We know there are no excuses for posting this video so late, as the event took place last Sunday (Jan. 10th), but, um…we left our Flip camera in our other pants, and since we weren’t wearing any to begin with…

Actually, we hate to just throw up lame raw video, and editing takes time, and um…there’s that whole “other pants” thing again.

But first, a little interesting behind-the-scenes backstory:

Two days before the pantsless prank, we received the following email from Emerald City Improv’s Kelsey Wildstone:

First, please remember that we’re trying to be inconspicuous here.

If you’d like to film the event with a motion camera, try to find a way to disguise your camera in a box or something to make it a sort of “hidden camera”.

Use some creativity here, but the point is that we’d like to avoid people seeing you openly point a camera around.

Considering that we respect the fine art of successful pranking, and that our Publisher used to work on a hidden camera TV show (“Totally Hidden Video,” Fox), we wanted to abide by this request (unlike some local TV news stations who just showed up and shot with their huge cameras and “Reporters”). The end result was that our shooter Mark Neuman went out of his way to “disguise” our Flip camera thusly:

Okay, so here it is (finally!)…with video shot by Neuman, featuring Bart Bryan, edited by Scott Schaefer and featuring the groovy public domain hit “Midnight Special” recorded by some long-dead dude named Bill Cox in 1933, ironically during the last Great Depression when not wearing pants wasn’t a prank, it was a way of life:

Also, we were very curious to find out what the MuckyMucks at SoundTransit thought of this pantsless prank, so we sent an email to Andrew Schmid, Sound Transit Media Relations director –here’s his response:

Q: Was ST aware beforehand that this was going to happen?
A: No, we were totally caught with our… (unless you lack internet access, it was almost impossible to not know about this event).

Q: Did ST security goes pantsless?
A: No.

Q: Was security worried about this prank at all?
A: Slightly – our security is worried about everything.

Q: Did this event increase ridership? if so, by how much? (have any estimate on the # of pantsless?)
A: Yes, but the infrared technology on Link’s Automatic Passenger Counting machines is not designed to distinguish between the pant-sed and the pants challenged.

Q: Will ST tolerate future events like this?
A: So long as folks follow our code of conduct (read it here).

Q: Will ST ever sponsor future events like this?
A: No.

Q: How about creating some ST underwear for folks to wear?
A: Sorta already been done – see this.

Q: Did you, or any other ST officials, attend?
A: NO COMMENT

And in case you haven’t seen the other videos, here they are:

B-Town Blog’s Mark Neuman filed this late-night missive with Publisher/Editor Scott Schaefer around 11pm Thurs. night:

Scott -

Got back, about an hour ago, from the City of Burien’s community meeting at Boulevard Park Presbyterian Church earlier tonight (Thurs., Aug. 28). Topic: proposed annexation of North Highline and the temporary withdrawal of the City of Burien’s request to pursue said annexation.

About 45 people attended, and one could reasonably assume that a goodly portion of the attendees (this correspondent included) would have preferred to view, live, the televised acceptance speech of Senator Obama. Must rely on delayed broadcast for that.

About half of those in attendance were Boulevard Park residents, and about half of those are home owners. As noted by one attendee, most everyone there was Caucasian and not exactly springing from the younger side of life.

But all were earnest, many were skeptical, and few were without opinion.

While this was only my second meeting regarding the annexation proposal, I believe I came away with some accurate observations:

Burien City Manager Mike Martin is a very decent fellow, with a reserve of patience greater than that which most folks, myself included, would likely muster and maintain in assemblages such as tonight’s.

“This annexation, if approved, will be revenue neutral,” Mike said. “This move would not make a dime for Burien, nor cost Burien a dime. In that sense, financially, annexation as proposed would be a wash.”

Mike said this several times, not because he is a repetitive person, or one who forgets what he just said, or loves the sound of his voice.

The reason Mike said this more than once is because it is the truth and because some in the audience either weren’t listening or suffer from CDS (Chronic Disbelief Syndrome).

With respect to emergency services, I think it’s pretty clear that the King County Sheriff’s Office works quite smoothly with local police departments.

And for Pete’s sake, does anyone really think the good men and women of any Fire Department would indeed fail to respond to an emergency because it’s occurring a block or two beyond a city boundary? Of course this won’t be allowed to happen.

The only things that should be left to helplessly smolder are the scare tactics of some and the ignorant fears of a few others.

Scott, I know you were looking for a Wake ‘Em Up in The Morning Headline, but frankly, I think the temporary withdrawal of the annexation request is a wise, brief and prudent move.

Perhaps the headline for this report should be: Extra! Extra! Sometimes Truth is Dull.

Well, gotta go, Scottso. Somewhere sits a PBS station ready to roll tape on Barack and Michelle and those two cute kids of theirs.

by Mark Neuman

Matt Hale has been starting early and thinking big since his early days here in Burien, and he’s still tackling early and big things today.

The 1998 graduate of Highline High School, who was already taking college courses at age 17, is running for a seat on the King County Superior Court.

He’s wasting little time pursing his longtime dream.

“I’ve always wanted to serve on the bench. I was talking with a friend about my goals and he said ‘Well, why don’t you run now?’ And I decided ‘I’ll do it.’”

You may have seen his orange and blue yard signs around town recently.

He’s taking on two-term incumbent Laura Gene Middaugh, wife of State Senator Adam Kline.

Matt is currently an attorney at Wiener, Lambka & Deutscher, a Seattle-based personal injury firm.

He earned an academic scholarship that helped pay his tuition at Gonzaga University Law School. He earned his BA in Political Science at Gonzaga. Before that, he pursued writing and public speaking while earning his AA at Highline Community College.

His work experience has included employment at local hardware stores. In Spokane, Matt helped counsel people in crisis, answering an emergency telephone hotline.

He feels one change the court might look at is the role played by the citizen juror.

“A friend of mine was called and he told the judge that to serve might literally cost him his house. He was living from check to check,” Matt says.

“Perhaps there might be a way in the future for the court system to ease the burden of jury duty.”

The mere process of running for office has been a learning experience.

“Campaigning has helped me more fully realize how wonderful not only Burien is, but what great people the residents of King County really are.”

“I am moved by the importance of the service to the community that judges provide from the bench. That knowledge and awareness, in itself, is humbling,” he said.

You can meet Matt, his wife Nicole, and his team at a campaign fundraiser this Sunday afternoon, July 20, at HiLine Lanes, 15733 Ambaum Blvd SW, in Burien. It runs from 1 to 4pm.

Find more info go to: www.peopleformatthewrhale.com

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