I was going to write about how your ballot should have arrived if you live in Washington, and get it postmarked or dropped off by August 3. That’s still true, but I want to talk about masks.

I still wear one inside. I am vaccinated and that’s much better protection than a mask. But the mask provides a bit more protection against breakthrough cases. So I still wear it grocery shopping, in the common areas of my apartment building, etc. I don’t wear glasses or have stink breath, so wearing one isn’t bad for me. You might have made a different calculation, and that’s fine.

So this morning, I got some food at a coffee shop near me. And the barista was very insistent about how it wasn’t necessary. We went through several rounds of “You don’t need to wear that.” “I know.”

It seems weird to push against masks, just in general. There are still a lot of non vaccinated people, even in Seattle. And maybe one employee isn’t a lot, but I don’t like it.

Anyway, yes, the vaccine is still the single most effective way to fight COVID-19. So please get vaccinated if you haven’t yet.

Fingers crossed, but so far it has been smoke free in and around Seattle. But for the rest of the state, it’s already there. So I think the City of Seattle’s Wildfire Smoke Guide is pretty good. Alot of it is pretty basic, but it’s a good start.

And speaking of things that can make it tough to breathe, get your COVID-19 vaccine today if you haven’t yet.

Man am I depressed by the after effects of the heatwave (and future of climate change). So, shellfish are dead and the surviving ones are more likely to have vibrio bacteria. Hawks and terns (and probably other birds) are dying. It’s bleak.

Anyway, please get vaccinated if you haven’t been yet.

In 40 years, we’re going to tell young people that it wasn’t always this hot. That 80+ degree days West of the Cascades were a rarity. That we never thought about smoke. Let’s at least not leave them the worst possible outcome.

And, hey let’s also leave them with a COVID-19 free word, so get vaccinated if you haven’t yet.

Maybe if I put enough exclamation marks, you won’t notice that I was exhausted and sleeping on my way into work.

It is rather depressing how difficult it is to discipline Seattle police officers. The Office of Police Accountability really needs to do a better job of holding officers accountable. It’s not the office it’s fine to throw blast balls at people causing cardiac arrest, or drive into a crowded sidewalk. Jeez.

Anyway, please wash your hands right now, and get vaccinated if you haven’t yet.

I was unaware of the police officers on the University of Washington being different from Seattle Police. I don’t know if disbanding them would lead to SPD just taking over their role.

But disarming them seems like a good step, and I hope that happens. Also that the lawsuit gets resolved fairly, and the explicit racism isn’t ignored or swept up under the guise of training.

Anyway, please wash your hands right now and get vaccinated if you haven’t yet.

Two of six cops in D.C.

Said “insurrection, that’s me!”

And so in due course,

We should kick them off of the force.

But SPD abhors accountability

The COVID-19 related moratorium on utility payments has been extended once again. I keep saying these are going to end at some point. But so far, they keep going. And it’s important to keep people able to have utilities. So, hopefully, when the landing comes, we can make it a soft one.

Anyway, please get vaccinated if you haven’t yet.

Good morning to everyone except for the 64,115 people who signed the Compassionate Seattle initiative. I understand the impulse. The City and County have been dithering for far too long. And it does provide much needed housing (although not enough, more than now).

But that ban on encampments is just too much. There won’t be enough housing, and so it will be cruel. Now is cruel, but this would make that permanent.

Anyway, please get vaccinated if you haven’t yet.

I hope you all survived the weekend. Today is going to be the worst of the heat. So grab a large cup of water. Nice and full of ice. Keep drinking past when you think you need it. Keep drinking water until your pee is clear.

We’ll get through this, but dammit, it’s horrible. My apartment is East facing, so it doesn’t get the worst of the afternoon heat. But it was still rather unpleasant.

Anyway, the pandemic is still going on, so please wash your hands too, and get vaccinated as soon as you can.

I have had to wake up early all week, and I am zonked. So nothing to write, but please try to survive the heat.

It must stink to be on Point Roberts during the pandemic. Already so isolated with the border closed. And now potentially losing their grocery store. I hope they can figure something out.

Anyway, please wash your hands right now, and get vaccinated if you haven’t yet.

I am excited to see things opening up. I am not sure when I will start going to the movies, or eating indoors. But It’s coming.

So if you haven’t yet, please get vaccinated, and wash your hands right now.