Finally! Snow in the city, spectacular and beautiful (and rare and very temporary). Non-meteorological topics this day include gift books for the budding political activist in your family; a new, almost-1,200-unit residential complex; another local alt-media source needing support; a woman who videoed her own racial hate crime; and the usual umpteen weekend things-2-do.

Even if there was the political will to “break up” Amazon, as one group wants, how would that apply to its bookselling operations, and would it do the book biz good or ill? We additionally ramble on about where all our construction dirt goes; an endangered butterfly living at Joint Base Lewis-McChord; memories of the local “sex industry” in the ’40s; and a tour of the Krusteaz pancake-mix factory!

We end a bad, terrible, horrible, not-good week with a Veterans Day remembrance and many calls for solidarity, action, and empathy. Also the usual dozens of weekend event possibilities, and the death of a music legend.

Mukilteo inventors have designed a sturdy, spherical refuge for humans in case of tsunami. Further subjects today include a really wide waterfront highway plan and its discontents; Paul Allen’s settlement over his mega-yacht’s coral-reef trashing; Amazon’s real-life bookstore quietly raising its prices (to non-“Prime” people); and an opera with only one man and one woman playing one role.

So you stocked up on canned goods, canceled your weekend plans, and all for just a few minutes of torrential downpour followed by the usual autumn sogginess. (Turns out the real storm here was at Friday’s homeless-bill hearing.) We additionally talk about Hope Solo’s possible next career move; a gay-rights garden planned for Broadway; a sidewalk with solar panels; how to make the police force more diverse; and an old, old town with a new name.

Seahawks win! Sounders win! Huskies really win! Mariners… well, almost. That all tops a news day that includes a march for racial justice; another march for safer streets; long lines at a bookstore; a gathering of gay-marriage couples (all still together); and “birther” scare tactics coming to Wash. state politics.

The big book party was such a success, we might hold another. (Watch this space for particulars.) For now, though, it’s back to the daily grind of local news digestin’, which this day includes some allegedly tacky actions by exhibit organizers against two Af-Am artists; a concept to help the environment by re-opening coal mines (?); a video game set at a space station called “Tacoma”; and lotsa local sports wins.

Before the weekend is done, our splendiferous “LOSER” book reissue party (Sunday evening at Vermillion, 11th between Pike and Pine) will occur. But before then you can read about a highly deserving arts-award winner; the case against the “youth jail”; the still-deepening morass that is the municipal homelessness response; the World Trade Organization (remember them?) siding with Boeing; and an idea for a vastly scaled-down walkway aside I-5.

One of Seattle’s last indie pharmacies will soon reach its expiration date with no refills. We speak as well about a UW minimum-wage analyst’s alleged conflict-O-interest; public schools filled to overflowing (again); Marshawn Lynch talking more about social justice than about his own business ventures; another potential Boeing “tax windfall”; and the Storm season’s sudden end.

Organizers of an “ethnic role models” event at John Muir Elementary weren’t wiling to let a school district-issued “cancellation” notice stop ’em. We additionally examine lawmakers who get campaign $ from Big Pharma while officially denouncing prescription-opioid abuse; folks who want to stop the gigantic Convention Center expansion; a new concept in short- and medium-term residential rentals for techies who might be fired next year; and sports victories for all but the Seahawks.

That fancy new police building folks have rallied against? Sent back for further review. Among other topics this day: Loving portraits of GLBT Mormons; whether the police really needed to shoot Che Taylor; still more Chinese speculation money in Seattle real estate; the usual many, many weekend event listings; and a weird idea to give homeless folks “non-monetary donations” online.

We ponder what Seattle would look like without all the dredgings, regrades, and other extreme makeovers it’s had. We also explore folk turning odd spots into community gardens; a protest against holding babies in immigration jails; an innovative tech-ed program that’s threatened by redevelopment; and, oh yeah, the amazin’ Ms.

We say an early farewell to a once funky building that became bland and will now become gone. Additional observation topics include a drive to oust Spokane’s mayor; a GOP Legislator who would force cities to raze homeless camps; a farm-labor victory in Skagit County; Aberdeen students fighting for the right to look, well, grungy; and Nike putting ugly uniforms on football teams that aren’t the Ducks.

What to do about homelessness? I know, let’s hire a high-priced consultant who’ll ignore encampments, addictions, and mental illness issues, and who’ll just call for lots of subsidies to private developers! Other topics today include the world’s largest ice cube (that doesn’t star in any Friday movies), how one South Lake Union legacy business survives; a odd-couple marriage in the art world; and very little about the 9/11 anniversary.

I’d mentioned it here on the site (see below), but today I get to tell my newsletter all about my LOSER book reissue finally coming out. Our regular headline fodder features tribal protests against fossil-fuel trains; the Asian Art Museum’s expansion plans; GOP candidates who don’t like that their Presidential nominee’s coming to the area; the loss of an International District activist; and a bad local sports day.