The last time the estimated cost replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a tunnel rose the Seattle City Council decided that voters weren’t smart enough to decide for themselves how they wanted the viaduct replaced. Now the estimated cost looks to be rising yet again.

Most of the city council wants a tunnel, and so does Mayor Nickels. This despite the enormous cost overruns that have been associated with tunnel projects in the past, most notably the infamous “big dig”.

One significant reason why the cost might go up is the Seattle City Council themselves. The city passed an ordinance declaring an elevated viaduct inconsistent with its comprehensive plan and with height and usage regulations. Of course that ordinance fits in nicely with their plans to soak us for a tunnel anyway.

From Northwest Cable News: 

BEAVERTON, Ore. - Officials are looking to make Beaverton the first Oregon city to ban replica guns in public areas.

Beaverton police Chief David Bishop asked the city attorney’s office to draft an ordinance that would ban airsoft guns.

…

If Beaverton passes its ordinance, anyone caught in a public place with a replica could be cited with a violation.

It’s interesting that a specific brand of gun is mentioned.Of course Airsoft makes BB guns, pellet guns and paintball guns, all of which can be dangerous if misused. That’s not the focus of the article though, or the reasoning cited in this case.

There have been incidents of fatal shootings by police when confronted with toy guns, and that’s the reasoning in this case. It’s isn’t (at least according to the article) about whether the gun is actually dangerous. Rather it’s about how realistic looking the gun is. Airsoft isn’t the only gun that’s made to look real.

HT Sister Toldjah:

http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/S20152.html?cat=1 

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS has learned that federal investigators and airport police are questioning six Middle Eastern men who had to be escorted off of a plane Monday afternoon at Minneapolis/St. Paul International.

U.S. Airway officials tell 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS' Aviation Expert Bob McNaney that Monday while Flight 300 was preparing to take off from Minneapolis to Phoenix, a passenger passed a note to a flight attendant saying they noticed 'suspicious behavior,' among the men.

The men would not get off the plane when asked, 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS has learned, and had to be removed by police.

Sources tell 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that the men were chanting 'Allah, Allah, Allah,' as they were transported down the jetway.

Late Monday, federal investigators were still trying to determine exactly who the men are. One source tells 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that the men said that they were in town for the weekend for a religious conference.