Female Car Thief Kept Diary of Her Crimes
Tiffany Mcdonough is accused of breaking into at least five cars and one house. Why are police confident the 28-year-old is the woman behind a small crime spree? Because she wrote it all down.
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Wanted: Non-Godly to Rate Churches
The only thing worse than trying to find a job is trying to find a job during a recession. To that end, we present Wanted: A weekly look at the weirdest ways to pay the bills in Twenty-Ten.
This man was docked two points for being "too preachy."
The Job Undercover parishioner for ChurchRater, the Yelp for Yahweh.
The Responsibilities Anonymously attend church service, then dish about it afterward.
Monkey Spankings at the Morgue: King County Finds No Fault in Sperm Donations by Medical Examiner Staff
Was it good government practice for morgue staffers to provide the King County medical examiner with samples of their sperm at $20 a pop? The voluntary ejaculations were a bit unseemly, a new county investigations report reveals, but at least the self abuse wasn't an abuse of authority.
KOMO-TV A KCME workbench
If it all seems a little strange, keep in mind this is the morgue that held an office contest awarding $10 for the most grisly death-scene photos; where a boss showed up at work wearing a bulletproof vest; and where someone stole the remains of a newborn baby from the body cooler.
Reader: The Brady Campaign Is Shooting Blanks
Reader Lster921 responds to Double Shot of Requesto: Brady Campaign Wants Starbucks to Stop Allowing Guns in Stores
It's always good to hear from one of the rational gun owners.
"The Brady Campaign has no right to demand anything from anyone, let alone a corporation. Their hideous attempt to disarm America is shameful."
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Manther Introduces "Missin' the Sonics"
A Manther is the male version of a cougar: an older man who preys on younger women. It's also the name of a hip-hop group out of Salem that's just given the world this five-minute ode to the dearly departed SuperSonics.
I was having a hard time figuring out why I almost liked this video. The world needs less Andy Sambergs, not more. And when they're not aping the conventions of every '90s R&B music video ever, the members of Manther spend their free time filming themselves making basketball trick shots (a hobby most guys grow out of after they've gotten their learners permit).
Then I realized: it's the Squatch costume. Put a man in a monkey suit and I am riveted.
Does John Murtha's Death Make Norm Dicks the "King of Pork"?
Determining who gets what defense spending in a country that loves to spend money on its defense is a plum job. And now that Rep. John Murtha, a.k.a. the "King of Pork," has passed, it looks like that job is Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Boeing) for the taking.
Western Pennsylvania's beloved pork king has gone on to that old sty in the sky.
Dicks has served on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee for 31 years. And his likely ascension comes at an opportune time for his favorite aerospace beneficiary and an inopportune time for Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Grandstanding).
Last week, Shelby used a parliamentary tactic to stall the confirmation of 70 presidential nominees. His tantrum came in protest of the bidding process for replacing the Air Force's refueling tankers that he says is rigged in Boeing's favor. A win for Shelby would mean 1,500 new jobs in Mobile. But that scenario appears less likely now with Dicks wearing the crown.
Older Gent Gets Into Brawl Over a Girl, Loses
To be clear, seeing your favorite bar employee safely home after her shift is a classic "good guy" move. 
There's nothing funny about a man in his 60s getting beat up. This picture, however ...
Granted, not everyone who does will behave gracefully after arriving at said employee's doorstep. Still, the act itself is a chivalrous one.
Points get reduced, however, if during the process you assault a sexagenarian.
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Mute Swans and Leif Erickson Will Have to Wait--Their Bills, and Others, Have Died in Committee
This weekend was the deadline for most bills in Olympia to be voted out of committee. Those that didn't make it died on the vine, at least for now. So, despite the tearful hearings, public appeals, and lobbying, the legislature will not even vote on the assault rifle ban, legalizing pot, or workers' compensation reform. 
Don't be fooled: they're vicious.
But those are the more celebrated measures. Plenty of other bills died in near-obscurity during the 2011 legislative session. Was their fate deserved? Take a look, and you decide:
Seattle Blogs: Is the Department of Corrections Harassing Medical Marijuana Patients?
Who dat thinkin' today's blogs are too hungover to post?
Are guys like this getting mistreated?
- HorsesAss has a lengthy, well-worth-your-time look at how Washington's Department of Corrections treated a 60-year-old woman with fibromyalgia who was arrested in Arizona for holding less than a quarter ounce of medical marijuana.
- TechFlash says that Washington is home to five of the Top 100 best companies to work for. With one very notable exception.
- West Seattle Blog reports on the armed robbery of a Jack in the Box. Looks like someone is gunning for the title of Worst in the Country.
Not Cool, Bro: Frat Boys Bring Home Drinking Buddies, Get Robbed
Not many good decisions get made at 6 a.m. after a night spent drinking. A fact two University of Washington fraternity members can attest to.
Generic Frat Boy says that's a clear violation of Brotiquette.
Late Saturday night, the frat boys came back to their house with three new buddies they'd met at the bar. But the friendship was not meant to last.
The new guys grabbed some laptop computers and clothes that didn't belong to them. When the frat boys tried to stop them, the rude house guests implied they were armed. Thus ending the budding bromance.
Shortly after leaving in a car, the thieves were stopped by police. All four, including a getaway driver, have been booked on investigation of robbery and are most definitely disinvited from the next Heaven and Hell party, brahs.
State Senator Don Benton, Seeking Ever More Exclusive Dining Ambience, Takes Run at Patty Murray
GOP state legislator Don Benton yesterday jumped into the crowded race against Patty Murray, and is said to be the powerful U.S. Senator's strongest opponent so far. But the man who says he wants to be the next Scott Brown, the little-known ex-jock who claimed Ted Kennedy's legacy seat in Massachusetts, has some notable embarrassments to overcome. 
Don Benton's dream lunch.
• In 2002, in the middle of a dire budget crunch, the Vancouver state senator threw a much-lampooned temper tantrum over capitol renovations that temporarily cost him and his colleagues their exclusive dining room, with its French-trained chefs. Instead, the state senators would have to share facilities with lowly House members and eat food from a kitchen that also served—imagine the horror—the general public.
Jeff Bezos Vs. Steve Jobs: Soon to Fight in Full Color?
You advertise for a job, and the rumors start flying. That's the situation for Amazon, whose modestly successful Kindle device has now become the subject of direct competition with Apple's new iPad. 
It's an e-reader! It's a computer! It's both!
The NYT and others are pointing to a job listing posted by Amazon that seeks a hardware display manager knowledgeable in LCD screens. Those are necessary for full color, as the iPad uses. Now everyone is speculating that Amazon's next Kindle refresh will also be full-color and—possibly—more of a computer and less of a simple electronic content reader.
This comes soon after Amazon acquired a company called Touchco, which specializes in touch screens (see the TechFlash report). Which, again, would make the next Kindle iteration more iPad-like. But will that make Jeff Bezos less of a retailer and more of an elegant, arrogant, Jobsian designer of overpriced electronic gadgets? If he walks onstage at the next product launch wearing a black turtleneck and jeans, the rumors may be true.
Reader: Only Drivers Get to Decide if Calling-While-Driving Is Dangerous
Reader David Stellwagen responds to Washington's Senate Dials Wrong Number: Why Ticketing Drivers on Cell Phones Won't Solve Anything. He thinks the argument in favor of driving while talking on a cell phone is undercut by the fact that our contributor doesn't own a car.
In a rational world, only long-haul truckers like this guy would be able to pass driving laws.
"I have serious reservations accepting the OPINION about driving habits by somebody who doesn't own a car. Seems like observations of somebody like me who drives an eight thousand pound commercial service vehicle 30,000 miles a year and a motorcycle 3000 miles a year might have more experiences to develop a relevant opinion about whether vision and mobility being blocked by a cell phone being held to the head is a traffic hazard.
For Pete's sake people, hang up and drive!"
Unsweetening Candy Land: State Workers, Lawmakers Rallying in Support of Tax-Exemption Rollbacks
The notion of tax-exemption repeal is gaining some political sex appeal. State employees plan to rally at the capitol next Monday, President's Day, urging legislators to end some of the $15 million in potential revenue producing tax breaks detailed in last week's SW cover story. 
Capitol Candy Land
Meanwhile, lawmakers made a major move in that direction last week, when Rep. Ross Hunter (D-Medina) introduced House Bill 3176 that could produce more than $350 million through tax-break repeals. Sen. Margarita Prentice (D-Renton) introduced a companion Senate bill to make such repeals possible by temporarily rolling back Initiative 960, which requires a two-thirds majority vote to increase or amend some tax laws.
Not enamored with the change to Tim Eyman's voter-approved I-960, however, is the Seattle Times.
The Case Against Reggie Bush to the Seahawks
After winning the Super Bowl last night, New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush probably isn't thinking much beyond his next Hurricane. But that doesn't mean there aren't other people out there pondering Bush's future.
Much as it'd be cool to see these two outside of Chop Suey, it'd be very bad news for the Hawks.
On Friday, Miami Dolphins beat reporter Omar Kelly Tweeted that there was "a lot of buzz" about Bush reuniting with his former USC coach Pete Carroll in Seattle. The second overall pick in the 2007 draft still has two years left on his rookie deal, a contract most think the Saints are either going to nullify or ask Bush to restructure, which could lead to him demanding a trade.
All of which is to say: getting Bush would be a big mistake for the Seahawks.
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