Now that the “Holidays” are over, the flap about who “attacked” Christmas —conservatives or liberals — must be as well.

A friend of mine went to Wal-Mart to buy a “Holiday Tree,” figuring he would stock up since they were on sale. He asked for trees for Christmas, Easter, July 4th, Mother's Day, and Veteran's Day. Kind of points out the absurdity — not to mention hypocrisy — of that whole “Holiday” nonsense, doesn't it?

If people are offended by Christmas, and want to change every reference of it to “Holiday,” I have to ask, which “Holiday” did they take off work to celebrate on Dec. 25? Perhaps those offended by references to Christmas should be working that day at straight time wages instead of enjoying a taxpayer or employer-funded day off.

I had occasion to be in rural North Carolina just before Christmas. None of that politically correct BS there. Businesses all over proudly displayed nativity scenes and “Merry Christmas” messages. There were even billboards wishing people a Merry Christmas. Frankly, it was nice to see.

   Dee and I have been looking at land there with an eye towards retirement in 15 years or so. Our long-term plan is to have homes here, there, and the Florida Keys, and shuffle between them.

So armed with plat maps and other pertinent information, we went to the courthouse to find out about building restrictions, permitting, etc.

A fellow named “Poker,” who runs the equivalent of our DCD, met with us. He told us most residential building permits are processed and issued in 2-3 days at most — as opposed to the months it takes here. Commercial permits, including rezone applications, take longer — up to two weeks depending upon when you file in relation to when the county commissioners meet. In the rare event an appeal is filed, it's heard within 30 days, and a decision made on the spot. “Process” doesn't take years, or cost a fortune.

Instead of being required to hire an engineer like here, the county or city health department will come out to your site, and map out locations suitable to install a septic system in the rare instance sewers aren't available.

As I explained a little of what “process” consists of here, Poker leaned back in his chair, shook his head, tilted his cowboy hat back, whistled, and then exclaimed somewhat proudly, “'Round here, we respect private property.” Then he asked, “But tell me, if everything is all that complicated up there, how in the heck do ya'll ever get anything done?”

Good Question.

   In spite of things I've written in the past, I admit to really coming to like Patty Lent as an individual. However, as a county commissioner, her political naivete' is scary for someone in office this long. Her recent actions on the Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO) and her justification for them, clearly demonstrate that beyond a doubt.

She voted with Democrat Chris Endresen on nine changes, and sister Republican Jan Angel on only two, as well as voting with Endresen to adopt the ordinance itself.

For Patty to honestly believe she can be elected as a Republican, vote as an independent, and successfully straddle the fence on critical issues like the CAO is the political equivalent of Russian Roulette.

Patty will never make peace, or broker compromises between Angel and Endresen. She should stop trying. Those two don't particularly like each other personally, respect each other professionally, and are philosophical opposites on just about every single issue.

Yet Patty seemingly still hasn’t figured out she’s being politically manipulated by Endresen and then left twisting in the wind to face the wrath of her own constituents. Jack Hamilton’s strong support from the party as well as many of her strongest past backers in the upcoming September primary should be a clue.

If Patty is going to be a Republican, she needs to be much more supportive of Angel’s positions than she's been on most issues in the past, and vote with her more consistently. If she's going to continue habitually supporting Endresen for whatever reasons, she needs to become a Democrat and get it over with.

   The Pacific Legal Foundation recently filed a federal lawsuit challenging listings for salmon under the Endangered Species Act, here, and in California, Oregon and Idaho.

As an avid sports fisherman, the thing I've never understood — and the tribes and environmentalists alike refuse to explain — is why, if salmon are so “endangered,” is fishing for them is still allowed? I find the hypocrisy of the tribes on this sickening. They sue our governments over land use rules claiming the fish are threatened, while fishing with gillnets at the mouth of spawning streams. If you can't hunt bald eagles, spotted owl or any other endangered species, why can you still fish for salmon?

   Finally, once again, those unelected bureaucrats at the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) have crafted another new rule attacking business. As absurd as this sounds, trust me, I'm not making it up.

L&I is developing something called the “Heat Stress Rule.” If enacted, all employers will be responsible for monitoring the weather and ensuring workers stay cool. As usual, this 15-page rule was drafted without input from the business community, and L&I has provided absolutely no science or data to justify it.

The proposed rule requires all employers to measure the outdoor heat and humidity levels of every outdoor jobsite, every day. If the temperature is over 80 degrees and 50 percent humidity, employers will be mandated to provide two quarts of potable water, per employee, per hour. If you have a crew of 10, this will require 40, one-gallon jugs of water every day it may get hot.

Employers will also be required to provide “cooling areas” that must be cooler than the outside temperature, and be mandated to allow workers a “preventive recovery period” whenever the worker feels such a break is necessary.

Failure to comply will result in penalties of up to $7,000.

Christine Gregoire claims with a straight face she's pro-business. I challenge her to prove it by stopping this stupidity dead in its tracks.