The Brookings Institute has issued a country-wide carbon analysis of the major metropolitan areas. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue placed 6th in the nation for lowest-impact on the environment. The Seattle PI explains:

Honolulu was ranked first, with the smallest average carbon footprint of any of the areas surveyed, followed by Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, Calif. Portland, (combined with Vancouver, Wash., and Beaverton, Ore.,) came in third place, followed by New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island and then Boise-Nampa, Idaho.

The average Puget Sound area resident emitted 1.556 tons of carbon in 2005, compared with the national average of 2.24 tons. Most of this was owing to the residential energy score (second overall in the nation), thanks to hydroelectric power. Local carbon emissions from highway transportation decreased while the national average increased, but this region ranked just 27th in this category.

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Lesbian says she and her partner were tossed from Safeco Field because they kissed, violating the Mariners “code of conduct” against “displays of affection not appropriate in a public, family setting.”

And yet, that drunk Red Sox fan in front of me on Monday who stood for an entire inning piss-drunk and showing off her coin slot? She gets to stay.

And also, we can’t subject our poor sensitive childrens’ eyes to the thought of a same-sex couple sharing a smooch, but yet we allow them to watch Jose “slugging .349″ Vidro and Richie “batting .200″ Sexson anchor the worst offense money can buy? Or a team with a total salary of $110M yet is on pace for a mere 55 wins?

Clearly, the Mariners’ priorities are wrong. I’d rather be explaining to my daughter why those two women are making out than why the M’s spent $44M on Carlos Silva to throw batting practice fastballs.

Making its world premiere at SIFF on Thursday, May 29, Butterfly Dreaming is a shot in Seattle thriller that ponders the nature of reality. Writer/director Rufus Williams was inspired to create his debut film after being inspired by his own curiousity about the subject.

“I had a dream that I’d killed someone,” says Williams. “Not a fantasy, just a dream.”

Upon waking from the dream he found himself wondering just what reality really is. “How do we know if we’re dreaming? How do we know if we’re not?”

Weaving elements from his own life into the tale, former mathematician Williams concocted the story of a mathematician named Rob who is grieving from the loss of his wife who finds himself trapped in a state of madness where he must continually straddle the line between paranoid reality and anxious dreams. As the line between the two states becomes more and more blurred, Rob struggles to sort out the difference between what he thinks is real and what is “really” real.

“How do you know?” Williams wonders. We define reality in part by how it progresses in time, but “what if our dreams had continuity?”

And what really happened to his wife?

Williams promises to answer that question in Butterfly Dreaming, but the answer, he hopes, will lead to more questions. “I would like the audience to have the ongoing experience,” he says, “Someoen stops a couple days later and says, ‘That was weird’.”

“I hope the audience comes out debating theories,” Williams says. “If that happened, I’d be absolutely delighted,” adding that his own friends and family for whom he has screened the film have ended up arguing their theories as to what “really” happens in the film.

As a first-time filmmaker, Williams was enraptured by every part of the process from the thrill of putting the script together to the “intense” experience of filming, to the pleasure of bringing all of the elements together in post-production.

“I really enjoy films that make me think about something,” he says. If he’s gotten it right, Butterfly Dreaming offers plenty to think about. Check it out for yourself Thursday, May 29, at 9:15 at Harvard Exit and again at Harvard Exit on Saturday, May 31 at 11:00 am.

In early April, I wrote about the Mayor’s new tactic on handling homeless encampments. The new rules:
• The city will give 72 hours’ notice to people camping on public property before their tents and other belongings are removed.
• During that period, the city will dispatch outreach workers to connect homeless campers with services.
• The city will store people’s belongings for 60 days instead of immediately throwing them away. Homeless people complained they had lost their tents, personal identification, prescriptions and photos.
• The city added 20 new shelter beds to offer to those who had no where to go.

Photo by Erika Schultz of the Seattle Times.

Over the last two days, Seattle city workers have been clearing out a large encampment that was tucked away in a public greenbelt in Queen Anne. Proper notice was posted for those living in the encampment, the items left behind were bagged and labeled for storage, and the few homeless that remained were offered shelter beds.

It’s a good step for the City to take and I am glad to see that they are (apparently) following through on the new regulations. (Source)

I don’t really know how to describe Chuck Palahniuk so I went with “gritty”. I think it’s better than “satirical” which is what I thought his first name was for awhile. Anyway, he reads (presumably) from his new novel Snuff [powells] tonight at Town Hall Seattle. Snuff takes a distinctly Palahniukian look at porn. Specifically, it’s about a woman who wants to break the record for serial fornication – 600 men, if possible. Hijinks, gross stuff, murder, and intrigue ensue, etc.

From his publisher:

His [Palahniuk’s] wild, lethally funny, and thoroughly researched novel brings the huge yet underacknowledged presence of pornography in contemporary life into the realm of literary fiction at last.

Not that I’m one to talk, but underacknolwedged is not a word (it’s two words). Also, if the first question of Mr. Palahniuk tonight isn’t, “What does thoroughly researched mean to you?” I’ll be disappointed.

Here’s a video produced by the 132 member marketing team Mr. Palahniuk employs to promote his books (potentially NSFW):

Finally, feel free to join Mr. Palahniuk’s social networking website. Membership is free and you get to work out all your gritty, satirical stories with other members.

Naturally we’re all a little preoccupied with SIFF these days, but it’s worth noting that even outside the festival there are still some great films playing in Seattle.

Over at the Grand Illusion, seriously one of the best places in Seattle to see a film, they’re offering the Seattle premiere of Woman on the Beach, director Hong Sang-Soo’s 2006 romantic comedy that gives the genre a fresh spin with a strong flavoring of sardonic humor. Filmmaker Joong-rae decides to fight his writer’s block by taking a trip to the beach with his buddy and his buddy’s girlfriend. A secret fling sends Joong-rae into an agony of indecision which he attempts to resolve with a second fling with a new woman who looks an awful lot like the first. During the ensuing mayhem, he manages to find the inspiration to continue his film. Daily from Friday, May 30 through Thursday, June 5.

Late night at the Grand Illusion this weekend check out The Being, a horror film from the 80’s with a who’s who of 70s B, C and Z listers including Marianne Gordon, Jose Ferrer, Ruth Buzzi, and The Unknown Comic, plus a co-starring slot for Martin Landau. Mark your calendar now for next weekend’s showing of He-Man & She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword.

Central Cinema gives you Modesty Blaise, a campy satire of the James Bond school of spy films, based on the comic series of the same title that is rather humorous, both intentionally and not.

Silent Movie Mondays return to the Paramount Theater with a Douglas Fairbanks Festival that starts June 2 at 7:00 pm with 1919’s When the Clouds Roll By. Fairbanks’ swashbuckling on-screen persona stands the test of time–his adventure films are still exciting and fun to watch. If you’ve never seen a film at the Paramount, you’re missing a real treat. The Paramount is absolutely one of the best places in town to see a film and Dennis James on the Wurlitzer organ is an experience not to be missed. I especially recommend Silent Movie Mondays for families with kids who are capable of sitting quietly through a film; kids are impressed to learn that movies that are even older than their grandparents are still really fun to watch.

The oldest active ship in the US Navy is an aircraft carrier named the USS Kitty Hawk. It has provided nearly fifty years of service and is the last conventionally-powered aircraft carrier in the Navy’s fleet. Later this year it will be replaced by the nuclear-powered USS George Washington. Currently, the ship is on its way to Bremerton where it will be decommissioned at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.

An AP story [AP/aol] gives a history of the ship for the curious.

When I was a kid, my grandparents lived for many years in Bremerton where they managed an apartment complex after injury caused my grandfather to retire from his job at the shipyard. One of my favorite activities when I was staying with them was to ride down to the shipyard to check out the mammoth vessels on display at the shipyard. These ships are huge, some with populations that dwarf many of the local towns. Being an industrial facility, the shipyard isn’t open to the public, but a drive by will get you a good glimpse of many of the ships. If you’re in the area, I highly recommend it.

Most people know that Genghis Khan was the ruler of the world’s largest empire in history. At its height, the Mongolian empire covered most of Asia and parts of Europe. But do you know the story of how Genghis Khan came to power in the first place? Most people don’t as there’s really not a lot known about the early days of the emperor. Director Sergei Bodrov takes the little that is known about Genghis Khan’s early days and spins it into an epic historical film about love, honor, endurance and the will of the warrior to rise from impoverishment into ultimate success, all set against the breathtaking scenery of Central Asia.

We first meet Temujin, the future emperor, as the favored son of a tribal ruler, or khan, as he rides with his father to select a bride from a rival tribe. Ignoring political protocol, Temujin chooses his own bride by allowing her to choose him, a decision which frustrates his father but eventually proves to be one of the wisest choices of the boy’s life. After his father is murdered, the boy and his family are cast from their tribe and young Temujin must grow to adulthood in the harsh conditions of the steppes with a waiting death sentence from his father’s former retainers. Temujin is a strong, stubborn boy and he overcomes almost overwhelming odds by sheer force of will and a personality that allows him to find supporters even when he has seemingly nothing to offer him.

Intent on seeking revenge on those who would destroy him and securing his rightful place as khan, young Termujin reaches adulthood as a skilled warrior with the support of his equally fierce and resilient bride and his “blood brother”, the son of another tribe’s khan. When his truest friend becomes his most intractable enemy, Temujin is forced into the war which will lead to the rise of the Mongol empire.

Mongol is a beautifully shot film that showcases the often forbidding beauty of Mongolia and the fascinating culture of its distant past. Its look at the unique customs and costumes of a thousand years past is captivating, particularly since that part of history isn’t so well known here in the West. The cinematography is top-notch, bringing this ancient world to vivid life on-screen, particularly during the bloody, realistic battles. Though the movie covers many long years of the future-emperor’s life, the story is engaging and mostly well-paced, moving swiftly through its chapters. The only complaint I have of the film is that there are a few parts where it moves almost too swiftly–the transitions from one period to another are sometimes jarringly abrupt.

Mongol is an excellent choice for anyone who appreciates action-packed epic dramas with strong characters and an exciting storyline. Its final SIFF showing is at 4:00 pm on Thursday, May 29, at 4:00 p.m.

This afternoon Bumbershoot announced the addition of even more acts to the annual Labor Day weekend festival.

T.I. / Keyshia Cole / Adele / Minus the Bear / Battles / Aiden / Unearth / Sondre Lerche / The Whigs / Thao with The Get Down Stay Down / Langhorne Slim & The War Eagles / These Arms Are Snakes / The Blakes / Mark Pickerel & His Praying Hands / Barcelona / Kinski / Throw Me The Statue / J-Boogie’s Dubtronic Science / Tyrone Wells / Howlin Rain / Monotonix / The Shackeltons / Star Anna / West Indian Girl / Ravens & Chimes / Hadley Caliman Quintet featuring Thomas Marriott / Grynch / The Hands / Joshua Morrison / Matt Jorgensen +451 / Chester French / PWRFL Power / The Girls

It’s nice to see a few more local acts added to the bill. Additionally, Bumbershoot organizers will be passing out comedy passes this year.

To allow more fans the chance to see a show (without having to wait in line all weekend) Bumbershoot is kicking off a free pass system that will guarantee pass holders general admission to one comedy show per day. Passes will be available at 11am each day at a Comedy Pass Distribution booth, while supplies last.

The full lineup is available here.

Yesterday, the City Council approved a bond issue that will raise $43 million in an attempt to kick off straightening out the Mercer mess [PI]. Currently, I-5 empties out onto Fairview and then to Valley, because Mercer itself is a one-way street heading in the direction of the freeway onramps. The current plan is to expand Mercer and turn it into a two-way street, narrow Valley (but, presumably, keep the stupid streetcar there), and adjust the freeway exit so that it doesn’t block up Fairview so much. A traffic study says that this won’t improve the speed of the trip through South Lake Union.

Mercer itself gets crazily backed up during rush hour, and if there’s something happening at Key Arena it’s nearly impossible to get down Valley at all. The worst part about that whole intersection is the fact that everything clogs up where Fairview splits off into Valley, because it’s impossible to get across there and go down Fairview.

So, sure, on the one hand the proposal is playing right into Vulcan’s development plans, to turn SLU into a little live/work island in the middle of the city. But on the other hand that whole area is a gigantic mess, and people have been arguing about what to do with it for more years that you can shake a very long stick at. Which is just so Seattle–arguing about something until the best possible option is also the worst. Still, it’s about time something was done, and it’s possible that moving some of the traffic off of Valley will make the stupid streetcar a little faster and therefore perhaps useful.

But then, I don’t drive–I only know how much this intersection sucks because of how often the bus gets mired in the traffic. Do any of you with cars have an opinion about this fix?