New and returning theater shows cover the Big Issues (with laughs); Microsoft ‘shopping extension’ said to take influencers’ commissions; Ferguson talks of family at his inaugural; Biden talks of dangers to democracy.

The Ins and Outs for the resistance-centric year ahead.

Neal Stephenson’s novel ‘Snow Crash’ and its lessons for today; did a ‘Star Wars’ valentine card cost ex-SPD chief Diaz’s job?; cop who ran over Jaahnavi Kandula gets $5,000 fine; feds giving $50 mil toward Cascadia light rail planning.

Remembering Seattle Times music writer Patrick MacDonald (and Kraken co-owner David Bonderman); big grocery-merger plan scrapped amid new lawsuits; an ‘adult cabaret’ (NOT a ‘strip club’) planned for Ballard.

Sub Pop’s remastered Gits reissues; Seattle school-board head target of recall drive; local minister/homeless advocate accused of owning child-porn; Ferguson keeps fighting abortion-pill restrictions.

Newly-dedicated Jackson Street Jazz Trail; Amazon told (again) to let workers vote on unions; gov-elect Ferguson on resisting the neo-MAGA regime; what we all can/must do now.

UW prof on why crows can ‘hold grudges’ and for how long; ex-SPD chief Diaz sues Mayor Harrell; another death at the for-profit Tacoma ICE jail; Starbucks’ remote-working CEO wants HQ employees back in the office.

SPS releases two options to close between 17 and 21 schools; City Council plan for new SODA, SOAP zones moves ahead; ex-Pepsi plant could turn to pickleball; what the CHOP protest zone was (and wasn’t).

Art from the recent past about a possible post-human future; Councilmembers bash police ‘defunding’ as if it had happened; a record number of young homicide victims this year; still more Kamala-mania.

Master plan to improve Pike Place Market for local shoppers; SPD union gets tentative contract deal with city; Seattle Schools closing ‘highly capable cohort’ program; a print-media tradition few people probably miss.

Northwest could face a future influx of ‘climate refugees;’ Boeing’s CEO, other execs quitting; ‘Strippers’ Bill of Rights’ signed into law, a “Lara Croft Tomb Raider’ attraction’s coming to Seattle.

Wallingford’s Changes gay bar at 35; Seattle author Neal Stephenson’s 1995 predictions about AI; bill to raise local property-tax cap dies in Legislature; SPD female employees allege harassment and discrimination.

The Ins & Outs for the coming year of imperative action (and, we hope, some fun along the way).

Art installation juxtaposes items of the ancient and recent past; AI art banned from Dungeons & Dragons; reiterating why Bartell’s is really shrinking; what Seattle can learn from Cleveland (really!).

‘Ghosts of Belltown’ group show opens new art space; ‘Jewish Voices for Peace’ mach closes University Bridge; city drug-treatment program already near capacity; could the feds order Starbucks to reopen unionized-then-closed stores?