Soundside

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Nov 14, 2024 · 20 min
Post-election, the debate over natural gas access is far from over
Election results are still coming in for Washington’s tightest races. Most of the voter initiatives went down to defeat this year. But one -- Initiative 2066 -- is poised for success. It targets natural gas regulations by rolling back pieces of a big law forcing Puget Sound Energy to explore electrification and likely knocking down new building codes that makes installing natural gas in new construction harder. It’s passing by a slim margin: just over 3 percentage points. But not so fast, because opponents of 2066 say they’re gearing up to take the issue of natural gas from the ballot to the courts. They plan to file a legal challenge over the constitutionality of the initiative. Soundside was joined by guests from both the YES and NO on 2066 campaigns to hear their thoughts on the election results and where the initiative is headed next. Guests: Molly Gallagher, Statewide Poverty Action Network, and Leah Missik, the acting Washington Director of the nonprofit Climate Solutions (No 2066) Jan Himebaugh, director of external affairs at the Building Industry Association of Washington (Yes 2066) Related Links: KUOW - Will natural gas be turned off in Washington state? Voices for and against Initiative 2066 Misleading methane gas initiative barely passes after days of “too close to call” - NO on 2066 BIAW celebrates Initiative 2066 election results protecting natural gas choice - Building Industry Association of Washington See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 14, 2024 · 10 min
How a Trump presidency could impact housing
Donald Trump has vowed to take a number of actions on his first day in the oval office. He’s promised mass deportations, increased tariffs, and deregulation. While some home builders see a potential silver lining in deregulation, other policies could raise the cost of building and that might affect housing supply in an area with a housing shortage. Guest: Heidi Groover, real estate report at the Seattle Times Relevant Links: Seattle Times: What Seattle-area housing market should expect as Trump returns See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 13, 2024 · 13 min
New study investigates bias in AI resume screening
Getting an interview for a new job has always been tough. For candidates, the challenge is crafting a cover letter and resume that make you stand out. For employers, the challenge is often volume. Finding the right candidate with the right qualifications – in a stack of applications. Now, inject AI into the mix. Large Language models (LLMs for short) are being used to help automate some of the tedium of sorting through candidate resumes. But in a new study from the University of Washington, even the most cutting-edge AI is showing bias. Soundside was joined by Kyra Wilson, doctoral student at the University of Washington Information School. Wilson co-authored the study with Aylin Caliskan, assistant professor in the iSchool. Guests: Kyra Wilson, doctoral student at the University of Washington Information School. Related Links: AI tools show biases in ranking job applicants’ names according to perceived race and gender | UW News View of Gender, Race, and Intersectional Bias in Resume Screening via Language Model Retrieval See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 13, 2024 · 27 min
Why did voters reject three anti-tax initiatives? We ask prolific initiative filer Tim Eyman
Washingtonians voted down three tax-related initiatives that would have repealed the state’s cap and trade program, made the state’s long term care program optional, and repealed the state’s new capital gains tax. Those lost by large margins. One initiative passed, it protects access to and use of natural gas. All four initiatives were backed by hedge fund manager Brian Heywood, who put $6 million into signature gathering. Heywood claimed that the policies he was trying to repeal amounted to taxes on Washingtonians. And historically, Washington voters have been receptive to initiatives that cut their taxes. $30 car tabs? Bring it on said voters in 1999, 2002, and again in 2019. Require a super majority to pass new taxes in the state legislature? We’ll have some of that, said voters in 2007 and 2012. Limit property tax increases? Why not? Said voters in 2000 and 2001. So what went wrong this time? That’s what we’re asking my next guest, a longtime anti-tax activist who has used the initiative process many times to successfully limit local government’s ability to collect money. Guest: Tim Eyman, anti-tax activist Relevant Links: KUOW: Most of his initiatives failed, but Washington Republicans still call him a winner KUOW: Washington’s natural gas initiative wins, but court challenges could be next Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 12, 2024 · 9 min
An update on the CID stabbings with Friends of Little Saigon
A 37-year old man remains in custody at King County Jail at this hour, held on $2 million dollars bail. He’s awaiting charges connected to the stabbing of up to 9 people in Seattle’s Chinatown International District and South Jackson street on Thursday and Friday. While setting bail, the judge noted the suspect had a warrant out for his arrest and a history of multiple felonies, including robbery, theft and attempted burglary. A police spokesman described the attacks as random assaults. Several victims were hospitalized with multiple stab wounds. CID and Little Saigon community members and business leaders are speaking out after the attacks, saying the community needs more law enforcement and social services support to deal with problem areas like 12th and Jackson – where residents have long complained of safety problems due to crime and rampant drug use. Quynh Pham is the Executive Director of Friends of Little Saigon, a community development organization focused on the Vietnamese community in the Chinatown/International District, and spoke with Soundside's Libby Denkmann. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. GUEST: Quynh Pham - Executive Director of Friends of Little Saigon RELATED LINKS: $2M bail set for ‘unprovoked’ mass stabbing suspect in Seattle - Seattle Times Seattle Chinatown International District mass stabbing: What we know - Seattle Times See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 8, 2024 · 3 min
Soundside's "Weekend Warmup" - Nov 7th-10th
It’s been a big week. I know many of you listeners would like it to end. Or maybe you’re just always really excited for the weekend. Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here with the “Weekend Warmup” to help you get a jump on making plans. LINKS: SIFF!! The Art of Studio Ghibli Cinema Italian Style Seattle Polish Film Festival GeekGirlCon USHER - Saturday & Sunday BELLINGHAM - Bellwood Farms Cider Festival SPOKANE - Eddie Izzard - The REMIX Tour: The First 35 Years If you would like to suggest events for us to talk about in upcoming "Weekend Warmups," please send Jason an email at SOUNDSIDE@KUOW.ORG Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 8, 2024 · 12 min
Crypto helped Trump win the White House, and WA congressional candidates
U.S. stocks soared after Donald Trump clinched the presidency early Wednesday morning. And another market jumped to a record-high as well: cryptocurrency. The price of Bitcoin has topped $76,000 as of Thursday morning, and behind this record breaking value is a belief from digital currency enthusiasts that the president-elect will roll back Biden-era regulations on cryptocurrency. And the crypto-industry was far from a passive observer in this year’s election. It spent more than a hundred million dollars on candidates who took cryptocurrency-friendly stances, including here in Washington State. Guest: Brady Dale, crypto reporter for Axios Related links: Bitcoin traders' next mark: bitcoin at $100,000 - Axios The big moments in Biden's crypto crackdown - Axios Crypto cash helps propel Trump, other allies to 2024 election victory - The Washington Post Wealthy industry donors fuel Trump's conversion on cryptocurrency - The Washington Post Bitcoin Surges to Record as Crypto Investors Cheer Trump Win - The New York Times See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 8, 2024 · 23 min
Forecasting the future battles between WA and a second Trump presidency
As Donald Trump’s transition team gears up for his second administration, Democrats are spending the days after the election processing their major defeats – with a dash of second-guessing and finger-pointing about what went wrong for Kamala Harris. Here in Washington, Governor-elect Bob Ferguson held a press conference this morning laying out plans to battle Trump on a number of fronts, including immigration, reproductive rights, and LGBTQ+ protections. To talk about how those battles could play out, Soundside was joined by Scott Lemieux. Lemieux is an associate teaching professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Washington. Guests: Scott Lemieux, associate teaching professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Washington. Related Links: Donald Trump has sweeping plans for a second administration. Here's what he's proposed Kamala Harris was a good candidate who ran a very good campaign in a fiercely anti-incumbent environment - Lawyers, Guns & Money Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 7, 2024 · 11 min
"We are part of the all": one community member's response to anti-Trans rhetoric from the Trump campaign
“Kamala is for they/them. President Trump is for you”. In the weeks before the election, it was a line that echoed over and over in advertisements that ran during football games, the World Series, and prime time network television. It was paired with footage of border crossings, claims about trans girls participating in youth sports, and Vice President Harris talking about federal prisoners having access to gender-affirming medical care. And, according to reporting from the New York Times, these pro-Trump television spots were highly effective: Ultimately, analysis from Kamala Harris’ leading super PAC found the ad shifted the race 2.7 percentage points in Trump’s favor, among audiences who saw it. Now that Trump has won the election, local trans community members are worried about what that message means for their future: with another Trump administration on the horizon, will he make good on the promise that he’s not for “they/them”? Guest: Eve Palay, a Bainbridge Island resident, and a representative of Rainbow Crew NW, a resource for the West Sound LGBTQ+ community, and she’s a member of other Trans groups around the West Sound. Relevant Links: Ingersoll Gender Center Lavender Rights Project Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 6, 2024 · 30 min
Trump wins, but Washington gets bluer: exactly what happened during last night's election
Democrats across the country today are waking up to a sea change in national politics and a realignment of political coalitions once considered solidly blue. But closer to home, Washington state is moving further to the left. Local Democrats appear headed for a sweep of statewide offices, and most of the conservative-backed initiatives on the ballot are losing. But, not everything is so clear cut. Questions remain, including: Will voters ditch new regulations on natural gas? Will an anti-Trump Republican keep his seat in Congress? And who will join our state Supreme Court? Discussing what we know, what we don’t, and what it all means, is a panel of political experts. Guests: Political consultant with Fincher consulting, and host of the Hacks and Wonks Podcast, Crystal Fincher Former Washington state attorney general Rob McKenna Editor and publisher of the Washington Observer, Paul Queary Relevant Links: November 5, 2024 General Election Results - Washington Secretary of State Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 6, 2024 · 28 min
Rep. Jayapal reflects on 'jarring' election for Washington voters
We’re continuing to watch election results today, but many things are clear: Donald Trump will retake the presidency, and he’ll be backed by a Republican controlled Senate. Control of the House of Representatives remains up in the air. Dozens of races around the country are too close to call. We might not know the outcome of these battleground contests for several days or even weeks, but the potential for Democrats to flip the House is a rare glimmer of hope for a party that experienced crushing defeats on Tuesday. The picture is very different in Washington state, which, if anything, turned an even deeper shade of blue. Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, who represents Seattle and the surrounding area, won her reelection bid handily, beating her opponent by about 70 percentage points, as of now. So how will Representative Jayapal, the Progressive Caucus Chair and outspoken Trump critic, approach the next two years in office? Guests: Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 5, 2024 · 14 min
Election day has arrived, here's what's on the minds of WA voters
It’s election day … officially. But don’t hold your breath, everyone. We’re still possibly days away from knowing the results of many races, both local and national. Even so, we wanted to get a sense of how voters in Washington have been feeling and thinking about the choices on the ballot this season. KUOW has been speaking with people across the political spectrum, to get their takes on what’s driving their decisions. Guest: Alex Rochester, KUOW digital community outreach producer Related links: What do Democratic, Republican, and Independent Washington state voters think about the 2024 ballot? - KUOW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 5, 2024 · 15 min
How to destress — and maybe depolarize — after the election
Months and months of anticipation – or maybe dread? – have led to today. Election day. Over the coming days and weeks, there will continue to be a lot of talk about candidates, polls, the state of democracy. But we also want to recognize the emotional difficulty of election day... of election season. Politics can leave a lot of people bitter and divided. It’s cost treasured relationships and led to feelings of anger, contempt, and fear. Bridging divides and finding common ground aren’t simple or easy. Over the past year, Mónica Guzmán and April Lawson have been thinking a lot about how to do it. Mónica Guzmán works with Braver Angels, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to political depolarization. Her podcast – produced in partnership with KUOW – is called "A Braver Way." Guests: Mónica Guzmán is a senior fellow at Braver Angels. April Lawson is the cofounder of Insight Debate and Dialogue. Related Links: Braving the unknown: Your election survival guide - Braver Angels Consumed by the news? How to stay sane in a polarized election - Braver Angels Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 5, 2024 · 21 min
A final forecast for the 2024 presidential election
Americans are at the polls right now voting for the next president – among a lot of other important state and local races. And if you’re highly engaged in the outcome of Donald Trump versus Kamala Harris – you’re not just casting a ballot. You’re reading, watching and listening to tons of content about this presidential race, and in some cases agonizing over public polling in the weeks leading up to election day. This year, the polls are showing one thing: neither candidate holds a clear edge. So how can you avoid getting burned by faulty expectations? And how should we prepare for the rush of election night and the cascade of state-by-state returns we’re about to experience? Guest: Armin Thomas is a political analyst at Split Ticket, a non-partisan election analysis firm Relevant Links: Our Final Forecast - Split Ticket Why Washington is a bellwether for the presidential election - KUOW Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 4, 2024 · 4 min
A tribute to music legend Quincy Jones
He was one of the greatest musical minds of the 20th century… and he hailed from Seattle. Songwriter, composer, arranger and producer Quincy Jones, died yesterday at the age of 91. The 28-time Grammy winner moved to the Pacific Northwest at the age of 10 and eventually graduated from Garfield High School. Jones credited Seattle's musical openness with shaping his style. He met Ray Charles here. In a typical night, they would play across the city, from the tony Seattle Tennis Club to hangouts on Jackson Street, which was in the city's red light district, playing classical, jazz, marches, and pop music. Jones played jazz trumpet. Quincy Jones described his time in Seattle for PBS' “American Masters” in 2021: "We had to play everything with school. We played Sousa. And you play classical music and Debussy… on the jobs… Ray Charles, we, played Debussey on some of the jobs and we had to play Big Fat Butterfly parody, a parody on a poor butterfly. We had to play absolutely everything." That musical openness and genre defying attitude was a thread that he carried throughout his life. In the 50's, Jones played with some of the jazz greats, including Herbie Mann, Zoot Sims, Hank Jones and Charles Mingus on Evening in Paris from his 1957 LP, “This Is How I Feel About Jazz." A few years later Jones played with Ray Charles on "One Mint Julep." But soon, Jones was branching out stylistically. He left an indelible mark on the music industry through his film scores... And while Soul Bossa Nova wasn't specifically WRITTEN for Austin Powers, it certainly became known as the theme song for the "International Man of Mystery..." He arranged songs for legends like Frank Sinatra. And in the 70's, when funk was EVERYWHERE, Jones turned it into gold, including the track "The Streetbeater," which became the theme song to Sanford & Sons... In the 80's Jones famously produced Michael Jackson's meteoric rise to stardom, with tracks like "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough." He butted heads with Jackson on the opening to Billie Jean... (He thought it was too long, Jackson disagreed.) And made the notorious phone call that got Eddie Van Halen in the studio to play guitar on "Beat It..." Quincy Jones, a giant of American music, is one of few producers to have number one records in three consecutive decades, the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s... Jones passed Sunday night at his home in Los Angeles. He was 91. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. RELATED LINK: Quincy Jones’s Legacy in 14 Essential Songs - New York Times See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 4, 2024 · 8 min
The polls are open - for Boeing machinists
Boeing machinists are voting today on a new contract offer that could end their seven week-old strike. More than 33,000 workers walked off the job on September 13 – after they overwhelmingly voted to reject an offer from Boeing that included a 25 percent pay increase over 4 years. In late October, Machinists also voted down Boeing’s second offer – which would have raised wages 35 percent over four years. Boeing says this third deal is their best and final offer. It includes a pay bump of 38 percent over four years, as well as a 12,000 dollar ratification bonus. IAM District 751, which represents Boeing workers, has endorsed the proposal. Guest: Richard Aboulafia, managing director of AeroDynamic Advisory Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 4, 2024 · 33 min
School closures, enrollment, and highly capable programs: SPS Superintendent sits down with Soundside
Seattle’s Public School District is grappling with a nearly 100 million dollar budget shortfall, as student enrollment in the district has dropped in recent years. In a letter last month, Superintendent Brent Jones said that SPS was proposing the closure of North Beach, Sacajawea, Sanislo, and Stevens elementary schools next year, pending school board approval. The district says the latest plan will save around $5 million dollars - much less, notably, than the close to 30 million the broader closure plan was expected to yield. So, where will the rest of the money come from to shore up the budget? Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Brent Jones sat down with Soundside host Libby Denkmann to talk school closures, highly capable programs, and more. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Guest: Dr. Brent Jones, Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Relevant Links: 4 Seattle schools up for closure revealed - KUOW Seattle Public Schools enrollment ticks up slightly as district moves ahead with closures - KUOW School closures: No answers for my 5-year-old - Seattle Times Seattle private school enrollment spikes, ranks No. 2 among big cities - Seattle Times See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 31, 2024 · 20 min
How medieval monsters got their meaning
Famous fiends like zombies, vampires, and werewolves are hallmarks of All Hallow's Eve. But how much do you know about why that is, and where those creatures come from? It’s an origin story that’s fascinated University of Washington professor Charity Urbanski. Charity teaches medieval history at the UW, and she wrote a new book based on her research and seminars on the origins and meaning behind some of Europe’s most famous monsters. It's titled "Medieval Monstrosity: Imagining the Monstrous in Medieval Europe." She joined Soundside to talk about the ways werewolves, revenants, and other monsters came to be popular -- and what they tell us about the people who invented them. Guests: Charity Urbanski, teaching professor of history at the University of Washington and author of "Medieval Monstrosity: Imagining the Monstrous in Medieval Europe." Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 31, 2024 · 6 min
Soundside's "Early Weekend Guide" - Halloween Edition
Do you have weekend plans yet? On Soundside, we figure it’s never too early to make plans, plus, we’re not on the air Fridays... We’ve been looking at some of the exciting things happening around the region over the next few days. Producer Jason Megatron Burrows has this roundup for you, in a segment that, for now, we’re calling the “Early Weekend Guide.” Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. GUESTS: Anita Spritzer aka Johnny Marzano - Seattle Opera Kelly Froh - Short Run Comix & Arts Festival LINKS TO THE EVENTS LISTED: "This is Halloween" Burlesque at the Triple Door Skeleton Skate at Southgate Roller Rink QUEENS OF THE NIGHT at the Seattle Opera SeaMeowCon at Seattle Center Exhibition Hall Short Run Comix & Arts Festival at Fisher Pavilion Coco performed by Orquesta Folclórica Nacional de México at Benaroya Hall See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 31, 2024 · 20 min
How a busy life may help with managing ADHD symptoms
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is often perceived as a static diagnosis– one that people carry with them throughout their lives with little to no change. But, new research may just change that view of ADHD all together. A recent study in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry suggests that ADHD symptoms can actually fluctuate over time due to influence from environmental factors. In fact, for many individuals, symptoms can mellow out year after year - especially for people who are navigating a busy life. Guest: Maggie Sibley, a clinical psychologist and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine, and Seattle Children’s Hospital. She's also the lead author of the new study. Relevant Links: Characteristics and Predictors of Fluctuating Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in the Multimodal Treatment of ADHD (MTA) Study - The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.