Nice tits—and funny too.

This evening at 7pm, I’ll be on David Goldstein’s show to talk about some of the stories in this week’s Stranger, including Jonah’s story on johns; Erica’s story on fixed-gear bikes; and my story on the nightclub license.

Goldy will want to bash dumb Republicans, so we’ll also talk about floundering King County Council Member, Jane Hague.

Music

Fremont Oktoberfest

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Local historian, activist, great guy extraordinaire, Walt Crowley has died.

Blatherwatch has written the perfect obituary.

People, this is a serious situation:

In a speech defending his administration’s Iraq policy, Mr Bush said former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein’s brutality had made it impossible to find a leader who could unite the country.

“I heard somebody say, ‘Where’s Mandela?’,” he said.

“Well, Mandela’s dead because Saddam Hussein killed all the Mandelas.”

You should be when you watch this video.

Human space invaders. Via BlogBlog.

There’s a must-read post up on Violet Blue’s blog, Tiny Nibbles. Violet writes about a recent taping of the Tyra Banks show—it didn’t go well, it seems. Go, read, watch. Now.

We asked:

Given the potentially history-making candidacies of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, there’s a lot of talk in Democratic circles these days about what type of leader this country is “ready for.” Do you think America is more ready for a white female president or a black male president?

The results:

(Critics take note: These results are strikingly similar to the results of our earlier, more controversial poll.)

NEW BLOG: Obsessed with the presidential race? Now you can follow all of our presidential Slogging at our new blog, Slogging Toward 2008, which comes complete with its own RSS feed, collections of our past presidential race coverage from the paper, and a handy calendar of upcoming events.

The Seattle Times busts Republican King County Council Member Jane Hague today.

Hague, who it turns out never had a bachelor’s degree, says she’s never misled anyone about that. Whoooops. The Seattle Times found that she misled the municipal league on her 1993 candidate questionnaire when she was first running for her spot on the Council. Goldy’s on the story too.

But there’s something else people should start looking into to see if Hague has been truthful on this matter.

Hague was the manager of KC Elections from 1986-1993 (right before she got elected to the Council and when she filled out the Municipal League questionnaire.)

I don’t know what the requirement for that job was in 1986, but today, you’ve got to have a bachelor’s degree.

I just looked at the “minimum qualifications” on the current posting for the job and it says: “He/She must possess a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration or in a related field, and a history of continuing education…”

Perhaps Hague didn’t correct the record in 93 because she didn’t want KC Elections to know the truth.

Her bio started changing in recent years (since being on Council where there’s no requirement about a college degree) to simply say she attended a four-year institution of higher learning.

After the City Council passed night club license legislation earlier this week (without a night club license as part of the legislation), Council Member Nick Licata told me he was happy to get 6 votes because quote: “Six votes sends a strong message to the mayor that the council is united,” Licata says. “He can’t veto this ordinance.”

Word from the second floor (council offices) is that Nickels is, in fact, thinking of vetoing the legislation. Nickels spokesperson Marianne Bichsel confirmed that Nickels is weighing that option, and we will know on Monday what his decision is.

And Licata may be wrong that the votes are there to override. The veto-proof 6-vote bloc that passed the license included Sally Clark, Jan Drago, and David Della. Those Council Members really weren’t happy with the final outcome, but voted for it anyway to pass something. Bichsel said that Nickels staffers, such as council liason Emily East and Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis have been talking to Council Members this week.

I can certainly see Clark or Della or Drago (or all three) refusing to override the veto.

Although, that’ll still mean there’s no license.

However, it will torpedo the nightlife commission that the legislation empowered to call the shots on nightclub licensing.

Only one thing really happened this week in geek, and that was when I found this. Everything else is kind of a blur.

Oh, and I hear there’s some kind of big game coming out for the Xbox next week, “Halo” or something like that. Sounds like a Bible game, so I don’t really get why everyone’s so excited.

Okay, here’s a couple more things:

Go Team Dork! - U.S. Segway Polo team (!) wins gold in 2007 Woz Challenge Cup. Everybody celebrated with a round of whatever rich Silicon Valley nerds drink. Beer, I think. Video!.

New Business Plan! - Hot or Not has announced that they’re doing away with whatever they were doing and replacing it with something else they may or may not have been doing before. The real news here, of course, is that Hot or Not still exists and is, like, an actual company of some kind. I’m stalled at 75% hot, with 111 votes in the past 4 years. And yes, I dress like that all the time.

NBC to Go it Alone, Fail - In a huge blow to Apple’s iTunes, NBC will offer downloads of some of their shows through their own system, which will suck more than anyone can imagine and will cease to exist quite soon after it begins to exist.

Free for All! - Jason Kottke digs through the New York Times’ newly opened archves and discovers some gems. What have you found? I found this story from 1912 about a $3M lawsuit over a Costa Rican banana plantation. I also found a typo in that article.

Gore Wins! - Winning the presidency is hard (especially against cheaters), but winning entertainment awards, he’s got that shit down.

Now, let me get back to my Scrabble game.

Someone’s scalping tickets to HUMP over at Craigslist. The scalpers are moving in because the four shows we originally announced sold out, and the two added shows we announced on Thursday sold out in 24 hours. We’ve added one more show—Saturday October 6 at 2 PM. Tickets—at regular, non-scalper prices—are on sale here.

Originally posted at noon

According to a source, Mars Hill Church is buying…TABELLA. Yes, Tabella, recently caught up in Mayor Nickel’s nightlife holocaust, could end up as a new Mars Hill venue—much like the old Paradox—or as a new Belltown rock-a-church.

According to the King County assessor’s website, there hasn’t been a sale. We’ve got calls out to Mars Hill and Tabella and we’ll update soon.

Update

The evasive response from Mars Hill:

Hi Jonah,

Thanks for your email. Mars Hill Church is a multi-campus church that currently meets in several locations around the Seattle area. We are continually evaluating new opportunities for further expansion in and around Seattle.

Sincerely,

Tim Gaydos

Tabella’s owner, Kauser Pasha, says Tabella hasn’t been sold yet, but he’s is in talks with Mars Hill Church and several other potential buyers.

Speechless: Decibel’s opening night blows Eric Grandy’s mind.

Tonight: More Decibel, Imperial Teen, and No Age.

Pizza Party: The Lashes new video starring pizza, Kato Kaelin, and Hollywood.

Starbucks’ Jukebox: The store will play the new Joni Mitchell all day on Sept 25.

Now With Words: After some sleep, Grandy gives Decibel a real review.

Potty Party: Trent Moorman misses the Flaming Lips show and locks himself in the bathroom.

Flaming Lips Photos: And yes, that’s JZ dressed as a Santa.

It’s as Good as It Sounds: When Joan Rivers met Husker Du.

Black Metal’s Dark Side: Mayhem’s totally fucked.

Terry Miller Regrets: Missing Diplo and SMD but not the Flaming Lips.

Boarder Patrol: Motor might not make it to Decibel.

Speaking of Motoring: …What’s your price for flight?

Disco Warriors: TJ Gorton on Faze Action.

In August of 2004, this column sparked a slew of letters on childhood missconceptions about sex. Those letters were lost to time… until now: tales from the childhoods of women and men.

Every winter, The Stranger has a charity auction called Strangercrombie, where we auction off great things (like a Vespa), weird things (like 16 boxes of porn), and things of dubious value (like, uh, ourselves) and throw the earnings at a local charity. For the past five years, the charity has been been Northwest Harvest, which has been giving food to the poor and hungry since 1967.

Last year, we raised (or, rather, you bid) $40,000. Which was great. We love Northwest Harvest. But is it possible we’re being a bit myopic? Are there other local causes we should consider?

What do you think, citizens of Slog? Which are your favorite causes?

Sonics owner Clay Bennett announced today that he’s taking the city to arbitration so the Sonics can get out of their lease at Key Arena.

The lease runs until 2010. Bennett has said the Sonics and Storm will play the 2008 season in Seattle, but if he doesn’t have a new arena deal in place by October 31, he’s going to ask the NBA to allow him to move.

The mayor’s office says they will have a statement later this afternoon.

Update:
In the meantime, City Council President Nick Licata released this statement:
“We strongly feel that the Sonics should meet their obligation to stay and play in Seattle at KeyArena. In regard to any legal action, the Seattle City Attorney will be advising us and handling the details.”

What’s kind of funny about this is: Licata has been the lead critic of the lease for years now. (The city has been losing nearly $3 million a year on the bum deal.)

Update, Update:
Mayor Nickels just released this strong statement:

“Seattle and KeyArena have been home to the Sonics — and more recently the Storm — for 40 years. I want that tradition to continue. I am outraged at today’s actions by Sonics’ owner Clay Bennett.

There have always been sensible options available to Mr. Bennett if he wanted to keep the Sonics and Storm at KeyArena. Today’s actions make it clear that has never been his intention.

My door has been open, is open and remains open to Mr. Bennett but he has refused to meet. Typically, people acting in good faith engage in a conversation before seeking arbitration.

My position remains the same: I will do everything in my power to enforce the contract keeping the Sonics and Storm where they belong —in Seattle and in KeyArena.”

It appears that THIS frisky fifteen-year-old isn’t the only jailbait harboring a s-e-x-u-a-l issue or twelve. From the improbable website www.15yearoldvirgin.com…

Hi, name is Jason Morgan, I’m 15 and I live in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. I was diagnosed with leukemia when I was 11 years old, and since it’s spread to my lymph nodes and spine, there is no chance that I will be cured. Before I die, I want to know the touch of a woman. I don’t want to die a virgin and I can’t do it without your help.

Are you pedophile enough to help Jason? Send YOUR 250 word response to Gotcha@perverted-justice.com. Hurry!

Judging from the arraignments that are going on right now in the aftermath of “Operation Sobering Thought,” the cases against the bartenders and doormen from the SPD’s big sting seem to be falling apart at the seams.

Here’s how the sting worked: The undercover officers—pretending to have a “Girls Night Out”—had an underage woman use an ID of a slightly older woman (who looked very similar) to get into the club. Once inside the club, the group would order a round of drinks and take pictures of the doormen and bartenders they had fooled.

A few days later, having studied the pictures, the police would show up and get the names and addresses of the doormen and bartenders (under the ruse they needed help on a sex predator case). With that info, the police sent out warrants.

The first problem: The set up led cops to arrest the wrong people. For example, one doorman who got arrested, David Romano, is a 5’8” Hispanic guy. However, the account from the undercover officer in Romano’s incident report describes the doorman as a 6’2” blonde guy with a safety pin piercing in his left eyebrow. Whoops. The judge has already told Romano’s attorney to file a request for dismissal.

More important, it’s not clear that these charges will stick. Defense attorneys think the fact that the door men were fooled is significant. Being fooled with a look-a-like ID isn’t too convincing as a crime. Most crimes involve “intent”; ie, the criminal has to “knowingly” do something.

The police—defense attorneys for the club workers are likely to argue—need to show that doormen actually knew the minor was a minor. And they have to prove this “beyond a reasonable” doubt.

Given that the SPD used a young woman who looked like the slightly older woman on the ID, it’s going to be hard to prove doormen were up to no good.

Although, defense attorney Kirk Davis, who is working for some of the club folks, does acknowledge that the specific law about letting a minor into a place that serves booze does not address “intent.”

Meanwhile, the standard for issuing a liquor board violation (which is the way to bust bars) is lower. Liquor Board agents have to show that the doorman should have known the patron was underage: they didn’t look old enough; they didn’t look like the person on the ID. And they only have to show this with a lower legal standard—”preponderance of the evidence.”

So, we’re back where we’ve been all along: There are laws on the books to hold bars accountable. Let the liquor board do its job. And let the police focus on real problems rather than spending $52,000 in police hours duping local bars.

Yesterday, I fell a little bit in love with school board candidate David Blomstrom, who seems to have some hefty anger management issues. Blomstrom refers to nearly all of his opponents as “whores,” and has all kinds of wild conspiracy theories. He’s basically the school board version of Stan Lippman.

I tried to get Blomstrom to come in for candidate interview (because I love crazy) but he emailed to let me know he doesn’t do interviews with “corporate media.”

I emailed back “Have you ever read our paper?”

This was his response:

Sure have. I loved the issue where your staff called me “the requisite loony” (apparently because I hate Bill Gates) and endorsed an ESTABLISHMENT heavyweight named Judith Billings, mostly because she has AIDS (“We love HIV!”)…*

They also noted that Billings was “racking up endorsements.” That’s kind of like endorsing candidates who are racking up money. I mean, we all know what kind of candidate gets all the money, corrupt endorsements and media publicity in this town.

Then there’s this page, where The Stranger endorsed four assholes in one fell swoop, Theresa Cardamone, Darlene Flynn, Brita Butler- Wall, and Irene Stewart…

Hello, does anyone at The Stranger do any RESEARCH? Irene Stewart is a member of Mayor Greg Nickels’ administration. That means she’s an INSIDER. She’s corrupt. Or, as I like to call ‘em, she’s a WHORE.

Of course, we’ve all seen how wonderful Darlene Flynn and Brita Butler-Wall turned out to be. Ah, Brita. For years, I tried to get her to join me in campaigning for an independent audit of the school district, but all she cared about was fighting Coca Cola - until she decided to run for office. Then she immediately transformed into Seattle’s premier fiscal hawk. Until after she got appointed…er, elected. Then she changed back to the Coca Cola Queen. I could go on and on, but I think you get my drift. All the evidence suggests The Stranger is indeed an establishment lap dog, no matter how passionately you and your cronies protest to the contrary.

Frankly, I think it would be most appropriate for The Stranger to endorse my opponent, “Whorium.” He apparently has no issues - just like The Stranger.

I can’t help but love this guy.

*By the way, we endorsed Billings—who wanted to kill the WASL—over Bergeson, the established incumbent.]

…comes to life—except that this time the couple is getting divorced, not rediscovering their love.

A married couple who didn’t realise they were chatting each other up on the internet are divorcing. Sana Klaric and husband Adnan, who used the names “Sweetie” and “Prince of Joy” in an online chatroom, spent hours telling each other about their marriage troubles, Metro.co.uk reported.

The truth emerged when the two turned up for a date. Now the pair, from Zenica in central Bosnia, are divorcing after accusing each other of being unfaithful.

“I was suddenly in love. It was amazing. We seemed to be stuck in the same kind of miserable marriage. How right that turned out to be,” Sana, 27, said.

Sniffed: Yakima opens school for drug dogs.

Laced: Dept. of Justice spends $13,000 on brownies for “Weed and Seed” conference.

Hired: Pentagon contracts $15 billion with five private companies for international “counter-narcoterrorism.”

Probed: Pot crusaders call for AG to investigate Yakima County law enforcement for ignoring medical-pot law.

Popped: NORML founder caught puffin’ at Boston Hempfest.

Freed: “We aim to right a wrong, and to exercise compassion, and to do it with grace,” said Florida Gov. Charlie Crist after pardoning a wheelchair-bound man who served three years of a 25-year sentence for Oxycontin.

Robbed: $25,000 in primo medicine stolen from South Seattle medical marijuana clinic.

Challenged: ACLU will sue Hawaii to stop random teacher drug testing.

Sealed and Delivered: Bush says he’ll sign FDA “Drug Safety Bill.”

Buzzed: Seattle is mocha Mecca for this sappy cocktwat.

Used: I hear Lowe’s needs tools, Federal Way Mirror.

Pissed: Pray tell, what clumsy national appearance would make someone think Ms. Spears would test positive for drugs?

Spun: A report released this week by the Government Accountability Office provides a clue why the White House rolled out a glitzy anti-meth media campaign last week. “Despite $397 million to support Mexican counternarcotics efforts… more than fivefold increase [in drug seizures] indicated a dramatic rise in supply. In addition, corruption persists within the Mexican government and challenges Mexico’s efforts to curb drug production and trafficking. Moreover, Mexican drug trafficking organizations operate with relative impunity along the U.S. border and in other parts of Mexico, and have expanded their illicit business to almost every region of the United States.” The Republican Sen. Charles E. Grassley who called for the report ads insult to injury: “The Office of National Drug Control Policy has to stop dropping the ball and doing sloppy work. They had plenty of time to forge a working relationship with the Mexican government, but it appears that nothing has been accomplished.” But meth, people!! Meth!!!

Since He Done Fucked Up Mexico, Colombia, and Afghanistan: Bush shifts gaze to Burma and Venezuela. For the love of God, Meth!!!!

Okay, Meth: So what do kids think about the new meth campaign?

Pie: Even once turns you into… Golum? Here’s the original version, called “Bathroom.”

Spotted yesterday:

Attention all writers! A darling notion from a Craig’s Lister or whatever…

To All the People Looking for Writers

It’s great that you have decided to start a blog, or a new webzine, or to publish your latest book, however it is damn nervy to ask writers to commit to writing articles (such as the gaming people who want FIVE articles per week) for free. A professional writer doesn’t need “exposure”, they need money. Professional writers don’t waste time working on spec for startups, they only work on spec for established publications. Would you ask a hairdresser to style your hair for free because you couldn’t pay them but offer them the “exposure” of telling everyone who did your hair?

If you want professional writers - PAY THEM.

What? Writers get PAID? Why didn’t anyone mention this before? I write for abuse and occasional free cheese. I don’t know where the cheese comes from, it just appears on my doorstep.

I cut my own hair.

Maybe it’s my fatphobia—although this woman isn’t fat—or my issues with food in general or what appears to be the food pushing out of both corners of this woman’s mouth, but I was horrified by this ad…

It was on the side of a cardboard shelf full of Sara Lee hotdog buns. Does this ad actually make people want to eat? Anything? Ever again?

By the staff member with the most impressive mustache: “Randy Quaid, hubba hubba.”

Indeed.

As I posted earlier, the Republican presidential candidates are at a big NRA meeting today. So what does Rudy Giuliani do while he’s giving his speech? He pauses to answer his cell phone:

It’s unclear whether Republican presidential candidate Rudolph W. Giuliani, whose previous positions on gun control are likely to make his presidential candidacy a tougher sell to members of the influential National Rifle Association, scored points or lost a few today when he decided to take a cell phone call from his wife in the middle of a speech to the group.

“Hello dear. I’m talking to the members of the N.R.A. right now. Would you like to say hello?” he said, apparently speaking to his wife, Judith. “I’ll give you a call as soon as I’m done. Have a safe trip. Bye bye.”

Though there was some scattered laughter, the audience was mostly quiet as Mr. Giuliani ended the call and added: “This is one of the great blessings of the modern age – to always be available.”

Also majorette jackets, sailor hats, plastic armor, scythes, dusty feathers, embroidered mantles—all for cheap at Brocklind’s garage sale today and tomorrow (9 am-5 pm), in case you’re like me and already obsessing about your Halloween costume.

I picked up a copy of Seattle Magazine on the way to the gym the other day because, well, I can’t do something as boring as working out without something, anything, to read. The choice was made out of desperation as much as anything. But I’ve gotta say, I was surprised and impressed by the quality of the writing and the choice of stories: A piece on a goat-rental service for contractors called Rent-A-Ruminant; a feature on urban fishing spots; a story about humane mobile slaughter facilities for sustainably grown beef and pork in Washington; a piece by my former coworker Philip Dawdy about the prevalence of domestic violence in Washington. Pretty impressive stuff for a magazine I’d always assumed was little more than fluffy filler surrounding the inevitable monthly list of advertisers (“Seattle’s 101 Best Realtors/Doctors/Organic Small-Batch Cheesemakers”).

Then I flipped to page 92, and found an ad for three condo projects in South Lake Union: the Rollin Street Flats, Enso Lofts, and the Veer. (Fair warning: Each web site features an incredibly obnoxious theme song.) Condo ads aren’t uncommon in high-end consumer magazines; what caught my eye was the way they were being sold. Under a satellite photo of the earth was a headline that read, “Your mother called. And once again she has an opinion about where you should live.” The rest of the ad is a pitch for “green” living: “pedestrian friendly,” “everything within easy walking distance,” “healthy, green living,” etc. It’s something we’ve been saying all along—living densely is better for the city and the environment—but it’s nice to see the environmental benefits of density go so mainstream that even developers are using them as part of their sales pitch.

Performance Art

Mike Albo at Re-bar

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Chris Rock on whether America is more ready for a white female president or a black male president—and the last line’s the best, so watch the whole thing:

As I Slogged the day before yesterday (and suggest above), if you are a fan of Kathy Griffin, Sandra Bernhard, and/or arguing with intelligent friends about the contents of glossy supermarket tabloids, you really should go see Mike Albo, the acclaimed NYC performance artist making his Seattle debut tonight and tomorrow at Re-bar.

Today’s Seattle Post-Intelligencer has a good profile of Albo, complete with illuminating work excerpts. Read it here.

And find out virtually all you need to know about Albo’s work on his trash-glam website.

I’m blogging this from the bowels of KUOW, where I’m taping a segment for Weekend America. Shhhh. Don’t tell anyone…

I have a question about this keep-the-pledge-drive-short note—this ransom note—that Dave received in the mail. I’ve heard similar announcements on the air for the last week or two, so it’s not just ransom notes—they’re making on-air threats.

And here’s what I’m wondering: Has KUOW announced their goal for their upcoming pledge drive? $500K? $750K? MoreK? They should tell us the goal, if they haven’t already. And it seems to me that KUOW is obligated to announce exactly how much they took in during the run-up to the pledge drive when the pledge drive actually starts. And then KUOW should tell us exactly how much shorter the pledge drive is going to be thanks to the folks that sent money early in response to those “send money now and shorten the pledge drive!” postcards and announcements.

KUOW is telling us that early pledges shorten the pledge drive—okay, but by how much? I never hear about how much shorter the pledge drive is going to be thanks to early pledgers once it starts. You never hear anything about early pledges once the pledge drive starts—no thank you, no acknowledgment, nothing. For all we know KUOW is extorting early pledges out of listeners and then sticking us with the same ol’ lengthy pledge drive.

In other KUOW news: Despite Ken Vincent’s very public departure from the station, his picture is still on the wall here…

That’s Ken on the far right, Derek “Too Cute for Radio” Wong in the middle, and KUOW alum Bill Radke (host of Weekend America) on the far left. Let me know if you want your picture, Ken, and I’ll liberate it for you.

Despite a fairly predictable outcome, last night’s meeting of the “Thundering 36th” District Democrats—representing Ballard, Greenwood, Magnolia, Queen Anne, and parts of Belltown—did feature a few surprising fireworks.

But first, there were announcements—a P-Patch opening in Ballard, an inexplicable event involving state Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles—and, of course, sniping. Seated at tables completely covered with all manner of campaign literature (“Every candidate here is leaving a brontosaurus-size carbon foot print if they don’t take them ALL home!” bellowed diminutive, bespectacled former district chair Judith Hine) the Dems yelled, guffawed, delivered impassioned speeches, and trashed the opponents of their favorite candidate or cause.

Tim Burgess was first on the agenda. After a brief introduction, Burgess had exactly one minute to speak. He chose to address concerns that he didn’t hew to the planks of the Dems’ platform supporting abortion choice and gay marriage. (As I’ve reported, Burgess’s PR firm did work for anti-choice, anti-gay group Concerned Women for America; and he wrote an editorial in 2005 that expressed ambivalence on gay marriage and abortion. He now says he is 100-percent pro-choice and pro-marriage equality, and he was the only candidate in any local race to receive a rating of “outstanding” from the Seattle Municipal League.) “Don’t be distracted by issues that really don’t apply to the Seattle City Council,” Burgess said. “Look at my record of service.” District vice chair Janis Traven shot back: “Not only has he made significant contributions to Republicans [state Attorney General Rob McKenna and 2000 presidential candidate John McCain]… he professionally promulgated the anti-choice, anti-gay, anti-woman agenda of Concerned Women for America for many years during the Bush election and reelection.” Despite a substantial pro-Burgess contingent (“I’ve never seen any of these people before!” one disgruntled Della supporter guffawed repeatedly) the vote to endorse Burgess, which would have required the support of two-thirds of the room, failed.

It was pretty clear that there weren’t enough Della supporters in the room to make it worth a separate vote. But that didn’t stop Della backers from forcing one, and so the 36th Dems had a debate on that, too. On the pro side: State Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson, who said Della “embodies… political courage.” Her examples: He stood up in favor of rebuilding the viaduct, and he opposed subsidizing a new stadium for the Sonics. (As Josh muttered during Dickerson’s speech: “You mean, like 75 percent of the voters? How courageous.”) On the con side: 36th member Shanna Sawatzki, who said, “Mary Lou talked about political courage. No one likes to talk about political gall. David Della had the political gall to challenge Heidi Wills, who he named ‘Rate Hike Heidi,’ on the public utility issue, and then he had the political gall to turn down the [City Light] committee appointment after he was elected.”

After all that was over (final vote: 44 to 38), the group voted to give no endorsement on the roads and transit package, making it the third local legislative district to not take a position on the proposal.

Sage Van Wing praised their goods (and recognized the stern brilliance of their proprietress) in the premiere installment of <10 (Good Grub Under Ten Bucks). Now Piroshky on Broadway is earning further props in the Stranger Reader Reviews:

FOUR STARS. The best part about my first trip was when I didn’t finish my borscht (due to being stuffed silly with borscht and two piroshkies) the matriarchal Russian proprietor came by my table and demanded to know “What is wrong with borscht juice?” so I sat up straight and ate it like a good little boy. Posted on August 21, 2007.

I love a forceful waitperson. (A moment’s silence for Cafe Septieme’s Stephanie, the most brutally efficient waitress Seattle’s ever known.) Share your memories and judge your servers in the Stranger Restaurant Guide.

There was no end to the criticism of this poll last month, in which I asked whether you all thought America was more ready for a woman president or a black president.

Commenters pounced:

black male? A black president could mean a black female which would skew the results (I think) of your question.

Posted by clarify, please | August 22, 2007 11:03 AM

And…

Sheesh! I’m with clarify, please… We are talking about a black MAN president and a WHITE woman president, right. The question assumes that all Black people are men and all women are white. I am so fucking over that shit!!! Yes, the media is filled with “are we ready for a black or a woman.” NEWSFLASH: I am a BLACK WOMAN. Yeah, we do exist.

Posted by Papayas | August 22, 2007 11:11 AM

Point well taken. Today we’re re-doing that poll, posing the question this way:

Given the potentially history-making candidacies of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, there’s a lot of talk in Democratic circles these days about what type of leader this country is “ready for.” Do you think America is more ready for a white female president or a black male president?

Poll closes at 5 p.m.

NEW BLOG: Obsessed with the presidential race? Now you can follow all of our presidential Slogging at our new blog, Slogging Toward 2008, which comes complete with its own RSS feed, collections of our past presidential race coverage from the paper, and a handy calendar of upcoming events.

This is the second-to-last zone of the magical sphere of Artempo. (Zone I: Palace, Zone II: Bodies in the Basement, Zone III: Veils, Zone IV: Teeming.)

You’ve just come through the fire of the first floor, which culminates in a Turrell red room, and suddenly something completely different happens. The rooms are white.

The first guide is a 13th-century Chinese Lohan figure seated on the floor, a figure who, in Theravada Buddhism, has crossed over to the other side, and is saved forever. Lining the walls of the room are Roman Opalka’s paintings of numbers in light, light gray, so that the canvases appear to be all white until you get close and can see the streams of simple counting. You can also hear the light drone of the artist’s voice, counting. It’s much like the Kimsooja video of a laundry woman standing still in front of the moving river on the first floor. The room is a spiritual lesson in multiple aesthetic and cultural languages, sure, and it’s also pure pleasure to be in.

The next two rooms bring the same rush of pleasure, in completely different syntax. A 17th-century Japanese scroll hangs near a Piero Manzoni calendar collage from 1959 and Enrico Castellani’s 1970 white canvas shaped into diamond points. From the ceiling hang two sculptures by Markus Raetz, from 2006, made of metal filaments shaped into simple boxes but continuously changing shape (from one type of box to another) as they turn and twist in silence. You can easily miss them up there, flying quiet. On the floor are four large stones in a row, progressing from round to oblong, by Dominique Stroobant.

Above all that, the palazzo’s interior ceiling is ornate, like a series of red diamonds that play with the installation on yet another level.

Through one last door are Thomas Ruff’s photograph of stars, an On Kawara date painting, Duchamp’s two facing mirrors, and Shozo Shimamoto’s gun-shot, two-sided metal panel—in a space with tall, arched windows, like a chapel.

It’s that time again… The Republican presidential candidates are at a big NRA conference today, trying out-gun each other.

A look John McCain’s turn at the mic:

The first of six presidential candidates to address the group, Mr. McCain highlighted his opposition to the ban on “so-called assault weapons” and his efforts to shield gun manufacturers from lawsuits accusing them of being liable for violent crimes.

“My friends, gun owners are not extremists. You’re the core of modern America,” he said to several hundred N.R.A. members at a Washington hotel today. “The Second Amendment is unique in the world and at the core of our constitutional freedoms.”

As Mr. McCain shifted his speech to the war in Iraq, he was briefly interrupted by anti-war protesters who were rapidly escorted out of the ballroom after one of them was doused with water by one audience member.

After the protesters were removed, Mr. McCain said: “We beat you yesterday. We beat you the day before. We’ll beat you today … We won’t choose to lose this conflict.” He was met with loud applause.

This sounds like bullshit: Some guy had 10 strands of Beethoven’s brown hair. Some other guy thought it would be a good idea to turn Beethoven’s hair into diamonds and sell them on eBay.

David Hampson, chief executive of LifeGem UK®, said: “This diamond is the first ever created from the carbon of a celebrity or historical figure.”

Here is the site for LifeGem®, where you can learn how it’s done (extract carbon, heat and compress) and enjoy testimonials like these:

Dear Rusty,

Well, we all got to look at our LifeGems last night as a family. My Mom was speechless (which is a big feat for her) and my brother, sisters, as well the rest of the gang (grandkids, sister and brother-in-law), were very impressed with the diamonds! It’s hard to explain the thoughts (the good thoughts, of course) that go through ones mind when examining a “diamond” that is created from the remains of our father. The timing could not have been any better, Rusty. The few times a year (which is usually only once!) that we get together as family and we were able to receive the Gems – it could not have happened any better.

Jack French, Jr. (Son )

LifeGem® [actual slogan]: “A diamond that takes millions of years to occur naturally can now be created from the carbon of your loved one in about twenty-four weeks.”

Yesterday brought the following to my mailbox, printed on a benign white postcard:

Dear Listener:

You recently received our newsletter asking you to send in your gift of support to help make the KUOW Fall On-Air Pledge Drive a success.

Make your gift today. There is still time to keep the drive short.

KUOW is committed to being your trusted source of news and information.

Programming is funded by members that value accurate and relevant reporting—your support keeps KUOW strong.

Members control the length of the drive—make it short with your gift by October 5th!

Marcia Scholl
KUOW

“Send us money now or we’ll torture you with a super-long drive.” Does this qualify as a legally actionable threat?

Also out this week is the DVD of Zoo, a movie that is set in this beautiful part of the world:

One unimpressed critic has this to say:

It’s an extremely creepy film that shows a deranged, dark underbelly of society. Although the participants in these acts will beg to differ, I found the whole thing quite nutty.

Slate’s campaign commercial for Mitt Romney: “Five Brothers.”

KIRO 7 reports on the pit bull that charged into a home near Ethel, Washington, where it attacked a teenage girl and slaughtered a shih tzu.

ABC reports on the Georgia man accused of capturing neighborhood cats and feeding them—live—to his pit bulls.

(To be fair, the second story is about a horrifying pit-bull owner, but so are all horrifying pit-bull stories, in a way.)

That was a close call! The omniscient creator of the Universe, the Ruler of Heaven and Earth, our Lord and Savior—He was under assault, being attacked, on the ropes! I really thought this was it for Jesus, that He was going down. And then a Christian theater bravely took a stand: The Miracle Theater of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, paid $90,440 to run a full-page ad in USA Today attacking Kathy “Suck it, Jesus” Griffin. Says the ad…

“We at The Miracle Theater consider it an honor to stand for Jesus today. We may never win a national award. We may never be household names. We may never be seen in Hollywood. Although others may choose to use their national platform to slander our God, we are honored as professional entertainers to stand for Christ.”

Well, thank God someone was willing to stand for Christ. How often does that happen in America? This gives me hope that one day our national government will be dominated by born-again and evangelical Christians, and that a time may yet come when prominent preachers have an effective veto of nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court and the federal government directs billions of dollars to religious organizations. Then the whole country will stand for Jesus!

The anti-Jesus crowd Towleroad says…

Of course the Miracle Theater is welcome to waste their money in whatever way they choose, but imagine how much prouder Jesus would have been had they spent that $90,440 to feed the homeless or help needy children. Instead they spent in on a self-aggrandizing ad condemning free speech.

They just don’t get it, do they?

I thought “Savage Lovecast” was the most socially destructive podcast available on the Interwebs—but no, apparently that honor falls to “Polyamory Weekly.” Alexander Cornswalled—dig that name!—is a “Conservative Christian, writing and podcasting about religion, morals and the fight to halt the decay of American society and civilization.” He slams Violet Blue’s podcast (“unapologetic pornography… the only podcast for which I did not listen to an entire episode”), This American Life (“the Lifetime Channel for Liberals”), and some podcasts I haven’t heard of but will definitely be checking out (“Nobody Likes Onions,” “Dawn and Drew,” “A Prairie Home Companion”), but “Polyamory Weekly” takes home the “most socially destructive” gold. Here’s Cornswalled…

This is easily the most dangerous and socially destructive podcast I’ve ever heard. The program is about Polyamory, the practice of having multiple sexual partners, provided everyone consents and knows what’s going on. It advocates just about every form of perversion you can imagine…. The program is not the most sexually explicit, nor is it the most offensive. It’s dangerous because the program seeks to normalize Homosexuality, Bisexuality, wife swapping, bondage and a host of other unChristian behaviors. They side AGAINST the Mormons who want to legalize underage brides, but if all those Mormon brides are 18 or older, they’re all for it.

If your child is listening to Polyamory Weekly, then I recommend you respond as if you’d found deviant magazines in their possession. Do not react with anger, as that will only make matters worse, but respond with Christian love and understanding. Your child has been exposed to dangerous and radical ideas, and needs help with the confusion of ideas that such exposure can create.

Cornswalled—he he he, that name!—promises to post more podcast reviews, the better to assist American parents in their efforts to monitor what their children are downloading and listening to. So watch out, “Polyamory Weekly”! I’m sending Cornswalled a link to “Savage Lovecast.”

NOTE: I’m having hard time figuring out if Cornswalled is for real—he condemns “A Prairie Home Companion,” for crying out loud. Is he a conservative Christian? Or parodying conservative Christians? He says he’s from the midwest… but he sure doesn’t sound like he’s from the midwest in this video posted to his website.

Gov. Gregoire’s Communications Director, Holly Armstrong, announced this morning that she’s leaving.

Gov. Gregoire’s Chief of Staff, Tom Fitzsimmons, announced on Monday that he was leaving.

Armstrong says she’s moving back to Denver, Colorado to be closer to friends and family.

I’d heard the Armstrong rumor from some GOP folks on Tuesday when I was calling around about the Fitzsimmons story—right down to the Colorado line. Watch your back Gregoire. The GOP has a mole.

Snarky Headline About the War: Iraqi government says Blackwater shooting was unjustified. Bush dodges the issue. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Robert Gates says he doesn’t know if Iraq was worth it. Oh, and now there’s cholera in Baghdad.

It’s the Thought That Counts: Dems try, fail to cut off war funds.

Poor Kids Don’t Need Healthcare: Bush threatens veto for children’s health insurance program. Plans to kick more puppies.

Circling the Drain: Our economy.

The Jena 6: Protest draws thousands in Louisiana.

Full of Lead: 50,000 lunch boxes handed out by California Dept. of Health.

Fuck, Yeah: New York rejects abstinence-only sex ed funds.

Sisleyville is Burning: more fires in Roosevelt.

UPDATE

Lockdown: 2 students shot at Delaware State University.

And now, your final O.J. clip of the week:

Eric de Place over at Sightline calls attention to an annoying trend in writing about density: The tendency reporters have to treat dense developments, like condos and apartments, as if they, by their mere existence, force people to live in tiny, crowded spaces. One such example, he writes,

comes from today’s Seattle P-I: “Now, condominiums are building upward, packing people into to what used to be inexpensive property.”

Now this is weird. Admittedly, I don’t get out a lot, but I’ve never seen condos roaming the streets, rounding up suburban residents, and stuffing the poor saps into boxes. I’ve always been under the impression that developers build condos in urban neighborhoods because there are lots of people who want to live in them.

You rarely hear about ramblers or cape cods “pushing people apart.” Quite the contrary, it’s just assumed that people like me with house-and-yard setups are exercising free will.

Now in fairness to common parlance, let’s also admit that public policies affect housing choice. … But those policies — zoning, lending standards, freeway building, tax policy, and much more — have strongly favored single-family uses that are segregated from businesses and jobs. Still, it is always people who make choices; buildings don’t do that, not even when policies play favorites.

Well put, Eric.

Remember the Loofahtorio I wrote about back in January?

Well, Seattle composer Igor Keller’s baroque oratorio based on the sexual-harassment suit that Andrea Mackris brought against Bill O’Reilly has hit YouTube, which will never be quite the same.

God bless baritone Charles Robert Stephens, who really goes for it in declaring Mackris’s “boobs” “spectacular.”

Stop by the Mackris v. O’Reilly online store, where a recording of the entire oratorio is for sale, as well as several T-shirts, including these:

(Thank you, as ever, Artdish.)

Headline of the day…

Canadian Dollar Trades Equal to U.S. for First Time Since 1976

Some of you may remember this letter to Savage Love from “Fifteen and Gay” back in 2003:

I’m a gay high school sophomore, and I’ve had no luck finding other guys. I turned to the Internet and met a really nice guy who wants to help me live out my dreams of being another dude’s sex slave. He offered to pick me up after school and take me to his house. The only problem is, he’s 38 and I’m 15. My parents don’t know about any of this. Should I say sure to this plan, or should I go to the cops?

Fifteen and Gay

This newly resurrected page contains a pile of letters bearing advice for the kid. The original column is here.

Leroy Carr of Federal Way, YOU ‘DA NEW MAYOR OF CRAZYTOWN!

Offered without comment:

Some therapists have warned that Savage’s approach is not the best for everyone. Malcolm McKay of the Seattle Institute for Sex Therapy praised Savage for making sex a topic that could be discussed openly and for