11/22 Salish Sea News And Weather: State sales tax, ban plastics, Patti Goldman, Cook belugas, shark finning, net camera

President Kennedy

11/22/63-- President Kennedy assassinated. For those who are old enough, where were you that day when you heard the news?

Occupy encampments coming down. Is pepper spray now the issue? Our Lady of the North suggests reading —and thinking about— a piece in Yes Magazine by Indignados activists Marina Sitrin and Luis Morneo-Caballud: Occupy Wall Street, Beyond Encampments   

Bipartisan congressional debt reduction panel fails to govern. Governor Gregoire governs by proposing to raise nearly $500 million annually by increasing the sales tax for three years. Good call to raise revenue to meet the state budget shortfall but why do it with the most regressive tax tool? Gregoire proposes half-cent sales-tax increase

If you like to listen: Soaking Up Stormwater   Steve Sher on KUOW Weekday talks about polluted runoff at 10 AM today.

Seattle may ban plastic bags not only from grocery stores but at drug stores, restaurants, department stores, convenience stores,  home-improvement stores, food trucks and farmers markets. Seattle council proposes ban on plastic bags   Of course, Plastic-bag maker calls Seattle's proposed ban 'simplistic'   Good, let’s KISS.

Our Earth Needs A Good Lawyer: In early 2000, Patti Goldman, Earthjustice’s VP of Litigation, spearheaded efforts to protect the Puget Sound’s threatened orca whale population   Stormy Waters: Earthjustice’s Patti Goldman on Orcas

Alaska’s state government is again rebuffed in federal court after objecting to US Fish and Wildlife’s determination that the beluga whale is endangered. The state said that recovery efforts could threaten oil and gas and shipping operations. Cook Inlet beluga whales should be on endangered list, federal judge rules

About time: No shark finning -- the practice of removing sharks' fins and throwing the finless creatures back into the sea to die-- in EU waters or by fishing vessels from EU countries. European Commission proposes ban on shark finning 

If you like to watch: Simrad Fisheries of Lynnwood has developed a  $140,000 real-time camera system that allows trawlers to see what fish they are netting before bringing the net up. Good technology to reduce bycatch. Net Cameras Help Fishermen Catch the Right Fish

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 420 AM PST TUE NOV 22 2011...UPDATED
  GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM PST THIS MORNING
  TODAY
 W WIND 25 TO 35 KT DIMINISHING TO 20 KT MID MORNING. COMBINED SEAS 15 FT AT 10 SECONDS SUBSIDING TO 6 TO 12 FT.  RAIN.
 TONIGHT AND WED
 W SWELL 12 FT AT 12 SECONDS. E WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. RAIN TURNING TO SCATTERED SHOWERS WED AFTERNOON.

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