gdp's Comments

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Professor, 2 Wash. girls terrorized by grizzly bear in Alaska | Local & Regional | Seattle News, Wea

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 23:20:35 +0000

"On a scale of one to 10, it was above a 10" Does not compute. Not possible. I hate this. If you set a scale, you must stick to it.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : University District Photo Gallery | Photos: 10,000 cyclists pedal from Seattle to Portland | Univers

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 21:32:12 +0000

I remember doing this when I was 14ish back in the early 90's. We rode from the Kingdome. I remember how much fun it was doing with my father. Glad to see it still going strong.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Man killed sliding down slope on Mt. Rainier | Local & Regional | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Bre

Fri, 6 Jul 2012 03:00:05 +0000

I wouldn't call it a lack of common sense, but a lack of backcountry skill. This time of season change is fraught with dangers like this. I'd argue that this time is more dangerous than late fall or winter. The dangers hidden by melting snow are not always obvious. It's a learned skill, not a common sense thing at all.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Proposed Lincoln Park zip line draws mixed reviews | Local & Regional | Seattle News, Weather, Sport

Wed, 4 Jul 2012 19:32:45 +0000

All I can think of when I hear ziplining is the Recent South Park episode "I Should Have Never Gone ZIplining." http://www.southparkstudios.com/full-episodes/s16...

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Beware out-of-network health care gotchas | Consumer News | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking

Wed, 4 Jul 2012 06:53:25 +0000

By not having preferred negotiated rates with Regence, they are no longer a preferred provider. Thus they become out-of-network. I never claimed Regence was turning them out. Both sides have compelling reasons for doing what they're doing. Regence, of course, uses scare tactic language in letters like this to their members to try and tip the scales in their favor. I'm aware that usually there are provisions for ER visits. This particular issue though actually had implications for ER visits.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Beware out-of-network health care gotchas | Consumer News | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking

Tue, 3 Jul 2012 16:31:00 +0000

That's interesting. Last letter I got from Regence says that as of July 1st, out of network rates apply.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Beware out-of-network health care gotchas | Consumer News | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking

Tue, 3 Jul 2012 07:09:28 +0000

Regence just announced they are considering one of the bigger emergency physicians groups to now be out of network. That means if you go to an ER at a hospital they staff (St Joseph, St Francis, etc), you will get socked big time. This smells fishy to me.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Snoqualmie bears jump homeowner\'s fence to grab a snack | Local & Regional | Seattle News, Weather,

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 23:53:41 +0000

Haha. Duh. People really think a fence can keep out a determined bear? We're talking about animals that have learned how to bend open a car door (in some areas if the country) to get into the vehicle if they see a cooler or food. Very smart animals.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Seattle janitors vote to authorize strike as contract talks stall | Local & Regional | Seattle News,

Sun, 24 Jun 2012 22:30:02 +0000

Having a retirement plan is typically of no use to anyone immediately. So, it's a moot point. Benefits at that level of pay (either $9 or $12 an hour) are typically bottom of the barrel with high copays and high co-insurance costs that often still require the worker to seek financial assistance (charity or medicaid) or fall into collections over with anything more than a basic doctor's visit. Are they helpful at some level; absolutely. But they still barely make a dent in the bottom line of day to day living expenses.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Seattle janitors vote to authorize strike as contract talks stall | Local & Regional | Seattle News,

Sun, 24 Jun 2012 21:42:20 +0000

No one "makes it" on $9 an hour. It's a technical impossibility. That's barely enough to pay rent and utilities, let alone transportation to the job, food, replacement underwear... Almost everyone in these jobs is reliant on assistance of some type to get by. Whether it's living with parents or other family, food stamps, medicaid, etc doesn't matter. It's all assistance.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Shortage of space at some animal care centers a \'crisis\' | Local & Regional | Seattle News, Weathe

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 19:15:52 +0000

I do believe that was part of my point. I never said myself or my child had been bit...

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Shortage of space at some animal care centers a \'crisis\' | Local & Regional | Seattle News, Weathe

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 06:08:56 +0000

They may look cute folks, but you won't think they're so cute when they try to bite you or your child.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : McKenna seeks dismissal of health care lawsuit | Local & Regional | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, B

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 02:50:38 +0000

I have mixed feelings about the Affordable Healthcare Act. I think the overall idea was well meant. However, I also believe there are excellent constitutional questions at stake here that need to be answered in the place they were designed to be answered by the founding fathers: The Supreme Court.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Shortage of space at some animal care centers a \'crisis\' | Local & Regional | Seattle News, Weathe

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 22:02:11 +0000

Perhaps my air rifle can help them with their raccoon problem. Seriously, why save these bloody giant rodents? It's not like they're endangered. They are an overpopulated nuisance species.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Popular teacher arrested for possessing child porn | Local & Regional | Seattle News, Weather, Sport

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 02:48:20 +0000

Child porn charges are pretty much always filed under the federal statues, not state laws.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Popular teacher arrested for possessing child porn | Local & Regional | Seattle News, Weather, Sport

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 02:46:17 +0000

In today's world? Versus...? It's always been this way, and always will be this way. There has NEVER been a time when things like this didn't exist.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Shoppers, store owners get ready for plastic bag ban | Local & Regional | Seattle News, Weather, Spo

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 09:39:12 +0000

We've had our Fred Meyer bags for going on two years now, and they're holding up fairly well. Just now getting ready to retire some of the first batch due to tears. That said, the supposed "greenness" of them doesn't exist, you're right. Environmentally speaking, there's always a tradeoff, but no one wants to admit it.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Shoppers, store owners get ready for plastic bag ban | Local & Regional | Seattle News, Weather, Spo

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 09:36:38 +0000

I'm not biased any which way personally, but I love our Fred Meyer reusable bags. They have VERY large bags (as in, I can literally put an entire 8-pack of paper towels into one!), as well as smaller ones. In fact, it's too easy for the cashiers to overload the big ones with canned goods, etc. They're MUCH more convenient than plastic bags for us to carry our groceries inside in one trip. They hold more and have longer handles. I don't give a flying hoot about the supposed environmental benefits (Everything is a tradeoff when it comes to bags), but the convenience far outweighs using the plastic grocery bags.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Planning a road trip? Check these sites first | Consumer News | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Break

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 09:24:03 +0000

Our road trip rules Rule #1: Avoid any and all interstates as much as possible. Rule #2: Stop wherever, whenever, for whatever reason. Rule #3: Plan a few major set date destinations, but mostly plan multiple contingencies and stop where we feel like. Rule #4: Driving for more than 6-8 hours in a day sucks. Don't do that. Rule #5: No early mornings. No alarms before 10am. When we get up, we get up.

KOMO - Seattle, WA : Haller Lake landowner saves green space, $10K a year on taxes | Environment | North Seattle News

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 06:31:18 +0000

I'm not exactly seeing the real public benefit here. I mean, yes, there are intangible theoretical benefits (long term environmental, etc). What exactly are the direct benefits though? I can't walk on this land. City government collects less money, which affects me negatively because less money coming in = cuts. The only one truly benefiting is the land owner. Considering that they have that much property within city limits AND lake frontage, I'd say they have a fair chunk of change to throw around. So, why exactly do they need these tax cuts again?