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Seattle’s Homelessness, Property Tax, and Pure Stupidity

Seattle Property Taxes and Homeless Issues

Please do not let the Seattle Mayor push a $55 million property tax supposedly to help the homeless, or create another kind of tax, unless he makes a laundry list of exactly what and how every dime will be spent. He (and you as well as the King County Council) come through with a broad brush and hit the sympathy button of voters that you actually are helping someone. You are creating jobs for lawyers, councilors, and do gooders but not the guy sleeping in the street. I think there are more homeless people than ever. No one really knows why but its not the reasons you are stating

I want to give you a personal story of ONE homeless person. MY BROTHER. He was an alcoholic. Handsome, smart and had 11 of us brothers and sisters. Yep we all tried to help him, had him stay with us until his verbal tirades made us kick him out. We loaned him money etc. But this is what he told us all.

He thought we were all stupid to be going to work everyday, working our tails off buying a house (he didn’t think we needed), buying furniture, a car etc. All a big waste of money in his eyes. He liked freedom. Get on a freight train and travel free. He would come to Washington to pick apples and visit me of course. He would go to California to pick grapes or olives etc. He did not get food stamps or welfare. He ate in soup kitchens, missions and anyplace he could sweet talk himself into. He was homeless because he wanted complete freedom from RULES. He did not want to hear about a shelter where he was crowded up like “cows in a barn” (his words). He did not want to be preached to. He worked just enough to buy wine and smokes. No money you would have spent on him would have changed him one bit. He was happy, and you don’t change happy. If someone wanted to go see him you could find him on a hillside in California among a bunch of other wino’s.  Here is how he felt about the counseling and preachers. Some mission here in Seattle made them listen to a sermon before they got food. He had got to be a regular there and this day the preacher got right in his face, thumping the bible and telling him how the bible says it’s such a sin to ride freight trains and be lazy. He stood up and said he had read the bible a lot and never once had he found the word “freight train” in it. He said the preacher should not make up stuff, and stick to the bible and not lie. He said the bible told a lot about Jack Asses as the way of travel, and now the country was being ran by Jack Asses that thought they knew what they were doing. The last time he visited me, my husband was dying of cancer. I had three children and could not stand to hear him rave about how all the work trying to buy this OLD HOUSE had caused my husband to be sick. I told him I would give him a ride to where he belonged and took him down to skid road and dropped him off. Did not give him a dime. He called others saying he was sick and needed money too get help. Another brother he called asked for the name of the hospital or doctor and would send a check to them but with the Country Music playing so loud in the back ground it was obvious what was happening. Last any of us heard until they found him dead in California all alone. All of us chipped in for a casket and a suit to be buried in and a plot.  I still love him. No one could help him because HE DID NOT WANT HELP.

The above was what I sent to the City Council, but since “I was talking and can’t shut up” I will continue and make a story for the Emerald Journal out of this.

I did not agree with my brothers logic and thought owning a home was the greatest accomplishment a person could have. I thought if you worked all your life it was way better than the freedom he talked of. Well I am 93 plus. Lived in my old house for 70 years. We paid $5,500 for it in 1946. I bought a little house right beside it 40 years ago for $10,500 to be able to have a little income with my social security. I should have listened to my brother.

We property owners do not really own our property at all. When the City/County/State can swoop in and make rules that take all ownership away is worse than any criminal could do with a gun. If I wanted to rent out some of my spare bedrooms (have a lot of them) I would first have to have the city tell me if they were the exact dimensions. I would have to have heat installed (no space heaters) etc, in other words it would cost me more so sign up and pay their $175 registration fee and inspections and god only knows what else. Now to the rental. All of my rights have been taken away except two. Yes 2 things I have control over. If you read the landlord tenant rules you will find we cannot discriminate. (that word has taken all sensible thoughts away). We cannot discriminate against male or female, grown ups, or children, convicts, people who have been evicted , alcoholics, drug addicts we can’t ask how they expect to pay their rent after the first month. I Can’t ask for a large security deposit. Transgender, gays, lesbians.  ALL HAVE A RIGHT TO PAY A MONTHS RENT AND MOVE INTO MY RENTAL. I can’t turn anyone away and the city has hired people to go out and pretend they are looking for a place to see if they can catch someone to harass and fine and get a lawyer a job. If I pulled a stunt like that I would be arrested for entrapment. Adult living only facilities can’t turn anyone away that have children. The city calls this discriminating. I call it taking complete control of our property. Unless I can chose who I want to rent to, I don’t own the house. I am not running it for the city. I will never show it to anyone again. I will simply close it up and use it for storage. How will that help keep affordable housing? On top of that the taxes for the rental was over $3600 last year! Now the mayor wants another 5 million property tax to help the homeless. All it is doing is making more people homeless.

BUT LETS NOT FORGET  I said we can turn down people WHO SMOKE (tobacco) (but its OK to smoke dope) and people with pets.

A pet is about all a homeless person has left in the world, and almost for sure he smokes cigarettes. Where are the so called homeless getting the money for booze and smokes? We have a new village for homeless in our neighborhood, located right by the only bus stop we have if we come from town. lol  I am too old to even walk over and look at it, but the city says it’s really good for the neighborhood. They will have a dial a bus to get them where they need to go, a doctor will come check on them, Sure more than I can get. I can’t even get a bus to the food bank if I wanted to go.  They won’t pick me up because I don’t “qualify”.

Before you voters (tenants included) vote for a new property tax you better realize your rent is high because you have voted in this crap. It has not helped a soul. The Mayor has paid $850,000 for an expert to tell him no one should live in the jungle. Whoopee – who would have ever guessed that in a million years.

Bet my brother is spinning in his grave with laughter. hope so. Now he spent another $100,000 on some survey or study. Not one thing has helped the homeless. Nothing ever will if they don’t want to be CONTROLLED like we are. When the city can send out some women with a bunch of kids to ask to rent at an adult living apartment house to entrap them something needs fixing for sure. A woman had to be a nut case to walk up to a place with kids to a place that clearly said adults only and even ask. WHAT IF a bunch of us old 90 year olds go to a daycare and insist on spending our days there? If they turn me down is that discriminating due to my age or sex? We would like a nice quite nap time, we would like nice soft children type food, and yes a little help changing our pads or diapers when necessary. We would want adult stories read to us. Of course we would expect the daycare to put away the trikes and roller skates and toys we might trip over and would want the children to be quiet.  That sounds really stupid but not a bit different that when adults have raised their kids and want to move into a place where no little kids are running in the hall, babies crying all night. We have been there done that. But we can have an adult only home.

Everyone has their opinion. I want to mention the article in The Seattle Times 3/1/17 by Danny Westneat. He writes about an old school landlord that doesn’t want to raise his rents but now he has to or sell to a rich developer. The Tax bill on one of his buildings went up $1500. That is $750 more on each unit and now it will go up more. But Danny says the homeless are not drawn here because of what he calls Freeseattle. See another of his articles “Homeless have some news for both the right wing and the left” Seattle Times 3/3/17. I do not agree with his findings in this article. He said in November teams of researches interviewed the homeless in the streets and in shelters. He said this debunked the theory that the homeless gravitate here because of Seattle’s liberal generosity. The homeless said they did not come here to score a soggy wonder bread sandwich or a Styrofoam cup of “hot” chocolate and a blanket handed out by a Union Gospel Truck. FYI this weeks Union Gospel Truck will have 20 pairs of warm gloves that I donated to be handed out, plus hats my daughter knits by the dozen and bags of homemade cookies she makes. I baked for them for years but had to give that up when I hit 85. I fully realize our handouts do not make much of a difference but WE TRY and pay for it out of our own purse. I should be able to ask the mayor and each council member to send me some cash to pay for my stuff. lol

What these homeless in the trenches talked about is something different that what I saw on the news. A man living in a tiny house said he gets a check for $700, plus $100 for food stamps.  He lived in a tiny house paid for by property tax dollars. Think he pays $90 a month. That would attract people to Seattle for sure. They come here for some reason, and it’s sure not the weather. I used to own the apartment house beside me. Rent was cheap and they were almost all drunks (real quiet and peaceful). On the first of the month they waited for the mail man. I would cash their checks for them and take the rent (less than $100 a month then) and with all them getting money for smokes and alcohol they could pretty much party the whole month. I really resented the fact that I had to be on the bus for work every day at 6 a.m. while these men, younger than me, partied on my dime. This is not new but we are being drowned in taxes until we no longer can shut up along with the controls and rules. I would like for the mayor or any city council member to answer these questions truthfully.

  1. Does handing an alcoholic money help cure his addiction?
  2. Does handing a smoker money to buy cigarettes help him quit smoking?
  3. Does providing(tax payer’s pay for) a safe place for an addict to shoot up heroin help him kick his addiction?
  4. Does forcing landlords completely out of business by raising property tax so high help the housing shortage?
  5. Does TRYING  to force a landlord to rent to anyone with the exception of a smoker (reg. cigs) or a dog owner help anything?

I never had a problem renting to gays, blacks, or Mexicans or any religion etc. My requirement was that they had a PAYING JOB and had a good work record. All my tenants stayed 5 to 8 years. Only left when they saved enough to buy a place or moved out of state or got married etc.

Now I have to sit vacant. No way “in hell” with I let a convict, drug user, or section 8 person or a bunch of little kids move in. I am alone, live right beside it and only kept it so I could control who lived beside me.

I do not owe a homeless person a thing. I have looked in my purse and if I had money to pay for something I wanted, then I could afford it. I have never had a credit card and if someone doesn’t want to work it’s their problem, not mine, but the city has made it my problem. I have never worked myself up to poverty level in their eyes, but I have to help pay rent for immigrants (legal and illegal).

Our Mayor is so out of touch with ordinary people that its useless to even try to communicate with him. How he got on the transgender kick muddles my brain. No scientific fact says what a transgender person is, but if you look on your birth certificate it will state boy or girl. Since The Mayor is gay and has a gay wife or husband or whatever they can go to the bathroom together. But what if his partner one day decided he felt like a woman and headed in the woman’s locker room would that be OK with the mayor? This transgender mess has opened a can of worms for sure. A CNN reporter said if a man shows his penis in a little 12 year old girls locker room and she is offended it’s her problem and her parents problem for teaching her wrong. Can a man put on a dress and lipstick and get a cheaper woman’s loan to start a business. A boy can if wanted to can play on a girls team or vice versa and ruin all sports. Install some port a pots so a transgender doesn’t have to decide whether he is a girl or boy that day.

We can be anything we want to be. Some days you can feel like a girlie girl and some days you can feel like a tom boy. This transgender crap (using the only printable word here) that our Mayor endorses shows he has to be SICK. I am not talking gays and lesbians, they use the bathroom that suits their birth, but a transgender is not a scientific fact at all.

We don’t even know what AGE means. When that monstrosity of Head Start for kids passed, most people took for granted it was for little preschool kids. WRONG.  Read my past article in the Emerald City Journal about what a joke that was. It covered for babies in the womb to 24 year old kids. Back to rentals – I hope landlords get together and take back their property. I am too old to lead the fight. I don’t plan more than a day ahead, but my old brain is telling me that MY BROTHER WAS RIGHT. Foolish to have worked all my life to buy a house and a rental to be told by the city who can live in it.

One more thing as an example. I charged $850 a month for my rental. It’s a cute two bedroom house. I also live on social security which is $1,200 a month. The city says if someone says they are on social security I have to rent to them. Well I am a shining example that that will not work because with $1,200 social security a month income I could not afford to rent my OWN little house.  I could not pay $850 in rent and that is way to cheap and then pay the utilities and other expenses to make it each month. I barely make it on my SS check with the tiny bit of rent that is left over after property tax and insurance.

What is almost funny (but not the ha ha kind) this may stir up so much fuss that each council member will have to hire another assistant. Not sure how many they have but all they do is make rules for taxpayers to follow. I consider them a sort of welfare case. They produce nothing and live off taxpayers. If half of them quit we would never know the difference.

I hope this gives you readers something to think about and hopefully write your opinion for the Emerald City Journal, even if you do not agree with me, as well as to the mayor and city council members.

Lilly Marek

The Future of Tesla Inc.

Since its inception, Tesla Inc. has been changing the face of the car industry. The electric car company that once floundered to even get to market is now one of the most respected car companies in the world. American car companies traditionally have been lacking when it comes to producing eco-friendly cars. Foreign car companies have always led the way when it comes to advancement in electric cars. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla was one of the original architects of the Tesla Model S and has been the driving force behind the success that the company has experienced in the last few years. What started as a dream amongst people who are passionate about saving the environment has blossomed into a full-fledged, American born electric car company that is focused on continuing its meteoric rise to the top.

Even though the Tesla Roadster was the first Tesla car to be put to market, Tesla is best known for its Model S. The Model S is a full sized, all electric, five-door luxury sedan that was introduced in 2012. Since its introduction, the Model S has scored high on consumer surveys and tests. It scored a perfect 5.0 on the NHTSA automobile safety-rating test and in March of 2017 the Model S P100D holds the record for the fastest acceleration of any production vehicle from zero to 60 miles per hour. The EPA rated its energy consumption at 237.5 watt-hours per kilometer (38 kWh/100 mi or 24 kWh/100 km). The Model S also became the first electric car to top monthly new car sale rankings in both domestic and foreign markets. The Model S has won many awards since 2012. In 2013 it won the World Green Car of the Year and the Motor Trend Car of the Year. In 2015, the Model S won Car and Driver magazine’s distinct honor of Car of the Century. With the success of the Model S, car enthusiasts and industry experts have been waiting to see what Tesla unveils next.

Model S Photo Tesla
Photo: Model S – Tesla.com

So what is next for Elon Musk inventions and Tesla? With the continued success of the Model S, Tesla definitely was looking to expand their offerings to gain a great market share. Tesla currently caters to a niche market and Musk has always wanted to expand. Tesla announced it’s upcoming lineup for the next 5 years and it is ambitious. The first step for Musk and the Tesla Team is to build the Gigafactory. The Gigafactory is a giant battery factory that will be located in Sparks, Nevada and is in the process of being built. The proposed factory is on track to be the second largest building in the world. The factory, according to Musk, will help cut the costs of producing Tesla car batteries hence lowering the price tag of the car. The factory will be able to create more lithium-ion batteries than all other battery makers. The most impressive aspect of this factory is that it will be completely powered by renewable energy with a focus on recycling. The factory will include recycling capability for old battery packs and will be outfitted with solar panels.

The reasoning behind the Gigafactory is the ability to be able to help produce a less expensive battery for the Tesla cars. The Model S starts at $68,000, which is out of the price range for a majority of families. With the ability to be able to lower the price of making the battery, Tesla has plans to create an affordable model for a wider demographic. The Model 3 was unveiled on March 31st 2016 and Tesla began taking reservations for the car that day. The starting price of Model 3 is $35,000. On the morning of March 31st, thousands of people lined up outside of Tesla dealerships to put down a refundable deposit on a car that they had not even seen yet. Reservations for the car began before the unveiling and it was reported that over 115,000 people had reserved the Model 3 in less than 24 hours. One week after the unveiling Tesla reported 325,000 reservations had been made, which was one of the largest single one-week launch of any product ever. Musk stated that the amount of reservations that were made during that week amounted to about $14 billion in potential sales. Currently, the Model 3 is on track to be delivered during the second half of 2017.

Tesla also is rumored to have another car in development. This car is still shrouded in some mystery. Not much is know about the Model Y. Rumors have been circulating that this car will be the crossover version of the Model 3. Currently, Tesla has yet to delve into the SUV demographic and the Model Y is supposed to reach the SUV market. Reports state that the Model Y is in the later stages of development. Currently what is known about the Model Y is that it will include the semi-autonomous autopilot feature that is found on the current Tesla models. The Model Y will also incorporate Tesla’s solar roof technology. When Tesla and Solar City merged, Musk announced that as a by-product, the Tesla cars will feature a special windshield or roof that will be able to melt snow or defrost ice. There is still a question about how much the Model Y will cost consumers but since the Model 3 will start around $35,000, speculation is that the Model Y will start around the same price.

Outside of the Model 3, the Model Y and the Gigafactory Tesla has also announced plans to boost the range of how far their cars can travel on a single charge. Right now, the record for the Model S is about 497 miles per charge. The official range is 265 miles per charge. The plan is to up the mileage range to 621 miles. Another promise made my Musk is that Tesla will make their cars autonomous by 2018. Currently, Tesla offers a semi-autonomous Autopilot system but they are aiming to create “level 4” autonomy in Tesla’s cars by 2018. Musk and Tesla have very ambitious future plans for the company and their cars. The World is looking forward to seeing where Tesla takes the car industry next.

Follow Elon Musk on Instagram.

Problem With Johnny Depp’s Website?

Johnny Depp The last time Johnny Depp was spotted in Seattle was back in 2013. Turns out he was eating and making a cameo in the 2014 film, “Lucky Them”. The film was being shot in Belltown and Capital Hill. The visit was confirmed by the Seattle Met as well as the Salish official twitter.

There is trouble is paradise, however, because it appears his website JohnnyDepp.com isn’t owned by him. The site is now filled with content about his battles with his wife, alcohol, and drug abuse. It’s a long well thought out page and highly cited. The new page describes his divorce and how he is allegedly a wife abuser. The site is full of detailed photos of his past arrests as well as a few that appear to be of Johnny Depp drunk and smoking. In one photo, it appears he is having trouble even walking and his security is helping him stand while walking through a crowd after an event.

The website also discusses Disney’s involvement with Depp and how they encourage him. The author goes into why the company would support Depp over the years considering his abuse. “What will kids learn about their hero Captain Jack Sparrow?” was one of the questions the website asked it’s readers and followers.

Lastly, the website calls for the boycott of Johnny Depp’s new movie, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales which comes out shortly. They even have a twitter hashtag: #boycottJohnnyDepp

The hashtag appears to have a pervious history on twitter. Check out the website now before it’s taken down.

**UPDATE – 3/13/17
The website has been taken down and replaced with a blank white page.

**UPDATE – 3/2/17
It appears the website was retracted and now only has one paragraph. The other paragraphs were removed.

Club13.com Herbals – Learn About Kratom

Kratom Plant – Mitragyna Speciosa

Even though the kratom plant, also known as mitragyna speciosa, has its origins in Southeastern Asia, it has a worldwide user base that consumes it in different methods for a variety of reasons. Naturally, enthusiasts from each country want to support vendors based in their own country to benefit the national economy, as well as have a greater guarantee of their product.

Club13.com Herbals is an American-based business located in the town of Saint Augustine, Florida. Ever since its establishment in 1999, the company has based its operations in that location, despite its main form of business being online. Even though the plants have origins from other countries to maintain product integrity, the products themselves are tested and packaged in the United States. This creates products that provide a rich experience, derived from the cultures of other nations.

Club13’s Roots

Club13.com began around the 2000s, an era where the traditional and recreational use of kratom was just beginning to grow. The company saw how the products derived from this plant could benefit people in the United States and used this opportunity to establish itself in a young market. The business itself has between two to ten employees, but it runs with the efficiency of a larger store. Therefore, customers are not only benefiting from an American vendor, but also supporting a small business that has lasted for a long time.

The kratom products, as well as akuamma seeds and kava roots that the store offers come from farmers who helped establish the business as the reliable name it is today. The kratom plant favors tropical climate and suffers under colder conditions. While the plants’ growth in Southeast Asia guarantees its optimal quality, the state of Florida provides the ideal conditions to keep the products in strong form.

Club13’s website features a variety of kratom products that the customer can consume via their preferred method, including both regular and extra strong capsules, powder, vape juice, and extracts. The company also offers different types of kratom, such as Horn, Bali Red, Indo White, and Green Malay. They also have Maeng Da in green, white, and the bestselling red, which is the strongest among its kind as well as compared to other red Maeng Da products in the market. The Connoisseur mix is a special powder that blends all other kratom powders.

In addition to kratom products, Club13 offers other herbal products, such as akuamma and kava. Three different drug test kits are available that test for a variety of drugs, including marijuana, morphine, cocaine, and more.

Quality Guarantee

The company has a 100% satisfaction guarantee for all its products. They have customer service contact points through phone, email, and an online form, and have a refund and replacement policy in place. The store also goes an extra step in establishing customer trust by offering lab-testing results on all its products. Each item receives local testing, using good manufacturing practice (GMP) standards, and consumers can request a lab report to guarantee the safety and quality of each product. Club13.com has good reviews online from what we’ve seen.

Saint Augustine, Florida

Noted above, Club13’s headquarters are in the city of Saint Augustine. This location has the distinction of being the oldest European establishment in the United States, founded on September 8, 1565 by Spanish explorer Pedro Menendez de Aviles. The territory was under Spanish control until Spain ceded it to the U.S. in 1819. The town’s unique, multicultural history has made it an appealing tourist location.

Even though Club13.com is mainly an online business that sells herbal products to individual customers and larger retailers, it also benefits from the city’s welcoming stand on the manufacturing and sale of these products, particularly kratom. Several stores in the city also sell kratom products.

The Saint Augustine community has also stood up for consumers and vendors of kratom products recently. A drug task force recently targeted the plant due to concerns over its easy availability, requesting a ban. A county board meeting on April 2, 2019 voted on the proposal. After hearing from 19 citizens supporting kratom use, the board voted 5-0 against the ban. Businesses like Club13.com benefit from the community’s meaningful support.

Kratom products provided by Club13 combine the quality of Southeastern Asian conditions and American practices to provide a strong, multicultural experience with the benefits inherent in the plant.

Origin and Early Use

During the last several years, kratom has seen an increase in use due to the numerous desired effects it has on the human body. The plant’s features have made it a popular choice in countries around the world, with their inhabitants creating a variety of products and consumption methods based on it.

The kratom plant, is native to Southeastern Asian countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Papua New Guinea. However, the plant now grows in several countries around the world, which has led to increased consumption. It is a member of the Rubiaceae family, which also includes coffee and gardenia.

The tropical conditions of these countries provide a perfect growing place for kratom, as cooler temperatures can stunt growth and force harvesters to keep them inside containers and indoor growing locations. A fully-grown kratom tree can extend as long as 25 meters, or 82 feet. Indigenous populations used the leaves of this plant as coffee and consumed it due to its effects as a stimulant and aphrodisiac.

Dutch botanist Pieter Willem Korthals gave the plant the scientific name of mitragyna because he believed the components of the plant resembled a bishop’s miter. The plant has also gone under other names, including krakuam, thom, ithang, and krathom in Thailand, as well as ketum or kiak-kiak in Malaysia, and mambog among users in the Philippines.

Methods of Consumption

Traditional ingestion methods of kratom leaves include eating them outright or crushed, and brewing them as tea. The addition of lemon juice to the hot beverage reduces its opioid-like effects, and the addition of sugar or honey can reduce the plant’s naturally bitter taste. People who chew the leaves tend to consume one to three leaves at a time, usually removing the veins and adding honey to apparently reduce constipation risks. After direct consumption, the users drink warm water, tea, coffee, or sugar syrup. Dried leaves are usually smoked.

Modern use of kratom has led to several other methods of consumption, including pills and capsules, or powder. In addition to traditional smoking, kratom is now also available as a vape liquid alternative to tobacco. Southern Thailand has also seen the rise of a cold beverage known as 4×100, which combines kratom, soda, and cough syrup to create an effect much like that of alcohol.

Reasons for Consumption

The earliest users of the kratom plant were Thai and Malaysian workers and native people. For years, they have consumed the plant either directly or via tea to increase stamina. Specifically, it increases mental and physical energy, as well as limiting fatigue and general lethargic effects. They claim that it acts as a sexual stimulant as well.

Modern day use of kratom includes recreational purposes, since it can create a similar “high” effect to other opioids. However, kratom is neither a drug nor an opioid. When consumed, it allegedly can trigger an effect similar to other drugs, such as cocaine in small doses, or morphine in large doses, even though kratom acts as a mu-opioid receptor agonist that only stimulates the opioid receptors. Other foods such as breast milk, coffee, chocolate, and coffee also activate these receptors as well.

Due to this specific effect, according to wikipedia, kratom can relieve chronic pain, anxiety and depression. Other times, it offers a general energy boost. Some people recovering from opioid addiction and withdrawal symptoms use it as an opioid substitute to ease the transition process. The Emerald City Journal hasn’t verified these claims by Wikipedia and you should do your own research into the plant.

Seattle Washington does sell kratom in many stores.  It is important to purchase from a quality producers who keeps the plant and powder in its purest condition.

Elon Musk – The 21st Century Father of Invention

Elon Musk Photo

Elon Musk is one of the most popular and admired leaders in the tech industry. Some would say he is even the 21st century Father of invention. One of the reasons why Musk is so emulated is due to the fact that not only does his numerous companies hit big milestones in their industries but he is also very diversified in the businesses that he either invests in or starts. He is responsible for Tesla, SpaceX, SolarCity, and Hyperloop One. This magnetic billionaire entrepreneur is focused on helping to course correct manmade climate change by creating environmentally friendly companies. He has found success in each and every company he has started and is considered one of the most diverse entrepreneurs in the world. What others found to be preposterous ideas, he sees as a challenge worthy of his ambition.

When Musk founded the company that would later become know as PayPal, little did he know that the money that he netted from the sale of that company would thrust him into his entrepreneur popularity. In 1999, Musk started X.com, an online financial services and payment company that was later acquired by eBay for $1.5 billion. Most industry pundits incorrectly assumed that Musk would retire and enjoy his status as a multi-millionaire. However, not one to rest on his laurels, Musk then created the company SpaceX with intention to reduce space transportation costs to enable people to ultimately colonize Mars.

Quick Facts:
Full Name: Elon Reeve Musk
Born: June 28, 1971 – Pretoria, South Africa
Height: 6? 2?
Net worth: 15.9 billion USD (2017) Forbes
Education: Stanford University (1995–1995), More
Spouse: Talulah Riley (m. 2013–2016), Talulah Riley (m. 2010–2012), Justine Musk (m. 2000–2008)
Children: Damian Musk, Xavier Musk, Kai Musk, Griffin Musk, Saxon Musk, Nevada Alexander Musk
Dating: Amber Heard (2017)

Read about Elon Musk SpaceX:
www.spacex.com/elon-musk

For many years, SpaceX was quietly plugging along and working diligently to create their own reusable launch vehicles and spaceships. SpaceX started work on the Falcon 1 launch system in 2002. After 4 years and millions of dollars in private investments, the system was designed. In the period of 2006 through 2015 companies like DARPA, NASA, ORS, Celestis, ATSB, SpaceDev, Orbcomm, NSPO, and Astrium became interested in SpaceX’s mission and ran several test launches of the Falcon 1 rocket. The first three flight attempts failed but on September 28th, 2008, the fourth flight was a success and Falcon 1 reached orbit. NASA was so impressed by SpaceX’s successful launch, that a $1.6 billion contract was signed between the two companies to ferry American astronauts to and from the Earth’s orbit.

This addition to space program is exciting but Musk’s ultimate goal is an expedition to Mars. Currently, the company is working on groundbreaking rocket engines that will help transport people to Mars. The Grasshopper and the Falcon 9 are launch vehicles that are able to make both vertical takeoffs and vertical landings. After a rough first landing for the Falcon 9, on January 10th, 2015, the team was able to land a rocket on a floating platform off the coast of Florida. Falcon 9 experienced another success by delivering the DSCOVR satellite to deep space orbit from SpaceX’s launch complex.

At the same time SpaceX was working on their rockets, in 2004, Elon Musk invested in a little known electric car company called Tesla. In 2003, engineers Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning started Tesla. Musk’s first investment was a whopping $70 million. He became the Chairman of the Board of Directors and the later participated in the design of their first electric chair, the Tesla Roadster. The car later received the Global Green 2006 Product Design Award for its innovative use of carbon fiber composite materials in the hull to minimize weight, the development of an effective battery module and the car had certain design elements that are unique for an electric car. Tesla began to grow exponentially and picked up a pool of investors that included Google creators, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. However, when the car was about the enter production in 2007, the company hit some rough times. Due to management failures, the selling price for the roadster was twice as much as originally planned, the transmission was ineffective and the release of the car was postponed for a year.

Elon went in and cleaned house after such a monumental mishap, and even fired key players involved in the project including Eberhard. Musk then headed the company himself. He then hired Michael Marks as interim CEO until Ze’ev Drori was assigned as the CEO and President of Tesla Motors. Elon Musk succeeded Ze’ev Drori and proved to be a much better CEO. Drori became Vice Chairman and left the company in December 2008. Musk plowed forward with his plan to get Tesla back on track. He reduced staff, negotiated lower prices for supplies and closed some of the offices. Finally in 2008, the Tesla Roadster was put into production with less than a $20,000 price increase.

The company was still experiencing difficulties in 2008 and Musk invested his last $20 million into Tesla to save the company from bankruptcy. Musk even gave personal guarantees to customers to make a full refund in the event of a business failure. But an investment from the German multinational automotive corporation Daimler of $50 million and the inclusion of the Tesla Motors in the U.S. Department of Energy’s pool of innovative transport companies helped to save the company. Tesla also received a preferential interest-bearing loan from government.

On June 29th, 2010, Tesla started it’s IPO and even though it was unprofitable for 10 years it was listed on NASDAQ for $17 per stock and eventually got more than $225 million in investments. The reason for the success of the company was due to the Model S, which was put into production in 2012 and was ranked 99 out of 100 points by Consumer Reports and received the highest safety rating from the National Highway Safety Administration, a 5.4 out of 5 points.

Musk is a big believer in working hard to reverse man-made climate change and he believes that the world is too dependent on oil. He strongly believes that electric motors will help to save the environment. The cars are designed entirely with idea to reduce pollution. In 2014, Tesla unveiled the Model S 85D and the P85D, which was the first electric car with the dual motor. In 2015, the Model X P90D and 90D debuted with the very first true HEPA filter with the “Bioweapon Defense Mode” button in the car. When the HEPA filter operates at a maximum performance no pollen, bacteria or viruses can be detected in the cabin. The Model X has an official EPA rated 250–257 mi (402–414 km) range and the combined fuel economy equivalent and energy consumption for the AWD P90D was rated at 89 mpg-e (23 kWh/100 km or 39 kWh/100 mi)

SolarCity is another environmentally conscience company located in San Mateo, California. It is another company that Musk is a major shareholder in after selling his 11% of PayPal stock, he invested $10 million into the company. It was started by two brothers, Lyndon and Peter Rive, who are also cousins of Musk. SolarCity provides solar power systems for homes, businesses, and governments. The company provides several programs for homeowners including the “MyPower” loan program and the solar lease and solar power purchase agreement. SolarCity is the largest solar energy provider in the United States.

On December 10th, 2012 SolarCity entered the IPO market and immediately the shares jumped from $8 to $11.79. In February 2015, the shares jumped to $57.60. The reason for the rise in stock is the rapid growth that the company has experienced since 2006. SolarCIty has grown from 440 megawatts (MW) of solar panels installed in 2009 to 6,200 MW installed in 2014. In 2015, it was reported that SolarCity installed 870MW of solar power, approximately 28% of non-utility solar installation in the U.S. that year.

In June 2016, Musk’s car company, Tesla, formally submitted an offer to acquire SolarCity for $2.5–3 billion. According to Musk, the reason for the offer is because his focus is “Creating a seamlessly integrated Tesla battery & solar power product that looks beautiful”. On August 1, 2016, SolarCity accepted Tesla Motors’ offer of $2.6 billion. As of August 2016, Musk owned 22% of SolarCity stock.

SolarCity has a wide variety of products, services and technologies. Their most popular services is their Solar Leasing Program for homeowners. This program allows homeowners to cut down their electrical bill by adopting solar power. Their Commercial Solar Program is the largest commercial solar program for businesses. Their installation in San Jose on the North Campus of eBay was the largest solar installation at the time in 2008. Then in July of 2008, SolarCity completed what was then the second largest commercial solar installation in San Francisco, for British Motor Car Distributors, consisting of 1,606 solar photovoltaic panels. SolarCity introduced new financing options for businesses in 2009 and then completed other large installations for companies like Wal-Mart, Intel and the US military. SolarCity also make Electrical Vehicle Chargers that are available for free to the owners of Tesla’s traveling on Hi-way 101 in California. In the next few years, SolarCity is planning on opening up the Gigafactory, a battery factory that plans on making a battery storage device called Powerwall. Musk also announced that SolarCity will be introducing an actual solar paneled roof. That means that the photovoltaic electrical energy generating devices and system would make up an entire roof surface, rather than just mounting solar panels on an existing roof.

His latest ambitious venture is Hyperloop One. Hyperloop is still in the beginning stages of development but Musk is confident that the Hyperloop Transportation System will revolutionize travel. In 2012, Musk at the PandoDaily Event in Santa Monica he said that he has been conceptualizing the idea of a fifth mode of transport. He went on to explain that this futuristic travel mode will be immune to weather conditions, collision free, twice the speed of a plane, low power consumption and enough energy storage to last for 24 hours.

One of my favorite videos of Elon Musk was his Ted Talk. He is great speaker and Ted.com has the full version (about 20 minutes in length). He discusses all his businesses and some of his plans for the future (https://www.ted.com/talks/elon_musk_the_mind_behind_tesla_spacex_solarcity)

During 2012 and 2013, a combined effort from engineers from both Tesla and SpaceX designed the original concept for the Hyperloop. The design concept was then published on the Tesla and SpaceX blogs. In a surprising move, Musk decided to have the concept published on the internet because he wanted people to provide feedback for improving the system. The Hyperloop design will be an open source concept, which is a highly unusual move for a company.

Currently, the design concept is a solar powered, high-speed mode of transport that would be powered by linear induction motors and air compressors. Specialized pods will float on a layer of air and will move through a continuous steel tube and the pods will move through the tubes at the extremely high speeds. The system would be powered by solar panels and one capsule can fit up to 28 people.

In June 2015, SpaceX announced that it would build a 1-mile-long test track to be located next to SpaceX’s Hawthorne facility. The track would be used to test pod designs supplied by third parties from the Pod Design Competition. A crowdsourced operation called Hyperloop Transportation Technologies claimed in early 2016 that it would begin construction later in the year of a 5-mile (8 km) Hyperloop test track in Quay Valley but it has yet to receive the permits or even begin its environmental review process. The MIT Hyperloop team was the first to develop the Hyperloop pod prototype, which was based on electrodynamic suspension.

Elon Musk is an innovator and works hard to create technology that leaves a very small carbon footprint on this planet and is focused on technological innovations that will help to reduce climate change. His effective management style coupled with his ability to take risks makes him the most interesting and admired entrepreneur on the planet. Follow him on Instagram.

Biography:

Early Life
Elon Musk was born in South Africa on June 28, 1971, to a Canadian mother and a South African father. He spent his early childhood with his brother, Kimbal, and sister, Tosca in South Africa. Elon Musk did not have the easiest of childhoods but showed early signs of ambition and success. As a child, Musk was reading approximately 10 hours a day and by age 8 had read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica. When he was 9-years-old, his parents divorced, and he went to live with his father. Musk had a difficult time in school and was bullied by other students, so badly that at one point he was hospitalized. These personal troubles did not set Musk back. When he was 12-years old, he wrote his first video game, Blastar, and sold it for $500. His entrepreneurial spirit started young. It has been said that his unsettled early life prepared him for times of adversity during his professional career.

University
At age 17, Musk moved to Canada. He worked odd jobs and stayed with family upon his arrival, not afraid to get his hands dirty shoveling dirt in a boiler room. He first attended Queen’s University to avoid mandatory service in the South African military, but he left in 1992 to study business and physics at the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated with an undergraduate degree in economics and stayed for a second bachelor’s degree in physics. After leaving the University of Pennsylvania, Musk headed to Stanford University in California to pursue a Ph.D. in energy physics. He dropped out of Stanford after just two days taking advantage of the internet boom and launching his first company, Zip2 Corporation. In 1999, a division of Compaq Computer Corporation bought Zip2 for $307 million in cash and $34 million in stock options.

Entrepreneurial Journey
Musk’s entrepreneurial journey is nothing short of extraordinary, and many people are sitting in anticipation watching the developments of his latest ventures. Musk is a mover and shaker of modern times and technological advancements. In 1999, Musk co-founded X.com, an online financial services/payments company. An X.com acquisition the following year led to the creation of PayPal. In October 2002, PayPal was acquired by eBay for $1.5 billion in stock. Before the sale, Musk owned 11 percent of PayPal stock.

Musk founded Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, or SpaceX, in 2002. The intention of this business was to build spacecraft for commercial space travel. By 2008, SpaceX was well established. NASA awarded the company the contract to handle cargo transport for the International Space Station—with plans for astronaut transport in the future—in a move to replace NASA’s space shuttle missions.

Another Musk venture is Tesla Motors, a company dedicated to producing affordable, mass-market electric cars. Five years after its formation, the company in 2008 unveiled the Roadster, a sports car capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, as well traveling nearly 250 miles between charges of its lithium ion battery. With a stake in the company taken by Daimler and a strategic partnership with Toyota, Tesla Motors launched its initial public offering in June 2010, raising $226 million. The 2017 Tesla Model S P100D first test hit a new record 0 to 60 mph in 2.28 seconds.

In August 2013, Musk released a concept for a new form of transportation called the “Hyperloop.” Hyperloop is a proposed mode of passenger and freight transportation that propels a pod-like vehicle through a near-vacuum tube at more than airline speed. At the end of January 2017, 27 teams were on site at SpaceX in preparation for a weekend’s Hyperloop Pod Competition just outside SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, CA. The purpose of the competition was to help accelerate the development of a functional Hyperloop prototype and encourage student innovation by challenging university students to design and build the best Hyperloop pod. The competition was the first of its kind anywhere in the world.

Musk’s net worth for 2017 comes in at 13.4 billion. Musk’s success did not come overnight. There were points throughout his career where money was scarce, he was sleeping in his office, the risks were high, rockets weren’t cooperating, and funding was coming in at the final hour. Musk’s aggressive work-ethic combined with a strong belief in what he was doing propelled him to the success he has reached today.

Political Involvement
Musk has recently become more active in the political sphere. Wherever you stand on current U.S. politics, Musk is going to be a game changer and a major influence during Trump’s presidency. Musk is one of 18 business leaders on Trump’s advisory council. Musk has spoken out about the travel ban and environmental issues. Musk insists he’s making progress. “At my request, the agenda for yesterday’s White House meeting went from not mentioning the travel ban to having it be first and foremost,” Musk said, referring to Trump’s travel ban against seven Muslim-majority nations. “There has already been, and there will be progress on this matter.”

Musk — who has publicly opposed the travel ban — added that he wants the travel ban to be “addressed on all fronts: judicial, legislative and executive,” indicating that he thinks a federal judge’s intervention isn’t enough. Musk is also speaking up about environmental issues. The CEO of Tesla (TSLA) and SpaceX, has one other important issue on his agenda with Trump: climate change. He said that he raised the issue with the president.

Personal Life
Musk has been married twice and has five sons. He married Justine Wilson in 2000. In 2002, their first son died at 10 weeks old from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). They would have five additional sons together, twins (with IVF) and triplets. The two met during college and Justine was by Elon’s side during the early stages of his entrepreneurial journey. After their divorce, Musk met actress Talulah Riley, and they married in 2010. The couple split in 2012 but married each other again in 2013. Their relationship ultimately ended in divorce in 2016.

If you’d like to see his biography has a graph check out:
http://fundersandfounders.com/how-elon-musk-started/

Go on, Give Your IT a Quick Health Check

Working on Computer Photo

How would you feel if your body was as healthy as your IT department, and how would you honestly describe your level of health right now: fighting fit, can’t complain, a few niggles, or ready for the knackers yard? Over the last few years I’ve spent a lot of time working with a variety of IT departments, both in the public and private sector, and there are very few IT departments who can say that they are fighting fit.

If you’re feeling under the weather, you tend to visit the doctor. And what is the first thing he or she asks? ‘What are your symptoms?’ Unless the doctor knows the symptoms he/she can’t diagnose what is wrong with you, and what to prescribe to cure it. It’s exactly the same with an IT department. You need to spot the symptoms. Some symptoms are quite evident, like a boil on your nose, others are quite subtle, maybe just a feeling that things aren’t quiet running as well as they should be.

So how do you spot the IT symptoms? First, look at symptoms in people, then in any processes you have in place, and then your technology. You’ll have to go looking for symptoms, they don’t often come looking for you, and if they do, you may well have a terminal case. People symptoms are unhappy staff, increased staff turnover, customer complaints, lack of communication, too much communication; symptoms in process are process avoidance, increased bureaucracy, increased time to deliver an outcome; and symptoms in technology are complaints about not fit for purpose, increased number of incidents reported, poor reliability and poor maintainability.

Okay, so now you have identified the symptoms. How do you diagnose what is causing them? Implementing a problem management function within service management is the answer to all your ills. Root cause analysis is the prime function of the problem managers role and is key to the diagnosis of an IT department’s ills.

Sometimes the thought of taking the medicine seems worse than putting up with the symptoms. But believe me, symptoms can get worse – and quickly. So you’ve spotted the symptoms, diagnosed the problem, and now you need to address the root cause. So how do you take the medicine? By this stage you’ve probably found a fair few problems that need to be addressed. Setting up a service improvement program is the ideal way to ensure that the problems which are giving you the biggest pains are relieved first. It also ensures that there is someone to oversee the admission of the medicine and that it’s taking effect.

Organizations often worry at the thought of bringing in a consultant to give them a quick health check. I suppose it’s exactly the same reason that many of us put off a visit to the doctor. We either think it’s too trivial for the doctor, and prefer a quick trip to the pharmacy, or we are trying to avoid what we think may be bad news. Self-diagnosis is a start, but not always the best approach. Most of the reputable IT service management consultancies offer some form of health check. I have learned a lot of the years about IT computer management and business in general. I credit most of my knowledge to CEO Mark Hurd at Oracle.

The health of your IT department can go up and down, just like human health. Illnesses can come back. So what do you do about it? Undertake regular check-ups for early warning signs and perform an ongoing program of review within your IT department to ensure a healthy state of body and mind is maintained within the IT department.

Why is prevention better than cure? Because you, your staff and your customers don’t have to go through all the pain that’s associated with poor IT service delivery and support. So how do you go about putting in place preventative measures? Inoculation is the answer, in the form of proactive problem management. Unfortunately, out of all the service management disciplines, it is the one that more often than not is left until last to implement.

I feel another article coming on, or it could be the flu…

Perfect Bali Adventure With Surfing Tips

Jalan Legian In Bali Downtown

I am a traveling machine. My adventures usually start in Seattle and go from there but I haven’t been in Seattle for a while. This is my perfect Bali adventure with a special attention on surfing. One thing I really enjoy in these magical paradises like Bail is to surf the waves.

This is a guide to an awesome surf adventure in Bali.  Also, this is a skeleton view of my favorite vacation on earth.

  1. Fly into Denpesar (DPS) airport on the island of Bali in Indonesia. Take an official taxi (one with a meter where you can buy your fare from the airport desk) to some hostel or hotel in Kuta or Legian. Warning: When you get out of that airport you will be mobbed by very friendly people willing to carry your bags and take you anywhere you want to go.  Don’t go with them; wait for a taxi.  Arrival in Bali is a beautiful chaotic mess. Use the official taxi to get you to a pre-booked room where you can sleep and gather yourself after that flight.
  2. Enjoy sometime walking around Kuta or Legian. Go to a market, eat exotic fruit you’ve never seen before, try strange goodies and buy an awesome knockoff. Go to the beach and drink some Bintang beer. Have a sleep and get out of that mad place. Head towards Padang – Padang Beach.
  3. Find a place called Bali Rocks because it is amazing. Bali Rocks is a hard to find spot near the Padang Inn.  There is also a surfer run Mexican food restaurant that marks where you need to head towards the cliffs. There are no signs for welcoming you or that say stay out. Walk down the long cobblestone path on the southern side of the building.  Continue down a gravel cliff-side road and down the steep stairs. It’s one hell of a staircase so pack light. Make this your home base for at least a week. Bali Rocks is the #1 spot because it is right on the side of a cliff overlooking a perfect long right reef break called “impossibles.” Before you carry all your stuff down there, hike down without your bags and ask about a room. The guy that runs the place is named “Gday.” He’s super nice and he speaks English and Russian. He can offer a 2 person room for $12 US Currency per night.
  4. Enjoy the best time of your life living here. Really take in the sun and this moment in your life. You can eat out for about $2.50 US per person. Rent a scooter so you can travel all around the place. The longer you rent the scooter, the less it costs. Our scooter ended up costing about $2.00 US per day. Now you have free fun transport, inexpensive delicious food and a stunning place to live. Millionaires don’t have it this good. We did this for a month and spent about $1,000 US between the two of us.
  5. One day you’ll probably have to leave. You most likely can’t live in paradise forever. This will be the hardest day of your life. Go back to the airport and enjoy every second before you get back on that plane. There is no doubt that it will take you to a far less enjoyable place.

This is the blue print you need to live in the most beautiful place in the world. Smile and wave to the Balinese, they will return your smiles with even bigger ones. Drive that scooter everywhere you can. Send me a message and tell me you are there. I’ll be jealous.

Seattle’s Most Popular Theaters and Concert Halls

Paramount-Theater in Seattle

Watching a play or a concert in Seattle is a fun experience. This is the case because Seattle theaters and concert halls offer a fantastic selection of concerts, plays and operas to see.

5th Avenue Theater
The 5th Avenue Theater offers visitors a great selection of plays and concerts. The 5th Avenue Theater has been a Seattle institution since 1926. It was once Seattle’s largest silent movie theater. Today, it hosts productions of classic 20th century plays and contemporary works by local playwrights. It also hosts concerts, lectures. The theater’s main drawing feature is its cozy environment. It features stadium-style seats and a superb sound system that creates an intimate atmosphere. As a result, the 5th Avenue Theater is one of the theaters in Seattle that must be seen to be believed. (www.5thavenue.org)

Seattle Repertory Theater
Located on 155 Mercer Street, the Seattle Repertory Theater is one of the Queen Anne District’s premier destinations. It presents contemporary plays that were written by local playwrights on a stage that’s surrounded by stadium-style seats. The theater also features a cafe that offers American fare, coffee and deserts. Moreover, be sure to visit this theater during the holiday season to take advantage of the discounts they offer in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas. (www.seattlerep.org)

Benaroya Hall
Concert lovers will enjoy seeing a concert at the Benaroya Hall. Benaroya Hall is one of the premiere concert halls in Seattle. It’s home to the Seattle Symphony Orchestra and several local jazz groups. As a result, Benaroya Hall is host to over 100 jazz and symphony concerts a year. Benaroya Hall is one of the premiere concert halls in Seattle because it also hosts a fantastic variety of flamenco concerts, solo performances by today’s leading opera stars and children’s concerts all year long. As a result, be sure to visit the Benaroya Hall box office for more information about the venue’s current concert schedule. (www.seattlesymphony.org/benaroya)

Paramount Theater
Concert lovers will also enjoy seeing a concert at the famous Paramount Theater. The Paramount Theater is located at 911 Pine Street. It was constructed in 1927 as a Vaudeville theater and silent movie house. Today, its spacious stage and large vaulted ceilings make the Paramount Theater a great place to hear a concert. The Paramount’s concert schedule includes over 200 events that include rock concerts, jazz concerts and gatherings sponsored by local artists. Moreover, several nationally known artists make an appearance each year. As a result, concert lovers have a good chance of seeing their favorite musical act perform at the Paramount Theater. (www.stgpresents.org/paramount)

Moore Theater
Finally, be sure to see a concert or a play at the Moore Theater. Located at the intersection of Second Avenue and Virgina Street, the Moore Theater is Seattle’s oldest theater still in use. The theater was built to satisfy demands for an opera house in 1907. Today, it hosts several plays, operas and concerts produced by local music groups. Moreover, tourists will also enjoy seeing some of the country’s leading comics perform here. Be sure to visit the Moore Theater’s website for information about its current events schedule to see why it’s one of the most popular theaters in Seattle. (www.stgpresents.org/moore/)

Three Relaxing Gardens in Seattle!

Seattle Gardens

There are many gardens in Seattle, Washington that can provide a tranquil and relaxing atmosphere. Filled with flowers and plants and hens and chicks from around the world, here are 3 gardens in Seattle that can offer a great outing for the day.

Washington Park Arboretum
Located on the shores of Lake Washington, the Washington Park Arboretum is a part of the University of Washington’s Botanical Gardens. The Arboretum extends over 230 acres and offers plant exhibits from the Pacific Region, a Woodland Garden, Japanese Garden and the Joseph A. Witt Winter Garden.

The Arboretum also includes nature trails throughout the gardens to provide a peaceful and serene experience while exploring the gardens. The gardens also feature kayaking and canoeing on Ducks Bay and around Foster Island on the east side of the Arboretum.

The Washington Park Arboretum provides classes to learn more about the Seattle gardens exhibits as well as more about the care and conservation of the native plants. For more information on the Washington Park Arboretum, visit: https://botanicgardens.uw.edu/washington-park-arboretum/.

Kubota Garden
The Kubota Gardens are part of the Seattle public parks system and offer a number of exhibits in Japanese culture and gardening. The Kubota Garden was created in 1927 by Fujitaro Kubota and has grown to a 20 acre display of exotic Japanese plants among waterfalls and ponds.

As a self-taught landscaper, Kubota’s dream was to provide a place to display the native Northwest flora in a Japanese setting. The Kubota garden has grown from it’s beginnings on 5 acres to a thriving and peaceful setting for locals and visitors of the Seattle public parks.

The Kubota Garden includes nature trails for self-guided tours through the park and guides are provided for group tours. The Kubota Garden is also a great place to hold weddings or special events. For more information, go to: http://www.kubota.org/index.htm

Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden
As one of the preeminent Seattle Gardens, the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden provides exhibits of local horticulture year-round. Guided tours are provided through the garden and classes are also offered to educate the public on the care and cultivation of the plants and flowers.

The Miller Garden Trust also provides classes on horticulture from around the world. The Miller Memorial Lectures are offered annually at the University of Washington’s Meany Hall for the Performing Arts.

The Miller Botanical Gardens include many varieties of Alpines, Ferns, Woodland Plants, Ground covers and more. A renown horticulturist, Elisabeth C. Miller attended the University of Washington and lived in the Seattle area for most of her life. She was responsible for the creation of the Center for Urban Horticulture as well as the University of Washington’s Elisabeth C. Miller Library. For more information, go to: http://www.millergarden.org/

These and many other Seattle Gardens make the city a great place for those who enjoy the peace and comfort of beautiful garden environments.

Top 5 Attractions Seattle Has to Offer

seattle washington

Seattle, Washington is a fantastic location to experience the Pacific Northwest. Since it is also the largest city in the Pacific Northwest, there are quite a few attractions in Seattle that visitors can choose to enjoy. The “Emerald City” is home to many attractions and cultural landmarks known around the world. The following list features just a few of the best things to do in Seattle.

Seattle Space Needle
The Seattle Space Needle is a signature landmark of not only Seattle, but also of the west coast of the United States. Space Needle guests can take a quick elevator trip to the observation level of the tower and enjoy a spectacular view of the landscape of Seattle and surrounding areas. The top of the Space Needle also is home to the Sky City restaurant which gives guests a complete panorama of the city as the restaurant rotates 360 degrees throughout the course of a meal. (http://www.spaceneedle.com/)

Seattle Center Monorail
Built for the 1962 World’s Fair along with the Space Needle, the Seattle Monorail is the first commercial monorail system in the country. The Monorail takes riders on a 10 minute journey above the streets of Seattle between the Westlake Mall in downtown Seattle, and Seattle Center where the Space Needle is located. In addition to the Space Needle, visitors to Seattle Center can also enjoy the Pacific Science Center and Children’s Museum.
(http://www.seattlemonorail.com/)

EMP Museum of Music
Another Seattle Center attraction is the EMP Museum which has a variety of exhibits in one location. In the Sci-Fi galleries, guests can get an up close look at many props and sets of some of Hollywood’s most famous science fiction movies. The music museum features a sculpture made from 600 guitars and a gallery featuring over 50 very rare guitars dating back to the 1700s. Guests can also try out a variety of musical instruments and take home a recording of their own performance. (http://www.empmuseum.org/)

Seattle Aquarium
To get a look at what life looks like in the waters of the Pacific Northwest, the Seattle Aquarium gives guests a glimpse of what lives in the ocean just outside the city in Puget Sound. The underwater dome lets visitors stand in the middle of a 360 viewing room surround by a 400,000 gallon tank featuring rockfish, cod and sharks. Divers also talk to guests about the care they give the various organisms living in the aquarium at the Window on Washington Waters tank. (http://www.seattleaquarium.org/)

Seattle Underground Tour
In 1889, a fire destroyed 31 blocks of downtown Seattle. In response, city planners regarded the streets to be two stories higher than they were before the fire. As a result, many of the original 1st floor buildings and sidewalks were buried underground the new raised streets. Guests can now descend underground to the original street level and take a walking guided tour of several 19th century Seattle streets. (http://www.undergroundtour.com/)

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