Senate Approves “Photo-Cops” to Catch Speeders, Catchers get Standing Ovation during Mariner American Idol: SeattleIAM

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Catchers Bring Something Special to Mariners’ American Idol

On a Mariners blog, John Hickey blogs about the first group effort of Mariner’s American Idol. According to Hickey, “every morning one of the Mariners is selected to introduce himself and he has to sing a song as an icebreaker.” The songs are usually “warbled” college fight songs, but last Monday was something special. “Catchers Rob Johnson, Jeff Clement, Adam Moore and Jamie Burke got together on a semi-original song, ‘'Me and Rog,’ for which they'd spent actual time practicing.”

Previous performances have all taken place in the Mariner spring clubhouse, “but this one was on the field just moments before stretching.” The catchers introduced themselves, then “got down to vocalizing… with Johnson and Clement taking turns with solo bits” as they honored catching coach Roger Hansen.” The four catchers “harmonized on the repetitive verse, including the phrasing ‘I am weak and he is strong ... Me and Rog.’” The performance was awarded a standing ovation. The lyrics are available in the post.

State Senate Approves “Photo-Cops” to Take Photos of Speeding Drivers

Over at the Seattlest, Abbey reports that the Washington State Senate “narrowly passed a bill approving remote cameras to take photos of speeding drivers.” According to the post, “a single one of these cameras, so-called ‘photo cops,’ can issue as many citations as 25 police officers.” As well, the state wants to approve more uses for police cameras. In the first year of use, “four red-light cameras in Seattle “have brought in more than a million dollars of revenue.”

The city is in the process of installing 22 more red-light cameras. “Under the bill that was passed this weekend, the cameras could also now be used to monitor speed on arterial streets notorious for speeding.” The bill still needs to be “approved by the State House, Governor Gregoire and lastly the Seattle City Council.” But our blogger asks if these photo-cops are “an improvement for public safety or inching [us] closer to Big Brother?”

Renton Technical College Offers “Almost Free” Day of Business Seminars

Lynn Glessner from 451 Press, a blog about all things Renton and southeast King County, announces that Renton Technical College “has partnered with the Small Business Development Center to provide BizSchool,” an affordable day of small business seminars taking place on May 10. The cost is merely $15 and includes lunch. Pre-registration is available, but they will also accept walk-ins.

The day will feature 60 and 90 minute time blocks with three to five classes to choose from. Some classes will be repeated. “The class format includes panel presentations, roundtable discussions, and lectures - all with handouts.” Classes include: How Businesses Get the Funds They Need To Grow, SuperCharge Your Web Presence, How to Forecast Your Cash Needs, A Marketing Plan: Useless Unless Used, Cost Effective Ways to Brand Your Business, How Personal Networking Helps You and Your Business, and many more. Details are available in the post.

Seattle-based Online Cooking Show a Fresh Break from Food Network

From Jess Thomson of Voracious, a plug for the new Seattle-based on-line cooking show called “Cookus Interruptus.” Thompson writes that if the Food Network is too “perky and perfect” for you, this is the show for you. It “focuses on organic, healthy whole foods” and is filmed in “a regular-looking kitchen,” a relief to “those of us who just haven't gotten to installing that Wolf range.”

Thomson writes on her post that the opening portion of each segment “can seem a little ho-hum and overeducational,” but it’s got “little daggers of dry humor” that “sneak their way in.” Also interesting is the way the show blurs the lines between “on- and off-air.”

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