Origins of the Taliban: Fighting the British in Colonial India
The support of religious schools that ultimately created the Taliban came mainly through American aid dollars meant for Pakistan and money from Saudi Arabia.
The Case Against the Climate Change Consensus
In addition to providing a detailed critique of the climate science “consensus,” the book offers a fascinating and detailed technical explanation of how climate science actually works -- its limits, possibilities, and what this science really tells us about the future of our planet.
Wealth Disparity is a Growing (and Dangerous) Threat to Democracy
Critics charge that the growing gap in wealth among Americans is not a random economic trend but a politically driven plan to protect a select group’s capital and their ability to increase it through manipulating our democratic decision-making process.
British Columbia Mandates Proof Of Vaccination for Most Indoor Activities
“Vaccines are our ticket to putting this pandemic behind us. So I call on all eligible British Columbians to roll up their sleeves to stop the spread, and help protect themselves, people they love and the community,” said B.C. Premier John Horgan.
Everything You Need to Know About Schools, Students and COVID Right...
School Districts are scrambling, parents are frightened, and COVID is sending children to the hospital at rates far higher than before. Will the same happen here, or are we better prepared than they appear to be in Hawaii, Arizona, Florida, Alabama, and Missouri?
State Auditor: ‘Several Problems’ with Black Brilliance Contract
The State Auditor wrote: "in my view, the city exercised only the bare minimum of accountability and transparency in this matter."
Record Rates Of Young Voters in 2020: The Challenge is to...
With pre-registration for 16- and 17-year-olds, automatic voter registration, same day registration, and more ballot drop boxes, the state experienced a 17-point increase in turnout by young voters last year.
Power Grab: Seattle City Council Engineers Moves Against a Lame Duck...
A new laws create a new budget office to prepare forecasts, duplicating an office that already exists. In a comic twist, the law says if the council dislikes the economic forecasts, it can ignore them.
The Northwest’s Hawaiian Connection
The fur trade helped build the Northwest. Less well known is the connection with Hawaii, which has surprisingly many links to our region.
Remembering Northwest Poet/Architect Grant Jones (1938-2021)
Grant Jones and his life’s work were formed by the Pacific Northwest.
Beneath the Surface: New Book Explores the Hidden World of Puget...
"The most important animals in Puget Sound, as in the oceans at large, are neither the most obvious nor the most beloved."
Promenade: A London Tradition Returns to In-Person Concerts
The beloved Proms concerts this year invite back audiences and have expanded the stage to accommodate full-size orchestras. Bravo!
Seattle Gets a Mixed Economic Forecast
Nationally office space vacancy rates are running a few percentage points higher than before the pandemic, but in Seattle and neighboring cities, it’s much worse.
The Long and Short Of Afghanistan
The twenty years of the war in Afghanistan were “America’s longest war.” Donald Trump labeled it “the forever war.” It was long and costly. But I suspect the Taliban saw it differently. Those twenty years weren’t, for them, long.
Emily’s List Weighs in for Lorena Gonzalez
Emily’s List – the Emily stands for "Early Money is Like Yeast” -- has a long history here and fair amount on the line.
Meet NTK: Unknown Candidate to City Attorney Frontrunner
Elections have consequences, and changes in how we pay for and conduct politics likewise have consequences.
The Afghanistan Options
Afghanistan will be a chaotic mess for years to come, much like France after the Revolution, so patience, partners, and focus will be key.
The Money Funding Trump’s Ludicrous Election Conspiracies
The Republican Party needs Donald Trump's populist appeal to turn out white voters in their primaries. And just as important, multimillionaire business owners will donate unlimited amounts to elect a Trump Republican candidate.
Ticky Tacky: Two Pols Raising Money By Demonizing Opponents
Mayoral candidate Lorena Gonzalez uses George Petrie’s perfectly legal donation to deliver guilt-by-association. Petrie’s donation to Bruce Harrell’s PAC pales in comparison to the labor PAC that has been running TV spots and sending out dried cherries to boost Gonzalez.
Back to College While COVID: A Tale of Two Schools
Thousands of colleges and universities have required that all incoming students be fully vaccinated, barring medical exception. But that's where the similarities end.
Are We Headed Back to the Dark-Alley Days for Abortions?
I'm sharing a personal story. I'm hoping it will serve as a reminder of the risks that anti-choice activists would have us face.
The Centralia Model: How to Shut A Coal Plant Without Shutting...
It’s too early to say what the grants’ overall impact has been on these counties. According to recipients, however, the investments have enabled the region to adapt.
A Puget Sound Tsunami: The Next One will be Catastrophic
Geological evidence indicates that the Seattle Fault has slipped catastrophically 3,200 years ago, 1,700 years ago and 1,100 years ago. This suggests a frequency of about once every 750 years so the 1,100 years separating us from the last big one would indicate we are overdue.
Out of the News Desert: Bellingham to Get a New Startup
This venture, which currently goes by the name name Cascadia Newspaper Co., will be a for-profit publication, unlike many journalism startups.
Retain This: Lorena Gonzalez’s Brazen Deflection on Keeping Police Officers
When some city councilmembers praised Seattle Police for sticking with the job, Council President Gonzalez was having none of it.
The Efficiency Trap
Rendering yourself more efficient — either by implementing various productivity techniques or by driving yourself harder — won’t generally result in the feeling of having ‘enough time,’ because all else being equal, the demands will increase to offset the benefits.
Justin Trudeau Calls An Election: A Short Primer on Canadian Politics
Why now? The polls look favorable, Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination rate tops that of “the States,” and Trudeau’s government has doled out billions in aid to soften pandemic impacts.
Six To-Do’s for November’s Election
What is a concerned civic voter to do to overcome unwanted cards being dealt? Here are some suggestions for a three-month political party.
Summer Floods and Scandals Scramble Germany’s Election to Succeed Merkel
As the Sept. 26 federal election approaches that will determine who succeeds Germany’s first female leader, there is no obvious outcome.
So Long Henry! An Iconic Northwest Beer is No More
Ironically, for many in the generation before fancy craft beer, the legacy of Henry Weinhard’s Private Reserve is not the beer itself. The legacy is the wild and whacky television commercials created to promote the beer.
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Three Ideas for Revitalizing Seattle’s Downtown
Re-Universitizing the Metropolitan Tract would be attractive for people living and getting to downtown, and many universities such as Portland State or Arizona State realize the advantages of locating downtown for extension classes, UW Medicine, cultural offerings, faculty housing, and industry incubators.
