We did not build this city.
We did not build this city. Charles Mudede

Seattle Is the No. 1 City in North America for Chinese Buyer Inquiries: This claim was made in The Province, a daily newspaper in British Columbia. The claim is backed by data gathered by Juwai.com, "a popular website in China that connects investors with international home sellers and real estate agents." The thing is this: The biggest city in British Columbia, Vancouver, recently imposed a huge tax (15 percent) on home purchases by foreign buyers. Most of these buyers are from China, and most have long concluded that the market they helped to inflate is now too expensive. The tax came at a time when profits from this form financial speculation were getting too squeezed. In short, the tax came too late. This global money is now looking for markets that are hot and cheaper. Seattle fits the bill.

The Province reports:

[Dean Jones, owner of Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty in Seattle,] said his company’s top sales in August were for Chinese buyers who set new prices in two Seattle neighbourhoods. They bought homes for about Canadian $6.5 million that would have cost about twice as much in comparable Vancouver neighbourhoods...
The post also points out that many in China actually sympathize with the "pissed off" and priced out citizens of Vancouver and respect the government's decision to tax foreign buyers. Why? Because they are also experiencing the same fucking thing in their own cities. Their housing markets have been insanely inflated by speculators. The problem is not Chinese people. The problem is surplus capital. It's a real thing and it's constantly looking for places to grow.

Boeing Screws Its Workers Again: This time around, white-collar, salaried employees of Boeing, a recent recipient of history-making tax breaks, are to be turned upside down and vigorously shaken for spare cash. Boeing believes this money will help to "cut costs" and protect profits for its shareholders. The shaking, which will take the form of severe limits on overtime pay, begins on October 14. Boeing told these workers that blame must be placed not on the company but on the competitive market. So, don't take it personally. It's just business. But many of the workers are not buying this neoliberal reasoning. They see what is what. They know they are getting a cold pay cut. This is not about competition; it's about class struggle.

E. coli Outbreak Associated with Mexican Restaurant in the University District: This outbreak, which King County Public Health has linked to Memo’s Mexican Food, is not connected with the recent outbreak linked to Matador restaurant in Ballard. The one thing you must do today is feel sorry for those going through this illness. It is no joke. It lasts for a week or so and subjects you to painful cramps that come in waves.

Mother Charged for Throwing Her 4-Year-Old Boy From a Small-Town Bridge: She claims it was all done in the name of fun, and that her boy, who wore a lifejacket, and who survived the fall into the waters of Wynochee River, wholly enjoyed the wholesome experience. But the authorities in Montesano, Washington failed to see the fun in all of this. To their eyes, she and the man she was with at the time of the tossing committed a crime.

Body of Fisherman Recovered From Columbia River: His boat was found drifting on the river on Sunday. His body was pulled from the river yesterday. It was near the tip of an island. It once belonged to a fisherman from Sandy, Oregon. He was killed by water. The river is a strong and sullen god.

Donald Trump Gets No Love in New Hampshire: New York Times reports that the Union Leader, a New Hampshire newspaper that has been "a conservative bulwark for generations," will for the first time in over a century not be endorsing a Republican nominee for president. It is instead endorsing the Libertarian Gary Johnson. The paper sees in this candidate the "lesser of two evils."

Americans Did Not Buy Enough Stuff in August:


The Cost of Post-9/11 Wars Nears $5 Trillion: A study by Brown University’s Watson Institute calculated that the war on terror has so far cost Americans $4.70 trillion. This figure, which is expected to grow and grow, includes "interest on borrowing, future veterans needs, and the cost of homeland security."

A Pennsylvania Teacher Brought a Loaded Gun To an Elementary School: And students found it left on a toilet tank in the bathroom. For a moment, the children entered that dangerous zone between life and death. But luck was on their side; the trigger on the loaded weapon wasn't pulled. The teacher reported the incident and resigned.