Food For Thought...I'd Like Fries With That

Fast food works across the land have been striking for a $15 a hour wage.  It is either a sign that there are really no good jobs left in the land or education is too expensive or both.  Then again, it could be that there aren't any good paying jobs for folks that will never get ahead.  Whatever the reason, most current fast food employees wouldn't cut it as $15 a hour fast food employees for two reasons.  More would be expected of a $15 a hour employee and second the labor cost would drive automation, imagine a legion of burgerbots making perfect 1/3 pound rat and kangaroo burgers for now unemployed former fast food employees to eat.  Seriously speaking it is a problem, I can remember my fast food days, when I was making $3.35 a hour.  I would watch people having to decide between welfare and a job, and nearly always choosing welfare because it paid better.  I am sure that hasn't changed and probably it has gotten worse since my days.  Another thing that hasn't changed, the motivated will find a way out.

Pomeroy

96 years ago today, Pomeroy incorporated, well incorporated again.  Originally the town incorporated when Washington was still a territory in 1886.  Apparently the old articles didn't work, so they tried again.  So, happy re-birthday to Pomeroy.

Don't Burn Those Bridges, Knock 'em Down

So there is  Canadian who is the biggest heel in the Pacific Northwest, talk about your bad days, that dude's takes the cake.  So with that guy in mind, have a photo of where once a bridge stood.  This was taken in the 1940's just west of Ellensburg, probably on the Thorp Highway.  No Canadian truckers didn't take out this bridge, spring run off did and as a result it was not covered by the BBC.

Goodbye Professionals

Well this week we were told be the CEO of a certain Internet search engine that has a certain very prominent photo sharing and management site in its portfolio, that there are no more professional photographers.  That everyone nowadays could be, can be or is a professional quality or quantity photographer.  That's swell and in the social media circles her quote attached to a terrible, which evidently proves that there is at least one not professional quality photographer left on the planet, made it way around generating grumpy responses. Truth is, that she isn't exactly wrong, it is easier to be a good photographer these days.  But there are plenty of professionals out there, because at the end of day, the arm's length self portrait only goes so far, as does the senior photos taken by your mom.  So get a good smart phone or get a nice camera and start shooting.

Picnic

The family had a nice picnic dinner tonight.  In honor of that, here are photos of another family picnic.

Boating Season

Today was the opening day of boating season, which usually means, rain and wind and misery.  It seems that the good Lord doesn't like the smudge and arrogant members of the local yacht clubs that parade their boats past the poor folk on the shore.  Today though it was sunny and warm, July-like really.
This day also marks an anniversary of the affects of another warm spring.  Back in 1880 on this date, several dozen fishermen drown in their small crafts off the month of the Columbia River.  Fishermen in those days would ride the outgoing tide through the month of the Columbia and drop their nets.  Then when the tide came in they would be pushed through the month of the river and toward the many canneries on the shore.  But on May 4, 1880, the river was running high and fast due to a early snow melt, so high and fast that the outflow of the river prevented the high tide to wash into the river.  This then meant that the fishermen's boats were washed toward the Columbia Bar and the fierce breakers.  The boats were swamped and the fishermen drowned.
Tonight, to honor the fishermen and the beautiful weather, a shot from Fishermen's Terminal in Ballard on a beautiful spring evening.