She makes this look cool, but its not cool. Being hip is being healthy!
She makes this look cool, but it's not cool. Being hip is being healthy! licsiren/Getty Images

Redmond's rapid diversification: Faster than Seattle? Yup. According to FYI Guy Gene Balk, the Eastside is diversifying speedily while Seattle, as he puts it, stalls. Last year, Bellevue had become "the countyā€™s most recent city where people of color make up at least half the population," and Balk says Redmond is on track to be added to that list in the near future.

The Seahawks broke a record yesterday: But it wasn't a good one. They broke their team record for "most penalty yards." They were moved backwards a whopping 148 yards due to penalties in yesterday's game against the San Fransisco 49ers. Also, they lost. 26-23. I'm sure Spike Friedman will have a lot more to say about this game later this morning.

The Seattle NHL team may use indigenous art in their logo: KING5 reports that while there is no official decision on the team name, "there is some buzz building that it will have ties with Seattle's indigenous roots." While sports teams have historically done a poor job with appropriating native culture, Nooksack tribal member and artist Louie Gong sounds optimistic, saying this:

I'm personally excited because I think Seattle's team has an awareness of Coast Salish art and has an opportunity to validate the presence of the indigenous art of Seattle that's never been done before

Resist the precipitation! If we all concentrate hard enough, visualizing sunshine and blue skies, perhaps we canā€”nope, just submit. Rain/overcast weather never really bothered me anyway. We're still about a month out from SAD lamp time.


The kids are alright all vaping: While most teen drug use has decreased, there is only one statistic that matters this morning: twice as many high school students used electronic cigarettes this year than compared to the year before, according to a federally funded study conducted by the University of Michigan. Kids, take it from me, the King of Cool, vaping a JUUL just isn't as "thicc" or fire emoji as you think it is. It's actually kind of sad-face emoji.

The old folks are alright being displaced in South Seattle: The South Seattle Emerald has the scoop on seniors in the South End being displaced due to rising rents and long waiting lists. As the piece reads, "Because most seniors live on some manner of fixed incomeā€¦they canā€™t afford to live in the Seattle area anymore." While their fixed income stayed just that, fixed, the price of living in Seattle has gone way up. The article also points out that there are only a little more than 55,000 affordable housing units "specifically geared towards older adults in King County."

Man dies after being pulled out of Salmon Bay: The Seattle Times reports that a 55-year old man died shortly after being pulled out of the water at Lockhaven Marina on Sunday. While it is unclear how he ended up in the water, he was at the Marina exercising his two dogs, one of which also died Sunday.

Mayors, embarrassed by the Amazon HQ2 bidding wars, urge each other to not embarrass themselves in future: In a panel discussion held by The Washington Post, leaders expressed that perhaps in the future they should focus less on wooing corporations to bring them jobs, and more on creating a community that is desirable to live in (to attract talent). Basically different means to the same end, but of course, the means make all the difference.

That TrumpShutdown, though: There are five days to go until a possible government shutdown, and Trump really wants his wall. He's ready to be obstinate over it. It is all speculation of course, until Trump speaks. But, if his obsession/tantrum over the border wall leads to a shut down, the optics will be (already are?) absolutely horrible. The outcome won't be any better. Here's what the shutdown would look like.

It's a penguin... Walk into this week like this baby penguinā€”with naive optimism (projecting too much?) and curiosity about the powdery white overwhelmingly gray world surrounding you.


A painting, for your mind This morning I'm sharing a new painting of mine. I just moved into a new art studio and have been delightfully productive. It's called PLATZ! NOT 4 BEZOS. It's 30" X 24" mixed media. Enjoy!

PLATZ PLATZ NOT 4 BEZOS
PLATZ PLATZ NOT 4 BEZOS Michael Bell

Tonight's best Seattle entertainment options include: A snapshot of brand-new work from Pacific Northwest performers at 12 Minutes Max, the music of A Charlie Brown Christmas, and a garage-punk show with Redd Kross and Dale Crover.