Itaewon

154 dead in Itaewon Halloween "crush."

Horrible, sad news.

Itaewon is the former redlight district for US soldiers in Seoul.  Over the years is has somewhat gentrified into a more general "foreigner neighborhood" with cheap rents and various foreign food restaurants and very poorly made buildings that should have been torn down years ago.

My only thought right now is along the lines of, gentrify the fucking place and be done with it.

"in birdy-like precision"

Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass, "Tis Autumn"

Such a beautiful, silly song.  I've got raking to do.  I've got house improvement stuff to work on.  I'm backed up on some writing stuff as well -- the Diners of Whatcom County shall be finished!  A few places only serve Eggs Benny on weekends though, which is when I work at the animal shelter.

But it's beautiful out, in the cold, windy, Bellingham way.

And I'm rooting for the Phillies, but deep down it's pretty clear the Astros will win it.

"I wouldn't have it any other way"

Rock and Roll music wouldn't be what it is without plane crashes, ODs, and suicides.  But for my money, the entire saga of XTC might make for the saddest tale in popular music:

"Partridge [lead singer and guitarist], who addressed a rapt conference via video link, is proud of the fanbase, though confesses that the celebration badly triggers his OCD: he stayed firmly upstairs at home that weekend, and has previously hinted that he is autistic. Has he ever sought a formal diagnosis? 'I think I’m on the spectrum, yes, but it’s all helped me and I wouldn’t have it any other way.'

Partridge is rarely sighted in his hometown, keeping nocturnal hours and staying at home where he devours military history. His vast collection of toys – mostly soldiers, some he has made himself – cover almost every display surface. Partridge tried social media, but withdrew following allegations that he used antisemitic tropes in a discussion on Middle Eastern politics (something he won’t be drawn on today). He’s given up his chief hobby of arguing with strangers about politics on online forums, telling me he now spends his days 'waiting for my music mojo to return, in between researching UFO events'."

Would they still be one of my favorites bands if they'd gotten even a quarter of the recognition (and money) they truly deserved?  Probably.  The songs are so strong.

This Is Why You Should Always Adopt

After working at an animal shelter for a year I can say with confidence that the math is very simple -- there are too many animals chasing far too few permanent homes.  The problem with breeders and commercial dealers is, simply, they don't fucking care, and economic hardship also plays a role:

"Pet food costs have outpaced general inflation by 0.6%, and a single surprise veterinary bill can launch 42% of pet owners into debt, according to a recent Forbes study. As a result, shelters around the US are seeing an increase in owner surrenders and a steep decline in adoptions with no sign of improving.

'We’re packed right now. We’re putting animals in cages in the hallways,' explains Katy Hansen, director of marketing and communications at New York’s Animal Care Centers (ACC), a no-kill shelter that has seen a 25% uptick in surrenders this year over last. 'It’s really sad, people crying, it’s a part of their family. But if you’re choosing between feeding your family and feeding your pet, your choices are limited.'” 

It's impossible not to moralize here, but taking on a pet as a family member really is a life-time economic commitment. 

Where's Ichiro?

I'm learning the hard way about the pitfalls of Mariners fandom.

Seattle Vibe

Indian Summer in the Seattle area is pretty glorious.

And The Mariners made the playoffs, damn.