Archives for May 2013

I’ll email these to the Seattle mayoral candidates later today. I still haven’t figured out the calendar. I’ve put them here first in case y’all have any more suggestions or tweaks. I’ll update this post to reflect any changes if I make them before sending.

1) Now that I-502 has passed, what will the purchase of marijuana look like within city limits? Will medical marijuana collective garden storefronts in Seattle have to abide by the 1000-foot rule established by I-502?

2) With Metro’s ability to fund itself at the whim of the legislature, what should the city’s role be in public transportation? As mayor, how will you both make sure we get our fair share, and that the system serves the entire region well?

3) What should the waterfront look like after the Viaduct comes down? Will there be a streetcar or other transit?

4) What should happen in the next 4 years to make sure that police reform both satisfies the Feds, and works for Seattle citizens?

5) When there are police incidents, the response from the top is important. With hindsight, in the wake of John T. Williams being killed by a Seattle police officer what, if anything, should the mayor’s office have done differently what, if anything, did it do right?

Jesus.

Washington State Patrol confirms an I-5 bridge over the Skagit River has collapsed and at least two cars with people inside are in the water.

The incident has closed all northbound and southbound lanes.

This piece in The PI’s Big Blog about Seattle being a healthy city is fine. But I’m confused about this from the setup (bold mine):

We may be hard to get to know and a drag to ride the bus with, but when it comes to being healthy, Seattleites rank right up there with Bostonians.

What? Are we more of a drag to ride the bus with than most other places? Is it just the bus or any public transit?* I feel like I don’t even know what the stereotype about Seattle bus passengers is. Is this a reference to another piece that I missed?

Compared to a lot of the places that I’ve lived (larger like London and smaller like Olympia both come to mind), we’re much more conversant, chatty, maybe even flirtatious with strangers. If anything, people are more likely to drag me into a chat that I don’t really want to participate in than I’d like. And when you ride the same route regularly, you get to know some of the other people. I guess if you hate those damn kids, they can be annoying, but no more than anywhere else. For me, other than the occasional person with a mental illness, the other passengers are generally pretty pleasant.

Your mileage may vary, of course. There are horror stories that I’ve heard from women about sexual harassment and worse on the bus. Still, I don’t think it’s more of a drag than anywhere else.

[Read more…]

– The first time I read the Silicon Sound I thought it sounded pretty good. But maybe it’s catching up to somewhere else.

– So, related to the Salon piece, I think articles like it serve as important reminders of how Wikipedia’s form, so to speak, can’t always be separated from its content. (h/t)

– Jesus, London

– Just remember: the state can’t touch our guns (or require tornado shelters) because of freedom…but adults’ private decisions about whom to love must suffer the full brunt of state power.

– I am going to opt for not being in the same car as your dog, sorry.

– I digitally scan bowling ball surfaces and I vote

This is pretty neat:

Mills, a Central District resident, said Books on Bikes is a “full-service library model. I’m not aware of any other library that does this. We will be able to provide people with help on digital downloads, as well as offer reading suggestions, have popular new titles available for check-out, provide Library card sign-ups, assist with research and much more,” he said. The trailer to accommodate all the librarians’ needs was developed and constructed by Colin Stevens, who runs Haulin’ Colin in Seattle.

And just to head off the almost inevitable how-come-there-aren’t-books-on-cars trolling, there are. And that’s pretty cool too, but not a new program.

Later in the week, I’m going to send out candidate questions to everyone running for Seattle mayor. I have my own ideas about what to ask, but I thought I’d throw it out to the comment section before I send anything off.

The general rule is it would have to be broad enough that it could be asked to all of the candidates so no in your first term questions for McGinn or legislature questions for Murray, for example. But there are more general questions about things that happened in McGinn’s first term or in the legislature when Murray was there. I talked to Lee and Darryl at Drinking Liberally and there was some discussion of Metro and I-502, but we weren’t sure if that’s a city question. I’m definitely going to ask a police reform question.

Here are the questions I emailed out to City Council candidates 2 years ago.

Aside from Seattle mayor, I think I’m going to ask the top 2 people in each City Council seat after the primary. Are there any other seats you’d like to see questions asked?

Please join us tonight for an evening of politics over a pint at the Seattle Chapter of Drinking Liberally.

This week we will, of course, talk about scandals and conspiracies. You know…like Alex Jones’ theory that a government “weather weapon” caused the Oklahoma Tornado. (No doubt, ordered by Obama himself, with targeting by the IRS, as a way to distract from BENGHAAAAZZZZZZZZZZZZIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!11!!!1!!!)



And, NIXON….

We meet every Tuesday evening at the Montlake Ale House, 2307 24th Avenue E. Starting time is 8:00pm. Some people show up earlier than that for Dinner.

Can’t make it to Seattle tonight? Check out another nearby DL meeting over the next week. The Tri-Cities chapter also meets tonight. On Wednesday, the Burien and Bellingham chapters meet. And on Thursday the Woodinville chapter meets.

With 204 chapters of Living Liberally, including sixteen in Washington state, four in Oregon, and two more in Idaho, chances are excellent there’s a chapter meeting near you.

– The most surprising thing about this poll is that 32% of Seattle voters think McGinn did a good job handling the police department. Who?

– Erica C. Barnett has a not good for McGinn take on the poll.

– Vermont is the 4th state with a Death with Dignity law.

– I don’t think it’d be unreasonable to seize Apple’s assets until it came to a reasonable agreement on its tax bill.

– It feels like we’re overpaying our college sportsball coaches.

– Virginia is for haters.

– 5 Ugly Lessons Hiding in Every Superhero Movie

If you want to help out Oklahoma, here are some things:

– The Red Cross

– People on Twitter are saying if you text “REDCROSS” to 90999 it’s a $10 donation.

– If you’re looking for someone in the region, you can see who has registered as safe and well.

– Much of this came from the White House page.

If you have any other resources, feel free to leave them in the comments.

– Christians aren’t being persecuted, as you can see from this map.

– The fare system for Rapid Ride E doesn’t seem very rapid.

– I should be clear about something — the invocation of Walter White or Mordecai Wyatt Johnson or Barack Obama isn’t to say that most (or even many) black people share their particular ancestry. The point is that what you check on your census form in America is a product of social context.

– Who do you really serve? The country, or the liars in your BlackBerries?

– Goldy decides not to challenge Richard Conlin.

– Hannah Hart came to Seattle

Last week’s contest was won by Geoduck. It was Birmingham, England.

This week’s contest is somewhere in Washington state, good luck!

Revelation 1:9
We suffer because Jesus is our king.

Discuss.

– This week saw the release of the Washington State Liquor Control Board’s draft regulations for the new marijuana markets legalized under I-502. Here’s a sample of what product labels could look like early in 2014.

– The most controversial aspect of the rules might be that hash and hash oils cannot be sold in the retail stores. Ben Livingston provides more context on why this is a mistake and goes against the intent of I-502.

– The Seattle Times calls for clarifying the medical marijuana rules in this state so that they make sense alongside I-502’s regulated market. Medical marijuana providers have already been fearing this outcome and I’m convinced it’s going to happen.

– I-502 got over 55% of the vote in this state, but at least one gentleman is still not won over.

Stephen takes on Heritage Foundation’s racist immigration study (via Crooks and Liars).

Viewpoint: Creationism in schools and the G.O.P. War on Science.

Chris Hayes: Dysfunctional House Republicans ignore remarkable shrinking deficit.

DOJ Scandal:

• Mark Fiore: DOJ spying on the AP.
• Ann Telnaes: DOJ seizes AP phone records.
• Viewpoint: DOJ’s LEGALLY Accessing AP Journalists’ Phones?

Robert Reich: The hollowing out of government.

Jon on 2016, 2016, 2016.

Ricin-laced letters: sent to Spokane Judge and Post Office.

Sam Seder: GOP Hispanic outreach director resigns, registers democrat.

Liberal Viewer: Can minorities be racist?

BENGHAZZZZZZZZZZZIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!1!11!!!:

• CBS News: Republicans lied about White House Benghazi E-mails (via Crooks and Liars).
• Sharpton: Vicious Republicans must apologize to Amb. Susan Rice after email dump.
• Sam Seder: Dumb-as-a-car-thief Darrell Issa unsure where Benghazi is!
• Jon considers Cheney and Rummy:
• Young Turks: Republicans doctored leaked emails
• Sam Seder: “Biggest scandal EVAR!” “Where is it?”.
• Ann Telnaes: What’s behind the Benghazi investigation?
• Stephen: How dare you cast aspersions on a man’s asparagus (via Crooks and Liars).
• Holder to Issa: “You are shameful!”
• Sam Seder: “Lies!” “Cover-up”, says Dick Cheney.
• Red State Update: Obama Bonanza Benghazi Bandwagon
• Thom’s memo to Bush Administration leftovers on FAUX News: Shut Up!

Stephen does Rep. Gwen Moore.

Bashir: Is Darrell Issa qualified for “oversight” role?!?

Maddow: Republicans fall dead silent in face of historic Obama 2013 deficit success.

Thom: The real, G.O.P., scandal.

Sam Seder: Do these “scandals” weaken Obama?

Greenman: Weather Channel covers Dark Snow Project.

Stephen on 3-D gun makers.

New rules for pot distribution.

The Great IRS (non)Scandal:

• Sam Seder: Michele Bachmann freaks out, says 2012 election a sham!?!
• Young Turks: Should someone go to jail?
• Stephen: Hams and the IRS.
• Ann TelnaesBoehner wants ACCOUNTABILITY!
• Maddow: Will Republicans permanently damage the authority of the IRS?
• Lawrence O’Donnell: G.O.P. acting stupid over I.R.S. “scandal”.
• Sam Seder: Glenn Beck feels so persecuted!
• Young Turks: “Inappropriate, but not illegal”.
• Susie Sampson’s Teaparty Report: IRS…we were right!
• Sam Seder: The REAL IRS scandal.
• Maher reads “outrageous” questions asked by IRS (via Crooks and Liars).

Lawrence O’Donnell: Conservative editors warn Republicans.

Maddow: Investigators narrow cause for West, TX plant explosion.

White House: West Wing Week.

Roy Zimmerman: Oh frack, “The Faucet’s on Fire:

Sam Seder: Umbrellagate!!!!!11!!1!

Thom: The Good, The Bad, and The Very Very Ugly.

Elizabeth Warren and the student debt crusade.

Sharpton: Insane House G.O.P. tries to repeal Obamacare for the 38th time.

Same Sex Marriage in MN:

• Sam Seder: Marriage equality for Minnesota!
• Young Turks: Minnesota becomes 12th state to legalize gay marriage.

David Schuster: Meghan McCain calls out G.O.P. hypocrisy.

Maddow: Media not unscathed by scandals.

Last week’s Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza can be found here.

N in Seattle already mentioned it, but, this is a surprise.

From his botched announcement last November to this abrupt end, Burgess’s campaign never caught the tailwind many expected. He was considered a leading challenger last year—a sort of mayor in waiting, after Mayor McGinn’s two years of floundering—but McGinn seems to have found sea legs at City Hall, and a pack of heavyweight contenders crowded into the race in January and February. In particular, state senator Ed Murray and to a lesser extent Council Member Bruce Harrell have emerged in the race as safe bets for institutional backers that represent downtown business, and, unlike Burgess, can’t be portrayed as conservative outliers (Burgess infamously sponsored a controversial aggressive panhandling bill that failed in 2010).

Burgess has also been unraveling this week.

After the news that the 36th District—Burgess’s home district—would split its endorsement between him and Murray, yesterday came the news from PubliCola that Burgess fired his spokesman. And then the 46th District Democrats, who represent the relatively wealthy, white district of northeast Seattle that seems like Burgess’s base, didn’t endorse him at all. Also the city council’s biggest advocate to bring back the Sonics, Burgess took a blow when the NBA nixed the deal Wednesday.

At the beginning, I’d thought he’d make it through the primary, so that’s obviously yet another Carl Ballard prediction wrong. It also means I won’t have a chance to do a metacommentary on this old Seattle Times op-ed he wrote before he was elected to City Council. And his dropping out this late means we won’t have to deal with some Republicans.