Remembering Seattle

151735453_31926030d5_m
Originally uploaded by Elmoisamonster.

There are many things that pop up in my mind when I think about this past week out on the west coast. Here are the highlights (the ones I recall anyway):

1. Almost forgot about this one, walking around the International
District on the first day we arrived and deciding it best to
not stay long since we had our roll-on luggage and had tourist
plastered all over our faces.

2. First night in Seattle's University district a mother had her little girl
pee on some ground cover between some hedges right in front of
K. and I at a bus stop (no joke).

3. Buses, a good amount, are electrified and quiet as a mouse (sit
down and hum, no one will notice).

4. S.'s roommate has waaaaaay too much wine (85 bottles, he
counted it one day... to show off?).

5. There are far too many vegan restaurants to eat at in one week
(boy does that kill me, ahhhhg)!

6. As S. has pointed out already, communicating with Santoki, and
just the three of us, was great with all the languages we covered.

7. Meeting K. from FL and getting to know her was a lotta fun.

8. Having a personal tour of Capitol Hill with J. was dually fun, too
(thank you J).

9. Playing S.'s roommate's Atari (one of those five games in one
joystick thingys that is an eighth of the size of the original).

10. Flipping threw the channels to find there is nothing on cable-tv.

11. Of course meeting all the other cool peeps at the mini goes
without saying.

12. Another night I noticed how K. and S. floss their teeth before they
brush 'em (I gotta kick outta that one).

13. Seattle gets quite a bad rap from being rainy all the time, when in
fact it only drizzled on and off for two days the our week.

14. Inquiring minds wanted to know, and the answer iiiiS... YES, you
can pray and drink bubble tea all at the same time, and WOW
Bubble Tea is your savior for that with prayers on each of the heat
sealed top on the drink which you punch through the top with an
angle cut, oversized straw destroying the prayer! Hahahaha!!!

15. Question: Can you get a sun burn in Seattle? Answer: See
number 13.

16. The stereotypical touristy views from the Space Needle are worth
the $14 (plus, you can stay up there all day if you like).

17. The International Fountain is a magnet for kiddies of all ages
(cliché but true); it signals its startup by exuding a fog
from the base and then spurts of water go up one by one
encircling the half-sphere shaped fountain's center, and
finally the rest of the water jets jump up in a flurry dancing in the
rainbow they created.

18. There were amazing rosemary 'shrubs' that were likely up to 5
years old on numerous city blocks throughout Seattle, dill was
the second most common herb I found in town, and oh, I tried
some rosemary and it was good (dorky, quirky
side of me coming out).

19. Watching kayakers from Gas Park and checking out the astrology
inspired artwork atop the highest hill.

20. Clubbing at The Baltic, Trinity, and on the boat cruise.

Listen to this S. (guess you'll have to read out loud for that to work)

vruitallflavors
Originally uploaded by Elmoisamonster.

So, K. came to pick me up from work today and get our groceries at the same time. Both items on the agenda were swiftly accomplished. However, later in the night K. said that I did such a good job of describing Vruit to you over the phone the other night, "a great combination of vegetables and fruit," she recited my conversation with you back to me, that she was sold and my unintentional commercial paid off on an innocent bystander. Or, long story short K. bought two boxes of Vruit because of my sales skills. Wow, so if I can be that influential without knowing it... imagine what I could do when I am fully aware! Wahhahahaha hehehe ahhh!!!

Gotta' Love the Land of 10,000 Lakes... to me, this rocks!!!

In recycling, Minnesota is near the top of the heap
A survey ranks the state second in the nation for recycling.
Dee DePass, Star Tribune

May 19, 2006 – 10:59 PM


When it comes to recycling, Minnesota has the right to talk trash.

The state was ranked the second-best in the nation for recycling in a national survey released this week.

The "State of Garbage in America Report," produced by BioCycle magazine and Columbia University's Earth Engineering Center, found that Minnesota recycles 43 percent of its trash, second only to Oregon, which turns about 45 percent of its garbage into new treasures.

With help from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Office of Environmental Assistance, the report found that Minnesota ranks ninth in the nation for the number of pounds of recycled waste it exports. Minnesota also has the third-largest curbside recycling program, behind New York with 1,500 and Pennsylvania with 974.

Minnesota has 730 curbside plans, giving 75 percent of its residents easy access to recycling.

Some communities have gone one better. St. Paul recently boosted its curbside service from bimonthly to weekly and began picking up plastic bottles and jugs. Hutchinson and Wayzata are experimenting with collecting food waste at curbside for making into compost.

Businesses, already doing their part, might have an opportunity to do more if the Legislature passes a bill to mandate electronics recycling. Paul Gardner, executive director of the Recycling Association of Minnesota, expects small businesses will arise to mine the lead, mercury, copper, steel and plastic from trashed computers, cell phones and radios if the bill is passed.

It won't be the first time that changes in the law have encouraged businesses to recycle.

Minnesota's Solid Waste Management Tax "makes garbage more expensive and recycling more financially attractive," Gardner said. Minnesota businesses "save millions by recycling," he said.

Businesses also are increasingly involved in programs to eliminate solvents, new paper and unnecessary packaging. According to the Office of Environmental Assistance, industrial recycling efforts have created 9,000 jobs and injected about $2.9 billion into Minnesota's economy.

Dee DePass

Seattle: Finding the Emerald in the City

The rain parted days before we arrived via plane and the weather cooperated for the next few days, showering us with only sunshine and the unusually grand view Mt. Rainier through cloudless skies.

There were other pleasant surprises in store for K and I (so far this past week). Vegetarian, specifically Vegan fare, were not exactly few and far between as one might expect. On the contrary, and much to our delight, there are several ALL VEGAN eateries in the Emerald City, of which we have visited a good share of thus far.

Yes, we checked out the stereotypical tourist sights: Pike Place Market and the Space Needle; although, some of the best finds have been down those off-the-beaten-path type of places. Parks with random and amazing fountains filled with children of all ages, hole-in-the-wall Thai and Indian reastaurants with warm and genuine staff, and simple experiences, such as merely riding the bus and how that differs from that of the Mini-apple (I have to admit that transit is taken much more seriously here in Seattle (wired or AC/DC powered buses are everywhere and frequent and sidewalks are generally pretty pedestrian friendly).

Well I should get back to enjoying the still reasonable nice weather here.

I love this: "...inhabitants, as well, ...must get tired of looking as pink Midwesterners all day."

Everyday ethics: Was giving Latinos a discount card racist?
Sometimes race is a legitimate moral consideration.
Jeremy Iggers

May 19, 2006 – 6:27 PM


Everyday ethics: Was giving Latinos a discount card racist?


Q Recently my husband and I were at the Minnesota Zoo. Admission is not cheap ($12 per adult), but I had a card that gave us 20 percent off. As we were leaving, I thought it might be nice to hand the card to someone else to use. (There may actually be an ethical issue there -- while the card didn't explicitly prohibit transfer, I'm sure that the zoo didn't intend for multiple persons to use it in one day.) I wanted to give the card to a large group of people because it would make a bigger impact.

While we were at the zoo, my husband and I noticed that the visitors were overwhelmingly white families that appeared to be middle/upper-middle class. We discussed how it was unfortunate that the location and cost of the zoo would make it difficult for people with little means (transport, money) to go, and that the zoo needed a more ethnically and socially diverse audience.

On our way out, I noticed a group of eight young adults who appeared to be Latino, and were speaking Spanish. I thought back to when I was in my mid-20s and how broke I was and how they might appreciate saving some money. I offered them the discount card. It was happily accepted, and after we walked on, my husband told me that I was condescending and racist for giving the card to this particular group.

I never thought I would be accused of being condescending or racist, and it troubles me to think I could have offended these young adults. (It also troubles me that my husband could be so mean when he knows that I meant well, but that's another issue for another advice columnist.) The next time I find myself in a similar scenario, I'll set a more objective target (first person with a red shirt or the person at the end of the line). Your thoughts, please?

A Giving the discount card to people already in line to buy tickets probably isn't what the zoo management had in mind -- presumably they wanted the card to be an incentive for customers who weren't already planning to visit. But let's set that issue aside and consider whether you were being condescending and racist.

As you say, that certainly wasn't your intention. There is always a danger, when you make a generous gesture, that you may unintentionally offend someone, but I think that's a risk worth taking. And it doesn't sound like the recipients took offense. It's not as if you offered them spare change or used clothing.

Is it racist to treat people differently because of their race? Yes -- if you are treating people differently just because of their race; for example, if you treat them differently because you think white people or black people are better than other people.

But sometimes race is a relevant moral consideration. You thought it would be good for everybody -- and not just Latinos -- if the zoo had a more diverse clientele. (It probably benefits the zoo's permanent inhabitants, as well, who must get tired of looking at pink Midwesterners all day.)

I can imagine other reasonable reasons for offering special treatment based on race -- for example, as a gesture of welcoming at a time when there is a lot of intolerance toward immigrants.

And setting the issue of race aside, choosing a large group of young people (who typically have less disposable income) is quite consistent with the utilitarian idea of producing the greatest good for the greatest number.

Agree? Disagree? Send your comments, questions and ethical dilemmas to jiggers@startribune.com.

Lost journal. Please return if found.

My journal that I kept in not only China, but Korea, India, Thailand, England, Germany, and the first few months back in the states is still missing. I'm so sick of thinking about where it might be. Giving up would seem to be the obvious decision. Looking through the same boxes week after week must be my strange and somewhat obsessive-compulsive idea of fun. My and K's parent's are sick of hearing about the description of it (light tan leather bound (yes, I'm still vegan... lay off... it was a gift) roughly 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" x 3/4" and has the word "Journal" not embossed, but rather stamped on the front, has gold colored page edges, a page keeper thingy, the binding is sewn, if held upside-down and read backwards from the last page toward the first page it is written so that is possible to the midway portion of the book, don't know why, but I just decided to do that one day in good old China, and last but not least: the beginning pages list all of our wedding gifts (mostly green) and the people whom we got it from).

Toilet campared to human is wierd and hilarious...

Posted on Tue, May. 02, 2006
Malaysia wants to flush dirty toilet rep
Associated Press

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Malaysia will try to flush its long-held image of having foul-smelling public restrooms with a National Toilet Summit to educate the public about the importance of clean commodes.

Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Robert Lau - whose ministry will hold the conference in Kuala Lumpur Aug. 24-25 - said Tuesday "having clean restrooms in this country is a serious challenge that we have to tackle."

"If a toilet is a person (in Malaysia), he should protest to the Human Rights Commission because he is very unfairly treated," Lau said.

Public toilets in Malaysia have long disgusted residents and tourists with their lack of basic items such as toilet paper, soap and sometimes even toilet seats. Many fall prey to vandals.

Lau said the meeting would bring together local officials and international experts on toilet management, including the founder of the World Toilet Organization, Jack Sim.

Such eyesores scare away tourists, Lau said.

"The vision ... is to establish a clean toilet culture," he said. "The mission is to raise users' etiquette and to motivate the change in the psychological ethics and attitudes of users and owners."

Shopping malls and other commercial establishments that do not have clean toilets may not have their business licenses renewed, he said, adding the government was also considering imposing fines for vendors with dirty washrooms.