Some more stats on private prisons

" Of the 1.2 million people in federal and state prisons, 8%, or 90,873 people, were in private prisons as of year end 2022."

" Under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, there is an average of 28,289 people held daily in immigrant detention, and it is estimated 79% of this population is held in privately run facilities. "

( source: Feb 2024: https://www.sentencingproject.org/reports/private-prisons-in-the-united-states/ Many of source’s internal stats are older. )

In 2021 WA ( with 11 open state prisons now) passed a law banning private prisons; Looks like Tacoma, the last one, is supposed to be shut down this year …

“when the GEO Group’s contract comes to an end in 2025. Crucially, the law will also prevent any other private facilities from opening in the future.” – www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2021/may/1/washington-state-governor-signs-bill-banning-private-prisons-statewide/ [2021]

Looks like that old expected closure date is part of a battle by GEO to keep it open:

May 12, 2025 news - https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2025/05/12/tacoma-ice-facility-washington-oversight-law

Lol! (Gotta admit, it’s true. Don’t think people expected that’s what he meant. Gotta inspect his wording carefully. ‘200 deals’ … cud be with one business in one country but hey, it’s a deal. Hard to keep up with someone who’s practiced lying for a lifetime.)

If I don’t see on a Seattle site somewhere, I usually look at the following link to see the majority of (but far from all of) what’s coming up

https://www.events12.com/seattle/

These sites have advice on handling and re-cycling.

https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/help-my-laptop-battery-is-swollen-now-what

This next one says: “Nationwide electronics retailer Best Buy has, arguably, the best recycling program going. Its website details exactly what the store will take, and a drop-down menu in each category allows you to see any specific regulations for your state. You can bring in up to three items per day.”

Article also mentions Staples, Apple and Wal-Mart.

https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-recycle-your-technology

Goodwill stores also have an E-Cycling Program.

https://www.whereseattlerecycles.com/goodwill-stores/

All of Washington: http://1800recycle.wa.gov/

mentions for E-bike batteries: Batteries Plus, Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Office Depot, OfficeMax, RadioShack, Sears, Staples, or Target. Says that Home Depot has a drop-off box for rechargeables at the front of each WA store.

Ay yay. I’m going to miss that one. Bartell’s (local) was always a better store than Rite Aid (east coast). Hope somebody local can figure out how to restart another local, else we’ll all be forever stuck with the monsters.

they had ZERO HSR in 2007 and now have the largest network in the world

Thanks to all the cheesy clothing, electro-toy-baubles, and solar panets we were buying from them.

The SPD released photos and a name early on Thurs morning. The sooner the better. Sorry that this will probably wind up with drivers in a safety cage.

They were having so many problems in one part of town that they just quit stopping at those locations.

I’ll give Chap1 a shot. PKD can be a headscratcher.

Similar to my path, sounds like. Started when I noticed how much the acceptance of physics theories depended on POV. Already questioning Western religion/philosophy wholesale, Watts got me started looking at multiple Asian POVs, that brought me back to Jung, Gurdjieff, Polanyi and Bohm. There was no cure for any of that, so back to restart with slightly less naive realism. I am, whether or not I think, therefore.

"Any given man sees only a tiny portion of the total truth, and very often, in fact almost perpetually, he deliberately deceives himself about that precious little fragment as well. " — Philip K. Dick

True, of course. But housing FOR ALL has to include housing that’s affordable TO ALL. Market rate has been manipulated so that not all can afford housing. New housing has to be created so that ALL have a shot at it to solve our biggest problems, right?

To see how well this works, we need to see how much each ‘new’ unit would cost to convert. Sometimes the cost per unit is insane … numbers like $30 million for 100 units mean $300,000 per unit. How long is the payback for $1000 per month? 300 months = 25 years. Before deducting for maintenance and supervision.

I questioned the methodology as soon as I learned that Seattle was even in the running.

Fine people here. But, smartest? mmmffff

How many times did people vote YES on a monorail? How many times did their votes get ignored?

The city doesn’t care what people think. As with everything, the public argues about the options for 10 years. Then, after noone cares any more, it does whatever (someone we never see) wanted anyway.

This noted meteorologist says average highs around these parts is 77-79F. And that it’ll be about 5 deg. or so warmer for 10 days … but “The kind of pattern that makes western Oregon and Washington warmer than normal is not associated with heatwaves…”

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/

Another victim of COVID, and rents rising sky-high.

I know what you mean. But at least it’s in the spirit of Leary’s admonition, “Now find the others”. It’s astounding that people weren’t at least talking action ten years ago … but then who expected COVID.

I’ve read recently that a LOT of people are sorely needed to learn about heat pump installation. That could be one priority.

Wouldn’t that be ‘ping’ ?

Ask the people of Vancouver, BC … they’ve had a 50-mile ‘Skytrain’ since 1985. The 2023 ridership was 141 Million.

Oh yeah! And that bus sliding slowly at an angle down John St, and colliding with a telephone pole.

Watching KOMO is also dangerous for mental health.

"Seattle is dying!!! Seattle is dying!!! ". Uh huh.