Friday, February 3

Dan Savage reported that the Danish cartoonists at the center of the shit storm were in hiding, and we received our first request to run the illustrations the world is still talking about. Also, GasGirl and Josh Feit turned the comments thread for last week’s This Week on Slog into a surreal boxing ring. The match ended when Josh invited GasGirl to join him and his friends at their weekly politics-and-margaritas night. (She never showed.)

Saturday, February 4

A dull day on Slog—we must have been busy watching the wild weather or vacuuming—was enlivened by a photo of an all-Danish Super Bowl snack spread.

Sunday, February 5

If you didn’t read Dan’s marathon Super Bowl coverage (start here, then scroll up for “part two” and “final thoughts”), you should. (I now wish I would have taken him up on his game-day invite instead of hiding out at the spa.) The comments are funny, too.

Monday, February 6

In the Super Bowl aftermath, a hung-over Bradley Steinbacher went to the Seahawks’ welcome-home rally. Meanwhile, Erica C. Barnett reported from City Hall, the site of Sally Clark’s swearing in and the building’s first public lesbian kiss. She also carefuly described the Capitol Hill Value Village’s amazing Black History Month window display. And Charles Mudede sparked a discussion on fat athletes.

Tuesday, February 7

David Schmader slogged about the dried, pulverized beetles that give their lives to provide the berry color in at least two popular brands of yogurt. The earnest Catholic activists of C’YA first came to our attention on Tuesday via a press release, and later we saw photos from their rag-tag protest at Westlake. And, as the Danish cartoon meme continued to snowball, we discovered Seattle’s first public display of one of the controversial cartoons—on a poster affixed to a light pole outside our offices. In what must be a record for Slog, 93 comments appeared in response. Right now, Wassup has the last word—

This issue is not about free speech! It is an attempt to inflame the Muslim world! Remember when Sinead O’Connor tore up a photo of the Pope on Saturday Night Live? No embassies were torched, but many Catholics were extremely offended, and Sinead’s career tanked. Let’s see those papers that published these cartoons publish similar one’s making fun of Jesus, the Pope, Etc. When and if that happens, THEN it will be an issue of Free Speech, since OUR heroes will then have been trashed!

—but likely not for long.
Three hours later, Dan posted The Stranger’s March 31 cover cartoon and noted that “no one questioned our right to put this cartoon on the cover of our paper.” And the debate raged on.

Wednesday, February 8

Eli Sanders posted his response to the Danish cartoon controversy. And we got an incredible letter from a self-proclaimed horse fucker. Readers asked practical questions, and another horse fucker (or maybe the same one?) offered answers in the comments thread.

Thursday, February 9

David Schmader recapped the Grammys for all of us who watched Project Runway instead; the cartoon controversy continued to hiss, simmer, and boil; and Annie Wagner penned the best Slog header of the week.

Friday, February 10

Christopher Frizzelle found a typo in the New Yorker, David Schmader and Kelly O teamed up to produce another look at that Value Village window (with pictures, this time), and Larry Mizell Jr. marked the passing of hiphop producer James Yancey.