Liquor Battle Continues: Now that 1100 and 1105 failed to privatize liquor sales in Washington, attempts at reform have moved to the state legislature. But hey guys, don't worryâliquor board officials are going to meet with legislators to see if they can agree on some changes. Changes include "Our organization ceases to exist" or GTFO.
Suck It, Fiat Currency: They're about to dig a new, $200 million shaft at Lucky Friday Mine, a silver operation in Idaho. Silver is trading at 30-year highs right now.
Annals of Ineptitude: The state's new Medicaid payment processing system is so shitty that some providers are no longer taking Medicaid patients until they get paid for previous ones. And it's not like this is a shockâthe system was three years late and $54 million over budget when it went online, and another system the providing company installed in Maine was so bad the state spent more fixing it than installing it. Remind me again why people trust these numbskulls to run their lives?
Somewhat Depressing: A reporter gets a simplistic, itemized sketch of what her yearly taxes might buy. Highlights include the $287.81 that would pay for one inmate to stay four nights in the county jail. Gee, maybe just locking people up isn't the best idea...
There Goes the Neighborhood: The USS Nimitz is going to be docked in Bremerton for the next twelve months. Only about half of its 2,700 sailors are married. Cougar squad, assemble!
The Mountain Fights Back: The major road into Mt. Rainier is at risk from rockslides, glaciers, and floods originating on the peak. You could chalk it up to chance, but I prefer to imagine an angry mountain silently fighting back against tourist hordes.
Everybody Else Said No: The African Union dispatched former South African President Thabo Mbeki to mediate the election crisis in Ivory Coast. Corrupt, AIDS-denying, Mugabe-supporting Thabo Mbeki. Apparently, original favorite Charles Taylor was unavailable due to obligations in the Hague.
Ruh Roh: A leaked cable shows EU President Herman Van Rompuy saying Europe does not believe NATO can win in Afghanistan and remains there only "out of deference to the United States.â Thanks for not announcing that before you guys agreed to that whole Afghan commitment through 2014 thing, Herm.
Anarcho-Primitivist Porn: Ted Kaczynski's 1.4 acres in Montana are for sale. The price has even been slashed from $154,500 to $69,500. Damn housing bubble.
Genuinely Good Idea: Authorities in Hungary are raising money to pay for fixing the toxic sludge mess by auctioning off communist art that had been sitting unseen in basements. Perhaps Fremont would like to augment its Lenin collection?
