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Friday, July 30, 2010

Snoutbreak / Life / Drunk My Favorite Legacy of the Snoutbreak

Posted by Jonathan Golob on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 9:25 PM

is this photo:

It has haunted my days (and occasional long nights) for over a year now. I love it.

Goodbye, Harborview. For now, I hope.

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Life / At Large Overheard at the Construction Site Earlier Today

Posted by Brendan Kiley on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 6:10 PM

"Does this thing make me look gay?"

"No, but that question makes you sound stupid."

Unfortunately, I didn't see the "thing" in question, since the conversation came from a second-floor window of a half-finished house.

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The Weather Seattle Forecast: Cloudy Weekend, Sunny Week

Posted by Bethany Jean Clement on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 5:02 PM

Screen_shot_2010-07-30_at_4.57.50_PM.png

weather.com

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Politics Primary Forecast: High Interest, Low Percentage

Posted by Eli Sanders on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 4:47 PM

Secretary of State Sam Reed is out with his prediction for how many voters will participate in this year's Aug. 17 primary, based on turnout in similar years gone by and the vagaries of this particular election.

In sum: Reed predicts relatively high turnout for an even-year, non-presidential-election primary, but thinks the percentage of eligible voters who will cast ballots is likely to stay below 40 percent. Says Reed:

We are seeing a surge of interest in politics and campaigns at both the national and state level, with people again talking about a 'change' election. We have a great U.S. Senate race, some unusually heated legislative contests all around the state, an open 3rd Congressional District, some Supreme Court races that could be [correction: will be] essentially decided in the primary, and much more.

While a minority of our voters will be deciding our November finalists—and I really secretly hope that we’ll get into the 40s—I’ll predict a reasonably strong 38 percent and just hope it’s even better.

What's that in real numbers? Washington has 3.6 million registered voters (out of a total statewide population of about 6.7 million people). If 38 percent of those registered voters return their ballots, that's 1.4 million primary votes.

UPDATE: In King County, elections officials are predicting a higher turnout than is expected statewide. Elections spokesperson Kim van Ekstrom said her office believes 45 percent of King County's registered voters will return their primary ballots.

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Sex / The Ladies In Which I Come to Schmacky's Rescue

Posted by Paul Constant on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 4:46 PM

While I do not feel Schmacky's heterosexual panic at Schmader "gaying up the Slog" (and isn't "gaying up the Slog" like "wetting up the ocean?"), this seems like as good a time as any to link to The Things That Excite Me (link is NSFW in a Playboy kind of way, not a porny kind of way), a hot, hot Tumblr about hot, hot ladies. When I started my Tumblr, I started following TTTEM, and it is one of the reasons that I will not ever give up on Tumblr for Posterous.

Maybe Schmacky and Schmacky-minded individuals should bookmark TTTEM for those days when Slog gets all up in your business with the sexy mens.

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Sports Damn It, Right When I Shave My Head to Try to Look More Like Freddie Ljungberg...

Posted by Christopher Frizzelle on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 4:44 PM

...he goes and gets traded to the Chicago Fire.

(Kidding, kidding. As everyone knows, I did not shave my head to look more like Freddie Ljungberg. I shaved my head to look more like Wesley Sneijder.)

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Politics / Sex The Sexual Harassment Charges Against Al Gore Have Been Dropped

Posted by Paul Constant on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 4:36 PM

Slog tipper Gabriel directs us to the Huffington Post, which quotes from KOIN:

The complaining witness, Molly Hagerty, stated that she was sexually abused during a massage session at the Hotel Lucia when Gore was in Portland.

Hagerty failed a polygraph test during the course of the investigation, and there was no DNA evidence on the pants she claimed she wore during the alleged incident, according to investigators.

The mind positively boggles with Inconvenient Truth-related headlines, but I decided to go more straightforward on this one.

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??!! flickr Photo of the Day

Posted by Aaron Huffman on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 4:24 PM

Posted to The Stranger's Flickr pool by goofbutton.com.

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Housekeeping For Schmacky

Posted by David Schmader on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 3:56 PM

...the commenter who was griping about all the hot athletes and politicians named Weiner "gaying up the Slog":

Betty Garble! From the war! You're welcome.

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Sports / Breaking News Previously Objectified Seahawk Completely Forgotten Upon Discovery of Even Dreamier Seahawk

Posted by David Schmader on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 3:45 PM

Move over, Nick Reed—there's a new sizzling Seahawk distracting me from my dream of writing at least part of Last Days before the weekend for once, for fuck's sake: Max Unger, who I will refrain from labeling a bear because he's already a Seahawk and how many creatures can one guy be?

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Politics Rep. Anthony Weiner Will Not Yield!

Posted by Eli Sanders on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 3:31 PM

In continuing observance of people-losing-their-minds day here on Slog, please enjoy Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) flipping out on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives over Republicans blocking a bill that would help 9/11 rescuers who worked at Ground Zero and are now sick.

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Oil BP Hires Porky Pig

Posted by Charles Mudede on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 3:09 PM

This is how we do it!

Incoming BP chief executive Bob Dudley has said it is time to scale back some parts of the oil spill clean-up in the Gulf of Mexico.

If only our generals had BP's dedication to an exit strategy.

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Theater Local, Local, Local

Posted by Brendan Kiley on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 3:08 PM

It's not just a Seattle issue. (Nor just an Intiman issue, though you'd be forgiven for thinking so based on these links. It's just that since David Esbjornson left the Rep, Intiman is the only place to hire an out-of-towner to lead it. Which tells you something—either that localism is taking over or that locals are cheaper to hire. Or both.)

From the Chicago Trib:

There's no question that cities can and should look to their creative leaders to help shape and confirm their identities. On the one hand, a big out-of-town hire (such as the impending arrival of Riccardo Muti at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra) can increase a city's clout and visibility. That Muti would turn down the New York Philharmonic and pick the Chicago Symphony instead was a shot in the arm to those sick of the cultural hegemony practiced on the East Coast. Such injections of high-profile talent have proven economic benefits to the lucky party.

But once the ink on the contract is dry, those leaders are expected to care about their new town, rather than merely concentrate on their international careers.

For what is a local, anyway? How many years do you need to qualify? There are people in New York or, say, Cleveland, who are more simpatico (or potentially simpatico) with the essence of culture in Chicago than some of the people who already live here. They have to be sought out. And recruited hard.

At the same time, an existing Chicago address should be no barrier, as so often is the case. Prestige doesn't apply just to out-of-towners. High-profile gypsies are dangerous. It's not necessarily good to want the same people as everyone else; overextended artists usually create mediocre art.

It's heartening to see this debate stretching out across the country, but I'm getting a little sick of it. (Though maybe my boredom is a sign that more than 10 people are starting to care.)

Local is good for cultivating cultural cohesion (which, by developing an artistic shorthand, promotes an aesthetic efficiency that keeps work moving and delving); parochialism is bad because it's stultifying. Balance in all things. Duh.

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Media / War Have You Seen the Cover of Time Magazine?

Posted by Christopher Frizzelle on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 3:02 PM

I can't remember a recent time Time used their cover this way—to enter an ongoing debate (our involvement in Afghanistan) in such a forceful way (an image that totally and instantly recalibrates your attitude toward something). A glance at a couple recent covers confirms this: The images Time usually runs on its cover are bland, descriptive, and palatable to the point of being slightly cute; they aren't moving any real conversation forward; they aren't surprising. People come across Time magazine everywhere—when they're wasting time at an airport, when they're in line at the grocery store with their kids—which is why an arresting Time cover, like this one, is powerful.

Stupidly, Time hasn't made the whole article available online (as Sullivan notes), and the abridged version of the article (which you should read) begins and ends with Time encouraging you to read Time on your iPad. That's a little silly this week, considering, again, the power of seeing this printed image when you're not expecting it. An image on a screen has nothing on an image you encounter out in the world, an image you didn't ask to see and now suddenly can't get out of your head.

Time's managing editor wrote about his decision to run this image on the cover. He deserves credit for thinking it through and making the decision he did, which in a sense presents the counter-argument to the subtext of the Rolling Stone article on McChrystal, which basically painted the war in Afghanistan as futile and possibly worthless. As for what's happened to this woman in particular:

The Taliban pounded on the door just before midnight, demanding that Aisha, 18, be punished for running away from her husband's house. Her in-laws treated her like a slave, Aisha pleaded. They beat her. If she hadn't run away, she would have died. Her judge, a local Taliban commander, was unmoved. Aisha's brother-in-law held her down while her husband pulled out a knife. First he sliced off her ears. Then he started on her nose.

This didn't happen 10 years ago, when the Taliban ruled Afghanistan. It happened last year. Now hidden in a secret women's shelter in Kabul, Aisha listens obsessively to the news. Talk that the Afghan government is considering some kind of political accommodation with the Taliban frightens her. "They are the people that did this to me," she says, touching her damaged face...

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Politics / Homo Proof of Progress

Posted by David Schmader on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 2:11 PM

This Associated Press story:

A Democratic congressional candidate has told police he was assaulted near downtown Spokane after making sexual advances to another man. David R. Fox, who moved to Spokane from Port Angeles recently to run against Republican U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, told police he wasn’t injured in Sunday's altercation. But he is pressing charges against the man.

Before whatever phase of history we're in, this candidate would've never drawn attention to a crime connected to his sexual interest in another man. In 2010, he's pressing charges, because—duh—making a sexual overture is not a get-out-of-assaulting-me free card.

Full story here.

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Animals What It Feels Like to Be Attacked By a Bear

Posted by Paul Constant on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 2:03 PM

In yesterday's Morning News, I wrote about a woman who survived a bear attack. Today, Today ran an interview with the survivor. It's really harrowing and if you've ever spent any amount of time wondering about bear attacks, you should watch this interview:

(Via The Awl.)

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Sports Hot Bear at Seahawks Camp

Posted by David Schmader on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 2:01 PM

I have no idea who he is, but he's featured on the SeattlePI.com's homepage banner about "who to watch at Seahawks camp" (which leads to an unhelpful slideshow).

Anyway, nice work, parents of whoever this is.

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Questionland / TV This Week's Answer of the Week: Family Guy Edition

Posted by Megan Seling on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 1:19 PM

Earlier this week seattle firefly asked Questionland: "Did a bird ever live in Homer Simpson's beard?"

Jim C knew the answer almost right away: "Nope. That was The Family Guy." And he even had the photo evidence to prove it.

Now both Jim C and seattle firefly can watch The Family Guy while enjoying $25 worth of pizza from the Pagliacci Pizza location of their choice because Jim C's answer was chosen as this week's Answer of the Week! Anyone who can recall a specific frame of The Family Guy has earned some free food.

Have your own television-related questions? Ask the newly redesigned Questionland! There are all kinds of TV-loving know-it-alls hanging out over there.

And for all you farmer's market loving folks, there's still time to ask our experts questions you might have about eating local and getting involved in your neighborhood's market.

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City What You Missed at Last Night's Streets for All Seattle Party

Posted by Cienna Madrid on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 1:09 PM

The best part* about last night's Streets for All Seattle kickoff fundraiser at Nectar was the massive 40-bike capacity rack parked out front. It was packed. Other bikes were chained to trees and smaller racks down the block.

"The rack was provided by Cascade Bicycle Club," said Craig Benjamin, spokesman for Streets for All Seattle. "It filled up faster than expected. We should have brought more."

It shouldn't be striking to see so many bikes chained in one public place, but it is. Benjamin says that will change if Streets for All Seattle meets its goal of raising $30 million annually in new, dedicated revenue to make roads more accessible to bike, pedestrian, and transit use.

McGinn, talking and gesturing

Mayor Mike McGinn, who spoke at last night's event, agrees with the need for change—and making people see that this change is vital for Seattle's growth. "People have a certain vision of what the future should be," he said, like a good job, access to parks, a nice place to live. He said comprehensive transportation system is key to this vision, but most people don't think of it as an means to an end. For example, he said, "Maybe you shouldn't have to buy a car to get a job."

City Council President Richard Conlin also rallied for change. "These are tough budgetary times," he said, but "they're also times of opportunity. Time to think about when people don't have much money, walking, biking, and transit are the modes the have to use."

This might be stating the obvious, but then obvious hasn't gotten get much funding. Which is why "we have to put our money on the table now," says Benjamin.

Streets for All Seattle hasn't yet counted the money raised at last night's event. The next step is to meet with residents and stakeholders over the next couple months and talk about future funding options for these projects because, in the end, "We're just a group of people who think that walking, biking, and riding should be the most important ways to get around Seattle," says Benjamin.

*The worst part was when City Council Member Tim Burgess refused to do shots of Jagermeister with me. He said he was too old and it tasted like shit. I agreed. He still wouldn't do it. Also, Jeopardy was entirely too sober. City Council Member Sally Clark ended up winning ~~it all~~ a T-shirt.

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Film Science Fiction Movies Have a Woman Problem

Posted by Paul Constant on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 1:09 PM

John Scalzi applies the Bechdel Test to science fiction movies, and finds the results to be appalling.

(The Bechdel Test, if you haven't heard, is a bit of genius from cartoonist Alison Bechdel that should be as ubiquitous on the internet as Godwin's Law. When you're watching a movie, you should ask yourself:

1. Are there at least two women characters in the film?
2. Who talk to each other?
3. About something other than a man?

You can find a website listing Bechdel Test results over here. Sadly, you can apply this test to some novels and it fails, too.)

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Religion The Problem with Toddler Preachers Speaking in Tongues...

Posted by Wm.™ Steven Humphrey on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 1:05 PM

...is that you can't understand a goddamn word they say! Take this toddler preacher, for example, who took the mike from his pastor father to lecture the church on how Jesus Christ bled to death for their sins, but didn't make a lick of sense because, duh, he's a toddler. (Not that Christianity makes sense anyway... but you get my point.) Happily for all followers of THE WORD, someone has taken this video and put subtitles on it, so now we can all experience the holy wisdom this toddler is dishing out.

Waitasecond... who's gay? What's "stirring ice cream"? "Ostrich?" WHAT??