Getting naked in Seattle: Today So Far

• The robots have arrived, for our grandparents.
• Boeing design gets "x-plane" status.
• Just a reminder: It's legal to be naked in Seattle.

This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for June 29, 2023.

Quick hits

• Seattle Mountain Rescue celebrates first home base in North Bend
• How PNW's history of far-right extremism played role on Jan. 6
• To save Jewish culture, American Jews turned to summer camp

The robots have arrived. Pilot programs are currently up and running in various corners of Washington state, which are pairing seniors, often in rural areas, with robotic companions. It's being called "age-tech." This can range from "grandpads" (tablets designed for seniors), to an AI equipped portals (a combo of a tablet, smart speaker, video phone, and AI) that can interact with people. And there are even cuddly robot puppies and kittens that interact with you.

Northwest News Network reports that about 20 seniors along Washington's coast have received an ElliQ, which is one of those AI portals described above. These can carry on conversations with people, remind them of appointments, and even have virtual coffee dates. More than 700 interactive pets have been handed out across the state for about two years now.

Skipping past the fact that Saturday Night Live sort of predicted this, these pilot programs are points where pop culture and reality collide. In this case, they sound more like futuristic scenarios presented in the movie "Her" or even "Blade Runner 2049," where AI tech is used as assistants and companions. In the here and now, robots are being used to deliver food to seniors at a Tacoma retirement home, AI is being looked to as a potential remedy for loneliness, and some tech can even call 911 when a senior falls. There are so many angles into this fascinating story, so read the full article here.

I'm going to tell you how Boeing just got x-plane status for a new airplane design that is giving new hope for cutting down airline carbon emissions. But first, we need to clarify an important distinction.

"X-plane" does not refer to the Blackbird X-Jet used by Professor Xavier's elite team of mutant heroes who protect the world from various malevolent actors ... also, it does not refer to the T-65 X-wing starfighter famously used by Rebel forces to take down the Death Star. I'm sure that's what immediately came to everybody's mind when they heard this x-plane news, right? OK, I'm glad we cleared that up.

NASA contracted with Boeing earlier this year to develop a new single-aisle airplane that is more fuel efficient. The end goal is to push the airline industry toward reducing carbon pollution, or even get to zero-emissions. The design Boeing has come up with just received x-plane designation from the Air Force. That's a pretty cool designation to have. It's used for experimental aircraft that have historically advanced aerospace technology. The first x-plane broke the sound barrier. Others helped get us into space.

The design, now called the X-66A, will be a modified Boeing MD-90. But it's going to look a bit different. Read more here.

And just a reminder: It's legal to be naked in Seattle.

This information is not new, but allow me to showcase a quirky phenomenon at KUOW.org. Whenever the sunny season sets in, or right around Fremont's Solstice Parade, this 2018 article surges in popularity: "It's legal to be naked (anywhere) in Seattle." Over the past few days, this post has risen to be among the top trending stories on our website, and it's five years old! There are seasons when readers want to know how to make their own air filters. There are seasons when people seek election information. And apparently around here, there is a season when people get curious about nudity laws in Seattle.

An article like this is what the online industry calls "evergreen content." The information is not breaking and is generally useful for a long time. So let's strip this issue down and reveal the facts. I also reported a similar story years ago for another publication and was told that while being naked in Seattle is legal, if you do something nefarious while naked, then you could be violating the law. It ultimately comes down to what you're doing while naked, and if others around you are uncomfortable.

So reading a book while naked at a Seattle beach — OK. Flashing people on the sidewalk — not OK. Watering your garden while also working on your full-body tan — probably OK. Doing inappropriate things while naked, that I won't repeat here in this family friendly newsletter, that is not OK and could not only result in calls to cover up, but adding handcuffs to your attire. Also, heavily lathering your entire body with sunscreen, for a very long time, in front of my laundromat while I'm washing my clothes and have nowhere else to look (which actually happened to me in Seattle) — well, that could be a gray area. But hey, if that's your thing, sunscreen is a good idea.

As KUOW's Anna Boiko-Weyrauch previously reported, there is an extensive history on the beach and in the court when it comes to Seattle's lewd conduct laws and rules around nudity. Check it out here.

AS SEEN ON KUOW

Seattle Mountain Rescue truck’s equipment neatly organized and labeled into sections. For 75 years, Seattle Mountain Rescue has relied on a constellation of volunteers and a mixed bag of resources to help lost hikers and injured adventurers. As King County has exponentially grown, the demand for Mountain Rescue services has too. Now, for the first time, the nonprofit will have a base of operations in North Bend. (Alex Rochester / KUOW)

DID YOU KNOW?

History was made this week in Salt Lake City when 13-year-old Arisa Trew became the first female skater to land a 720 in a competition (it also happened to be her first time ever landing the trick).

Trew is a skateboarder from Australia's Gold Coast. She landed the 720 at Tony Hawk's Vert Alert competition.

A full circle is 360 degrees, so spinning around twice equals 720 degrees, hence the name of the trick. It took a few tries for Trew to successfully land the trick, but she was not deterred no matter how many falls she took.

History was in the room that day. Tony Hawk was there to witness Trew spin two times in the air and land. Hawk first performed the 720 in 1985, cementing his name in skateboard history. Also, this week is the 20th anniversary of when Hawk accomplished a 900 (two and a half spins).

ALSO ON OUR MINDS

Supreme Court guts affirmative action, effectively ending race-conscious admissions

The U.S. Supreme Court has found that Harvard and the University of North Carolina's admissions policy violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.

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