Christine McVie

Reports say that Fleetwood Mac Keyboardist and co-lead singer Christine McVie has died. She was 79. 

I bought the Rumours album and was amazed at all the great music on one record, much like the Eagle's Hotel California released about the same time.

The Snow Is Back

In the Puget Sound area, the snowfall can be so debilitating, it is know as an "event".

Snow Falls In Maple Valley

So far, just a light dusting.

Up In The Sky

A military helicopter flyover was featured during the playing of the National anthem at Lumen Field, Sunday (November 27th, 2022).  Heavy metal band, Anthrax front man Joey Belladonna was the singer.

Sadly, the Seahawks lost to the Raiders in overtime.

Seahawks vs Raiders

Go Seahawks In this picture, Cal Raleigh, who hit some dramatic home runs for the hometown Mariners, raises the 12 Flag, a tradition to salute the Seahawk fans. 

Go Cougs! 2022 Apple Cup

 Apple Cup will be played tonight (November 26th, 2022) at 7:30.  Both teams have winning records and are Bowl bound. 

Holiday Season Beginning In Bellevue

Looking South down Bellevue Way.  Snowflake Lane is up and ready.

Happy Thanksgiving

 Have a wonderful holiday!

Is Birthright Israel Too Good To Be True? | Unpacked

If we had children, I would definitely encourage them to go on this trip.  I wish it had been around when I was a kid. 

Ken Levine Interviews Brian Wilson Biographer

 Having been a longtime reader of Ken Levine's once daily blog, I have remained a listener of his podcast which has gone on for many years. 

Early last month, he did an excellent interview with David Leaf, who wrote "God Only Knows: The story of Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys and the California Myth.  Wilson, in the upper picture, is one of rock and roll's most iconic, yet unknown figures, yet through the great insight of Leaf, pictured below, and the skillful interview of Levine, his life and feelings are really brought out for listeners and reader to somewhat understand. The interview is 2-part, as are most of Levine's podcast interviews.  

Levine's podcasts are available weekly, usually on Thursdays.   They are available on most podcast platforms and as the only remaining feature on his blog. 

More Fallout From The Storm

Last week's windstorm did considerable damage to this tree in the front yard of a house in Belmont Woods.

Apple Cup Week Begins

 The 2022 Apple Cup, the annual rivalry between the WSU Cougars and the Washington Huskies could be one for the ages.  Both teams are having excellent seasons, but both with some disappointments.  

Both teams are coming in hot after big victories this season.  The week before Apple Cup is traditional filled with jokes and merriment. This is a fun, but intense rivalry.

The game will be played this Saturday, November 26th with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 pm. 

Cougs Go For Arizona Sweep

 After a victory over the Arizona State Sun Devils last week, The Cougs are in Tuscon (November 19th) to take on the Arizona Wildcats.   The Wildcats are quarterbacked by ex-Cougar Jayden de Laura. Go Cougs!

#RIPTwitter Trending As Workers Flee in Response to Elon Musk's Ultimatum

Things change fast these days, this would be incomprehensible even a few weeks ago.  This is both funny and sad.  The end though, well, it remains to be seen. 

Patty Murray Slated To Break Barrier

 Washington's own Senator Patty Murray is scheduled to make history as the first woman to be chosen as President Pro Tempore of the US Senate.  It is an honor usual given to the senior most member of the majority party in the senate.  

According to the Cascadia Advocate, one of my favorite political blogs, it is the only position in the senate mentioned in the constitution.  When theVice President is not there to preside, the President Pro Tempore will take on that duty.  

By taking that position, Murray is third in the line of succession to the president.  Murray is not the first senator from Washington to hold the position.  Warren Magnuson, who served Washington for 36 years attained the position in the late 70s, before he was defeated in 1980, along with many other Democrats holding office in the Reagan landslide.

Area Windstorm Causes Damage

A downed street sign was probably caused by fierce winds which hit the Cascade Foothills area, including Maple Valley, yesterday (November 17th, 2022).

Power was out at our house for several hours and area yards are filled with debris 

'Quite a spectacle': Paul Silvi describes covering the Seahawks-Buccanee...

King 5 sports reporter Paul Silvi relates his experience flying from his home in Seattle to Munich for last Sunday's Seahawks vs Bucaneers game. 

“It Was a Party!” - Rich Eisen Recaps His Trip to Germany to Call Bucs v...

Sports personality Rich Eisen speaks about the Seahawks vs Bucs in Munich.

NFL Munich - German crowds sings "Take Me Home, Country Roads" - Seahawk...

This was a bright spot for yesterday's Seahawk loss.  Even the announcers were singing!  

Note: for some reason beyond my comprehension, the NFL will not let me share this video on 

my blog.  Clicking the link will take you right to that video and the singing. 

Giddyap!

It was fun seeing a couple of people riding horses on the pipeline trail near our house. 

Dasher and I love walking that 

'The little campaign that could': Marie Perez beats Joe Kent

Congrats to Marie Perez for her victory in Washington's 3rd CD.  It's amazing how Democrats have done this year at midterms, which generally favor the out party.

Cougs Take On Sun Devils

 Go Cougs!  

Crazy Comedian Gallagher Dies

 He had a crazy act, which viewers could watch on Showtime, today (November 11th, 2022) it's reports that Gallagher is dead at 76.  He was famous for his "sledge-a-matic" where he smashed vegetables with a sledgehammer.  I think at one point, as I remember, something that he said or did in an act, got him in trouble, but don't remember what it was. 

One thing that I remember is that when Burl worked at B. Barer And Sons, he had a conversation on the phone with the comedian. Although Burl was in Walla Walla at the time, he was still doing radio advertising and promotions.  

Gallagher's death was attributed to organ failure after a series of heart attacks. 

Seattle Seahawks touch down in Germany

Go Seahawks!  The Hawks take on Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday in Munich.

Seattle Times Calls Schrier Winner In 8th

 The Seattle Times has declared Democrat incumbent Representative Kim Schrier the winner in her race against Matt Larkin in Washington's 8th Congressional District. The daily said the Larkin had not yet conceded the race.

 Like Senator Murray, Schrier was also probably a benificiary of the overturning of Roe vs Wade.  She will be starting her third term.  

The 8th CD stretches across the Cascade Mountains and is still perceived as a "swing district". My guess is that the national GOP will continue to fund her opponents. 

Patty Murray Beats Tiffany Smiley

Democrat Patty Murray will continue her three-decade run as Washington's senior senator.  Like two other long running national legislators in our history Senator Warren Magnuson and Speaker Tom Foley, Murray had to run in a year that was to be unfavorable to Democrats, due to the man serving in the White House.  Unlike Maggie and Foley, she won. 

Murray's victory came after a barrage of attack ads from both sides as she ran against political newcomer Tiffany Smiley.  Smiley, from the Tri-Cities in Conservative Eastern Washington, ran advertising blaming Murray for all of the state's ills, from homeless encampments on Seattle streets to drug addiction.  One of her reoccurring themes is that after 30 years, Murray had been in "the other Washington" for too long. Of course, most likely people who say that someone has held a job for two long, probably did not like them to begin with.  

Murray could have been more vulnerable had Roe v Wade not been overturned last summer.  With inflation rising and a president's popularity not exactly rising, this could have been a red wave not unlike the ones that took out Magnuson in 1980 (the Reagan landslide) and Foley in 1994 (the so-called Contract with America).

Several factors besides Roe v. enabled Murray's victory.  Until recently, Washington was something of a swing state, today, it is considered Blue and a state where it is virtually impossible for Republicans to run statewide.  Foley ran in the more Conservative 5th district in Eastern Washington.  He still was able to get support across the aisle until the tone of politics changed. Foley was Speaker of the House when he was defeated.  

I think much of Smiley's undoing was her advertisements.  In one, she said that Murray had lost touch with her constituents, a common political accusation, then showed Smiley doorbelling in tennis shoes, mocking the "Mom in tennis shoes" moniker that Murray used.  Also, Smiley would use her husband, a veteran who was blinded in combat in her ads, that is understandable, but there is a right way to do that, and Smiley's final ad with him, was just not coming across right. 

If Murray finishes this term, (rather than take a cabinet position if offered or retires), she will tie Senator Magnuson as Washington's longest serving senator. 

Traffic Chaos Delays Commute On Highway 18

 Highway 18 became a virtual parking lot today (November 9th, 2022) as did any surface streets in the vicinity, when a couple of crashes involving big rigs, closed everything west of the offramp to Issaquah-Hobart Road. 

My commute from Maple Valley to Bellevue, normally close to an hour on a bad day, was 2 and a half hours.  I would have been at work a half hour early.  Instead, I was one hour late.  

But, the most important thing, I did arrive safely. 

Photos were from the KIRO 7 website.

Facing Nolan--A Review

I watched the Netflix Documentary Facing Nolan after the recommendation of a friend and also after it was featured in an episode of the Mitch Unfiltered podcast.

I found it to be very compelling and fascinating.   To make a documentary like this must have been quite difficult because Ryan is not a flashy guy.  He was what we would consider a "lunchbox player", a player who approaches his craft with a great work ethic.  Even though he did pitch in LA, I don't remember seeing any pictures of him in a Porche on the Sunset Strip. This documentary reinforces his image as a great family man. 

Like Quarterback Tom Brady, Ryan's career took him well into his 40s, performing well long after most athletes stay in the game.  Unlike Brady, in spite of widely considered the greatest pitcher of all time.

Ryan does not need a huge trophy case.  He was on only one team that won the World Series (the New York Mets of 1969) and inexplicably, never won the Cy Young Award, baseball's trophy for the best pitcher of the year. 

Ryan's career ended at the Seattle Kingdome.  I did not see the game but got caught in the traffic jam. He had already announced that he would retire at the end of the season.  This game was to be his last appearance in Seattle.  The Kingdome was filled and Ryan did pitch, but had to be pulled out because of an injury. That same evening, I agreed to pick up a friend at the Amtrak depot, next to the Kingdome, needless to say, it was a challenging evening to be on the road.  

I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues by Elton John - Face to Face ...

Memories!  From Elton John's Seattle concert in 2010. 

Go Seahawks!!

Seahawks face Cardinals for the second time this season.
 

Go Vols--Tennessee Vols Take On Georgia

 Tennessee takes on Georgia today (November 5th, 2022).  Both teams are 8-0, so the whole nation will be watching.

Seahawks So Far Doing Well After Wilson Trade

 Longtime Seattle sports columnist Art Thiel, writes about how the Seahawks Russell Wilson trade from earlier this year to the Denver Broncos, has so far, looked good for the Hawks.  You can see his post by clicking here.

Jim Moore Says Seahawks Could Become Story For Seattle Sports History

 In a recent Tacoma News Tribune story, veteran sports Jounalist Jim Moore is noting the recent surprising success of the Seattle Seahawks.  The team, which oddsmakers and experts had at winning 5 games at most have just pulled off 3 wins in a row.  You can read the story by clicking here.

XFL Returns With New Seattle Franchise

 The XFL, which shut down weeks after its start in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic and perhaps financial challenges is scheduled to relaunch early next year.  The Seattle Sea Dragons are scheduled to kick off its season on February 18th.  The team will play its home games at Lumen Field. 

In 2020, the Seattle team was simply known as the Dragons.    For ticket information, click here

Early Elton - Amoreena 3-15-13 Rockwood Music Hall, NYC

This Elton John tribute band was good enough to fool me.  Singing one of John's more obscure, but in my opinion, one of his best songs. 

Another Great Halloween Display

This great display is in the culdesac next to us.  

Hope everyone had a great Halloween!