Forty homeless men and women--toting sleeping mats and blankets--defied King County on Monday, October 1 by camping out in front of the county's downtown administration building, at 500 Fourth Avenue. Police stood guard all night in case anyone tried to break in.

The reason for the standoff? For the last nine years, the King County Administration Building has hosted a winter homeless shelter in their lobby, from October 1 until April. This year, the county says, the shelter won't open until October 15 because they are looking for a new provider.

However, the homeless group SHARE/WHEEL--which organized the protest and served as provider at the shelter last year and for much of the last decade--is willing to operate it again this year. King County has not responded to SHARE/WHEEL's offer, and will not say what they have against the group, although there is tension between King County Executive Ron Sims and SHARE/WHEEL, due to the group's earlier protest tactics.

Since last winter, 190 indoor shelter beds have disappeared due to shelter closures in the Pioneer Square area. AMY JENNIGES

Bezos' Bell

In case you missed it, Amazon head honcho Jeff Bezos can be seen gobbling quesadillas in Taco Bell's newest TV ads. What's the connection between online commerce and Mexican fast food?

According to Amazon spokesperson Bill Curry, Taco Bell's latest message hypes "innovation and new things" in the bean and cheese world, and Taco Bell was "looking for a person to symbolize that."

The new Taco Bell/Bezos commercial will run for five weeks, with Bezos' $20,000 Taco Bell pay stub going to the Special Olympics. PAT KEARNEY

The Endorsement Game

The juicy rumor at city hall last week was that urban populist council member Judy Nicastro was getting set to endorse City Attorney Mark Sidran for mayor.

"Oh, God no!" Nicastro told The Stranger when asked point blank if she was going to endorse Sidran. Nicastro says she had a good talk with Mark "Republican" Sidran, and admits that she likes some of his "tough on crime" posturing, but says that his "tendency to go after the poor" is unacceptable, citing the infamous Sidran car impound ordinance. However, Nicastro isn't endorsing Sidran's opponent Nickels either.

City Council President Margaret "Law & Order" Pageler and her council ally Jim Compton have endorsed Sidran, while-- according to the Nickels camp--Council Member Heidi Wills has endorsed fellow Democrat busybody Nickels. JOSH FEIT