It’s Christmas Eve! Misty and in the 50s today, rainy and in the 40s (with an atmospheric river, as a treat) tomorrow. To anyone who didn’t grow up here it might feel woefully un-festive, but this is Seattle Christmas, damnit. 

Who wants news on the holidays? No one, so we’ll keep it brief, give you some holiday recs, and then you can pretend your phone is just for Wordle for the rest of the day. (But if you need an excuse to dip out from a conversation with That One Family Member, you can always come back and read it again.)

“This is what a reckoning looks like.” That was part of the statement released by Dr. Ben Danielson’s attorneys after the jury came back yesterday, awarding him $21 million for racial discrimination from Seattle Children’s Hospital. Danielson sued them last year after resigning in the wake of the George Floyd protests, accusing Seattle Children’s of allowing institutional racism to permeate the hospital, and retaliating against him when he drew attention to it. His resignation led the Children’s to launch an independent investigation.

Drone war: The Seattle Times reported this morning that the State is using aerial drones to cover graffiti along the highways. The drone is an $86,000 battery-powered aircraft that’s tethered to pump paint from the ground. So far, the state has spent $22,000 to clean graffiti using drones, and plans to spend up to $60,000 by the end of June 2025. Cool cool cool. 

Starbucks workers still on strike: It’s expanded to 300 stores in 45 states. (Wanna get your mind blown? That’s only 3 percent of their locations). Workers are out on the picket line on Christmas Eve, so get your little whipped-cream-topped treat somewhere else today (and bring a treat to the picket line while you’re at it). 

ICYMI: Yesterday, Ashley gave us a rundown of what we can take away from the King County Metro stabbing and arrest; I shared some local history about Kristen Waggoner, our fellow Washingtonian, CEO of the Alliance Defending Freedom, and an essential player in the anti-LGBTQ push in the Supreme Court; Hannah explored why there’s no clear challenger against Mayor Harrell yet; and the 2024 Cookie Countdown continues. 

Speaking of cookies: If you haven’t followed the cookie countdown lately, let me recommend a few recent gems: Marcus Harrison Green’s treatise on Hood Famous’s Ube cookie (in which he calls all other cookies “a lie besieged by sugar”); Vivian McCall’s Ode to the Grocery Store Clam Shell Cookie; and Megan Seling’s ongoing argument that “Not all cookies are for you, kid.”

I hate to Trump Christmas, but it’s worth keeping this from getting lost in the holiday news fog. Yesterday, Trump named Mauricio Claver-Carone to be his special envoy to Latin America. Claver-Carone is notorious for his hard-line positions on Cuba. He was part of the first Trump administration, but left for what should have been a prestigious five-year post running the Inter-American Development Bank. Instead, he was fired after just two years amidst allegations that he was in a romantic relationship with a subordinate, whose salary he’d increased by $133,000 in less than a year, according to The Associated Press. All of this is notable, sure, but what stood out to me most in the NYT’s announcement was that “blogger” was the second word used to identify him. 

Okay let’s do some holiday stuff. 

Tomorrow is the first night of Hannukah, and if I wasn’t bouncing between family members’ homes in different parts of the state all day, I’d be going to SIFF’s Fiddler on the Roof Sing Along. Mostly because I have very strong feelings about how that one part of “If I Were a Rich Man” should be pronounced, and you can’t convince me otherwise. 

Are you a dumplings and fried rice kinda gal on Christmas? We got you. The EverOut team broke it down by their favorite Cantonese, Sichuan, Dim Sum, and Chinese American spots. And if you have decision paralysis, just go for Chengdu Taste. 

High Volume: Looking for a batch cocktail for your holiday party? We have that too! Megan Russell from Bar Miriam shared the recipe for her Golden Spice Martini. All of the work is in the infusion: add your saffron and your spices to 20 oz of gin, let it sit for two hours, and then it’s all about the garnishes. It’s beautiful, it’s a crowd pleaser, and you won’t spend the whole party behind the bar. 

More than sugar plum fairies: We all think about the Pacific Northwest Ballet during Nutcracker season, but don’t miss the show that comes next. We got to go behind the scenes with their costume department while they prepared for the biggest production the company has ever taken on: a brand new take on Sleeping Beauty. 

Somebody sent you something gigantic! As a treat, here’s the gayest thing to ever happen on a children’s Christmas show (a high bar). 

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20 replies on “Slog AM: Christmas Eve Edition”

  2. “the State is using aerial drones to cover graffiti along the highways”

    Yeah right, but how long until the writers start using drones of their own? Can’t wait to see a quadcopter cruising the length of the I-90 bridge throwing up MSP every 30 feet.

  5. ‘Mauricio Claver-Carone . . . was fired

    after just two years amidst allegations

    that he was in a romantic relationship

    with a subordinate, whose salary

    he’d increased by $133,000…’

    how Generous he is with

    other people’s money

    and how Friendly all

    that money musta

    made mc-c seem

    I’m sure

    being one of

    eltrumpfster’s

    Finest, he’ll bring great

    Rebuke to USLatin America

    make it even More holy-Hellish

    making them Flee for their Lives

    so’s we can separate their Families

    yet again at our border with Mexico

    repubs like to claim

    our government don’t

    Work! get elected then

    set out to Prove their claim

    the Sole thing

    they’re really

    any ‘good’

    at

    @4

    and when

    they Escalate

    start swapping*

    mustard gas who’s

    gonna be out there

    suckin’ up the poison?

    ‘trump’ as a verb:

    as in to introduce? I’ve

    always preferred trumpf U.

    Merry Christmas!

    *or

    .50 cals

  6. How many more people would have died using a rocket launcher or nuclear weapons? It’s only a matter of time, after all.

    I’m holding out hope for a really big asteroid. If it was good enough for the dinosaurs, it’s good enough for us!

  7. @6, It’s cheaper, easier, and just as effective to use a car, as a rocket launcher, so why would someone use a rocket launcher, when an equally effective tool is already at hand?

    Someone commits a criminal act, and finds the means, because of an exercise of agency.

    They don’t commit a criminal act because the lighter in their pocket took control of their agency and forced them to light someone on fire, or because their car told them they had to drive through a crowded market, and they had to do what their car said.

  8. @7, If you actually believed your own bullshit you would give up all your guns because according to your argument guns are obsolete. Why does anyone need a gun if their car or skateboard is just as deadly, maybe even deadlier? Plus you can’t ride your gun to the grocery store. So much more economical to bundle your mode of transportation with your self-defense.

  9. @8, Other objects are just as deadly, or deadlier. They aren’t as readily portable, concealable, and generally lack stand-off capability.

    As far as dual use, you make my point. If we are going to regulate an object because of it’s ability to be misused to harm other people, then to be intellectually consistent, then there is a list of items and objects too numerous to list, that we need to start working on. But people who rationalize regulation of an object on the basis of the harm that can be caused if the object is misused, aren’t intellectually consistent.

    If objects caused humans to harm others, then Finland, with about 3/4 of the gun ownership rates would have 3/4 as many gun homicides and assault. Switzerland would have 2/3. But they both have about 1/8th our homicide rates.

    So for a libertarian, don’t judge other people’s choices, kind of forum, the inconsistency is doubly-baffling.

    It’s also baffling that a place that champions feminism, doesn’t support women having free access to a tool that makes them equal in a fight with men that have, on average have 15% more bone and muscle mass. They want women to rely solely on the thickness of the paper a court order is printed on them, to shield them from their abusers.

  10. Merry Christmas. Happy Chrismukkah.

    Little advice for @6 and @8 which is always applicable but which is particularly timely for the season. DFTT.

    And as much as I appreciate our friend mike blob’s exasperated responses, that would probably also make a good New Year’s Resolution for him.

  12. Maybe have a few drones armed with pepper spray ready to deploy when a citizen calls in a graffiti “artist” doing their thing… just a thought.

  13. So the Atheists. Agnostics, and Theists at The Stranger aren’t working today to protest Congress declaring a Christian Holiday a National Holiday? Doesn’t seem intellectually consistent.

    Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, etc. to all.

  14. @13 ’tis

    Prosperity

    Jesus’ Birthday

    we’re Celebrating

    today meester magoo

    the Real Jesus

    was much Too

    Progressive for

    Today’s ‘christians’

    who’d have Him either In

    the looney bin or burned at

    the stake, long before nightfall.

    happy

    holidays!

    And don’t

    forget to Tip

    your Waistaff!

  16. @14, “the Real Jesus

    was much Too

    Progressive for

    Today’s ‘christians”

    Perhaps.

    Do you quotes and citations, in context, that support that hypothesis?

    You very well may.

    In the spirit of the holiday, and historical accuracy, let’s see them.

Comments are closed.