Soundside

How to get off your phone for good (or at least use it less).

This year we’re trading in our smartphones for corded landlines and dial-up internet! Right? Well, maybe not. But people have definitely been trying to use their phones less. Digital cameras and refurbished iPods have gotten more popular in the past few years, especially in younger generations. And on TikTok there’s the trend of “analog bags” – people filling their bags with knitting sets, books and other screen-free activities to avoid the temptation of reaching for their phones. All of that sounds nice. But at the end of the day it’s really hard to get away from our phones because they do everything for us! And those algorithms are so good at drawing us in. Meta and YouTube were recently found liable in a landmark case after a woman accused the companies of fueling her social media addiction, beginning when she was a child. But what’s it like, and how hard is it, to give up on digital convenience? We’re going to ask a couple of experts for tips on how to use our phones a little less. Guests: Julianne Bell is a staff culture writer at The Stranger. Jordan McMahon is a technology writer for The Strategist. He also writes a newsletter called “Rebooting.” Related links: My So-Called Luddite Life | The Stranger Rebooting | Jordan McMahon | Substack What Is an Analog Bag? Inside the TikTok Trend Fighting Digital Burnout | Business Insider Why people are buying iPods again | Axios 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.

Front Page: The Big O talks Mayor Wilson and public safety, covering up a Central District icon, and the Seattle Steelheads

Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page. It’s our chance to talk about the latest news with a rotation of plugged-in journalists and guests, taking a look at the headlines from the weekend and the stories that we'll be following as the week moves forward. GUEST: Omari Salisbury – founder of Converge Media and host of The Big O Show LINKS: Hundreds sign petition to honor Rainier Beach High students killed in January Katie Wilson Talks Mayoral Transition and Transparency Mayor Wilson Town Hall on Security & Surveillance Rahwa Ogbe Keshi Habte, Seattle community organizer, dies at 42 Mariners Launch “Steelhead Sundays” to Honor Black Baseball Legacy in Seattle Celebrating the Legacy of the Seattle Steelheads 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.

Soundside's Weekend Warmup - NorWesCon, West Coast Swing, and COMEDY!

April Fool’s Day is thankfully behind us, and while they DO say that “April Showers bring May Flowers,” it looks like we’ve got a partly sunny weekend ahead… Let’s check out what there is to do in the next few days! HOST: Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows LINKS: Norwescon Sakura-Con Seattle's Easter Swing Women Made Film Festival in Everett, WA The Stranger Presents: The 2026 Undisputable Champions of Comedy! 93rd Annual Daffodil Festival Grand Floral Parade Seattle Torrent vs NY Sirens at MADISON SQUARE GARDEN 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.

Ever been abandonded on the trail? There's a name for that.

Has something like this happened to you before? You’re on a hike with someone, maybe a romantic partner, and you start slowing down, or want to take a break, but your partner wants to push on. Eventually, you’re left behind as your partner goes ahead without you. And this situation has consequences for the relationship. If so, you’re not alone. The phrase “Alpine Divorce” was coined in a short story about a murderous husband over 100 years ago - but TikTok has lately adopted the label for less dastardly scenarios. In a recent viral post, a woman sobs as she climbs down a mountain - saying “he left me”. The video has thousands of comments, many of which share similar stories of being left behind on the trail. But how common is Alpine Divorce? And is it actually a bad thing to spend some solo time on the trail? Guest: Alaina Demopoulos, daily features writer for the Guardian Related stories: Women are being abandoned by their partners on hiking trails. What’s behind ‘alpine divorce’? - The Guardian 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.

King County Council seeks safeguards against federal immigration enforcement

The King County Council has made some moves lately to limit federal immigration enforcement within the county. Last week, council expanded on Executive Girmay Zahilay’s order that bars ICE and other agencies from using county property to make arrests . And earlier in the month, the council passed an emergency moratorium on new ICE detention facilities. Those include holding centers for people awaiting deportation. How much of an impact will these new laws have against the administration’s push for detention and deportation? Guests: King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda King County Councilmember Jorge Barón Relevant Links: KUOW: King County bans immigration detention facilities, joining other Western Washington cities Seattle Times: King County Council votes to ban ICE from county property 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.