Puget Sound officially renamed Salish Sea

This all sounds like a bunch of BS to me! Just another layer of Federal Oversite. I suppose 'you know who' will have to appoint a Czar for this too! Will there be an additional federal tax if you live within 100 miles of the Salish Sea? We have to pay for it some how! Maybe Madam Speaker can fly her 757 out her to hold a rod in the air to officially rename it.
 

  Sure, and watch out for the black helicopters, while you're looking for the 757.

Me thinks your knickers are in a bunch, and you're swinging at the wrong target.

"Salish Sea" has nothing to do with "Federal Oversite" or Pelosi, except that the feds have to approve the legal creation of the name. All the driving force for the name originates from here in the NW, for 2 reasons.

• 1) Because the entire area functions as an ecological entity, thus making sense to have one name identifying it.
• 2) It's culturally more authentic than names like "Puget" or "Juan de Fuca". Those are European, non-native names, while "Salish" is the name of the language group that most of the natives that lived on it's shores, used.

30 seconds, and Google, can help you find the (inconvenient?) facts.

You get em' Pisco

Sure, and watch out for the black helicopters, while you're looking for the 757.

Me thinks your knickers are in a bunch, and you're swinging at the wrong target.

"Salish Sea" has nothing to do with "Federal Oversite" or Pelosi, except that the feds have to approve the legal creation of the name. All the driving force for the name originates from here in the NW, for 2 reasons.

• 1) Because the entire area functions as an ecological entity, thus making sense to have one name identifying it.
• 2) It's culturally more authentic than names like "Puget" or "Juan de Fuca". Those are European, non-native names, while "Salish" is the name of the language group that most of the natives that lived on it's shores, used.

30 seconds, and Google, can help you find the (inconvenient?) facts.

i happen to work across the street from the black helicopters, and the people who operate them are some really nice folks!!

and, i'll keep my tinfoil hat while i'm at it, thank you.......

and they're not knickers, they're boxers.. knickers are fer wimmens... or young boys of the 1930's.  and ah ain't neder!

ok, done teasing.......

ya know, the Canadians tried this starting a few years back.. "returning" Anglo named places back to their "native " names and insisting that everyone use those names....funny thing is, most of the '1st Nations" folks were seriously confused by the new "native" names... but if you used the more common,  now suddenly out of fashion Anglo name, they knew immediately what you were talking about....

so, why change anything if it's already accepted as common knowledge etc?? all that time and effort could have been used to actually do something more constructive like actually FIX the debacle currently known as the US Congress. next thing you know, they'll be digging a trench  to actually try to refill the salton sea...

Is this motivated by political correctness?  In my opinion, it was PC that got 13 people killed at Fort Hood.

I don't think this is motivated by PC.  I think it has more to do with uniting a very much related extended ecosystem and recognizing it as such.

-Allen

PolePole, that makes sense to me.
Holtfisher

Richard, I'll get back to you, after I PM Squidgirl.

Is this motivated by political correctness?  In my opinion, it was PC that got 13 people killed at Fort Hood.

Gosh, I didn't know that it was PC, in this country, to kill US service members. I don't see how these two things (the Fort Hood tragedies and the naming of the Salish Sea) are remotely related.

I agree with PP that the most important part of the naming is to point out the unity of this basin. Again, there's no name change- it's just adding a name that designates a relationship between already named bodies of water. Especially with the international border running through it, it was too easy for people not to see the connectedness.

They aren't really.  I just hate the entire PC thing.  But when I say PC killed those Soldiers and Civilians, I mean that people were afraid to give this guy the boot, fail him out of the medical program, and question his ideology.  They were afraid because everyone in the Army is scared to death to offend someone because of their religion, particularly muslims.  That's not just speculation, I'm speaking from experience.  Thankfully, my friends at Fort Hood are ok, at least until their next deployment.

I'm done playing devils advocate.   

For real, I kinda like the sound of it.  I've been emailing old friends and relatives back in the old country (Oklahoma) and telling them "guess what?  I've decide I want to own a house near the Salish Sea!  (of course I already do own a house here)  I plan to live there and fish in the sea all the rest of my life and you'll be able to come and visit me there any time you'd like."

I haven't gotten any replies yet, so I don't know how they're taking it.  Probably thrown too off balance to make a response.

Fishin-T

They aren't really.  I just hate the entire PC thing.  But when I say PC killed those Soldiers and Civilians, I mean that people were afraid to give this guy the boot, fail him out of the medical program, and question his ideology.  They were afraid because everyone in the Army is scared to death to offend someone because of their religion, particularly muslims.  That's not just speculation, I'm speaking from experience.  Thankfully, my friends at Fort Hood are ok, at least until their next deployment.

I'm done playing devils advocate.   

It's easy to see your perspective on this issue now Lee.  BTW... the way this thread has evolved (so far) tells me this is a great forum

I wonder if this will raise the consciousness of British Columbia enough for them to stop dumping Victoria's raw, untreated sewage in the Salish Sea?

We're getting there--the devil of course is in the details--where are the treatment plants going to go, who's paying and how much etc. etc. etc. At least the process is moving forward. I personally have my s*&% together(septic field).
T2

Whatever. Get your lazy asses in gear. Portlands pipe diversion will be done in 2011. It can be done.

What else did you think offices like the "United States Board on Geographic Names" and the "British Columbia Geographical Names Office" have to do all day?   I bet they get pretty bored with constantly registering new street names into their official atlas.  Let them have their little moment, this is probably the most significant thing they will do in their careers. 

I can just see the retirement cake now.  And the wall plaque. 

I can also see a future benefit.  When the current herd of rugrats make it to high school, they may be taught about our waters is a subtly different but important way..... (you actual teachers out there will excuse me, I'm sure)


Mr. Jokeland's Marine Biology class, 10th grade - A fantastical moment of class time

{sounds of giggles and guffaws echoing in classroom}

Mr. J: "Class! Class! Have a seat, we're going to get started."

{sounds of chairs scraping on floor and laughter diminishing into low murmur}

Mr. J: "Now we began this quarter by looking at how the oceans are geographically defined, plate tectonics and general food web trends of the pacific ocean, all throughout the water column.  We're going to take a break from the general subjects and start talking about our own neighborhood. I hope that you pay attention, because we will be reviewing all of this information on an overnight camping field trip in 6 weeks..."

{sudden sounds of mass inhalation and excited chatter, with one large crash from a chair)

Class Clown yells: "OVERNIGHT field trip? SWEET!"

{murmuring increases in volume}

Mr. J in loud tone: "Class, settle down!  I have packets for you to take home after class today.  Review them with your parents and bring any concerns you may have back to me.  Or have your parents email me, they all have my address here at the school. 

Interruptive Student: "But Mr. Jokeland, I HATE camping!"

Mr. J: "Don't worry, I've thought of that. I have an alternative project for you to work on if you can't go.  Now, back to business.  We all know that Seattle is on the West coast.  We know that the Pacific Ocean is the body of water that defines that coast.  Who can tell me the name of the body of water that all the ferries cross?"

{A flutter of hands accompanied by many excited "oh-oh I know" exclamations}

Mr. J:  "Jenny."

Jenny:  "It's called Puget Sound"

Mr. J:  "Yes, true. Now, who can tell me what this," pointing to a wall map, "area between the Olympic Peninsula and Vancouver Island is called?"

{moment of silence}

Mr. J:  "Only two hands?  Alright, Scott, go ahead"

Scott:  "That's the Straights of Juan de Fuca.  My dad and I go out there and fish with my Grandpa."

Mr. J:  "Very good, Scott.  Now, here's a tough one." pointing to another section of map "What is this area here, up in Canada, between Vancouver Island and the mainland called?"

{pregnant pause}

Mr. J:  "Anyone?  No?  O.K.  This is called the Straight of Georgia.  Now, one more place.  Does anyone know what this area is called?" pointing to map in new position.

{near silence, only one chair creaks}

Mr. J:  "Scott."

Scott:  "Isn't that Hood Canal? I've been fishing there too."

Mr. J: "Yes it is.  So, all of the places that I've just pointed out have one thing in common.  They are all inland of the actual coast.  This creates a unique set of circumstances that impact nearly every aspect of marine ecology.  Because this is a unique area, it has a name that was new to your parents, but has become important in many research papers and in management policies for both the United States and Canada.  This area is called the Salish Sea......."


I found it easier to explain my perspective this way.