Left Side of the Moon

THIS is what I missed when I was in Ohio….. 

• 102°F
• Clear
• Wind: W at 9 mph
• Humidity: 12%

And, this is coming up tomorrow!

   105° | 63° (Fri) 

Yeah – it’s just about hotter than hell, but it’s a dry heat, babee! 

[Got shit on my mind, but it will have to wait until after work - later.]

Some time ago, my sister and I were discussing teacher salaries and she mentioned that few people earned less and were considered ‘professional.’ Then we learned the Boise Police Dept still didn’t have a contract and the last figures we had were $24,000/year. And to be honest, I don’t remember if they said Boise Police or Idaho State troopers.

Boise police officers base salary is annually around $30-33,000 (from what I gleaned here).

Per the Idaho Education Association: “

The beginning salary for Idaho teachers next year will be $30,000? But a beginning computer engineer in Idaho with the same amount of education starts out at about $52,500.”……..

…

Although a child of the ’60s and not overly enthusiastic of a police presence (given the present political climate and especially given the past 24-36 hours), I am hoping these discussions chill out a bit for the sake of all Boise residents who depend upon the police. Coming home at night, I see the checking in at the Mavericks’, Jacksons’, 7-11, and other gas and convenience places and it’s then I realize there’s a lot that goes on that the public doesn’t always see.

‘Downright nasty’ is a description assigned to these negotiation sessions, as demonstrated here in The Idaho Statesman and the Boise Weekly.

This drew an angry response from reflexively outspoken City Council member Alan Shealy. In an interview with Deanna Darr of the Boise Weekly, Shealy said the union leaders’ tactics will backfire. “They engaged in this scorched-earth policy of personal attacks. If they think that’s going to help their cause, they’ve got another thing coming. I think they’re on dope and dog food.”

As Kevin Reichert writes in the Idaho Statesman:

Dope and dog food? Today’s nasty rhetoric is brought to you by the letter “D.” A letter that, I believe, also appears in the word “diplomacy.“

Oh, dear……

Joyce Alexander, Boise Weekly, got this shot below of the Boise Police protesting. Ah, democracy.

Boise Police Union president Kip Wills and protesters in front of City Hall last week as tensions rise in the conflict with the city

Louie’s is cloossing!

I heard this at work today. I love their food especially the pizza.

Fortunately, Louie’s has another place in Meridian.

≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈

Then, there’s Lucky 13 down in Hyde Park which has terrific pizza as well. Last I heard they were moving out to Harris Ranch near Barber Park, the end of August (the 31st).

Sean-Paul over at ‘The Agonist’ posted a piece from Bill Moyers’ show about the ’sub-prime.’ You can’t be any more succinct than she was, and my eyes didn’t even begin to glaze. I think what it all boils down to and I’m just as guilty, is ‘fiscal responsibility irresponsibility.’ (Used to practice it all the time when I was drinkin’-n-druggin’ back in the day.)

Here, the word is Micron is beginning layoffs and we were discussing how people get roped into buying big McHouses, start buying big-ass Dodge trucks they don’t need & hook ‘em up to boats they’ve recently purchased to pull around town. I almost feel sorry for ‘em.

But wait…we need another upscale clothier!

Victor Pacania Memorial Tonight

Location: Edwards Greenhouse – 4106 Sandcreek St. @ 7:00 pm (south side of Hill Road, midway between 36th & Collister). The announcement has been to just ‘come as you are’ bring yourselves, friends, loved ones, along with a chair or blanket and CELEBRATE Victor’s life.

(Photo – KBSU file)

The newest count for Boise, other cities in the Treasure Valley, and across the state were in the Idaho Statesman yesterday.

“Cities in Idaho with more than 20,000 residents, according to population estimates through July 1, 2006, by the U.S. Census Bureau.”

• 1. Boise:198,638

• 2. Nampa: 76,587

• 3. Meridian: 59,832

• 8. Caldwell: 37,056

Boise, Nampa, & Meridian were in the top three spots with Caldwell in 8th. This doesn’t encompass all the other ‘little’ towns in the Treasure Valley from Eagle to Kuna, Melba to Middleton, etc.

I checked last night, and the Boise census in 1960 was about 34,000 when I was in 1st grade at Hawthorne. We had these old wooden Army barracks or something akin. A new school was being built and by 3rd grade we were in that. Now, when we moved to Kuna in 1965, that population was 500. Dad said it’s somewhere around 12,000 or so now. A long way from the time when Gus Gosvenor was the town cop with Glenn Caskey as county deputy and could just tell your parents you were little shits.

I usually pass two or three parks on the way to work. I saw signs up at Northfield & Veteran’s parks that announced free lunches for kids. I saw them last year and wondered if it was some church group. This was on the KTVB website this morning. It’s the Idaho Foodbank.