Thursday, September 17, 2015

Posted By on Thu, Sep 17, 2015 at 11:10 AM

click to enlarge How a GOP candidate should have responded to Donald Trump about vaccines
You can tell off Trump on vaccines better than that, Carson.

Last night’s marathon GOP political debate had a few highs, and a lot of snoozer lows.

But at the very end, Jake Tapper asked Donald Trump about vaccines and autism. It was a relevant question. Just last year, Trump tweeted: “Healthy young child goes to doctor, gets pumped with massive shot of many vaccines, doesn't feel good and changes - AUTISM. Many such cases!”

Yet, to the horror of doctors, Trump didn’t budge from that position on the debate stage, sharing a story of an employee with a child who was diagnosed with autism after receiving vaccinations. While he didn't preach against all vaccinations this time, he pushed for spacing out vaccines longer, despite the lack of evidence for doing so.

Rand Paul and Ben Carson, both doctors, both shrugged off the opportunity to lay down the law and tried to strike a middle ground, suggesting spreading out the vaccines longer than doctors recommend. At the Upshot, a doctor explains why they’re all so wrong. We’ve written about this issue quite a few times ourselves.

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Posted By on Thu, Sep 17, 2015 at 11:08 AM

click to enlarge Court decision means WA juvenile murderers from decades ago could be released
Washington DOC

This week, we wrote about Vy Thang, who was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for a murder he committed at 17 years old. Since Thang was originally sentenced in 1999, the United States Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional for juveniles to die in prison. The Washington state Legislature responded in 2014 by changing state law to reflect the court's decision. 

The new law says juveniles given a mandatory sentence of life without parole and those given a determinate sentence (meaning a specific number of years) of more than 20 years will get new sentencing hearings. That means Daniel Paul Delgado, the then-17-year-old who shot and killed a Domino's delivery driver with a shotgun in 1992 could also get out early. Delgado has served 22 of his 37-year sentence. He appeared before the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board in June and was denied release but can resubmit a petition next year. 

The family of his victim, Michael Maykowskyj, has spoken out against his early release.

Thang will get a new sentencing hearing next week. Judge Gregory Sypolt could decide to maintain the life sentence or he could give Thang a shot at parole. A pre-sentence investigation report by the Washington State Department of Corrections recommends a new sentence of 25 years — the minimum for his crime of aggravated murder in the first degree. 

There are 29 people in Washington state who could get new sentences. As of September 10, eight have gotten new hearings: two were resentenced to life without parole, five were given 25 to life, which means they have a chance of release after a hearing in front of a parole board and one was given 40 years.  

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Posted By on Thu, Sep 17, 2015 at 10:29 AM


Just in case you needed another reason to hate Tom Brady beyond Deflategate, his beautiful Brazilian supermodel wife, the Patriots win over the Seahawks in the Super Bowl and his being really, really ridiculously good-looking, there's this: 

Tom Brady wants to see Donald Trump in the White House. And not just as entertainment, he means actually residing there as president, according to The Guardian. 

Asked about the potential for The Donald to survive the rigors of the campaign and win next November during his weekly locker-room press conference, Brady said (as one of Trump's patented "Make America Great Again" hats was on full display in his locker for the media to see): 

“I hope so, that would be great,” Brady said. “There’d be a putting green on the White House lawn. I'm sure of that.”

Apparently brainiac Brady is unaware that that is already the case, and has been since 1954. Nice University of Michigan education, Tom!

Our new Miss America knows what's up with Brady: 


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Posted By on Thu, Sep 17, 2015 at 9:48 AM

click to enlarge The 9 best routines from So You Think You Can Dance 2015
Gaby won partly because she was given some of the best choreography of the season.

Tap dancer Gaby Diaz was crowned America’s favorite dancer on Monday night’s So You Think You Can Dance season 12 finale. And as the reality program hasn’t been renewed for another season, she could potentially be the reigning champion indefinitely. Luckily, for local fans of the show, because yes, people still do watch this show, we can see the Top 10 perform on tour at the INB Performing Arts Center Dec. 28 — a late Christmas present, for sure.

As one of the loyal fans of SYTYCD — a program that’s consistently popular among teens (my age group when the show started in 2005), mothers and grandmothers — I've stuck with the show since day one. Throughout the seasons, the format has changed considerably, but the dancing has always dazzled. Not everything was perfect in season 12. This year’s street vs. stage format was certainly a big experiment, one that more or less paid off, although Team Street was burdened with a few weak links in dancers who never would have made the seasons previously. 

Many were shocked that ballet dancer Jim wasn’t among this season's Top 4 dancers, but he had trouble with hip-hop and even some contemporary pieces while his fellow Team Stage dancers Gaby and Hailee just went out and nailed everything they were given. Yes, he was the best technical dancer of the year, hands down, but that doesn’t equate to playing the game.

And our Top 4 certainly played the game. Virgil and Jaja are both working dancers who’ve trained in other styles besides their own, while Hailee and Gaby have clearly trained in lots of hip-hop as well. Gaby especially came in with an edge because she had a different skill than everyone else AND she was highly trained in everything else as well. Here's to hoping the program will make it back for yet another slightly-tweaked season. This time one with rotating judges, Jason Derulo shouldn't have to be there every week. 

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Posted By on Thu, Sep 17, 2015 at 9:14 AM

click to enlarge Magic: The Gathering is huge; here's what local players anticipate in the next set
Magic: The Gathering
Promo art for the game's forthcoming set, Battle for Zendikar.

I'm proud to be a Magic: The Gathering player, even if I only jumped on the collectible card game's growing bandwagon of fans a little more than a year ago, and at the age of, yes, 26.

Before you judge, know that I'm far from being an outlier. Magic, or MTG for short, has more players now (20+ million) than it's ever had in the game's 22-year history. The spell-slinging game all about summoning creatures and casting spells to bash your opponent from 20 to zero life points in one game attracts players of all ages, genders (though the officially reported male-to-female ratio is pretty evenly split, it's very much the norm for guys to far outnumber gals at in-store events), ethnicities, physical abilities, educational backgrounds, financial status, sexual orientations and career fields. I've played against people old enough to be my parents and young enough to be my children; though a larger percentage of MTG players in the Spokane area seem to be in the high school to young (20-30s) adult range. 

If you need more proof of the game's popularity, consider a recent card set, "Khans of Tarkir," that came out last fall is one of Magic's most popular to date. And the game's creator, Wizards of the Coast, based in Renton, Washington, doesn't seem like it's going to slow down any time soon, continuing to build off six straight years of revenue growth. Magic's upcoming set, "Battle for Zendikar," has players like me as anxious as gleeful kids on Christmas Eve to get our hands on the new cards being released next weekend for an event called "pre-release." We'll all be lining up with our playmats, dice and card sleeves in hand at local game stores — Uncle's, the Comic Book Shop (NorthTown), Merlyn's, Gamer's Haven, Direct Damage — hosting the tournament-style events, so come join us if you want to see what the hype's all about. 

In the meantime, here's what other local Magic players and I are most looking forward to in the new set:

click to enlarge Magic: The Gathering is huge; here's what local players anticipate in the next set
Clint Cearley
Magic cards also have awesome art, like this artist's rendition of the creepy Eldrazi card "Fathom Feeder," which are the alien creatures attacking the plane called Zendikar.

Chris Schafer:
"My favorite card so far would have to be "Fathom Feeder." In a set with giant-sized alien creatures and very game-altering spells, this little fella slides under most people's radar. At just 1/1 he doesn't do much damage, but any creature he tags dies immediately. He has both of the new mechanics and his activated ability to draw cards is very powerful as something you do with leftover mana. Powerful early at stopping an opponent who's rushing out creatures. Strong late by letting you pick up extra cards. This little fella does it all." Has played for 20 years; is a Level 2 MTG judge

Chey Scott:
"I am definitely most excited for the return of the Ally creature type. I love building decks with creatures that build off each other and overwhelm opponents with tribal synergy, like giving all other creatures +1 counters, double strike, first strike, lifelink, vigilance, etc. The return of allies has me so hyped I've already gone out and bought most of the allies from the last Zendikar set, and I hope an ally deck in the Modern or Standard formats becomes viable. The ally cards in the new set I'm definitely getting include: Lantern Scout, Drana's Emmissary, and Drana, Liberator of Malakir." Played for 1 year

Ronald Schoonover, Jr.: 
"Zada, Hedron Grinder and the [Zendikar Expeditions] Flooded Strand. Zada is just going to be so fun to use in friendlies (matches with a group of friends), which is really all I play. My playgroup always tends to fall back on the gooby decks, and Flooded Strand is just so pretty... it's a shame it'll be a couple hundred dollars." Played for 1 year

Will Mann:
"Omnath, Locus of Rage, and Noyan Dar, Roil Shaper. Their commander potential is limitless. As Standard play goes, Omnath is pretty bland but Noyan seems baller with its awakening ability after every instant/sorcery." Played for 4 years

Magic: The Gathering is huge; here's what local players anticipate in the next set
Gideon is here to save the day.

Cody Cook
"I'd probably say "Gideon, Ally of Zendikar." He just synergizes with a lot of creatures so well, and the fact that he is just good overall... not to mention he looks like a cross between Bruce Willis and Patrick Dempsey from Roadhouse." Played for 4-ish years

Josh Arnold:
"I feel that Ob Nixilis, Reignited will be a tremendous addition to a deck that I am currently working on which wants to draw as many cards as possible, and both his +1 and ultimate abilities make this archetype even more powerful." Played for ~17 years

Eric Elvigan:
"I really like Transgress the Mind and Drana, Liberator of Malakir for standard constructed. Endless One has the potential to see play in multiple formats, but Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger and Oblivion Sower are the only cards I can see for now that could have an impact on Modern or older formats. Really nothing groundbreaking in the new set thus far beyond the fancy fetch land inserts." Played for 21 years

Will Hall:
"I'm really curious what Painful Truth can do. Its costs make it a bit awkward, but it lets you pay 3 to draw 3 cards, which is extremely powerful. Also, Brutal Expulsion has a steep casting cost, but provides some really unusual and versatile options. It seriously does a ton of stuff, though none of them is amazing on its own." Played for 1 year 

Christian Smith:
"As an avid red, spell slingin' Planeswalker I look to find the most bang for my buck (or in the case of MTG, for my mana) so I like cheap that has a large effect on the board. First is Zada, Hedron Grinder, a super sweet goblin that packs a punch for your whole team of creatures and can even potentially win you the game, doing nothing but chilling and looking pretty. Secondly would be Dragonmaster Outcast, he's a human shaman that kicks it with his dragon homies all the time — he didn't choose the thug life, the thug life chose him." Played for 5 years

Justin Naylor:
"Battle for Zendikar is an anniversary for me because I started going to tournaments during the original Zendikar block (2009). My favorite card in the new set is Undergrowth Champion because it's a creature that can get stronger quickly and it fits with a lot of other cards. Synergy is important." Played for 6 years


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Posted By on Thu, Sep 17, 2015 at 8:16 AM


FROM INLANDER.COM...
Who wants to be in a James Franco movie? Go to Yakima.
Who said it? Trump, Lincoln or Reagan... a quiz
Scoring local colleges based on earnings of grads
The musical lineup for Terrain is announced

• Round Two: Fight!
The "top-tier" Republicans running for president battled it out last night at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. The consensus among experts was Carly Fiorina stood out, largely by standing up to Donald Trump, whose answers at times were full of bravado but lacking on substance. Rand Paul, who often demonstrated deeper understanding of issues, was largely dismissed in post-debate analysis. As far as "good TV," CNN got both praise and criticism for making sure the debate played up every ounce of conflict. (NYT) / (WaPost


• Calls for change after deadly crash
Three women in their 20s died in a single wreck on Highway 195 earlier this month, prompting calls for new safety measures. A community meeting is scheduled for Oct. 8 at St. John's Lutheran Church. (KXLY)
click to enlarge 4 stories you need to know as you start your day
Ahmed Mohamed

• A boy is arrested after bringing homemade clock to school; officials mistake it for a fake bomb 
The 14-year-old, Ahmed Mohamed, is Muslim, raising questions about whether he was targeted because of his religion. People — including Hillary Rodham Clinton, Mark Zuckerberg and President Obama — rallied around him. 

• The Federal Reserve to decide interest rates
U.S. rates have stayed near zero for nearly nine years. That could change.


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Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Posted By on Wed, Sep 16, 2015 at 4:06 PM

click to enlarge Let's all survive that big earthquake everyone is terrified about, OK?
Damage in Western Washington from the 6.8-magnitude Nisqually earthquake in 2001.

This summer, the Northwest was collectively freaked out by a New Yorker article that told us that a big earthquake is coming at any moment and that when it does, we are all royally screwed. Or dead. This made people who don't actually read articles beyond the Facebook post description and don't have a firm grasp on our ability to predict earthquakes just about lose their minds because, to them, the Big One was on its way.

We wrote about what would happen in the Inland Northwest should the Cascadia subduction zone, the fault line that runs up the Oregon and Washington coasts, come to life later in the summer. Life would be different in Spokane, that's for sure.

And then, on Sept. 1, there was a small earthquake centered in north central Washington that could be felt in Spokane. Hell, I felt it. My computer monitor wobbled, the blinds swayed and I was super excited about the whole affair, which is not what you're supposed to do during an earthquake.

While we think of earthquakes as a west-of-the-mountains worry, that tremor a few weeks ago demonstrated that we are not immune. That's why there's the Great Washington ShakeOut, a coordinated earthquake preparedness drill set for Oct. 15 at 10:15 am. That's easy to remember because it's 10:15 on 10/15, got it?

Last year's ShakeOut featured more than a million Washington residents. If you have an organization that you'd like to get disaster ready, check out their tips for what to do on 10/15. You can also register your group as participants. 

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Posted By on Wed, Sep 16, 2015 at 3:45 PM

click to enlarge Is this pastor, speaking at Turning Point Open Bible Church Oct. 1, totally racist?
Controversial Georgian pastor John Weaver, as shared on the newsletter from the Northwest Grassroots

How do you define someone as racist? Celebrating the Confederate battle flag? Idolizing the Confederacy? Being part of an infamously racist group? Preaching against interracial marriage? Defending slavery?

All of the above? Well, then you’d have John Weaver, a Georgian pastor who’s scheduled to speak at Turning Point Open Bible Church on October 1, who meets all those criteria.
If you recognized the name “John Weaver,” it’s because the Inlander raised concerns about him in a recent cover story for speaking at the Marble Country's 21st Annual God and Country Celebration.

On October 3 and 4th Weaver will speak again at the “Old Paths Christian History Conference” at the Red Lion hotel in Post Falls.

The conference, sponsored by the Lordship Church in Coeur d’Alene, advertises that “an expositor of God’s entire word, Weaver’s preaching style is in the tradition of those early Colonial patriot pastors whose pupils were the cradle of America’s Liberty.” Kalispell, Montana, pastor Chuck Baldwin, a big fan of Weaver (and local Rep. Matt Shea), is also speaking at the conference.

The Northwest Grassroots, a local libertarian group, advertised both events in their newsletter. (Cecily Wright of Northwest Grassroots says they aren't their events, they’re just passing along event information. She says the Grassroots may videotape the talk, as they did when he gave a comparatively uncontroversial talk about God's judgment earlier this year.)

But I did speak with Margo Beal, the retired woman who invited Weaver to speak at Turning Point Open Bible. She said the Turning Point wasn’t officially connected with the event, just offered the space when asked.

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Posted By on Wed, Sep 16, 2015 at 3:26 PM

The Republican candidates are back on stage tonight at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California for the second Republican Presidential Debate. So for a warm-up, let’s play a quick game of “Who Said It?” See if you can take this quiz up to “11” by nailing which Republican is responsible for each of the following quotes. Have fun!


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Posted By on Wed, Sep 16, 2015 at 12:25 PM


Do you like money?

Well, Government Research has shown that if you want to make money, going to college will do it. 

In recent years, hordes of money-needing people have been pushed into attending college, and in turn have become hordes of Debt Peons. The situation prompted President Barack Obama in 2013 to launch an initiative that would give students a way to find out in advance if a college would ensnare them in debt and hand them a degree that has the earnings potential of a moldy loaf of bread. 

Earlier this month, the Obama administration unveiled its College Scorecard, an online tool that allows would-be students to find out a college’s annual tuition, graduation rate and how much money they can expect to earn, along with other Fun Facts.

So how did colleges in the Inland Northwest do? If you want money, Gonzaga University, according to College Scorecard, surpasses every other college in terms of earnings graduates can expect. It also boasts a high graduation rate of 82 percent. But it also has the highest annual tuition at $28,155.

At the bottom is Spokane Falls Community College.

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33 Artists Market @ The Pergola Event Center

Sat., July 26, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
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