Goats escape into the neighborhood! (with sound)

This was the scene in the Issaquah Highlands Tuesday as more than 100 goats who wear used to clear vegetation escaped into the streets.  You can read more by clicking here. 

San Diego Charger Legend And Cougar Alum Lincoln

Keith Lincoln, one of two "Keiths" to graduate from WSU and rule the sports world, died last weekend.   The other Keith, of course, would be Keith Jackson, the voice of college football in America.
Lincoln was a fullback for the San Diego (now Los Angeles) Chargers in the old AFL.  He helped the Chargers win the 1963 AFL championship.  At this writing, it is the city's only sports championship. Lincoln ran for 329 yards in the Chargers 51-10 victory on the Boston (now New England) Patriots to help win the title.
The Chargers drafted Lincoln out of WSU in 1961.  He would later become alumni director at the school.
Lincoln was 80.

Old Beach Cottage

It's probably in the worst condition of any house on Seaside's Prom, but it shows a lot of potential for anyone who maybe is project minded.  It is located in the 500 North block of the Prom.

Sunset On The Oregon Coast

Watching from Mo's at the Seaside Turnaround where we were eating dinner, the sun sets into the Pacific.

Seaside Bubble Man - March 2019

One of the cool things about Seaside, Oregon!

Kamala Figure Strikes A Pose

This really nice Kamala Harris figure stands between Obama and Ichiro on my office shelf.  I got this from an ad on Facebook.  Harris wears a gray power suit and high heels.

Top Gun: Maverick - Official Trailer (2020) - Paramount Pictures

After three decades, Tom Cruise is set to reprise his role of Pete Mitchell in the sequel to the 1980s blockbuster, Top Gun.  Top Gun: Maverick is set for release in June of 2020.
 I thought that I was the only one who remembers the Goose's infant son in the movie.  The son sat on the piano while Goose and Maverick sang Great Balls Of Fire, while Goose's wife and Maverick's girlfriends watched in the bar. In the next scene Goose died in a training exercise.  Well, Goose's son will be a grown up fighter pilot in the coming sequel.

Edgar Martinez is inducted into the Hall of Fame

The induction speech of Seattle Mariner, Edgar Martinez.

Mike Trout At T-Mobile

Angel Center fielder Mike Trout, an 8 time MLB All Star and 2 time AL MVP, comes to bat against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park.  Trout would later get a home run in the game as the Mariners sadly lost to the Angels 9-3.

Edgar Martinez Joins The Hall

Edgar Martinez accepts the Hall Of Fame plaque just before making his wonderful speech where he credited Mariner fans for helping him get the support to enter the Hall.

Shaggy Sweet Entertains In Downtown Bellevue

Deb and I joined friends Marjie and Rick at Bakes Place in Downtown Bellevue, Friday, to watch the band Shaggy Sweet.  Shaggy Sweet is a four piece band consisting of 3 guitar players and a drummer.  They do a lot of shows around the Puget Sound area.  Their music consists of a lot of original Blues music, along with some Rock and a little Country, some Gospel influence and a few popular covers.   It was a great show.

Congratulations Edgar Martinez!

One of Seattle's most popular sports figures ever, Edgar Martinez, enters the Baseball Hall Of Fame.

50 Years Ago--Man Walks On The Moon

50  years  ago today, the nation was glued to it's TV set as Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the Moon.  Buzz Aldrin, would minutes later become the second.   I'm sure most didn't notice Armstrong's now famous words of " That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."  Those words reverberated in the news media soon after.  

I wonder if Armstrong was picked for the first walk because his name is more memorable than Aldrin's. 

 I was hoping at the time that July 19th would be the day, since it is my birthday.  July 20th, however is a round number so NASA, which was it turns out was very PR savvy at the time, may have decided that would be a more memorable date.   

While the nation, including myself had it's eye on the Spaceflight of Apollo 11, Massachusetts  Senator Edward Kennedy, the brother of slain President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy, was involved in an auto accident, soon to be known to the world as Chappaquiddick.  The drowning of a passenger in Kennedy's car, may have been the reason that he would never get the Democratic nomination to be president.  Kennedy, however, was able to avoid prosecution and continue what history would point out as a very significant career in the Senate. 

By the way, while Armstrong and Aldrin were doing the actual moon walk (not the dance of a couple decades later),  Michael Collins continued to circle the moon in the main space capsule. 

Seattle NHL Team Picks Hall Of Fame Player For GM

With just two years to go until the first puck drops, the Seattle NHL expansion franchise has named Ron Francis as it's new general manager.  Francis, who played 22 seasons in the NHL and is 5th in all time points.

Francis has played on two Stanley Cup winning Pittsburgh Penguin teams.    He previously had been general manager with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Seattle team has yet to pick a nickname, but getting a known general manager should get it on the right track to build a winning franchise.

Retired Supreme Court Justice Stevens Dies

Justice John Paul Stevens, who was picked by Republican Gerald Ford to replace the well known civil libertarian Justice William Douglas, has died.  Stevens served 34 years on US Supreme Court.
Stevens was one of a seemingly disappearing number of court appointments that were picked by Republican presidents, but whose decisions were mostly considered more to the Left.
Stevens voted to limit the death penalty, promote racial equality, and preserve abortion.
Stevens was a native of Chicago and a devoted Cubs fan.

Blazers Will Replace Radio Announcer Wheeler

The Portland Trail Blazers have announced that Brian Wheeler, the NBA team's radio voice for 21 years will not return for the 2019-20 season.  Wheeler, formerly a radio host on Seattle Sports Radio 95 KJR, had missed a good portion of this past seasons with health concerns.

20 Years Ago Today--A New Era Begins For Seattle Baseball

I attended what was then Safeco Field for the opening of Seattle's brand new outdoor baseball stadium. I had won the above ticket for the game in an office drawing and attended with co-workers.
 The future looked much better for the Mariners at the time then the Seahawks.  Well, the Mariners had one great season in 2001 at Safeco,  but since that season, they have not been able to put another play-off team together. Meanwhile the Seahawks have been to 3 Super Bowls, winning one.
Safeco Field is now named T-Mobile Park.

Inslee Quip Goes Viral

Jay Inslee says that he was half joking when he said that his first act if elected president would be select soccer star Megan Rapinoe as his secretary of state.  Rapinoe plays for the Seattle Reign, here in Inslee's home state.

The Third Class FCC License

My goal as a child was to get into radio.  It may be because as I remember, the tower of KTEL, a few blocks away, was visible from the house on Leonard Street where we lived until 1965.   It could be that when we moved to a new house, I had the bedroom that once belonged to Bob Garred, who had gone on to become a national radio voice before his passing. It may have been the memory of  my dad taking me to KTEL, back when we lived on Leonard to visit Burl, who at the time, was working as a Rock And Roll DJ at night and on weekends, while going to high school during the day.
At the time, to get a radio job, you needed a 3rd Class FCC Radio Telephone License with Broadcast Endorsement.
When I started my Junior year of High School, I studied to get my license.  To get the 3rd Class License, I had to pass elements 1 and 2 which were very easy, but element 9 was rather difficult and I was not great at passing tests..
During Spring vacation, we went to the Seattle area, of course we were all in Walla Walla at the time.  We stayed at the Thunderbird in Bellevue, which eventually would become one of the two Red Lions in that town, it would eventually become the Doubletree and then, later, be torn down for high rises.  The test was administered on certain days at the Federal Communication Commission  on the 32nd floor of the Federal Building in Downtown Seattle.
Both my sister and I were dropped off at the Federal Building to take the course.  I knew that I passed elements 1 and 2, but was not sure about element 9.
I found out that I passes all three elements and received the license looking like the one above, my sister passed elements 1 and 2, but was unable to get a broadcast endorsement.  Her's looked like this

When I got my first radio gig, it was a KUGR at WSU.  The license was not needed because it was heard on the cable system, rather than the "air".  I remember that was so the station could play commercials, giving valuable experience to a radio sales force and to production engineers.
 I finally got a gig at KTEL where I did need my third phone, which I proudly posted, but I was mad to find out a few months later that operator licenses where being phased out and operated were getting a permit in the mail with no test needed.  I believe today, operators at any level are not licensed.

Traffic Jam On West Lake Sammamish Parkway

Traffic on the Lake Road, Wednesday evening on the home commute, was the worst that I had ever seen or at least, remember under normal conditions.  It must have taken at least half an hour to get where I turned onto the road from Northeast 8th until I got to the roundabout, normally a 10 minute drive.

Pitcher Author Jim Bouton Dies

Jim Bouton,  who pitched for the Seattle Pilots in the area's first go round with  Major League Baseball, then rocked the sports world with his tell all book, Ball Four, has died.  

Bouton began his career as a hard throwing right hander with the New York Yankees.  He pitched in 2 World Series with the team.  

After injuring his arm, Bouton made a comeback as a knuckleball pitcher.  He was picked by the expansion Seattle Pilots in 1969.  He took notes at the time and was able to publish Ball Four. A hilarious look at baseball players doing what they do off the field.  

The book seems relatively tame these days, especially after years of steroid scandals in the sport. 

Bouton would later pitch for the Portland Mavericks, an independent team in the Northwest League. Although, unlike Seattle, it was not Major Leagues, it was another Pacific Northwest baseball team with an interesting cast of characters.  

Nearing Completion

The finishing touches are being put on resurfacing of our deck.  It should be ready soon for the best days of summer.  We had the deck built, a few years after buying the house in the late 90s and has been fun place to enjoy warm Spring, Summer, and Fall days.

Perot Dead

CNN reports that billionaire H. Ross Perot, whose campaign for the presidency in 1992 had inspired many and may have opened the door for Donald Trump's later successful campaign, has died at 89.

Many will compare Perot with Trump, however, Perot did not seem to flaunt his wealth.  His appeal was more across the board than Trump, and Perot's anger seemed to be more toward traditional politicians than any ethnic group or citizen.

Outdoor Fireplaces Offered In New Homes

At the new Fox Pointe housing development, just a few blocks from our house, I was intrigued with the outdoor fireplace, allowing home owners to entertain on their decks during the area's sometimes cool, but clear Spring and Summer evenings.

Celebration!

We were married 24 years ago today at the Grand Atrium at 1201 Third Avenue in Downtown Seattle.

Heart crazy on you

Guitarist Nancy Wilson's pose and leg kick at 2:30 are classic.  Seattle's Heart doing Crazy On You.

Fireworks At Bellevue

We spent the afternoon on the 4rth Of July at Bellevue's Downtown Park enjoying the fireworks.

Mad Magazine To Stop Publishing

Mad Magazine, the monthly publication that satirized pop culture, is ending publication later this year.  The magazine poked fun of everything, usually in a relatively harmless way. Alfred E. Neuman, a gap tooth boy, whose catch phrase was "what, me worry", was the mascott of the magazine always on the cover mocking whatever was the  month's subject. 
When network TV was at the height of it's popularity, it was a badge of honor to have Mad to make fun of a certain show, with goofy character names and characturistic cartoons. 
It was sort of SNL in a comic book. Only it preceded the NBC show by about 24 years. 
The magazine began in 1952. 

Happy 4th Of July

Santana "Black Magic Woman & "Oye Como Va" @ White River Amphitheater 6...

Here is a video from last weekend's Santana concert.  You can actually see the performance in this one.

Unique Sign For Bellevue City Council Candidate

This seems like a normal candidate sign , which was posted at an entrance to the Crossroads Mall parking lot, but a close look indicates that Bellevue city council candidate is a Democrat.  That is great, except Bellevue city council positions are non-partisan.  

I applaud Mr. Bible for being a Democrat and being the first candidate I can remember stating party when running for a non-partisan office. 

Happy Canada Day!

Since Canada is just 2 hours away, we tip our hats to those celebrating Canada Day.