The UK variant if COVID-19 was detected in the UW. So I am even more worried about reopening, especially indoors. Like we’re close. People have had both doses. Help is on the way for businesses.

Anyway, wash your hands right now.

Did it snow where you are? None for me in the urban core. Do you need shelter? Late last year, Seattle wrote about their emergency plans during COVID-19.

Anyway, stay warm, and wash your hands right now.

I love The Admiral Theater. But man oh man, am I worried that it’s reopening today. As more and more people get the vaccine, get the second dose, and wait long enough to have full immunity, it makes sense for businesses to open. But it’s not worth spreading the disease, or dying, for Wonder Woman (I haven’t seen it, so this isn’t a review).

Anyway, wash your hands right now.

$4 an hour hazard pay for grocery workers goes into effect today. I am glad that happened, and that it is happening quickly. I hate that it was necessary; Grocery stores, pay your goddam workers, for fuck’s sake. Like, a few months of clapping doesn’t offset the risks of working in a public facing, indoor job.

And wash your hands right now.

Washington state has the most regressive tax system in the country. There are many proposals to fix it this legislative session. My favorite is the wealth tax proposal. Might as well go big.

Anyway, wash your hands right now.

I am glad that King County is down to an r of 0.5. As frustrating as the last year has been, that’s definitely a great sign. I am glad that the Puget Sound region is doing well enough to get into the phase 2, but I worry an early reopening is going to reverse some of those gains.

Anyway, wash your hands right now.

Generally speaking, I believe 2 contradictory things. That we need more gun control, and that law enforcement needs a lighter touch.

So I am a bit pensive about the bill in the Washington State Legislature to ban open carry guns at the state Capitol and at demonstrations writ large. I am fine with the Capitol (and would be fine for a full open carry ban). But it seems like just demonstrations could be abused. I don’t know, maybe I’m overthinking it.

Anyway, wash your hands right now.

Thank you to William “Stacey” Cowles for rescinding your Trump endorsement. Not after he refused to conced. Or after he inspired a violent white supremacist attempt to overturn the election. But eventually.

Better way, way, way late than never.

Anyway, wash your hands right now.

In case you missed it, the Washington vaccine phase finder is now up. It seems to have been giving people trouble right as it launched. If you think you are, or might be, eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, go make sure.

And wash your hands right now.

We’re almost done with the Trump Administration. By the end of the day, we’ll have a better President. Joe Biden will be better than Trump, and that’s a low bar. I hope we end the plague and end the death penalty. I hope we can get the economy going again, and that it’s more fair. Mostly, it will be less anxiety making.

Anyway, you should still wash your hands right now.

All things being equal, I would prefer a tunnel from Ballard to West Seattle (item 1). But if we can’t get federal money, it probably makes sense to do elevated. I guess. Cost estimates for above ground seems more volatile, but still probably lower.

Biden is proposing a lot of money for public transportation, so I hope Sound Transit can grab some of it.

Anyway, wash your hands right now.

Hello you lovely people. I hope you survived the storm last night. I still have power here in the urban core. It looks like a lot of the rest of the area does not. If you have to be out in it, stay safe.

And wash your hands right now.

There’s so much important state and local stuff going on. I want to write about it, but I am just still so pissed off about what happened in DC everything else seems trivial. I generally think that local issues affect people more than national ones, but Trump in general and the last week in particular has really tested that.

Anyway, wash your hands right now.

I don’t know how any Republicans who supported stealing the election, at any time but especially after the riots, can still have a job. They should all resign in disgrace. And if they don’t, they should be removed. From the President down to state legislators and local officials.

And you should wash your hands right now.

Man, what the fuck Cathy McMorris Rodgers. The only Washington State Congress member voting against receiving the electoral college electors. The election isn’t contested. The violence is on her. The delusion people have is on her. The fraud is redistricting. The fraud is vote suppression in Black parts of town, in cities, in college towns. To imply fraud when there isn’t evidence is disgusting.

And she witnessed Rossi’s grievance filled campaign, so she knows it’s not a winning electoral issue. Like, a candidate feeling aggrieved doesn’t help people in a material way.

Anyway, wash your hands right now.