Now that I have your attention, I’d like to direct it over to the Seattle Public Library. Always a bastion of free and educational programs, during the month of September, the library will be tackling a topic that concerns blogger and non-blogger alike: the First Amendment.

“Under the banner of “The September Project,” which will include Banned Books Week programming, the Library will offer the public an opportunity to engage in discussions of democracy, patriotism and freedom, and to explore the definition of “speech” in the constitutional context.

This series of programs and events will give patrons a forum to air their experiences and learn important information not available through the usual media outlets, and give people a chance to learn and be surprised.

All events are free and open to the public. Parking in the Central Library garage will be available for the $5 special event rate.” [SPL]

Mark your calendars and be ready for a lively debate!

newsies, [imdb]

• Salon investigates the ten million dollars that the Gates foundation has pledged to anti-scientific intelligent design advocacy Discovery Institute. Even though the Gates money is tagged for transportation research, Salon is not pleased. [#]

• Hendrix lovers will have a longer trek when visiting Seattle Jimi-related sites: his childhood home avoids demolition with a move to Renton courtesy of the James Marshall Hendrix Foundation. [p-i]
• Capitol Hill resident and award-winning playwright August Wilson revealed that he has terminal liver cancer and only months to live. The final installation of his decade-by-decade cycle of dramas exploring African-American 20th century life premiered this spring in New Haven. [suntimes]

My friend and I were driving back from Discovery Park, after an afternoon of picking blackberries. Our hands were stained purple, our forearms stickered with thorns, and our faces grinning from the archetypal Seattle summer experience. As we had been meandering along the path of the loop trail at Discovery Park, I had looked up at the steely-grey clouds swirling above the Sound, and announced, “It’s going to rain in about twenty minutes.”

So there we were, driving to my house, talking and laughing at the possibility of making jam, when I smelled it. Something familiar I had almost forgotten: the hot, dusty smell about to be dampened

As much as I appreciate the fact that our weather forecasters are able to give us advance warning of hurricanes, helping to save many lives, I am hoping with all my might that they are wrong about Katrina.

It sounds like the NOLA metrobloggers have headed for higher ground. Here’s hoping that they and their families and all of their fellow city-dwellers make it through safe and sound.

If you have not ventured beyond Key Arena for a concert yet, you are sorely missing out. The Seattle area has a number of summer outdoor concerts all over the city. For free, you can check out your local neighborhood concert series or for reasonable ticket prices you can take it to a fancier outdoor venue such as the Gorge at George (requiring the penance of a 2-hour drive before you can enter those pearly gates) or the Chateau St. Michelle Winery. This weekend I headed to Woodinville to see Ben Folds and Rufus Wainright at Chateau St. Michelle. The field was littered with picnic baskets and blankets; friends and couples had come several hours early to dine in the summer sun and secure a good spot. Alcohol was limited to house creations only and you were forced to buy a bottle for anywhere between $8 and $25 depending on your tastes.
For the unprepared, an assortment of dining options were available in addition to the obligatory chair and binocular rentals, espresso, and ATM machine. Vendors (Epicurean Catering specifically) were friendly and eager to make substitutions and cater to dietary needs. For future reference

Last night, on the way to the Ben Folds/Rufus Wainwright concert at the Chateau St. Michelle winery (and yes, it was lovely, thank you), I saw the following signs on the side of the road:

Last evening after a full day of moving fun and games, I ventured out to locate some fast food. My kitchen is a shambles and, quite frankly, I was too tired to cook.
Not really dressed for a social interaction, I popped into the local KFC to grab a couple of sides. What can I say? I like their cole slaw and corn!

The folks behind the counter seemed a bit out-of-sorts, but definitely were hustling. It took a little time to get my silly order prepared, so I began chatting with the cashier. She explained to me that she really doesn’t work at this site, she is filling in because the hired help who were supposed to appear didn’t.
At this point, the manager pops in from manning the drive through window and thanks the cashier for filling in and informs me her entire night crew decided not to show!

I was impressed with their professionalism, given the tough circumstances and how well they did managing, even though many of the customers were absolutely rude.

Ladies, I didn’t get your names - but great job!

What was up with I-5 yesterday? It took over an hour to get from Lake City Way to the West Seattle Bridge. Of course, I was sensitive to this item as I was paying a bunch of movers to sit in traffic!
Typically, I take 99 southbound, but figured the interstate would be quicker. Was I wrong!

To add insult to injury, when we got to the lower bridge across Harbor Island, a container ship was crossing, so our adventure was delayed a bit longer.

In the end, we made it safe and sound, but the duration of the commute from North Kirkland to West Seattle lasted just a little under an hour and a half.

imdb]

Speaking of killer whales [slog], which have recently been found to be among the few animals known to pass on traditions to other members of their group [newscientist], there will be an opportunity for Seattleites to make their opinions about the Makah tribe’s desire to hunt gray whales known.

The tribe’s right to hunt whales was outlined in an 1855 treaty, and ever since the gray whale made it off the endangered species list, their request to resume hunting off the coast of the Olympic Peninsula has been incredibly contentious [historylink]. Although the y managed to kill one whale in 1999, hunting has been on hold ever since as the matter made its way through the courts.

This road back to whale killing involves three public hearings scheduled to take place in October. Before any decisions can be made, the U.S. government must create an Environmental Impact Statement in response to the Makah proposal to re-resume whaling. It seems incredibly convoluted, but you can have your say about saving the whales (or not) without leaving town — a meeting will take place in Seattle on 11 October at the Naval Reserve Building in South Lake Union Park in Seattle. [p-i]. It should be dramatic, at least.

We here in Seattle like to pride ourselves on our calm. We’re so laid back you can barely see us, right? When I first moved here, I heard lots of derisive comments about crazy Oregon drivers and the traffic jams of Los Angeles.

But now, people sit in their cars here on the 520 and I-90 for hours at a time. (Or so I hear. Luckily, I can avoid that commuting hell.) We’ve become a big-city driving town, unfortunately. And that must explain the level of insane driving I’ve seen lately.

Last December, through no fault of my own, I was involved in a nasty car accident. I nearly lost my life. I’m here, and I’m happy to be here. Still, now, driving makes me anxious. Not because I fear myself, but because I fear the other cars. People zip into small places, back up without looking, round corners by driving into the oncoming lane, and generally just behave as though they’re rushing through life asleep.

So here are a few tips for Seattle drivers:

–slow down. Where the hell you going so fast? This afternoon, I was on Roy, waiting to turn right and proceed up Queen Anne hill. The car in front of me couldn’t wait. She peeled around the corner and jammed on the gas pedal, just so she could drive through the next red light, almost slamming into the car turning into the intersection. She honked at him. He had the right of way. Do we really think that reaching her destination through that made her day better? I know that we all think our lives are desperately important. But you know what? There’s nowhere that important that you have to drive like a maniac. If there is, you should be going there in an ambulance. That’s it.

–pay attention to signs. I live on a corner, on the second floor. And the computer, where I am typing right now, overlooks a four-way stop. At least one car out of ten drives right through the stop sign. I’m not kidding: 10% of them. And they’re always driving 35 miles an hour. The stop signs are not hard to see. They’re right there. But I have seen two car accidents out of my living room window, and I don’t need to see that. Once, I nearly watched a small child in a crosswalk hit by a car. Luckily, the car squealed to a stop just in time. Really, stop signs are big and red for a reason. Please pay attention to them.

–be aware of other drivers. Don’t turn into my lane and nearly swipe the front of my car because you didn’t realize a mile in advance that the lane for I-5 is this one, and the entrance is 100 feet in front of us. Don’t make a turn in such a wide swath that half your car is in my lane, and I’m just sitting at a stop light. And oh, by the way, when I let you in when you signal