It's change tack, not tacts. Sailing term.

Likewise for jibe and jive.

OMG:
'Tunnels'?
In America?!

But HAMAS!!!!

Going to hazard a guess Tik Tok Ding Dong didn't submit a permit for that work.

The crossings are clearly marked; LOOK BOTH WAYS.
This is even dumber than the (many videos of) the teenage skateboarder sliding down the stairwell banister and smashing his nuts after crashing.
Some things about human nature I will never understand

And speaking of potential snow, Sloggers can join Ms. Catalina and me watching vehicles slide down S McClellan Street when the freeze happens. Of course there are many other spots all over Seattle- like Denny Way- where you can join the fun!

Stop me if you've heard this one before but one of the reason's why the ferry system is in shambles is the onerous over regulation by the WA state government. First the ships had to be build in WA state which significantly restricted competition and drove up cost. The legislature fixed that but the estimate from the local builder for the all electric ferry came in double the budget scuttling the whole program. The issue now is other builders are unable to comply with the states regulations so they are having problems sourcing the boats. The article also mentions staffing challenges which of course are related to the draconian Covid mandates Inslee issued that drastically reduced staffing. It's pretty much like everything else whether it be housing, mental health services, education. The state/city knows better than everyone else and then can't understand why outcomes are so awful.

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/as-washingtons-ferry-fleet-ages-why-arent-we-building-new-boats/

"Few shipbuilders here have taken the lead on ferry construction, and there’s no obvious substitute for Vigor. The Legislature this year made it easier to contract with out-of-state builders but, with much of the industry residing in more conservative Gulf states, doing so could mean ignoring Washington’s environmental, labor and small business requirements, a frustrating prospect to in-state shipyards that are obligated to comply.

“Yeah, we’re screwed,” said Sen. Joe Nguyen, a Democrat whose West Seattle district includes Harbor Island. “We thought we had set up an infrastructure that would have made it work here in Washington state. We were not quite there.”"

@5- would all the ferry docks have to be rebuilt to work with the new single-end design? And would WSF still be able to use the existing double ended boats once the docks are modified, or would they have to switch every single vessel out?

@9- I agree that human nature needs to be accounted for in design but if you run in front of a train, you’re a moron and shouldn’t get a dime from the state.

@4:

Yeah, that's why - as the article CLEARLY STATES - she's requested permits to continue her quest to become The Fantastic 4's arch-nemesis: Mole Woman.

Also - people still drop acid?

@2 Kind of ironic that Nathalie messed it up in the context of our ferry service.

Jesus, I love that picture of the ferry. And it has captured that elegant, lovely blue that Seattle gets in late fall and winter at dusk. I always found it breathtaking. One of Seattle’s free treats.

Too bad about ferry service though. It isn’t like ferries are just for tourists. Island residents actually commute on them daily, so good oversight and funding are essential. BC Ferries, which are more for travel and getaways, have had a lot of cutbacks in service, too. And fares are climbing.

Whenever anyone bitches about government waste and inefficiency I always try to bring up the Labor Department’s BLS. Amongst the hardest working people I’ve ever seen. They work all day and some nights putting out those factual, indispensable reports. Most of those December jobs, the Bureau says, are in tourism and hospitality. That sounds great if you need work, but it’s worrying if that’s all that’s available because we all know tourism and hospitality jobs don’t pay very well. More working poor?

Oh, the sad, sad ballad of Oscar Pistorius! Once so hot and such an inspiration. Let that be another lesson for those lucky ones who are born with talent and good looks. People cease to care how pretty you are if you’re a shit. Always better to be loving and kind, or at the very least, quiet and composed. Certain words or actions can kill it all. I still feel for his girlfriend and her family. She must have thought being involved with Pistorius was her deal of a lifetime – although from what I’ve read, when he started believing his own PR, he became difficult, impossible to live with. Hope he has enough grace now to just stay out of the limelight.

Man, how about the former president’s campaign stops now including a rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” sung by the January 6th Choirboys? My big hope now is that the polls are all wrong and that just a small minority are synthesizing all this fervor. Otherwise, we are fucked. I wouldn’t even know where to go should the worst happen.

What is it about Americans not being able to get the fuck out of the way of trains? I keep thinking if this country ever gets high-speed rail, it’s gonna be a bloodbath.

Some state legislater from Bakersfield has purposed stiff new penalties for anyone participating in a smash-and-grab for a third time. I’m wondering…so, do you get a pass on the first two? In my old-timey way of thinking if you willingly hop in a vehicle to expressly break, smash, or crash into a store with the intent of leaving that store with hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise, you’ve already crossed the line of acceptable, legal behavior and should be punished accordingly. Yeah, I know the jails are full, but somewhere somebody’s getting the message that stealing and destruction of other people’s property is OK and that is not OK. Maybe prison isn’t the answer. Maybe sending them to Yakima or Barstow at harvest time, working in that hot sun will inform them of how hard people have to work, and the sacrifices they have to make, to get enough money together to open a business. And then maybe they'll be able to show a little respect for that.

Whew. OK, all. Have a pleasant weekend. Stay warm.

@12 kk boomer people never really stopped you just got old

@16 I think your BC Ferry comments are a few years out of date - they just added 152 extra sailings for the holidays (https://globalnews.ca/news/10187515/bc-ferries-extra-sailings-holidays-2023/)

And as such, WA Ferries should be sourcing our ferries from Europe (like BC) - would save us a ton a money, deliver ferries quicker, and support folks with similar views on the environment / climate change. If we can purchase other transportation infrastructure from Europe, not sure why we can’t purchase ferries (especially when the local companies have zero interest in our business).

@19- how does steering work with no rudders? Is it totally dependent on different thrust from 2 or more propellers? And the boat would run either being pulled from the bow or pushed from the stern depending on direction? I have questions.

@ 17 and 20 - I stand corrected.

My statement about daily commuter use stems from many years working as a clinical scientist in a hospiital laborarory with a few people who had to leave on time in order to catch the ferry home. It was work that couldn't be telecommuted. Working at home has had its economic impact, but I would have loved avoiding having to get to work, and doesn't remote work essentially eliminate office politucs?

And yes, my info is probably outdated, I suppose, although I do have friends who still complain about not being able to get the ferry reservation they'd hoped for.

It's not Sound Transit Employee's fault that Seattle has stupid pedestrians.

I feel sorry for everyone living on Vashon, Bainbridge, in the San Juan Island archipelago, and everywhere else in western Washington State whose only way of getting around is by commuting regularly via WSF.

@7 pat L, @11 dvs99, and @23 Catalina Vel-DuRay: I am reminded of the woman who once sued McDonald's for scalding her tongue from drinking hot coffee while driving, spilling coffee all over the interior of her car, and won because there were no "CAUTION: CONTENTS SCALDING! DO NOT DRINK MCDONALDS' PIPING HOT COFFEE AND DRIVE!" warnings printed on the lidded takeout cup. Now that the days of common sense are all but dead, the U.S. has become Land of the Lawsuit.

@25 Cap'n Crunch: Is it the fault of those of us who have ample reason to distrust the SPD when there are so many reports of cops who shoot first, go to court later, or, in a high speed chase, doing 74 mph in a 25 mph zone, play hit-and-run, kill a pedestrian, then laugh it off, claiming the victim was "expendable"?
I see teenieweenie, laughing from afar, has you doing all his trolling dirty work lately.
How much does he pay you?

@8 pat L(and Catalina Vel-DuRay): Cars, trucks, buses, etc. skidding downhill in snow and ice, not to mention pedestrians on foot---brrrrr! No thanks.
However, once the snow hits, I'm waiting for the number of irresponsible idiots from out of state or elsewhere on SLOG who brag about how well they can drive in winter conditions, laughing at the locals. They're usually the ones who are always pissed that their vehicles routinely end up in the body shop every year. Most likely they tailgate, drive too fast and slam on the brakes in snow and ice, then wonder why later.
For me and my beloved VW, 'tis the season to keep my car safely garaged until spring and the return of better weather, safer driving surfaces, and visibility.

@16 & @22 Bauhaus I: I share your concerns about the Orange Turd and its rabid MAGA stooges, the increasing unreliability of scheduled WSF routes, raised fares, and dearth of vessels. It's not so problematic for my VW and me, as we're on the mainland and enjoy the San Juans as touristas. I've read sad stories though about people born, raised, and living on San Juan Island who have doctor's appointments in Bellingham. No matter how understanding the medical staff can be, the commute from Friday Harbor to Anacortes to Bellingham via WSF, SR 20, and I-5 northbound from Burlington must be a bitch when one absolutely HAS to be somewhere on time. How is it that doctors can run late, but patients whose ferry route got cancelled and are 10 minutes late for check-in have to reschedule?

Auntie - some urban mythology associated with that McDonald's case. Earlier coverage reported that she scalded her tongue on near-boiling coffee and sued McDonald's getting an enormously unreasonable settlement. Some were enraged. In fact, she had put the coffee between her legs (do not repeat) as she left the drive-thru, the lid popped off, the coffee spilled crotch-wise, and poached her hoo-ha. She actually had 2nd degree burns (maybe 3rd too - can't remember) involving the vulva and surrounding skin requiring some surgury and skin-grafting. The settlement was large, but by the time the lawyers and medical bills took their share, I don't think she was left with very much. but more presumably than a coupon for Long John Silver's.

@26, @28
Time to cue Almost Live, and the Pat Cashman training video of how to drink a cup of coffee from Starbucks! Aaah I miss the days of real humor in the Northwest!

@19, 24 If the propellers are at the bow (pullers), they tend to be less efficient overall since they push a stream of higher-speed water down the boat, increasing friction resistance of the hull. You will almost certainly still need two pilothouses for the large ferries because the person steering needs to be relatively close to the dock to get lined up properly.

It would be worth doing a trade study to see if two Z-drives (one forward, one aft) or four (one on each corner) would be most efficient. However, WSF uses so much fuel that even a percent difference in fuel economy adds up to big bucks. Also, they're never going to build boats with shafts running the entire length of the boat again. They'll have electric motors at each end on relatively short propeller shafts.

One nitpick, while most cruise ships do use Z drives/pods, most cargo ships don't because standard propellers are still more efficient on average.

@20 Two words: Jones Act (OK, technically the Passenger Vessel Services Act, but the Jones Act is better known). Any boat moving passengers between US ports needs to be US built, owned, flagged, and crewed. The big cruise ships going from here to Alaska do some fancy gymnastics of stopping in Vancouver to get around this. That isn't an option for a trip across the Sound.

Ahab dear, you never know with the cops. They're not the most emotionally stable bunch, nor are they known for their smarts.

OMG!
it's J\6th!
Happy Insurrection
Day! Happy Conviction* Day!

*as we
creep to el
Creepo's First

of
HOPEFULLY
Fifty . at Least.

oh and
GO Rudy!
thanx for the
INSURRECTION.

you're
Leaking
again.

@28 Bauhaus I: Yes, I am aware of what really happened in the McDonald's scalding-hot-coffee-in-a-car lawsuit for what---$2.2 million?
While I sympathize with what the woman suffered from (scalded flesh in her vulva and surrounding body area, requiring surgery?? Ouch!!), why oh WHY did she place the lidded styrofoam cup between her legs while driving? That right there was just asking for trouble. It's too bad the doctors, lawyers, and medical insurance providers got the lion's share of the settlement.

@29: pat L for the WIN!!! Bravo and well done! :)

@30: Helicopter service, while indeed, available on the San Juan Islands can be an awfully expensive way of getting around. Tell that to the working class 30-something mom and her infant son whose OB-GYN's / pediatrician's office is all the way northeast, in Bellingham? Getting to and from takes up most of a day in GOOD conditions. There is a PeaceHealth outpatient clinic in Friday Harbor, but no urgent care facilities on the islands.
As for your fantasy of my being a pilot and you the flight attendant, dream on, raindrop dear.

@36 kristofarian: I'm ready for the Orange Turd, its right-hand stooge Rudy-Joe Guilliani, and their MAGAnista insurrectionist horde to get blasted off one way into outer space, never to be seen or heard from again.
Here's to a rapidly increasing number of currently divided states uniting to permanently ban the Orange Turd from the ballot, and disbar the neofascists in the Extreme Court.

Question to all the once-rabid proTrumpists now changing their minds about the criminal insanity of the Orange Turd, who voted for MAGA not once but TWICE: WTF TOOK you so long to start coming to your senses?