Soundside

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. Then we hear from Ed Lazowska, an emeritus professor at the University of Washington, about what he's seeing in our region.  Guest: Natasha Singer, technology reporter at The New York Times.  Ed Lazowska, an emeritus professor at the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington. Related stories:  Goodbye, $165,000 Tech Jobs. Student Coders Seek Work at Chipotle. - The New York Times Ed Lazowska retires after 48 years at UW, reflects on AI, computer science, and what’s next – GeekWire 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. Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In many ways, the homicide of Barbara Innis was a clear cut case. There were witnesses, a weapon, and a suspect immediately taken into custody.  The complication: the suspect, Barbara’s husband, can’t remember the crime. 87 year old George Innis had shown signs of dementia for years prior to the killing of his wife at their Bellevue assisted living center. His journey through the legal system highlights the questions surrounding prosecution and care of people with degenerative memory loss. Guest: Seattle Times lead breaking news reporter Paige Cornwell Related stories: A Bellevue man killed his wife. He has dementia. Now what? - Seattle Times 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 Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you got your coffee from a Seattle Starbucks this morning, it may have been prepared by a unionized barista.  At least 33 Starbucks in Washington have unions, including the cafe at the company’s headquarters in Sodo and the Reserve Roastery on Capitol Hill, according to The Seattle Times. It’s the result of an organizing effort that began in 2021 in Buffalo, New York. Starbucks workers across that city kicked off a renewed push to unionize those coffee shops.  Jaz Brisack was one of the lead organizers on that campaign. They began working with unions while they were a student at the University of Mississippi. Brisack is also the author of "Get on the Job and Organize: Standing Up for a Better Workplace and a Better World," which came out earlier this year.  They stopped by the KUOW to talk about their book and why they think that if you have a job, you should have a union.  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 Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Across Washington, student vaccination rates have fallen slightly over the past few years, but those statewide figures gloss over some parts that saw pretty big declines --- especially in one southwest Washington school district. The data showed the Naselle-Grays River Valley School District saw student vaccinations for diseases like tetanus, polio and rubella drop by more than 46%, making it the district with the lowest immunization rate in the state for 2024 to 2025. But what’s on paper doesn’t tell the whole story.  Guest: Lori Ashley, clinical manager for the Pacific County Department of Health and Human Services. Related stories:  K-12 vaccination rates in WA dropped again | The Seattle Times R.F.K. Jr. Cancels mRNA Vaccine Research | The New York Times 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. Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s not just your imagination: There are more shared bikes and scooters zipping around the streets of Seattle. Data collected by the city's Department of Transportation shows that between January and early August of 2025, the number of trips recorded on shared bikes and scooters jumped nearly 75 percent compared with the same time period last year.  As streets and sidewalks get more crowded – how are cities like Seattle adapting?  Guests Jeff Bailey, a writer and editor in Denver Links From E-Bikes to Scooters, Roads Are Getting More Crowded and Confusing - The Wall Street Journal Thanks to the supporters of KUOW. You help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, actress Bindi Irwin made a viral post on Instagram. Bindi is the daughter of the late Steve Irwin – the famed “Crocodile Hunter.”  Bindi is also, herself, a conservationist, but her post didn’t have to do with wildlife health. Rather, it was about her own. She said she was recovering from surgery to remove 51 lesions, a cyst, and her appendix. Prior to this, Irwin had suffered 13 years of pain from endometriosis. She wrote, “I felt utterly ashamed as a teenager and young adult being told that my pain was just part of being a woman. I felt lesser. I felt hurt. I felt weak.” Several celebrities have spoken up about their experiences with endometriosis. Padma Lakshmi, Florence Pugh, Whoopi Goldberg, Lena Dunham – the list goes on. Approximately one in ten women is affected by endometriosis. According to Yale Medicine, it’s present in up to 50% of women who are infertile. And between 50% and 80% of women with pelvic pain. But, it’s a disease that’s rarely discussed - in part because the pain experienced is often dismissed as cramps or period pain. Guest: Dr. Cindy Mosbrucker is a nationally recognized expert in minimally-invasive excision of endometriosis, as well as the diagnosis and treatment of pelvic pain in women. Her clinic is Pacific Endometriosis and Pelvic Surgery in Gig Harbor. Related stories: Nancy's Nook - recommended as a free source of endometriosis information by Dr. Mosbrucker 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 Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For years, Seattle residents have known that several city police officers attended the ‘Stop the Steal’ rally in Washington D.C. on January 6th, 2021. But the names of most of those police officers were unknown until recently. After a lengthy court fight, the city in late July disclosed the identities of all the officers who attended the rally.  The city also released records from an investigation of the officers' role in the rally. KUOW reporter Amy Radil combed through those records and joins us to talk about what she found.  Links Seattle police at Jan. 6 Trump rally told investigators they witnessed no violence, records show - KUOW 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 Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An ex-county clerk in Kentucky who drew nationwide attention for denying marriage licenses for same-sex couples is back in the news.  Kim Davis is asking the Supreme Court to overturn its landmark decision that legalized same sex unions nationwide. Obergefell v. Hodges was issued in 2015. It officially recognized that queer Americans have a constitutional right to get married.  Hundreds of thousands of people have been married in the 10 years since. And also since then, Kim Davis has been fighting court battles over her refusal to grant licenses – citing her belief that she should get a religious exemption under the first amendment. The Supreme Court will decide this fall if they want to consider Davis’ appeal – and experts are skeptical that they will do so.  But what would a serious legal fight to overturn marriage equality look like?  And are legal rights besides marriage at risk for LGBTQ Washingtonians?  Guest: Professor Alison Gash, Chair of the University of Oregon’s Department of Political Science. She’s also an academic expert in United States courts, sexuality, same-sex marriage, constitutional rights and public policy. Related stories: Supreme Court formally asked to overturn landmark same-sex marriage ruling - ABC News Ten Years After Obergefell: Is Same-Sex Marriage Safe? - Washington Monthly Alito’s Same-Sex Wedding Panic Threatens LGBTQ Rights - Washington Monthly 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 Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On days like today, it’s nice to sit back, enjoy the cloud cover, and think about all the things you want to do this weekend.  Here with a smattering of events to keep you busy is Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows! LINKS: Movies at the Mural: Say Anything Seattle Tattoo Expo The Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire Seattle Worldcon 2025 Chief Seattle Days Arlington SkyFest CHOMP! Celebrate Shoreline A Touch More Live An Evening With Rhett & Link Capitol Hill Garage Sale Phoenix Mercury vs. Seattle Storm Cannonball Arts 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 Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If there’s a sci-fi movie or TV show that you enjoy, there’s a good chance it’s based on a book, and there’s an even better chance that book has won a HUGO AWARD.  From Afrofuturist Octavia E Butler to Sci-Fi legends Frank Herbert and Ursula Le Guin, the Pacific Northwest has been home to several winners of one of the most prestigious honors in speculative fiction, fantasy and sci-fi.  What you may not realize is that the Hugo Award Ceremony happens each year at a gathering called “Worldcon.” And this year, the convention is being held right here at the Seattle Convention Center. Worldcon is the is the official convention of the World Science Fiction Society. Events and programming began Wednesday and festivities run through Sunday. GUEST: Kathy Bond, Chair of WorldCon 2025 RELATED LINKS:  Seattle Worldcon 2025  Worldcon 2025 celebrates the past and future of science fiction — and the part Seattle has played - GeekWire 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 Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.