' of gambling in the last two weeks?

I haven't.

But oddly enough, since I-892 was defeated--I have seen several commercials inviting me to 'Come have a great time' at Muckelshoot and Tualip Casinos....

I guess gambling is only 'Evil' enough to have Tribe sponsered 'Concerned Moms Against Gambling' commercials on TV and Radio 24 hours a day warning us about the 'Evils' of gambling when some of it may possibily be done off the reservations and 35% of the profits would lower everyones property taxes. When the Tribes get to keep ALL the Tax Free profits from gambling r themselves.... it's 'Come have a great time.'

Why so many were sucked in baffles me. As I predicted before the election gambling will keep expanding to NEW locations all over but it will expand without competition and without revenue to the state.

We can only wish :p

We can only wish
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Kennedy was shot in Dallas while riding in a Lincoln Continentel.

As long as you're publically fantasizing about having president Bush killed like Kennedy you might as well do it in a historically correct context.

I usually appreciate a good joke as much as anyone...even if it's at my expense---this litte public 'ha-ha' about President Bush having a 'Nightmare on Elm Steet' comes awfully close to crossing a line.

Aaaaaah heck RB lighten up.....it's all in fun.

I am sure if the word Bush would have been replaced with Clinton or Kerry you would have gotten a laugh out of it.

Geez, Democrats ride in Continentals, Rupublicans in Cadillacs. That better?

By the way, I've heard the only reason Bush is still alive is because no one wants Cheney as President.