Costco union reaches tentative deal: A contract between America’s favourite superstore and a union representing 10% of its staff was set to run out on Friday. Employees had approved a strike to battle for higher advantages and wages within the face of inflation and price of dwelling will increase. Earlier than the contract expired, Costco and the union reached a tentative settlement. Individually, on Friday, Costco introduced a elevate for all non-union hourly staff to $30 an hour.
SODA fizzling to date: Handed swiftly and urgently by the Seattle Metropolis Council final yr, the “keep out” zones for individuals arrested on drug-related offenses (a legislation often called SODA) would bar sure individuals from locations across the metropolis reminiscent of Belltown, Downtown, Pioneer Sq., Chinatown Worldwide District, Capitol Hill, and the College District. The legislation permits police to arrest individuals banned from these areas. Solely, the legislation is not getting used. In accordance with the Seattle Instances, SODA has been used solely as soon as by a choose. So, why the hoopla over passing this ineffective legislation? In fact, our council of moderates and our Republican metropolis legal professional will blame it on not having sufficient police.
A Head and Shoulders-type weekend: ‘Trigger we acquired some flakes, proper? Proper?? However just a few. The snow fell, then it melted. It fell once more. It might have turned to black ice in a single day. Greater than 90 college districts in western Washington can have delayed begins this morning. Extra snow might fall once more Monday, however do not anticipate an enduring winter wonderland. And do not be gaslit by that local weather change-denying groundhog.
Dwell footage from the snow storm:
when it snows for five minutes in Seattle pic.twitter.com/xb6ddmgodi
— JUDAH (@JudahHuffman) February 2, 2025
Deportation protests in West Seattle: Greater than 200 protesters marched alongside West Seattle’s waterfront on Sunday to protest President Donald Trump’s threats of mass deportation. They realized in regards to the march from TikTok and Instagram.
Deportation protests across the nation: Hundreds of protesters shut down the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles. They waved Mexican flags and blasted Mexican music. Their indicators learn issues like “Trump eat caca! Beware the Nazis,” The place did the American Dream go!,” and “I drink my horchata heat as a result of fuck I.C.E,” referring to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Regardless of a hefty police presence, no arrests have been made. Protesters additionally gathered to decry mass deportation in San Diego, Dallas, Atlanta, and elsewhere.
NOW: Anti-ICE protesters are blocking each side of the 101 Freeway close to the Alameda Road exit in DTLA. The CHP has since closed that portion of the freeway. Learn extra: https://t.co/K60ImdzmDi pic.twitter.com/iO5ARSTyTL
— KTLA (@KTLA) February 2, 2025
No weekends off in hell: We do not need the luxurious of ignoring regardless of the fuck is going on. Living proof: this weekend. There’s a lot. Is any of it good? Um. You inform me.
DOGE commandeers USAid: Members of Elon Musk’s Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE) tried to entry delicate information from the US Company for Worldwide Growth (USAid), which is the world’s largest single donor and doles out 42% of all humanitarian support worldwide. When senior safety officers at USAid tried to cease the DOGE crew from accessing worker emails, personnel information, turnstile information, and management of a system that locks out staff, they have been placed on administrative go away. Sources additionally worry DOGE tried to entry “Delicate Compartmented Info Amenities, or SCIFs, and servers used to entry delicate cables with top-secret classifications.” Greater than 100 USAid staff have been placed on go away via the weekend. Musk believes the company ought to be “shut down” and referred to as it a “felony group.”
Making issues worse: The individuals in control of this hostile takeover of USAid’s pc methods are six pc engineers between the ages of 18 and 24. To make issues EVEN worse, this morning Musk mentioned that Trump has agreed that USAID ought to be shut down.
Extra energy for Musk and his cronies: Treasury Division officers who’re affiliated with Musk and who’re liaising with DOGE (god, I hate typing that silly fucking acronym) now have entry to the treasury’s cost system, which accommodates data on individuals who obtain authorities funds. That features anybody receiving Social Safety, tax refunds, grant recipients, and any federal staff or contractors. The longtime profession official who ran the system, David Lebryk, resigned Friday after going head-to-head with Trump officers over this entry. Now, a staff led by Tom Krause, the CEO of Cloud Software program Group and present Treasury Division employee and doge liaison, has entry. By the transitive property—regardless of what they declare—we will assume there is a good probability Musk now has that data.
Trump tariffs: Signaling he would not give a shit about how a lot it prices to be alive on this nation nor does he care about our allies or our neighbors, Trump signed tariffs towards Canada and Mexico. Canada circled and put 25% tariffs on American items. Canada has urged its residents to purchase Canadian. Ontario’s chief mentioned he was ripping up the province’s contract with Starlink as a result of “Ontario received’t do enterprise with individuals hellbent on destroying our financial system.” Canadians are booing the American nationwide anthem at sporting occasions. Mexico and Canada are teaming as much as cope with the bullshit our nation is inflicting. In the meantime, Trump mentioned People might “really feel some ache” from the tariffs, going again on one in every of his multitudinous farcical marketing campaign guarantees. He additionally hinted at tariffs for the European Union and the UK. I do not find out about you, however I don’t be ok with billionaires blowing up the worldwide financial system simply because they’ll.
“It looks like nearly each sector of the American financial system” — Fox Information has put collectively a scrolling checklist of the “items affected by Trump tariffs” 😬 pic.twitter.com/nofdk3IrEZ
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 2, 2025
The US anthem will get booed on the Raptors recreation. By no means seen this earlier than. pic.twitter.com/HDipiMs9fW
— William Lou (@william_lou) February 2, 2025
Different worrying tidbits: Trump ordered conventional information shops reminiscent of NBC Information, The New York Instances, Nationwide Public Radio, and Politico to vacate their workplaces within the Pentagon. As an alternative, that workplace house will function on an “annual media rotation program.” This yr the media within the Pentagon will likely be One America Information Community, the New York Submit, Breitbart Information Community, and HuffPost.
One other aircraft crash: A small medical transport aircraft carrying a toddler affected person crashed right into a Philadelphia neighborhood on Friday night. All six individuals on board died.
There was an excessive amount of information: I did not have time to completely share this story a few Los Angeles-area bear that is too fats to tranquilize.
The Grammys: I’ll attempt to squish in some tradition among the many political information onslaught. Beyoncé lastly received her first Album of the Yr Grammy for “Cowboy Carter.” Kendrick Lamar received File of the Yr and Music of the Yr for his diss observe “Not Like Us.” Chappell Roan received Finest New Artist. Yay, music!
A Grammy efficiency of word: I’ve already shared these songs earlier than, however each time Doechii performs them it is simply so good, so I need to share this newest model. Additionally, she received finest Rap Album for her album “Alligator Bites By no means Heal,” changing into solely the third girl to ever win the award. This is her efficiency from final night time:
Doechii full efficiency of “catfish” and “denial is a river” on the #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/hVQYA2Y1ja
— Keyv’ (@Kvn_bjx) February 3, 2025
Okay wait yet another: Girl Gaga being again foretells the upcoming recession.