SoundQs

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SoundQs is a podcast fueled by listener curiosity and answers questions about Seattle and the Puget Sound region.

KUOW News and Information

  • Dec 26, 2019 LATEST EPISODE
  • infrequent NEW EPISODES
  • 15m AVG DURATION
  • 65 EPISODES


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Latest episodes from SoundQs

Why is Green Lake so darn dark at night?

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2019 1:31


Listen to the full story

How prohibition forever changed policing in Seattle

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2019 29:32


On a recent SoundQs segment we learned about historic bootlegger Roy Olmstead. Today we do a deep dive on another larger-than-life figure from that time, black business owner Doc Hamilton. Both men dealt in illegal alcohol, but had wholly different experiences with the temperance movement and the law.

How safe are the bridges in the Puget Sound region?

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2019 15:30


There are more than 8000 bridges in Washington state. How safe are they? And how will they fare in the event of a major earthquake?

Why is Seattle so geeky?

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2019 24:36


Seattle is a geeky place -- from its many board game cafes to the bi-annual parades of cosplayers outside the Washington State Convention Center. But what about the Emerald City makes geek culture thrive here? We went on a quest to find out.Have questions for us? Send them in at KUOW.org/soundqs

Seattle's bootleg king

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2019 33:34


This episode sounds a little different than usual. We're taking over KUOW's daily show, The Record. Which means we get to answer a bunch of your pressing questions in this single episode.

What’s with Seattle bumper stickers these days?

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2019 15:28


On this episode a listener asks us to explore the patterns and messages of bumper stickers in the Pacific Northwest. But there’s a personal reason she wants to better understand Seattle’s bumper sticker culture.

How do those holiday lights get on construction cranes?

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2019 13:00


The holidays are coming. Which means even our construction cranes start looking festive. One listener wants to know - who decorates construction cranes

Part 2: Is Seattle a target for nuclear attack?

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2019 14:24


Our region is home to global companies like Amazon and Microsoft - and it's home to large cache of nuclear weapons and military assets.

Part 1: What should you do in the event of a nuclear attack?

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2019 19:18


If you don't know, you're not alone.

How is Amazon changing our lives?

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2019 26:47


Over the last year or so, the SoundQs team has gotten a lot of questions about one Seattle-based company. Amazon. Happily, KUOW's podcast Primed is finding answers to questions about how Amazon is changing our lives. Here's the first episode of their newest season, about Alexa and kids.

Has any city figured out public toilets?

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2019 19:05


On this episode we try and figure out if any city has figured out public toilets, and what Seattle can learn

Where has Seattle's music scene gone?

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2019 18:28


Twenty-five years ago, Seattle was the epicenter of the popular music world. Bands like Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and Nirvana had legions of fans around the globe. But now, musicians are leaving Seattle because of rising costs. The city has a plan to change that - and it's got a lot to do with the mega-hit Old Town Road.

Why are those food safety posters smiling at me?

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 3, 2019 11:46


Those posters with smiley faces outside area restaurants are surprisingly complicated. Please consider donating to KUOW at https://kuow.org/donate/soundqs.

Finding love is hard. In Seattle it's even harder

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2019 20:25


What makes Seattle an especially challenging place to date?

What can we do about climate change in the Puget Sound region?

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2019 16:14


SoundQs and RadioActive teamed up to answer two listener questions: How will climate change impact the Puget Sound Region, and what’s the most effective way to take action against it?

Why do Seattleites complain so much?

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2019 16:50


Over the summer, the SoundQs team has gotten some questions that double as complaints about the Seattle region. It got us thinki

More SIM swapping stories, and news from the cybersecurity underground

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2019 17:16


The hacking of Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey last week put SIM swapping in the headlines. But it's not just high-profile people who are being SIM swapped. We continue our conversation with one woman who recently had her social media account hacked, and we check in with the security expert who helped unravel the mystery.

How did Seattle become home to a large Sephardic Jewish community?

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2019 16:33


The answer takes us all the way back to 1492. And it features a couple of excellent mustaches.

A boat and a car arrive at a Seattle drawbridge. Who goes first?

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2019 17:15


So you’re in the car, rushing to an appointment, and suddenly traffic stops. In front of you – a drawbridge opens - and a single boat goes through. Frustrating right? Now imagine if you’re on a barge, heading towards that same bridge.

How safe is urban foraging?

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2019 10:54


On this week's episode of SoundQs we look at the safety and etiquette of foraging in the city.

You won't believe what's at the bottom of Lake Washington

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2019 10:26


...planes, trains and highways.

Ruby was a typical Instagram user. Then something strange started happening…

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2019 23:07


...and she got hacked.

Is another smoky summer inevitable?

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 25, 2019 15:21


On this episode of SoundQs, we try and figure out whether smokey summers are the new normal and what this year might bring

Wild coyotes live among us — is your cat on their menu?

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2019 13:49


Wild carnivores live among us. We may not know the exact number of coyotes here in Seattle but we should get used to them being here because they probably won't be leaving anytime soon.

What's in that giant government warehouse near Sand Point?

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 11, 2019 16:34


It's a giant, block-long building surrounded by a chain-link fence. To the neighbors in this leafy Seattle neighborhood, the place is an enigma. So what's inside this giant US government warehouse? Is this where documents just go to die?

Why don't longtime Seattleites jaywalk?

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2019 18:48


Yes, it's illegal. But that doesn't stop residents of other cities from doing it. SoundQs host Deborah Wang teamed up with Record producer Adwoa Gymiah-Brempong and sidewalk artist Peregrine Church to answer this listener question about jaywalking.

Why are dogs allowed in Seattle bars?

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2019 15:58


Unlike kids, dogs are taken nearly everywhere: restaurant patios, taprooms, even the grocery store.

Crow versus eagle, who wins? And other answers to your animal questions

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2019 24:28


Here at SoundQs, we get a lot of questions about animals. We’re talking rats, bats, squirrels, crows, opossums, you name it. On this episode, we answer a dozen of your urban wildlife questions.

What are the mental health concerns for international students?

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2019 15:36


International students face lots of pressures. They have to learn to navigate a new culture and education system, far from family and friends. That led one listener to wonder, what's the mental health status of international students?

Why does Seattle have so many Sephardic Jews?

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2019 16:32


Seattle has the third largest Sephardic Jewish community in the United States, according to some estimates.

What is the most humane, cost effective way to end homelessness?

Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2019 23:15


We know that homelessness is a problem. It's hard to go anywhere around Seattle without seeing people living outside. And SoundQs listeners have been asking what the region can do better.

Why do so many people live in tents and RVs in Seattle?

Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2019 22:39


SoundQs listeners have asked us lots of questions about homelessness. In this episode, we try to answer them.

Why is Seattle's street grid such a disaster?

Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2019 15:10


You can blame Doc Maynard, Arthur Denny and glaciers.

Why can you hear gunshots at this high school?

Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2019 17:37


Issaquah High School is like hundreds of other suburban schools around the country. But unlike most of those schools, the campus rings with the sound of gunshots.

What's life like on Lake Union's houseboats?

Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2019 18:25


Seattleites have been living in floating homes for more than 100 years. We visit a floating home community and hear about the excitement of life on the water in this week's episode of SoundQs.

Seattle is among the worst cities in the U.S. for potholes

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2019 12:41


A SoundQ's listener asked why Seattle has so many potholes. So reporter David Hyde set out to learn why. And he discovered potholes are more than a nuisance - they're also a political talking point and a source of controversial art.

How a hot dog with cream cheese became part of Seattle's food legacy

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2019 11:10


Seattle’s foodie reputation wasn’t exactly built on hot dogs. And yet, we still have our own spin – the Seattle dog. It’s a hot dog with grilled onions and cream cheese. The SoundQ's team finds out how this local take on street food was born.

You have lots of questions about recycling. We have answers

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2019 10:41


We've gotten dozens of SoundQ's questions about one topic - recycling. So we're re-running this archive episode with loads of answers, on everything from how to recycle to the global waste market.

How humans and cougars live together

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2019 26:28


This week, SoundQ's shares KUOW's newest podcast, The Wild. Host Chris Morgan tracks down a cougar den and tries to work out how we continue to coexist with cougars.

The mysterious disappearance of the Ballard Locks sea lions

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2019 16:08


Years ago, sea lions treated the Ballard Locks like an all-you-can-eat salmon buffet. But most of those sea lions are gone now. What happened to those sea lions? The SoundQ's team investigates.

Why does Seattle have so much public art?

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2019 12:07


A KUOW listener asked why there's so much public art in Seattle. Reporter Marcie Sillman travels back in time nearly 50 years to tell the sometimes-fraught story.

There's no drivers' test for bicycling. So does anybody really know how to ride?

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2019 11:44


Does Seattle give bicyclists a free ride on following the rules of the road? SoundQs takes a look at what happens when the paths of pedestrians and cyclists cross.

What do those food safety emojis mean?

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2019 11:46


Is it safe to eat at restaurants that don't have a perfect rating?

Will measles outbreak lead to more vaccinations?

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2019 12:10


We look at how the recent measles outbreak is changing the way people think about vaccinations.

How to complain like a true Seattleite

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2019 16:23


On this episode of SoundQs, we answer this question posed to us by Seattle listener Suzanne Morrison.

Yes, Seattle, you have an accent

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2019 9:01


If you grew up in the in the upper left part of the U.S., you probably don’t hear it. But it’s there: a Northwest accent.

The panhandlers dilemma: A priest, a rabbi and an advocate weigh in

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2019 12:08


To give or not to give? We tackle that dilemma with advice from a priest, a rabbi and an advocate for the homeless.

Thanks potholes! You're why Seattle roads are some of the worst

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2019 12:15


They’re everywhere in Seattle. Whether you drive a car, bike or motorcycle you’ve probably encountered them.

Um, why does that boat get priority over Seattle drivers?

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2019 16:30


We'll look at why boats take priority over cars when it comes to opening drawbridges.

How Seattle houseboats have managed to stay afloat

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2019 17:45


We explore the history of houseboats and what makes this community so unique.

Seattle has an over-recycling problem

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2019 10:30


We take our recycling pretty seriously here in the Pacific Northwest. But are we doing it right? This episode of SoundQs will make you a better recycler.

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