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Soundside

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22:06

A perspective on the Presidential Fitness Test from...

Soundside ·

2025/09/04

School starts up this week for some districts in our region, others started last week – before Labor Day! For some students, gym classes may include a surprising throwback: The Presidential Fitness Test. President Trump reestablished the program over the summer. It had been quietly phased out in 2013 by President Obama, and people are split over the value and impact of this test. Teachers and fitness experts alike have criticized the test, suggesting it’s not effective in helping

4:31

Soundside's "Weekend Warmup" - Sept 4th-7th

Soundside ·

2025/09/04

All good things must come to an end, and while that includes things like MoPop's Nirvana exhibition, it also means the work week is coming to a close. With that in mind, here's Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows with all the things you could be doing this weekend! LINKS: Seahawks vs 49ers - 1:05 pm Sunday 9/7 Seattle Storm vs NY Liberty - 7:00 pm Friday 9/5 SEA-Nordic Film Festival Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival BrickCon 2025 Nirvana Exhibition Closing |

22:22

Can ChatGPT be at fault for a teenager's suicide? A...

Soundside ·

2025/09/04

Last week, the parents of a 16-year-old boy who died by suicide sued OpenAI, the company that owns ChatGPT. They say the bot fed into their son’s suicidal ideation, giving him technical advice on how to commit the act and even encouraging him to hide his plans. The tragedy highlights the dark side of the emotional dependence some people have developed with AI. What potential power does AI hold over its users, and what safeguards will help us navigate this transitional period in tech history

10:32

Over 200 people in Monroe, WA receive millions after...

Soundside ·

2025/09/02

Monsanto has settled with more than 200 people in Monroe, Washington, who were exposed to PCBs -- toxic chemicals once produced by the company. Students, parents and staff at the Sky Valley alternative school in Snohomish County, had filed lawsuits against Monsanto starting in 2018, after reporting significant illnesses.The amount of the settlement has not been revealed, but it looks to possibly be the largest settlement over PCB exposure at a single site. Guest: Seattle Times reporter Lulu Ramadan

15:12

Breaking down recent immigration arrests, ICE...

Soundside ·

2025/09/02

If you’re a news junkie (or social media user) your feeds have likely been inundated lately with headlines and videos of immigration officers taking people into custody across our region. Like the story about federal agents arresting two people working to tame the Bear Gulch fire near Lake Cushman. Or the arrest of a Washington National Guard veteran who has lived in the U.S. for decades… who was taken into custody during his citizenship interview. And we might see activity ramp up:

20:29

Why some WA judges won't make accused domestic...

Soundside ·

2025/09/02

In 22 states, people subject to certain domestic violence protection orders must surrender their guns. Washington State has had that requirement since 2014, when lawmakers unanimously voted to strip abusers of their guns. But not all judges here have been enforcing that law. That’s because of a 2022 appeals court decision that led many judges and judicial officers to view it as unconstitutional. Now, a new ruling in a separate case may provide more clarity and keep more guns out of the hands

10:52

'The middle of a major infrastructure emergency:'...

Soundside ·

2025/08/29

If you’ve driven from Seattle to Mount Rainier this summer, you might’ve had to find a different route from normal – one that misses the town of Wilkeson. Since April, this Pierce County town of just under 500 people has been cut off from a major source of economic activity: Through traffic, due to the closure of the Fairfax Bridge a few months ago. And, to add insult to injury, another key bridge is also closed. The White River Bridge was blocked off following a crash involving a

5:22

Soundside's "Weekend Warmup" - Aug 29-Sept 1

Soundside ·

2025/08/28

It’s Thursday, and on Thursdays, we hear from Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows with everything worth doing this weekend... but he's on vacation so here's Producer Shane Mehling instead. WA State Fair BUMBERSHOOT PAX West 2025 Seattle Indies Expo Dave Matthews’ Annual takeover of The Gorge Cypress Hill at Marymoore Park Blackberry Festival Olympia Harbor Days Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go

19:59

Liquor before beer, best to steer clear? Why people...

Soundside ·

2025/08/27

Have you been at a party recently and found yourself reaching for sparkling water instead of a glass of wine? Join the club. A new Gallup poll found that Americans are drinking less than ever before. Only 54% of U.S. adults are reporting that they consume alcohol. That’s a record low since the survey company started asking about people’s drinking habits back in 1939. And young people are drinking less than older Americans, a trend we’re seeing in our region, too: The Seattle Times

27:55

Amanda Knox on empathy in storytelling and working...

Soundside ·

2025/08/26

The story of Amanda Knox has been told many times, and there have been several versions: there were the sensational allegations laid out by an Italian prosecutor, of a University of Washington exchange student who, in 2007, murdered her British roommate as part of a sex-game-gone wrong. That story landed Knox in Italian prison for almost four years; that story was fiction. Then, there were the clickbaity tabloid exploits of “Foxy Knoxy,” a sex-obsessed “luciferina.” This

14:21

The prison shaped loophole in Washington's sanctuary...

Soundside ·

2025/08/26

Governor Ferguson continues to defy demands from the Trump Administration to end Washington’s “sanctuary state” policies. But lawmakers say there’s one place here where protections for immigrants are falling short: state prisons. That, says Tacoma state Representative Sharlett Mena, means the state isn’t doing everything it could to keep Washingtonians safe. According to reporting from the Washington State Standard, dozens of lawmakers are calling for the state

12:00

"He doesn't have any authority": WA Sec. of State ...

Soundside ·

2025/08/26

President Trump has threatened to sign an Executive Order that would end mail-in voting in America. His comments last week come at a time when the President is suggesting multiple ways to help Republicans hold onto Congress in the 2026 midterms. Nearly a third of national ballots came through the mail in the 2024 election. And the Washington State legislature required vote-by-mail starting in 2011. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs talks to us about what President Trump can do and defends Washington

17:19

What the Oregon desert has to do with your Seattle...

Soundside ·

2025/08/25

The future of Seattle City Light might run through Oregon. The city has contracted two solar fields in central Oregon in an effort to meet surging demand for electricity in the city. It’s estimated that by 2033, the utility will need to about double its current production in order to keep up. But where all of that new power will come from is still unclear. Guest David Kroman, Seattle Times reporter Links Seattle hopes to build its future in Oregon’s desert — or blackouts may

15:46

What recent protests tell us about the tech industry...

Soundside ·

2025/08/25

Recent tech company protests are highlighting the connection between worker power and free speech here in Seattle. On Sunday, protestors, including current and former Microsoft employees, kayaked across Lake Washington to the homes of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and President Brad Smith. From the water they unfurled banners reading “Microsoft kills kids” and “Satya + Brad = War Criminals”. This was the latest in a week of action calling for the company to cut ties with the

9:21

You asked, we answered: On helmets and head protection

Soundside ·

2025/08/21

Recently on Soundside, we took a ride into the world of micromobility. Specifically, we wanted to know as more e-bikes and scooters crowd the streets and sidewalks, how are cities like Seattle adapting? And after that segment, we got an interesting listener question about helmets, inspired by this Slate article. So we decided to investigate. "I think it's very wise to wear a helmet," our expert guest told us. "But they're not the whole story.. there areso many other public health interventions that

11:02

It’s a gallery. It’s a theme park? It’s Cannonball...

Soundside ·

2025/08/21

A brand new contemporary art space opened up this weekin downtown Seattle. It's called Cannonball Arts, and Soundside recently got a sneak preview. GUESTS: Brent Watanabe, a Seattle based artist who specializes in computer-controlled installations Greg Lundgren, Creative Director of New Rising Sun RELATED LINKS: Cannonball Arts Downtown Seattle’s Bed Bath & Beyond building to become an arts center Real-Deal Out-There Art - The Stranger Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make

2:56

To hear an iconic sound of the Northwest, listen to...

Soundside ·

2025/08/21

What does the Pacific Northwest sound like to you? Is it the tide rolling over a rocky beach? The wind across the Palouse? Or maybe a ferry horn echoing across the Puget Sound? On Soundside, we occasionally ask field recordists about THEIR iconic sounds of the northwest. Today, we hear from Gordon Hempton, also known as the Sound Tracker. He sent us a recording of snow melting on Hurricane Ridge on the Olympic Peninsula. GUEST: Gordon Hempton, acoustic ecologist and Emmy Award winning sound

6:02

Soundside's "Weekend Warmup" - Aug 21-24

Soundside ·

2025/08/21

It’s Thursday, and on Thursdays, we hear from Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows with everything worth doing this weekend! LINKS: A Clarinet Concert with Cameron DeLuca Bend It Like Booker WA State Garlic Fest The Evergreen State Fair Get Sauced! ZooTunes Comedy What the Funk Fest Makah Days in Neah Bay Everfree Northwest Dragonflight GameCon Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

10:20

Microsoft employees protest company’s contract with...

Soundside ·

2025/08/20

A group of current and former Microsoft employees briefly occupied part of the company’s Redmond campus yesterday to protest the relationship between the tech giant and Israel’s military. The protest was led by a group called No Azure for Apartheid. Their name refers to a cloud computing service that has been contracted for use by Israel’s government. The demonstration follows recent reporting that Israel uses Azure as a mass surveillance tool against Palestinians, one that has

22:29

Does your computer science degree still guarantee you...

Soundside ·

2025/08/20

For college students, saying you majored in computer science used to be code (excuse the pun) for a six-figure salary and job stability. Now some fear those days are behind us. Since 2014, the number of undergraduates majoring in computer science has more than doubled, but the job offers aren’t flowing like they used to. Natasha Singer, a technology reporter at The New York Times, tells us about her recent story on computer science majors struggling to find employment as their field changes

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