Jimmy Carter is dead: Georgia's own one-term president, Jimmy Carter, died on Sunday at the age of 100. The post-Watergate president oversaw the Camp David peace accords between Israel and Egypt. However, his four years weren't enough to turn around the economy in America and he lost his bid for a second term. Carter lived out his values in his post-presidency. He established the Carter Center "to promote peace, combat disease, and tackle social inequality." Carter spent a whopping 22 months in hospice, clinging to life maybe, some mused, so he could vote for and see the first woman president take office. Instead, he shuffled off this mortal coil just in time to avoid witnessing the horrors of a second Donald Trump term. His funeral will be on Jan. 9. 

Deadly South Korea plane crash: A jetliner arriving from Bangkok skidded across the runway at Muan Airport in South Korea on Sunday after its landing gear failed to deploy. The plane collided with a concrete wall and exploded, engulfing the aircraft in flames. Only two of the 181 people on board survived, both were crew members stationed in the tail section of the plane. The cause of the landing gear malfunction is still unclear, but it's possible a "bird strike" may have damaged the mechanism. The pilot reported both a "bird strike" and an "emergency" prior to the crash. 

If you're afraid of flying don't watch this: Here's the shocking footage of the crash. 

 

 

The local angle: The manufacturer of the crashed plane? Boeing. While aviation experts differentiated between this crash and other recent Boeing malfunctions (fatal 737 MAX crashes, doors flying off, etc.), this is still a bad look for the embattled aerospace company. 

Some weather: A few weak storm systems will make their way through Western Washington this week, delivering light rain. The sun may even come out on Tuesday. But, don't confuse that with a good omen for 2025. As we inch closer to midnight on New Year's Eve, rain will likely return.

Federal appeals court upholds Trump's sex abuse verdict: A federal appeals court upheld the jury's findings in the civil case brought against President-elect Donald Trump by columnist E. Jean Carroll which accused Trump of sexual abuse and defamation. The jury granted a $5 million award for Carroll. 

Feeling pukey? It could be norovirus. The stomach bug is coursing through the United States. You'll know you have it if you suddenly start vomiting or having diarrhea. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 91 outbreaks of norovirus during the week of Dec. 5. It spreads through direct contact—sharing food, and touching contaminated surfaces. Wash your hands. Don't kiss your friends unless you know where they've been. 

New year, new pet: The Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County needs help. After seizing dozens of animals from a bad situation in a Roy, Washington home, the shelter is overflowing with animals. This week they're sheltering 264 dogs. That's too many dogs. The shelter will waive adoption fees for dogs one year or older from Jan. 2-5. What are you waiting for? 

If you do adopt that pet: Don't expect to bury it at the pet cemetery in Kent. The Seattle-Tacoma Pet Cemetery has fallen into disrepair. There hasn't been a burial there since 2022. Grieving pet owners haven't been able to contact the cemetery owners, tragic for some who want all their dead animals resting in one place. There's also some zoning drama. The Seattle Times has the story. 

Me during the week between Christmas and New Year's Eve: 

 

 

Bigfoot hunters die from exposure: Two Portland, Oregon men, aged 37 and 59, went hunting for Sasquatch in southwestern Washington's Gifford Pinchot National Forest. They never returned. More than 60 people searched the woods for three days until they found the men. Both died from exposure—not from exposure to Bigfoot, but to the elements and from being ill-prepared.

Speaking of dead things: The Seahawks' playoff dreams officially died this weekend. Sorry to those of you who care about that. 

Your paranoia is unfounded: Murders are down across the US. After a murder spike during the pandemic, murders fell sharply in 2023. The downward trend continued in 2024. According to the data obtained by the New York Times, through October of this year, murders were down 16% from 2023. Your true crime obsession, your television news diet, and your blind faith in politicians who don't care about you are feeding your exaggerated fear of the world. It is not that scary outside your locked door. Stop viewing the world through what could pop up on your Ring camera. 

Chess grandmaster wants to wear jeans: Five-time world chess champion Magnus Carlsen wore jeans to the World Rapid Chess Championship on Friday, violating the International Chess Federation's (FIDE) dress code. The tournament fined him $200 and told him to change out of the jeans, but Carlsen refused. The tournament didn't pair him for his ninth-round game. Carlsen subsequently quit the tournament because it became "a matter of principle for me," he said. Carlsen said he intended to show up to Monday's World Blitz Championship in jeans. In response, the International Chess Federation agreed to loosen dress code rules. 

A song for your last Monday of 2024: Only two more days left of this year. I hope they treat you well. I'll see you in 2025.