I saw my parents for the first time since the quarantine started over the weekend. We had a socially distanced, masked walk and a picnick. It was a relatively low risk thing, but it was still nervous making. I was glad to see them, but still I don’t know.

Anyway, wash your hands right now.

It’s depressing how the CHOP/CHAZ is ending. There was so much generated there. Art and community. A garden. But when self-declared security forces kill a Black child it’s tough to support the place.

None of this excuses the actions of SPD in the last month or so. None of this means tear gassing protesters is retroactively OK or that we can’t defund the police. Black lives still matter.

(Also wash your hands right now.)

(At some point I will get back on track with these.)

The Supreme Court had another goodish ruling (pdf, I haven’t read it yet since I’m on lunch) in a high profile case. I am still concerned that Roberts is a swing vote in these decisions.

It’s definitely good that we’re winning these (for lack of a better phrase) culture war cases. But the court ruled on an exact same law a few years ago. It stinks that we have to play defense. If Justice Kagan (or Garland) were the swing vote, it would probably be on better cases.

Anyway, go wash your hands right now.

Forgot about a thread today. Here’s a limerick in honor of mask wearing being mandatory in Washington starting today.

.

You really should wear a mask, it

Is not much of a thing to ask, it

Will be a breeze,

And will slow the disease.

It might even keep you out of a casket.

.

Also, please wash your hands right now.

I am glad that new rules for face masks are going into effect on Friday (pdf). It seems like a good public health measure. As with when it was Yakima County, I would prefer that this be on the government and employers rather than on individuals. I also hope you don’t call the police on some random person not wearing one.

Still, the coronavirus is spreading too much and some of you are not masking up. Come on.

Also, wash your hands right now.

It stinks that Governor Inslee has to issue an order to wear masks for Yakima County. But it is the correct thing to do. I would prefer the state put the mandate on businesses or made sure masks are available, rather than it fall to individuals. Although, I don’t know what the government’s power to force companies to act or local governments to spend money.

In any event, wash your hands right now.

King County is in Phase Two of the coronavirus response. The link has what various types of businesses can do. I am still pretty nervous about any indoor gathering for the foreseeable future. Like, you’re only as safe as the worst person around. And card rooms seem particularly no good. Ick.

Anyway, wash your hands right now.

Man, I don’t know if it’s just me getting older or something to do with the quarantine, but I am not sleeping well at all. I am still going to sleep and getting up at the same time as before. But now I am just exhausted all the time.

Anyway, wash your hands right now.

Cases of COVID-19 are increasing in Washington. It seems like this is to do with Memorial Day. Grand reopening maybe grand reclosing.

I don’t know if we’ll see future spikes based on the protests. It being outside, with masks, and in some cases spaced out, mitigates the spread. But big crowds and not always being able to keep distance isn’t great. I assume that we would have started hearing about cases if they were happening in large numbers.

Anyway, stay safe and wash your hands right now.

Higgldy Piggledy,

The CHAZ has anarchy.

Building something without

The police.

.

However tenuous

The claims of

Autonomy

I hope they won’t cease.

(Also, wash your hands right now)

Seattle, COVID-19 testing is available and free. There are locations in SoDo and Aurora Avenue North. If you are showing symptoms or have been exposed to someone with coronavirus (including having been at the crowded protests) you can sign up.

In any case, please wash your hands right now.

Christ. You can’t just. I mean. It’s bad enough what the police are doing. But random civilians driving into, and shooting into, crowds. What a shit. Just an absolute, unparalleled shit.

Anyway, wash your hands right now.

I am glad that Tacoma is taking the death of Manuel Ellis at the hands of a Tacoma police officer seriously. It seems to have taken a video (and the work of many people on the ground). Still I hope his family and community get some kind of justice.

And please wash your hands right now.

The other day, a helicopter was circling over my neighborhood. It was during the day, and not particularly close to any protest that I was aware of. The urban core has more helicopters since the George Floyd murder.

Anyway, a crow that lives in one of the trees near my apartment and that crow was not having it. It stayed cawing at the helicopter for like an hour. Wir wir wir. Caw caw caw. Going to protest kind of feels like being that crow. It may or may not be making a difference, but it would be worse to say nothing.

This isn’t a great metaphor, but it would be great if you wash your hands right now.

Dear Mayor Durkan (cc Chief Best),

While I have many problems with the police response to the protests over the weekend, this email is about one aspect. I read with horror about the rifles that briefly went missing on Saturday. Shame on the city for bringing rifles to a protest.

Were the police planning on getting into a shootout with protesters? However much property damage and calamity there may have been, there is no situation where having rifles is an improvement. It is horrible policy on its own. It is also bad symbolism at a protest of deadly police violence. I urge you to not bring rifles to future civilian protests.

Thank You

Carl Ballard

(Not included in the letter, wash your hands right now.)