California will ticket a driver for violating the rules of the road, but for driverless vehicles, there is reportedly no mechanism to ticket the person responsible because of a loophole in some jurisdictions.

An Alaska Airlines flight was forced to return to Portland, Oregon, on Friday, after a window on the Boeing blew off midflight.

The Washington Redskins will change their team name.

The Washington Redskins branding change isn’t sitting well with everyone.

Left-wing activists may have fueled the movement to change the name of Washington’s NFL franchise. However, an indigenous organization known as the Native American Guardian’s Association is trying to resurrect its former moniker and make Washington’s football team the “Redskins” again. Now known as the Commanders, the team changed its name in 2020 to appease a fanatical mob of social justice warriors and white guilt apologists who claimed the name and logo were racist.

After former team owner Daniel Snyder sold the Washington Commanders, many people foolishly hoped that the new ownership group would entertain the idea of returning the longtime Redskins name to the franchise. This wishful thinking was egged on after a group known as the Native American Guardian’s Association created a petition that has nearly 131,000 signatures to bring back the glorious Redskins moniker.

A Native American group filed a lawsuit against the Washington Commanders after the team alleged the group, which is advocating that the team revert to its "Redskins" title, was "fake."

A tech conference meant to be the largest gathering of female technologists faced backlash when biological men identifying as "nonbinary" were seen attending the event.

The United States Coast Guard says it has recovered the remaining debris from the site of the Titan submersible that imploded four months ago while visiting the site of the RMS Titanic shipwreck.

Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, experienced a stroke during his trip to Mexico on Wednesday.

(The Center Square) - How should researchers measure the populations of migratory birds? Researchers developed an idea around a campfire that was put to the test for the first time in Bosque Del Apache earlier this month, according to the University of New Mexico.

The Senate confirmed Harry Coker Jr. as the new national cyber director.

The Nobel Prize-winning discovery of microRNA has reshaped our understanding of gene regulation. Learn what these tiny molecules mean for cancer research.

New application of Raman spectroscopy imaging allows scientists to probe the chemical composition of sailors lost at sea over 500 years ago.

Both scientific ‘red herrings’ and flaws in human logic led to inaccurate ‘Pompeii effect’ hypothesis.

It wasn't about power plays. It wasn't about missed calls. In the end, it was all about blown chances and missed opportunities.

Capitals get crushed in decisive Game 7

Star shows frustration of another playoff loss

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fool's errand or heroic stand?

It’s not often that something almost universally unexpected happens in American politics. Frequent public opinion polls and a variety of political media usually give political junkies a good idea of what to expect next.

Washington Capitals winger Devante Smith-Pelly is planning to sit out the traditional White House visit if his team wins the Stanley Cup.

The mayor of Ukraine's capital of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, and his brother, a champion boxer, have been photographed in military uniform after pledging they would fight to protect the city.

Facebook and Instagram users in the EU users are getting a new option to use these platforms for free with less personalized ads, and Meta is also slashing the price of its ad-free subscription by 40%.

The post Facebook and Instagram to Display Less Personalized Ads in the EU to Appease Regulators appeared first on Thurrott.com.

Microsoft is once again trying to get Chrome users to share their browser data with its Edge browser on Windows.

The post Microsoft Edge Has a New Trick to Get Data From Chrome Users on Windows appeared first on Thurrott.com.

Apple leaker Mark Gurman reported today that Apple's next new device is a 6-inch "AI wall tablet" that will spotlight Apple Intelligence.

The post Mark Gurman Reveals Apple’s Next Device appeared first on Thurrott.com.

Short Run Comix Festival, Diwali: Lights of India, and More Cheap & Easy Events Under $15 by EverOut Staff

We hope you're not too tired from Halloween partying because there's plenty of fun events to hit up this weekend, from Short Run Comix Festival to Diwali: Lights of India and from the Polish Fall Bazaar to Seattle Art Museum's Día de los Muertos Community Celebration. For more ideas, check out our guide to the top events of the week. P.S. Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday—don't forget to set your clocks back!

Día de los Muertos Community Celebration
Each year, in honor of Día de los Muertos, printmaker and artist Fulgencio Lazo creates a tapete. (Spanish for "rug," tapetes are large-scale sand paintings created on the ground). Inspired by ancestral Oaxacan traditions, the tapete has become an annual tradition at the Seattle Art Museum in observance of the role death plays in the life cycle. This year's Día de los Muertos celebration will also include a musical performance by La Banda Gozona, dances performed by energetic Oaxacan troupe Grupo Cultural Oaxaqueño, and art-making activities with printmakers Edith Chávez and Ivan Bautista. LINDSAY COSTELLO
(Seattle Art Museum, Downtown, free)

Probiotic Bentos, Cà Phê, and Coffee in a Van by EverOut Staff Welcome to November! We're starting the month off strong with a new bento destination, a Green Lake coffee shop, and a Vietnamese cafe and restaurant in Beacon Hill. Plus, learn where to find pan de muerto and spiced apple chai cake. For more ideas, check out our Seattle Restaurant Week guide and our food and drink guide.

NEW OPENINGS & RETURNS

Anbai
The Japanese bento pop-up Anbai hosted the grand opening of its new permanent location in the long-vacant kitchen space inside Chophouse Row (formerly home to By Tae) on Monday. The restaurant focuses on promoting gut health with fermented foods like brown enzyme rice, pickles, and koji.
Capitol Hill

Sabrina Carpenter, Freakout Festival, and More by EverOut Staff

There's plenty of first-rate events to check out this week, from Sabrina Carpenter's Short N’ Sweet Tour to Freakout Festival and from Wicked to An Evening with David Sedaris, but first, make sure to VOTE! And for a look at the month ahead, check out our November events guide.

Author Talk and Demo: Bebe Black Carminito, The Curated Board
Truly, is there any occasion where a big spread of snacks isn't welcome? Author Bebe Black Carminito aims to take your entertaining game to the next level with her new book The Curated Board: Inspired Platters for Any Occasion, which shows you how to prepare show-stopping boards and platters with over 50 recipes, including pickled champagne jalapeños, marinated citrus and herb olives, and dill and artichoke dip, as well as drink pairing suggestions. Join her for a board demo, Q&A session, and book signing. JULIANNE BELL
(Book Larder, Fremont)

The 2024 Bainbridge Island Film Festival runs from November 7-10. by Charles Mudede

If catastrophe strikes on Tuesday, and all you can see is four years of gloom and more gloom, then it might be the right time to take a ferry to Bainbridge for two reasons. One, the November-colored waters of Elliott Bay will match and maybe even soothe your mood. (One thing you can always depend on is the love misery has for company.) Two, there is a festival, Bainbridge Film Festival, which features a superb distraction, the comedy Micro Budget.  Directed by Morgan Evans, who has worked for The Onion, the film cannot be praised for originality but for getting the most out of a concept that really should have no gas left in it: The mockumentary.

The plot: An Iowan, Terry (Patrick Noth), decides to relocate to LA to make a movie that can only be, when completed, unspeakably bad. His wife is very pregnant, he doesn't have enough money, and the sun has never shined on his imagination. He hires actors who have many rungs to climb before they come anywhere close to the D List, and the production moves from one absurdity to the next. 

During the filming process, the pregnant wife suffers, the actors suffer, and the members of the production team work without disguising their contempt. All, including the cousin shooting the documentary, are caught in the fantasy of a madman who should have kept his desires in the lowest drawer of his office desk.

We have been there and seen all of that. And yet, Micro Budget, is actually funny and, once in a while, reaches a region that can be called brilliant (particularly in the moments when the director attempts to meet what he imagines to be the woke standards of Hollywood). The film also has a priceless cameo. One you will never expect in a million years.

It's worth watching even if a catastrophe is averted on November 6.

The 2024 Bainbridge Island Film Festival runs from November 7-10.

Seattle's only news roundup. by Ashley Nerbovig

Ok weather to vote in! Should be a pretty nice day to stroll down to your nearest ballot box, with a high of 52 degrees and partly sunny, and a slight chance of rain after 2 p.m. 

So go vote! Don't let anything stop you. As Hannah said yesterday, you can still vote! I voted last year on the last possible day, and I hadn't registered yet at that point. I just jogged down to Lumen Field though and it was super easy to register, vote, and leave. Even if you're feeling left out because you're not in a swing state and the entirety of the country's future doesn't rest on your shoulders, the future of this state and city really does! Dropping some helpful links to make sure you have everything you need to make your voices heard. First, how to register to vote. Second, how to replace a lost ballot. Thirdly, ballot box locations. Finally, our handy cheat sheet for help filling out your ballot. 

Done your civic duty already? Well then sit back and enjoy the final hours of uncertainty at one of the many election night parties happening across the city tonight. The Stranger is throwing one at the Crocodile—it’s sold out, but we think it’s worth it to take your chances on standby tickets. There might be some no-shows, and we can squeeze you in. But if you don't wanna chance it, check out this list of parties you can attend from our sister publication Everout. Stranger reporters will be dotted around the city to bring you coverage of the election from various candidate election parties as well.

Speaking of voting: The Boeing machinists approved a contract last night ending their strike after 53 days, according to the Seattle Times. The latest contract, approved by 59% of membership, includes a 38% general wage increase over the next four years, which equates to 43% when you factor in raises on top of raises. The contract did not restore the pension that they lost in a contentious vote 10 years ago. Union president Jon Holden said the union should be proud of what they accomplished and that it was time to get back to building planes.

Alleged sex abuse in youth detention: An additional 176 people made allegations against Washington state for failing to protect them from sexual abuse while they were children at youth detention centers in the state, according to the Seattle Times. Combined with another lawsuit filed in September, that brings the total number of people claiming they were sexually abused in Washington's detention centers up to almost 400. Meanwhile, the Seattle Times Editorial Board continues to decry and complain about youth diversion programs meant to help kids avoid being sent into lock up.

Seattle Steel Pan Project Evicted: The Seattle Steel Pan Project, dedicated to teaching the art of steel plan music and performance, needs a new space to operate in after MLK FAME Community Center in the Central District evicted the group this week, according to an Instagram post from the project. In the post, the group accused MLK FAME of bowing to the demands of neighborhood "Karens" who complained about the groups weekly practice. I reached out to MLK FAME for a response, who did not immediately reply, but I'll update if they do. In the meantime, the project is asking everyone they know if they have any ideas where they can house their steel pan band. Their email address is steelpanproject@gmail.com. Here's a little taste of what they do:

Ok. Moving on. Let's talk about the presidential election: Let's be real, no one knows how this election will shake out. The polls are insanely tight in swing states. Dixville Notch, a tiny New Hampshire town that votes at midnight every year on Election Day, tallied up their six votes which resulted in a tie, with three votes for Vice President Kamala Harris, and three for former President Donald Trump. There is a very good chance we don't know the election result tonight, and maybe not for a couple days.

Battleground states prepare for certification fight: Given the resistance to certifying the vote in swing states in the last election cycle, many officials have already started to prepare to quash attempts by county officials to squabble over valid election results, according to Politico. Election officials fear if Trump loses, he won't just fade quietly into the night, and instead will mount another attempt to overturn election results.

Meanwhile, the two parties also are wrestling for control of congress. New York stands out as a battleground state for the House, as the congressional seats they lost in 2022 helped Republicans take the chamber back, according to Politico. Meanwhile in Texas, Democrats continue to try to take Senator Ted Cruz's seat, and while Cruz continues to lead, Representative Colin Allred is within spitting distance of him. But, it's wholly unpredictable who will control what in 2025.

But for some good news: One of my top five favorite creatures in the world continues to beat the odds. A cloned black-footed ferret mother in Virginia gave birth to two little baby ferrets in June, according to the Washington Post. Unclear why we're only hearing about it now. We should have rang the bells. If you don't know much about black-footed ferrets, you're really missing out. These little bandits scurry across our prairie lands, and has supposedly gone extinct twice, but they're resilient AF. Now with the cloning and the babies, we could continue to see this species soldier on. Ugh I love them so much, I've been obsessed with them ever since I lived in Montana. And I'm not a ferret girl, it's just they're little markings make them look like they have a tiny black Zorro mask across their smol faces. Here is a video of them being adorable:

I'm so excited about this cloning thing: Instead of a musical recommendation, another video about black footed ferrets.

Mute Steve Kornacki, unclench your jaw, and scroll through these sweet scenes from Sea-Meow. by Megan Seling

Photos by Madison Kirkman

Sea-Meow, which bills itself as Washington’s largest cat convention, invaded Seattle Center’s Exhibition Hall over the weekend and brought with it appearances from the Two Crazy Cat Ladies, Moshow the Cat Rapper, and Christopher Watson aka the Catluminati, as well as a cat costume contest, a cat-calling contest, cat bingo, and dozens of vendors slinging everything from cat beds to catnip to cat coffee. (That is, cat-themed coffee that benefits cat rescues and not, like, coffee for cats.)

But most importantly, there were cats. So many cats. Old cats, young cats, kitten cats. Cats available for adoption, cats available for snuggles, and cats being pushed, carried, and cradled in backpacks and strollers and those bags with little clear bubble cutouts that make them look like grumpy-faced astronauts. 

Election results won’t be in for several hours, and even then, it may take days to know who won. So close Twitter (what are you still doing on that hell site anyway???), mute Steve Kornacki, unclench your jaw, and scroll through these sweet scenes from Sea-Meow.

P.S. The best blowjob is 25-50% handjob. by Dan Savage 1. This debate is raging again, Dan, and we need you to issue a ruling: Do straight women belong in gay bars? Some (straight women, gay bars), not all (straight women, gay bars). 2. Why do men keep ghosting me after sex? I’m a 25-year-old woman. No clue. You could’ve had a string of bad luck — and fucked a dozen (or more) shitty guys in a row — or it could be something you’re doing wrong. Even if you don’t think you’re doing anything wrong, once you’ve noticed a pattern of behavior and/or results that makes you unhappy, it’s a good idea to make some changes. Try meeting different kinds of guys in different kinds of ways, try slowing your roll/hole, etc., and take time along the way to engage in constructive introspection and make further changes/course corrections, as needed. 3. How do I stop people from falling in…

[ Read more ]

With Election Day upon us ‘tis the season to make hasty accusations about the insecurity of America’s voting system. In Washington, like in other parts of the country, the right-wing has focused on attacking the idea of mail-in ballots. Last week, with the ballot explosions in Clark County and Portland, right-wing influencers such as Jonathan Choe quickly capitalized on these incidents to make claims that the “entire system is vulnerable.” by Ashley Nerbovig

With Election Day upon us ‘tis the season to make hasty accusations about the insecurity of America’s voting system. In Washington, like in other parts of the country, the right-wing has focused on attacking the idea of mail-in ballots. Last week, with the ballot explosions in Clark County and Portland, right-wing influencers such as Jonathan Choe quickly capitalized on these incidents to make claims that the “entire system is vulnerable.”

As we move through Election Day and beyond, bad faith actors are poised to take every single election related mishap or misunderstanding and turn it into another reason to make our elections more “secure” which just means erecting more barriers to make it harder to vote, measures that often disproportionately affect Black and Brown voters. So how do you stop yourself from becoming a sucker for a piece of election misinformation that could lead you to support a law that might deprive your neighbor of their right to vote? Glad you asked. I’m here to walk you through what misinformation might look like in the days to come.  

Most of the time, rumors around elections fall into four buckets, according to local election rumor expert Kate Starbird. She co-founded the University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public, which studies false and misleading information online and designs strategies to combat it. First bucket: Someone observes an event and assumes something has gone wrong, but in reality, the system functions as intended—they simply don’t understand the process. But the person shares the information as something potentially nefarious. Some examples include last week when former President Donald Trump’s name appeared on the second screen for the California ballot, leading people to complain about having to click an extra button to vote for him. The explanation was not that California was purposefully suppressing Trump voters, only that California randomizes the order of names on ballots and, unluckily for Trump that meant he landed on the second page.

The other three buckets involve when someone faces a real issue with voting, such as the machines not working, their name missing or misspelled on the voter rolls, or as has happened recently in Washington, they receive multiple ballots. These issues are typically distorted in one of three ways. First, the rumor emerges that whatever issue prevented someone from voting was intentional. Second, someone makes an unverified claim that the issue is widespread and deprives a much larger group of people from voting. Finally, the rumor obscures the fact that even if someone faced an issue voting, the elections office actually had a solution to the problem.

A good example of some local election rumor coverage happened last week when KING 5 reported a poorly contextualized piece claiming that a woman had received 16 ballots with names of people she’d never met. The station quoted the woman as saying the incident caused her to have concerns over the democratic process. To verify what actually happened, I spoke to the King County Elections Spokesperson Halei Watkins who explained the woman had moved to a new address where she received her ballots. But she also was sent the ballots of seven people who previously lived at her address. She then returned those seven ballots to the post office, which redelivered them to her, creating the appearance that she had received more than a dozen ballots. Watkins said the ballots ultimately were undeliverable because the voters hadn’t updated their addresses with the county. Watkins called it an isolated incident, not indicative of a massive problem within the election system.

That’s a pretty typical case of an election rumor that paints a picture of some deeper issue where one doesn’t exist. But when Starbird looks at how people use the ballot boxes to undermine confidence in our elections, things become a little more tricky. The fires don’t fall cleanly into any of the four buckets of misinformation, Starbird said. First of all, the fires represent a real attack on our voting systems. We don’t know the motives of the person involved. Remedies exist for the problem, but they’re imperfect and some ballots may have been lost. These attacks do appear isolated to two ballot boxes, and one possible earlier attempt on October 8 in Vancouver that did not result in any damaged ballots. The fires also had mixed outcomes regarding the ability of ballot boxes to extinguish fires. In Portland, only three ballots actually suffered damage, because the mechanism to extinguish flames in the ballot box deployed quickly. In Vancouver, Washington, the fire-suppressant device worked less effectively, but Clark County and King County are both looking into better tools to prevent fires. 

So yes, the fires exposed a vulnerability, but it can hardly be used to definitively call into question mail in voting as a concept, which is how people such as Choe wish to use the incident. Overall, issues with mail in voting are few and far between, and voter fraud involving mail in ballots is exceedingly rare.

When Watkins hears people decry mail-in voting or talk about returning to in-person voting, she points out that polling places have a whole host of issues that could leave the election vulnerable to mishaps or mistakes. Before King County switched to mail-in voting in 2009, the county had 500 polling locations, with 8,000 temporary staff or volunteers who received between four to 12 hours of training in preparation for election day. Now, teams of two pick up ballots from the various ballot boxes that they deliver to election headquarters in Renton. King County has 75 permanent and 800 temporary staff who help with all things related to the election. The process is much more streamlined. 

Watkins also pointed out that at the time King County switched to all mail-in voting, 86% of votes in King County had registered as permanent absentee voters, meaning they already voted by mail, which speaks to the preferences of the county, Watkins said.

“I feel like people who push for in-person voting would just end up creating barriers to voting, not making it more secure,” Watkins says.

Sure, the national election provided a cure-all for the will to live. But let’s not throw the whole bottle out with the booze. In Seattle, King County, and Washington State, we turned a deeper shade of blue last night. And there are a few things worth cheering about. Here are our six takeaways from the night as you numb the existential dread with your breakfast whiskey. by Hannah Krieg

Sure, the national election provided a cure-all for the will to live. But let’s not throw the whole bottle out with the booze. In Seattle, King County, and Washington State, we turned a deeper shade of blue last night. And there are a few things worth cheering about. Here are our six takeaways from the night as you numb the existential dread with your breakfast whiskey.

A Stranger Victory

Okay, because who doesn't need a dose of levity to start off this morning. Once again, The Stranger’s anointed candidates claimed victory last night, at least locally. Like we said in the primary, we acknowledge that we had some overlap with lesser endorsement boards, such as the Seattle Times Editorial Board, in the race for Governor and Attorney General. However, we only endorsed the same person in the Superintendent of Public Instruction race because the Times had to come to our side on Chris Reykdal after Reykdal trounced the Time’s first choice in the primary. Our candidate for the 43rd Legislative District Shaun Scott also beat the Time’s choice in the primary, and yet the Times refused to see the light and endorsed Andrea Suarez, who Scott walloped. Current election results show him receiving 68% of the vote compared to Suarez’s 31%. Our candidates also swept in the race for Lands Commissioner, the open seat in the 5th Legislative District, and the citywide Seattle City Council seat. Also, we rightly endorsed a “no” vote on the Initiative to eliminate WA Cares, which created a public long-term care option. 

Our endorsement has never carried more heft and girth. We promise to protect you from the loathsome choices of the Seattle Times Editorial Board in perpetuity. 

Washington voters rejected the right

Donald Trump won last night. We’re concerned about the growth of right-wing populism in this country and what will happen as Trump rebuilds the federal government in his image with his cadre of idiots: JD Vance, Elon Musk, RFK Jr., and his dumbass sons. So it’s heartening that Washington elected Democrats who will fight that version of the federal government and that voters heartily rejected the right-wing in this election.

In the 43rd District, “Democrat” Andrea Suarez suffered a colossal and deserved loss. The Executive Director of We Heart Seattle, who zealously aligns herself with far-right proponents of treatment-first homelessness policy, ran a stupid campaign that played to the basest, most reactionary fears of Seattleites. Even more concerning than her ideology was her sheer ignorance of how policy even works. The fiercely progressive Shaun Scott earned 67 percent of the vote in the first ballot drop because he was a strong candidate with popular policies that appealed to a broad coalition of progressive voters in a renter-heavy district. Also likely to face sweet defeat is Trump-backed Joe Kent, who currently trails Democratic congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez in Washington’s 3rd Congressional District. 

The statewide races for Superintendent of Public Instruction and Attorney General were not blowouts like the Suarez-Scott race, but the MAGA-y candidates David Olson and Pete Serrano are lagging far behind Superintendent Chris Reykdal and Nick Brown. Olson ran on proudly opposing DEI and "critical race theory" as a school board member and encouraged voters to join Moms for Liberty, an extremist group. Serrano is all about undermining gun safety laws and wouldn't commit to enforcing our shield law for people seeking abortions and gender-affirming healthcare, which will be a very big fucking deal now. 

State Executives Ready to Tangle With Trump

With President Donald Trump primed to retake the Oval Office, Washingtonians can at least take comfort in the fact that we elected two of the best people to defend Washington’s laws in our future Governor, Bob Ferguson and future Attorney General, Nick Brown. Ferguson, who as of election night led the race with 56% of the vote compared to former US Representative Dave Reichert’s 43%, took the stage Tuesday night to thank his supporters before acknowledging the grim outlook facing the nation in its presidential election. Ferguson declared that if Trump once again became commander-in-chief, no other statewide candidate in the nation would be more “prepared to defend your freedoms against that administration than I am.” During Trump’s last term, Ferguson sued the administration 82 times, challenging policies on issues such as access to contraception, 3-D printed guns, and most notably Trump’s initial travel ban on people from seven majority-Muslim nations. Right alongside Ferguson working on the response to Trump’s travel ban was Brown, who ended election night with 56% of the vote compared to Pasco Mayor Pete Serrano’s 43%. At the time of the travel ban, Brown worked as general counsel to Governor Jay Inslee and worked closely on that issue with Ferguson’s office. He also promised in his campaign to defend the state’s shield law. Together, Ferguson and Brown seem to be the perfect dynamic duo to fight any policy that a Trump presidency could bring to Washington state. 

Washingtonians Love A Tax

With the projected defeat of three out of four of the proposed ballot initiatives, Washington voters sent a clear message to millionaire hedge fund manager Brian Heywood: We love taxes, especially on the rich. Washington voters seem likely to reject I-2109, I-2117, and I-2124, all of which would have cut taxes. I-2109, which early results showed 63% of people voted “No” on, would have eliminated the state’s capital gains tax. I-2117, which 61% of people voted “No” on as of election night, would have ended the Climate Commitment Act–a cap-and-trade program that effectively acts as a tax on companies exceeding the emissions cap. Finally, I-2124, which 55% of people rejected, would have eliminated the WA Cares program, a tax that helps people pay for long-term care. 

Heywood billed these initiatives as “Vote yes, pay less,” and Washington voters took one look at how voting “Yes” would cut funding to schools, cut money for transportation and clean water, and end a program that could help them and their families in a health emergency, and they said, “No.” 

In fact, the only bill they did vote “Yes” on had no clear fiscal impact, I-2066, which sought to make it easier and more affordable for people in the state to switch from gas to electric power. On election night, I-2066 still remained tight, with 51% of people voting “Yes,” and 48% voting “No”. It’s easier to scare Washington voters into voting against a bill based on unfounded fears of being forced to give up their gas stoves than it is to convince them that cutting taxes benefits them.

So THIS is Why Even-Year Elections are the One Thing Sara Nelson Hates More Than Progressives

Council President Sara Nelson argued against moving local elections to even years and it's clear why — under a more representative democracy, her pearl-clutching ideology would lose every single time. Typically, Seattle elects its City Council members, Mayor, and City Attorney in odd years, which tend to have much lower turnout than even-year elections. This year, because Council Member Teresa Mosqueda ditched her citywide position early, Seattle got to vote for a council member in a presidential year, the highest turnout opportunity of them all. 

In a more representative sample of voters, Seattle picked a progressive, Alexis Mercedes Rinck, over conservative Tanya Woo. This marks a strong rebuke of the policies of the current conservative council, headed by Council President Sara Nelson. The current council won their seats in 2023, when about 46% of voters cast a ballot for their district seats. In all seats but one, a race between progressive Council Member Tammy Morales and Woo, the conservative contender prevailed. 

This year, more than 56% of registered Seattle voters cast a ballot and the progressive candidate, Rinck, scored 57.3% on night one. Her support will likely increase as late ballots come in. But even if her results froze, she garnered more votes than all the council winners of 2023 combined. She’s also a few thousand ahead of where Nelson finished in 2021. So maybe the NextDoor types hold the “majority” of seats, but Rinck holds the majority in representation.

Capitol Hill is Still a Communist Hellhole

And we wouldn’t have it any other way. After Council Member Kshama Sawant decided to give up her long-held City Council office, political commentators began lamenting (or mostly celebrating) the end of socialism in Seattle. No clear successor emerged from the barrage of milquetoast candidates who ran in the District 3 race in 2023. Instead, the city’s most progressive district elected Joy Hollingsworth, a centrist who attempted to permanently enshrine a subminimum wage for restaurant workers. Politicos forgot the neighborhood’s lefty sensibilities so quickly, 43rd LD candidate Andrea Saurez tried to smear her opponent, Shaun Scott, by calling him a communist. As it turns out, the LD that contains Sawant’s old stomping grounds doesn’t consider “communist” an insult. Scott, a candidate endorsed by both Democrat and lefty organizations, won his seat in a landslide – almost 68% to Saurez’s 32%. So basically, if you're a Capitol Hill communist (bonus points if you have a funky colored mullet), you might have a chance at beating Hollingsworth if you run a truly leftwing campaign. Or maybe these results give Hollingsworth a little wake-up call. An image of Hollingsworth at a Saurez campaign event floated around Twitter a few months ago. If your preferred candidate, who shares your constituency, loses dramatically, you should probably take note and adjust accordingly, i.e., stop attacking workers' rights.

The Stranger's morning news round-up. by Hannah Krieg

A perfect day for a biiiiiig walk: We could all use a little sunshine right now. Today, Seattlites can expect on-and-off sunny skies—I think the weather nerds of the PNW call it “sunshowers”—and temperatures in the high 50s. 

Council President Rinck: We got another ballot drop last night! Here in Seattle, Alexis Mercedes Rinck has only expanded her decisive lead on the City Council’s faildaughter Tanya Woo. And it's not just Woo that Rinck’s got beat. Her vote count trumps the combined total of the 2023 City Council victors and she’s got a 26,000-vote lead over Council President Sara Nelson’s 2021 campaign. Rinck may be a minority opinion on the council, but she represents more of the electorate than any other member.

Nail-biter: Washington’s 3rd Congressional District is still too close to call. U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez leads her far-right challenger Joe Kent by about 12,000 votes. We should have a clearer picture in the coming days, but for now the whole country is watching—this race is among the handful that will decide if Republicans retain their majority in the House. 

Another close one: It’s still a tight race for I-2066, the hedge fund millionaire's initiative that would ban the state from encouraging electrification.

Something good on Twitter: After a landslide victory, State House elect Shaun Scott has earned a meme.

???????? pic.twitter.com/RNI4iERKsK

— Shaun Scott ???????? (@eyesonthestorm) November 6, 2024

Joever: Yesterday, Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the nation to concede she had lost the 2024 presidential election. She kept her remarks very positive, very boilerplate Democrat. If she truly believed  Trump is the threat to the American people he is, she should have come for blood. But, no. The Democrats love to capitulate to the right. And, it's part of why they lost so spectacularly. They championed an extreme and inhumane immigration platform, shrugged their shoulders at Israel’s utter decimation of Gaza, and totally abandoned working people crushed by the weight of the affordability crisis. I know you’re smart and you already know this, but as the #Resist libs start to re-recognize the ever-present threat of fascism—the precarity of reproductive access, queer and trans liberation, immigrants’ rights, workers protections, and more—remember that the Democrats' constant sidesteps to the right landed us here. 

well, as long as you had fun! https://t.co/FtJ9HJ4T8P

— Lead Actor from Pixar’s Sodas (@ByYourLogic) November 7, 2024

Trump transition begins: President-elect Donald Trump’s allies have started lobbying for positions in his administration. According to CNN, Trump will use these positions to “reward” those who have remained loyal to him. That’s also a key feature of his plan: make the administrative state, or what they often call the “deep state,” more friendly, thus radically expanding the executive's power and efficiency. Some top positions seem narrowed down. Trump’s likely considering 2024 co-campaign manager Susie Wiles, his former budget director Russ Vought, CEO of the America First Policy Institute Brooke Rollins, or his former US trade representative Bob Lighthizer for White House Chief of Staff. Rumor has it he will also find jobs for loathsome little rat Elon Musk and anti-vax nut job RFK. Cool.

Off the hook: Trump’s victory may mean the end of his two federal criminal cases related to his attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election and his mishandling of classified documents. His team delayed the cases until after the election, banking on a victory so Trump could fire special counsel Jack Smith and end the cases. As for his New York hush money case, Trump is scheduled for sentencing later this month, but his team will likely argue he’s entitled to constitutional protections afforded to sitting presidents after his election. 

Solidarity: Yesterday, Cascade PBS workers staged an informational picket outside their workplace to pressure their bosses to meet their three demands in their contract: higher wages, better benefits, and strong workplace protections. And, boy, do they deserve higher wages. According to their press release, the Cascade PBS CEO made nearly seven times the average unit member’s salary in 2023. Greed is a fucking disease.

Today at noon, @CascadePBSUnion members used our lunch break to rally for fair wages and a fair contract. If you’re in the area, drop by and say hi - we’ll be the ones in the bright red shirts ✊ pic.twitter.com/ZR9pEwK6jV

— Cascade PBS Union (@CascadePBSUnion) November 6, 2024

In honor of our incoming commander-in-chief: He’s a theatre girly.

Plus, More Event Updates for November 7 by EverOut Staff

Henry VIII’s six wives will belt pop songs on the Paramount Theatre stage when the Tony Award-winning musical Six returns to Seattle next spring. Post-hardcore band Chiodos is coming to Seattle next year to celebrate 20 years of their debut album All’s Well That Ends Well. Plus, Billboard-charting hard rock outfit Catch Your Breath has dropped dates for their Broken Souls tour. Read on for details on those and other newly announced events, plus some news you can use.

MUSIC

Catch Your Breath - The Broken Souls Tour
The Crocodile (Feb 6, 2025)

Chiodos: 20 Years of All’s Well That Ends Well
The Showbox (Mar 28, 2025)

Fleetmac Wood
The Crocodile (Apr 4, 2025)

See someone? Say something! by Anonymous

good boy, Mitten Bakery ????

"Who's a good boy?" you petting your cute dog next to me. I asked "Oh me?". You said, "Well if I get two good boys out of it ya!" - I didn't get ur #!

Smokin Hot at Smoker Dad

I Saw U at the Sunset Tavern at the Smoker Dad release show. You were wearing a tight jean skirt, and you told me I had a timeless beauty. Same, girl.

Barrettes at Hop Vine 10.28

I stared, we waved! I looked up how to sign “ur super cute” but was too shy. I like your hair, sweater, how you cover your mouth when you laugh!

I saw u x2 @ SBP

UW & Fremont. You were tall & brunette w glasses. I’m shortish and brunette w glasses. You seemed interested, I’m shy. But I’m interested too

Party at Porter

We were both on the floor at the Porter Robinson show. You were in front of me, tall and blonde. Thanks for making an incredible show even more fun.

Bus 49 Connection

Tall guy in tan sweater, wearing a black mask, purple-haired girl hoping to meet again. We made eye contact a few times in cap hill and I was too shy to look at you. Kinda felt like I was in a kdrama—wanna be my Lee Min Ho?

Dieu en Mouvement

BV Lincoln SQ: 3:30, Sunday. You were exiting. Tall, dark, a beautiful print coat, thin glasses, I said I liked your outfit. You are art in motion.

Fellow Magnetic Fields Fans

We sat in the balcony turret the first night of 69 Love Songs. Thanks for singing along with me! Hope you got to come back for Papa was a Rodeo.

Is it a match? Leave a comment here or on our Instagram post to connect!

Did you see someone? Say something! Submit your own I Saw U message here and maybe we'll include it in the next roundup!

In an email sent to all Seattle Police Department (SPD) officers on Tuesday, SPD Deputy Chief Eric Barden celebrated the end of King County Jail’s misdemeanor booking restrictions and told officers to immediately begin increasing arrests. Barden called the decision “another great step forward for the City and, particularly, for Seattle PD.” by Ashley Nerbovig

In an email sent to all Seattle Police Department (SPD) officers on Tuesday, SPD Deputy Chief Eric Barden celebrated the end of King County Jail’s misdemeanor booking restrictions and told officers to immediately begin increasing arrests. Barden called the decision “another great step forward for the City and, particularly, for Seattle PD.” Not so great for Seattle’s poorest and most vulnerable residents, who will comprise the “overwhelming majority of people” jailed under this change, said King County Department of Public Defense Interim Director Matt Sanders in a statement to The Stranger Thursday.

In September, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and King County Executive Dow Constantine announced an agreement to lift booking restrictions, which had previously prevented SPD officers from jailing people pre-trial for low-level and non-violent crimes such as low-value theft, criminal trespass, and public drug use. The restrictions went into place because of COVID-19 and remained active due to low staffing at the jail, which is a predicament still plaguing the King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD). Department spokesperson Noah Haglund said that the jail has 60 staffing vacancies as compared to the start of 2024 when it was closer to 100. But with those 40 additional guards, Constantine believes the new agreement balances booking needs with the wellbeing of jail staff, Haglund said.  

The agreement, which took effect November 1, increased the number of jail beds the City could use for misdemeanors to 135. Barden explained in his email Tuesday that in the six months prior, SPD held on average about 90 people a day on misdemeanors at the jail, so the increase would mean an additional 45 beds available to officers per day. The jail held well over 200 people on misdemeanor charges per day in 2019, according to Barden.

“So, while we are moving in the right direction, we are nowhere near pre-pandemic capacity,” Barden said.

With booking restrictions lifted, Barden told officers to book people into jail “whenever there is a public safety interest.” The only time officers should not consider booking someone, Barden counseled, was when the City reached or neared its 135-bed capacity. “Otherwise, booking decisions consistent with pre-pandemic assessments should be utilized.” The email made no mention of considering diversion options.

In a call with the Stranger, Barden explained that "public safety interest" meant officers should arrest if they believe a person could continue to be a problem for a business, the community, or residents in the area, and said officers should not arrest if those factors aren't present. Barden argued that arresting people can both remove them from a cycle of crime, prevent further decompensation for people in a mental health crisis, and set them on a path toward recovery.

Sanders disagreed with that perspective and pointed to studies that show jailing people pre-trial undermines public safety in many cases, and increases the chances that someone commits another crime. Even one to two days in jail can disrupt a person’s life, making it difficult to maintain stable housing, secure medical care for behavioral health conditions, or hold down a job. Lifting the booking restrictions means people presumed innocent might spend time in jail for the lowest level of crimes that might not even end up charged, and still have their entire lives disrupted, Sanders said.

Barden said he understood that perspective, but as he drives around Seattle he sees more disorder than he did before the booking restrictions went into place. As a result, even while the restrictions remained in place in 2023, property and violent crime in Seattle fell compared to 2022, and homicides fell in 2024, which speaks to an empirical improvement in public safety, if not a subjective cosmetic change to downtown Seattle.

The City has made it clear in the past two years that it plans to use cops to address substance abuse, poverty, and people with mental illness, all issues many argue would be better addressed through social services and unarmed alternative response teams. The City has tried to establish new diversion paths, and when it created its drug law earlier this year it came with a policy requiring SPD to consider diversion before booking someone in jail for drug use. Barden said that lifting booking restrictions would not change that. 

Returning to a pre pandemic booking mindset means potentially returning to the days when officers threw people in jail for stealing $30 sleeping bags and souvenir pennies. We reached out to City Attorney Ann Davison to ask her perspective on whether she also planned to crack down on prosecuting low-level, misdemeanor crimes, as she’s advocated for in the past, but she declined to comment. 

Update: The Mayor's Office told the Stranger that it believes the City needs an adequate number of jail beds and the ability to book people into jail and people who cause harm in the City should be held accountable. But, "jail is not always the first or most appropriate option," and Harrell has strongly advocated "for diversion and treatment options to help nonviolent offenders get the services they need."

The Stranger's morning news round-up. by Nathalie Graham

One more for the blue: After a neck-in-neck race, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez officially won re-election to the House in the 3rd Congressional District, beating out far-right challenger Joe Kent. Her win is another step forward for Democrats as they try to take back the House and retain a shred of power in the coming administration from hell. About two dozen races nation-wide still need to be decided.

Please spare us, H5N1: The Centers for Disease Control want more testing done for bird flu after blood tests on 115 of dairy workers showed 7% had bird flu antibodies, meaning they'd already contracted the disease at some point. Previously, we only confirmed 46 cases of bird flu jumping from cows to farmworkers. This new study suggests that bird flu has infected many more people than the confirmed cases. Experts say this indicates the H5N1 viruses are a greater threat than we realized. Great! Another flu just in time for the vaccine-doubters to take office. 

Wet weekend—and then week—ahead: Friday will likely be our last dry day for a while. Get your galoshes ready. The rain starts Saturday and it'll continue at least throughout the week.

I hope you like rain this weekend! ????️

It could be wet for the State H.S. football tournament games across the Puget Sound region. #pnw pic.twitter.com/JAvPx7hegV

— Jake Whittenberg (@jwhittenbergK5) November 8, 2024

That's nice: Boeing said it will pay the employees the money they lost while being furloughed during the machinists' strike that started in September. 

Egyptian flooding: A pipe leak at the historic Egyptian Cinema on Capitol Hill shut down the 108-year-old theater for the "foreseeable future." Repairs will be expensive and take months. The universe does not want me or my people (progressives, art house movie lovers) to be happy this week. 

INBOX: The SIFF Cinema Egyptian is going to be closed for "the foreseeable future and the Fine Arts building leadership expect that it will take multiple months of building closure to assess, repair and reopen." Sad news especially during what is a big time of the year for film. pic.twitter.com/v2ItPx5Lpi

— Chase 'Hutch' Hutchinson (@EclecticHutch) November 7, 2024

Another hit while we're down: Don't forget, five light rail stops will close this weekend. Starting at 10 pm on Friday through 5 am Monday, Westlake, Symphony, Pioneer Square, International District/Chinatown, and Stadium stations will all be closed and inaccessible. Trains will run between Lynnwood and Capitol Hill and between Sodo and Angle Lake. Shuttle buses will be available to bridge gaps between open and closed stations. It’s all part of the crawling effort to connect Line 1 to the Eastside line.

Sign of the times: Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale rocketed to the top of Amazon's bestsellers list this week.  

Racist texts: In the days after the election, Black and Brown people across the country received spammy, racist texts telling them they had "been selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation" and that the senders' "executive slave catchers" would pick them up. State attorney generals say they will root out who sent these texts. A second Donald Trump term means the masks covering the depravity in America are well and truly off. Racists are emboldened. 

Nobody panic: Forty-three monkeys escaped from a medical lab in South Carolina. "There is almost no danger to the public," a local police chief said. No danger? Isn't this how Planet of the Apes started? 

Israeli soccer fans attacked in Amsterdam: Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv and Dutch's Ajax faced off in a Europa League soccer game Thursday. After the game, people attacked Israelis in hit-and-run scooter attacks. Five Israeli fans went to the hospital, but have since been released. Around 20 to 30 other Israelis sustained light injuries. Police arrested 63 people, and ten are still in custody. Context, as always, is important. In the days leading up to the match, social media videos showed Maccabi fans "chanting anti-Arab slurs, praising Israeli military attacks in Gaza, and yelling 'fuck the Arabs,'" according to CNN. Ajax won the game 5-0. 

And now, something from Ashley about the cops: 

Fill’er up: The King County Jail officially lifted misdemeanor booking restrictions for the Seattle Police Department (SPD) allowing officers to finally lock up all those pesky Target shoplifters and people who tried to use the bathroom at PCC one too many times and ended up trespassed. I wrote about how SPD Deputy Chief Eric Barden told officers in a department wide email Tuesday that they should book people into jail whenever a public safety interest existed and only show additional discretion when the department neared their misdemeanor bed limit of 135 people per day. Most people charged with misdemeanors spend less than a week in jail, so could be a lot of people cycling through, which King County Department of Public Defense Interim Director Matt Sanders said will ultimately make it harder for people to hold down jobs, maintain housing, and secure behavioral health treatment, ultimately undermining public safety in the city.

Did you hear about San Francisco's new mayor? He's a centrist Democrat and he's the heir to the Levi's fortune. Daniel Lurie won the ranked-choice voting election with 56.2% of the vote. Incumbent London Breed only received 43.8%. San Franciscans made clear they are sick of seeing poverty and being confronted with crimes of desperation. Unfortunately, as we know very well in Seattle, electing a centrist may hide the problems for a bit, but it will do nothing to fix them. 

A porn gorge: North Korean soldiers deployed in Russia have unrestricted internet access for the first time in their lives and they're using it to watch mountains of porn and jerk themselves silly. Boys will be boys! 

Need something to do tonight? The world is bleak. Why not laugh a little at an improv show? The improv theater I wrote about for my column is having a battle of the star signs show tonight followed by an open-to-all improv jam. I'll be performing on the Scorpio team even though I'm not a Scorpio (don't tell anyone). 

A song for your Friday: This just feels like the sound of my psyche right now. 

Best of the Northwest Fall Show, SECS Fest, and More Cheap & Easy Events Under $15 by EverOut Staff

Well Seattle, it's been a hard week and there are difficult days ahead. Take care of yourselves and each other this weekend. If you're looking for something to do to take your mind off things, we're recommending events from Best of the Northwest Fall Show to a Community Fruit Pressing at Republic of Cider and from Seattle Hmong New Year to SECS Fest 2024. For more ideas, check out our guide to the top events of the week.

Carson Ellis with Jon Mooallem
If Portland City Illustrator were a job, I'd want that role to go to Carson Ellis—something embedded in the Rose City-based artist's naturalistic, folk-inspired, muted, yet richly detailed aesthetic falls in perfect harmony with the Pacific Northwest landscape. Ellis' adult debut is an illustrated memoir filled with paintings depicting memories from a 20-something-year-old journal. One Week in January digs into Ellis' first experiences living in a Portland warehouse in the early 2000s, during which time she met future hubby Colin Meloy (who, as I'm guessing you know, fronts the Decemberists and penned Wildwood). LINDSAY COSTELLO
(Elliott Bay Book Company, Capitol Hill, free)

Hong Kong Cuisine, Jamaican Curry Pizza, and Khao Soi by EverOut Staff Could you use a little extra comfort this weekend? Same. Allow us to suggest cozying up with some dumplings from Cheers! Hong Kong, a Jamaican-inspired pie from Pizza by Ruffin, or a steaming bowl of khao soi from Spoonfull Thai Kitchen & Bar. Plus, learn where to find apple cobbler doughnuts and chorizo biscuits and gravy. For more ideas, check out our guide to nachos in Seattle and our food and drink guide.

NEW OPENINGS & RETURNS

Cheers! Hong Kong
Restaurateur Sen Mao, who owns the Seattle and Kirkland locations of Dumpling the Noodle and formerly owned the now-closed hot pot joint Fun DJ, plans to take over the former Lionhead space this week with this Hong Kong-inspired bar and restaurant serving cocktails, bubble tea, beer, dumplings, and noodles. In addition to dishes like pork char siu with egg sauce and curry pork chops, they also appear to have several vegan options, including crispy vegan wontons and mapo tofu made with Impossible meat substitute.
Capitol Hill

The Stranger's only news round-up. by Nathalie Graham

International District stabbings: On Friday, someone stabbed five people in what appears to be a random, unprovoked attack in Seattle's Chinatown International District. The same person is believed to be responsible for other stabbings in the neighborhood that occurred between Thursday and Friday. In total, police believe the suspect stabbed nine victims in two days. Police arrested the suspect on Friday. His bail was set for $2 million.

Back at it: Around 300 people gathered over the weekend at the Space Needle for a rally against Donald Trump's re-election. It feels like we were protesting Donald Trump's presidency just yesterday. Time is a flat circle when your country keeps electing a fascist.  

Hundreds of immigrants, students, activists and union workers are protesting in Seattle against U.S. imperialism, violent policies against migrants, police violence and structural economic violence and exploitation by the capitalist class. pic.twitter.com/dZ9JFFPAii

— Guy Oron (@GuyOron) November 9, 2024

Wet, wet, wet: The rain is here. I hope you like it. 

????️ Showers are here to stay, with wet conditions on track through the week. #WAwx pic.twitter.com/0yM2lMdZH7

— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) November 11, 2024

Income tax when? According to 2023 census data, the median wages for tech workers in the Seattle area last year was about $157,200. That's a $14,000 increase from 2022's tech-worker wage estimate, according to the Seattle Times' FYI Guy. Meanwhile, the median income for non-tech workers in Seattle was about $81,100 and only bumped up a measly $2,800 since 2022. 

Vaccinate your kids: Stop being stupid and get your kids their shots. Whooping cough is on the rise with nearly 1,200 cases documented statewide. Of those cases, over 80% are in children. "This is just the tip of the iceberg. We’re starting to see the impact of waning immunization," Dr. James Lewis, a health officer with the Snohomish County Health Department, told KIRO7. 

Help SIFF staff out: Go see a secret staff pick on Wednesday and throw a few bucks in the kitty to help support SIFF workers who are out of a job now that the Egyptian Theater out of commission. 

A pipe burst at The Egyptian and SIFF staff need our community’s support!

Join us on November 13th at 7pm for a free screening of a VERY secret and VERY good movie. Tickets are free, but please donate to the fundraiser linked on our web page! https://t.co/AjQjZHaWJf pic.twitter.com/GLANjC3Hrs

— Northwest Film Forum (@nwfilmforum) November 9, 2024

Analysis suggests Gaza dead are mostly women and children: New analysis from the United Nations Human Rights Office found that 70% of those killed by Israel in Gaza were women and children. The UN verified the details of 8,119 people killed in Gaza from November 2023 to April 2024. Of them, 26 percent were women. Around 44 percent were children, most commonly between five and nine years old. The report said the data indicates "an apparent indifference to the death of civilians and the impact of the means and methods of warfare." 

Wildfire to the East: Dry, windy conditions are to blame for a brush fire in New Jersey that now covers 39 acres. The blaze is currently 30% contained. Meanwhile, at least six more fires are burning in the state. And at the same time, two acres burned in the middle of Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, killing a teenage park ranger. Wildfires have increased in east coast states thanks to historic droughts. Boston to New York City and Philadelphia to Washington, D.C are under red flag warnings. The bad news is everything is going to get worse thanks to who we elected president. 

Meanwhile: A California blaze tearing through Ventura County is 31% contained and still covers 32 square miles.

Trump chooses UN ambassador: New York Rep. Elise Stefanik has been chosen to fill the role. Stefanik, who serves as House Republican Conference Chair, is a Trump loyalist with little foreign policy experience. Trump called her a “strong, tough, and smart America First fighter.” 

Bird flu in Canada: The first presumptive case of bird flu in a human has been identified in British Columbia. The infected person is a teenager who likely contracted the illness from contact with animals. So far, the virus hasn't spread from human to human. 

Another abortion horror story: A woman in Georgia was 18 weeks pregnant with her second child when she miscarried. Despite her bleeding and her risk of serious infection, doctors could not perform a routine dilation and curettage due to abortion laws. They had to wait 24 hours or until the woman seemed like she might die unless she received the surgery. Sure enough, they waited until her hemoglobin levels were perilously low and then operated. While she survived, the pain and fear she went through was not medically necessary. Her pain was legislated.

Wicked whoopsie: Mattel released special dolls for the new Wicked movie. On the bottom of the packaging, Mattel listed "Wicked.com" to drive people to the movie site. Only Wicked.com is a porn site that makes parody porn movies. Mattel said sorry. 

A song for your Monday: You like to groove, right?

The Blood Brothers, Justine Doiron, and More by EverOut Staff

Stay busy with some of the many top-notch events happening this week, from The Blood Brothers to Justine Doiron with Becky Selengut and from Shrek Week to opening weekend of WildLanterns. And check out our November events guide to see what the rest of the month has in store.

TRANSA Listening Party
Get a first listen to Red Hot Org's forthcoming compilation album TRAИƧA, a 46-track-long "spiritual journey" of trans storytelling featuring icons like Sam Smith, Teddy Geiger, Perfume Genius, Hunter Schafer, Beverly Glenn Copeland, and countless others. Red Hot Org writes: "As a right-wing movement continues to escalate a violent culture war against trans and gender-expansive people and our families, TRAИƧA carves out a global space for trans expression and healing." The nearly four-hour-long album will be played in full at the listening party and community gathering, with Transmasc Seattle tabling alongside other trans-centered local organizations. AUDREY VANN
(Vera Project, Uptown)

Salami Rose Joe Louis plays Madame Lou's on Monday, November 11. by Dave Segal

Recording for Flying Lotus's Brainfeeder label, Salami Rose Joe Louis (Lindsay Olsen) has blazed a distinctive trail in that fertile sector of California's underground where electronic music and jazz converge. On early releases by this multi-instrumentalist and producer—such as 2019's Zdenka 2080—Olsen sings in a hushed, dulcet manner over sparse, melodious electronic music that wears its jazz inflections gracefully. Faint echoes of '90s and '00s introspective, minimalist IDM (intelligent dance music, if you don't know) acts such as Múm insinuate themselves, too. It's ultimately dream pop, but not in the cloying way manifested by the genre's try-hards.

With 2023's Akousmatikous and this year's collab with Flanafi, Sarah, SRJL's rhythms get jazzier and the instrumentation fuller, with help from Soccer96 and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, among others. The songs are more kinetic while the vocals retain their breathy, Julee Cruise-like sweetness. The music's levitational feel and smooth propulsion belie lyrics about catastrophic ecological degradation and the dangers of propaganda/disinformation. Enchanting listeners through understatement and mutedly sparkling tones, Olsen offers the most pleasant dystopian sci-fi soundtracks extant. For this show at Madame Lou's tonight, she'll be joined by guitarist Flanafi, bassist Tone Whitfield, and drummer Luke Titus—most of whom played on the exceptional new Salami Live at 2131 North Kacey Street EP.

<a href="https://salamirosejoelouismusic.bandcamp.com/album/salami-live-at-2131-north-kacey-street">Salami Live at 2131 North Kacey Street by Salami Rose Joe Louis featuring Flanafi, Tone Whitfield, Nazir Ebo</a>

Salami Rose Joe Louis plays Madame Lou's Monday, Nov 11, 7:30 pm, $21, 21+.

The Stranger's morning news round-up. by Ashley Nerbovig

Goooooood morning: The National Weather Service predicts a 50% chance of rain today, with a breezy evening ahead. Meteorologists expect wind speeds to possibly top 29 miles per hour, so batten down your rotting porch pumpkins people!

Time to talk dollars: Want to tell the City Council how to spend your tax dollars? Go to public comment tonight at 5 pm at City Hall. Or you can participate remotely. You can go to tell them to support a capital gains tax, or oppose cuts to tenant services. Or tell the Council to respect the Jumpstart spend plan and actually use the payroll tax to pay for affordable housing, as it was intended. Check back on the blog for more coverage of the budget from Hannah. 

ICYMI: With the blowout loss for former Council Member Tanya Woo, Hannah tells City Council Member Sara Nelson to count her days. Local politicos plan to mount a serious challenge to the conservative Council President Nelson next year in the hopes of ousting her and her pro-cop, pro-business agenda out of office.

Rob Saka Seeks Street Car phase-out: Saka proposed phasing out the South Lake Union streetcar and redirecting the funding to bus service in the City. The budget for the street car is about $4.4 million, which isn't a whole lot of money when you consider Saka wants $2 million to remove the Delridge median so he can take a left turn.

Last week, the Office of Police Accountability (OPA) completed its investigation into Seattle Police Department (SPD) Officer Kevin Dave, who hit and killed 23-year-old Jaahnavi Kandula as she crossed through a crosswalk in January 2023. The OPA found Dave violated the department's driving policies as well as its policies requiring officers to follow the law. The City must hold a Loudermill hearing for Dave, which allows him to tell his side of the story before deciding on his discipline, so it may be a couple months before we know the final outcome. In the meantime, Dave continues to fight the traffic ticket Republican City Attorney Ann Davison issued him for his killing of Kandula. Seattle Municipal Court shows Dave's next hearing is scheduled for 8:30 am on December 18 in courtroom 301. 

BREAKING: OPA concluded its investigation into SPD Officer Kevin Dave on Friday and sustained policy violations for breaking the law and vehicle operation. Next step will be deciding discipline for him.

— Ashley Nerbovig (@AshleyNerbovig) November 11, 2024

What's your plan for this week anyway? Maybe you're checking out Christmas Dive Bar? Or maybe it's too soon? Maybe you're trying to enjoy something with more Thanksgiving vibes? Well, as always, our sister publication EverOut has you covered with the top 41 things to do this week in Seattle.

Republicans likely to control the US House: As it stands, Republicans have won 214 seats in the House, with Democrats at 205, and 16 races yet to be called. To control the House, Republicans need only to pick up another four seats, which they seem highly likely to do. Congress returned to Washington this week, ready to start setting Trump's right-wing agenda into motion.

Trump plans to pick Senator Marco Rubio for Secretary of State: The worst people in American continue to jockey for a position in Trump's new administration, with Florida Republican Rubio possibly securing the role of America's top diplomat, according to Politico. We're sure to hear more names in the coming days, including people such as Tiffany Justice, co-founder of Moms for Liberty, who Trump may consider for Secretary of Education. The nightmare continues. 

Israel kills 14 in Gaza: Two Israeli strikes killed 14 people in an area Israel had mostly declared to be a humanitarian zone. The deaths included at least two children, according to the Associated Press. 

Migos’ “Bad And Boujee” (Feat. Lil Uzi Vert): Been a minute since I checked out Tom Breihan's the Number Ones column, and I'm glad I plumbed it for a song today because I normally wouldn't think about Migos around holiday season, but that's when "Bad and Boujee" climbed to the number one spot on the charts, so I suppose that makes it a holiday classic.

Freakout Festival was back in full force this weekend, featuring over 100 bands at seven venues. For their twelfth go around, the traditionally Ballard-only festival invited the good folks of Fremont along for the ride. While we sincerely wish we could have attended every set, that was literally impossible. But we still managed to groove with some wildly far-out bands—and lucky for you, we’re here to freak and tell. Here’s some of our favorites from the weekend. by Brittne Lunniss

Freakout Festival was back in full force this weekend, featuring over 100 bands at seven venues. For their twelfth go around, the traditionally Ballard-only festival invited the good folks of Fremont along for the ride. From November 7–10, Tractor Tavern, the Sunset, Conor Byrne, Ballard Smoke Shop, Salmon Bay Eagles Club, Nectar Lounge, and High Dive hosted international, national, and local performers. The predominantly psych-rock festival welcomed heavy-hitting touring acts like the Black Angels, Flamin’ Groovies, and Black Lips—as well as hometown heroes Biblioteka, TeZATalks, Shabazz Palaces, and Acid Tongue, just to name a few. The Mad Alchemy Light Show (an analog liquid light show produced by Lance Gordon) worked their magic to provide trip-worthy psychedelic visuals, and you were never too far from a mosh pit. If this sounds like a place where you do mushrooms in faux fur and crowdsurf through a lava lamp… it absolutely is. 

While we sincerely wish we could have attended every set, that was literally impossible. (Trust me, I tried and was very offended by the rules of science.) But we still managed to groove with some wildly far-out bands—and lucky for you, we’re here to freak and tell. Here are some of our favorites from the weekend.

Seaside Tryst / Thursday / Ballard Smoke Shop

Seaside Tryst (which is what the band describes as a gayer way of saying “sex on the beach”) commanded Ballard Smokeshop’s stage Thursday night. Hailing from Olympia, the new wave-indie-twang-goth conglomerate earned their festival spot after winning the Freakout Weekender battle of the bands earlier this year. Best described as the lovechild of Orville Peck and Future Islands’s Samuel T. Herring, frontperson Avery Kanode is the moody queer cowboy of our dreams. Sauntering across stage while clutching his pearls, Kanode flirted with band members and doe-eyed the audience during crowd favorite “Ghoulfriend,” a song about gender-neutral love in the afterlife. Synth player Frankie Champagne periodically left their keys station to dance in front of the audience, Ryan Pangilinan (donning a yellow “No One Is Treading on You, Big Guy” tank) held it down on bass and backing vocals, and Jesse Peoples on drums. The foursome will be playing Ballard again on December 1 at Sunset Tavern–which, for one night, is about to become Seattle’s twangiest, twinkiest new-wave goth club. 

Valgur / Thursday / Salmon Bay (Lower Level)

Post-punk Oaxacan sibling-duo Valgur was a fever dream I didn’t want to wake up from. Their lyrics are in Spanish, but Valgur communicated a story that didn’t require translation. In what appeared to be a tale of youth, the siblings entered the stage joyfully, interacting playfully with one another. After a mid-set game of pat-a-cake, their youthful naivety began to wane—facial expressions and body language becoming heavy, sad. Elizabeth held a teddy bear and gazed dolefully at the floor prior to taking out a cell phone during their song “Vanidad.” The song begins with an unsettling synth and swells into a videogame-worthy electronic beat. A driving bass rhythm makes you feel rushed, like someone running past you on an airport walkway. Elizabeth turned away from the audience, holding her phone high enough for those in front to see the screen. She began frantically scrolling through Instagram and playing videos of herself. Valgur later explained the song was about hyper-fixating on the internet and caring too deeply about how others perceive you there. Just like their set, Valgur’s latest album, ARMEGGEDON, is a synth-pop commentary on religion, violence, and the downfalls of modernity. 

Carrion Kids / Friday / Sunset Tavern

Mexico City’s punk rock hellions Carrion Kids coated Sunset Tavern in blood, sweat, and beers Friday night. The band has become a staple of Freakout Fest, and for good reason. For several Freakouts now, attendees have flocked to Carrion Kids sets for moshing, crowd surfing, and, if you’re lucky, screaming into front-person Micki Navajas’s mic. Decked in red lipstick, blue eyeshadow, and facepaint, he wore a wrestling onesie with a bolo tie hung loosely around his neck. Known for his on-stage shock value, he frequently enters the crowd, contorting his body on the ground and even vomiting on himself. With raging guitar, aggressive foundation, and an avant-garde cast of characters, Carrion Kids is best described as a sensory experience. The group, who says they’re heavily inspired by Devo, is currently on their “Shit Storm West Coast Tour” with Mexico’s wildly eccentric Silverio.

Hate Knife / Friday / Salmon Bay (Lower Level)

Seattle trash-punk gremlins Hate Knife ripped through Salmon Bay Low on Friday night. The band is loud, raunchy, and funny. With songs like “I Miss Sex” and “Knuk Tats,” Hate Knife consists of the best kind of punks—ones that never take themselves too seriously. Reminiscent of groups like Static Vision, Hot Tubs Time Machine, and Gustaf, Hate Knife is like that point in a college party where the police arrive and everyone runs out the backdoor. Inappropriate and frenzied, Hate Knife is a newer Seattle band that continues to blaze their own path. The group earned their way to Freakout Fest as was one of the Freakout Weekender battle of the bands participants. You can look forward to new music on other random yet heavily relatable topics in the new year. Catch them on December 7 at Lucky Dime if you, too, enjoy sex and knuck tats. 

TeZATalks / Saturday / Salmon Bay (Upper Level)

Hardcore popstar TeZATalks ate the entirety of Salmon Bay Saturday night. Leaving zero crumbs, TeZA performed music from her newly released album, Black Girl American Horror Story. A blend of alternative, rap, and electronic, TeZA (Tasia Thomas) has become a pioneer of the Seattle nu-wave scene. In fishnet tights and a singular yellow contact lens, TeZA performed creepy-catchy hits like “ELVIRA,” in which she sings, “I’m the monster underneath your bed / I’m the reason why your parents told you to be scared.” The genre-bending Seattleite, similar to Tokyo Project and Boon, took a moment mid-set to exclaim, “Change the state of this country or we’re all gonna fucking die,” before a mosh pit broke out during her rowdy anthem “BREAKSHIT.” A Sonic Guild grant recipient, the politically charged TeZA uses her music to incite rage, protest, and a sense of community. One thing is for certain: don’t sleep on TeZA Talks—she may just crawl out from under your mattress and bite you.

The Black Angels / Saturday / Salmon Bay (Upper Level)

Under a sea of liquid light, Austin’s the Black Angels headlined Salmon Bay High on Saturday night. The psych-rock legends, influenced by the likes of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, played a 21-song set, featuring hits across their discography. Fan favorites like “Entrance Song” and “Young Men Dead” sent crowd members into a hypnotic, head-banging sway. With trance-inducing tempos and fuzzy reverb, It’s easy to lose yourself in the retro groove of The Angels. While their musicality alone is worth the listen, it’s the Black Angels’s lyrics that speak rock ‘n’ roll. Focusing on themes of environmental destruction, social action, and political divide, the Black Angels felt extra relevant this Freakout season, with lyrics like, “Empires falling, it’s history on repeat. Our nations pleading from street to bloody street.” The Black Angels provide a mighty reminder of the political, cultural, and social impact of music. Fueled by resistance and counterculture, the Black Angels transported us to the heartbeat of psych rock.

With one of their largest lineups yet, it’s clear that Freakout Fest isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. More than ever, this year showcased the impact of alternative music movements. Bands used their place on stage to draw attention to the current fuckery of global destruction derived from broken political systems. Festival-goers often turned to each other during sets, nodding their heads in agreement at lyrics that may have previously drifted out the door. The weekend served as a stunning reminder of the social impact (and responsibility) of music to speak to the masses. Long live Freakout, and long live rock ‘n’ roll.

Tuesday’s catastrophic results at the federal level mask a different, more durable, and deeply consequential result here in Seattle: Voters chose a public safety candidate from the left. by Kamau Chege

Tuesday’s catastrophic results at the federal level mask a different, more durable, and deeply consequential result here in Seattle: Voters chose a public safety candidate from the left.

For close observers, the result was no surprise: Alexis Mercedes Rinck, running on a strong message of smart, sensible, and progressive public safety and stability, won her primary handily, led in the polls in the lead up to the general election, and easily defeated an incumbent councilmember citywide with more votes than any city council candidate has ever won in a Seattle election.

The critical takeaway is how she won. Rinck, unlike other candidates from Seattle’s left wing in recent years, conceded to the obvious but difficult-to-navigate reality that Seattle voters view public safety as the single most important issue in local elections and, importantly, that those views actually reflect a material reality that bears serious public attention and public work. Missing from the campaign were efforts to browbeat voters for being concerned about public drug use, visible homelessness, and a pervasive sense of disorder in our streets. 

Unlike her opponent, however, Rinck’s policy proposals to tackle voters’ biggest concerns are evidence-based. She supports deep investments in affordable housing — and is willing to raise revenue to pay for it. She’ll work to expand mental health treatment opportunities for those who need it. She’ll fully fund critical municipal services that connect people to resources before they fall into crisis. And she’ll work to build more housing everywhere.

Woo’s campaign, meanwhile, felt rudderless and contradictory to itself. She was at once painting herself as an outsider seeking change, but also as an incumbent who got progressive results. But in facing a charismatic, competent opponent who conceded that Woo’s main issue was central but ran on doing something about it that might actually work, Woo’s campaign collapsed. 

At the beginning of the year, a campaign based on public safety seemed like fertile ground for Woo and her colleagues on the city council who won their elections hammering the same themes against a left that failed to counter pandemic-era attacks about defunding the police.

Rinck’s progressive campaign neutralized those attacks by recognizing a fundamental liberal principle: that when public spaces become private domains — whether through encampments or open air drug markets — they deny public amenities to the many while inadequately serving the few who are unhoused or in crisis. The solution most people want, as Tuesday’s results suggest, lies not in costly incarceration or aimless sweeps but in moving people from crisis to care.

The public’s fixation on safety and stability in this election should not surprise us. Fears about safety flourish in populist moments, in cities divided between haves and have-nots, and in places grappling with widening inequality. As zoning laws continue to strangle our ability to build, crisis care programs are starved for funding, and democratic institutions strain under populist pressure, voters gravitate to a basic need for physical and psychological security.

Rinck’s campaign offers us a model and a playbook for organizing with hope and meeting people where they are — even if that is initially a place of fear and contradiction. Her campaign, and those we hope will follow it in winning back the City Council for progressives, offers abundance in the face of scarcity and hope in the face of despair.

We’re facing bleak times as a country. Perhaps it’s precisely because things are so bad right now that we can't give in to despair, whose pernicious power is its ability to narrow our attention to narratives that only encourage more despair. Its impact results in our inaction. 

As implausible as it seems, this moment demands hope, and specifically, hope as action. We must remind ourselves and each other of our own agency, and our ability to imagine a better future, a better system. Despair calls on us to retreat. Hope asks: what if we win? Then demands we go out and make it happen. On Tuesday, Rinck did just that.

Kamau Chege is a democracy reform advocate. Rian Watt is an economic justice advocate.

I kept waiting for Kamala to say what we're not going back to is Trump. We've paid our dues. He's had enough of our attention.

Government should do its work quietly, making things better for the people and that's all, and until there's a crisis that demands our attention, stays out of the way.

Cory Doctorow: "I will never again devote my energies to building up an audience on a platform whose management can sever my relationship to that audience at will." It's a good practice, and while I completely support it, I am part of several communities that could remove me without recourse. I do it because I value the people in the community, and feel that life is too short to wait for everyone to get it right.

Doctorow was writing about Bluesky, and once again, on Bluesky a discussion starts on what it would take for Bluesky to attract developers, and each time I am told that they have done enough, and I go away thinking that their pitch is a scam, and they're building value in a user base that they will sell. They certainly could do it, and for all we know the founders may have already sold some of their stock in the latest investment round which valued the company at $x billion. (I did a search to find the evaluation but it appears to have not been announced.)

I gave them a roadmap, again, of how to demonstrate that they're open, and finally concluded that the only way to really do it is to "provide a download that you can install on any popular operating system to get an instant blue sky network, running on its own without any help from anyone else. Then you can claim to be really open and until then there will be a lot of confusion." (And I was generous at that. More accurately, people with experience in tech will be certain this is yet another deal where the founders get rich, where the users are the product and have read too much into their promise of being open.)

I'm still on Bluesky but I expect them to be another Twitter, which btw had an open API too, and it's pretty good, but they never offered the option of people running their own twitters. That would have been good protection against a Musk buying them out and turning us into pawns in his plan for world domination. Do we really want to help someone else build one of those?

In early 2017 I observed that Twitter had just been used to route around journalism and elect a president. This value wasn't on their balance sheet as an asset. I felt its stock was vastly underpriced. Exactly as it turned out when Musk bought it. Everyone still thinks he paid too much, at this moment it could possibly gain him control of part of the US government's $6 trillion per year budget early next year, and if they start selling the assets of the government he could be in the best position to buy them at pennies on the dollar, or take a percentage of each saleAt this point it doesn’t matter what the NYT says. Either way they jumped the shark for the last time in this election.. He could probably start borrowing against it the day after the election is called for Trump.

In the title I ask if a Musk could buy Bluesky, it's possible they have a way to prevent that in the design of their corporation, that's why it's a question. But if the price were right maybe the founders would sell out even if they didn't have to.

I've actually written a lot, but haven't wanted to publish most of it. So many reasons why the Dems lost. Maybe I should just list them.

1. Biden shouldn't have run again. There would have been a primary. Given the result of the election this week, we should have found out what support each candidate had with voters. We didn't get to choose the candidate. That said Harris ran a fantastic campaign.
2. Biden should not have shut down his campaign website. Rather than using it to raise money to feed to the media industry, they should have organized and listened, to develop new channels of communication with voters that were not dependent on journalism. Every time the Dems run a campaign, win or lose, they shut down their connection to the electorate. The voters' only role in the party was when they needed our money and our vote. We were not part of governing. Huge mistake. And I'm not just saying that now, I've said that about every Democratic campaign since Obama. This is probably the biggest single mistake the Dems keep making.
3. We needed a prosecutor at the top of Justice. I don't know what Garland actually did, but I'm sure it will all be swept out by whoever is Trump's AG.
4. Men's votes need to be sought and welcomed, specifically. So much has been done to alienate male voters, which is why so many voted for Trump. We could have had a bunch of them this year, if we had only spoken to them with respect.

I don't know if we can reboot the Democrats as an opposition party given all these problems. Whatever comes next is going to perform very differently from the party that lost this election. If we try to do it again the same old way, it will fail even worse. I think everyone knows this by now.