If Eastern Washington ever does become a separate state, as some Republican politicians want, it would help the national Republican Party but hurt the people living there. (But then again, what political trends in America these days wouldn’t do that?) And we also discuss the attempt to rehabilitate the image of Pepe the comics frog; still more Seattle Times layoffs; an ex-Seahawk’s gender talk and its discontents; and whether or not Snowmaggedon ’16 will finally occur.

Howard Schultz, aka The Man Who Sold (Out) the Sonics, will step aside as Starbucks’ CEO. In further news, we peruse UW football’s next step toward a possible trip to Title-town; why remembering the Seattle of old is NOT a futile gesture; potentially huge Seattle school budget cuts; Seattle U’s student-body prez outs himself as “undocumented”; the obscure Seattle past behind a national icon; and scads of weekend events. And we just might have a little snow.

Let’s face it: a lot of the GOP’s rural success is due to “branding.” They’re the party “for” rural whites; just like there are cigarettes “for” women. And with similar results among the end users. Further topics today: A hate crime right here in Seattle; why one white woman believes white people SHOULD march with Black Lives Matter; rebranding STEM education with eco-conservation (or vice versa); and the revenge of the WTO.

Huskies: Yay! Sounders: Triple Yay! Seahawks: Oh well. In non-sporting headlines, remembering F. Castro and his contradictions; factory robots not going away; another potential oil-export port; and the many non-POCs in the Black Lives Matter march.

Don’t think of today as a dispute between racial justice and shopping. Think of it as a potential meeting of racial justice and holiday compassion. Also: One of Belltown’s longest-running gourmet eateries threatened; art and music against the new DC regime; and Olympia’s police chief doesn’t like “fracking sand” trains through his town either.

Instead of insulting and dismissing rural/suburban voters, I’ve got a better idea: reach out to them! Support the people there (and they ARE there) who’ve been struggling for freedom and equality, against entrenched social/political/economic machines. Back in newsier news, we’ve got a big-big solar farm for Eastern Washington; a one-day walkout by what we used to call “community” college faculty; and a Presidential medal for the Gateses.

As the American Resistance enters its second week, we have protests both solemn (here) and anarchist-invaded (Portland), and more exhortations of hope and faith from local opiners. Plus: More Dakota Pipeline direct action; and a bad-boy rocker who’s now a girl.

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.

Yep, today’s installment, like yesterday’s, is mostly about reactions to the potentially worst thing to happen to our nation in 1.5 decades; including the faces and voices of the many among us who outspokenly resist.

You all know the big story of the day, and how it will have a “half-life” for days and years to come. But we’ve also got more upbeat stuff, like stuff about keeping sewage out of the Sound; a jury’s defiant statement against racist policing; and how “mislabeled” seafood might be better for the planet than the real stuff.

Café Racer, a longtime friend of MISCmedia and a pivotal aspect of multiple local communities, needs help to survive right now. The rest of our work this day concerns the centennial of the Northwest’s bloodiest worker-rights event; the overheated Vancouver real-estate market’s crash; the usual scads of weekend stuff-2-do; and a non-religious college finally sheds its “Missionaries” team name.

A new month, and the last week of Campaign 2016, have arrived; and we study little-kid ghost sightings; icky stuff from our road surfaces that gets into our waters; alleged racism in WSU student discipline; two more doomed local bars; and an idea to replace KeyArena with housing.

We say goodbye to John “Buck” Ormsby—a Fabulous Wailers member, a partner in a pioneering artist-owned record label, and one of the inventors of Northwest rock. We also speak of the end of the little cable-news channel that could; racists falsely claiming police support; a new deal for the Public Safety block; and Huskies and Sounders triumphing while Seahawks go pffft.

Ivan, the late discount-store caged gorilla, now stands proud and free as a statue. Among further Thursday topics: Attack ads come to local political races at last; Providence hospitals stop using religion as an excuse to stiff worker pensions; some Sonics Arena opponents still oppose it; and “socially responsible” video games.

Chris Hansen now says he can build a basketball and/or hockey arena without tax $$. Other stuff today:  Google assembles its own e-tail program; more landlords kick out Section 8 tenants; a lawyer turned slam poet; and the Old Spaghetti Factory will serve its last Spumoni in December.