Oh, health care

Good, old-fashioned health care.

For the last forty years, health care has been just like the weather: everybody always talks about it, but nobody ever does anything about it. You may have notice that lately, that maxim’s no longer holding true.

We as a country are in the midst of, potentially, a watershed moment for health care access. That means we, as the public, are constantly bombarded by new information and arguments about arcane policy and obscure laws. Oy. It can make a Bus tired just thinking about it.

So what’s a discerning public to do? Well, we’re here to help. Firstly, make like Clinton Sparks and get familiar. Ezra Klein, domestic policy blogger for the Washington Post/noted young person has broken down sections of the Big Question into digestible chunks. It’s a good way to get up to speed in a hurry, and to feel smarter next time one of your friends looks to you for guidance (we know it happens, don’t be so modest).

Rep. Jim McDermott (D – Seattle) has emerged as one of the foremost spokespersons on health care in the House (emerged is the wrong term – he’s been doing it for years). Check the video here to see where one of Washington’s own stands on the health care debate.

Potpourri platter

Back in high school, this Bus had a teacher who would refer to any combination of non-like things (ideas, materials, clothes, whatever) as a potpourri platter. Okay. Sure. Why not?

A modern-day equivalent of said potpourri platter is the sort of newish mixtape put together by Brooklyn glitter hop kids Telepathe. Yes, they’re good at their own music (see the video below), and it turns out they can also pick other folks’ good music out as well – regardless of genre. Check out their SXSW mixtape (why it’s SXSW I can’t tell you). Anybody who throws Bone Thugs, the Chills, Juvenile, J Dilla and Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam into one mixing pot gets our respect.

Washington in four minutes

Well, almost all of Washington – from Cour D’Alene, Idaho to Bremerton, it’s a pretty cool sample of the state. We dig.

more about "Washington in four minutes", posted with vodpod

Hey Spokanistan!

We love ya.

Seriously. And we just got a little reciprocal love back, from Spokane’s Blog of Record (or so we can claim), Spovangelist.

The Bus and the people behind Spovangelist are putting our heads together to see what we can get cooking. Want to get in the mix? Head over to the Lilac City’s finest, and make some comments. Oh, and Spovangelist has just been added to Hella Bus’s ultra-elite and oft-adored Blog Roll. Holler.

It’s going to be a good summer!

One more reason to love Sam Reed

And his whole office too, but that wouldn’t fit in the title. Where some folks could make elections administration boring (perish the thought!), Sam Reed et al embrace the lighter side. Case in point: the petition for R-71 (which is a downer, as it would repeal this year’s domestic partnership legislation) has to include all 114 pages of HB 5688 compiled onto one page – no small task, and one that leads to a BIG piece of paper with LITTLE writing all over it.

And the good folks in Olympia documented it for us. And now, for you. Deadly funny (and more so if it weren’t such fricking serious and bummery legislation).

Hella News Flash

Neither sun, nor beach nor vacation shall stop Hella News from making its appointed rounds.

• Just to reiterate a point – Hanna King, PowerCorps Fellow and Bulldog hero, is getting in on some Seattle Times ink. Yee!
• Kitsap County: now treating water as a resource. We actually thought it had been a resource for a while now, but apparently it’s been classified as a waste stream. Urgh. Not a nice image when you’re brushing your teeth.
• Krist Novoselic: now treating the top-two primary as the questionable system it is. Novoselic (yes, that Novoselic) filed for Wahkiakum County clerk under the auspices of the Grange Party. Which party? Exactly. It doesn’t exist. And that’s his point. His argument is that the top-two allows for candidates to manjufacture a party ID, which is eyebrow-raising at best, and seriously problematic at worst.
• The economy: still sucky.

Hanna King, PowerCorps Fellow

This is too awesome for words. We would normally wait to unveal all the members of the inaugural PowerCorps class, but sometimes fate forces your hand. When we opened this morning’s Seattle Times (and by that we mean sat down at our desks), who should we find profiled by Mr. Danny Westneat, but one Hanna King, Garfield High School sophomore and organizer extraodinaire.

Context: the Westboro Baptist Church, noted hate-speech enthusiasts that are known for making crazy people look sane, are targeting Garfield for one of their upcoming protests. Why they’re going to Garfield isn’t entirely clear, but on June 15th, there they’ll be, right next to Central District stalwart Ezell’s.

And who else will be there? Hundreds of Garfield students organized by Hanna King to counter-protest. In a matter of days she’s put together a group that will dwarf the Westboro protesters and provide a safe non-violent outlet for potential conflicts.

Hanna: you rule. We can’t wait for PowerCorps to start.

And just for the record: hi haters.

What you’re doing on June 17th

The Bus really REALLY likes good people. They’re some of our best friends. And one of the best groups of folks we know is the Service Board, a mentoring program for high school youth that involves service and snowboarding (hence the name… get it?). tSB, as they’re colloquially known, is throwing a fundraiser/party next week, and it’s imperative that you be there. Imperative.

Hometown hero Sabzi (of Blue Scholars) will be holding down the tables for an extended set, and the whole thing is hosted by hometown hero #2 Geo (also of Blue Scholars… curious). It’s going down at Havana, which is a rare small venue in which to see our dudes do their respective things. Plus, there’s rumors of a surprise secret guest… who could it be?! You’ll have to show up to find out.