myWhidbey because we don't live under the rock.

I'm probably the last person who should touch on this subject, but once in a great while my curiosity leads me to some money savers.

For example, besides Target, have you ever seen a generic copy of Excedrin? Then take a look at the ingredients on Excedrin. They have greatly benefited from the placebo effect, to be sure. Check it out.

This morning, as I usually do on Sunday, I went to make pancakes for everyone. But we needed syrup, so off I went. Mind you, we don't care for the artificial stuff, but four people can rip through a small bottle of the real stuff way too fast. Since my wife and I visit Trader Joe's once a month, we pick up a 25 oz bottle of the reql stuff for $11, and then we buy a bottle of the other stuff, and cut them at a 1 to 1 ratio.

In that experience this morning though, I looked at my choices, which were limited where I was shopping. Mrs. Butterworths was close to $5. The Flavorite brand was closer to $3. That's quite a difference. So I checked out the label, and there it was, the significant factor. The presence of the 2% of real maple syrup.

In the Flavorite bottle.

Two bucks more, and not a drop of real syrup of real syrup in Mrs. Butterworth. I bought the Flavorite.

And that got me to thinking. By the way, there's your tip, the rest is a different but related subject.

We can get off the island to do our shopping. I'm wondering if there are m/any families around here who can't, but would benefit from the experience of shopping for groceries on the mainland. If the numbers were large enough, what's the feasibility of a program that would provide the transportation to do so? Besides the myriad of details involved, and tyhe impact on local food providers, albeit I wouldn't think that big, is this idea even worth considering.

Knowing how fast food prices are going up, I have to think that those most in need or of lower incomes are feeling this pinch quite significantly, especially if they live on the island where we have additional costs added to our food because of transportation.

Any comments?

Wow, it's been a long time since I posted last. And much has changed.

But I'm not talking about the political landscape, though that has changed as well. But I'm less concerned about that at the moment. The change has occurred in me.

My interests have shifted, based on a shift in consciousness. I joined a local community farm, because I'm interested in permaculture and local food sourcing. I'm looking into that new Whidbey PUD issue. That could a monumental change. And I'm furthering my ties with the fire district. So my interests and focus have moved more into the local scale with the idea in mind that I want to participate in meaningful change.

And over the last year and a half I've lost a mother-in-law and sister-in-law. Actually, in the last 6 months. So it has caused a reflection on my part as to what matters in this lifetime, and how identified and invested I want to be in my own opinions. Turns out, not that much.

So I'm glad to see that this web site is still functioning, and I've learned of another for Whidbey residents. Change is blowin' in the wind, and really has been for a while. Politicians just seem to like to capitalize on sound bites or buzz words despite being two steps behind. And Whidbey Island is no exception.

It would seem to me that yesterday's election was a fine example.

America has rejected the GOP ideology, plans, and actions. That was what I was looking for.

However, now it is time to hold the feet of the new rulers to the fire, until lasting changes are made for the citizens of this country. Trading one bunch of idiots for another isn't enough. It's time to make sure that those we elect get the message that we want public servants to do their job, and that is to serve the public.  read more »

I had to laugh. Here in my voter pamphlet are the statements of those running for office. I suppose most of you got yours as well. And I read it. Which is why I had to chuckle.

It seems Mike McGavick has forgotten which party controls the US Senate. His first line: "The US Senate is broken...." Then he parades out some of what he must consider the key problems on which this broken Senate has done nothing, with the implication that Maria Cantwell and her ilk are to blame.  read more »

no summary

Some of you may recall that about three weeks ago, a woman named Susan West was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. That in itself seems like no big deal. But the devil is in the details.

Susan L. West has a 20 year history of driving under the influence. I heard the litany of her cases on KVI, courtesy of John Carlson. And in a rather public case, she killed a female pedestrian in 1997, for which she served a little over half of a nine year sentence.  read more »

I had to laugh.

I have learned that I laugh at absurdity. And this was a journalistic case of absurdity if ever there was one. And more absurd was the fact that it was coming from the mouth of a man who considers himself a Christian, which implies telling the truth, a plitical contributor to Seattle politics, and a man with a college education. That man is John Carlson of KVI radio.  read more »

Being a member of the Democratic Party, for the time being, I of course am a recipient of their e-mails. Usually that is no big deal, but I got one recently that both brought me hope, and yet filled me with apprehension.  read more »