City of geeks: Seattle officially has the biggest population of geeks in the country. I know what you're thinking: Is that measurable in some way other than how many bland Hinge profiles you swipe through? Yes. The Seattle Times' FYI Guy ran the numbers on how many Seattle residents work in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. The answer: around 89,700. Put another way, that's 19% of Seattle's workforce.
Idaho needs to outsource COVID-19 cases: Kootenai Health hospital in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho is at 99% capacity for patients as of Wednesday. The hospital is looking at sending COVID-19 patients to Seattle or Portland since other Idaho counties are experiencing similar virus surges.
Judge Amy Coney Barrett's nomination to the Supreme Court voted out of committee: Welp, Trump's third SCOTUS pick will almost inevitably be confirmed by the full Senate on Monday, eight days ahead of the election. This morning, the Republicans of the Senate Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to move Barrett's nomination out of the committee. Democrats boycotted the meeting in a last-ditch effort to oppose the appointment. In their vacant chairs, the Democratic committee members placed blown-up portraits of people who depend on the Affordable Care Act, something Barrett could make a decision on in a Nov. 10 case on its constitutionality. Republicans dismissed the Democrats' boycott as theatrics.
Amy Coney Barrett has been voted out off committee, 12-0.
John Cornyn just called this vote "surreal." He's right - it is surreal that Senate Republicans are rushing to use the Supreme Court to rip away health care in the middle of a global pandemic. #WeDissent #WhatsAtStake pic.twitter.com/auuTdU1BCD
— People for the American Way (@peoplefor) October 22, 2020
Seattle street dining is here to stay: The City of Seattle is extending its free street dining permit program through the dark months. In order to keep restaurants on life support, the city will allow brave souls to dine in street cafes for the Seattle winter. The permits also provide free tents and street heaters. Better crank those heaters up because...
It's fucking cold: I refuse to get out of bed. The outside-of-bed-air is offensively cold. Time to click the heat, I guess. Fall is here.
Lows mainly in the 30s to lower 40s for Thursday morning. Some areas from #Olympia south & near the Cascade foothills could see some frost tomorrow morning. Be sure to bring in or protect plants that are sensitive to the cold! 🌱#wawx pic.twitter.com/jJSzmBGv0a
— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) October 22, 2020
Fix those fantasy football lineups: Jamal Adams, the Seahawks safety, is still not practicing. I'm being told by my football correspondent (my boyfriend, Harry) that this is "not only concerning but very surprising." Apparently, Adams had what many assumed to be a minor groin injury two weeks ago and sat out of the game against the Vikings, the game before a bye week, in order to give Adams extended rest out of an abundance of caution. But, Adams not practicing two weeks later? It spells "potential devastation" for the Hawks, Harry says. Harry also said that starting this blurb with 'fix those fantasy football lineups' "doesn't play" because "Jamal Adams plays defense." Whatever.
Boeing might move its headquarters: From Renton to Everett.
Crematorium catches fire: A Virginia crematorium went up in flames after an employee attempted to cremate a large body. This reportedly happens at "cremation companies all over the nation." Cremation is so 2000 and late. Make every dead person a tree 2020.
Do you want to read a truly bonkers sentence? "Two men were accused Wednesday in a criminal charge of performing an illegal gender reassignment surgery on a volunteer at their cabin in the woods and then keeping the body parts in a freezer, possibly to eat later." I can't summarize this. You just need to read it.
Trump is going to scoop 60 Minutes: Or, at least he says he's going to release the full "unedited" interview he did with Lesley Stahl before the actual episode can air.
I will soon be giving a first in television history full, unedited preview of the vicious attempted “takeout” interview of me by Lesley Stahl of @60Minutes. Watch her constant interruptions & anger. Compare my full, flowing and “magnificently brilliant” answers to their “Q’s”. https://t.co/L3szccGamP
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 22, 2020
Chase tonight's presidential debate with: The Washington state lieutenant governor debate. Sen. Denny Heck and Sen. Marko Liias will go head-to-head tonight at 8 p.m.
Which reminds me: The presidential debate is tonight at 6 p.m. You'll be able to get a free sample of everyone's favorite ambient sound: "Two old men screaming into the abyss."
Puerto Rico shuts down 911 call centers: For the first time, officials shut down both of Puerto Rico's 911 call centers after several employees tested positive for COVID-19. Puerto Rico is telling people experiencing an emergency not to call 911 but to call the emergency management agency or the police directly. Both numbers are full ass 10-digit numbers. The emergency management number also tells people to hang up and dial 911 if they're experiencing an emergency. Weirdly, no one thought to just forward 911 calls to those other departments.
Los Angeles driver stops for gas during police pursuit: He's so sweaty.
WATCH LIVE: Only in LA. The driver in a police pursuit manages to stop at a gas station and fill up, apparently getting the cash discount, too. https://t.co/gpe5mIcgXd pic.twitter.com/wsNb00JIQG
— NBC Los Angeles (@NBCLA) October 21, 2020
Buckle up, the worst is yet to come: Yesterday, the U.S. reported over 1,000 COVID-19 deaths in one day. According to experts, this isn't even the anticipated fall surge. Deaths keep climbing, hospitalizations are rising, and it's going to get worse.
Tik Tok bans conversion therapy and white supremacists: Tik Tok is getting kudos for taking a stance on hateful, racist, anti-LGBTQ, and false content.
Scientists drive microrobot around a colon: A science breakthrough! Happening in a butthole! Scientists at Purdue University built a controllable tiny robot that can function in a living, breathing animal's colon. The robots move by rotating via a magnetic field. The colon is apparently rough terrain. The tiny butt robot is navigating mice and pig colons successfully so far. This success has broad implications for directly delivering drugs throughout the human body.
Traffic update: A car is on fire.
Car fire at 2nd Ave & James St blocking SB lanes. Use alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/156pUdlNUO
— SDOT Traffic (@SDOTtraffic) October 22, 2020
Here's a crossword: Go nuts.