January 2007

In these monochromatic days of winter, I look out the window and see a world in shades of gray.

When I scan a photograph with my computer, it gives me three options: "millions of colors," "black and white," or "256 shades of gray." I don't always need millions of colors, but if I use the black and white setting, I lose details and highlights.

I make the same mistake when I look at life's complexities through a black and white filter. Not everything can be neatly sorted into compartments of right or wrong, good or bad.

Once again Washington state Rep.

I am sitting here fuming, wondering how people can go blithely along their days, while our military are being sent to their deaths in Iraq in ever increasing numbers. Where is the outrage? Where are the letters to the editor?

The day after President Bush's announcement of the "surge," about 25 of us gathered at the corner of Southwest 148th Street and First Avenue South in Burien, holding candles, flags and signs expressing the need to end the war now and bring our troops home.

If you have dined at the Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers on First Avenue in Burien, you have undoubtedly not overlooked the outstanding service offered by Matthew behind the counter. I have consistently seen this gentlemen greet each of his customers with a genuine welcoming attitude and with humor.

Who could ever expect Quality Customer Service at a fast food restaurant? Individuals who are lucky enough to encounter Matthew certainly can expect to!

Highline teachers joke that with all the days to be made up at the end of the year, they may be organizing Fourth of July school pageants.

It's not that bad-yet.

With winter's end still two months away, Highline schools have been closed six days so far this school year due to wind and snow storms.

District officials expect to receive a one-day waiver from the state for the December windstorm because King County was declared a disaster area.

Friday, May 25, had been designated as a possible snow-day replacement.

SeaTac is expected to choose this week between three candidates to replace city Police Chief Greg Dymerski.

King County Sheriff Sue Rahr has promoted Dymerski, who served as SeaTac's top cop for two years, to commander of the office's criminal investigation division.

SeaTac contracts with King County for police services so city police officers are also sheriff's deputies.

The new SeaTac police chief will also take over Dymerski's duties as commander of the sheriff's southwest precinct.

The nation's biggest salmon-recovery plan ever, which aims to restore threatened Puget Sound Chinook salmon runs, was unveiled in Tukwila on Jan.

Landmark On The Sound, a new non-profit community in Des Moines for people 62 and older, recently was honored by the city of Federal Way.

That city proclaimed Jan.

Mike Utley, a former John F.

Margaret Mitchell might be turning over in her grave. But then again, she might be laughing hysterically. We will never know.

But the author of the beloved literary classic Gone With The Wind would certainly have a boisterous reaction one way or the other. And Burien audiences will, too, when they experience the affectionate, pun-filled spoof of the Old South with Breeders Theater's newest offering, Gone With The Wine.

Come to think of it, Wine is not just a spoof of the well-known novel, but a comic sequel as well.