Fleeting flurries: Sorry, romantics, yesterday’s snow was quick lived. At the moment, issues will likely be moist. And never simply because it is Valentine’s Day. Rain is on the way in which. Or, relying on if you’re studying this, it is already right here.
Washington’s in good fingers: Not less than that is what our leaders are telling us. On Thursday, Gov. Bob Ferguson (Bobby Ferg, to some) held a press convention with different Washington state officers together with Lawyer Common Nick Brown to guarantee Washingtonians that they might “protect” us from the Donald Trump administration’s “chaos.” To this point, $162 million-worth of federal funds (a lot earmarked for solar energy investments) is frozen. Ferguson mentioned he’ll struggle for these funds and sustain the struggle for Washington’s “insurance policies defending transgender rights, preventing local weather change, and prohibiting native police from aiding in mass deportations of undocumented immigrants,” the Seattle Instances wrote. Brown issued one other message for Trump: “Comply with the rattling regulation.” You inform him.
Regulation-abiders unite: Trump’s sycophants within the Justice Division urged Manhattan’s U.S. legal professional to drop the corruption prices in opposition to New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams. The interim U.S. legal professional in Manhattan, Danielle R. Sassoon, mentioned fuck that and resigned. Trump’s cronies urged the dismissal of Adams’ case on the idea that the authorized battle would forestall him from serving to with Trump’s deportation order. In different phrases, a completely political quite than authorized purpose. Sassoon is a staunchly conservative former clerk to Supreme Courtroom Justice Antonin Scalia, a member of the Federalist Society, and was appointed by Trump. “I’ve at all times thought-about it my obligation to pursue justice impartially, with out favor to the rich or those that occupy necessary public workplace, or harsher therapy for the much less highly effective,” she wrote in her resignation letter. The Justice Division transferred the case to the general public integrity arm in Washington, D.C.. Then, following Sassoon’s lead, the 2 males overseeing that division resigned. Three different attorneys within the unit additionally resigned. That is braveness and resistance.
Not everyone seems to be standing tall to Trump: In case you missed it on Slog yesterday, the Fred Hutchinson Most cancers Middle advised employees it is going to dismantle its variety and inclusion applications to adjust to Trump’s anti-DEI order. The analysis middle stands to lose $400 million in federal funding yearly—about 70 p.c of its analysis portfolio. There are pending authorized challenges to Trump’s govt order, which may change the panorama for DEI funding, however in a letter to employees, the middle made clear that they felt Trump’s agenda was inevitable: “Whereas we don’t know whether or not the lawsuits will likely be profitable or if the order could also be modified,” they wrote, “what we do know is the present administration clearly intends to make ending DEI applications a situation of receiving federal funding.”
Backdoor entry: Apparently, the Musk whiz children spinning up code to create the Division of Authorities Effectivity did not lock down the databases they created and anybody can get in there and edit them. Some pranksters tagged the location already—and their taunts are nonetheless on-line.
lol doge.gov nonetheless reveals defaced pages
doge.gov/workforce?or…
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— Comfortably Numb (@numb.comfortab.ly) February 14, 2025 at 4:04 AM
Yakima coroner pleads not responsible: Yakima County Coroner Jim Curtice has been criminally charged for mendacity to police about stealing medication from useless our bodies after which doing the medication in his workplace. He entered a not responsible plea in courtroom this week.
Mexico threatens Google with lawsuit: Google modified the “Gulf of Mexico” on its maps to learn “Gulf of America.” Ugh. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum mentioned her authorities wasn’t ruling out a civil lawsuit in opposition to Google. Her workplace despatched a letter to Google saying it was improper to label all the gulf the “Gulf of America” regardless of Mexico’s majority management of the gulf. Google didn’t budge. An attention-grabbing tidbit is that solely folks in America see the gulf named on the map as, “Gulf of America.” In Mexico, it nonetheless reads “Gulf of Mexico.” In different international locations, it reads “Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America).” The entire thing is silly and embarrassing.
Trans erasure: Yesterday, the Nationwide Park Service wiped all proof of transgender folks from the Stonewall Nationwide Monument web site. The change went as far as to alter the LGBTQ+ acronym to only “LGB.” Whereas a disgusting transfer by itself, the change taking place on the Stonewall Monument website is stomach-churning stuff. Learn this newly-edited line from the location: “Earlier than the Sixties, virtually every thing about dwelling overtly as a lesbian, homosexual, bisexual (LGB) particular person was unlawful. The Stonewall Rebellion on June 28, 1969, is a milestone within the quest for LGB civil rights and supplied momentum for a motion.” Trans folks like Marsha P. Johnson have been instrumental figures within the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights. The Stonewall Inn, The Stonewall Inn Offers Again Initiative, and different organizers are planning to struggle to revive the point out of transgender folks to the location. We can’t stand idly by whereas our authorities tries to erase a whole group in addition to historical past.
Is there something humorous I can share with you? I might love to interrupt up the awful with the enjoyable. Um. All I’ve is that comic Invoice Burr says he thinks billionaires ought to be put down like rabid canines. Is that sufficient? Do you’re feeling happier?
Oh, here is one thing good: The worldwide hen rely begins at present and goes via February 17. Discover some birds this weekend, rely them, after which submit your counts.
Again to woe: Within the wake of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s ascension to secretary of well being, the Louisiana Division of Well being introduced it is going to not promote mass vaccination.
Remember about mild rail disruptions: There isn’t any service between Capitol Hill and SODO stations this weekend. Sorry, lovers, in case you’re planning a romantic night time downtown, take into account taking the bus.
Using the 1 Line this weekend? Plan forward for a service disruption via downtown Seattle as crews conduct methods integration exams for the two Line.
Shuttle buses will likely be accessible to maintain you shifting and can run each 10-Quarter-hour. Get the small print right here: www.soundtransit.org/disruption
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— Sound Transit (@sound-transit.bsky.social) February 13, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Cop Metropolis activists surveilled: Individuals who fought in opposition to the development of a $109 million police coaching middle in Atlanta have observed unusual black bins hooked up to utility poles outdoors their properties. Via a transparent panel on the field, you may see a digital camera. Three of the homes the place the cloaked cameras are located have been subjected to raids final February. Police raided the properties of individuals they suspected of burning police bikes in 2023. One digital camera is geared toward a neighborhood middle. Appears very clearly like a violation of privateness.
Extra federal employee layoffs: Trump is not kidding round about shrinking the federal workforce, in any other case often known as actual folks with jobs and households. In his most up-to-date transfer to put waste to the foundations of the federal authorities, Trump has focused 200,000 public servants on probation—which often means newer staff with out the identical protections as extra senior staff—for termination. Of the cuts, 1,000 of the slated-for-termination staff are staff of the Division of Veterans Affairs.
ICYMI: My latest column about Seattle subcultures got here out. This time, I carved a spoon on the Seattle Spoon Membership’s month-to-month assembly and met folks keen about “essentially the most egalitarian” craft. Learn it right here.
A not-quite love track on your V-Day: There’s some debate about whether or not this Mountain Goats track is a love or a hate track. Perhaps it is each. Regardless, in all probability greatest to not croon it to anybody you desire a lengthy and completely happy life with. Ought to I begin a gaggle textual content with my divorced mother and father and ship this track with no context?
