West Seattle, Courtin’ Pork? City council member Tom Rasmussen, the chair of the council’s transportation committee and the only council member to live in Seattle’s newly created West Seattle district five, has proposed cutting funds from a north Seattle light project to fund lower-level projects in his neighborhood—a move that some north Seattle residents denounce as a transparent attempt to court favor before his 2015 district five re-election campaign.
Better Learn to Pronounce Her Name Right: Kshama Sawant widens her lead over Richard Conlin to over 1,000 votes, putting her out of automatic ballot recount territory.
State Funding for Transit Is Fucked: Sightline’s Jennifer Langston explains that the $12.3 billion transportation package that surfaced in the state legislature earlier this week would spend less than two percent of that on transit and improvements for cyclists and pedestrians—which is just one of her detailed reasons why she argues that King County should strike out and fund Metro without the state’s help.
A Friendly Beheading: An al-Qaeda affiliated rebel group in Syria accidentally beheaded an ally “in a case of mistaken identity.” On the bright side, they reportedly asked Allah for forgiveness and He reportedly gave it.
Occupy Wall Street Buys and “Frees” Debt: Over the past year, a group of Occupy activists has bought up almost $15 million in personal debt to help people pay off their outstanding credit.
Rolling Jubilee, set up by Occupy’s Strike Debt group following the street protests that swept the world in 2011, launched on 15 November 2012. The group purchases personal debt cheaply from banks before “abolishing” it, freeing individuals from their bills.
By purchasing the debt at knockdown prices the group has managed to free $14,734,569.87 of personal debt, mainly medical debt, spending only $400,000.
Slug Sex Drug: Fnarf introduces us to the GOP’s collective sexual fantasy, which involves “stab[bing a] mating partner between the eyes with a sex drug that makes them more willing” during coitus. If that overture fails, the slug may resort to beating his lover to death with a vacuum cleaner. Allegedly.
More Children for China: China tweaks its decades old one-child-only policy, adding a second child to account for inflation. The communist country will also be shutting down its forced labor camps, likely in favor of more humane forced spa camps.
Relax, Everyone: Andy Kaufman is still dead.
It’s Friday! Spend a few moments looking at these adorable pictures of an albino kangaroo while you eat your ceremonial TGIF pastry.
Because Nailing Your Scrotum to a Sidewalk Isn’t Punishment Enough: The artist who nailed his scrotum to Red Square earlier this week to protest Russia’s police state has been arrested and charged with hooliganism under the same Russian law that netted Pussy Riot protesters. Enjoy Siberia, dude.
What Do You Really Think of Us? Catholics are being encouraged to complete a 39-question survey detailing how they think the Catholic church deals with social and reproductive issues like contraception and gay marriage. “The survey is intended to give Catholic bishops around the world information ahead of a special meeting to discuss the Church’s policy on the family next autumn,” reports the BBC. Here’s the survey. Take it! Twice!!
And finally, Ask a Mortician’s Caitlin Doughty explains why you can’t have that traditional Viking funeral you’re always fantasizing about.
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