I Saw What You Did

Here's how it is: I've decided if I see you endangering pedestrians or bicyclists in my town, I'm going to put it on the record. Here's our first offender:

Date: June 26, 2007 at 5:45 pm.
Location: N 71st & Greenwood Ave N.
Vehicle; driver: orange Volvo S60, WA license "NURSJEN", Barrier Motors license plate frame; blonde 30ish woman.
Violation: Two women with small children enter marked crosswalk, crossing west-to-east. As they near the center left-turn lane, northbound NURSJEN momentarily decelerates, then floors it. Smooth, throaty hum of Swedish engineering (Didya spring for the 300hp 2.5 liter?). Women shake their heads. The move saves NURSJEN no time, as she is soon caught in the usual peak-hour backup at 80th St.

NURSJEN -- helping to make the streets that much meaner. Proud of yourself?

Tragic, awful news

Hansa, Woodland Park Zoo elephant, dead at 6
Woodland Park Zoo's baby elephant dies

I got to pet Hansa on the trunk when I went behind the scenes of the elephant barn, on my last day at the zoo in 2004. Her death really feels like a punch in the gut.