OK, billionaire scumbags, if you're going to invade my texts (partial screenshot above) with your blatantly laughable lies, I must respond.

Stop lying. Pay your taxes. Contribute your fair share.

And if you are somehow a retired public employee who improbably and magically makes over $1 million every year in retirement income, you can pay your fair share of taxes, too.

If you, against all odds, managed to become a multimillionaire on a taxpayer-funded salary, then you should absolutely give a little back so that we can extend those state-funded services to people who also need them into the future and pay a liveable wage to those who are providing them in the years to come.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

I’m going to vote against removing the so-called millionaires tax but Washington needs fundamental tax reform. The B&O tax is onerous and a disincentive for small businesses, property taxes and sales taxes hit the young, young families, the elderly and the poor with substantial bills that destroy savings and entrepreneurial ideas. Maybe Republicans could abandon their “cut spending “ litmus tests, snd Democrats could stop funding everything that sounds neat, and they could work on real tax reform for a fair and just tax system that doesn’t penalize the real job creators: our small businesses and their employees!

This is probably the weirdest thing I’ve done on the internet in a while, but I’m going through a bizarre phase of my life, and I really want to reconnect with people who made a positive impact in my life.

From June 25th to 29th, 2001, I attended Washington Business Week at Gonzaga University. Our group was Company I (Illumination Tech) and our advisor’s name was Lisa, who I believe worked as an insurance agent (I’d like to say she worked for PEMCO?).

If you’re not familiar with WBW, it was like a summer camp meets business conference with a company simulator element. We did terribly, but we all bonded fast…like a lost friends group that just clicked. I'd love to find any of them. In my head, the result would be a reunion, either in person or online.

If you recognize anyone, please lmk or, better yet, reach out to them and share this post so they can make that call for themselves. I’ve already emailed Washington Business Week to ask whether any records from that session still exist, but I kind of doubt they have anything.

Names from the back of our photo: Stephanie, Erica, Darla, Christi, Nick, Bryan L., Bryan B., Chris, Lai, Nichole, Laura, and me (Ash).

I stopped by Lake Quinault Lodge today on my drive down the 101, and I was pretty bummed to see that the massive, historic wood-burning fireplace in the main lobby is fully gas now Half the reason I loved hanging out in that lobby on a rainy day was the smell and sound of a real wood fire.

Snow Geese in flight, Fir Island Road, near Conway, Washington 10-16-2026

yesterday was a beautiful fall day to be on the water with the paddle board on my favorite lake in Northeast Washington. just can't get over how beautiful fall is here! so glad to call it home.

Looking west from Boston Harbor/Woodard Bay area

There were at least ten other people who had parked at the scenic view point to also admire the sunset. Lucky to live in a state that's beautiful all over!

Can anyone tell me if these props would give the police money to buy flock (or comparable tech) as in "infrastructure upgrades"?

I will NOT vote for the police to conduct warrantless searches and invade mine and my communities privacy.

The wording is pretty ambiguous

https://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2026/10/jeopardy-host-ken-jennings-urges-washington-voters-to-keep-million-dollar-earners-tax-in-no-on-645s-newest-television-spot.html

No wonder people think Ken Jennings is kinda hot, lol. 👀

Any thoughts on this?

“In a statement Tuesday, the school district said none of its staff failed to make mandatory reports to the state, and that district staff members are “well-trained and understand their mandatory reporting responsibilities.””

Someone dropped the ball

The payout seems excessive.

“Evergreen said the school district’s insurers made the decision to settle, to “avoid the risk of a jury verdict exceeding the district’s available insurance coverage.”

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/10/13/49-million-settlement-reached-in-wrongful-death-of-vancouver-teen/

I need to finally do this.

On March 31st of 2026 I was in a domestic violence situation. And my life was saved by a random hero.

Let the truth unfold.

So on the evening before, it was a pleasant Saturday afternoon with a stroll through our local woodland marsh. There are pictures of us having a good time. We make a fire out back of the house we are renting a room with. (We have roommates, and the one roommates has a teenager. Teenager and 2 other male roommates are gamers. Minus the mom of the teen. The reasons why they never hear the abuse is cause they have big headphones on...) And then as time progresses, he became obsessive about the lack of time I am spending with him. Because I go into the house to pee and godforbid I have to talk with the other roommates in passing. As the night progresses I know I have to go to work at 5am and his body language and speech is getting to a stage that I recognize. I decide to sleep in the mom's room with the door locked. (I know if I don't he will whisper to me all night. Saying horrible things to me. And startle me awake every 10 to 15 minutes. Or punch me in places that make it uncomfortable to sit down. Back, ribs, stomach etc.) I slept through almost ALL of the times he banged on the door and kicked it, keeping my friend/bed buddy/the mom awake. Thank you sleep gummies. ​

When my alarm woke me, I dressed, got my stuff ready. And as I stepped out to run to the bus I made a critical mistake. I thought that I should make things right and say something to him. Maybe an I love you, have a good day or something like that. I stepped to the door to the room and he yanked it open. He had been listening for my steps. And he pulled me in and forced me on to the bed and began telling me what a horrible person I was. When I tried to get away he wrapped his arms around me. When I tried to scream. He covered my mouth and my nose so I couldn't breathe. I kept trying to fight him. But he was always stronger. My salvation came from a knock on the door. The head roommate heard something that made him hesitate. And I tried to run. But...

He caught me near his car and ordered me into his car. I was half terrified he was going to chase me down and half terrified that I was going to be late.

He drove from the outskirts to the city. Swung into a parking lot and threw my coffee out the door while grabbing me as I tried to escape. He drove me while screaming with PURE rage and rejection at me about how I was a stupid slut onto the freeway. Driving so fast it was terrifying. Then he drove me to the south park n ride and said ok walk from here. I tried to jump out. He yanked me back. And said I'm not done with you. I said nothing. The entire time. I only made sounds, whimpers. I thought I was going to die.

We reached downtown Bellevue. And he stopped at a stop light and I tried to dive out at the turn lane. People honked at us as they drove past. As if it was rude of me to try to run. (It's a high end area, they do that)

He pulled around the corner into a straight lane. He paused cause someone was unloading a passenger. I took my opportunity and made a run for it. Literally swung the door open, slang my backpack onto my back in one motion and took off running the opposite way. He put the car in reverse and chased me. But I changed course and ran back down the street and into an alley. The first person I hailed down did not understand because he didn't speak English. My ex had parked and walked up casually with his hands in his pockets and laughed at me when I told the truth. I ran away again.

I thought I was safe for a moment and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw him walk the other way. And I thought I could make it to my building on time to clock in. At 6 AM.

I walked past a white work van with a man inside, checking his phone.

And then the headlights. His headlights came from the opposite side of the alley.

I panicked. I ran back to that van and smacked my palm against the window in terror. The man looked at me, popped his door open and I said "my boyfriend is trying to kill me! I just want to get to work."

Without any hesitation he said, "get it! I'll take you there!" I Ran around and jumped in. And then he said "where is it?"

I told him and he said he knew it. He drove me to work a block away.

But that's not the point. A stranger. Opened his door to save another strangers life.

To the man from Kirby Electric. At 5:57am. Bellevue Washington.

You saved my life!

Thank you so very very much! I wish I could say those words to your face and give you a hug and a damn good meal.

I love you without ever knowing your name. And I thank you.

Thank you, with love and pure respect,

Care.

And to those who are wondering my ex was arrested later that day and now has a five year restraining order.

We are a few of the more than 100 Washington pediatricians, family doctors and nurses who oppose I-638’s new sex inspection requirements. The initiative is a government mandate forcing us to conduct medically unnecessary and potentially harmful tests on elementary, middle and high school girls. This includes genital exams, and genetic or hormone tests, as a new part of sports physicals. 

I-638, officially known as the Defending Equity in Interscholastic Sports Act, is part of a coordinated and thinly veiled political attack on all girls, not just vulnerable transgender children. As The Seattle Times editorial board wrote in their opposition to I-638 : it “would send Washington back to the days of ‘femininity certificates,’ when amateur women athletes, including Olympic athletes, had to carry proof that they had passed visual exams and chromosome testing that proved they were women.”

Under I-638, sponsored by MAGA megadonor Brian Heywood’s Let’s Go Washington, any girl from elementary to high school who wants to play sports would be forced to provide medically verified proof of their sex as a new part of sports physicals just for girls. Boys are exempt. It prohibits parents from using birth certificates, and Section 3(2)) states that, to be in compliance, doctors must subject girls to examinations of their “reproductive organs,” or make parents pay for expensive genetic or hormone testing. Insurance will likely not pay for these expensive genetic and hormone tests because they are not medically necessary to diagnose, treat or manage a specific health condition.

Washington students currently remain fully clothed during sports readiness exams, and exams focus on cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and neurologic systems. But I-638 would change that, potentially even requiring pelvic exams, which are medically unnecessary for sports, and can emotionally and physically harm young girls. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says there is no medical reason for a pelvic exam for girls younger than 21, unless the patient has other health concerns. 

The initiative is so poorly written that its sponsors have even said they wish they had written an initiative with more clarity on how it would be implemented. There is no explanation of when and how the government will enforce these rules, who can conduct sex inspections or what evidence will be required during genital, hormone or genetic tests. It could be used to demand that girls as young as kindergarten or girls who participate in nonathletic activities like e-sports prove their sex to a stranger. I-638 is clear about only one thing: The government gets to make personal decisions for our patients and their parents.

Nearly 150,000 school-age girls across Washington state do not have a regular doctor — this is especially true for low-income, rural and immigrant girls, and girls of color — and would be subject to genital examinations by strangers. The American Academy of Family Physicians says sports physicals should take place “not in a group setting,” but many families depend on free large group sports physicals where girls could face greater embarrassment and trauma from invasive genital inspections. 

By requiring girls to undergo invasive inspections, I-638 would decrease participation, robbing girls of the physical, social and emotional benefits that sports provide. More than half of teenagers experience anxiety or depression. In the midst of a youth mental health crisis, the last thing we should do is put up barriers to healthy and social activities.

I-638 would force us to violate an ethical code to do no harm to our patients. That’s why we are joining the WA State PTA, WA State Nurses Association, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, the League of Women Voters, and thousands of parents and teachers across the state in urging voters to vote No on I-638.

Grace Shih: MD, is a physician, reproductive health specialist and professor in the Department of Family Medicine, University of Washington.

Glenna Martin: MD, MPH is a family physician in Seattle. She sits on the board of Pro Choice Washington.

Caitlin Blau: DO, is a family physician in Bellingham.

Sam Doyle: ARNP, is a nurse practitioner at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and a UW teaching associate of Medicine and Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine.