Washington cannot grant federal rights with a civil union so YES it does have to do with Washington's laws.

from http://www.factcheck.org/what_is_a_civil_union.ht...

1. The right to federal benefits. States that allow some type of same-sex union are able to grant only state rights.
2.Portability. Because civil unions are not recognized by all states, such agreements are not always valid when couples cross state lines.
3. Couples in a civil union may file a joint state tax return, but they must file federal tax returns as single persons.
4. If a spouse or divorced spouse dies, the survivor may have a right to Social Security payments based on the earnings of the married couple, rather than only the survivor’s earnings. Same-sex couples are not eligible for such benefits.

These are some of the "differences" that you say doesn't matter because a civil union is suppose to be equal. It's not.

A marriage became an equal right when it became a contract and a legal document with rights and benefits... otherwise WHY get married if you didn't need or want to have the right to visit your spouse in the hospital or make financial or medical decisions.

My take on the competition for the local mom & pop shops is that they will need to up their game. 7-11 is by far not cheap or even cheaper for their stuff, but in general tend to be clean, bright and uncluttered.

You got a new coffee maker?? I did too, it grounds the beans and brews all in one shot... kind of cool and nice...
I just wish I could get a coffee maker that brews a gallon at once instead of these 10-12 cups at a time ... hehehee :)

Oh... maybe is a long lost cousin of Foamy?

What kind of video was that?

What I want to know is why did they let it go before someone got a chance to examine it to see what made it purple.

Maybe he is getting ready for Easter... that way he will blend in with the eggs and candy :)

Let's move on...

looks red and yellow to me..

"... even slipped a note into her 5-year-old daughter's schoolbag."

This is crossing the line!

" "It took some doing," Kelleher said. "I have to hold my position, but how do I get my ship over to Bradley and West in the water, with the wind blowing 50 knots and the seas rolling at 20-25 feet?"

He managed it by working the engine, rudder and the bow thruster in unison."

Now that is a captain with skill and care. He managed to save three lives in horrible weather.