Watch 'n Wait: I was wrong. The Seattle underground was not the result of an earthquake. It was basically the result of a fire. In 1889 a huge fire destroyed most of Seattle. They wanted to rebuild. But Pioneer Square was an area where there was a small island and water (a kind of wetland, I guess). So they decided to build 8 or more feet higher on fill. But they were so impatient they decided to build first and fill second. So most of the buildings sunk their first floor into the ground which created the underground.
Portland was different. They apparently had buildings whose basements were connected by tunnels. These were used by white slavers and others who shanghaied sailors. I guess they must have been built deliberately for these purposes.
New York underground is a result of more normal features, like the subway system, the sewers, wiring, and etc. I don't really know much about any of this but all you need to do is google Seattle underground, Portland underground, New York underground and etc. There is a ton of information on New York underground.
In the Seattle Post Intelligencer there was an article by Stewart M. Powell that suggests why Bush went the route of warrantless spying. In 2003 and 2004 the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court refused on 173 occasions to give Bush the warrants he requested. This was far more rejections than those of the previous three or four Presidents combined. Obviously the rejections were because Bush could not demonstrate "probable cause." In other words, the Secret Court simply refused to rubber stamp his requests so he simply went ahead without their approval. He clearly broke the law big time. I'm not so sure the Republicans will be able to just sit this one out. But I don't know, they seem to be proud enough of their war criminals to keep on supporting them. Unless something very strange happens I think this will be the end of the Republican Party for years to come. At least the very conservative Barrons has apparently figured this out.
John McCain, who I am beginning to believe might be somewhat demented, has suggested that when it comes to Intelligent Design v.s. Evolution "the students should be allowed to decide." Actually, I don't think he is demented. I think he wants the nomination so bad he is willing to do and say anything. Would you want a president who has been filmed actually hugging Bush? Personally, I hope the Republicans will nominate Santorum.
Somewhere I saw a report that bombings in Iraq have increased fivefold in recent weeks. Can anyone explain to me why continuing to bomb Iraqis, especially innocent civilians, at this point in time, is in any way either justified or productive? What is the point? What might be gained by this apparent insanity? Are they bombing Iraq in order to save it (from the horrible Iranians)? I'm sorry to be so dense, but I just don't get it. The "war" is over. The Iranians won. Our Army has been pretty much decimated, our "advanced" weapons of "shock and awe" pretty much useless. We are going to have to withdraw with the neocons "pipe" dreams of empire down the tube. Why do we have to be such poor losers? The enormity of their crimes is such that I doubt the damage Bush/Cheney and the neocons have done can be overcome even in a century.
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M...Thanks for that info! Never occured to me to Google it. Now that you've suggested it, I surely will.
Have you read that defense lawyers for suspected terrorists intend to find out whether those people were arrested as a result of NSA spying? And Sen Barbara Boxer has signed on with Conyers. Excellent!
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