| McGinnis: Cause-of-the-day democracy
From the moment colonists set foot on Jamestown, American history has been about social change, and anybody who thinks they can stop it is kidding themselves. In every element of life, from government institutions to nonprofit organizations, PTAs and church committees, we're seeing it. As anti-establishment as they may have been in the ‘60s, Baby Boomers are taking the reins from the Greatest Generation, determined that nobody waste their time or money. Today good stewardship means operating by efficient, transparent business models. Technology has leveled the playing field and the days of patronage appointments, handshake deals and the buddy system are coming to a close. It's time to lead or leave. We have gradually come to a turning point in local government. Wichita County voters have watched county operations slowly succumb to change; things are far from perfect but attrition should clear the remaining hurdles.
From Japan, fan answers Hawks' call
Frenzied fans from Bellingham to Chehalis will roar with all their might Saturday as the Seahawks clash with the Green Bay Packers. But one Tacoma native has emerged as an intrepid, dyed-in-the-blue-wool fan, a man who wouldn't let jet lag, money or the vast Pacific Ocean stop him from watching pigskins spiral. Consultant Ross Wakefield, 36, flew 12 hours from Tokyo to watch the Seahawks play at Green Bay's Lambeau Field. "Everybody in Japan thinks I'm a freak," he said in a phone interview, adding that he has flown back for six home games this season. "They say, 'How can you travel back and forth for a game? It's just a game.' " His reasons for flying to Chicago and driving about three hours to Green Bay are clear: "When I was a kid, my family was poor.
Bush speech focuses on slumping economy
He promised to push ahead on helping to achieve a Middle East peace pact. And he said he'll "confront" Iran if necessary to protect U.S. troops and the country's interests in the Persian Gulf. Bush, who announced this year's trilateral meeting with Canada and Mexico will be held in New Orleans in April, committed $2 billion to a new global fund for clean energy alternatives and insisted the United States wants to work toward an international climate change deal. But he continued to insist it must include commitments "by every major economy and give none a free ride."" There were no new high-profile initiatives as Bush's presidency winds down and the focus shifts to the intense presidential race that will determine who will take his place, a change that can't come soon enough for some.
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