en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/112603 Comments by merline http://www.komonews.com/news/local/4-hurt-in-multi-car-crash-near-Magnolia-Bridge-162723716.html?clmob=y#IDComment403730009 I haven't driven in Boston in over 10 years, but I grew up there and learned to drive there. Maybe things are different now, but my recollection is that they were equally aggressive, but much smarter. Driving there was often frustrating, but rarely frightening (although maybe that's just because I grew up there). When I first moved to Seattle in the early 90s, I found the drivers too passive and slow. Now they seem reckless and unpredictable. In the past couple of years, I have experienced so many near-misses that it feels a lot more dangerous to drive. Tue, 17 Jul 2012 22:20:03 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/4-hurt-in-multi-car-crash-near-Magnolia-Bridge-162723716.html?clmob=y#IDComment403730009 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/4-hurt-in-multi-car-crash-near-Magnolia-Bridge-162723716.html?clmob=y#IDComment403619437 Could be, but drivers in Seattle have gotten so out of control anyway - even when they're not on the phone (which they often are). People just demand the right of way even when they're not entitled to it - turning into traffic when there isn't nearly enough space. Of course, they speed when they do so, so the risk of serious injury in an accident is even greater. It saddens me not only because of the accident risk, but also the lack of civility. Tue, 17 Jul 2012 18:35:43 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/4-hurt-in-multi-car-crash-near-Magnolia-Bridge-162723716.html?clmob=y#IDComment403619437 http://www.komonews.com/news/offbeat/Seattle-men-busted-at-Canadian-border-with-illegal-candy-162685596.html#IDComment403547177 Yeah - we have family in Europe who mail these to my daughter. I thought the issue was the small parts. Sometimes the toys need to be assembled and they have very tiny parts. Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:01:28 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/offbeat/Seattle-men-busted-at-Canadian-border-with-illegal-candy-162685596.html#IDComment403547177 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Toddler-wanders-out-of-Kitsap-Co-daycare-gets-hit-by-vehicle-162295926.html#IDComment401049002 You've never made a mistake that could have resulted in an injury to your children? Never looked away from them? Never gotten distracted while driving or made an error? What is your superpower? Fri, 13 Jul 2012 15:09:11 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Toddler-wanders-out-of-Kitsap-Co-daycare-gets-hit-by-vehicle-162295926.html#IDComment401049002 http://www.komonews.com/sports/Lawmakers-furious-over-China-made-Olympic-uniform-162249945.html#IDComment400644723 We do have a choice - you have to dig pretty deep, but there are places where you can find them. You will pay a very high price for them. Thu, 12 Jul 2012 22:47:47 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/sports/Lawmakers-furious-over-China-made-Olympic-uniform-162249945.html#IDComment400644723 http://www.komonews.com/sports/Lawmakers-furious-over-China-made-Olympic-uniform-162249945.html#IDComment400644120 There's a difference between cost cutting and exploitation. Thu, 12 Jul 2012 22:46:18 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/sports/Lawmakers-furious-over-China-made-Olympic-uniform-162249945.html#IDComment400644120 http://www.komonews.com/sports/Lawmakers-furious-over-China-made-Olympic-uniform-162249945.html#IDComment400643462 You're absolutely right and I don't shop at WalMart either, but I think the cost difference for consumers would be huge for comparable goods made in the US. Even if the jobs were not union and only paid minimum wage, this is still many times more expensive than it is to employ workers in China and many other countries. Thu, 12 Jul 2012 22:44:32 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/sports/Lawmakers-furious-over-China-made-Olympic-uniform-162249945.html#IDComment400643462 http://www.komonews.com/sports/Lawmakers-furious-over-China-made-Olympic-uniform-162249945.html#IDComment400641653 It's about money. Minimum wage in China is not higher than about $200 a month. WalMart would not be able to sustain their price model if the majority of their products were made in America. Thu, 12 Jul 2012 22:39:56 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/sports/Lawmakers-furious-over-China-made-Olympic-uniform-162249945.html#IDComment400641653 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/2-million-settlement-for-family-of-bride-who-died-in-blaze-161452475.html#IDComment396267831 Isn't it something like criminal negligence or depraved indifference or something? I mean I don't know anything about law, but it seems like choosing "not to get involved" is different than actually creating the situation that killed the person. Thu, 5 Jul 2012 18:59:42 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/2-million-settlement-for-family-of-bride-who-died-in-blaze-161452475.html#IDComment396267831 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Seattles-plastic-bag-ban-takes-some-by-surprise-161018315.html#IDComment393637700 And the right doesn't? I'd rather give up plastic bags than reproductive rights. Mon, 2 Jul 2012 01:09:32 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Seattles-plastic-bag-ban-takes-some-by-surprise-161018315.html#IDComment393637700 http://www.komonews.com/news/national/QA-What-does-the-health-care-ruling-mean-for-you-160833815.html#IDComment392986448 The state does not currently provide health care to those with little income, except to very poor families with children and people with disabilities. A childless person cannot qualify for Medicaid unless the person too sick to work or pregnant. Sat, 30 Jun 2012 22:33:39 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/national/QA-What-does-the-health-care-ruling-mean-for-you-160833815.html#IDComment392986448 http://www.komonews.com/news/national/QA-What-does-the-health-care-ruling-mean-for-you-160833815.html#IDComment392185713 Yes. I have a friend who was very healthy - does not smoke, overeat, or drink and exercised daily. At age 40, her liver failed. It was a congenital problem not caused by any lifestyle choices. She has now had a transplant and is healthy, but still takes many expensive medications. Her care cost about 2 million dollars for the surgery and the years of serious health issues leading up to it. Even someone who makes 250K a year would have trouble with those bills. It seems perfectly appropriate for everybody to have to pay into the system or pay a penalty. Just like we all have to pay in to social security and L&I and unemployment insurance. It's not fair for people to be unable to get health insurance because of pre-existing conditions, but it is equally unfair for people not to buy health insurance until after they develop a health condition. It's just like being unable to buy car insurance today to cover an accident you had yesterday. Fri, 29 Jun 2012 18:40:53 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/national/QA-What-does-the-health-care-ruling-mean-for-you-160833815.html#IDComment392185713 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Regence-BlueShield-seeks-insurance-rate-increase-159782255.html#IDComment386065486 They're talking about the individual market - people who don't get insurance through an employer. A cobra plan is not an individual plan - even though you have to pay the entire premium, it's the rate that Kroger gets. Thu, 21 Jun 2012 03:11:03 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Regence-BlueShield-seeks-insurance-rate-increase-159782255.html#IDComment386065486 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Regence-BlueShield-seeks-insurance-rate-increase-159782255.html#IDComment386064769 They're talking about a loss on the individual market. I don't mean to defend them in any way - you're right that there is no justification for it, but they probably do have a loss in that market. People willing to pay the very high rates for individual insurance are generally people who have health issues and really need the insurance. Thu, 21 Jun 2012 03:09:33 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Regence-BlueShield-seeks-insurance-rate-increase-159782255.html#IDComment386064769 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Kirkland-family-welcomes-two-sets-of-twins-159264775.html?clmob=y#IDComment382130891 The success rate for in vitro is pretty low - 35% and even lower for women over 35, so it was very unlikely that they would both get pregnant. I would hope the possibility did occur to the couple, though. It they can afford to raise them, I don't have a problem with this. It's not quite octomom-level irresponsibility. Sat, 16 Jun 2012 04:48:18 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Kirkland-family-welcomes-two-sets-of-twins-159264775.html?clmob=y#IDComment382130891 http://www.komonews.com/news/tech/Virgin-Mobile-gets-iPhone-for-549-30-per-month-157825775.html#IDComment376009438 I think it depends on individual data usage whether this is worthwhile. I have Virgin Mobile with an Android phone and I love the cheap plan, but the data service is slow and unreliable. It's fine for email and small app downloads, but it's too slow to stream even short youtube videos. I think the 4G HTC phone sounds like a much better deal. The phone service I've had with Virgin is great. And the prices are even better than they look because you only pay sales tax on the monthly rate - not all those other taxes and fees that are added onto post-paid plans. Thu, 7 Jun 2012 16:45:09 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/tech/Virgin-Mobile-gets-iPhone-for-549-30-per-month-157825775.html#IDComment376009438 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Just-days-after-liquor-privatization-some-drinkers-feeling-buyers-remorse-157709325.html?clmob=y#IDComment375967358 Albertson's has done a good job with this, too. The sticker price doesn't include the taxes, but there are signs all over the shelves that explain that taxes and include a table with the amount of tax you'll pay on common prices. Thu, 7 Jun 2012 15:29:15 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Just-days-after-liquor-privatization-some-drinkers-feeling-buyers-remorse-157709325.html?clmob=y#IDComment375967358 http://www.komonews.com/news/entertainment/Disney-to-banish-junk-food-ads-from-kid-shows-157225125.html#IDComment374902453 It is crap and I wish it didn't exist, but it's not "forced upon" my children because I don't let them watch it. And junk food is bad. And advertising directed at children is bad. Wed, 6 Jun 2012 02:45:42 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/entertainment/Disney-to-banish-junk-food-ads-from-kid-shows-157225125.html#IDComment374902453 http://www.komonews.com/news/consumer/Buying-booze-Get-ready-for-sticker-shock-and-competition-156558645.html#IDComment373191607 No, this is the "real situation." The only benefit to me of this change is being able to buy liquor at nearby stores. Driving 8 miles to Costco instead of 2 miles to the nearest liquor store doesn't help me out. Sun, 3 Jun 2012 15:27:34 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/consumer/Buying-booze-Get-ready-for-sticker-shock-and-competition-156558645.html#IDComment373191607 http://www.komonews.com/news/tech/Microsoft-releases-final-test-version-of-Windows-8-155994495.html#IDComment371530340 Yes, I got the earlier version, too. It was reliable, but I didn't like it at all. Fri, 1 Jun 2012 04:49:48 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/tech/Microsoft-releases-final-test-version-of-Windows-8-155994495.html#IDComment371530340