Growing up I was taught by my parents that people who swear are really just showing their ignorance of the English language as well as their own general ignorance. Also in those days, my older brother Ian taught me that the short school bus was more correctly referred to as the “retardo bus.” Vastly different sources and motivation, but both life lessons that have carried through the years.
I remember that if I feel like swearing, then I need to pause, take a look at my situation and choose a better option. I also remember that Jeanne, who suffered severe scoliosis (I think) as a young child grew up to become an active and intelligent cheerleader in high school. I’d guess that she remembers those, my brother included, who referred to her as an “R” because she rode the “R-bus.” I wonder if any of those guys had the nerve to ask her out?
Fast forwarding to 2010 I see that those life lessons are still true.
White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel apologized to the head of the Special Olympics today after the Wall Street Journal reported the fiery Chicagoan privately called a group of liberal activists “f—ing retarded.”
Today, just as much as yesterday, people who swear and name call are still showing their ignorance and in this case it is also says a little about the president who appointed a person of this character as their White House chief of staff.
Oh, and here’s an off color audio clip that oft pops in my head when I run into someone who cannot help themselves, but to use of the “F” word.
Fair Warning: Don’t hit play unless you are an adult who has heard the word before and isn’t afraid to hear it again.
Does that help identify the quality of Rahm Emanuel’s character? or a close friend of yours? or yourself perhaps?
I just drew a YES line to approve the next operations and maintenance levy. I still have real a real problem with the amount of new government programs and new taxes cropping up left and right and I rejected the last Ferndale School District Bond, but this levy is to continue operations as norm.
As a follow up to yesterday’s post Redefining Ferndale I drove by the now erected sign. I did email Ferndale’s Mayor Jensen, but noticed he was involved in a little restructuring so I don’t expect any sort of timely response. (oops, my bad see comments)
Anyway, quite a sight to behold now towering 80 feet above I-5 and the surrounding areas. I can hardly wait to see it all lit up like the Skagit and Tulalip Casinos. Really, I’ve grown tired of an orange glowing harvest mood hanging low and alone in the evening sky. I think we’re all ready to put that boredom behind us and let some blindingly bright animations takeover our quiet October sky. Of course I’m joking about this 80 foot eyesore.
Yes, I know that this is on tribal trust land so without regards for local rules and regulation they can invoke there sacred aboriginal Lummi right to glow at night. I get it. But what they can do and could do are two entirely different things. They can put up this eyesore and they did, but they could have respected the concerns of the rest of us in Ferndale and surrounding areas by tempering what they want with what others want. That’d be the neighborly thing to do, even if just a little bit.
The people of Ferndale have defined in the Ferndale Municipal Code 18.80 how they’d like signs to look in our area of Whatcom County. If you’re insane, you might want to read the whole 50 pages, otherwise here’s a taste.
Off-premises signs are prohibited.
Electronic signs which include animations are prohibited
Electronic signs shall be no greater than 25 feet in height
Lighting for signs shall be held to the minimum needed to convey the sign’s message.
Sign lighting shall not be so bright and distracting as to be a traffic hazard.
Lighting of signs shall be in character with the building/development and surrounding area.
So using what I’ve seen and extrapolating from the Skagit and Tulalip casino signs it looks like the Silver Reef sign will be off-premise, animated, 3 times higher than 25 feet, more than minimally lighted, distracting, and quite out of character with surrounding areas. The Silver Reef sign appears, in these major aspects, to be the exact opposite of what we’d like to see in our town. This and cutting access to Lummi Island just gives me a warm fuzzy feeling; how ‘bout you?
OK, that was part one. Part two/too is “what the heck was the City of Ferndale thinking about during their involvement with this project?” The Bellingham Herald reported that “the tribe has worked with the city on its design.” And they also reported Ferndale City Administrator Greg Young as saying “We figured it was better to work cooperatively with the Lummis rather than try to oppose it,” What? Was it going to be even bigger and brighter and you worked with them to keep it just under 80 feet? And by working cooperatively I’m seeing that you cooperated with whatever they wanted and in return they gave you the fing… well you get what I mean and I’m pretty sure that’s all we got.
Oh, yes, I forgot the “Welcome to Ferndale” sign. We got that and wow is it a double blessing. First we will no longer be known for the Nooksack River, Hovander Park, Pioneer Park, Ferndale football, etc. I was getting as tired of that as I was the harvest moon. We’ll soon be known for our hotel, casino, spa and yes, our tobacco shop. And second, that new 80 foot brightly lit Silver Reef/Welcome to Ferndale” sign will now direct I-5 traffic to Exit 260 and away from Exit 262 and all of the downtown businesses. That’d be the other fing…again I’m sure you got it.
As a resident of Ferndale I am deeply offended by the inclusion of “Welcome to Ferndale” on the bottom of this new sign. I don’t think any Ferndale residents see our town as the land of gambling and cheap tabacco, nor do I think any want to have our town known as the land of gambling and cheap tabacco. I know their will be a load of crap about tribal this and tribal that, but none of that changes how offensive this sign is.
According to the Herald article,
the tribe has worked with the city on its design.
I’ve got to work now, but this afternoon I’ll be contacting my city government.
P.S. Wonder where the big big boxes will go? Check out Altium Development Group and their plans Slater Road plans. which include an anchor store that is over 200,000 square feet.
What about it!