I have been walking through SoDo and the waterfront when Beyoncé and Coldplay had their recent shows. I love the crowds and the chaos. Also, the bikes that take people around were all blasting whoever was playing that night. Delightful.

I feel like they could probably coordinate themes other times. I don’t know, that’s probably a lot of work for people doing a hard job for not a lot of money as is.

Anyway, please wash your hands right now and get vaccinated or boosted if you’re eligible. And hey, new tests are available. Order a few if you’re in the US.

The new Seattle drug law has a lot of whereases. They do not have the force of law behind them, but they generally seem like good things. But of course the proof of the pudding is in the eating. And as budgets get proposed and passed, and as the law is implemented and enforced, we will know how valuable those whereases are.

The law is better than when it was first proposed. But I fear that people who were concerned about getting people to treatment will be disappointed.

Anyway, please wash your hands right now and get vaccinated or boosted if you’re eligible.

Starbucks should give its union a faircontract. But they can also stop dicking around with negotiations. Jeez, just fucking have the negotiation how you agreed.

Anyway, employees must wash their hands, and you should too. And get vaccinated or boosted if you’re eligible.

In Friday’s open thread, I talked about the disgusting comments a Seattle Police Department offcer said about Jaahnavi Kandula, who was hit by an officer going way too fast. I didn’t realize at the time, but it was flagged by an SPD employee. I don’t know if that’s an officer or someone else. But I do want to acknowledge that they are one of the good apples we keep hearing about. I hope that there are systems in place to protect them.

Anyway, please wash your hands right now and get vaccinated or boosted if you’re eligible.

SPD, get your house in order. Limited value. Christ. Limited value. Anyone going 74 un a 25 zone has limited value, not the person they hit. Limited value? Can buzz through the city unsafely, but can’t investigate adult rape. Limited value, fucking celebrating when their reckless behavior kills people who they swore to protect and serve.

And I understand there’s an ongoing process, but geez Mayor Harrell’s statement is pathetic. Mention SOD. Talk about how things will improve.

Anyway, please wash your hands right now and get vaccinated or boosted if you’re eligible.

Let’s finally move away from Carl rides the bus in Tacoma to something different indeed. Today in Carl takes the train in Seattle: Fare ambassadors.

I don’t take the train regularly, and I guess fare ambassadors have been around for a bit. But they were on the train checking people’s cards yesterday. It was the first time since the pandemic that I had seen them.

I guess this is more of a heads up to, um, fare dodgers than anything else. But it is another thing returning to pre pandemic ways.

And one thing that isn’t pre pandemic is that you really need to get vaccinated or boosted if you’re eligible.

Hey, Carl. You spent the last two open threads talking about things that you think are worse and better about Tacoma busses versus Seattle, do you have a couple things that are just different? You know to stretch it out even further?

Yes!

Talking to strangers: It’s not just the bus. It’s like everyone everywhere in Tacoma is chit chatting with someone. I am a big fan and defender of the Seattle chill. But I can understand how it can be isolating.

And for a more bus specific one, there are a lot more frequent stops in Tacoma. It was every couple blocks for stretches. It made the route slower, but less of a walk before and after.

Anyway, hopefully this is less Carl rides the bus and back to normal (?) open threads soon. In the meantime, please wash your hands right now and get vaccinated or boosted if you’re eligible.

Last Open Thread, I mentioned some things that I didn’t like about taking the bus in Tacoma. But! Especially compared to Seattle, here are some things that are good about it, from my limited experience.

First, I haven’t had busses that show up on One Bus Away, but then not in real life.

I also never stopped for 10 minutes waiting for the drivers to switch.

I have been spending some time in Tacoma recently. And I still don’t have a car. I feel like something is missing from my understanding of the culture on the bus.

Tacoma bus people are so laid back, even in rush hour. Nobody who was paying with cash had it ready. Some people didn’t even get up to board until the bus had opened its doors. Do none of you have somewhere to be? No connections to catch?

Also, I don’t understand sitting. Most people who got on alone took the outside of two seats. And nobody moved in even when people were standing.

I hope this doesn’t come across as too judgy. I’m sure if I grew up with it, that Metro busses would feel pushy, squished together, and rude. But it’s quite a culture shock even in the Puget Sound.

Anyway, please wash your hands right now and get vaccinated or boosted if you’re eligible. Fuck them new variants.

Back in September (no Open Thread on Monday) with some things that are kind of old.

– Love the idea of a worker owned restaurant. I can’t speak to the customer side, but it sounds like a good experience.

– Filter the runoff, sure.

– Parts of East Link opening next year? OK.

– Wash your hands right now and get vaccinated or boosted if you’re eligible.

Good morning. My family moved to the Seattle area when I was young enough to transfer most of my sports loyalty to the Seattle teams. But I still root for the Mets over the Mariners (M’s are my AL team). Mostly I just don’t think about it.

But now that every team plays each other, there’s a series against each other late in the year. And while the Mets sweeping would be my ideal, they are out of contention this year, and it would make Seattle so miserable in this penant race.

I don’t think I can watch?

Anyway, please wash your hands right now and get vaccinated or boosted if you’re eligible.

It’s Monday, baby! Time to start another incredible week. A week that you have got.

Anyway, please wash your hands right now and get vaccinated or boosted if you’re eligible.

The investment in drug treatment in Seattle has been so lacking for so long that anything feels like a major thing. I hope it’s more successful than the nothing most people who overdose get now.

I am still aroundish.

Wednesday.