Hepatitis C is on the rise in Washington: Baby boomers and intravenous drug users are the groups most impacted by Hep C. Cases rose by 60% from 2009 to 2017 and experts have a few reasons that might be the case, according to the Seattle Times. It’s possible that there is no increase in the actual number of cases, it’s just that screening efforts have become more effective and more people are reporting their Hep C. The disease is transmitted through blood, which explains its prevalence among intravenous drug users and baby boomers who grew up at a time when needles for things like tattoos were reused.
Fatal car crash on Aurora Ave: One person is dead and three are injured after a car plowed into a building near Canlis Restaurant, just south of the 99 bridge. The accident happened during rush hour and backed traffic all the way to the 99 tunnel. The driver died at the scene and the passenger is in critical condition, but the two cooks who were in a storage area when the car made impact are in satisfactory condition.
Mangled car sits above stairs at south end of Aurora bridge. One person was hit and thrown down below stairway. #KOMONews pic.twitter.com/huFeFpFjz7
— Doug Pigsley (@DougPigsleyKOMO) May 15, 2019
San Francisco becomes the first city to ban facial recognition: The city’s government agencies are now barred from using the new technology. That includes the police department who would likely be most interested in using it. Facial recognition brings to mind a dystopian future where the government tracks our every move, so one activist, Aaron Peskin, thought it best to stop it early. As police departments nationwide weigh how or if to use facial recognition technology, they may be influenced by San Francisco’s ban (looking at you Washington state Legislature).
Speaking of facial recognition: One UW computer engineer wants to make the technology work for trans people too. Binary genders are baked into the way facial recognition works, so Os Keyes, a UW Ph.D. student, is working to introduce the idea of gender transition to facial recognition software. The technology mostly assumes that people will remain static; that boys with hard noses and sharp jawlines will stay that way and women with plump lips and wide-set eyes will stay that way, but that doesn’t factor in people who are more fluid when it comes to their gender identity and outward appearance. It also imposes a strict gender binary in gender assignment. One UW graduate student, Os Keyes, recently wrote a paper called “The Misgendering Machine” that reveals how the binary baked into facial recognition is inherently transphobic and has the potential to “render [trans people] invisible.” Keyes describes facial recognition as “the devil’s assbreath of technology” and would like to “stake facial recognition through the heart.”
(An earlier description of Keyes’ research mischaracterized it’s findings and has been deleted above.)
Yes, you’re going to need a rain jacket today: And the next day. And the next day. And probably the day after that. You’ll be happy about this rain when the summer fires start for real, so try to enjoy it.
Grab your rain jacket as you head out the door this morning! Rain moves in from Oregon throughout the afternoon and evening hours! Showers continue at times into the weekend. #wawx pic.twitter.com/eS6ub8Hqqs
— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) May 15, 2019
Alabama voted to essentially ban abortions state-wide: Let me be more clear, 25 white men voted to make it nearly impossible for women to get an abortion inside Alabama. The only exemption is in dire medical circumstances, but other than that the law is unflinching, even in cases of rape or incest. While this law is heinous enough on its own, the real threat is when it almost inevitably makes its way to the Supreme Court to challenge Roe v. Wade, which asserts a woman’s constitutional right to end a pregnancy. This is what people were warning lawmakers about when Brett Kavanaugh was being confirmed.
U.S. fertility rates hit record low: Let me shout it from the rooftops—THIS IS NOT A BAD THING! In fact, it’s a positive sign in public health and social development. With the recent exception of Alabama (and all those other states passing backward heartbeat bills), women have much easier access to both birth control and emergency procedures to end a pregnancy than they did decades ago. Don’t get me wrong, it is far from perfect, but overall contraceptives have gotten better and easier to get, giving women more control over their fertility. Turns out when given control, most women don’t want to have eight kids. Child mortality is low in the U.S. so you can be fairly confident the kids you do have will survive to adulthood and you don’t need a bunch of kids to work on your farm anymore.
We’ve moved one inch closer to war with Iran since yesterday: If you remember from yesterday’s Slog, I talked about how National Security Advisor Michael Bolton is moving us toward war with Iran. Now, all non-essential American embassy staff in Tehran are being ordered home. That’s what you do when you’re no longer thinking diplomatically. The Trump Administration cited increased security threats from Iranian proxy forces, but British intelligence contradicts those claims. Bolton, what the fuck are you up to?
Show me your mugs: So remember how I missed last week’s mug shots and promised to make this week double great? Well, I fucking delivered! Or rather YOU all delivered by sending in so many amazing mugs. We’ve got a lot to get through so let’s dive in.
Andy, coffee makes me poop too. Can’t tell you how many times my those morning poops have interrupted Slog AM. No better way to start the day.
People aren’t the only ones who like mugs! My friend Aquene’s dog Tucker is diving into a mug the size of him. Watch out for those viruses and bacteria Tucker! I hope he has good health insurance.
Bea’s mug is a work of exquisite minimalism. It used to be a mug that changed color with the temperature and branded for the TV show Doctor Who, but now it only reads “who” and there’s something poetic about that.
I wonder what Prince’s morning routine was. It’s hard to think the man even slept; in my head he’s just a creative musical, sex machine that was sent here by the gods. But Jeanie’s Prince mug is the next best thing to waking up with the man himself.
Jennifer scored a pretty sweet mug from South Dakota’s most celebrated tourist attraction. I’m told Mt. Rushmore is very small. Nicholas Cage also taught me there’s a secret tunnel behind it.
Lisa is hard at work at Fred Hutch and UW working on cures to cancer. How about a round of fucking applause for Lisa!
Lissa (not to be confused with Lisa above) is a big fan of her bunny mug. Turns out, she has ANOTHER bunny mug at work. Way to stay on brand.
Phil’s mug is a dig at the royal family that I don’t fully understand but still love. It does give me a chance to drop the fun fact that all swans in the UK technically belong to the royal family. You’re welcome.
Shannon isn’t a morning person. Neither am I Shannon. It might seem like it because I’m so goddamn chipper in these posts, but I’m stonefaced the whole time.
My friend Staci has a Buddha mug that can make any morning better.
Now listen here you $#!%:
Tonight’s best Seattle entertainment options include: A conversation with Ryann Donnelly and Christopher Frizzelle about her book Justify My Love, a show with dark synth-pop project TR/ST, and the non-recorded multimedia show Pop-Up Magazine.
