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Matter of Opinion archive for Jan. 1, 2010

TUESDAY, JULY 20, 2010

Kagan moves on 10 

The conservative website GOPUSA called on South Carolinians to hang their heads in shame over Republican Sen. Lindsay Graham's decision to vote in favor of confirming Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court. Graham, the ranking Republican of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was the only…

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City will do the heavy lifting 

The Spokane City Council voted 5-2 last night to retain responsibility for inspecting elevators here. The alternative was to turn the statutorily mandated work over to the state, which every other city in Washington except Seattle has already done.Either way, under current practices, the work…

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MONDAY, JULY 19, 2010

MONDAY, JULY 12, 2010


The July 12 thread 66 

Anyone watch "Treme"? Just finished the first season. It's about a cast of characters and their lives after Katrina. If you liked "The Wire", you'll like this. Terrific story-telling. David Simon, a former reporter for the Baltmore Sun, is a genius, as far as I'm…

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THURSDAY, JULY 8, 2010

WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2010

TUESDAY, JULY 6, 2010

July 6 Loose Thread 40 

Recently finished "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis. He also wrote "Liar's Poker", another excellent book about Wall Street. This one is about the oddball characters who saw through the housing bubble and bet big that it would burst. One of them has Asperger's Syndrome…

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MONDAY, JUNE 28, 2010


THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 2010

Supremes say no hiding names on petitions 24 

Court rules 8-1 against those seeking to keep their names from public view. The name of the lone dissenter was withheld. Just kidding. It was Clarence Thomas. Justice Roberts, writing for the majority, said the Protect Marriage Act folks can try for an exemption at…

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TUESDAY, JUNE 22, 2010

First comes love, then comes marriage... 14 

The Obama administration is on the verge of requiring employers to give gay and lesbian employees the same family leave benefits that straight workers enjoy. This morning, a local TV station reporting that news invited viewers to submit their thoughts via a website link. Predictably,…

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MONDAY, JUNE 21, 2010

The June 21 Loose Thread 

Just back from a June wedding, which means I can post a favorite Ogden Nash poem:"Here Usually Comes The Bride""June means weddings in everyone's lexicon,Weddings in Swedish, weddings in MexicanBreezes play Mendelssohn, treeses play Youmans,Birds wed birds and humans wed humansAll year long the gentlemen…

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SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 2010

Weekend loose thread 

If you're looking at your computer on this (finally) summerlike day, why?But if you are, please post a comment that will give the rest of us something to munch on.(Like do you know any of those dead people that U.S. Treasury is sending checks to?…

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THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2010

Another day older and deeper in debt...

Washington state's latest revenue forecast shows another $200 million reduction. That brings the shortfall to an anticipated $3 billion when the next Legislature convenes.That's the Legislature we're going to elect this fall, by the way. What kind of questions does that pose for the candidates…

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2010

Loose threads and saving graces 

In a column on tomorrow's (Thursday's) Opinion page, David Broder refers to a recent report that American businesses are holding back cash at an unusually high level, apparently as a hedge against further economic downturns.In the meantime, the Federal Reserve has adopted new rules to…

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TUESDAY, JUNE 15, 2010

You can't tell a ballot issue by its title 

Before adjourning, the Washington Legislature passed a referendum measure that would extend the new sales tax on bottled water beyond its scheduled demise on July 1, 2013. The purpose would be to pay for bonds issued to finance energy-saving modifications to public schools.It all will…

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MONDAY, JUNE 14, 2010

FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2010

Weekend recreation 

Spokane's police ombudsman has launched a website, which you can link to here.Meanwhile, feel free to post comments about the concerns that occupy your mind over what's predicted to be a glorious weekend.See you Monday.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 2010

A headline writer's worst cliche 

Out of curiosity, I Googled the phrase, "a parent's worst nightmare."It generated 764,000 responses. I looked at the first 10 and found concerns that ranged from what you'd expect (rape, murder, life-threatening injury) to inane comic strips and a professional jock influencing children to eat…

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 2010


Budget tool

Jason Mercier, director of the Center for Government Reform at the Washington Policy Center, sends word that the state Office of Financial Management has sent state agencies the instructions for filling out their 2011-13 budget requests. He notes that the questions listed are similar to…

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Pick your dark horses

The Secretary of State's and Spokane County's candidate filing website has been balky today, but the last I saw a couple of high-profile candidates are yet to submit their papers. I'm thinking of Dino Rossi for U.S. Senate and Steve Salvatori for Spokane County Commissioner.…

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TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 2010

Kids of lesbians do well 

That's according to this 25-year study.The study was commissioned by advocates, but I don't find the results surprising. The pregnancies are planned. The parents are generally older and more mature. And there is two of them.Wendy Wright, of Concerned Women for America, doesn't buy it,…

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MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2010

A Matter of Opinion is really a matter of three opinions – those held by the people responsible for the opinion pages of The Spokesman-Review. Check in regularly to find out what they’re up to, what they think and where they differ and to joust with them if you want.



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