http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon The Constant Curmudgeon RSS Feed http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2012-02-09_fighting_the_ferry_fat_fee Are you too fat to ride the ferry? The Coast Guard seems to think some of us are. They are attempting to limit the number of people allowed on a ferry because so many Americans are overweight. http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2012-02-09_fighting_the_ferry_fat_fee http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2012-02-03_what_a_city_ Edmonds... what a fantastic place to live! One can grumble about gray skies and the occasional rain, even though our average yearly rainfall is only 36 inches (far less than places not known for rain), but our benefits far outweigh our minor perceived difficulties. http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2012-02-03_what_a_city_ http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2012-01-19_i_ll_take_that_bet Having lunch with friends, Larry, Kelly and mama Boots the other day, an interesting subject came up. Subject? The Mayan prediction that the world would come to an end on December 21 of this year, 2012. http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2012-01-19_i_ll_take_that_bet http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2012-01-12_ethics__what_ethics_ I think I've pretty much always felt this, but it is becoming daily more and more obvious that politicians sicken me. Not necessarily local ones... although some cause me to wonder, but in particular, the federal varmints. http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2012-01-12_ethics__what_ethics_ http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2012-01-05_roundabout_issue_not_finished When are they going to wake up? The bureaucracy intent upon remodeling Five Corners has apparently made up its collective mind that the project will go ahead regardless of the many valid objections to it... and our City Council ate it up like striped candy. http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2012-01-05_roundabout_issue_not_finished http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-12-29_i_approve_this_column Something very strange is going on in politics. So what's new? It would seem that there is always something strange and secretive going on in politics. http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-12-29_i_approve_this_column http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-12-22_hope_for_the_new_year Well, here we are. On the cusp of a whole new year that our federal politicians haven't yet had a chance to foul up as this is being written. Fear not... they will soon be back in session and up to their old tricks. http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-12-22_hope_for_the_new_year http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-12-15_let_your_voice_be_heard Here's our chance to raise our voices either in favor of or opposed to the multi-million dollar expenditure and disruption of business being proposed for Five Corners where the easily flowing traffic is being scheduled to be replaced with a "roundabout." http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-12-15_let_your_voice_be_heard http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-12-08_at_least_be_as_smart_as_your_dog They're still here. Dogs, with their person on the other end of the leash, continue to invade our waterfront parks even though the entrances to these otherwise delightful areas are festooned with signs prohibiting them. There are even signs stenciled on the various walkways announcing that dogs are not only not welcome but, in fact, prohibited. http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-12-08_at_least_be_as_smart_as_your_dog http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-12-01_mail_in_ballots_a_step_backwards Where and when did this mail-in ballot idea start? Whatever happened to the computer screen voting at polling places? Some say there is too much opportunity to alter election results when computer balloting is used. http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-12-01_mail_in_ballots_a_step_backwards http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-11-17_can_new_leadership_right_the_wrongs_ New faces on the Edmonds City Council and a new Mayor? The citizens of Edmonds have spoken and, apparently, shown their displeasure at the questionable activities that have cast a pall over the office of Mayor and the lack of much meaningful activity exhibited in the Council chamber. http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-11-17_can_new_leadership_right_the_wrongs_ http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-11-10_thou_shalt_read_this_column I can't help but wonder... what if the 10 Commandments were written today? If modern, permissive thinking were to be applied to some of the key 10 Commandments... where would it lead? http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-11-10_thou_shalt_read_this_column http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-11-03_problems_in_modern_education I don't know whether it's just the fact that I'm getting older and grumpier or whether there's a difference in the educational process these days. It seems to me that the current crop of youngsters get a couple of months off from school in the summer. And, if there was a little inclement weather during the school year it cuts into their vacation time off. http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-11-03_problems_in_modern_education http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-10-27_i_want_that_job How the world has changed. How often have you heard some old duffer say that? But, I must repeat it because these days it seems that employers are rewarding employees who have resigned or have been fired for apparent poor job performance (whether rightly or wrongfully determined). http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-10-27_i_want_that_job http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-10-20_getting_it_right I'm a movie buff. My collection of nearly 1600 movies attests to that. We enjoyed one last night from 1938 called "It Happened One Night" with Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert... delightful. Part of my reason for watching movies is that current TV offerings disgust me. http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-10-20_getting_it_right http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-10-13_citizens_need_to_know_what_s_going_on What's going on at City Hall? What's happening to our seemingly well-mannered Edmonds By The Sea beautiful, innocent community? One doesn't have to read too closely between the lines to draw some inferences that there might be some hanky panky afoot involving some of our elected or appointed leaders. http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-10-13_citizens_need_to_know_what_s_going_on http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-10-06_getting_it_right I'm a movie buff. My collection of nearly 1600 movies attests to that. We enjoyed one last night from 1938 called "It Happened One Night" with Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert... delightful. Part of my reason for watching movies is that current TV offerings disgust me. http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-10-06_getting_it_right http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-09-29_city_council_just_doesn_t_get_it How many hours… weeks… months… years have our city council and other interested parties been beating a dead horse over whether or not the allowable height of buildings in the downtown area should be increased by 30 inches? What a miserable waste of time when other more important matters are either nonchalantly agreed to or shelved without consideration. http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-09-29_city_council_just_doesn_t_get_it http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-09-22_everybody_loves_a_clown Clowning is fun. Anyone who has been a clown can tell you that there is nothing quite as gratifying as making small children happy. I clowned in Seafair parades, five or six each year, for several years. http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-09-22_everybody_loves_a_clown http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-09-15_what_makes_a_celebrity_ I must be missing something. Seems that I hear about or read daily reports of what the various Kardashian girls are involved in. What in the world made them celebrities? http://edmondsbeacon.com/columns/constant-curmudgeon/article.exm/2011-09-15_what_makes_a_celebrity_