June 2008

Expect to be shelling out more for a few things starting tomorrow.

* The toll to drive across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge will raise one dollar tomorrow. The cost to cross the bridge will now be $4 per vehicle, unless you are part of the “Good to Go” program, in which case you will now pay $2.75 per crossing.

* The already rocketing cost of fuel will increase by 1.5 cents a gallon tomorrow, when the state raises it’s gas tax. You will now pay 37.5 cents in taxes on every gallon of gas.

* Internet shoppers in Washington may be seeing an increase in taxes for online goods. Starting tomorrow, purchases made online will be taxed based on the rate of tax where the goods are delivered, rather than from where they were purchased. Seeing that Seattle has one of the highest tax rates in the state, Seattleites who do their shopping online will definitely be affected by this change. The Department of Revenue will announce tomorrow the list of major retailers who have agreed to comply to the new law.

* Don’t forget: Driving and chatting on your cell phone can net you a $124 ticket starting Tuesday if you are not using a hands-free device. This is a secondary offense, meaning you’ll be pulled over only if you are also breaking another law at the same time. The new law takes effect immediately, no grace period and likely no warnings if you are caught.

Happy July 1st!

[ Photo courtesy of Culinary Fool ]

It’s official, Rotten Tomatoes has declared WALL-E to be the best-reviewed movie of the year so far. It beats out Iron Man (93%, 209 reviews), the previous best film of 2008. WALL-E currently has a 96% fresh rating with 149 reviews. To update our previous story, the film also added another 4,000 votes on Internet Movie Database, bringing the film’s average user rating to 9.2 (8,972 votes). While many expected the film to drop from its #9 placement on the top 250 movies of all time, the latest Pixar movie actually moved up to #6!

Related Stories:

• WALL-E Voted in the Top Ten Best Movies of All Time
• The /Filmcast: After Dark - Episode 5
• WALL-E Easter Eggs
• Review: WALL-E
• Interview: Andrew Stanton
• Reader Forum: What Did You Think of Wall-E? Pixar’s Best Film?

“Quantum Of Solace” doesn’t open until November.
[ RT ]  [ imdb ]

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In 90 degree temperature yesterday the 34th annual Seattle Pride Parade marched through the heart of downtown Sunday. Thousands of spectators turned out for a three-hour spectacle of outré and the ordinary.

I have boycotted the parade ever since it left Capitol Hill.