Bayview Freed

The following is the ruling by Judge Mitchell for the plaintiffs, C.A.R.E. and against the Idaho Fish & Game Department. As Sheryl Puckett, long time community activist put, it," Idaho Fish & Game have brought shame upon themselves", and my words, "local residents are out $15,000, thanks the the Gestapo tactics of F&G."

The members of CARE, and their contributors are to be congratulated on the victory over Government run amok. Special thanks go to Sheryl Puckett for the grueling task of cutting and pasting this so that our readers didn't have to wade through all of the precedents, etc. We hope that the essence of the case have been fairly presented here.

RULING

The Vargas Master Plan is inconsistent with the range design criteria
Vargas discussed in his 1996 Third Shooting Range Symposium.

The Court specifically finds IDF&G’s claim that “Since 1950, there has
been regular and substantial use of the range by both individuals and
organized groups” (Defendants’ Revised Findings of Fact and Conclusions
of Law, p. 2, ¶ 2), to be completely unsupported by the record. IDF&G
put on no evidence to support that claim.

The ordinance continues: “All facilities shall be designed and located
with full consideration to the safety factors involved in such a use.”
The Court finds the range as it presently exists, and as planned in the
Vargas Master Plan, fails this requirement. There is not a single
overhead baffle at present, and none upon the Court’s review of the
Vargas Master Plan. Even a solitary overhead baffle located just in
front and above all firing stations will drastically lower the chance
of a bullet escaping the range.

While Nightingale’s Farragut Shooting Range Noise Study was the first
shooting range noise evaluation and first outdoor environmental noise
study he had conducted (Plaintiffs’ Exhibit 16, 25), his credentials
are more than sufficient for the Court to recognize him as an expert.

Exhibit 16, p. 15, ¶ 2. Congruent with this, the Kootenai County
Special Use Ordinance limit of 75 dBA was violated at four of seven
private properties. Plaintiffs’ Exhibit 16.
Hansen admitted in his trial testimony that DNL would dilute or lower
the results on a shooting range if the area is fairly quiet at night.
30. The Court viewed the area. It is rural. During the day it
was completely quiet. There is no reason to believe nighttime would be
otherwise. The Court finds Nightingale credible that DNL should not be
used in measuring noise levels at a gun range. In the rural community
of Bayview, which has background ambient sound levels in the range of
25 dBA to 35 dBA, the acceptable sound pressure level at the private
property line should not exceed 55 dBA, as measured with a certified
sound measuring device with an IMPULSE filter.

The Court notes that regardless of the mode or the analogous standards,
the Farragut Range fails from a noise standpoint. The most significant
factor for the Court as far as noise and nuisance law is concerned is
not the mode in which one measures maximum sound pressure level
(whether measured by PEAK, FAST or IMPULSE), and it is not which noise
standards should apply (EPA, HUD, DoD, Kootenai County Industrial,
Illinois or Hawaii). The most significant factor for the Court is the
increase since 2002 in the amount of gunfire, the number of times such
gunfire occurs during the day and the number of rounds shot during the
day…all results of increased use of the range. Even more dramatic is
the increase in projected use of the range by IDF&G.

33. On behalf of plaintiffs, expert witness Roy Ruel testified as to the
likelihood of bullet escapement from the real property owned and
controlled by defendant IDF&G. Ruel’s testimony regarding the
likelihood of bullet escapement was not contradicted in any way by
defendant’s experts Clark Vargas or Edward Santos.

Will Collins, who lives at 1801 E. Perimeter Road, testified he has
heard the “crack” of a bullet overhead while standing on his property.
Collins next- door neighbor Dorothy Eldridge testified about two
occasions, one in 2000 where she heard a bullet hit a tree above where
she was standing on her deck, and another in 2001 where she heard a
bullet hit a rock and ricochet. The Court finds these witnesses
credible.

Ruel testified that unless the range owner controls all land down
range, a range needs to be built so no bullet escapes. Ruel testified
that as this range is situated adjacent to residences and the Perimeter
Road, 100% bullet containment is required. Ruel testified that
baffling can reduce bullet escapement. Ruel testified no baffling
exists at the range today, and no baffling is called for in the Vargas
Master Plan. This is true even though Clark Vargas stated at a
national symposium in 1999: “If you build in a populated area, your
range must be totally baffled so that the range owner can demonstrate
to a judge that a round cannot escape.” Clark Vargas testified that
his Vargas Master Plan has side walls in place to contain cross fire
and trellis baffles to reduce the angle of escape, but Vargas did not
testify about any overhead baffles to prevent or even reduce a bullet
escaping from his proposed improved range. Ruel testified that a
“Hazard Assessment” is appropriate whenever there is a pubic safety
concern, and that Vargas had performed no hazard assessment. Ruel
testified that as planned under the Vargas Master Plan, the safety
factor is reduced as compared to the existing range due to the vast
increase in the number of people expected to use this range after the
Vargas Master Plan is implemented. Ruel testified that at present the
families down range are at risk of bullet escapement from the range
onto their property, and under the Vargas Master Plan they are at an
increased risk of bullet escapement onto their property.

36. The Surface Danger Zone from the Farragut Shooting Range firing
line encompasses a large area of private and public property and
extends beyond and down range from the real property owned and
controlled by IDF&G anywhere from one to two miles. Plaintiffs’
Exhibit 1, G-5 and Exhibit 2, figure 2; Exhibit 13, 14, 15; Exhibit 16,
figure 10; Exhibit 20. The Farragut Shooting Range is not large enough
to contain bullets fired from guns at the firing line within the fenced
boundaries of the range.


Most notably, as mentioned above, Clark Vargas stated in his “Design
Criteria for Shooting Ranges” given at the Third National Shooting
Range Symposium in 1996: “If you build in a populated area, your range
must be totally baffled so that the range owner can demonstrate to a
judge that a round cannot escape. Ranges are very expensive to
construct.” Exhibit 2, p. 5 under “Site Selection”.

47. The testimony of David Leptich and Randall Butt that adequate range
supervision had been regularly provided was not supported by their
admission that personnel from both departments were on the shooting
range for only one hour per week. The testimony of defendants'
witnesses that there has been adequate supervision is not credible nor
is it supported by the record.

Santos’ opinion that the Farragut Range need not be attended is
contradictory to the NRA Range Source Book, Exhibit 3. Again, Santos
supplied no factual foundation for his opinion.
Finally, Santos lacks credibility. Santos testified that the NRA
contacted Edward Santos to review the existing range and review the
Vargas Master Plan. However, Santos’ report (Exhibit G) states that
“This evaluation was conducted at the request of the Idaho Fish and
Game Department…” Exhibit G, p. 2.
49.The Vargas Master Plan does not meet and, in numerous
instances, is deficient and falls short of the requirements recommended
by Clark Vargas in his "Design Criteria for Shooting Ranges" presented
to the Third National Shooting Range Symposium sponsored by the
National Rifle Association in 1996 and in the Illinois Department of
Natural Resources Shooting Range Safety Plan, rules prepared by Clark
Vargas, Plaintiffs’ Exhibits 2 and 43.

However, Vargas in his “Design Criteria for Shooting Ranges” states in
unequivocal and mandatory language: “If you build in a populated area,
your range must be totally baffled so that the range owner can
demonstrate to a judge that a round cannot escape.

The Court finds Vargas to be the preeminent expert in his field.
However, much of his Vargas Master Plan and many of his opinions
expressed for purposes of this litigation conflict with his “Design
Criteria for Shooting Ranges”, which was not prepared for litigation
purposes. To the extent Vargas’ opinions and the Vargas Master Plan
conflict with his “Design Criteria for Shooting Ranges”, the Court
finds the opinions expressed in his “Design Criteria for Shooting
Ranges” to be more credible and better reasoned.


From the plaintiffs’ standpoint, if a baffle is placed above and in
front of each firing position, the chance of bullet escapement from the
existing range is significantly reduced. If such a baffle is place
above and in front of each firing position, and the range is operated
at no more than 500 shooters per year, the range need not be
supervised.

51. As presently operated and funded, IDF&G has no plans for nor
financial support to employ professional or trained range managers.
David Leptich testified IDF&G has had six volunteer “Range Hosts”
recently, but they require no firearms familiarity or any requirement
that they be able bodied. Clark Vargas testified he could not remember
if he looked at the supervision of the range, but expressed the opinion
that a full-time supervisor would not be required for civilian ranges.
The Court finds that to be inconsistent with his opinions expressed in
his "Design Criteria for Shooting Ranges" presented to the Third
National Shooting Range Symposium sponsored by the National Rifle
Association in 1996.

Exhibit 2, p. 1, 2 and 8. Roy Ruel testified
that at least two people should be working at the range as supervisors.
Otherwise, range rules do not get enforced. The Court finds Ruel’s
testimony to be more credible and consistent with Vargas’ opinions in
his “Design Criteria for Shooting Ranges.” However, if zero bullet
escapement is achieved in the range as constructed, supervision is not
required as supervision in that situation only inures to the benefit of
the shooters.

59. Because property owners are located within the Surface Danger Zone
and individual members of the public can walk or ride within the area
where bullets from the firing lines could land with lethal force, the
applicable safety standards require that the range be baffled
completely from the firing line to the target line. Plaintiffs’
Exhibits 2, 3, 6 and 38.

61. The Farragut Shooting Range as presently exists and as proposed for
expansion in the Vargas Master Plan must, for the safety of all persons
within the Surface Danger Zone, be subject to the "No Blue Sky" rule.
Plaintiffs’ Exhibits 2, 6, 38 and 43.
63.David Leptich is the Regional Habitat Biologist for IDF&G and
is the IDF&G’s lead individual regarding the range improvement project.
At trial, Leptich testified that in his opinion baffling is not
necessary at present and is not included in the Vargas Master Plan.
Leptich admitted this is in part due to cost, but added “Economics
isn’t the only issue.” In an earlier deposition, Leptich testified
that “economics” is a “secondary consideration” in choosing not to
incorporate baffles. Lepteich deposition, p. 146. At trial, Leptich
testified IDF&G would consider baffling but it “Depends on if more
people move in down range”, because then “The risk changes”. Leptich
acknowledged that the more shooters, the more rounds you will have, and
that in turn increases the chances for bullet escapement. Leptich was
asked: “If the number of shooters increases but the population down
range remains the same, then the cost benefit analysis gravitates
toward baffling?” To which Leptich responded “absolutely”. Leptich
admitted he wants to turn this into a first-class regional shooting
range and bring in more shooters. However, Leptich testified: “I
definitely don’t consider a change in patronage a change in use.”

The Court finds Leptich’s inconsistent testimony not credible. However,
Leptich’s testimony shows that as IDF&G’s representative in charge of
the range project, he is wearing blinders as he proceeds forward with
this project.

Further evidence of such is Leptich’s response to Clark
Vargas’ statement: “If you build in a populated area it must be
totally baffled so the range owner can demonstrate to a judge that a
round cannot escape”. Exhibit 2, p. 5. Leptich said he interpreted
that rather clear language to mean “highly populated areas”. Further
evidence of wearing blinders is the fact that Leptich testified that
even though Clark Vargas (designer of the very plan Leptich is
following) has the opinion that site selection is the most important
criteria (“The most important decision in range design is site
selection with safety in mind”, Exhibit 2, p. 8).

IDF&G has never even considered the fact that the site itself may be inappropriate. Leptich was asked: “If the site selection back in 1950 was a mistake, you are
not prepared to correct that mistake?”, to which Leptich responded: “I
would say that’s correct, we’re not approaching it from that
direction.” Leptich admitted: “Clark Vargas was not tasked to examine
the appropriateness of the site.” Toward the end of his testimony
Leptich stated: “If this range is improved, the local public benefits
because it is a safer, quieter range.” Neither the claim of increased
safety nor the range being quieter is supported by the evidence.

The Court finds Leptich’s inconsistent testimony not credible. However,
Leptich’s testimony shows that as IDF&G’s representative in charge of
the range project, he is wearing blinders as he proceeds forward with
this project.

Toward the end of his testimony Leptich stated: “If this range is
improved, the local public benefits because it is a safer, quieter
range.” Neither the claim of increased safety nor the range being
quieter is supported by the evidence.

The increased noise from the firing of rifles and pistols on the
Farragut Shooting Range in the time period of three years prior to the
filing of this lawsuit has been stressful to plaintiffs, offensive to
their senses and an obstruction of their free use of property so as to
interfere with their comfortable enjoyment of their lives and their
property, constituting a nuisance as defined in Idaho Code § 52-101.

6. The present operation of the Farragut Shooting Range, which allows
escapement of bullets beyond Farragut State Park/IDF&G boundaries into
the Surface Danger Zone encompassing plaintiffs’ private property and
Farragut State Park property open to members of the public, constitutes
a clear and present danger to the safety and health of plaintiffs and
other persons in the area.

The IDF&G is free to construct the baffles from any material it
chooses, but it must maintain those baffles. Once the IDF&G installs
those baffles at each firing station, it is free to operate the range
up to 500 shooters per year.

As authorized specifically by Idaho Code §52-111 and, in general, by
the duty of the courts to protect members of the public from known and
controllable dangers, plaintiffs are entitled to an injunction ordering
defendants Idaho Department of Fish and Game and Director Steven M.
Huffaker to close the Farragut Wildlife Management Area to all persons
with pistols, rifles and firearms using or intending to use live
ammunition, until a baffle is installed over every firing position.
Once baffles are installed, and the Court has lifted that injunction,
IDF&G may operate that range in the same manner in which it
historically has (ie., without any on site supervision), up to 500
shooters per year. Once IDF&G has realized that number in a given
year, it must close the range for the remainder of that calendar year.
Idaho Department of Fish and Game is limited to 500 shooters per year
because the Court finds such number to be a significant change in use
compared to 2002.

The Farragut State Park shooter sign-up sheets produced by IDF&G show 182 shooters (including counting numbers within groups) for 2002. Given the fact that those records are incomplete, the Court gives IDF&G the benefit of the doubt that perhaps up to 250 shooters actually used the range in 2002.

Doubling that amount to 500 Shooters per year is a significant increase in the number of shooters per year, but acceptable. The doubling of use compared to 2002 seems
to have been the significant increase that area residents found the
start of becoming a nuisance, and use continued to increase even
further. The doubling of use compared to 2002 is a significant
increase, but the Court finds is not likely to be a nuisance.

Idaho Department of Fish and Game cannot ignore Vargas’ opinions either
as to safe range design or as to site selection. While IDF&G has a
range, it is a range that has been used by less than one shooter per
day. Idaho Department of Fish and Game now desires to expand the use
of that range three thousand times, yet refuses to consider the
appropriateness (as defined by their own range designer, Clark Vargas)
of such an expanded range in its present community.


However, use levels will remain capped at 500 shooters per year unless
these two concerns have been addressed: 1) include safety measures
adequate to prevent bullet escapement beyond the boundaries owned and
controlled by IDF&G, and 2) include noise abatement measures to reduce
noise to a decibel level agreed upon by the parties in the first
instance, or, if the parties are unable to agree, to be set by the
Court following further evidence.

Even if the solution to these two concerns are agreed upon by the parties, in order to close this case IDF&G will need to obtain an order from the Court to exceed 500
shooters per year. The first concern (safety) is satisfied only by the
“No Blue Sky” rule, or “totally baffled…so that a round cannot escape”,
as espoused by the nation’s preeminent authority on range design and
designer of the Vargas Master Plan, Clark Vargas.

The testimony is uncontroverted that due to significant increase in
range use since 2002, from a noise standpoint alone, plaintiffs have
experienced a degradation in living on their own property. Dorothy
Eldridge testified the noise shakes her windows, that they no longer
ride horses due to the horses spooking from the noise, that the noise
causes her migraines to become symptomatic.

She testified there is no way to avoid the noise from the range as it
is still annoying inside the house with the windows closed and the
television on. Her husband Ron Eldridge testified he is considering
selling their property because twelve years ago they bought in that
location for the quiet.

Jeanne Hom is considering selling her property and taking a loss on the sale because “it is impossible to live there”.

Marcelle Richman no longer takes 4H children on horse rides in the
area due to safety concerns with bullets and the noise spooking horses.

These are examples of “great” injury.

In addition to the noise there are personal safety concerns. Granted,
no one has been hit by a bullet yet, but Will Collins testified that he
has heard the sound of a bullet “crack” as it went over his head while
standing on his property. Dorothy Eldridge has had two experiences of
bullets hitting or going over her property. While the mathematical
probability of a bullet hitting a person are slight, if that event
happens, the harm will be great. In addition to being “great” injury,
the injury is also “irreparable” for the same reasons noted above.
There can be no more “irreparable” injury than death or injury from a
bullet.

Plaintiffs have proven the sound from rifle fire at the range,
increased in frequency since 2002, “endangers the health and comfort”
of themselves and their family members.
CONCLUSION AND ORDER.

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED plaintiffs are entitled to an injunction ordering
defendants Idaho Department of Fish and Game and Director Steven M.
Huffaker to close the Farragut Wildlife Management Area to all persons
with pistols, rifles and firearms using or intending to use live
ammunition until a baffle is installed over every firing position. The
baffle must be placed and be of sufficient size that the shooter, in
any position (standing, kneeling, prone), cannot fire his or her weapon
above the berm behind the target. Once baffles are installed and
either 1) plaintiffs agree that the shooter in any position cannot fire
a round above the berm behind the target, or 2) if the plaintiffs
cannot agree, the Court so finds after a view of the premises, the
injunction will be lifted, and IDF&G may operate that range in the same
manner in which it historically has (ie., without any on site
supervision), up to 500 shooters per year. Once IDF&G has realized
that number in a given year, it must close the range for the remainder
of that calendar year.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED the Idaho Department of Fish and Game is free to
seek any funding it wishes. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is
free to build any improvements upon its property. However, use levels
will remain capped at 500 shooters per year unless the following two
concerns have been adequately addressed: 1) Safety: include safety
measures adequate to prevent bullet escapement beyond the boundaries
owned and controlled by IDF&G, and 2) Noise: include noise abatement
measures to reduce noise to a decibel level agreed upon by the parties
in the first instance, or, if the parties are unable to agree, to be
set by the Court following further evidence.

Even if the solution to these two concerns are agreed upon by the parties, in order to close this case IDF&G will need to obtain an order from the Court to exceed
500 shooters per year. The first concern (safety) can be satisfied
only by the “No Blue Sky” rule, or “totally baffled…so that a round
cannot escape”, as espoused by the nation’s preeminent authority on
range design and designer of the Vargas Master Plan, Clark Vargas.
Exhibit 2, p. 5. Once bullet containment is achieved, it matters not
for purposes of this litigation if the range is supervised (with bullet
containment, supervision would only inure to the benefit of the
participants, an important consideration, but not the subject of this
lawsuit).

The second concern (noise) is a function of the number of
shooters (per year or per day) and peak decibel level. For example, it
may be that 500 shooters per year in an unmitigated range producing 65
decibels is less desirable than 50,000 shooters per year from a range
that only produces 30 decibels. It would seem logical for the parties
to agree as to noise levels and shooter numbers in advance of any
construction, but it is not the Court’s place to force such agreement
in advance.

If the parties in the future cannot agree as to noise
levels and maximum shooter numbers, the Court will make that
determination with additional evidence. If IDF&G makes improvements
but does not successfully address safety and noise concerns, IDF&G will
not be allowed to exceed 500 shooters per year.

What is the World Coming To

Today, Hell froze over. In a totally improbable instance, the Spokesman-Review did it. Today's Opinion page contained editorials by the Spokesman-Review, A guest editorial by the Chicago Tribune, Trudy Rubin and Thomas Sowell, plus two political cartoons.

In an astounding feat of improbability, I agreed with every one of them, including the cartoons. That has never happened before.

Runway delays, the subject of today's S/R editorial, rightfully chastised the Jet Blue incident, among other previous cases of passenger abuse. The is no excuse for leaving people stranded for hours at the end of a runway. If there is no room at the gate, they can taxi back in and line up parked on the edge of the apron where buses portable stairs and in some cases, portable passenger trams can unload passengers.

Then, Trudy Rubin is praising the entire new team of Iraq experts such as the new ambassador, Ryan Crocker and General Petraeus as experts long over due. Imagine an ambassador that actually speaks the language.

Sowell jumps in to explain the unintended consequences of setting minimum wages and interest rates and The Tribune scoffs at purists that would remove the word scrotum from a childrens book.

The two cartoons, one of which depicts Hillary dragging a hand grenade labeled Iraq war vote, and Signe Wilkinson, deriding the health food extremes.

I am completely overwhelmed. How could Steve Smith, Editor, get it so unbalanced as to have me appreciate the whole page. Armageddon must be next...

Float Home Woes

At a recent State Land Board meeting, the subject of float home marina rents came up and was discussed, with the Dept. of Lands recommending that the free market be the rule for rents.

There are, as I see it, two serious problems with that. The State of Idaho has limited the number of float homes to the existing homes. One can move their home only if an existing moorage becomes available, which doesn't normally happen.

The second, is that the float home owners are a serious minority. In this day and age, when how many votes rules the judgement of our state government, there doesn't seem to be much hope.

If this trend continues, with average dock fees going from a recent $200 to $250, to in just two years, to $490 plus with one marina predicting a further 25% raise, well you get the picture.

The injustice of this whole scene, is Bob Holland, recent purchaser of three Bayview Marinas, flushing the common folk out of Bayview to make room for his dream of a spa for the rich.

Jaime Berube, a feisty lady with a cause is the Secretary of the Floathome Owners Association, and has recently spoken to the Land Board on behalf of the owners of float homes.

It's damn near enough to make a Democrat out of this lifelong Republican. In a reverse take, we have Robin Hood taking from the middle class to give to the wealthy.
For the CDA Press article, go to Hopeless Floats

Marti Gras Comes Next

Not quite over the Taryn Kiss yet from the Spokesman-Review Blogfest, and we here in Bayview are already planning Marti Gras.

Over 50 people, mostly bloggers, but many Blurkers too. Blurkers are those that don't have blogs, but comment regularly at Huckleberries, the Spokesman-Review blog.

Here in Bayview, we are gearing up for a big weekend again, as Marti Gras arrives. We will have live music at the Captains Wheel Saturday night along with much more. A costume contest will take place with a $100 prize for the best outfit. Beads will be flying around with abandon.

Other than that, clouds and snow are starting to obscure Bernard Peak, suggesting that while Spring is just around the corner, it hasn't quite got here yet.

Rathdrum Prairie

After years of losing sight of the sky for three weeks during Summer, it has ended.
There are, however, many people giving false information. First false issue: Grass fields protect the aquifer. Bull! So much Ammonia (Nitrogen) has been spread on those same grass fields that the soil is dead. That is the real reason that farmers don't switch to crops that don't require burning. There is no organic matter left in the soil to rebuild from.

Second issue: The prairie will fill full of houses. That was inevitable. Much of it has already sprung a crop of housing developments.

The prairie is a natural growth area. As more people move here, that is the vacuum or space that will fill new housing needs. Federal law requires that we clean up our water and our air that we breathe. Perhaps those that were forced to move away to save their health will prosper again, and those that might have died in the future of lung problems will live.

Growth cannot go South because of Lake Coeur d'Alene and the Spokane River. East is blocked by unbuildable land and the National Forest. West is the State Line. North is the only place growth can and will happen.

When September comes, I will look across the bay here in Bayview, and be able to see the other side.

Valentine's Day

We here in Bayview, are in a crisis mode. It seems that we have some folks with Sweethearts, and some without. While the Captains Wheel is having it's annual Valentines dinner, Wednesday evening, complete with Herb's Salad Bar, and even serving Steak and Lobster for your Honey, we have overlooked something.

An announcement today, firmed up that the day after Valentines Day, Thursday the 15th, will be known as "Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day." This may not be a holiday for most of you, but here in Bayview, where Bachelors reminisce, we care about you...

Some think that the failure of the "Bachelors of Bayview" campaign last Summer was the death blow. Not true. You Ladies that show up on the 14th or 15th will be treated as Royalty.

Blogfest '07

It looks like we're going to have a stellar turnout for our get together. You'd probably have to go to Congress to get more diversely opinionated folks in one room.

Having said that, I predict that harmony will prevail, since spouting off to a computer is quite different than face to face meetings. I think we will have a great time, good manners will prevail, and Capone's will sell lots of pizza.

I for one, am looking forward to meeting people that I have met on the blog that I haven't visited with yet. Hopefully, we won't be out competed by the "Pimp and Ho" costume party, although some of us might resemble the description, if you were to listen to MSM professionals.

News Flash...Breaking News

This just in...Fishermen off the coast of Washington and Alaska are witnessing the most extraordinary phenomenon. It seems that fish are leaping into their boats in hope that they will be served at the Captain's Wheel Restaurant in Bayview, Idaho.

Perplexed fishermen, apparently unaware the the Captain's Wheel has the best Seafood in the inland northwest, are totally dumbfounded by this situation.

Details at eleven...

Politically Correct?

This Morning's Spokesman-Review Letters to the Editor, carried several criticisms regarding the cartoon of a few days ago depicting Mary holding an adult Jesus, while dissing the Catholic Church.

These letters pointed out the hypocrisy of making fun of their church while never daring to do so for minority churches. One such letter, quotes Steve Smith, Editor of the paper saying in a previous case involving Muslims, "Were not printing the cartoons because the offense they would generate in our own, local, Muslim community."

I pondered over this seemingly inconsistent stance, until it dawned on me that politically correct media types only consider it bad form if the offended is a minority. Jews, Muslims and followers of Buddha or Shintoism are never, NEVER picked on.

It's against the politically correct rules to pick on a minority, even if that minority has committed an egregious crime, since, of course in those cases, the defaulting minority is innocent because the majority has picked on them...Or possibly our Great-Great-Great-Grandfathers did.

Using Jesus and Mary to make a political point of criticism of a religious group as a whole is Blasphemy at best, and in the case of the Politically Correct, a double standard. I am not Catholic, but I too, resent the picking on an entire faith for the failures of many priests to keep their pants zipped. I bet that Catholics don't like it either.

Perhaps it is time to look in the mirror. To reassess where we have gone and how we got there. Our Constitution protects the minority from the majority. Unfortunately, it doesn't work in reverse...

Shooting Range and the Bayview Captains Wheel

Lest one misunderstand, there are not any stray bullets whizzing about currently in downtown Bayview. In an earlier post, Stebbijo took a picture of a sign that was erected by C.A.R.E. which is an organization of local citizens banded together to stop the planned expansion of the old semi-retired World War two training range, back when Farragut State Park was a Naval Training Facility.

Politicians with the Idaho Fish & Game department decided that with a grant or two they could make this into a state of the art shooting gallery, along with skeet and trap facilities.

The only problem with that is that since 1945, many changes have taken place. Homes have been built down range from what used to be the rifle range. The entire area has grown and continues to do so at a rapid rate.m With hills on each side,the sound of a weapon going off ricochets back and forth off the surrounding hills creating a disruptive noise factor in what is normally a pastoral, drop a pin quiet area.

A lawsuit was filed against the State by this group made up of grass-roots citizens which has been heard, but no decision has been rendered yet. Ergo, the sign pictured in Stebbijo.com.

It is not necessary to dodge bullets to visit the Captains Wheel to sample my Potato Salad, nor is it dangerous to sample our succulent Prime Rib,Seafood, famous soups made from scratch, or many other great meals. Come on down. We'd love to have you...
Stebbijo.com

Sad Endings

One of the thoughts that I have had as I have reviewed my memories, is that when the whole Groene story broke, and with a picture of the house, I remembered taking a blond lady home to that location on several occasions. I think that it probably wasn't her, but I don't know that.

I just know that it was probably 1992, and the fare was usually from Betas on East Sherman. This had been bothering me some.

I have taken young ladies home after a casual date has taken from them and cast them aside, where the tears were shed with me. I have counselled enough pissed off husbands, wives, and significant others to open a Psychiatry practice, if it weren't for my lack of education.

If it weren't for the poverty pay, and the long hours of boredom, it would have actually been a great job. I think that from time to time, I did the right thing at the right time, and I'm comfortable with that.

There are of course things that I can't and won't talk about, as they could harm good people that are still out there. The suspected hard drug dens, and dealers...

We were providers of a service that included many people of questionable or downright decadent behavior. Some we knew of, many we just suspected. The rule was, see no evil, speak no evil, and just motor on...

Second Anniversary

Today marks the second anniversary of Bayviews. I've written 250...Well, this will be 251 posts over those two years ranging from Humor to frank opinions.

8005 folks have visited me during that time, with 15,197 page views. I've had a great time doing this. I hope some of you have enjoyed it too.

Not Travelin'

Now that I have crossed all the i's and dotted the T's, I'm ready to take off for the sunny southland...Except...I'm not going after all. (Reminder to self...call S/R and uncancel February delivery)

Several things kind of all came together, I decided I didn't want to leave. First, accommodations at my first stop became iffy. Then my Daughter called, saying she would be out of town. Besides, if I left, where would people get their potato salad fix.

I'm staying here. Home is where the heart is.

I, along with Backwoods Bob, my computer guru, am developing a site that will strictly be about the Captain's Wheel. It will be called, "As The Wheel Turns." We will feature special events and entertainment info along with the special of the day...That sort of thing. It will be fun, and let hungry people know whether tonight is the night for that special treat.

It will be designed to operate from INWBA. I've already lost the URL, but will come up with it soon.

A Town With a Complex

I grew up in the shadow of Seattle, Washington. I have lived in other, even larger cities. While I really like at this stage of my life, the laid back environs of Bayview, I can't help wondering about Spokane.

Opening my paper this morning...No actually, I didn't have to open it. One the front page of the Spokesman-Review today was a picture and a headline. Not unusual at all. What I felt was unusual was that it was a picture of two sports reporters from ESPN.

It has long been held that reporters interviewing reporters is not news so much as that is is a form of Journalistic Incest. Above this picture of reporters covering the Ice Skating Championships is a Banner Headline remenicient of the pronouncement of the end of World War 11, saying,"IN THE SPOTLIGHT."

I've always thought that front page headlines are for front page news, not a sporting event. The evidence here points to the Paper, and the City, having a huge Inferiority Complex.

Coming Events

I will be out of town during most of February. Before I go, I would like to acquaint everyone with coming attractions at the Captain's Wheel.

This Saturday, January 27 kicks off our annual Beach Party. In complete denial, we are ignoring that by the calendar, it is still Winter. Live music, tricycle races, beach balls, drink specials, limbo contests...I haven't heard if there will be bikini contests or not.

February 24 will be our Mardi Gras Party. Best costume prizes, drink specials...Loads of fun.

March 12? St. Paddy's Day, what else. The theme will be a Pajama Party. Live Music, Prize for best PJ's.

Come on down Saturday night...Your last chance at Herb's Potato Salad until March.

Cab Tales...One More Thought

Aside from the occasional crisis, many fun times were had as well. Most of the great night spots that were around back then are gone now. Sherman's, The Cotton Club, scrubby old Betas, and of course, Chelsea's.

Chelsea's was a bar that booked Blues Bands. Good ones. It also had a well developed drug culture. This wasn't necessarily management's fault, it just king of followed the musical scene.

One night there was a band playing there that went on break. When they lit up in the parking lot, Coeur d'Alene's finest descended upon them. It turns out the smoke was under Idaho statutes, a controlled substance, of which it was unlawful to possess or use. Marijuana. Pot. Acapulco Gold. Stinky Weed.

When the break didn't end, some curious wandered out and discovered the problem. Not accepting defeat, and with the knowledge that the bar was full of underemployed musicians, volunteers jumped on the stage, and finished out the evening.

I visited Coeur d'Alene recently. Well, actually, I was a refugee from the power outage caused by the big wind storm that moved through a while back. I hadn't spent any time in the City much since I moved to Bayview lo these twelve years ago. The only watering hole that was familiar was the Iron Horse.

Downtown Coeur d'Alene had morphed into Yuppie Heaven, with wine and coffee bars lining the streets. I thought it was a flashback to the early Sixties in Malibu. I felt like a foreigner. I fled back to Bayview...My comfort zone...

Cab Tales...Stuff

A lot of strange things happened while I drove cab, but it is necessary to point out that these interesting incidents are punctuated by hours upon hours of boredom.

Occasionally though, things got interesting. I think back to the apprehension of the man that stole Shasta's life from her, and how, when I was driving, after the bar crowd had been taken home, I would have been at Denny's that night, and would have immediately dove into the deal.

On another occasion, I was driving the Photographer Son of a prominent Innkeeper late one night. They wanted to visit the cash machine at what was the bank at 3rd or 4th and Sherman. The only problem was that in circling the block to hit the cash machine, I used the alley between Sherman and Mullan.

Exiting an alleyway can be tricky, since if you are tired, and careless, and enter a one way street, you can find yourself going the wrong way. I did, and the City's finest was right on it. Unfortunately, and incidentally, I would like to see this changed, there were no one-way arrows pointing which way was one way, when exiting the alley.

Fortunately, as the aforementioned passenger got out and used the cash machine, the officer warned me and let me go. The Coeur d'Alene Police were pretty good about letting simple stuff slide, as long as the violation wasn't a safety issue. Later, a young Red Head Rookie tagged me twice in the hwy 95 35MPH zone while in an emphasis patrol.

That pretty much ended my cab career as I couldn't afford the insurance rates that the tickets earned me. (The violations were 8 and 9 miles over the limit after 2:30 AM without any conflicting traffic)

Competition Gets Fierce

There were at the time I was cabbing, two companies competing with each other. Sunset Taxi, my company, and Taxi by Hall. Taxi by Hall was owned by the same guy that repairs two way radios, and had our frequency on a portable that somehow fell into the hands of their drivers.

This kind of changed the chemistry, as they used cell phones, knowing that a radio signal can be heard by anyone with the right frequency. I noticed a sharp increase of fares that were no shows, especially if we were running a little behind. After discussing the situation with some of our regulars, we found that shortly after calling us, Taxi by Hall would show up.

Sometimes they would explain that we called them to help out since we were very busy. That never happened. Once, I caught the driver in the act of stealing fares, and took the passenger back.

Finally, I devised a code sheet which named the common stops such as the Resort, Chelseas, Iron Horse,and so forth. On the chart I devised, we had four possible numbers, which changed with a prefix number denoting the column to be used. The drivers had numerical charts, the dispatcher had alphabetical so that they could go right to the proper business name.

From that time on, we never lost another customer through cheating. The moral here, is it's not nice to eavesdrop...

Cab Tales...Honesty Pays

Some of the more fun times were with the bartenders around town. We had a policy that if a bartender worked in a bar that used our service, they went to and from work free.

We also had our regular patrons, many of them older folks that didn't drive anymore. One such customer was a sight impaired lady that lived up on Miles in Hayden. Once a month she would take a cab to town and cash her Social Security check. She got to know us by our voices. That will be part of another story.

On an evening after taking this lady to town and returning her home, I had occasion to pick up an off duty bartender from the now defunct Gibbs Tavern, on Northwest Blvd. This lady was kind of drunk. Actually she was knee walking pee in the corner drunk.

I got her to her apartment, and half carried her and her purse in, flopped her on her bed and left. The next day I got a call from our office wondering if I had seen a purse belonging to the blind lady. Bingo. I raced down to Gibbs and asked them if they had an unidentified purse.

They did. I and the bartender, not the same one, opened it and ascertained that one, it did belong to the lady in question, and two, that an envelope containing several hundred dollars was still there. The drunk bartender, waking up and finding a purse that didn't belong to her had without looking in it, brought it back to the bar, figuing she had grabbed someone elses when she left.

I counted the money in front of the duty bartender, then drove it up to her house and returned it. After assuring her all the money was intact, I left.

Three days later, my boss, (Jerry Anderson) handed me $100.00 as a reward. I was uncomfortable about accepting money for just being honest, but he said that the customer insisted on it. So I took half of it down to Gibbs and shared it with the honest bartender. It turns out that there are more honest people out there than many would imagine...

Cab Tales...Prisoner

Perhaps the most difficult story to tell is the one I'm about to describe. I saved it to last because it is such an emotional experience, both for me and the victim.

One night, I got a radio call from Texas Bob. He had picked up a woman wandering around scared, beaten and looking for help. Since I was in charge of the shift, I arranged a rendezvous with him to take charge of his passenger.

She was scared and had been badly beaten. The story she told was chilling. Her live in Boyfriend was a Meth addict and perhaps a dealer. He got mad at her, threw her into his truck, drove to Fernan Lake, where he stripped her and threw her into the water naked.

As she managed to wade ashore, he came back. He threw her back into the pickup, raped her, (she called it rough sex) and threatened to kill her. He then took her home, where he barricaded the door to a bedroom, not allowing her access to the rest of the house, or freedom. That imprisonment lasted several days, while he apparently waited for her bruises to disappear.

Somehow she had managed to escape while he was out. It has to be pointed out at this time that she was injured too badly, prior to this for an escape. I called the Women's shelter, but there wasn't space for her there.

Her parents lived in Hayden. I offered to take her there. She started to go for that, until she realized that the guy that did all this to her would head straight there. I took her to my place and left her with a place to sleep.

The next day I called the Coeur d'Alene Police, and had an officer meet us at my home. A criminal complaint was made, and that was the last of the situation that I was aware of. I still wonder what became of her.

Cab Tales...And the Police

Quite a bit of interaction occurs between Police Officers and Cab Companies. When they stop and arrest a drunk driver, we are called to transport the passengers, if any.

One evening I was called to a freeway stop on Westbound I-90 between Fourth and Fifteenth Streets. When I got there, the City Police Officer, (a young one) had an elderly lady arrested. It must have been a slow night, because there were six or seven Law Enforcement cars at the scene to back up the apprehension of this 72 year old lady.

Her passenger, was her Husband, an older man needing transportation. He was spitting mad. When I arrived on the scene, I asked a Sheriff Deputy what was going on. He essentially replied, "probably nothing, but it's not my stop."

I hustled the husband into my cab to get him out of there before he got arrested for "Contempt of Cop." Actually, that isn't against the law, but interfering with an arrest is. He explained to me that yes, he had drank quite a few, but his wife had only one glass of wine three hours back.

He then went on to state, that while the officer said he had pulled them over, that they had pulled to the side because it was cold and the window wouldn't roll up. The officer then pulled in behind them. They took this frail lady, securely handcuffed, guarded by at least eight of our finest, to the Grey Bar Hotel.

I explained that when the officers got to the jail they would administer a sobriety test. At that time, she would obviously be released. I felt he was too angry to take directly to the jail, so we went for coffee. I bought. We eventually arrived at the jail, and sure enough, the wife had been released without charge.

Aside from this elderly lady being roughhoused, cuffed and hauled off to jail, the car had been towed, police tows being quite expensive, and it turns out the whole arrest was based on the smell of alcohol in the vehicle. Duh...So much for the designated driver theory...

Cab Tales...Suicide

There are many bizarre ways to kill oneself. On this cold Winter
night, I met a man that wanted to commit "suicide by Taxi."

It all started when I made a routine pickup of this guy on North Fourth Street, in Coeur d'Alene. He climbed aboard with a sack holding a jug of Vodka. "Take me to Fernan Saddle," said he. OK...Ive been stranger places, and away we went.

On the way up the mountain, I asked him what he was going to do when he got there. He calmly informed me that he was going to kill himself. I asked him why he would do such a thing. He then told me that he discovered his wife had been cheating on him and he didn't want to live any more.

Further questions revealed that the method he was going to use, was to get out of the cab, sit down in a snow bank, drink the jug of Vodka, and wait to freeze to death.

By this time, my mind was going a mile a minute. How do I stop this. Do I stop the cab, turn around and go back? No... He might jump out, then be impossible to find.
I kept on driving up the mountain and started to talk with him. I used about all the diplomacy I had in trying to get him to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Finally, we reached the summit. I looked at him and said, "I really don't want you to do this. You're a nice guy, and if things don't work out for you, a real nice lady will be out there for you. Why don't you let me take you home...No Charge..."

He then said, "OK." I drove him back to our point of departure, didn't ask for a fare, and wished him well...

I don't know what happened to him after that. I never saw him again. I hope he made out OK...

Cab Tales...And Greyhound

Occasionally, something would go awry at Greyhound and the local agent would enlist our Cabs to bail them out. I recall two incidents, one Summer and one in the dreaded 91-92 Winter.

One Summer evening, I was called to the local depot to carry a passenger to Creston, Washington. When I got there, the passenger, a young man, told me that when he got on the bus in Spokane, with a ticket to Creston, it was the bus to Coeur d'Alene.

It seems that they thought he was going to Creston, B.C. with a connection in Coeur d'Alene. Unfortunately, wrong Creston, and late at night, there are no buses going anywhere out of Coeur d'Alene. I spent most of the night driving to Creston, West of Spokane on highway 2 in the middle of the state and back.

The second incident was much hairier. It was late in the Winter-Spring of 92. The fourth of storms dumping more than two feet of heavy wet snow had finally, and the only time I could remember, caused me to pull both cabs off the road for the night.

Myself and Bob, the Texan, were having coffee at Denny's when we got a call from our dispatcher. Apparently, a Greyhound had broken down in Worley,and had to be rescued.
It was very cold, the roads were a mess, but I had to go anyway. Twelve passengers were stranded without heat on that bus.

The station manager would ferry a small bus to Worley, where I would then bring him back to Coeur d'Alene. The Goat trail was trecherous that night, but by that time after driving all night all Winter long, I became quite good at driving in poor to horrible conditions.

We made it there and back, the folks on the bus went on to Lewiston and all was well.

Cab Tales...The Chase

Most nights, (12 hour shifts) are routine. From time to time, that changes. One night, I got called to a bar on Appleway, where an off duty bartender from another business needed a cab.

When I arrived, the situation was a little more complicated than that. A woman that had apparently been abused, was in the bar with her domestic partner, and wanted to escape.

After talking the situation over with me, the off duty bartender arranged for the guy to be blocked from pursuing us while I loaded the woman into the cab. It started out alright, but as we approached the cab, the man dodged the blockers and headed for us.

We got in the cab, locked the doors and left. Shortly thereafter, he followed, trying to stop and capture my passenger, which wasn't going to happen. I got on my radio to ask for police assistance and headed down town. We stayed on the freeway and main arterials so that we didn't need to stop at a light.

After being assured that the police were going to rendevous with us shortly, I headed down to Mullan going East toward the police station. Just in time, I remembered there are never police officers at the station during the night.

Keeping my dispatcher aware of my intended route, I hopped back up to Sherman going East. At I-90 and Sherman I got back on the freeway toward 4th street. I was told to exit at 4th where police would meet me. Got off...Nary a flashing light in sight.

The guy following us almost crashed me at the 4th & Appleway intersection, as I was turning left. Finally, up popped a police car which pulled him over in the parking lot of the Sunset Bar, right where we started from.

Several weeks later, I was transporting a guy whose car had broken down. He started telling me about the chase, and how he got a DUI out of it. He also mentioned that it was one of our cabs that was involved. I grinned, and admitted it was me, and explained that regardless of who was right or wrong, once a passenger gets in our cab, we protect them. He allowed that he had been a damn fool, which I agreed with.

Any other time, all I would have needed to do was exceed the speed limit by 10 MPH and police would have been all over me...

Cab Tales 11

The most interesting part of driving cab at night is the life lessons learned. Coming from a suit and tie business background, I had no idea how to handle unruly drunks or worse, drug users.

I learned than size, age, or physical condition had little to do with keeping the upper hand. I went from being scared half to death, to a calm deliberate peace maker. I once remarked that we had about the same job as a police officer, but without the gun or ability to lock up anyone.

Many of my stories will take place during the horror winter of...I think 91-92. I'm terrible about remembering exactly when events took place. While driving cab, I've been invited to participate in drug use, sex, and well, you get the picture.

Lest anyone wonder about what my reaction was, and I was single, I considered myself a professional. A person that an inebriated lady could feel would see her safely home...I did exactly that. Temptations aside, my belief was that if the female in question didn't know me, and wouldn't have extended an invitation while sober, she damn sure wasn't going to be used, while under the influence.

From time to time, I gave free rides. Not often and not to friends. It was always due to a humanitarian situation. I have no confessions, as such because I was proud of my conduct. More to follow tomorrow...

Cab Tales 1

When I arrived back in the Coeur d'Alene area in 1990, I had left the Seattle area with my tail between my legs, severely depressed. I had sunk my net worth into a startup company called Westgate Mortgage Corp. I started this company in the fall of 1986. Interest rates were at a low of 8 3/4% for the first time since 1979. The spring of 1987 saw interest rates surge upward to 10 3/4% in just two weeks.

I was caught with over $5,000,000 in rate reduction refinances in process, losing most of them. After struggling for 2 or 3 years, I sold everything and moved to Dalton Gardens. A homecoming that was 18 years after I had left the first time.

Close to broke, discouraged and probably clinically depressed, I opened a used paperback store called, "Herb's Paperback Exchange." Very little income was derived from that, and I called an old friend of 20 years, Jerry Anderson. I told him I wanted to drive cab for him. Thence this relationship became a two or three year gig, ending with me managing the night crew.

In the next few weeks I'm going to write down some of the more unusual experiences I had while driving for Sunset Taxi. I hope it will prove interesting for you, as I plumb the depth of memories that have somewhat faded.

Sunset Herb

Starting next week, I will do some rememberences from my days as a Coeur d'Alene Cabbie.

Occupation

The clear difference with our occupation of Germany and Japan after WW2, and our situation in Iraq is simply this...

With our occupation of the two world war two opponents, we knew that all of the people we dealt with were enemy, and while we treated them very well, the focus was they will try to mess with us, and we were on guard.

Iraq is a new and very different situation, insofar as we are trying to win the hearts and minds of these people and trying to establish a democracy. Democratic government, in this part of the world is not part of their culture. Country after country in that area has strong leadership, or downright dictatorships.

It would appear to me that we have a choice. We can either back a strong dictator, or turn the country over to the fanatic imams. If, of course we opt for a strong dictator, it's too late to recall the previous one.

I see a division of the country. To the north, the Kurds are not going to give up their prosperous economy, oil production, or independence.

To the south, Iran will at some time soon, flow over the Shiite area, burying democracy forever. The Center? Saudi Arabia and Syria will fight over the remains.

Bayview Access

Brodh2O, alias Mommy Dearest has been nagging me to tell the story about opening up the Hwy 54 access to Bayview, many years ago.

Actually, most folks in Bayview already know about this, and is was well covered by the Spokesman-Review at the time, but oh well, I'll tell it again. This story resonates with many because it kind of is a David/Goliath story.

Back in the spring of 1995, I moved to Bayview. I knew exactly two people when I got here. I was used to seeing the highway to Bayview coned off by Farragut management, but only on week-ends, when I usually didn't leave town. Prior to that time,many efforts had been made to lift the blockade.

Wednesday, prior to the Fourth Week-end, I pulled up to the kiosk in the center of the divide, behind three motor homes. As they inched forward, visiting with the pretty blond that was greeting at that time, I realized I was late for happy hour at the Wheel. That ticked me off.

When I finally edged up to the lady, I asked, "Is this going to happen all Summer?" She replied that yes, it would. I pointed out to her that it is illegal to block a State Highway. She laughed at me and replied, "not if it goes through a State Park."

Well, having been in the Real Estate and Mortgage business for many years, I had some knowledge of right-of-way law. The next day, I called the State Police, talking to Captain Powell, then Commander at the Hayden Headquarters. I requested that he arrange the arrest and conviction of the parties at the park for this illegal act.

He stammered a bit, then said, "gosh that's a state agency. I'm going to have to get guidance from Boise on this. Put your complaint in writing and I will forward it." I could feel a runaround coming on and asked, "and how long will that take?" He estimated two weeks.

That afternoon, Thursday, I dropped off the written complaint and left to work my way through the roadblock. At my office, around 11:00 AM,the following day, I received a call from Captain Powell. It was a conference call including the regional manager of the Parks Dept. and the Idaho State Transportation Mgr. for North Idaho.

Bottom line, they agreed to remove the cones after I suggested we could live with one lane open for through traffic. Some of you will remember the small black sign that went up Friday afternoon, just in time for the holiday weekend.

One month later, the park abandoned the center kiosk as a safety measure, replacing it with a former outhouse on the headquarters side of the road, where it still stands. I thought that appropriate.

"Sweet Herb"

I didn't make any New Year's resolutions this year, as I didn't last year either.

Amongst the political rants, bitterness, rancor, obsessing, naming and other sins of commission that we see on the internet, comes along "Wondering." In chastising a person she believes fits one or more of these categories, she referred to me as "Sweet Herb."

I am of mixed emotions. One would, of course like to be thought of in positive terms. The downside is that I have alternately profiled myself as a Curmudgeon, a nasty old man with issues, and of course a Muckraker.

I ask you...Am I to start the New Year trying to fit this new image, or attempt to regain the ground I lost when this person called me "sweet?"

After reading this, and pondering, I picked up the "Today" section of the Spokesman-Review. The featured article was the history of names for babies over the years. Someone asked me, not too long ago, where and how I was named Herb.

I was told by my Mom that there was a comic strip character named Herb, in the 30's.

In an amazing example of prescience, they named me after this comic strip. Go figure.

Now, facing the New Year, I find myself in a dilemma. Curmudgeon or Sweet Herb? Wondering has, without knowing it, picked my New Years resolution. I will try my best to live up to this "sweet" image, kicking and screaming all the way. This will be a stretch for a comic strip character named after a Curmudgeon. Or...Whatever...

Waterford Park Strikes Out

At a recent hearing before the Kootenai County Hearing Examiner, Waterford Park Homes, LLC was denied approval of a conversion from a commercial building next to the boat launch, to that of a residential condominium.

This project has long been a sore spot with local residents, who feel Bayview is becoming a "Company Town", owned and controlled by Bob Holland, owner of Waterford Park Homes, LLC.

The following points were raised by the examiner, as part of the recommendation for denial. Waterford Park has the option of appealing to the County Council, but it is believed that after so many egregious actions by the applicant, there probably won't be a friendly welcome there either.

.The property is currently zoned commercial and is not appropriate to be used as residential purposes.

.There is insufficient parking available for a residential condominium development.

.The development does not meet Americans with disabilities Act certification.

.This development currently has various Red Tags from the Kootenai County Planning and Zoning Department and the Idaho Department of Lands for development code violations and has proceeded with work on this development without required permits.

.It sits on the identified flood plain of Lake Pend Oreille.

This should drive a nail into the heart of a very unpopular developer, were it not for the fact that the community doesn't have the proper permit for that, either...

An interesting conjecture would be that now the building has gone through the construction for the conversion without permits, can it be then retro-constructed back to commercial, or would that permit be denied, too?

The moral of this story is that after buying, then throwing out mobile home owners in one park, and after having given eviction notices to another, creating several dozen homeless, the tight knit community of Bayview is outraged.

When I was in the service, we had an expression that fits here. "Don't pee in your own mess kit."

Gerald Ford...RIP

I honestly never liked Jerry Ford. He, through his caretaker role as president, let his ego rule him, and caused the Reagan era a delay that was critical, insofar as it allowed Jimmy Carter into the Presidency, and the decimation of our armed forces.

Yet he was an honest man...A principled man. He actually thought he could win the election that he lost to perhaps the biggest loser that we ever had as a president.

I go to bed tonight, with these mixed feelings. Having said all this, however, rest in peace, Mr President. Unlike others, you never shamed the office.

History will undoubtedly treat you better than we will.

Storm Clouds on the Horizon

As I prepare for the year 2007, several vagrant thoughts cross my mind. What I believe I'm seeing is the period just before a thunderstorm hits. The hair standing on end,ozone smell in the air, the waiting...

Some of the same storm warnings are apparent in human behavior. People seem more aggressive, less polite...As always, folks are killing each other in the name of God, Allah, (same God)or just because we use a different Prophet as an intermediary.

In review, Catholics and Protestants still fight over religious differences in Northern Ireland, even thought they worship the same Deity...

Shiites are killing Sunnis, even though they both follow Mohammad...

Muslims and Christians over the World seem bent upon Crusades 11.

In Israel, Hamas and the PLO are fighting over whether to eradicate the Israelis now, or later, and let us not forget the Kurds, screwed out of their homeland by Imperial Great Britain, after the "War to end all Wars."

All of these religeous wars, killing in the name of God, plus the freaks. Rogue Nations such as North Korea, that want power for power's sake.

I wonder...I worry...My hair is standing on end and I smell ozone...

Christmas Eve in Bayview

I stepped out on my deck a few minutes ago. The Village is dark and silent, except for decorations that twinkle over the water of the bay.

The kids and grandkids called today wishing me a Merry Christmas. Taking a day off from Potato Salad, I'm baking. The Seahawks lost again. Life goes on.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL, GOOD NIGHT...

The Promised Land

I have been fighting Internet Explorer for over a week. First I down loaded, as instructed, IE version 7. They called it Beta 7. Now I know what beta means. "Experimental."

I couldn't stay on line more than a few minutes, without the system going into "program Not responding." They didn't respond...I did!

After switching between version 6 and 7, I finally gave up. Suddenly, from the hinterlands, a voice appeared. They were friends, there to help. There was Adam, and a lady,(sorry I didn't get your name) from the contractor that services Time-Warner, late at night.

Then there was Backwoods Bob, Bill McCrory, and Tyskoduk. They all stepped up to help me in my fathomless ignorance of what happens when your computer has a mind of it's own.

Finally, I sucked it up and typed in: http://mozilla.org/products/firefox/. An amazing thing happened. When I down loaded Firefox, they brought my cookies, favorites, and all other stuff that had been saved on other programs.

I am now not, as you can see, locked out of Blogger.com. I am free to cast aspersions upon the character of the bad guys, praise the good ones, rake muck to my hearts content, and of course, send forth unsolicited opinions on many various topics.

I have reached at least one, of the promised lands. (The next might be tougher)

Thank you all for being there for me and Merry Christmas to all...

Microsoft Sucks

Lest any of you think I have a fixation on sucking, let me explain. I have been denied access to posting on this blog for two days. The reason?

I routinely downloaded an update from Microsoft from Internet Explorer version 6, to 7. This is called a "Beta" version. Every 20 minutes or so, the program would become unresponsive.

I have been very critical of Time-Warner recently, but I got help through one of their contractors that provide tech support. We finally decided to delete version 7.

That worked fine, except in the process, I could no longer access the blog. Yesterday, Bill McCrory spent a huge amount of time patiently trying to lead me to the promised land. We finally gave up. Today, another fine fellow, Backwoods Bob, who is a computer engineer, came to the rescue.

It turns out the "Beta" means experimental. Bob was able to go into Microsoft Support and discover that their "Anti-Phishing" program has flaws that is causing service interruptions. We deleted that, tweaked version seven and all is fine today.

The Wordslinger from Ontario,Canada in Tech Support, Bill McCrory, and Backwoods Bob are the most patient I've ever known. Try talking out a problem with a mostly deaf person, and I'll guarantee most people would give up in disgust. Thank you all.

Now I can go back to muckraking and expounding unsolicited opinions.

Death Defying Acts

Whether your favorite adventurer is a mountain climber, white water kyaker, parachuter, stunt pilot or whatever, millions of dollars per year are spent rescuing them.

The American people are a generous sort. Willing to help out their neighbors when in distress. Stepping up, such as in the Groene situation. I applaude that spirit.

What gets to me though, is that adventurers such as the three lying dead on the slopes of Mt. Hood, in Oregon, decided to face the challenge of climbing one of the stormist, snow blown peaks in the Country during bad weather. Did they get a comprehensive weather report before tackling the Mountain? I would hazard a guess that they did not.

For too long we have footed the bill for reckless adventurers when their foolish behavior gets them into trouble. I believe that if these people insist on doing these kinds of things, that they should be required to sign a waiver that explains they will be responsible for all expenses of rescue, and require them to bond the government, or arrange for private financing of the bail-out.

Famine & Pestulence Next?

Our good friends the Cascades didn't step up this time. Thursday night, all hell broke loose. We had winds of forty to fifty miles per hour, punctuated by gusts of who knows. The top half of trees that had stood for a hundred years or more, twisted off and fell,usually on top of something.

Since the papers have covered this story well, I will bore those of you that are local. For those that live in the mid-west, they're going to say, "What's the big deal." For those Snowbirds that are from this area...It's a big deal.

Because of the sharp rise in the foothills that we call home, tornados, although not impossible, don't occur often. What we get, is in a strong storm, downbursts that will twist the tops or even the top half of large living trees until they snap.

Thats what happened Thursday night. I would have reported this earlier, except for the fact that my power was out for more than 24 hours. I became a refugee. Friday morning, I hopped in my very fortunately undamaged car, and surveyed the damage.

The famous Bitter End Pine? Gone...Or at least half of it. A tree that has been threatening our Trailer court? broke into little pieces, missing everything. (If you didn't know, yes, I am trailer trash.) Yes. One of those people that retired without large pensions. Not your fault. My bad, but nevertheless, here I am.

In Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, just south of us about 25 miles, a different story. Two trailer park/RV parks experienced serious damage. In Spokane, Washington, West of us, four deaths occured. At the height of the storm, we had 50,000 folks out of power. 50,000 might not seem like that extreme, except we are rural, and 50,000 power users represent several hundred square miles.

Those of you that have boats in the local marinas? Don't worry. The winds came at us from the West, Southwest, and the marinas at lake level suffered no damage that I have heard of. Had the wind reached thse velocities from the other direction, it would have been bad.

I retreated to a motel in Coeur d'Alene, whence I rediscovered the local night life in the city. Then, retiring to my room, I wondered if my home was alright. I wondered that all night. This morning, broke with sunny skies, windless and beautiful.

All I had suffered was loss of sleep. My home is fine, and all of those of our community. Somehow, we dodged the bullet. I will sleep well tonight. I wrote this so that those of you that winter elsewhere, could too...

Time-Warner Sucks

Time-Warner Cable appears to be headed for self-destruction in a big way. Since they took over Adelphia, here in North Idaho, we've had nothing but problems. Within the first few weeks we had service interuptions that lasted from hours, to days.

Now, in a dispute with the local Fox outlet, we will lose fox, and possibly Fox Sports Network if they don't come to agreement before Midnight tonight.

The current dispute is over whether Time-Warner should pay KAYU, a UHF station, and Fox outlet for Spokane, Washington and surrounding areas.

Both sides actually have made gross misrepresentations while stating their positions. KAYU is a UHF station with very limited broadxcast radius. With cable, their advertisers get a huge boost in viewership which should and does make more money for the station.

Time-Warner, has dug their heels in over this issue, claiming that the station is viewable by antenna, ignoring the fact that direct broadcast is very limited. T/W is on the eve of losing Fox, and the resulting loss of NFC football coverage after today. This would take the coverage of our regional team, the Seahawks, and Mariners away.

In the opinion of Bayviews, these entities need Babysitters, not Litigators.

The giant sucking sound you will hear tomorrow, across our area, will be the telephone overload, as disgruntled Seahawk fans rush to order either DISH or Direct TV...

Religious Warfare

Somewhere, somehow, we have lost the ability to call a spade a shovel. In the ever increasing desire to never offend anyone or any group, we hear nothing about the truth of our War against terrorism. That truth is that we are at war with a religion.

Certainly, not all Moslems are warlike, or terrorists, but a large enough percentage of them take to heart the directions that Mohammed left regarding the killing of infidels. When he was driven out of Mecca to Medina, he returned, killing all of his detractors in the process.

I believe that until we recognize why we are at war, and approach it from the religeous warefare angle, we can't win because we are not participating in the same contest they are.

We have the Saudis, supposedly our friends, funding terrorists every bit as much or more than Kaddafi ever did, but because of politics our government covers it's eyes, ears, and mouth, much like the three monkeys of "see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil."

Bayview Invaded

Bayview was invaded today. No, not by black helecopters from Canada, (they need passports now, you see) Not by philandering Cops, but by birds.

Big White headed Bald Eagles. As magnificent as they are though it sometimes pains me that our National symbol is a carrion eater. I guess that Turkey Buzzards were'nt National or sexy enough, but they have much the same diet. Roadkill tops the menu, but for December at the Lake. Then, their attention turns to dying, spawned out Kokanee, or Blueback as we locals call them.

These birds will hang around Bayview and environs until they have cleaned up every scrap of decaying fish, at which time we will run them off for having severe halatosis.

We invite those bird watchers to join us in celebrating the arrival of the Eagles, and your participation in "Happy Hour" which ohmygod, has already started without me. I'm outta here.

TV Networks Rule?

Well, the BCS has spoken. Florida will play Ohio State, instead of Michigan. I truly believe that the networks have with the power of the dollar, completely taken over any close calls that occur under the present system.

Lets step back a moment. When Ohio State, #1, beat Michigan, #2 only by three points,at Ohio, which with home field advantage was a toss-up and Florida with an identical record was beat by #8 Auburn, I have to question the objectivity of the decision.

Strength of schedule can hardly favor Florida, with the SEC only having about three competitive teams, and Big Ten, or Twelve, or what ever they are called now, never gets a rest from top flight competition.

I think it boils down to TV. They thought that two teams playing each other for the first time would be more interesting than a rematch...But was it fair and objective?

Kootenai County Prosecutors Flaunt Porn

While deputy prosecutors are in the County Courthouse on a daily basis, trying to convict child porn offenders, and other crimes of a personal nature, the prosecutors were caught recently by the Spokesman-Review, trading porn and child porn e-mails in a joke format.

Fresh from the Joseph Duncan case, one wonders what in the form of evidence is circulated as "funny" e-mails among law enforcement and the Prosecutors office. We need a huge broom...Right now...

For the story on this, go to Huckleberries

Names & Places

Two or three years ago, I went on a road trip to beat all road trips. I started in North Idaho, went the Northern route ending up in South Carolina. I came back by the Southern States, up through the Ozarks, Branson Missouri, and on the the West coast by way of Phoenix, Arizona, thence back to Idaho.

One of the things I always wanted to write about, was some of the outstandingly funny names for some places. Now, I readily admit that I live right next door to Athol, Idaho, so I'm not picking on just one region.

Most of the fun stuff is in the South. I credit them with having outstanding senses of humor. For instance, how about Wetumpka, Alabama. This is a place that students reach high school age before they can spell their town's name...

Flippin, Arkansas...Now there is a town that must party a lot. How about Zephyrhills, Florida. Windy there perhaps. Oh yes, folks, there really is a Tallahatchee Bridge. It crosses the aforementioned River just past the Talladega Raceway of NASCAR fame. Nothing was being thrown off the bridge as I passed though.

Los Banos, California, which if I remember my Spanish is translated to, "the toilet", was an interesting name for a town, but I would have picked Rialto for that name, myself.

Anchorage, Alaska isn't hard to figure out, but how about Anchorage, Kentucky? Pigeon Forge, Tennessee is one of my favs, but Bug Tussle, Oklahoma beats it out.

Truth or Consequenses, New Mexico, named after the game show...

Some visualization is required for many of these names, but I urge you not to use that while considering Humptulips, Washington...

Solutions in Iraq

I am not a military genius, but during my life, we have fought five major wars, and numerous minor engagements. Simple observation, plus some military experience, mated up with the fact that I don't have a a personal agenda, qualifies me to speak on this subject.

What got me started, was reading a fine editorial by Michael Goodwin of the New York Daily News. To paraphrase him, we need an outside the box solution, not just a tweaking of the existing plan. (I use that word loosely)

He goes on to suggest embedding US troops in the police and army units. The logic here is sound. These folks can't very well take off on a vengeance crusade, with our people with them. He further wonders why this hasn't already taken place. I think I have the answer to that one. Politics. We set out to turn the government back to the Iraqi people too soon. Having wed ourselves to that course, our government is having trouble using reverse gear.

Back in the Sixties, President Kennedy set up an irregular Army unit called Special Forces. They were irregular in the sense that they did not exist to fight battles and charge the enemy, as the Rangers did. They led indigenous forces that were under trained for their mission, in fighting their own battles.

Sound familiar? Yup! The mission that the Green Berets fulfilled in Viet Nam. Today we have a large contingent of these A-Teams available, but we aren't using them for which they were trained. The following is a cut & paste from the Army mission that explains the Special Forces and their role.

Special Forces Operational Detachment A (SFOD A) The "A Detachment" or "A Team" is the basic SF unit. This twelve man unit is specifically designed to organize, equip, train, advise or direct, and support indigenous military or paramilitary forces in UW and FD operations. The detachment has a commander (Captain), XO (Warrant Officer), and two enlisted specialists in each of the five SF functional areas: operations, weapons, engineers, medical, and communications. Each SF company has one SFOD A trained in combat diving and one SFOD A trained in military free-fall parachuting.

Attach these guys to each Iraqi unit, with the ability to call in air strikes if necessary and we might find a way out of this mess. We then pull back our line troops to the porous borders of Iran and Syria to hold territorial integrity.

That's my take on this...If any of you have a better idea, let's hear it...

Silent Days

It is much like I imagine the sight one would see if everyone fled Bayview during the night. The Christmas poem comes to mind. "All is calm, all is bright." Not a single sound is to be heard here today.

The snow drifts down, coating the trees and roofs with winter white. Tomorrow is supposed to usher in a winter storm.

Wait, I see a fisherman's boat sliding into the bay. Hopefully, he or she has the winning fish in the current fishing derby. My newest neighbors, driving the junker that starts up every morning at 5:30 AM sans muffler just arrived,and the spell is broken. The snow stops and a blue sky emerges...

Snowbird Study???

Saturday's Spokesman-Review revealed that fact that a WSU Assistant Professor recently received a grant to, get this, spend the Winter in Arizona! He is according to this article, studying the interplay between permanent residents and snowbirds.

This educator shows his elitist side when stating, "I'm an expedition-type backpacker." and "have never been in an RV, much less slept in one."

OK, he is to be admired for admitting up front, that he has actually no qualifications to study RV folks. None at all. Turns his nose up at those that don't camp out in a sleeping bag on the ground at 30 below. Probably shops at all the "In" outfitters, you know, L.L. Bean and such. Anyway, I digress.

This smarmy, unqualified individual just got PAID to do what the rest of us can't afford to do, because not all of us can afford $3.00 per gallon gas, and 6 miles per gallon on our firmly parked RV's.

The source of this magnificent grant wasn't revealed, and a good thing. They then avoided the ridicule that I would have heaped on them. Am I envious? Bet your ass I am. The only way I'm going to get anyone to pay my way to Arizona this winter, is to piss off so many people that they take up a collection to get rid of me.

In case you haven't guessed yet, this is my first installment on the aforementioned plan...

From Under The Rocks

Well, It's started, and even before the newly elected Congress is seated. It would appear that the far left and moderate wings of the Democratic party are already in full battle for party control.

In an unbelievable attack, Robert Scheer, from the ultra-left, is attacking the Dems for not supporting the Pelosi choice for Majority Leader of the house. Disregarding both the overwhelming vote for Hoyer, and reality, he hacked away with generalities, slogans, vitriol and essentially, threw down the liberal gauntlet, declaring the war for control to be on.

My take on this new war, is that more casualties will ensue from this internal dispute than our "Occupation" of Iraq. I use the term occupation, since "War" denotes uniformed official troops fighting on the battlefield.

All this, before these newly elected leaders have even taken their seats. As I read the editorial page of our Spokesman-Review, it occured to me that the Republican Party has to do nothing. Attack nothing. Let the Democrats self-destruct. They don't need any help...

Auctions, Indeed!

It has come to my attention that an auction has recently been held, for the goal of having lunch with several minor officials. Hey, don't get me wrong... If these folks need sponsors so that they don't have to buy their own lunch, far be it from me to interfere...

On the other hand, (do I sound like a one handed economist?) If we are going to start sponsoring lunches for good causes, I am willing to volunteer myself for the good of the community. There are several very good reasons for this, the first being that I am cheap.

I must assume, while we are at it, that someone other than the aforementioned big wheel picks up the tab. Should that not be the case, I humbly withdraw my name as a volunteer er...Victim, ah..."Blogstar."

North Idaho Says Goodbye

Sunday at the Captain's Wheel was all about saying goodbye to Jerry Berry, principle owner of the Wheel, friend to all and a great guy.

A potluck dinner, a celebration of Jerry's life, and a bunch of deranged musicians, doing what Jerry loved the most, performing music 'till the cows come home. Over thirty musicians crowded into the Wheel to pay respects to one of the great Inn Keepers we've known.

The crowd, estimated at over four hundred, staged through, sampling the food and the many memories of Jerry Berry. There were never any strangers in the Wheel when Jerry was present. He would come over, throw an arm around you and make you feel like a million dollars.

He would have looked at the festivities, then probably use his favorite expresion, saying it was "Hoodakai."

At this hour, the party still goes on...We'll miss you, Guy...

Hate Crimes...Over The Top, Or Not?

I have mixed feelings over this issue. There are really good arguments for both sides of this.

First, It looks like the Sand Point Judge abrogated her duty, in slapping the hand of the man, (not boy) that criminally assaulted a minor girl.

Secondly, is the issue of hate crimes. The debate can swing to and fro, but it appears to me that mebbe the pendulum has swung too far again.

To attach a "I hate you because," (choose your own category)to the crime, in many cases raises the level of what normally would be a misdemeanor to the level of a felony.

Not because the injury was egregious, but because your motives were politically incorrect.

In the case of the injured teen, the charge should have been aggravated assault, a felony.

To re-classify this to a federal hate statute, might or might not fly. Definitely, an appeal, or civil suit is in order.

For the higher purpose of designating simple assault as a hate crime, elevating it to felony status, needs a very lot of discussion...

Election Aftermath

Democracy spoke loudly yesterday. Many issues were out front from corruption to the occupation of Iraq.

It does not surprise me that the Republican Party lost both houses of Congress. It would, however surprise me if the Democrats prevailed two years from now.

I believe that the overturning of the Bush doctrine was President Bush's own fault. Once he formed an opinion or direction regarding most of his policies, he became rigid in support of them. Perhaps he felt secure with control of both houses of Congress. Many mistakes, including the disbanding of the Iraqi Army, and many other miscues that showed poor planning, became evident as events played out.

Our political parties and their supporters have become so polarized that the vast majority of middle America can no longer identify with either the radical left, or the radical right. Bottom line, most Americans are not radical. Only during the nomination process does the radical element rule, leaving us with the choice of one radical or the other.

What happened yesterday should be a wake-up call to both parties. "Your success depends on the people that hired you.

In perusing the comments tonight, I ran across a comment from a person that I had previously respected, although he was of the opposite political persuasion.

In one sentence, he lost all of my respect, because he chose the low road in commenting about the personal life of a winning candidate that he was opposed to.

Crapping on our fellow men/Women doesn't add anything to our lives. It just shows how shallow we can be...

Jerry Berry 1935-2006

O CAPTAIN! my Captain! our fearful trip is done;
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won;
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills; For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding;
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head;
It is some dream that on the deck,
You’ve fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;
From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!
But I, with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

Poem by Walt Whitman...

Jerry Berry has left us feeling a great loss. Those of us that knew him as a friend, as an employer and as a guest. His greatest legacy was that we heard repeatedly, "he made us feel welcome, whenever we came in." No Innkeeper could ask for a better epitaph.

There will be a celebration of his life, and his deeds at the Captain's Wheel, Sunday, November 12, at 2:00 PM. This will consist of a potluck dinner, and what we assume will be a rambunctious jam session consisting of the music and musicians he loved so much...

RAPE

Bayviews has discovered evidence through folks that were both there, and have talked to the rape victim since the attack.

There is now, not any doubt that a rape took place. The Idaho State Police are investigating, which is as it should be. There are whispers that the Sheriff Department attempted to sweep this under the rug, even to the point of intimidating the victim. That accounts for the story about the victim not wanting to press charges.

I gotta call bullshit. This Asshole lured a woman that had been drinking into a situation where there were no witnesses. She has since then left town, feeling that North Idaho doesn't serve justice.

How, can a government expect the citizens to respect law enforcement, when some of the officers approach Nazi like attitudes. We have Kootenai County Deputies that are Bullies, invent reasons to stop motorists, and even, according to one attorney I talked to, lawyers are afraid to oppose in court, for fear of reprisal.

When I grew up in the forties and fifties, law enforcement officers were revered and honored as those that protected us. We waved to them, and they waved back. We always knew that as kids if we were lost, stranded or otherwise in trouble, we only needed to call a cop.

Now look at us. How could we have allowed our honored officers to become depraved monsters, looking for busts, and harrassing our citizens. More interested in arrest stats, than justice. The sad part of this whole thing, is that the "code of silence" prohibits those good guys that serve, and know why they serve, and who they serve, to speak up.

Perhaps we should rename them "Piece Officers, rather than Peace Officers. I am Herb Huseland, and if you Piece officers want to screw with me, go for it.

Sheriff Deputy Shamed

In new developments, Bayviews has learned that the sexual adventure featuring an unnamed deputy and an unnamed partner have some interesting features.

First, it is unclear whether the partner was a victim of rape through intimidation, or willing. Secondly, it happened here in Bayview.

State Police investigators have been prowling the local businesses, taking statements from involved witnesses. We will bring you more, as information develops.

We are unwilling, at this time to speculate too freely about this, as a possible victim should be able to keep their identity secret.

Bayviews has learned, however that the Deputy was known to this person. It was also learned that they went to high school together.

Apparently, this Officer, whose beat did not include Bayview, met the woman outside the bar to give her a ride home. What happened after that is pure conjecture.

Milestone Reached

I installed Site Meter around February 1, of this year. Today, I passed 10,000 page views. Thank you all for your interest in an old Codger's rants...

VISITS

Total 5,248
Average Per Day 36
Average Visit Length 1:15
Last Hour 1
Today 20
This Week 249

PAGE VIEWS

Total 10,030
Average Per Day 51
Average Per Visit 1.4
Last Hour 2
Today 66
This Week 358


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Worst of the Best

What should be one of the most beautiful times of the year, what with the leaves turning to gold, The air is clear and winter approaches is not this year.

This year, the fall beauty is marred by the shrill voices of political extremes and bottomless discontent. I haven't seen many recently that have stepped back to observe the mayhem that is taking place.

The saddest part of the whole scene is that these idiots that sling mud, (and worse) don't even have a clue as to how many people they are turning off. Many people that I talk with just simply ignore the political process these days. They don't believe in either of the major parties, or for that matter, the minor ones either. They are drop-outs.

How much further can we go, before the majority of the population turns off, and then what? Isn't that a recipe for dictatorship? If serious candidates don't step up soon, we will have only the choices of extremists from the left, and the right, with nothing in between.

What I mean by serious, is those office seekers that have more depth than a few sound bites in a commercial. Candidates that look for consensus, rather than a way to bury the opposition.

I despair...

Halloween at the Wheel

Hilarity reigned at the Captain's Wheel last night. As usual, the costumes were original, great, and on occasion, very popular.

One celebrant walked into the main Bar carrying a sign that brought down the house with cheers, whistles and the occasional signal that the subject of the sign was number one, using an alternate finger, of course.

The subject of ridicule was "Bob". One can only wonder which Bob he was referring to. Could it be that Bob Holland of Waterford Park Homes was the one?

Holding the sign was Chad, former employee of Waterford, and yours truly, Bayview Herb.

Inappropriate Endorsement

This Morning, October 28, I received an automated phone message from a man whose first name is Drew, last name unheard. He represented himself as from the Idaho Department of Fish & Game, and urged me to vote for Brady for Governor.

I believe that it is inappropriate, and possibly illegal for a State employee to actively campaign for or against a political office seeker. My blog is down, so I am sending this to Huckleberries,and INWBA, in the hope that it will get out...

Halloween @ the Wheel

Most Bar/Restaurants consider New Years Eve as the biggest nite of the year. Not so, the Captain's Wheel in Bayview, Idaho.

Halloween Nite brings out costumed people from miles around to party at this Bayview location. Tonite, the customers will stand four deep at the bar, looking over a vast array of very carefully thought out costumes and makeup.

I am working, thank you Lord, in the kitchen until probably 10:30, and will miss dressing up with the rest of you. I will, however, come out long enough to hoist a drink to you ghouls and other weird characters.

Happy Halloween Y'all

Yuma, Arizona

Several of my friends...Maybe most of my friends, are wintering in Yuma. Today, while perusing my site meter, I noticed that I got a visit from there. This cannot be a random hit. Someone down there, has decided that they needed to find out what was happening here in Bayview, if for no other reason, than to gloat about the difference in weather.

I noticed this morning when perusing the Spokesman-Review, that the temperature in Yuma was 99 degrees yesterday. I can only say to you guys, were you perhaps a little quick about going south? On the other hand, ( sound like a one handed economist don't I) I am going to join you all for a couple of weeks this winter, when you least expect me.

HJR 2

HJR 2 is a proposition to be voted on here in Idaho prohibiting same sex marriage and other same sex partnerships. Idaho already has a law prohibiting same sex marriage. That leaves the other, more subtle items. Civil unions or contracts between same sex partners would also be illegal.

Some consequences of this proposed law might prohibit me from hiring or appointing an attorney-in-fact, or granting a power of attorney to another of the same sex. I might be prohibited from co-owning real estate or other property with a male business partner.

While I am in full support of the current law prohibiting marriage between members of the same gender, civil unions and/or contracts, rights of inheritance, etcetera, are none of our business.

This proposal is bad law, full of unintended consequences, and overkill. I recommend a no vote.

Duncan Trial

At last they got it right. Joseph Edward Duncan, kidnapper, child molester, mass murderer, plead guilty this morning. For weeks, the majority of our area's citizens, family members of the victims, and County Commissioners have begged the prosecutor to plea bargain this case for the sake of 9 year old Shasta Groene not having to face her molester in court.

Based on the previously leaked agreement that was rejected, and the announced provisions today, it would appear that the defense caved on an important issue. That being following the federal trial upcoming, the right of Kootenai County to re-impose the death penalty is retained. As it is now, three consecutive life terms without possibility of parole were handed down.

Bayviews applauds the attorneys involved for doing the right thing, even if belatedly. While some surviving relatives still wanted the death penalty, Shasta Groene was the only one that personally had to go through the entire experience, and her interests should be paramount.

It now appears that if the federal trial does not convict, or doesn't opt for the death penalty, the County will. Kudos also, for the great coverage by Tayrn Brodwater of the Spokesman-Review, who should be considered for a Pulitzer prize...

Idaho Proposition 2

Proposition 2 here in the State of Idaho sounds wonderful. Protects private property owners from unreasonable taking. What isn't so wonderful, is that through the smoke screen of hyperbole, this law, if enacted would essentially eliminate zoning laws.

The part of this proposition that deals with land use, holds that the State, or subdivision thereof, cannot limit what you do with your property. If the highest and best use is a wrecking yard, or slaughterhouse, then you can built it, even if your property lies within a residential area.

Passage of this proposition would visit anarchy upon us. It's simply bad law.

Veterans Hospital Death

Swimming against the current, as I tend to sometimes, I have to disagree with the majority of folks that are chastising the V.A. for not reviving the elderly vet that collapsed in the parking lot, recently, in Spokane, Washington.

Like most government installations, when quitting time comes, it is sudden and thorough. The V.A. emergency room had closed a few minutes earlier than the man's arrival.

Where the criticism is unwarranted, is that every Vet, including me, got a letter a few weeks ago, announcing the closure of the ER at 4:30, PM. This was due to budget constraints, and a lack of after hours use.

If there is blame here, it belongs to Congress, which has consistently underfunded the VA, even while processing hundreds of Iraqi injuries. I read this morning, where a Congressman, McMorris was going to investigate. If this is the case, I suggest that this congresswomen use a mirror.

Oktoberfish

The two day Oktoberfish tournament kicked off in Bayview at the Captain's Wheel Restaurant last night with an auction and fishing derby rules and sign-up.

Over two hundred liars, (oops, make that fishermen and women) which made it kind of crowded. We have no numbers as to how many well intended fisherpersons didn't make it out on the water, but it was a hell of a party, anyway.

Yours truly made his first attempt at making German Potato Salad for the event, which apparently was successful. Winners and such will be posted as I get the information...

Bayview
10/09/06

The winners of the Oktoberfish derby were as follows:

First place, winner was Frank Whitney, of Chatteroy, Washington. His fish was a Rainbow, 10 pounds eleven ounces. He won a prize of $3809.00 and possession of the traveling trophy, the "Golden Trout."

Second place, was taken by Dan Covey, Post Falls, with a 'Bow weighing in at eight pounds fifteen ounces, for a prize of $2285.00.

Third, was taken by Bill Rogers of Hayden, with a rainbow weighing in at eight pounds fourteen ounces for a prize of $1524.00.

The derby was a great success. Special thanks go to Ralph Jones, who organized the entire affair for the Bayview Chamber.

Political Warrior

I have been reading an exciting biography this week. It's the Life and Times of L. Keith Bulen. He was a king maker in Indiana, creating careers for such luminaries as Senator Lugar, and the current Governor of Indiana, Mitch Daniels.

Later, Bulen became the convention coordinator for the 1980 Republican Convention, held in Detroit, as well as holding the position of Eastern Regional Coordinator for Reagan/Bush.

It brought back memories of my own early years as a Young Turk in the Reagan campaigns of the sixties. So many parallels exist, that I felt like I lived in this biography myself. It is an extremely well written book, but then I may be prejudiced. You see, it was written by my brother, Stan Huseland. I'm very proud.

I can even arrange for the purchase of this book, if anyone is interested...