Viadoom Is Coming Soon!

Here's a snippet from ShiftWA's New Year's Eve edition...

“It’s going to be horrible for pretty much everyone unless we can figure out some small changes we can all make,” Seattle councilmember Mike O’Brien said about the upcoming viaduct closure. In roughly two weeks the Alaskan Way Viaduct will permanently close. “Obviously if you’re someone who uses 99 now you’re going to have to think directly what you do differently, but a lot of those vehicles will go to I-5,” O’Brien said. (My Northwest)

Nearly everywhere in the region, from Olympia at the south end to Marysville north of Everette, the traffic through this narrow section of land between the Puget Sound to the west and Lake Washington on the east, has been intolerable for decades with the influx of new families moving in to take jobs available because of the stable, diverse and strong employment opportunity here.

Now, after years of delays in getting "Bertha" to dig the underground tunnel along the Seattle waterfront right next to Elliot Bay (~30 ft.), the scene is set for traffic bedlam. (Good luck to those using the tunnel when the expected major earthquake hits sometime in the future.)

Use either link above to read the full article for details, but as someone who's commuted for ten years to Seattle from Federal Way, I can honestly say that this looming problem is going to blow up in the face of not only the city council, but the state's DOT because the suggestions made in this article as to how one can adjust to this change are a joke!

Shifting one's meeting starts by a half-hour won't even be close to sufficient for those stuck the traffic gridlock trying to get to the later meeting.

For the years when I was commuting into Seattle via I-5 and the SODO district surface streets, the traffic was absolutely horrendous! 

95% of the time the traffic near the north section of I-5 along Boeing Field would be at a crawl because of the four lanes three miles ahead would reduce down to two lanes at the Seneca exit just north of I-90. A 30 mile drive took me 45 minutes when traffic was half-way reasonable!

If I took the West Seattle bridge exit onto the surface streets of the SODO district the port trucks and buses would clog up the streets; not to mention the construction going on on 4th Ave. 

I wouldn't be surprised if it was learned in the future that the actual purpose behind creating such an unbearable situation for downtown Seattle workers - like my older daughter - was to cause such a crisis that it would provide liberals in the state's legislature to say, "See? Here's proof that we need more taxes to fix this problem."

Yea? Well, explain to me why they've spent so much of our tax dollars on HOV lanes that are a joke, and mass transit is an even bigger joke due to their unreliable schedules and light rail construction  overruns!

Get Ready, 'Cause Here They Come... Again!

George Soro's "Open Society" which funds efforts around the world to destabilize governments and country's monetary systems, has been fingered with supporting with his own funds - along with a branch of the United Nations - the "Caravan" which now sits in Tijuana. (Yes, Tucker, it's pronounced "Tee-whana", not Tee-uh-wanna.)

Yet, minority leader of the Senate in Congress, Charles Schumer - a.k.a. "Chuckee Shoomer" - seems to be behind, or at least blamed for, another larger assembly of Central Americans now gathering for a migration north into Mexico. 

It's clear that Democrats, at least the elected types, are more interested in doing whatever they can to bolster their voter base, rather than protect the very people who elected them from the untold number of criminal illegal aliens who've managed to cross the border into our country.

With the Media (D) backing them, it's even more frustrating to learn from multiple examples in the news, that the illegal aliens in our country seem to have favored status - Kate Steinle's being the first notable one of many - over the law abiding citizens who pay taxes and have no criminal record!

Why Do We Need A Wall Anyway?

Both of these elected representatives are quoted for being in favor of funding a wall before Trump was elected!

I've written about this topic many times over this past year.

My remarks have pointed out the many things which frustrate most of the tax paying citizens of this "shinning city on a hill", as Pres. Reagan referred to our nation.

And there've been a lot of great arguments made pointing out why maintaining a legal process - which the leftist-socialists are doing their best to encourage - is critical to our nation's survival.

But Gov. Mike Hukabee's points made in this video encapsulate them all so very well, that I had to share it with you.

Watch and see if it doesn't get a "five star rating" from you as well.

"I felt like I was a complete sucker..."

Here's the intro. to an article about a trio who scammed people out of over $400K on a GoFundMe page using the premise of helping a homeless veteran:

Kate McClure, Mark D’Amico, and drug-addicted homeless veteran, Johnny Bobbitt, were charged with theft by deception in November after they concocted a story that Bobbitt had given McClure his last $20 after her car ran out of fuel, which left her stranded on the side of I-95 in a dangerous Philadelphia neighborhood. McClure’s boyfriend set up a GoFundMe donation page based on that lie, and they got $402,000 in donations to help Bobbitt. The couple pilfered most of the money, which prompted the homeless man to sue them. It was only then that the lie unraveled, and the three were arrested. -GEG

 Be sure to watch the video of the news report on this on the linked page.
 
When values of morality are ignored, it has the potential to  turn on you, and often does.

A Sad Note on This Holy Day

While this news is sad to hear, I think most of us who know anything about the Holy Bible know that this news is really not a surprise since this was prophesied in the last book of that volume.

Here's an article on The Hill site which gives us this sad news which, I'm sure, many of us are donating to various organizations that are doing their best to provide these Christians support and comfort during their time of distress.

P.S. There is a nice video at the top of the page of both the President and First Lady telling us about what's being done to help.

Christmas Eve of 1776

By Christmas Eve of 1776, the American Revolution was, in essence, over. The Americans had lost. George Washington was out of options. His army, now down to only a few thousand, had lost seven battles in a row and was freezing on the west bank of the Delaware River awaiting the end. The British, on the other hand had 33,000 soldiers, well over a hundred ships and were partying in New York City and preparing for the final surrender. Most of the American troops had resolve, but they had lost hope that England could ever be defeated.

Half of Washington’s army, 1,500 men, were quitting that week and going home because their enlistments were up. Washington decided on one final offensive. He gathered the same fishermen who had helped him retreat in August from New York and had his beleaguered troops ferried across the half frozen Delaware at midnight on Christmas Day. Just before they boarded the boats, the General had the American Crisis, the challenge by Thomas Paine, read to the men.

“These are the times that try men’s souls: the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: ‘Tis dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to set a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed, if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated.”

Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware and routed the Hessian mercenaries with a victory that changed the course of history. Almost all of the American soldiers re-enlisted. France began to support the cause and hope reinvigorated the colonists.

Excerpts from Dr. Marshall Foster’s George Washington’s Christmas Miracle.

It is fitting at this time of the year to lay our fears aside and remember those who risked life and limb for all of the freedoms we now enjoy, including the freedom to worship as we please.  Have a safe and relaxing holiday with family and friends!
= = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Here's another excerpt from an article about the current govt. shutdown and how the authors feel it relates to the story I've shared above:

But Washington was not going to give up the American cause without a fight.  In an incredibly bold and risky maneuver, he decided to load his entire army ? men, horses and munitions ? into boats to cross the icy Delaware River on Christmas night.

To inspire his men, Washington ordered them to assemble for a public reading of Thomas Paine’s new pamphlet, “The American Crisis,” which had just been published on December 19: “These are the times that try men’s souls.  The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”

On December 23 and 24, many boats were collected and secured with the help of experienced seamen.The crossing began at sundown December 25, and lasted all night amid horrendous weather:  rain, sleet, snow, ice, and winds that were called a hurricane.

It was daylight on December 26 when troops reassembled on the Jersey shore.  They marched 9 miles to Trenton where they surprised and defeated a contingent of British-allied Hessian troops, took them prisoner and captured their food, supplies and horses.

That was the early turning point in the American Revolution, thanks to the leadership of George Washington against all odds.  Trump displays the same kind of initiative needed to put our Nation back on the path sought by our Founders.

Amid the current Democrat-caused shutdown, Trump delivers to the People the best Christmas present a president can give:  leadership to Make America Great Again.

Stock Market Dive: What's Really Going On?

The stock market has taken a "precipitous" plunge on the eve of Christmas!

While those who make a living from following and reporting on the market's behavior, their tendency to report on what's going on regarding this event, in my opinion, is missing the bigger picture of why investors are selling shares.

Of course, the Media (D) is no doubt taking this news and carefully crafting it to come across to the viewer that it is because of the president's actions and policies; ie: his unwillingness to sign any legislation which doesn't include funding for the wall on the southern border. Their view is akin to focusing on one's nose, while not looking at the horizon ahead of you. I know my financial planner has always harped on the attitude that if one' going to invest, one must go into it with a 30+ years view.

This, naturally, will dampen, if not cause varying degrees of anxiety and fear by those don't understand the possibility of  another factor which plays into this situation.

This MSM angle is ignoring the reality of the situation. Investors buy because they are confident that the policies will ensure that their investment will grow and make them more wealthy. So, if these investors have been paying attention to the political scene - and any wise investor does - he/she will have determined that with the House about to be taken over by the liberal/leftists next month, now is the best time to pull back whatever gains they've made.

They know from the eight years of the Obama administration that Democrats are not only anti-American in their attitudes, but that they are now hell bent on doing whatever it takes to hinder anything they can of Pres. Trump's future actions; including commencing impeachment hearings and causing further declines in the confidence of investors and economic growth.

Rush Limbaugh on today's - he was live on Christmas Eve's morning show - third hour opening spoke to this point. When the transcript is posted, I'll put it up here.

Then too, there may be another factor which could be playing into this scenario, which I posted about yesterday, potentially occurring within the next week.