en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/1931954 Comments by touche http://www.komonews.com/news/local/124545089.html#IDComment166700355 Absolutely. I couldn't agree more. Sun, 26 Jun 2011 03:56:12 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/124545089.html#IDComment166700355 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/124545089.html#IDComment166700286 Why should the horse be shot for doing what horses do when frightened? Race goers should know they go at their own risk. Sun, 26 Jun 2011 03:55:51 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/124545089.html#IDComment166700286 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/124545089.html#IDComment166700103 It is very possible the horse collided with the tree at a high enough velocity to cause fatal injuries to itself. I have owned horses for 15 years and been around horses for 25 or more years. When a horse explodes, its mind is not in the right place. Sun, 26 Jun 2011 03:54:51 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/124545089.html#IDComment166700103 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/124545089.html#IDComment166699591 There is a lot of noise and loud, angry voices at the starting gate. Unfortunately, race horses are usually spurred on not only by crops but by a general agressive attitude and voice, and this often starts before the gates open. Not only to excite the horse the jockey is riding, but also to unerve the other horses... horse racing is a very dirty sport, spoiled by humans, and the animals pay the highest price. Sun, 26 Jun 2011 03:52:20 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/124545089.html#IDComment166699591 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/124545089.html#IDComment166699140 Horses have a very strong flight or fight instinct. Since horses are a prey animal, it is usually the flight instinct that comes out. It is very hard to overcome and to do so they must have a relationship with the rider or horseman, and that relationship doesn't develop unless the horseman earns it. I highly doubt this happens in the horse-racing industry all that often. Sun, 26 Jun 2011 03:49:49 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/124545089.html#IDComment166699140 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/120992599.html#IDComment147436370 There are alot of people out there with mental health issues or actual disabilities who would easily become addicted to medications that are meant to help them (ADHD medications are almost all stimulants which is why many non-diagnosed adults with ADHD become addicts to drugs like meth). Marijauna may not help overcome the brain chemistry of these disabilities the same way stimulants would, but they do help the depression that these people feel if they are not willing to take the medications out of fear of triggering a drug relapse. Sat, 30 Apr 2011 05:48:20 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/120992599.html#IDComment147436370 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/120992599.html#IDComment147435457 Or alcohol. I would rather be around someone who is stoned on pot that on alcohol any day. Sat, 30 Apr 2011 05:43:42 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/120992599.html#IDComment147435457 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/120992599.html#IDComment147435223 That's what I say! All jobs have a downside.. if they don't want to take the risk, then don't take the job. If it is already your job, ask for a transfer. Sat, 30 Apr 2011 05:42:23 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/120992599.html#IDComment147435223 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/120992599.html#IDComment147434719 Let's beg Locke to come back. Sat, 30 Apr 2011 05:39:16 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/120992599.html#IDComment147434719 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/120744834.html#IDComment146721890 I am a college grad and currently in grad school, paid for on my own borrowed dime. I also work full time. I am a public school teacher. I began my graduate degree to become a better teacher and also to make more money. State cutbacks are seeing to it that I will actually be paid less next year with a higher degree and will be lucky to have a job at all. I could very well be unemployed with two college degrees that I earned in good faith and with fair expectations to have a job. I agree that we do push all children to go to college. I guess part of it is that back in the day, vocational school had a bad rap because of all the tracking that used to be done. Kids didn't really ahve a choice about what they wanted to do, they were placed in a program that someone else decided would work for them. Used to be that if you weren't going to college, people thougth you were too stupid to go. I guess the last laugh is on us with college degrees :) as I am easily out-earned by my friends with vocational degrees and they usually have an easier time of finding a job these days. We all have a place in this world! Thu, 28 Apr 2011 04:30:54 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/120744834.html#IDComment146721890 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/119741219.html#IDComment142635387 Fire Chiefs - 2 days paid personal leave per year for firemen, so I have to imagine the chief gets at least the same (this document was quickly available online through an actual fire department in WA state). I can check with my nephew who is a firefighter with a fire department in Washington. I have a friend who is a Structural Engineer and she does get paid personal days. She does not have a master's degree but she earns more than I. I don't have time to look up the rest. Did you get your info by researching the contracts of actual agencies / departments, or by doing a general search? I dont feel like a martyr. I knew teaching wasn't going to get me rich when I decided to become a teacher. What does make me irate is to hear people say that we don't deserve what we earn through salary and benefits. Sometimes a personal day is necessary to catch up on all the things we don't get done when we are working from 7 - 5. Thu, 14 Apr 2011 01:04:13 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/119741219.html#IDComment142635387 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/119741219.html#IDComment142429753 Also, most teachers spend a lot of their own money to purchase things for their class. I have spent close to $1,000.00 this year on picture books, office supplies, school supplies, items for special occasions, and a few backpacks for students. Wed, 13 Apr 2011 08:23:00 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/119741219.html#IDComment142429753 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/119741219.html#IDComment142429469 I am a teacher in a public school and previous to becoming a teacher, I worked as a small business owner, a realtor, a loan officer, a waitress, and a fast food worker, in descending order. I became a teacher because I felt strongly about making a positive impact on people. I certainly made more both as a realtor and a business owner. I will say that teaching is physically, mentally, and emotionally the most difficult of all the jobs I have previously held. Please keep in mind that the 3% pay cut actually is more for many of us: I will not move up on the schedule for my additional year of experience, and I will not move up due to my additional degree I will complete this summer. All told, my pay cut will be around 15%. My husband is currently unemployed and we support our family of 4 on my teaching income, which probably qualifies us for state services now without a pay cut. I know there are many out there who are hurting worse than my family is and I hope the best for each of you. Thank you to those of you who have made statements showing your support - it makes a difference in morale. Wed, 13 Apr 2011 08:20:41 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/119741219.html#IDComment142429469 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/119741219.html#IDComment142427807 Teachers in this state have had no cola for the last ?? years. I am in the final stages of earning my masters degree and according to the previous schedule, should have been bumped up on the salary schedule. When you look at the scheduled experience raise I won't get next year and the education credits/higher degree raise I won't be getting, I am already taking in excess of a 3% cut before this additional 3% cut. In addition, the state made arrangements with teachers pursuing their national boards certificates and agreed to pay those achieving the national board cert. a $5,000 bonus each year, working out a deal with many that the teachers would receive a loan to pay for the classes that would be repaid with the first bonus. Teachers who are currently in process of earning their national board cert. and have already borrowed the tuition will not be compensated with any bonus and will still be required to repay that loan. These teachers are taking an even greater cut, some as much as 14% with all things considered, and have the insult to injury of having to repay several thousands of dollars for the national board cert. Wed, 13 Apr 2011 08:08:21 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/119741219.html#IDComment142427807 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/119741219.html#IDComment142426168 I am a teacher and although my contract states I work 7.5-hour days, I usually work 9 hours before I even head home to my family, where I work an additional hour or so after my kids go to bed. My spring break was spent organizing for my classes I take at my own expense to earn my M.ed to help me be more effective and develop new skills in my profession and planning for my class of kindergarten students for the remainder of the year and thinking ahead to next year. During the summer, with all that time off, I take classes to further my profession and work both in my classroom and at home to prepare for the upcoming year. In regards to personal days, I would like you to name one professional who has spent an equitable amount of time and money on their education who does not receive personal days - by the way, I receive a whole 4 personal days per year. Not that it is any of your business, I have used one this year. Those other professionals probably get paid a lot more to boot. Wed, 13 Apr 2011 07:56:55 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/119741219.html#IDComment142426168 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/111823869.html#IDComment115918685 Interesting. I didn't know a parent could control a teenaged child so much as to prevent them from dating an older partner... they can forbid it, they can enforce consequences, but we are talking about a teenager after all. Teens do have some control over their own lives. Wed, 15 Dec 2010 07:55:46 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/111823869.html#IDComment115918685 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/111823869.html#IDComment115918414 So sorry for the loss. My heart goes out to her family. Wed, 15 Dec 2010 07:52:58 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/111823869.html#IDComment115918414 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/111823869.html#IDComment115918302 My comments have nothing to do with Kelsey, just general info. Parents who have concerns about their children being potential runaways or engaging in other risky behaviors should look into their county juvenile laws and find out if they have a youth at risk program or some equivelent. Not keeping grades up, not doing household chores, not making curfew, etc can all be punished by juvenile detention in our county if the child has been determined to be a youth at risk and parents have some sort of plan in place. The sad thing is that the law needs to enforce these types of things. Kids, and I don't mean only those who come from poor parenting but all kids I see, are "maturing" at a much faster pace than they did in previous generations. Wed, 15 Dec 2010 07:51:57 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/111823869.html#IDComment115918302 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/111143174.html#IDComment113290008 LOL a snow blower for the giant peni. Thu, 2 Dec 2010 06:20:32 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/111143174.html#IDComment113290008 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/109770109.html#IDComment111309214 My sister's mini-pin tries to bite anyone who comes within reaching distance. I won't let my kids be around the thing. My kids wrestle with my pit bull and cuddle him, etc and he loves it. As with any dog, kids shouldn't be left unsupervised, and should not be allowed to run loose. Common sense and responsibility are key here. This is why I suggested banning criminals from owning them, but someone made a comment about having to be licensed or passing a background check or whatever, that is even better, Mon, 22 Nov 2010 20:02:57 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/local/109770109.html#IDComment111309214