Dear Old Man Winslow: Does Jay Inslee Have to Be Such a Pantywaist?

All illustrations by Jessica Randklev.

Dear Old Man Winslow: How are things at, what’s that cash-only, obnoxious joint called?  Blackbird Coffee? I trust the apple pie is particularly sweet and the mood is perky and smug. Did you happen to see Joel Connelly’s column over at SeattlePi.com, today? Turns out your U.S. Rep, Jay Inslee, played Pres. Nobelma in a game of hoops. At first, Inslee sounds like he brought a pair: “We were runnin’ and gunnin’, crashing up and down: It wasn’t gentlemanly. We did what we had to do,” he tells Connelly.

It sounds like Inslee’s fighting Obama at the hoop here, doesn’t it? Kind of like how he’s fighting for y’all, right? Then things get reveling. Toward the end of the piece it is revealed that Inslee, claiming to have guarded the chosen one a little too closely, called a foul on himself. ON HIMSELF! You must be kidding me. Is that how he’s going to stick up for your Island in the face of pressure from the administration? That’s worse than Seattle nice. That’s Bainbridge wuss. Congratulations, Winslow, you’ve got a fighter in your corner.

— The Bremelogger

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Bremerton Patriot Throws Some Love in the Bremelogger’s Direction, (Thankfully) Snubs Old Man Winslow

Local music and arts taddle tale Bill Mickelson is spread the word about our upcoming mayoral debate/show/cocktail hour, Wednesday, at the Hi-Fi. In this week’s North Kitsap Herald, Mickelson writes that Bremelog.com has arranged “an intrinsically Bremertonian, quasi-revolutionary mayoral forum.”

Obviously, this is the nicest thing anyone’s ever said about us. It’s glad to know that 20 dollars as far as they used to.

In a separate article, Mickelson gets to the bottom of the “Why the Crap is Moen?” question, detailing the write-in candidate’s run for mayor. Here’s Mike Moen’s campaign site.

Thanks, Bill. Your check is in the mail.

 

Dear Washington State Ferries: Are You Going to Wipe Bainbridge Island’s Ass, Too?

All illustrations by Jessica Randklev.

No, WSF, that wasn’t a rhetorical question. I’m actually curious to know when you’re going to bend down, and pull off a square of that industrial pulp you pass off as TP and clean some Bainbridge ass.

Back in the day it was your run- of-the-mill, garden variety ass kissing. When Bremerton’s high-speed ferries were disturbing the shores of millionaire Islanders, Bremerton lost the boats. When a ferry on the Bainbridge run goes down, you take a boat from Bremerton and patch up the Bainbridge run, and let the Bremerton riders deal with the consequences.

When you buy a ticket at Seattle’s Coleman Dock you have a choice of going through turnstile A or turnstile B. Through turnstile A you have passengers headed for Bainbridge Island who have the ear and good graces of Washington State ferries, a 30-minute ride aboard the newest boats in the fleet, boats that have NEVER run between Seattle and Bremerton.

The customers who go through turnstile, B, to Bremerton live with the fact that if they want to leave Seattle after 10:30 p.m. they have to wait until almost 1 a.m., they’re used to finding alternate modes of transportation to get to work because one of their boats has gone down. And after a particularly nasty week, recently, at least one Bremerton commuter decided he’d throw in the towel, and would move back to Seattle.

So, I guess it is only natural that when you decided provide live music to one of your routes, you would pick the route with the ass you’re most accustomed to kissing. Live music on the Bainbridge run every Saturday through December? Are you serious?

Let me propose an alternative: Instead of throwing a bone to Nordstrom set catching a joy ride into the city on the weekend, why don’t you set up some live music for the men and women on the 5:30 p.m. boat back to Bremerton on a Friday. Bring a couple of guitars into the cafeteria and you’ll find an exhausted, forcefully patient group of individuals who deserve more than a thank you from the WSF brass for all the missed boats, hard landings, and erratic service you’ve dished out.

Instead, you’re doing more for … Bainbridge? Why?

— The Bremelogger

 

Old Man Winslow: Balloons Bring West Bremerton To Its Knees. Are the “Newcomers” to Blame?

Old Man Winslow, Illustrated by Jessica Randklev.

Dear The Bremelogger: I’ll be honest, I’ve completely overestimated Bremerton. What? You’re surprised that I’ve given your City of Destiny the benefit of the doubt? It’s no secret that your “fair” city has more problems than our Island has unemployed real estate agents, but I was under the impression that a few of the basics were under control. I was grossly mistaken.

When building a city, the rest of us do well to make sure that essentials are in place and strong. We call this “infrastructure.” Apparently when the people of Bremerton were cobbling together what would become a social, economic, and legislative eye sore, they cut a few corners. From what I hear from a few friends who got lost on the way back from Tacoma, a few balloons took down the power in most of West Bremerton on Friday morning. Balloons. A item with which to denote a celebration. When they put warnings on balloons about the choking potential they have for infants, I doubt the makers thought they would have to warn Bremertonians that the these devices could also choke off your power grid. This is really saying something. Bremerton’s outdone itself once again.

Yet, after catching up on your “news site” recently, I’m reminded that this particular instance may not be your fault, Logger. It is well documented that you were not born nor bred in Bremerton, but are a relative newcomer. And I read that a write-in candidate for the Bremerton mayor gig, Deborah Jackson, claims that “we built Bremerton” and that “all these newcomers that came here … come with their ideals and what they think we should have, when they left out what was our real needs.” OK, so do we have Deborah Jackson and whoever she’s grouping with her to blame for the frail infrastructure of the city? Or is it that all you newcomers have not been the proper stewards of what your forefathers left for you? Did she build the town that you’ve destroyed? Or were the walls built so thin that the touch of a party balloon could bring it down?

Think of it, Logger, over your next bowl of Robitussin. It is the season.

Yours,

Winslow

 

The Posters Are In!!! Bremelog.com’s Mayoral Debate: 7 p.m., Oct. 14, Hi-Fidelity Lounge

Many thanks to our fabulous illustrator, Jessie Randklev, for her work on the poster. Look for them around town in the near future. We’ll be posting more information on the debate and the musical guests, Finn Riggins, in the coming weeks. Little more about both over there.

 

Old Man Winslow: Come Back to Bremerton? Nobody Wants to STAY In Bremerton

All illustrations by Jessica Randklev

Dear The Bremelogger: I must congratulate you on your unmatched measure of delusion, but this frivolous “Bring EndFest Back to Bremerton” campaign is about your leanest idea yet.

Nobody wants to go back to Bremerton. The idea is to get the hell out of Bremerton as fast as possible. Notice that everyone with half a brian, a decent chance of  assimilation, or a public case of herpes gets the hell out. The rest of you are a collection of toothless drones content to eek out an existence taking your pants off in public and whining incessantly about how Washington State Ferries doesn’t do you right anymore. Which brings me to your guest “columnist” Steve David Morse.

Morse is an example both of your quintessential West Bremerton whiner and a bloke with the means and the know-how to make it across the water. Why he ever decided to experiment with the Bremerton estabilishment the way the rest of you experiment with off-brand sleeping pills is beyond me.

Sincerely,

Winslow

 

I’m Not Going to Complain About These Passenger-Only Ferries. Well, Not Much.

All illustrations by Jessica Randklev.

Dear Old Man Winslow: I’m not going to get defensive on this one. Sure, you make a few valid points. I mean, it’s no secret that Washington State Ferries wishes Bremerton would just go away. Hell, I’m sure they’d tell you as much if you walked into their office (try the TP while you’re there, it’s such an upgrade from what they serve on their waters).

The irony here is that while your boat is in the shop, and our boat is filling gaps in the system to accommodate your brood, we’re actually experiencing a Bremerton run closer to what it actually should be: one auto ferry and several passenger-only ferries. Yes, these p-o boats are slow (it took me 50 minutes recently to get home recently) but, I’m the first to admit that Bremerton should cash in an auto ferry for three or four passenger-only boats that can make the trip in 30 minutes. If only that were an option.

Until that time, I’m not going to sweat it. And I’m going to count my blessings. Because if having a 30-minute commute means ending my day on Bainbridge, well, I’ll leave that hell for the folks who bought condos in Winslow in 2007.

Sincerely,
The Bremelogger

 

Old Man Winslow: WSF Likes Bremerton About as Much as the Rest of Us

All illustrations by Jessica Randklev

Dear The Bremelogger: You take the ferry because there’s nothing for you in Bremerton. Not even the employees of the county’s largest employer — PSNS — will live there. So don’t come crying to me that someone less tubby than yourself out-hustled you to the hot seat out of nowheresville.

But let’s get right down to the point. The boat’s empty, at least by Island standards. It’s empty because there aren’t many of you mental enough to necessitate proper accommodations.

We have pseudo “assigned seating” on Bainbridge Ferries because there are precious few. You on the other hand can throw a rock between you and the closest person and miss. That’s not just because you and your city has no athletic achievement to speak of. It’s because everyone else has figured out that if you don’t get back on the boat, you don’t have to return to Bremerton.

BTW, I just want to point something out. Even when we lose a boat WSF directs people away from Bremerton: “Edmonds/Kingston is strongly encouraged as an alternate route” is on repeat over there. What they’re effectively saying is Bremerton is strongly discouraged. And with good reason.

Washington States Ferries wishes Bremerton didn’t exist. So do the rest of us.

Sincerely,
Old Man Winslow

 

Hey, Winslow: What Would Bainbridge Do?

All illustrations by Jessica Randklev.

Dear Old Man Winslow: How kind of you to write. I was beginning to think you’d forgotten about us. And I’m glad to hear that you “read” about Bremerton’s Kitsap Wine Festival. But I have a sneaking feeling it was you and your kind who consumed the tickets. I mean, when Bremertonians spend $45 on wine, it’s delivered by the case.

Hey, before you go, I’ve got a question for you. Actually, it’s more like a story.

You see, every day I take the ferry. And until a couple weeks ago, I sat in the same spot every day. It’s a pretty plumb spot, so I don’t want to give it away. Like I said, until a couple weeks ago it was mine. Every day. Without question. Then, one day, there was a … how should I say, a “problem” with the seat of another regular in my seating section. And he took my spot before I got on the boat. Now he’s discovered the subtle pleasures of my seat and won’t go back. Every morning I get on the boat hoping for my old place back. And every morning I see his smug face below an atrocious hair cut in a spot that’s rightfully mine.

What would Bainbridge do? Islanders are more particular about their assigned seats on those super collosal jumbo boats you’ve got over there. How do you handle these situations? Should I say something? Offer him Chapstick and the name of a good barber?

Sincerely,

The Bremelogger

 

Old Man Winslow: Jump All You Like, You’ll Still Be In Bremerton

All illustrations by Jessica Randklev

Dear The Bremelogger: I must admit that since we began our unfortunate correspondence, I’ve taken great pleasure in rediscovering The Bremerton Sun. Why, just yesterday I learned that a “thrill seeker” from Bothell took a plunge from the Manette Bridge. I think the Sun has the facts a little shaky, however. I don’t think he was seeking a thrill. He was seeking escape. But what the poor soul doesn’t understand is that you can jump off the Manette Bridge until you’re blue in the face, and it isn’t going to get you out of Bremerton. It’s just going to put you in a Bremerton jail. Which, you must admit, is something of a redundancy.

I also learned recently that Bremerton’s Kitsap Wine Festival was a “Sold-Out Success,” Saturday at that copper park you have down on the water. Couple things:

1. It was smart of the powers that be to call it the “Kitsap” Wine Festival. Bremerton concerns long ago realized that — and I’m breaking this down so you can understand — Bremerton is the Night Train of civic brands.

2. This is pretty impressive feat, especially for Bremerton. You were able to convince 500 people to get in their yachts, float up to the marina (plenty of parking, I’m sure), visit their friends at the retirement home/condos downtown, and enjoy $45 worth of wine. It kind of makes me wonder what kind of retailers you’re going to “attract” to those empty buildings. I’m guessing Coldwater Creek, a funeral parlor, and an IZOD outlet.

BTW, I see that you had Eddie Money in town last night. It really brings new meaning to Money line “I’ve got two tickets to paradise,” doesn’t it? I mean, singing that from Bremerton, the man could be talking about anywhere.

Sincerely,

Old Man Winslow