Spill the beans, Jay.
Spill the beans, Jay. OFFICE OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE

Weā€™re headed toward extinction: Bring it, bitch. University of Washington scientists believe that greenhouse gases caused the mass extinction event 252 million years ago. It starts with volcanic greenhouse gases being released in the oceans, a mass-marine creature die off, and badabing-badaboomā€”death, extinction, ruin. They think weā€™re headed that way if we keep up our current greenhouse gas-emitting habits. We deserve to die not with the bang of a fabled meteorite but with the whimper of us melting off the Earthā€™s surface.

Jay Inslee now officially ā€˜actively consideringā€™ presidential run: The will-he-wonā€™t-he tension is keeping me on the edge of my seat. His political action committee has reported $112,500 in donations for his not-official-but-basically-official presidential run. Tell us your campaign slogan already, Jay! He says he hasnā€™t made up his mind yet.

Itā€™s now a buyerā€™s market, as they say: Thatā€™s a thing they say, right? I donā€™t know. What Iā€™m trying to get at is that thereā€™s a cool-down in the Seattle housing market. Prices keep dropping, supply is high, and interest rates, as Mike Rosenberg with the Seattle Times points out, are inching their way back down. People also arenā€™t buying. This was the seventh month in a row where fewer people bought homes.

Apple takes third in most valuable company race: There isnā€™t a real race, but Apple has been usurped as the most valuable company. Microsoft has the lead. Close behind? Obviously, itā€™s Amazon. Cā€™mon. Get with the program. The two richest companies in the world live in Seattle. So, how about that income tax?

Who will be Seattleā€™s Next Top SDOT Director??? The answer is: TBD. The search for a permanent Seattle Department of Transportation director has been dragging on for almost a year now. But, the mayor has declined to say who the finalists are. There are finalists, she assures the press. Of course, there are finalists. While the search continues, so do the transit-heavy issues facing our city. Read the help wanted ad here.

Meanwhile, light rail is really coming: I can almost taste it.


Mudslide warnings in LA: All those fires really loosened up the soil. Now, LA is getting battered by something theyā€™ve only heard about in myths and legendsā€”rain.


Our turn for rain: You had your fill, Inland Empire, now itā€™s our turn.


Taxes are fueling French riots: Gas costs $6 a gallon in France. A lot of that price is due to a gas tax that is meant to cull the Frenchā€™s dependence on fossil fuels. However, many people are furious. Though they may believe in the causeā€”saving the world from imminent death via climate changeā€”the taxes still impact them, especially those who live in rural areas and are dependent on driving.

Things are fishy in city government: SCC Insight's Kevin Schofield organized this campaign asking the city auditor to investigate city government officials' use of private email accounts to conduct government business.



Kevin Hart, newly minted 2019 Oscar host, comes under fire: Hart was chosen as the new host of the Oscars this year. Twitter users did like Twitter users do and started digging up Hartā€™s online skeleton closet. He's got a past. He recently posted a video apologizing and saying that he ā€œloves everybody.ā€


Welcome to the dystopia:


A vaccine for bees: Finnish scientists have created an edible honey that will protect bees against diseases. Specifically, the vaccine is meant to fight a bacterial disease called American foulbrood. This vaccine is the latest attempt to save the bees.

The Stranger's Pet Watch has a 100 percent success rate: About three-and-a-half weeks ago a woman and pet owner came to us to help her find her beloved cat, Cairo. He'd gone missing. We posted about it. Now, she's told us that Cairo has been found. It turns out he was in the neighbor's basement for all that time! Did our post help find him? We really can never know for sure. But! If you or your friends are missing a pet or you saw a flyer on the street, email petwatch@thestranger.com. We find pets!