Journalism

Homelessness State of Emergency Declared in Seattle and King County

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Seattle-homelessness-1024x651

“You don’t have to walk far in Seattle to pass a person suffering on the street. These members of the community are forced by poverty, lack of affordable housing, domestic abuse, addiction, mental illness, discrimination and host of other challenges to go without basic human necessities. Their plight has not gone entirely unnoticed. On Monday morning, Seattle Mayor Murray and King County Executive Dow Constantine signed a Proclamation of Civil Emergency in response to the growing homelessness crisis in King County.” Read the full article here.

Facts about homelessness in King County from One Night Count:

One Night Chart

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Old Houses in Seattle Where You Can Eat, Drink and Be Merry

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“While tech moguls build up shiny, new office buildings in Seattle’s South Lake Union, many local businesses have taken a different route and set up shop in old, historic homes. From coffee shops to recording studios, here are seven Seattle businesses that operate out of cozy old homes.”

Read the rest here:

Old Houses in Seattle Where You Can Eat, Drink and Be Merry

Totem House

Photo: Werner Lenggenhager via Seattle Public Library

How to Sell a Haunted House

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“It’s just another dreary day in your haunted mansion. The wind howls. A murder of crows scurries across the roof. You pour a cup of coffee. It tastes like blood. So what? You add a little cream. The ghosts are creaking around on your secret stairway again. Eerie children’s laughter echoes in the halls. After the fourth banshee scream from the basement, you think to yourself, “you know what, maybe it’s finally time to put this house on the market…” Read the rest here. 

I passed by these terrifying Halloween decorations in a neighbor’s yard. Some of them are hyper-realistic. Like this human foot…

Scary Decoration

And these weird baby hands….

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This strange human head…

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And his beautiful lover…

Scary Decoration

For more creepy tricks and treats, check out my article: 

How to Sell a Haunted House

First Look at Discovery Park’s Restored Fort Lawton Homes

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Homes at Fort Lawton

On a gorgeous early fall day, I walked from my new digs in Fremont to Discovery Park by way of the Ballard Bridge to cover the recently refurbished homes at Fort Lawton for Curbed Seattle.

The idyllic homes are surrounded by Discovery Park, Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. Fantasies of frolicking through grassy fields singing, the Sound of Music before retiring to my wraparound porch for a cool glass of ice tea came to mind. To learn more about the fascinating history of the area (POWs! Jane Fonda!) and the homes, read the full story here.

When Missed Periods Are a Metabolic Problem

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Polycystic Ovary Syndrome affects around 10% of women and doubles their likelihood of hospitalization for heart disease, diabetes, mental-health conditions, reproductive disorders, and cancer of the uterine lining. Yet, an estimated 70% of women with PCOS go undiagnosed and untreated.

Womb Art

Artisti: Vijay Sharon Govender

The Common Hormonal Disorder That Scientists Don’t Understand 

I wrote about this misunderstood disorder for The Atlantic. To learn more about Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, check out the PCOS Challenge Website.

Read the full article here and spread the word to the ladies in your life!

11 Transgender Parents Share Their Path to Parenthood

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The Colemans

“Forget power tools and whiskey stones — all these transgender parents want for Father’s Day this year is to be with the ones they love. Some, who transitioned prior to becoming a parent, had to navigate adoption agencies, fertility clinics, and home births before welcoming their new tiny humans into the world. Others transitioned later in life, maturing into motherhood while renegotiating their relationships with older children who remember them as Dad.

They may be diverse in their gender identities, parenting styles, ages, and experiences, but just like cisgender fathers, these parents all share one important thing in common: an overflowing, unconditional love for their children and their chosen families.”

Read the full article here!

This Veteran’s Job Was Discharging Gay Sailors In The Navy — But He Had A Secret

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CU Seaman Hands

This Veteran’s Job Was Discharging Gay Sailors In The Navy — But He Had A Secret

“Throughout 1952, Otto Bremerman sat at his military desk in the personnel office of the Pearl Harbor Naval Base, typing up dishonorable discharges for sailors who had been accused of homosexuality. He knew that these sailors had selflessly taken on the same risks as their heterosexual counterparts to serve their country during the Korean War, but because they were gay, they would now suffer the consequences of dishonorable discharge for the rest of their lives. With each keystroke, Bremerman was reminded of his own vulnerability — he was a gay American himself, hiding his identity in a country unwilling to accept his open service.”

Thrilled to feature Korean War Veteran, Otto Bremerman, Vietnam Era Veteran, Denny Meyer, Desert Storm Veteran, Evelyn Thomas, Iraq War Veterans, Sean Sala and Gene Silvestri and talented filmmaker, Kristine Stolakis and her beautiful documentary, The Typist in my Buzzfeed piece on LGBT Veterans.

CU Otto Eyes

“The tireless efforts of activists have won many historic victories for LGBT service members, but significant legal and administrative barriers to full equality remain for touring same-sex married couples, transgender military families, and veterans who received a less-than-honorable discharge before the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Progressive lawmakers and advocates continue to fight against these policies of blatant discrimination in hopes that LGBT soldiers will one day receive the same civil rights, freedom and equality they often risk their lives to defend.”

Read the full article on Buzzfeed: This Veteran’s Job Was Discharging Gay Sailors In The Navy — But He Had A Secret

The Fast and Furrious World of Furry Subculture

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How the Furry Community Embraced CollegeHumor’s Furry Force

furryforce

“Patch O’Furr calls it the multi-nerd connections. ‘If it was a venn-diagram, it would be plaid. Because everybody who’s a nerd has a bunch of nerdy interests (laughs),’ said Patch. ‘I’ve always loved every kind of subculture. But I think furries are the truest nerds out there today. You know, nerds back in the day didn’t have billion dollar movies and Hollywood agents coming to their conventions. Furry conventions still don’t have those things. They’re organic and homegrown.”

Writing this piece brought me to tears of laughter several times. What a joy to learn more about Furry culture from Patch O’Furr and CollegeHumor’s very funny Brian Murphy and Adam Conover. Read the full piece on Splitsider here:

How the Furry Community Embraced CollegeHumor’s Furry-Lampooning ‘Furry Force’

To learn more about Patch O’Furr and the Furry Community, check out Patch’s blog:

Dog Patch Press

To Vote Furry Force for the Ursa Major Award:

Ursa Major Awards Voting