Paul Constant

Lots more folks on here these days, so it's re-introduction time. Hi! My name is Paul Constant. I write about books, politics, economics, technology, and Seattle. I'm a fellow at Civic Ventures, I write comic books, and I have a free monthly newsletter. You can find links to all that on my website:

Did you know that in 1993 Prince wrote and produced a musical called Glam Slam Ulysses, based on the Odyssey? Apparently, it was advertised as "The Homer-Erotic Odyssey of Ulysses and His Gang". Carmen Electra starred.

New leaked audio: Flock’s CEO tells a private conference of police chiefs he believes the opposition to his company isn’t real, full of paid protesters/bots. Says company is at “the bottom” but is waiting out criticism www.404media.co/in-leaked-au...

Just noting that this is a very busy schedule for an 80-year-old man.

This ad needs to be banned from movie theaters and everyone involved must be shunned from polite company for at least five years.

Just throwing out into the universe that this empty storefront in Columbia City would make an amazing bookstore. It was an auto repair manual shop for decades, but I think a nice general-interest bookshop steps from the light rail and the farmer’s market would do boffo business.

With a millionaires tax on the ballot, they really should have waited until after Election Day to announce the construction of 72 luxury waterfront condos exclusively housing the expensive cars of rich people.

NEWS: the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders have unionized and the Cowboys have agreed to recognize the union

One of my favorite movie memories is walking past the Cinerama and noting that Skerrit was sitting for a Q&A on a screening of Alien that day. Bought a ticket on the spot, it was the best (both his stories and watching it on a huge screen).

I believe Skerritt hosted the first private fundraiser in Seattle for then-presidential candidate Barack Obama in his home, along with a couple of book launch parties for local authors. I saw him out at arts events pretty frequently around town. He made Seattle better by being a good neighbor.

Disappointed that the trailers for Wildwood don’t open with a narrator growling, “From the twisted mind of Colin Meloy…”

Fellow WA voters, let's bury this. I can't imagine any parent wants to subject their child to this vile "examination."

I love that this was filmed like an outtake from The Office.

Taxes aren't just about raising revenue—they're the best tool we have to cap the power of individuals. When one jackass possesses the power of a nation-state, the whole world is in danger.

Voting should be at least this easy for everyone.

We voted! I don’t trust the mail to get it there on time anymore. Thanks @paulconstant.com for cluing me into @electioncheatsheet.org

America now has second-generation school shooting survivors nypost.com/2026/10/17/u...

Rita voted early this year because she’s a very good dog. She says, be a good dog too, and vote!

Be sure to turn off the tricky “deep search only” button at the bottom of the “Content Controls” tab, too, which seems to only exist to trick you into accepting AI slop after you turn all the other toggles off.

If you haven’t seen Singin’ In The Rain, I recommend watching it in a theater with a live audience. It’s one of the most entertaining movies ever made, and even musical skeptics often come away impressed.

Got my ballot in the mail yesterday, voted using the @electioncheatsheet.org last night, and dropped my ballot off at the nearest drop box this morning. Voting should be this easy for everyone.

This video is incredibly uncomfortable, like watching a soulless human resources flack hold the company line against boundless evidence to the contrary. Why is the @nytimes.com so allergic to hiring a public editor who actually holds the paper accountable on behalf of the readers?

It’s always heartening to see that some lines are still too morally disgusting to cross. We need to figure out how to reinforce and reestablish other such lines—for instance, it should be widely considered repulsive to send a Christmas card featuring photos of your family holding guns.

I’ll always remember the first time Obie saw a rabbit in real life after chasing decoy rabbits for years around racetracks in Florida. His response was clear in any language: “wait, they’re REAL?”

It’s so cool how all of our worst fears about tech—surveillance, AI, algorithmic prisons—are all smooshing together into one big mega-fear.

The new White House press secretary is very, very bad at her job, but I’m already bracing for the tsunami of resistance-lib misogyny that I know is coming from reply guys on here.

Hmmm.

Put him in a football jersey and pajama bottoms and I see this guy buying beer at the grocery store every Sunday morning.

question for brooks: what if they are, literally, nazis?

If you’re looking for some weekend listening, this was, by far, my favorite podcast episode of the week.

Amazing how the big publishers don’t understand using AI poisons their brand. This is the kind of arrogance that can only spring from lazy managers at companies that have been way too big for way too long.

Feels good, man.

“I have to start drinking at the Nazi bar again because that’s where all the grifters drink.”

Latest data on US light rail transit ridership: —Seattle & San Diego are far above pre-pandemic levels —Seattle's ridership is by far the highest in the nation now —LA's ridership is close to pre-pandemic level —Denver is *really* struggling www.thetransportpolitic.com/databook/us-...

What’s the point of having fuck-you money if you never say “fuck you”?

A three hundred billion-dollar fortune and he still has to suck up to his boss.

These new Pepsi slogans are weird, but I bet they’ll sound cool when Katy Perry sings them in the ads.

Went out for snacks and mocktails after a reading last night and I have felt hung over all day today. I got home at 10:15! I ate Brussels sprouts, for God’s sake!

Google is messing with sign-ins through Apple products, right? Signing users out frequently, trying to get users to switch their browsers to Chrome in search results, and so on? Seems like they're punishing Apple users in an effort to promote their products. Or maybe it's just me.

I had no idea Dennis Hastert and Jim Bakker were still alive. I miss the days when monster pervert losers used to go away.

Seattle, please note that @anandwrites.bsky.social is reading at @townhallseattle.bsky.social on Wednesday. His new book offers the best writing about our current political moment that I’ve read.

“Gawrsh, Mickey. It started when a guy paid me to carry a li’l package when I was on vacation. Then I had to swaller a couple’a balloons. Next thing I know I’m drivin’ a tractor trailer through San Diego an’ there’s red and blue lights in my rear view…”