What's soon to become a reality? Free Metro transit for those under the age of 19. The King County Council "unanimously approved [the] proposal" today. Young people should expect free rides all over the county "sometime in September." Young people must do their best to stay away from the dead end that is Driver's Ed.

By the way, Metro is free until the heatwave is over. I know this from the bus driver who saved me from the heat that spread even under the leafy trees of Genesee Park. I even believe the sun was frying the too-smart brains of the crows. They seemed louder and more frantic than usual. And the coolness of the bus ride transported me to a future where what remains of humanity is condemned to live in temperature-controlled bubbles on an Earth that has become as alien as the Red Planet.

BREAKING: The thermometer:



We must keep in mind that these escalators are in the station that introduces many visitors to the city of Seattle.

Westlake Station is one of the busiest points on the line, and this has been the sorry state of things since the beginning of the year. It really is astonishing. It really takes a lot of work to be this bad. It really shows a lack of mission or, more importantly, public spirit. One wishes Sound Transit even had the passion of a used-car salesperson.

And yes, gas prices are still falling in Washington. MyNorthwest: "Some good news: Gas prices have been falling for about 40 days in a row. Overall, gas in Washington state is down 43 cents from the record high set on June 16, putting the current average for a gallon of regular unleaded gas at $5.12."

And this is exactly why a big part of the left is doomed to fail in the US. The falling price of gas is, politically, "some good news" for the Dems. The right want's high gas prices to remain high, and even to go higher. This is all the GOP can talk about. It's betting the midterms on this one issue, which can, it believes, eclipse even the rights of women. And so, the Dems are not creating the rules for what constitutes good and bad news. The right is. Good news is not cheaper solar panels. It's cheaper gas for any position on the mainstream political spectrum.

Please follow Seattle Street Trees. It's one of the best things on Twitter:

Hannah Krieg reports that the City Council narrowly avoided guillotine. Take it away, Hannah:

Thanks, Charles: The council was supposed to vote today on whether or not COVID-19 is over for frontline grocery workers despite the fact that we are currently in the midst of a huge COVID-19 surge. Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, the original sponsor of the hazard pay bill, decided to skip the meeting. Her spokesperson said Mosqueda requested today’s absence at the council’s last meeting and is spending time with family “like many people.” Councilmember Tammy Morales did not attend, also because of a family commitment, according to her tweet Monday. And Council President Debora Juarez didn’t show up. So, the council postponed the vote until Aug. 2.

BRO. PEOPLE CALLED IN DURING WORK. I SPENT TWO DAYS WORKING ON THIS VOTE. MARK MY WORDS, NOT GIVING NOTICE THAT THE COUNCIL WILL JUST POSTPONE THE VOTE IS ALSO ANTI-WORKER BECAUSE THESE FUCKING "PUBLIC SERVANTS" WASTED OUR TIME. WE MADE A FUCKING GRAPHIC OF THEM IN A GROCERY CART. The good news is that this protection lives another week. For full-time workers, that comes out to about $160 extra in their pocket. Love to see it!

Sing your song, Hannah:

I had no idea there was such a big demand for French in the Seattle area. But apparently there is. According to the Puget Sound Business Journal's real estate reporter, Marc Stiles, the "French American School of Puget Sound on Tuesday said it will buy a block on North Beacon Hill, where it will build a new campus." The project will cost "around $70 million." This is all amazing to me, because I have never heard French spoken on a Metro bus. Ever. Or maybe only when I was listening to MC Solaar on what evolved from a Walkman. But that's rapping, not talking.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's too late. The right doesn't need him anymore. You can have him. And that mayor from New York.

Here we are again. Down to the two choices the rich find acceptable: Neoliberal leaders or fascists. Italy has rejected the former, the technocrat Mario Draghi, and is now heading toward the latter. The left, of course, are out of this picture. 

So, Tony Dow is not dead? New York Times: "An obituary of the actor Tony Dow was published in error. The Times based the confirmation of his death on a Facebook post by his representatives, which proved erroneous and has since been deleted." We entered this twilight zone not long ago. It was the same with the rapper Biz Markie. He was dead, then he was not dead. Then, he was really dead. 

Dan Savage this morning:

Let's end PM with one of most beautiful hiphop tracks, MC Solaar's "A La Claire Fontaine":