My bets are on complicit.
My bets are on "complicit." Drew Angerer/Getty
793,000 Americans filed for unemployment last week: While continuing claims are at 4.545 million. This "benefits cliff" is larger than the one faced by unemployed Americans in December if no additional COVID relief is passed, says MSNBC. Biden's $1.9 trillion plan would extend aid to August 29 and give a $400 boost to weekly benefits.

Trump's impeachment trial rolls into its third day: House impeachment managers have eight hours left to conclude their oral arguments. They will focus on four areas: providing more evidence of Trump's role in the lead up and aftermath of the attack, harm caused by the insurrectionists, Trump's "lack of remorse," and the relevant legal issues that apply. Tomorrow, the former president's circus defense team will take the floor to make their case. The party/horror show starts at 9 a.m., and you can tune in here:

Sawant wants an investigation into SPD cops who traveled to D.C.: Yesterday, Councilmember Kshama Sawant called on the city council to host a special public hearing “to compel testimony and records from the Seattle Police Department,” and to investigate the officers present in Washington D.C. the day a violent mob stormed the Capitol. Sawant says that the city council has the authority to conduct such a hearing under the city charter, and she cites a lack of confidence in the Office of Police Accountability as a motivation behind this push.

Also: The Capitol building is still damaged from the MAGA mob. Spaces hold memory.

Larry Flynt is dead: The porn magnate and free speech activist died of heart failure in Los Angeles. He was 78. I'm adding The People vs. Larry Flynt to my watchlist right now.

Palm scanners are here: Local business Amazon has now introduced a feature that allows customers to "pay with their palm" using similar biometric technology as the kind that allows you to unlock your phone using your thumb or face. Amazon says that these palm scanners have been implemented at seven locations across the city, with one coming to the Amazon Go location on Terry.

🚨THE GORILLA GLUE IS OUT OF TESSICA BROWN'S HAIR 🚨: Truly one of the most harrowing stories so far this year. The Louisiana woman who went viral for having Gorilla Glue stuck in her hair for over a month traveled to Los Angeles to receive surgery to remove it. Dr. Michael Obeng—who did the $12,000, four-hour procedure for free—got the gunk out using a combination of medical grade adhesive remover, aloe vera, olive oil, and some acetone. In the video, Brown says she needs to "get her hair done" and I screamed!

Paramount has scheduled six weeks of Hamilton in 2022: Yesterday the theater announced a seven-show season that has the rather optimistic opening day of October 19, 2021. The season will begin with Jesus Christ Superstar. Other big events around the city very tentatively planned for the future include an Alicia Keys show at WaMu Theater in August and The Weeknd playing the Climate Pledge Arena's very first concert on March 4, 2022. I'm not holding my breath!

ICMYI, Aunt Jemima got a new name: The syrup and pancake mix featuring a mammy figure will now be known as, errrr, Pearl Milling Company, an "homage to the original mill built in 1888 that began making the self-rising pancake mix in 1889." They will remove the image of the Black woman from all their products later this year.

Seattle Police Department has released body cam and surveillance footage from Tuesday's fatal shooting: SPD officers shot and killed a man who they believe shot two other people near Jimi Hendrix Park on February 9. In the video, you can see a man walking towards the line of officers, raising his arm, and pointing a gun, but it's unclear who fired first. You can watch the footage and listen to the 9-11 calls from the victims, but be warned, it's disturbing:

A panel concludes that the U.S. could have avoided 40% of COVID deaths: I'm tired, y'all. A commission tasked with looking at Trump's health care policy record determined that he was a giant flop, whose (lack of) action led to the needless COVID-related deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans. They were also quick to point out, however, that America's public health care system fucking sucked pre-pandemic, which certainly did not help.

CDC says if you've been fully vaccinated, you can skip quarantine if exposed to COVID: And only after it's been two weeks since your second shot. The agency still recommends taking precautions like wearing a mask and social distancing.

I am genuinely apathetic about snow: What's the point if we don't even get school/work off? In any case, it's on its way.


Georgia prosecutors have started a criminal investigation into Trump: The investigation covers his attempts to flip the state's election results in his favor, including that bonkers call he made to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Recently elected prosecutor Fani T. Willis sent a letter to Georgia government officials on Wednesday asking them to preserve documents related to "an investigation into attempts to influence" the state's 2020 presidential election, says the New York Times. Of course Trump will go down in a hail of lawsuits and criminal investigations!

Anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been banned from Instagram: For "repeatedly sharing debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines."

Robinhood is touching down in Seattle: The investing app raised $3.4 billion after the Gamestonk frenzy last month and says it plans to build a "significant presence" in our fair city, reports GeekWire. No office lease has been signed just yet, but if you see an increase in fintech bros bumbling around QFC later this year you'll know why.

For your listening pleasure: "U Don't Have to Call" by Usher.