Posted Mon, Mar 19, 3:49 p.m.

The big money of the Republican Party has failed, it is a question not of if, but when. Demographic changes in this country assure it within 20 years. More to fear are the boomer Dems who believe every 'big idea' for progressive, crowdfunded, capitalism is obviously a plot of young ...

Posted Mon, Feb 27, 11:20 a.m.

Say What? This is a topic that has been getting some play in the West. http://headwaterseconomics.org/land/reports/economists-president-public-lands/ There are lots of spins on the subject, Utah, which has a very high percentage of Federal Land is currently getting ready to sue the Feds to return everything outside of a national park ...

Posted Tue, Feb 21, 1:36 p.m.

Making environmental regulations more efficient for small projects is a good thing, when it comes to larger projects perhaps not. This is a subject worthy of at least an article unto itself, cursory treatment such as this is only revisionist history for public mega-projects, specifically the complete avoidance of environmental ...

Posted Fri, Jan 6, 10:16 a.m.

I too am a Morrell fan - with a pretty good story in that regard. However the re-districting of the State **without** some sort of independent voter participation makes the process fatally flawed. This does balance out against Sam Reed's top two primary system, but the continuing attacks against independents ...

Posted Tue, Jan 3, 12:03 p.m.

I hope we hear more from Mr. Williams.

Posted Wed, Dec 28, 2:01 p.m.

The year of fateful denial?

Posted Wed, Dec 28, 1:23 p.m.

The most relevant fact here is likely the percentage of recent mortgages in the development. Although downtown Seattle may well have seen as many new units as parts of Snohomish County as a relative overall percentage it is much lower.

Posted Mon, Dec 19, 9:50 a.m.

Given the continuing decline of the Federal Government it will be State and Local governments that must lead.

Posted Thu, Dec 15, 10:16 a.m.

Kent was one of my few rocks during some very tough times in Seattle and one of its last icons of true NW culture. His spirit is the City's only hope. Knute Berger - you carry quite a bit of that spirit yourself, and you should be proud.

Posted Wed, Nov 30, 11:26 a.m.

The Pike Place Public Market is the best model for the development of the Seattle Waterfront as a business and public space, not to mention a bit of high end residential. Certainly the design of the connection between the Market, currently Downtown's top tourist destination, and the Waterfront means much. ...

Posted Mon, Nov 14, 10:18 a.m.

The history of pocket parks on Lake Washington is important, most notably in my memory, the String of Pearls project by civic Leschians. I volunteered for a cleanup of one of those, only to have a rather large boulder thrown at me provocatively by an upset member of the 1%. ...

Posted Fri, Nov 4, 1:30 p.m.

There are certainly downsides to small scale hydro, but given the current global energy picture including the downsides of oil it is a realistic option and demonizing the innovators is not the answer. I say that as a long time advocate of free flowing rivers, my profile picture on this ...

Posted Fri, Nov 4, 1:19 p.m.

1125 is a stinker, however the sum of Tim Eyman as a historical figure demonized by too, too many, looms large these days, most notably in the legacy of I-900 and the departure of Brian Sonntag from public service...

Posted Thu, Sep 29, 12:53 p.m.

Circumstantially, motivationally, is there anyone more of a suspect than Mike McKay?

Posted Thu, Sep 8, 2:23 p.m.

@Common sense - improvements to transportation are an economic benefit, but like all investments they decline in return the more you invest. The best investment we can make now is to **begin** integrating mass transit with our freeway system, such as combined Bus/Light rail corridor segments like the downtown tunnel. ...

Posted Wed, Sep 7, 9:48 a.m.

The PSRC, and Sound Transit, are pretty much exactly that, however the outside of politicians pander to the money in downtown Seattle, not serve their own constituencies - the above posts from me being an example of that. Personally, I favor electing a single regional transportation Czar with a congress ...

Posted Tue, Sep 6, 11:39 a.m.

@Peter Steinbrueck - Would you have any idea what happened to the urban ecology pioneer Seattleite Bill Carey?

Posted Tue, Sep 6, 11:35 a.m.

@David Sucher - What we need is regional accountability via the PSRC and its existing related operating bodies, Sound Transit, etc. I recall specifically proposing this before the economic development committee of the RTA, pre-Sound Transit 1 - Bob Drewel and Dave Earling, specifically. Mr. Drewel needs to resign, for ...

Posted Wed, Jul 6, 12:41 p.m.

I too closely watched McKenna during the 90's, from a perspective more similar to your then than now. Even though I've personally moved to the right, I don't see McKenna following through on his financial criticism of big money public works projects such as Sound Transit where I did my ...

Posted Wed, Jul 6, 12:24 p.m.

@Mannix, though I concur with your sense of Mr. Brewster's sci-fi journalism (a style also practiced by Joni Balter) Daudon has the resume and is worthy of promotion, though I'll personally reserve a final judgment.

Posted Tue, Jun 28, 12:57 p.m.

Ecotopic agitprop! :-)

Posted Tue, Jun 28, 12:43 p.m.

Will the **first** one to leave Tacoma turn off the billboards? (BTW, good to hear from Mr. Scigliano again)

Posted Tue, Jun 21, 2:28 p.m.

@Van Dyk - though I share your dedication to accountable parties I love the top two system. The biggest reason is that they allow political races to be open debates at the primary level that end with the selection of the 'top two' candidates - without third party problems in ...

Posted Wed, Jun 15, 12:33 p.m.

I've just put up a 'recruit Brian Sonntag for Governor' page on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Brian-Sonntag-for-Governor/231000276926984

Posted Thu, Apr 28, 3:30 p.m.

Although I support the development of a Northwest High Speed rail corridor the residents concerns here are real - and, sadly, very reminiscent of the very recent Sound Transit led portion of this same Tacoma-Olympia segment. The only thing that is clearly being accomplished right now is a driving up ...

Posted Thu, Apr 28, 3:23 p.m.

@Mr. Nelson - I was just thinking of your work applying energy 'least cost planning' to transportation - specifically on the subject of bike lanes as a peak congestion reduction measure - measured, say, as an evening summer Mariners game...

Posted Sat, Apr 9, 1:47 p.m.

I too was one of the anti-commons folks, but hold no animosity towards Allen - it was a good idea, but didn't pan out. He picked up the pieces and did something good with them - and, FWIW, he has done his share to help build the future of Seattle's ...

Posted Mon, Mar 21, 4:57 p.m.

Subsidizing dense urban areas may be the latest thing in some (suspect) circles of the environmental movement, so called 'green density'. There's however another descriptor with a stronger historical foundation - it's called 'crime and gang ridden project'. It's curious how the supporters of such housing subsidies are pretty much ...

Posted Mon, Mar 21, 4:40 p.m.

Dan's becoming a national figure - this effort is one reason, the whole 'Santorum' (google that anti-gay Republican's last name! - HA!) matter is another. I hope there are many more.

Posted Thu, Mar 17, 2:29 p.m.

Tweaking newly established parking meter rates in downtown Tacoma is a big topic now. There has been a great civic discussion with a nice balance between residential and business interests back with solid research and numbers - and producing a massive fail upon implementation by the City here, apparently a ...

Posted Thu, Mar 3, 4:16 p.m.

Talk about subsidies and upzones to keep an area economically vital are always curious - the value of a property is always based on its potential use and it is often the price of the property that needs to be changed and nothing else. The economic value of historic districts ...

Posted Tue, Mar 1, 9:30 a.m.

@Mr. Lilly - Great piece digging deeper into the realities of economic inequality in America today - however, if I may, I'll add one more 'ingredient' to your analysis. That missing fact is the declining **relative** productivity of the American Worker in today's increasingly global marketplace. Though American productivity is ...

Posted Tue, Mar 1, 9:10 a.m.

@Mr. Carlson - I agree with your description of the problem, but the solution of removing collective bargaining rights as a solution is insane. The federal government has the Hatch act prohibiting Federal employee involvement in politics, and that is one approach worth further consideration. Personally, I wouldn't mind restricting ...

Posted Wed, Feb 23, 11:44 a.m.

Found it! http://mayormcginn.seattle.gov/2011sotc/

Posted Wed, Feb 23, 11:43 a.m.

Nobody seems to have the actual audio for this speech. @JM - The Montlake Cut is a regional bottleneck, attributing all that cost to the denizens of that neighborhood isn't appropriate. FWIW, it likely would've been possible to have provided what the neighborhood was asking for if you cut the ...

Posted Fri, Jan 28, 2:46 p.m.

A minimum size for school districts makes sense; as does a county run district. Bringing education into the purview of the Governor is a certainly something worth considering - having the elected OSPI report to a Governor appointed individual is not. This proposal evidences a fundamental misunderstanding of responsibility in ...

Posted Sun, Jan 16, 2:52 p.m.

We need park and ride lots at our neighborhood business districts, something City has unwisely decided NOT to do, citywide. While we are at it, why not provide space for co-op day care, public markets, etc?

Posted Sun, Jan 16, 2:50 p.m.

Matt Hays - You are quite right, for the first time in what, 15+ years? ;-) Seattle is an international class and it attracts exactly that sort of high salaried firm. The thing is families don't want to live in Seattle and most manufacturing is better located outside of the ...

Posted Wed, Dec 29, 3:18 p.m.

What we need is the partial retirement of the Boomer generation. There is still a value in the experience of Mr. Brewster's cohorts, but it needs to be advisory, not authoritative - reasonably paying part time work. Given Federal budget limitations with a partisan congress it is likely the only ...

Posted Wed, Dec 22, 3:16 p.m.

Political corruption using environmental organizations, public, private and 'partnership' is rampant in Washington and has been used to politically bully much of the private sector including development and manufacturing. Gregoire's legacy at DOE implementing the SEPA was a good one, what that legacy has turned into is an ongoing tragedy ...

Posted Thu, Dec 2, 2:38 p.m.

Can anyone explain to me the difference between Gay Marriage and Polygamy?

Posted Tue, Nov 30, 3:57 p.m.

Growing up as an early post-boomer we had three albums in the house, 'Bridge Over Troubled Waters', 'JC, Superstar', and 'Hair'.

Posted Tue, Nov 2, 1:15 p.m.

The track record of mega projects coming in on budget is that no politician can be trusted, unless proven other wise. That's a mighty short list in Washington starting with Brian Sonntag. This boomer politically correct stuff is disgusting - "blah blah blah I'm a no account dead beat blah ...

Posted Fri, Oct 29, 10:42 a.m.

One has to wonder if 'R on Beacon Hill' and 'Ryan' know the difference between right and wrong. For that matter the same question would apply to the Democratic **and** Republican political parties. They've got a word for that sort of thing, though the psychological definition is curiously muddied - ...

Posted Thu, Oct 28, 1:10 p.m.

Uh, Top Two is about the best damn thing this State has going on. And I'll personally testify to the same level of degenerate behavior from Cascade Land Conservancy folks down here in Pierce County. doug@motleytools.com

Posted Mon, Oct 4, 12:17 p.m.

Specifying the responsibilities of leadership is as fundamental an item of professionalism as is fiscal responsibility, something the legal profession seems to have forgotten. In any case the amount of legal wrangling in this particular case, at this particular time would likely be no less. One measure for the rest ...

Posted Sat, Oct 2, 3:12 p.m.

The question is not whether the system is broke or not, but rather, specifically, what is broken? This piece does a better job at communication regarding the public's business, but one article does not a solution make. It takes a steeped tradition of such journalism, which, somehow, seems to have ...

Posted Tue, Sep 28, 12:50 p.m.

The debate over the 18th amendment is a good one, that however does not address justified Eastside concerns about Mass Transit in general, or I-90, specifically. I've read the engineering studies for the rail conversion which do conclude that a rail conversion is feasible - but also make it clear ...

Posted Tue, Sep 21, 5:31 p.m.

Call me a sceptic, but I've often wondered if the diminutive spotted owl was nothing more than a fall guy for corporate downsizing and outsourcing, justified or no.

Posted Thu, Jul 29, 1:07 p.m.

Not only are 63% of Seattle residents 'birthers', as the Seattle Stranger extrapolates from Ms. Godden's rather odd little rant BUT, according to her colleague Sally Bagshaw "virtually all lawyers in Seattle believe State financial responsibility mandates are unenforceable". Go Figure!

Posted Wed, Jul 28, 12:55 p.m.

Unfortunately crap like this article will be de rigeur in Seattle **until** the media bears some of the responsibility for frauds perpetrated under their self-deluded world. The State is simply telling Seattle to grow up and take financial responsibility for its **wants**. Ms. Godden looks like she never will grow ...

Posted Mon, Jul 26, 4:55 p.m.

The First Hill Street Car project should've been an extension of the Benson Waterfront Street car. Unfortunately both the First Hill and South Lake Union Streetcar routes weren't fully thought out in a larger transportation context. Lack of a quality proposal can also be said for the other current activity ...

Posted Mon, Jul 26, 4:48 p.m.

Murray's platform item of Veteran support is smart, but has as much depth and sincerity as Rossi's reach to 'Dinocrats' in 2004 - in the end nothing more than another partisan ploy. Murray may well have as much success following up on this tact as the Republicans had in building ...

Posted Mon, Jul 26, 4:37 p.m.

In America today the sad truth is that we are all not much better than a "former felon" in the job market of today. Curious too how the corporate plantation owners went bankrupt in 2008, yet it is the working poor, one step up from the subject of this article, ...

Posted Mon, Jul 26, 4:15 p.m.

Grown-ups? Being an adult is taking responsibility and doing the right thing without being told what to do - the State even needing to tell Seattle it needs to pay for the tunnel is evidence of the contrary. I think rather than grown ups we have nothing but another example ...

Posted Mon, Jul 26, 4:10 p.m.

The regional sports vs traditional parks debate is a valid one - as is the concern of local residents from traffic, nighttime sports lighting, and noise. IIRC, even Charlie Chong was supportive, to some degree, of active sports in the park, impacts appropriately mitigated. The solution isn't calling one side ...

Posted Wed, Jul 14, 4:53 p.m.

Colton Hariss-Moore - the bear cub who brought down along the American Economy, along with Black Americans....

Posted Wed, Jul 14, 4:47 p.m.

I hope that at least a few laid off Union guys go back to school - a well developed culture of former workers is likely a much more effective leadership framework than our current system of corporate PC go along - just so long as we allow room for the ...

Posted Mon, Jul 5, 10:44 a.m.

Unfortunately the trend in the next few years will be utilizing our parks for the victims of baby boomer greed, a Cormac McCarthy apocalypse metaphor of shopping carts become real in 2012. Small-mid Town America is likely were we will first see a resurgence as property values being historically depressed ...

Posted Sun, Jul 4, 2:40 p.m.

Growing up isn't learning to do what you are told, it is doing the right thing without having to be told what it is....

Posted Tue, Jun 29, 7:36 a.m.

Salumi, where you can watch the sausage being made!

Posted Tue, Jun 29, 7:31 a.m.

Disorder is not the biggest problem in Belltown, more likely it is a simple matter of competition - mixed use development and the cool neighborhood business district are still great ideas, but perhaps overbuilt. The empty storefront under the Apartment building or lagging business volumes on Broadway or the University ...

Posted Tue, Jun 29, 7:02 a.m.

A Union that seeks to preserve wages significantly above market levels for all is, unfortunately, no longer a good thing. But Unions are not the biggest problem in this Country, it is the folks who are paying their costs and reaping the political benefits. @Van Dyk - as a Keynesian ...

Posted Tue, Jun 29, 6:51 a.m.

Great piece Kent. Though there is certainly a place for large organizations in this world they carry with them a societal cost - regardless of whether they are partisan right and quasi-private or partisan left and public. A large Boeing Corporation is a necessity, Starbucks most certainly is not. Big ...

Posted Tue, Jun 29, 6:31 a.m.

Well, ya know, the honest services act does apply to local public officials as well as corporate.

Posted Tue, Jun 29, 6:25 a.m.

The continuing debate regarding privacy is a good thing - and the answer not solely be found in the harassment standard. Personally, I think privacy should be an option for a signer, and the legislature should so act. This particular free speech debate will thankfully NOT have the potential for ...

Posted Tue, Jun 29, 6:12 a.m.

Did the Bastile have a moat?

Posted Mon, Jun 28, 8 p.m.

I'm not gonna lose any friends on this one, but regardless of the legality of current practice privacy of petition signers should be an option, for the signer. A petition signer is not a representative in a Republic, the signer is a citizen, no more no less and should have ...

Posted Sat, May 29, 7:41 a.m.

Speaking of the Zombie Apocalypse, I'm reading all about it in the Seattle Post Globe....

Posted Tue, Apr 27, 10:39 a.m.

Perhaps a better question is why the mainstream media, most notably Brewster and Connelly these days, by the PR spin put out by the corporate welfare folks of downtown Seattle. Though you'd think we actually own the public treasury, gain some influence over the process that isn't lock step with ...

Posted Sat, Apr 3, 9:59 a.m.

This reads like a light hearted slam against folks who are stilling making good points about the preferred 'A+' design, the Montlake cut tunnel, option 'K' become option 'M'. It may well be the case that this approach is too expensive, it however was not a fantastical idea not worthy ...

Posted Thu, Apr 1, 11:19 a.m.

A de facto VIP lane for MS Executives should not be off the table, though the toll would need to be quite high, and perhaps pre-paid. Curious in the previous proclamations from Counsel Brad Smith is their following closely on the heels of outside Counsel K & L Gates encouraging ...

Posted Fri, Mar 5, 10:35 a.m.

Aside from the relative merits of this proposal, there is a very large point to be made about public capital planning here. A long term plan is a brainstorm, it is not a contract. Planning that prevents additional proposals would be just stupid. It is when a specific funded project ...

Posted Thu, Mar 4, 6:55 a.m.

Unfortunately, Eastside light rail design is suffering from divisive politics, politics created in the first place by prematurely building light rail to the Eastside. The best course may well be to delay construction until the need is perceived clearer. Bellevue voted for the current council on this platform, that is ...

Posted Thu, Feb 25, 10:40 a.m.

@bubbleator - can I quote you on that? Also, "Seattle, home of backseat driver governance!"

Posted Thu, Feb 25, 6:06 a.m.

@Ted - NPR had a great quote on vision this morning in the context of Obama's space program, paraphrasing - "Vision without funding is a hallucination, resources spent without vision is a total waste of money." For one, spending money developing 'planning principles' and the like such as this priority ...

Posted Thu, Feb 25, 5:50 a.m.

Gyms can be great, downtown Tacoma's adult oriented YMCA is incredible, for one. But consider a more traditional alternative, gardening. Besides exercise and stretching you also get organic produce - a triple bonus. And, FWIW, nothing like earning your quality of life, a lesson those in the corporate world may ...

Posted Wed, Feb 24, 11:51 a.m.

Even in the current preferred option, A+, the final details of transit service have not been worked out. Going forward at this point is, once again, a predictable set up for cost overruns. McGinn's Transit only proposal is a prudent and smart negotiation position, just as was his Seawall effort. ...

Posted Fri, Feb 19, 8:24 a.m.

The Union question is a tough one, in their ascendancy they were a force for economic justice of the individual citizen getting his or her fair share in the early 20th Century corporate marketplace. But today they are entrenched and no longer serve a large majority of working folks, as ...

Posted Wed, Feb 17, 12:50 p.m.

R - how about using the State's law to collect from any professional benefiting from the project, **if** it goes over budget. As to those who claim caution about overruns is misguided and destructively obstructionist, we have a place for you, according to your own standards. It's called the gutter, ...

Posted Mon, Feb 15, 10:33 a.m.

The Blackwater corporation is scheduled to takeover America within the decade.

Posted Mon, Feb 15, 9:58 a.m.

For what it is worth, though the social services advocates/employees caucus with the remainder of the bureaucrats the hard fact for the legislature is to trade off between those two interests, as well as the closing of tax loopholes.

Posted Thu, Feb 11, 3:16 p.m.

The Team Players of other people's money can't stop themselves can they? No matter what.

Posted Thu, Feb 11, 10:29 a.m.

Don't forget the falsified crime statistics used to justify the Parking Garage and Pine Street re-opening. My favorite incident in those events was Mr. Sidran's drafting of the initiative to re-open Pine Street - where he claimed millions in economic benefit, at no cost - even though the City had ...

Posted Thu, Feb 11, 6:02 a.m.

Civility, and order, comes first from self-responsibility. Mark Sidran would call that anarchism. As Mr. Sidran once noted in this same context, ignoring the small things leads to big problems. Witness. for example. the standard legal practice of treating those who call for fiscal responsibility in both the public and ...

Posted Tue, Jan 19, 4:56 a.m.

I watched the Jenkins TVW Chopp interview, IIRC I watched last year's as well. Chopp, as usual, has a very good read on the appropriate course. Personally, I'd be all for increasing the sin taxes on junk food way above sales tax levels. Though this would have business effects it ...

Posted Sun, Jan 17, 5:22 p.m.

More alcohol for republicans who can't **self** regulate themselves. Let me think about this for a second. Uhh, NO! How about the medical regulation of the drug and no drinky for the righteous abusive control freaks.

Posted Sun, Jan 17, 7:17 a.m.

That said, I'd still like to see the completion of the original Sound Transit plan completed, including the Tacoma to SeaTac link.

Posted Sun, Jan 17, 7:16 a.m.

Fly's point about those losing their unemployment entitlements dropping off the official unemployment rate is critical, though Van Dyk is not the only one to do this. Even more glaring is his lack of awareness of the State deficit problem, on a per capita basis we are in the top ...

Posted Sun, Jan 17, 6:37 a.m.

Support for community colleges varies widely by State, IIRC Washington is one of the strongest supporters. There is much depth to this argument then this author touches upon. FWIW, we would have much better leadership in this State if the proportion of older students went up in our four year ...

Posted Sun, Jan 17, 6:28 a.m.

It is a supreme irony that most pristine example of theoretical capitalism is the socialist **owned** Pike Place public market, and at considerably less public cost than either the downtown or port business districts. If anything should be talked about it is the expansion of the market area. The Choppaduct ...

Posted Sun, Jan 17, 5:21 a.m.

Unfortunately swing districts have lower congressional seniority. In these times I'm personally more concerned with the election of folks that will stand against the conjoined evil of red and blue, than with partisanship. 2010 will likely mean a loss of seats for the dems, let us all pray that we ...

Posted Sun, Jan 17, 5:02 a.m.

The economic benefit of historic renovation in retail and upscale neighborhoods is well established, winning out over even new construction. In these times we should also be looking at historic preservation as a component of an environmentally friendly affordable housing strategy. With foreclosures now being cheaper than new construction and ...

Posted Sun, Dec 27, 3:31 p.m.

Failure teaches perspective - our 'too important to fail' leadership does not even have a clue as to the fundamental shifts in the economy of the US that need to take place. Though unemployment is at 10%, the real number is closer to 20% when you count those not collecting ...

Posted Sun, Dec 27, 3:15 p.m.

On my list for 2010 is figuring out how to grab video streams from local government websites. These tips are nonetheless appreciated.

Posted Wed, Dec 2, 10:11 a.m.

The police presence should've been strong enough to allow the 'breaking of rank' in order to get the looters at the first acts of vandalism. Both Reichert and Stamper share the blame equally for that, and I think Schell very little. FWIW, George Bush has shown us just exactly what ...

Posted Wed, Dec 2, 8:44 a.m.

I wonder if the WTO, Reichert, and Stamper are ready for the banruptcy trusteeship of the proletariat?

Posted Wed, Dec 2, 8:43 a.m.

"And there was the overarching contradiction of a city that loved Starbucks-sipping Bill Clinton serving as ground-zero for a rebellion against his pro-WTO, pro-NAFTA, pro-Wall Street economic vision." Clinton's vision wasn't bad, it was the Bush reaction to, among other things, the free speech protesters of the WTO, that have ...

Posted Mon, Nov 30, 7:52 a.m.

I'm all for 'pocket' parks as we call them around here, but the idea of tearing down usable housing to build parks is not appropriate. We should, as communities, states, and a nation, be investing in these distributed affordable housing assets. It is happening on a small scale in Seattle ...

Posted Thu, Nov 26, 7:18 a.m.

I've liked every TCC instructor I've had the opportunity to meet, you should check out the Downtown Tacoma Y sometime, definitely a place I am grateful for.

Posted Sun, Nov 22, 6:27 p.m.

Geithner's gone by President's day?

Posted Sat, Nov 21, 3:01 p.m.

The experience of Schell as manager will hopefully be looked at once again. I've always wondered if the real battle wasn't between Reichert and Schell (w/Police Chief Stamper) and there various allies.

Posted Sat, Nov 21, 2:43 p.m.

Clinton managed the economy on the basis of employment, Obama is managing it for the benefit of the corporate financial overlords. Instead of advice, how 'bout paying back what your generation stole?

Posted Thu, Nov 19, 10:49 a.m.

Attributing independents flight from Obama to the deficit, without substantiation, is politically wishful thinking. I can't speak for others, but for me an independent with leftie roots it is not the deficit - a Keynesian necessity in any economic crisis - but in the bailing out of the very people ...

Posted Wed, Nov 18, 3:45 p.m.

Right, the State by State destruction of America is the Citzen's fault.... Which is ultimately true, but then again if there is a media perpetrated fraud they've got an excuse. What's yours?

Posted Tue, Nov 17, 8:36 a.m.

The particular configuration of torture, unjustified war, profiteering, and no-bid contracts that was the Cheney/Bush administration is the pinnacle of modern evil in the 21st Century.

Posted Mon, Nov 16, 8:54 a.m.

Is this Crosscut's new credo?

Posted Mon, Nov 16, 8:51 a.m.

The 2010 election is coming - memo to America - the World is watching.

Posted Mon, Nov 16, 8:29 a.m.

Rossi and Hutchison deserve respect for attempting to paint themselves as independents and distancing themselves from the bankrupt catastrophe that is the national Republican party. They are however both still 'Republican' and not true Independents. Mike McGinn, though non-partisan, is effectively a Green party representative, to the left of the ...

Posted Mon, Nov 16, 8:19 a.m.

Boeing's, and the machinists, manufacturing expertise could do wonders in the short-mid distance high speed rail market. This is an area where the cost barriers are human, not physical - and one of 'natural' efficiencies. America (and its financial system) needs to start using it's technological muscle to make the ...

Posted Thu, Nov 12, 12:17 p.m.

The Conlin/McGinn partnership may bode well for the City - they are both progressives with at least one foot on the ground and a fair balance of complimentary and synergistic strengths. FWIW, higher turnover at all levels of government rank would be a good thing. Getting the specifics down is ...

Posted Wed, Nov 11, 12:54 p.m.

Another thing, no reason to suppose it wasn't some combination of all three of Van Dyk's theories - a Texas branch of the Chicago outfit/political machine with military/intelligence connections which stood to benefit from a Johnson presidency, perhaps?

Posted Wed, Nov 11, 12:51 p.m.

The presence of some sort of reactionary right wing force in this Country cannot be denied, when looking at the sum of events. Locally most significant of those was Thomas Wales, a prep school classmate of Joseph (?) Kennedy. The context here for that killing is the clearest lens we ...

Posted Wed, Nov 11, 12:36 p.m.

I went through the group training programs, those programs are worthwhile, though some of the material will likely be below your level (if you are reading Crosscut!) In any case a cogently organzized refresher doesn't hurt. I was turned down for 1 on 1 counseling, perhaps for discriminatory reasons. When ...

Posted Wed, Nov 11, 12:29 p.m.

But what about **changing** the City?

Posted Wed, Nov 11, 12:23 p.m.

You can run from the past, but you can't hide behind a puff piece!

Posted Mon, Nov 9, 8:15 a.m.

*

Posted Sat, Nov 7, 3:52 p.m.

Malkin's pieces in the Times were some of the best journalism ever done around here. I too have speculated on Malkin returning to the an active libertarian center. Malkin is smart, hopefully smart enough to stay ahead of the implosion within the traditional Republican party. We need folks who can ...

Posted Fri, Nov 6, 3:38 a.m.

St. Clair comes is speaking for a fairly significant group of independent voters - more of a disaffected Republican than a true independent. Understanding what's going on in the center is tough and Crosscut should be applauded for publishing someone who does so with integrity, if also with clear political ...

Posted Thu, Nov 5, 9:36 a.m.

I, and others, called McGinn to be breaking ahead in the final days of the election, especially among more conservative and business voters. Results from yesterday though show the opposite. Go Figure!

Posted Thu, Nov 5, 9:06 a.m.

R-71 is a basic issue of fairness, nothing more, nothing less. Opponents have about as much standing as the hardcore complicit Republicans that should be forced into involuntary bankruptcy. That said, the State of Washington should get out of the business of Heterosexual marriage as well. Leave the entire subject ...

Posted Thu, Nov 5, 8:47 a.m.

A particular vision of positive thinkers comes to mind - a group of happy, drunk Bush Republicans sitting around agreeing that they need to cut the wages of their first time home buyer employee so they can afford the payment on both their jumbo mortgage and the speculative real estate ...

Posted Wed, Nov 4, 1:19 p.m.

Anyone who claims to know the mind, and direction, of the independent voter is all wet, and a quack, var. D or var. R.

Posted Wed, Nov 4, 12:35 p.m.

The independent center of American politics is an unknown land to those that reign over our divide and conquer single branch two party socialism. Medical issues may play a role in swing states, but making that assertion sans evidence is highly questionable. It may well be that independent dissatisfaction with ...

Posted Wed, Nov 4, 12:27 p.m.

A picture and a report does not two reports make.

Posted Fri, Oct 30, 12:12 p.m.

Eugene is much more than it's Liberal reputation, certainly South Eugene High School would conflate this family profile, but there are three other High Schools in the 100k+ metro area, plus a Catholic school, and none of these are at all radical. The split between the University and resource based ...

Posted Thu, Oct 22, 1:59 p.m.

As to not living in King County, sorry but political refugees don't give up their right to speak - and yeah, paying taxes (**without representation**) to support you folks does get up my craw.

Posted Thu, Oct 22, 7:58 a.m.

I lived kitty corner to Conlin 15 years ago, if I still lived in Seattle he'd have my vote, and Van Dyk's assessment is otherwise spot on. Constantine is of my generation, however I've seen him close enough to have serious doubts - most notably his judgment towards conservative women. ...

Posted Wed, Oct 21, 5:25 p.m.

Uh, McGinn's most recent statements on the tunnel are in response to the Council vote and is respectful of that authority. Disagreement and debate are crucial to serve the public interest, doing so well leads to good decisions. The tunnel was **not** developed through such a process, and is challengeable ...

Posted Mon, Oct 19, 11:16 a.m.

But then again perhaps Seattle's bars and restaurants rents would go down without alcohol fueled real estate deals? Seriously, we need medical 'alcohol' - require a swipe of your driver's license barcode to purchase any public alcohol with ample private loopholes and provide records of same to your MD, and, ...

Posted Mon, Oct 19, 10:46 a.m.

Though education is the State's top priority, when it comes to older seasoned adults having specific workplace needs the State fails utterly and completely - along similar lines as Michele's experiences. BTW, try FaceBook instead of Seinfeld reruns!

Posted Sat, Oct 17, 6:11 p.m.

This is a great topic - personally I'd favor extending the school day, and school year and filling in those extra hours with municipal projects. Raising teacher salaries to match the extra hours (say with breaks for everybody on test days?) would be great - combining this with the ability ...

Posted Sat, Oct 17, 6:01 p.m.

Morrill is likely right about Snoqualmie being more efficient than Seattle - dumping money into Seattle is not unlike dumping deficit funds into Wall Street bonuses - bad investments which are likely only to make the financial problems and inequities more severe. Regionally, nationally, are markets are skewed to those ...

Posted Wed, Oct 14, 5:52 p.m.

@South Downtown- I've heard that one about losing 2.4B from the State and I believe it is bogus. The State has long considered a surface option, far longer than the deep tunnel has been on the table. It may be true that money **might** be redirected if the Tunnel option ...

Posted Wed, Oct 14, 10:55 a.m.

@Unter- Mallahan's lack of experience has allowed him to be bought by the same folks Seattle voted out with Nickels. His talk is all great, but he has no experience working in the public sphere, let alone this particular one. In my opinion, which I understand why you see as ...

Posted Wed, Oct 14, 7:20 a.m.

This all sounds quite nice, however Mallahan's supporters belie every bit of it. Sure, this is a great resume for public service, but expecting to be able to manage a City with no experience in the arcanities of public, private, and civic players is just not possible. Mallahan's voting record ...

Posted Wed, Oct 14, 4:59 a.m.

Yet still we go back to these same folks again and again that have a very poor record at creating desirable projects and, if perhaps they are able to steal a decent idea from someone else, totally mess it up. Kent has it exactly right pointing out the whine that ...

Posted Mon, Oct 12, 4:34 p.m.

One of the great things about Sunset is that it is a lifestyle magazine that isn't snooty - or, for that matter, shabby bohemian.

Posted Mon, Oct 12, 4:26 p.m.

We are seeing a great example of the pros delaying a design effort working on a project basis - in the Dome District regarding Sound Transit's heavy rail extension to Lakewood, near the Fort Lewis and McChord military bases. It's the Berm vs. Post and Beam issue. http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/904023.html (note the ...

Posted Fri, Oct 9, 11:12 a.m.

The problem with process is divisiveness stemming from downtown arrogance - that is not a problem easily solved - McGinn is smart enough to have a shot at it. As the Seattle Commons, the development that has come about was envisioned in a 'high tech' transitional zoning for the area ...

Posted Tue, Oct 6, 10:29 a.m.

@Eastlake - how 'bout a Blackberry shake from Daly's?, as well as respect for folks that actually do business, not those whose business is, uh, manipulating government for profit.

Posted Fri, Oct 2, 8:56 a.m.

Moses brought us project housing to create density - Greg Nickels has proposed the same in SE Seattle and elsewhere. Thank god Seattleites had the foresight to take down Nickels before a funding debacle that would have dwarved the monorail and multiplied gang activity in Seattle. McGinn is for urban ...

Posted Thu, Oct 1, 9:14 a.m.

Perhaps Mr. Robinson will have the courage to tell those in the social service ranks that the 'business' folks they've been 'cooperating' with are just corporate welfare cheats and that the only way we are going to be able to afford social services is to cut out their subsidies?

Posted Sat, Sep 26, 3:46 p.m.

This is a start, but Jarrett's ideas are way to vague to be worth investing in at this time. Jarrett talks about balancing serving denser areas with service to areas where we hope to see ridership increase. But this is basically what the 20-40-40 policy has done historically - preserving ...

Posted Sat, Sep 26, 3:20 p.m.

Increased density increases the costs of improving service - at some point increased density becomes a negative investment - something we are doing lots of right now, on the backs of the deficit and generations unknown. High speed rail in the Boston-D.C. corridor is likely the highest priority for the ...

Posted Sat, Sep 26, 3:09 p.m.

McGinn has been consistent on the principle of 'it's not a done deal until the voters okay the financing' - on both his own ideas and the ideas of others. This is a crucial issue of this election. The surface option is not without road improvements. Although we may need ...

Posted Fri, Sep 25, 12:47 p.m.

Pike Place is a pedestrian zone success story - yes, you can drive there, but not any faster than a pedestrian can walk. Malls themselves, which would include University Village, are great pedestrian successes. The important questions here are what makes a successful business district - whether it be corporate ...

Posted Tue, Sep 22, 10:24 a.m.

Two lane variably priced High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes are where we are headed, and the benefits are not just revenue based. Putting a congestion pricing scheme on roads itself alleviates congestion by market mechanisms. That doesn't mean though that we should slacken our attention on the cost side of ...

Posted Tue, Sep 22, 10:12 a.m.

It is rather ironic that I'm defending John Fox, but, Mr. Postman, you are off base. I'll take your assertion as correct that Mr. Fox's allegations of inflating costs is based on a misread of the project documents. That is a single mistake by an unpaid critic - the project ...

Posted Mon, Sep 21, 6:08 p.m.

Building fewer lanes through the Mercer corridor does offer more space for development of this near waterfront property, but freight service to Interbay and Ballard is definitely weakened. The project criteria on this project in this contentious area appears to be 'environmentally friendly' in so far as it hurts independent ...

Posted Mon, Sep 21, 12:01 p.m.

4000 Square Feet is not a big lot, most typical in the denser Single family neighborhoods is 5k - adding an 800 SF footprint onto such a lot along with setbacks and an existing house makes for a very full lot. Here in Tacoma proposals were in the range of ...

Posted Sat, Sep 19, 8:12 a.m.

@Ted - It would be a delicious irony to have those same interests who sought to profit from an unjustified regional system bankrupted by their own enviro harrassment machine.

Posted Sat, Sep 19, 8:02 a.m.

In recent history Seattle has come to global prominence, but what did the leaders of this City choose to do? Actually win more global business? Or, I allege, extort both their own citizens and the rest of the State with their 'importance'? The Mercer revitalization was fine, but the profit ...

Posted Thu, Sep 17, 7:47 a.m.

Ditto.

Posted Wed, Sep 16, 5:55 p.m.

Obama's effort to spin the blame for this massive fraud onto the failures of regulation is tragic - these people ripped us off, took a run on their own banks, then a run on the treasury and the future of America with the help of both Bush and Obama. These ...

Posted Wed, Sep 16, 5:34 p.m.

Until we come up with a clean alternative source of power taking the dams down is not an option and we should stop wasting money on this subject.

Posted Wed, Sep 16, 5:30 p.m.

Legally this might be simplest on nearby US Forest Lands, but the logistics of access are costly.

Posted Thu, Sep 3, 10:56 a.m.

Bipartisanship in Seattle means we elect as leaders only Democrats who are under the control of our corrupt moderate Republican leadership. From Norm Maleng on down the line these folks are all about themselves.

Posted Mon, Aug 31, 3:50 p.m.

It may well be that Nickels biggest sins lie not in himself, but in his closest allies. The effect upon the City is the same, the cure though is not simply Nickels removal. The networks that make a city run are complicated things that take years to build - and ...

Posted Wed, Aug 26, 8:59 a.m.

I think you are spot on with the critique of Seattle's mayors being unapproachable for the average citizen. This perhaps is not a fault of the individual but of the nature of the beast. Seattle is too big to be an effective MUNICIPAL government. Municipal government is retail government, and ...

Posted Wed, Aug 26, 8:55 a.m.

Defining the boundaries of your neighborhood makes a lot of difference in the density you find, as such the question is poorly formed. Worse is the statement that Seattle obviously has the densest neighborhoods. Some out of Seattle examples: Stadium/St Helens in Tacoma Salishan in Tacoma Crossroads in Bellevue Juanita ...

Posted Sat, Aug 22, 6:19 p.m.

I'm still holding out for Mount Tahoma, we shall see. FWIW, this is an example illustrating the lack of wisdom in State Board Strategy. Sure, it might well be the case that most volunteer boards are just little fiefdoms for corporate career'd petty tyrants not capable of accomplishing a darn ...

Posted Sat, Aug 22, 6:10 p.m.

The sprawl of high speed rail might well be the most desirable sort - dense villages surrounded by auto accessed outlying areas and much green space is fine. Heaven knows that the urban areas of Tacoma and Seattle have become infested with gangs of tweedy control freaks and escape is ...

Posted Sat, Aug 22, 6:06 p.m.

One of the biggest tragedies of the Nickels and Co. years is the 'scaring away' of any competitive and constructive opposition. Mallahan and McGinn both have the chance to revitalize a healthy civic debate which will hopefully persist past this race - and into the next Council battles. Mallahan might ...

Posted Wed, Aug 5, 12:44 p.m.

Well, if Ted Van Dyk can vote in two different districts, I'm gonna weigh in from Tacoma - where I've lived for the 5 plus now. Definitely deja vu all over again down here - our mixed use center planning, a linguistic variation on Norm Rice era 'urban villages' is ...

Posted Thu, Jul 23, 9:39 a.m.

Too bad Mr. Brewster doesn't do the same in his neighborhood. It might well have made all the difference for Seattle. -Douglas Tooley http://motleytools.com/blog

Posted Thu, Jul 23, 9:35 a.m.

Best read on this is that having failed to implement the urban 'control' agenda in the Rainier Valley the powers that be are looking for another area to exercise their 'vision'. The sad fact is that poorer areas are a product of this power structure - solving these problems is ...

Posted Tue, Jul 14, 10:07 a.m.

In Ross Jarrett and Dow Phillips you do have candidates that 'merge' together - but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Elections are chances to advance the dialogue on subjects and these four, if they continue to move forward and take on the real issues could cover quite some ground. ...

Posted Sun, Jul 12, 11:37 a.m.

Brewster - The idea of Rainier Valley, as in the north corridor, was to serve denser urban neighborhoods while reaching out BART style to the suburbs. I agree with you that the North Corridor should've been built first, but the decision to go south isn't attackable. Most likely the biggest ...

Posted Sun, Jul 12, 11:26 a.m.

FWIW, the dog would've survived much longer than you...

Posted Tue, Jul 7, 10:38 a.m.

Great, another fresh face targeted and profiled by David Brewster et al for corruption. FWIW, we are **not** an "entrepreneurial, creative, and engaged region", least when it comes to the powers that control our bureaucracy - and those that contract with it. They, are, in fact an entrenched bunch of ...

Posted Tue, Jul 7, 10:26 a.m.

Why not have a bunch of forced retirement baby boomers do it as a volunteer project?

Posted Tue, Jul 7, 10:23 a.m.

Tacoma has a strong historic preservation office - focused 'historically' on the preservation of the solid, never bussed, only slightly insular North End neighborhoods. Much of the human civic fabric of the City was 'built' on those endeavors - along with the great pro-neighborhood Proctor business district and the activist ...

Posted Sun, Jul 5, 1:56 p.m.

Curious, here in Tacoma we've been seeing a strategic push by Seattle based astroturf nviros with a very well orchestrated astroturf pitch. Initial reception was good, but I think folks are starting to clue into the typical Seattle craziness. Oh, and just how obvious it is, if you are capable ...

Posted Tue, Jun 30, 9:48 a.m.

Thanks to McCain earmarks are now identified by Congressperson and there is an accountability - some earmarks are laudable, others not. It is up for each individual to make their decision as to whether it is appropriate or not. FWIW, I think McDermott's earmark is nothing more than a symbolic ...

Posted Tue, Jun 30, 9:43 a.m.

How 'bout the one about making Boomers pay for their moral and financial bankruptcy in their 'golden' years?

Posted Tue, Jun 30, 9:40 a.m.

Sock Pow Bam? Sounds like someone has been watching MSNBC five nights a week - cocktail in hand. FWIW, Malarial mosquitos will be swarming over a globally warmed Lake Washington long after the Lake Union Gentech release into the Pacific Ocean kills us all... -Douglas Tooley http://motleytools.com/blog

Posted Fri, May 22, 10:19 a.m.

Constantine's 'reform' agenda strikes me as rather thin. I am reminded of the recent whistleblower law suit won by two land use employees regarding Redmond Ridge (represented by Needle, et al) - within a day or two Constantine was on the Radio praising Satterberg, a responsible party to this land ...

Posted Fri, Apr 3, 10:21 a.m.

All government employees who engage in financial malfeasance regarding the public's monies should be removed from employment, elected or otherwise effective the date of the violation. Monies paid after this date shall be recovered in full from pensions and personal assets. This does not limit additional civil or criminal action, ...

Posted Fri, Mar 27, 7:03 a.m.

First Mount Tahoma, then, Tooley Street: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tooley_Street -Douglas Tooley http://motleytools.com/blog

Posted Wed, Mar 25, 8:10 a.m.

KIRO 710, er, 97.3, reported that season ticket holder Christine Gregoire was booed at the opening game. I've searched for verification - including a youtube video - but no luck. Someone must have this important side story somewhere, yes? -Douglas Tooley http://motleytools.com/blog

Posted Tue, Mar 24, 6:37 a.m.

MAYOR NIFONG

Posted Mon, Mar 23, 5:23 a.m.

From the Sound Transit Staff Directory, 'R on Beacon Hill's job: SODO and Downtown Seattle: Roger Pence Community Outreach Coordinator 401 S. Jackson St. Seattle, WA 98104 Telephone: 206-398-5465 FAX: 206-398-5217 e-mail: roger.pence@soundtransit.org FWIW, Mr. Pence did get the Beacon Hill station added to the plan, probably the last good ...

Posted Mon, Mar 23, 5:16 a.m.

Nice story, short, and a simple worthy point. Thanks.

Posted Mon, Mar 23, 5:12 a.m.

It's not about snow, it's about public opinion crystalizing about the City under Nickels at a particular moment of 'reflection'. Something that would've been avoided had the media been doing a better job at handling the details of government responsibility, not just making up silly little stories to maintain the ...

Posted Mon, Mar 23, 5:08 a.m.

On the subject of North Capitol Hill service - how about a gondola to the S. Lake Union Street Car, instead of the Capitol Hill Street Car kludge making up for the station cut by Sound Transit?

Posted Mon, Mar 23, 5:07 a.m.

On the subject of First Hill service - How about a pedestrian tunnel - with conveyor, from Rainier Square to Seattle University? - instead of the Streetcar kludge to replace the ST station cut?

Posted Mon, Mar 23, 4:54 a.m.

It is not a surprise that Sound Transit's legal counsel (still) is as responsible for the current financial crisis as AIG in their long time 'P.C.' domination of WAMU. R- Sound Transit Stations cut, by my memory, were the First Hill/S.Broadway Station (a North Broadway Station was also cut, replaced ...

Posted Mon, Mar 23, 4:46 a.m.

Efficient acces to information is a measure of a functioning government. The answer is easy, simply go all electronic for all decisions. This can be searched by google, at a cost less than a photocopy. Senior public records staff are useful - as educators about how to use the system. ...

Posted Mon, Mar 23, 4:32 a.m.

Though Bill Gates should be thanked for calling for high income taxes it's kind of like Al Capone making a $50,000 contribution to MADD. Or, or that matter, a Divorce lawyer filing suit against a Seattle business person....

Posted Wed, Feb 25, 7:55 a.m.

Another contributor here noted that such streets are having problems due their success - and replication. Just as with a nice coffee shop you can only have so many before you have problems. I'm not in touch with the district these days, but I suspect that there are enough quality ...

Posted Wed, Feb 25, 7:42 a.m.

Success in our High School's is probably the biggest single indicator of the health of our nation - this is where kids start to spread their wings as adult and make choices. Some of those choices will be bad, and the best among the class, in the end, will likely ...

Posted Tue, Feb 24, 6:26 a.m.

'Densification' can work in Seattle, but legislating it in Olympia only guarantees failure. Every project needs to go forward on its own merits and fit into the historic fabric of buildings and people. Sure, neighborhoods will change and building higher density housing on existing underutilized commercial property is a good ...

Posted Tue, Feb 24, 6:19 a.m.

I'm living in a studs remodel I completed a year ago, and know the feelings you describe. Take faith though that these failings are likely more apparent to you than to others. (At least some of them!) Best of luck to you in your future life endeavors - and the ...

Posted Mon, Feb 23, 6:54 p.m.

Curious how Mayor Nickels and Councilmember Clark were first all for top down 'neighborhood planning' but are now using this mostly symbolic effort to portray themselves as neighborhood defenders after their original proposal ran into some heat. I guess that's politics. Artie - It was Councilmember Martha Choe(Gary Locke's Economic ...

Posted Thu, Feb 19, 7:30 a.m.

Any big organization will have problems - attitudes that government is inherently helpless is self-defeating. The problems we face today are shared problems of accountability between large organizations in both the public and private sector. It may well be that we can design techniques to address these problems in the ...

Posted Thu, Feb 19, 5:40 a.m.

To animalal - I wonder how much the bring the bureaucracy to the citizens folks and damn the folks who bring democracy to the bureaucracy 'community organizers' are actually worth to the average citizen? I'd be the folks have an opinion on that. BTW, still waiting for the coverage on ...

Posted Thu, Feb 19, 5:36 a.m.

I spent a year doing process service in SE Seattle - most interesting was serving the Deacons of New Hope Baptist before Sunday service regarding a post church arson re-construction loan. The biggest item though? Unpaid private parking lot fees! Go figure.

Posted Thu, Feb 19, 5:31 a.m.

A tough question brought up by this budgetary crisis is how we balance service regionally. Sure, Seattle has more riders and more service, but does that mean we cut it more, or less than the east and south suburbs? Certainly we want to make sure there is standing room available ...

Posted Thu, Feb 19, 5:25 a.m.

Putting some spirit into science is more appropriate than going around calling people ignorant. Creation, whether by evolution or the hand of god is a pretty incredible thing worthy of wide eyed uncomprehending wonder - irregardless of how much cold science we have. Using science to determine that everyone that ...

Posted Mon, Feb 9, 3:06 p.m.

Part 1, Republican's Grab What They Can Part 2, Democrats Grab What They Can Sounds perfectly bi-partisan to me. However, that doesn't mean that I'm at all interested in bailing out a failed generation with my future. Does that make any sense?

Posted Mon, Feb 9, 10:58 a.m.

Crossroads, in Bellevue, is 'hipper' than any family based community in Seattle. The suburbs can take additional density and they will be the better for it. That place is not existing single family cul-de sacs but underutilized commercial property - picture a strip mall on aurora, for one. Mr. Berger, ...

Posted Mon, Feb 9, 9:57 a.m.

Adding an earmark to an unrelated bill in order to gain a vote is corruption. Accusing someone of harrasment for asking a government worker to behave responsibly in all matters is corruption. Perhaps your students are ignorant punks? Then, again, perhaps it is you and your abusive drug buddy drinking ...

Posted Thu, Feb 5, 12:33 p.m.

Don't forget, he's got the same people who gave us the HUD parking garage at Pike/Pine and Jack Abramoff...

Posted Thu, Feb 5, 12:26 p.m.

FWIW, it's kinda funny watching the most recent iteration of the Seattle Establishment trip all over itself as it crosses the Pierce County line. The sad fact is that public, private, Seattle, Eastside, the public capital projects folks have way too many bumbling fools in their ranks supported only by ...

Posted Thu, Feb 5, 12:20 p.m.

All that's really being said with this 'caretaker' decision is that Larry Phillips doesn't have the support in the PC democratic Caucus. It will be interesting to see how running to the middle plays in a top two primary - hopefully we will see somebody take a non-partisan position of ...

Posted Mon, Feb 2, 9:17 a.m.

MacDonald is, diplomatically, pointing out obvious failures of politics over planning. Fine details will always be subject to disagreement, but the examples he cites are obvious - the worst of which may well even evidence the political equivalent of felony fraud. I'm definitely a balanced transit/roads guy, and I opposed ...

Posted Mon, Jan 26, 2:46 p.m.

MacDonald is right on the money with this piece, but way to much of a diplomat to assign blame for the current problems. We have transportation planners that are quite skilled at these subjects - Mr. MacDonald's own exhibited skill is a product of this network of folks. The problems ...

Posted Mon, Jan 19, 10:47 a.m.

And you David, any chance you'll make a single one of those?

Posted Thu, Jan 15, 7:11 a.m.

It would be interesting to overlay this analysis with a geographic look at Monorail and Sound Transit votes.

Posted Wed, Jan 14, 2:52 p.m.

We have a process already, written in large part by Tunnel proponents. 'They', however, are ignoring that process and engaging in typical bully consensus politics in order to get more out of a shrinking transportation pie? Perhaps instead of the citizens of this State ponying up another 400 million for ...

Posted Wed, Jan 14, 2:47 p.m.

We are more likely to make exactly the opposite mistake Hoover made in restricting spending - the TARP, for one, is bailing out folks who definitely need to take a strong hit. Locally, IMO, Gregoire, Nickels, and Sims are doing exactly the same thing, bailing out the crew that also ...

Posted Tue, Jan 13, 6:11 a.m.

I take offense at the term 'rag tag' when describing neighborhood groups. Sure, it is the case that individuals in neighborhood organizations are not as organized as downtown interests, have less experience and are more prone to disagreement among themselves. But those disagreements should be celebrated, not used as an ...

Posted Tue, Jan 13, 5:26 a.m.

The Wall Street Journal requires a subscription for commenting. This likely is a component of the next phase of the 'dead tree' media. How much, is, of course, TBD.

Posted Thu, Jan 8, 4:20 a.m.

I'm curious about the African American Academy - what's the problem? I had the opportunity to work on the grounds for a couple of days in support of an event some five years ago. The campus was lively and completely non-threatening to me, a middle aged white guy. It struck ...

Posted Wed, Jan 7, 11:20 a.m.

There is more going on here than just Bureacrats getting possesive about our money. Arrogant attitude is one thing - these folks see themselves as the personfication of our democracy, though, in fact, our constitution makes it quite clear of the people's right for their protection against their government, NOT ...

Posted Wed, Jan 7, 9:12 a.m.

Tacoma, Washington's first big city, has historic assets that rival, if not beat, Seattle's. Vancouver, Washington also has history, and at a recent City of Tacoma historic office event they hosted the historic officer from that City. They've done an interesting thing with the intepretation of existing property tax exemptions ...

Posted Wed, Jan 7, 9:01 a.m.

Having transferred into the UW from a small, residential, liberal arts college there is definitely something to say for smaller institutions. A real community is a big part of it - and that reflects on the intellectual advancement as well. In a small institution you are much more likely to ...

Posted Tue, Jan 6, 7:55 a.m.

Besides being a people first person, he's also able to not only do math, but apply it. The rule in Olympia though is the opposite - 'they' think that somehow because they've gone from 'me first' to 'us first' that somehow they are more mature - and the citizen/customer, well, ...

Posted Tue, Jan 6, 7:46 a.m.

Bob Morgan was an inspiration to me in my days as a 25 year old making the transition from being a working college student to a degreed job seeker with a good foundation of experience. His influence stands in sharp contrast to that of the more 'vocal' Land Use Lawyer ...

Posted Tue, Jan 6, 7:28 a.m.

The failure of the Seatle Monorail goes first to organizational factors - the viability of the tech is unknown. Those organizational factors include the monopolistic effects of any single source technology, not to mention our own local business practices in such low competition arenas. Maglev type techs will happen, and ...

Posted Mon, Jan 5, 6:57 a.m.

In spite of 'Barat' style international demeaning attacks Central Asia is tops on my top ten list. Memo to Seattle, you aren't quite so cosmopolitan as you believe. In fact, you are a rather curious example of something I'd call 'Nouveau Provincial Hillbilly'. Grow up, being a responsible international citizen ...

Posted Mon, Jan 5, 6:44 a.m.

Groups such as this are good. They are not the positive revolution as they are portrayed, just another board. Unfortunately, Boards in this country are a problem - they aren't accountable. I don't think anyone is saying a deep bore tunnel isn't a great idea - it is what we ...

Posted Mon, Jan 5, 6:28 a.m.

Common political wisdom is to shave prior to running - Lincoln perhaps being the only prominent exception. I'd not be surprised if this piece documents a historically significant symbolism - Beard wearers, as a whole, are more than just 'rugged', they (I believe) also tend to more independent thought. This ...

Posted Mon, Jan 5, 6:28 a.m.

Common political wisdom is to shave prior to running - Lincoln perhaps being the only prominent exception. I'd not be surprised if this piece documents a historically significant symbolism - Beard wearers, as a whole, are more than just 'rugged', they (I believe) also tend to more independent thought. This ...

Posted Mon, Jan 5, 6:21 a.m.

Speaking of NW symbols - I wonder if Berger's grizzled visage would fit as a Rushmoresque carving on Oregon's Smith Rocks...

Posted Tue, Dec 30, 10:27 a.m.

I can't say about Oregon, the idea would go down in flames here and put the rightful cause of congestion pricing into a whole it might not climb out of. Using the gas tax does have a nice built-in environmental subsidy - buy a vehicle that uses less gas and ...

Posted Tue, Dec 30, 10:18 a.m.

I'm surprised you are dissing this proposal Mr. Brewster. Sure, it is more art than engineering, more whimsy than a real alternative. But it is relevant to the discussion and it advances the civic discourse more than a piece of Chamber music, or, for that matter, an escort girl advertising ...

Posted Tue, Dec 30, 10:14 a.m.

Obama should be viewed not as a savior, but as an opportunity. One person does not a nation make, for that matter not even a neighborhood. Democracy is broken in America and it will take individuals stepping up and working to build it - and doing a better job at ...

Posted Tue, Dec 30, 10:06 a.m.

These days, the shameful thing is that private corporate management and government control are way to close to each other. In theory privatization might be just the thing, in practice it may be just hiring a private sector bureaucrat to collect your taxes, via user fees. Though many encourage government ...

Posted Sun, Dec 28, 6:33 p.m.

David- 'Previous Regime', 'Experienced Pragmatists' - all what we need, but I'm still waiting to see it. Prove me wrong, but I'm doubtful - it all too often that the the so-called reformers are just the smartest of the scammers. There are certainly plenty of examples of that around here. ...

Posted Sat, Dec 27, 9:15 a.m.

NIMBYism is a bit of an Urban Legend - sure, it does exist, but it is not exactly as it is portrayed, angry neighbors unable to cooperate with anyone. Downtown Seattle is now an international City - Paul Schell saw that and built to it - even though that same ...

Posted Sat, Dec 27, 7:17 a.m.

The problems at Northgate are symbolic of process in Seattle, most notably in the relationship between the business community of Downtown and it's residents. The relationship between business and residential citizen has become dysfunctional and though there are some who have learned to move, and profit in this situation, most ...

Posted Tue, Dec 23, 2:51 p.m.

Though I agree with Mr. Vogt's conclusion, his arguments strike this reader as very self-congratulatory. He makes very broad statements about the East Coast yet refers only anecdotally to his own neighborhood, a progressive, inside the beltway, suburb of D.C. FWIW, it sounds like Mr. Vogt is ranting on his ...

Posted Mon, Dec 22, 8:13 a.m.

The relevant phrase of the moment may well be "other people's money" - whether it public or private, Seattle based or nationwide. Bernie Madoff and Henry Paulson share a common trait an arrogance in their financial stewardship. The question that comes to my mind is whether there is a connection ...

Posted Sun, Dec 21, 3:42 p.m.

I'm looking forward to the Stranger's Pullout Guide for Young Republicans wanting to panhandle in Seattle. God knows the old ones could use some competition.... :-)

Posted Fri, Dec 19, 11:02 a.m.

Perhaps we should consider Oregon as a partner in the search for regional cabinet representation - I don't know the history details here, but Neil Goldschmidt, followed Adams as Transportation Secretary under Carter. You mention Adams being 'unhappy' - that's a story I'd be interested in hearing. FWIW, it looks ...

Posted Fri, Dec 19, 10:53 a.m.

Aubrey Davis, I believe 90, is one of this region's finest leaders - an early CEO at Group Health his business perspective is very, very health. He does get caught up in fighting the battles of his era, but not to the point of corruption as with others of his ...

Posted Fri, Dec 19, 10:11 a.m.

Nothing against older Seattle writers -- at least most of them :-) BUT, in general, propping up the salaries of the well established is not the best course - and this applies to everyone, not just writers. Crashes in an economy are a chance to reset prices to their actual ...

Posted Tue, Dec 16, 2:21 p.m.

Fact Check- It has been pointed out to me that Joni Earl wasn't CFO at the Port. That's correct and I'm wrong, not for the first time. My recollection was that she worked for Maud Smith Daudon following in her footsteps at the port. Daudon was definitely Port CFO before ...

Posted Tue, Dec 16, 10:05 a.m.

Although I'm saying the completion of the original ST system justifies stimulus funding, I still hold concerns about the financial ability - it could still be better. Executive Director Joni Earl was the former finance manager at the Port of Seattle and recently enough to have been, at least, a ...

Posted Tue, Dec 16, 8:38 a.m.

That's part of the solution - the other is real competition among suppliers. It's not a coincidence that local megaprojects are managed by the same folks who have rebuilt Iraq (for more on this see Naomi Klein's recent 'Shock Doctrine') Government needs to insure there is a constant crop of ...

Posted Mon, Dec 15, 4:23 p.m.

Mr. Chapman- If you are so convinced that the deep bore tunnel is the way to do it, raise the additional money, and take responsibility for the cost creep risk and build it. If it isn't worth those extra monies for Downtown to justify the investment, maybe it isn't the ...

Posted Mon, Dec 15, 4:16 p.m.

Controlling transportation expenditures is a tough question - witness, for one, the current Port of Seattle crisis. The answer is competition, and this suggests we don't have it now. The solution is long term - it requires State and Local government to dole out contracts in such a fashion that ...

Posted Mon, Dec 15, 4:04 p.m.

Sims doesn't always get it right. I know that with something that effected me quite personally. But he is honest and he does what he can within the system. With power comes responsibility. Many, many folks in government and corporate America believe that increased power means less responsibility. Sims has ...

Posted Mon, Dec 15, 3:57 p.m.

Easy there, before you get too excited. I'm not a climate change naysayer, but it is true we don't know exactly what is going on. What makes climate change action through the reduction of greenhouse gases is the degree of risk. Something is up, and we'd best virtually stop greenhouse ...

Posted Fri, Dec 12, 5:41 p.m.

Intresting, Brewster doesn't mention a single name in this so-called 'coalition'. That said, keeping a tunnel of some sort, for latter consideration is good planning. Similarly, it may also be possible to keep a viaduct replacement on the table - FWIW, a smaller Chopp style viaduct expanding Victor Steinbrueck park ...

Posted Tue, Dec 9, 12:41 p.m.

http://i.feedtacoma.com/Erik/daniel-blue-rr-anderson-new/

Posted Tue, Dec 9, 12:40 p.m.

Here's a timely piece on two of Tacoma's leading artists- Link A quote from a longer Daniel Blue Poem, from this link - the entire is worthwhile, linked within. "There was a swelling a swirling of conversation and actions and eye sparking. Confessions of visions. People spoke freely of their ...

Posted Tue, Dec 9, 12:22 p.m.

No one can deny that higher education is critical to economic health - however that very fact opens up the Institution to the abuse of that rationally based authority. There are lots of worthwhile things in this world, funding only those that have an abusive PC support base leads to ...

Posted Sun, Dec 7, 5:27 p.m.

Looks like UW President Emmert is doing same, and he won't be the last. Right Christine?

Posted Sat, Dec 6, 4:53 a.m.

FWIW, there are some very well established couples, and families, 'round here that have done a whole lot more to deserve being on the street than ANY of the families that are there now...

Posted Sat, Dec 6, 4:51 a.m.

One quick way of seperating the wheat from the chaff would be to make sure that the project sponsors ARE NOT folks who got us into this mess in the first place. A salient example would be the Port of Seattle and its finance practices, clients of Abramoff conspirators Preston ...

Posted Wed, Dec 3, 6:33 a.m.

I'm a long time urban tree guy and have personally planted over a hundred trees through various projects in Seattle - and this is totally wrong. It's private property, period. Now, if the City wants to enable neighborhoods the authority to do design review, historic preservation of single family structures, ...

Posted Wed, Dec 3, 6:18 a.m.

The challenge for the Republicans is to speak to independents effectively, perhaps especially those that have no desire to join the party. Rossi definitely focused less on the middle this time around and spoke to the base, same challenge McCain faced. But Rossi also isn't a McCain, he's much more ...

Posted Tue, Dec 2, 10:04 a.m.

For a mult-denominational perspective on the sacrificing of goats, see this Pakistan/India conversation: http://www.paktribune.com/pforums/posts.php?t=1102&start;=1 -Douglas Tooley http://motleytools.com/blog

Posted Mon, Dec 1, 4:22 p.m.

Yea, Yea, but don't forget, you still have to pay for it yourselves - discussing design till you get a fat subsidy might seem smart to all of you, but it isn't good business.

Posted Tue, Nov 25, 9:22 a.m.

Since Metropolitan Seattle is such a financial powerhouse that means you can cover the costs of the Viaduct replacement and the 520 Bridge, yes?

Posted Mon, Nov 24, 9:07 a.m.

It's First Hill till 12th, though SU could well argue itself for being it's own area. It's the Central District to East of 12th, the sub-area beeing Squire Park or Cherry Hill (which is actually the older of the two designations - curious to see it now the more popular). ...

Posted Fri, Nov 21, 9:57 a.m.

FWIW, would be good to see more detail on the links between AIG and Goldman Sachs - recall from somewhere a loose reference to AIG being the sub-prime insurer for Goldman???

Posted Fri, Nov 21, 9:51 a.m.

As an Uncle, best 'bang' for the buck at Archie McPhee's, by far. It's still stuff, as opposed to 'experiences', but used appropriately these 'props' can be a lot of fun. Three of my nephews, Spy Man, Explosives Man, and 'Fart' Man, would certainly agree.

Posted Fri, Nov 21, 9:47 a.m.

The Choppaduct makes sense - though there are added costs, there are multiple dimensions of added benefit to this innovative approach. It is a bit of an experiment, but it is completely in line of what a City of Seattle's status should be willing to take in the terms of ...

Posted Fri, Nov 21, 9:26 a.m.

I hope you aren't angling for a government 'bailout' David! Aside from that going non-profit makes sense. A bit of historical trivia - my small amount of journalism experience involved spending a bit of my free time working on a few projects at the Seattle Press, after James Bush, and ...

Posted Fri, Nov 21, 9:03 a.m.

Like with the Viaduct I was expecting this to be another fundraising piece for the Seattle Limousine liberals - the deconstruction of each alternative always yields subsidies to rich Seattle from the rest of the State. Therefore my kudos to Chasan for noting that it will be necessary for rich ...

Posted Thu, Nov 13, 9:51 a.m.

Downplaying the strength of independent voters, as in the 'Dinocrat' section isn't appropriate. While it may well have been the case that Rossi didn't play up his Republican ties, he also did not do much to market to the middle. For anyone that actually thinks about the issues - statistically ...

Posted Thu, Nov 6, 2:43 p.m.

Who knows, we might even get an overnight wilderness river trip in Washington State - east of Hell's Canyon, that is.

Posted Wed, Nov 5, 2:28 p.m.

Meanwhile police in SW Colorado hunt 'zombie' ski bums and raft guides... http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2008/11/04/Police_nab_seven_in_Zombie_March/ http://durangoherald.com/sections/Opinion/letters_to_the_editor/2008/11/05/Zombie_march_arrest_was_not_fair/

Posted Tue, Nov 4, 10:28 a.m.

Or, perhaps, the wicked witch of the west? -The Wizard of Oz

Posted Tue, Nov 4, 10:20 a.m.

As someone who approaches small 'l' libertarianism from the left I'm not so sure it's bad. Primaries are a better place for protest votes, while finals are now very practical. Realistically, the Republicans are going to have to find a way to give the desirably unorganized libertarians a stronger role ...

Posted Mon, Nov 3, 7:41 p.m.

Continuing on the thread of Van Dyk, DN, and Political - Sending the Republican Party back to school might not be a bad idea - way better than back to church. Unfortunately our educational institutions have become as moribund as Washington D.C., when they ought to be both practically and ...

Posted Wed, Oct 29, 6:30 p.m.

There's an important point in this piece that needs more emphasis - the core problem is the extension of credit standards that make sense to first time homebuyers who are occupying the property they purchase to speculators of varying ability who are not. But, FWIW, I find it curious that ...

Posted Wed, Oct 29, 6:20 p.m.

Harrassment complaints have become subject to the 'boy who called wolf' syndrome - or, as may be more appropos in this state, the Girl named Christine who Called Wolf. As one may recall Mike Lowry resigned from his governorship over allegations even less damning than those against Sutherland - and, ...

Posted Wed, Oct 29, 6:08 p.m.

Great piece, I like the way you adjust narrowly in your directly reported results and then do a bit more speculative bit of adjustment in your analytical artical. I do also recall that Republican's claim you have a Demo bias. Besides the speculative behavior of undecided's and young voters, there ...

Posted Wed, Oct 29, 5:44 p.m.

In your pitch you make a VAT sound like something new - as your well buried disclaimer NEAT is just a European VAT tax - something none of your proposers can claim credit for. In fact, any claimed authority to some of them would be a reason to make sure ...

Posted Wed, Oct 29, 5:43 p.m.

In your pitch you make a VAT sound like something new - as your well buried disclaimer NEAT is just a European VAT tax - something none of your proposers can claim credit for. In fact, any claimed authority to some of them would be a reason to make sure ...

Posted Thu, Oct 23, 11:18 a.m.

FWIW, it was the same financial thinking, and law firm, that drove Washington Mutual into the ground. These folks may yet 'succeed' in Seattle yet. This author needs to go back to school, and if he doesn't learn his lesson, someone needs to flunk him out.

Posted Wed, Oct 22, 6:42 p.m.

These folks are scary, they don't even understand that the gas tax IS a mileage based tax - and one that charges more for a heavier or more inefficient vehicle and less for a hybrid - heck, it's zero for an electric vehicle as it stands. Perhaps even scarier are ...

Posted Wed, Oct 22, 6:35 p.m.

The economic benefits of the Pike Place market in the eyes of the nation and world cannot be denied, as 'citymaking' ably points out. This probably exceeds any sports stadium as far as reputation goes, and, FWIW, a much more 'stable' plus than sports, especially at the moment. There is ...

Posted Wed, Oct 22, 6:22 p.m.

As to climate change, like with a lot of issues, it doesn't matter. Gregoire is not fit for the job, and never has been no matter how superior her positions might be. Rossi is a Bush clone, but, he is smarter than Bush and he has a chance at getting ...

Posted Sat, Oct 18, 1:02 p.m.

I'm 100% for bike paths, having a small proposal working its way through the Tacoma system. However I've got to be suspiicious about Acorn style groups calling for government leadership 'committees'. Sure, everyone should be involved, but most likely the strategies ranked here will just lead to more of the ...

Posted Fri, Oct 17, 6:13 p.m.

I left Seattle due the ramifications of these problems. FWIW, the worst are the bureaucrats, state and city, working on their own time. Social service types are a problem, but, FWIW, I don't think it's the rank and file DSHS folks so much as it is the rejects from MSW ...

Posted Fri, Oct 17, 6:03 p.m.

Well, some turnover in the upper ranks, based on what I've seen in Tacoma, would be a good thing. I'm not totally convinced that the measure will fail - though gas prices have dropped they are still high just as the market is still dropping, even with an occassional rally. ...

Posted Fri, Oct 17, 5:47 p.m.

Perhaps the funniest thing is how often that irrationality does exactly the right thing, when you add it all up. It's fundamentally not all that different from what you see in free market economics. Sure, the political parties have messed up, but Independent voters are fixing it. We do need ...

Posted Thu, Oct 2, 12:32 p.m.

Lessons from round One: ...Bureaucrats will dominate the 'process', if you let them. Perhaps the biggest problem is former employees and state folks residing in the neighborhood who can't seem to let go of that bureaucratic habit. Jim Diers isn't a bad guy, but I do have to wonder about ...

Posted Fri, Sep 26, 10:51 a.m.

RE: Government isn't Brain Surgery: Funny how the lack of liability makes people stupid, no matter how you say it!

Posted Fri, Sep 26, 10:48 a.m.

Correction: Make that 'Show' Bear or 'Work' Bear! ...though I'm not sure which category Mr. Connelly would place himself. -Doug

Posted Fri, Sep 26, 10:46 a.m.

Simple Answer: The view from Seabeck, across Hood Canal to the Olympics, is one of the best in the World. Recently building lots were going for 250k in an area with a very large supply of DNR School Trust Land. The answer to your dilemna is simple - make sure ...

Posted Fri, Sep 26, 10:39 a.m.

Hindsight is 20/20: Mr. Brewster could very well be right - the Sound Transit re-submit of Prop. 1 could also benefit from such a partisan effect, as well as the price of oil. However a contrary scenario is also imaginable, for both Gregoire and ST. The fundamentals of legal and ...

Posted Fri, Sep 26, 10:35 a.m.

RE: Precedents?: The precedent established here would lead to HOUSING as part of the re-development of existing ROW. I'm not an architect, but frankly, the obiggest obstacle to combining roads and commercial buildings is narrow minds, like the above. BTW, IFF the numbers are as folks indicate a tunnel should ...

Posted Fri, Sep 26, 10:21 a.m.

Black Friday, for Whom?: "Equal justice under the law" means we put the assets of the corporate officers into bankruptcy receivership. Some evidence, in that regard: Fame game: Guess who's about to enter the Hall of Fame? The University of Idaho Alumni Association has named Seattle attorney Judith Runstad one ...

Posted Fri, Sep 26, 9:53 a.m.

A new pair of Winter Shoes?: If you haven't yet purchased a pair of sneakers designed for trail use, I'd highly recommend a pair. Nike pioneered this segment, in 1980 or 81, with the 'Lava Dome' - I was fortunate enough to get an evaluation copy for a sponsored trip ...

Posted Fri, Sep 26, 9:42 a.m.

Rainier Renaissance?: Gentrification in the South end might be decried by some, but do consider the word. I once heard gentrification defined as transient ownership of those who "had the word defined for them in College". The typical pattern involves first time homeowners moving into a place, fixing it up, ...

Posted Tue, Sep 23, 12:03 p.m.

Framing the Question: The question isn't whether populism can work, it is how to make populism work in our system. Authority in our society is based on respect for the individual, lose that and your leadership becomes nothing but a conspiracy of harrassment and extortion. Populism in a President is ...

Posted Mon, Sep 22, 9:10 a.m.

Harsh Realities: Pardon me for responding seriously to your points, rather than tongue in cheek. I certainly agree with your point about the need for elitists, however there is a middle ground here. Consider the 'average' (or above average) UW grad. They may well think they are as important as ...

Posted Thu, Sep 18, 11:47 a.m.

Justice Douglas: One of the tricky parts of human history is taking the contributions of a leader in context - human flaws are present in us all and it is only the assertion of absence of same that should draw suspicion and attack. ...as the legal profession itself is doing ...

Posted Wed, Sep 17, 9:49 a.m.

A technical point: Given the claims of 'brightly' treated wastewater why the expense of the pipeline deep into Puget Sound? Lake Washington, in the summer months, has a water deficit due Ballard Lock drawdowns. Additional water would be positive there, and would also help keep the lake from getting funky ...

Posted Fri, Sep 12, 1:49 p.m.

PC vs. Mac: My apologies for the multiple posts, my browser's choking up for some reason. BTW, anyone else catch the series of Apple ads on NBC's Thursday Comedy lineup? -D

Posted Fri, Sep 12, 12:50 p.m.

I disagree: Any candidate has to be evaluated not only on the basis of their own character, but also the character of the relationships he, or she, has built over the years. I don't have a source on this, but for now I'm assuming that State AG Rob McKenna, the ...

Posted Fri, Sep 12, 12:50 p.m.

I disagree: Any candidate has to be evaluated not only on the basis of their own character, but also the character of the relationships he, or she, has built over the years. I don't have a source on this, but for now I'm assuming that State AG Rob McKenna, the ...

Posted Fri, Sep 12, 12:50 p.m.

I disagree: Any candidate has to be evaluated not only on the basis of their own character, but also the character of the relationships he, or she, has built over the years. I don't have a source on this, but for now I'm assuming that State AG Rob McKenna, the ...

Posted Fri, Sep 12, 12:50 p.m.

I disagree: Any candidate has to be evaluated not only on the basis of their own character, but also the character of the relationships he, or she, has built over the years. I don't have a source on this, but for now I'm assuming that State AG Rob McKenna, the ...

Posted Fri, Sep 12, 11:48 a.m.

Good Piece: Frankly, I wasn't expecting much from a politico such as Mr. Van Dyk on this subject. Though my assumptions were wrong, it would've been nice to have seen this expertise applied ahead of time. WAMU Counsel, Sr. Partner Judy Runstad has a very telling quote from 2001 that ...

Posted Tue, Sep 9, 10:04 a.m.

The definition of 'public' under the constitution: One would think that the authority of government would be predicated on the respect for individual rights, but unfortunately, as this story illustrates, it is the opposite. Your standing as a member of the public is dependent on your 'complienace' with the 'owners' ...

Posted Tue, Sep 9, 9:57 a.m.

News Flash: Though the typical corporate or government 'vetted' employee may well think they are 'better' than the rest of us and therefore deserving of their higher pay it may well be the opposite. News for Brewster and crew at the UW and Seattle - doing hard honest work, smart ...

Posted Tue, Sep 9, 9:51 a.m.

RE: Minnesota costs: Brewster, your vision is good, but you've got to hire people who can pass the same 'background' standards as the rest of us. As it stands now the system is broken, and until 'you' deal with it we shall remain in a state of 'mental recession'. -Douglas ...

Posted Tue, Sep 9, 9:47 a.m.

Another 'omission': Missing is the fact that WAMU's legal counsel and sound transit's are the same - go figure! After all, we all know if you dare to ask a government to do their job, or to keep their spending in their 'pantsuits' that's legally actionable harrassment, right? -Douglas Tooley

Posted Tue, Sep 9, 9:41 a.m.

Politics Aside: Military authority is not without its problems, but in one measure it trumps the alternative hands down. And that area is the cost young members pay - to join the military junta one needs to bust one's butt and risk it too - to join the socialist junta ...

Posted Fri, Sep 5, 8:04 a.m.

Change Tally: As Tom Brokaw reported last night McCain used the word ten times to Obama's 15. As an Independent I am heartened by the fact that both major party candidates are running on this theme. Both candidates will however question the credibility of the other to do so, and, ...

Posted Thu, Sep 4, 10:06 a.m.

Palin, win or loose: With either a McCain victory or defeat Palin is now a national figure. And heck, if Teddy had Annie Oakley perhaps the 'Bull Moose' party would've had a 'shot'. And for that matter if Gregoire's washington law school cohort Ted Bundy's victims had an NRA membership ...

Posted Thu, Sep 4, 7:43 a.m.

Correction: S/B: "Let's hope Crosscut doesn't repeat the Babylon mistake in trying to build Sound Transi!"

Posted Thu, Sep 4, 7:41 a.m.

Good Choices: FWIW, it looks like McCain made a great choice in Palin. As a swing vote swayed by Biden I have also been influenced by Palin. I haven't made up my mind yet, but look forward to a great campaign and a victor with more positives than negatives. Those ...

Posted Wed, Sep 3, 11:36 a.m.

Gerrymandering Neighborhood: One of the side effects of gerrymandering for 'safe' districts (and the benefits of 'safe' seniority) is that one partisan political party will become 'dominant'. Rather than being a polyglot our neighborhoods have become political fiefdoms where prevalence leads to right and left wing abuses - all reflective ...

Posted Wed, Sep 3, 11:23 a.m.

RE: UW Graduate Salaries: No comment from Morrill as of 9/3, go figure.

Posted Thu, Aug 28, 12:37 p.m.

UW Graduate Salaries: Although I'm a fan of Morrill's this piece is not entirely consistent, logically, and economically. Morrill is a great advocate of that 5/6 slice of reality pie, but yet here he seems to be advocating for the salaries of UW graduates who are seeking to serve their ...

Posted Thu, Aug 28, 12:25 p.m.

Market Benchmarks: One of the signature succeses of the Clinton administration was the raising of the percentage of American's owning their own homes, families, alternatives, and singles. Although some died in the wool Democrats might call this 'triangleization' that's a specious argument - and the success of a potential Barack ...

Posted Thu, Aug 28, 7:22 a.m.

City Birds: I've never had any luck with hummingbirds myself, though certainly have had a response to marketing descriptions alleging attractiveness. Pigeons, perhaps the most iconic City bird, I do have. We've also got hawks, in part due to greenbelts surrounding I-5 near Downtown Tacoma. I couldn't say how stable ...

Posted Thu, Aug 28, 7:17 a.m.

Yakima Rising: I don't know many folks in Yakima, but I'd bet having Barbara Serrano as Managing Editor of the Yakima Herald isn't hurting either. -Doug

Posted Thu, Aug 28, 7:07 a.m.

Seattle Politics: I think Republican KC Prosecutor Satterberg gets his share of the blame - Seattle's immaturity didn't grow in a vacuum. In my opinion so-called 'moderate' Eastside Republicans have been fostering that immaturity to their benefit for quite some time - through the large percentage of rental properties in ...

Posted Wed, Aug 27, 5:20 p.m.

RE: 45 Grand, No Problemo: My apologies for the cross-reference on the comment, but FWIW, it looks like Mayor Nickels has plenty of proud UW grads on his side - not to mention the Republican owned tow companies! -Douglas Tooley

Posted Wed, Aug 27, 5:02 p.m.

RE: The key to Seattle is Redmond: And of those gold diggers that moved here seeking MS Money, how many took more than they left at their previous corporations and/or communities....?

Posted Wed, Aug 27, 4:59 p.m.

RE: The key to Seattle is Redmond: In spite of Statement's by Bill G - father and son, Microsoft's success has not at all been dependent on the brain factor of the UW. They have imported talent with real world resume's - the overall 'quality' of which is certainly open ...

Posted Mon, Aug 25, 4:56 p.m.

On the subject of Irony....: In the song of the same name, there's a line, '10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife' Literary metaphor presumptions aside, is Alanis perhaps dissing Natalie Merchant...? Anyway, although not a fan of Norm Rice, his underwater thing done for MTV, or whomever ...

Posted Mon, Aug 25, 4:49 p.m.

Indeed!: Any friend of Paghat's is a friend of mine... BTW, have you seen the movie 'Being There' lately? It merits a second, more backward looking, glance, in this internet age. -Douglas Tooley

Posted Mon, Aug 25, 4:36 p.m.

A Winning Half Full Glass: The property rights response to environmental legislation with no basis in the GMA is an example, perhaps rare, of the system actually working. Fostering continuing divisiveness on this subject might actually harm the GMA. Taking of property is a sensitive subject in America, and rightfully ...

Posted Mon, Aug 25, 4:27 p.m.

No Answers, just more Questions: I think America itself is at risk from a similar dynamic to what you document here. Are we running up the deficit (mortgage) into a position of negative equity for the entire country? Is corporate America really succeeding economically or are they just performing the ...

Posted Mon, Aug 25, 4:13 p.m.

Biding Biden: I've never done anything for Barack's campaign, in fact defended Hilary against 3 of the closest women in my family. I am definitely part of that 1/3 Hilary faction that is considering John McCain. I'm not enough a national politico to know about Biden, but as far as ...

Posted Fri, Aug 22, 10:20 a.m.

Old Idea: The one neighborhood idea I remember from Seattle Common's days was a walking path/boulevard thing connecting S. Lake Union with Seattle Center. Hopefully that will happen evenutually, perhaps even before the finish the light rail! -Douglas Tooley

Posted Fri, Aug 22, 10:15 a.m.

Gregoire and Satterberg's Blame Game: Anyone can play, after all, it is a free country, no? -Douglas Tooley

Posted Fri, Aug 22, 9:56 a.m.

Sins of the Father...: Too bad his Pop's 'inheiratance' to his son will be his legacy of Abramoff style corruption and monopoly 'like' abuses of power..... -Douglas Tooley

Posted Fri, Aug 22, 9:51 a.m.

No August Tea Leaves: Ladenberg's current seat is open this year - we've got term limits here, so that's part of the reason for his challenging McKenna. Pierce County also has ranked choice voting, so this race will be the first real test of the method. Candidates include Republican's Shawn ...

Posted Fri, Aug 22, 9:45 a.m.

RE: How exactly did McKenna "side with" Gregoire?: I agree with you, however the underlying issue is an important one - Republican favoritism towards Gregoire - whether it be John McKay or Dan Satterberg. Though McKenna passes on this one I personally am concerned that between Gregoire and the aforementioned ...

Posted Wed, Aug 20, 6:32 a.m.

Building Coalitions: Bus lanes and the like are a key part of making bus rapid transit work, and solving our transportation problems with a solution that won't both bankrupt us and make us dependent on the providers of the wrongheaded (Sound Transit) choice we made in 2008. But bus lanes ...

Posted Tue, Aug 19, 3:03 p.m.

One Word: Buses.

Posted Tue, Aug 19, 3:02 p.m.

RE: Nowhere is where the majority lives: Economics and Geography are social sciences, and that is an important distinction - not everyone is rational, and hence, the qualifier is important. What is important is that we have individuals capable of making their own decisions - and this we may well ...

Posted Mon, Aug 11, 6:18 p.m.

RE: Nice Launch. Happy Landing.: I find myself speculating upon whether these Sound Transit folks are really so righteously misguided or the there are actual 'powers that be' that are setting up this measure to fail. At it's core it is the same as Proposition 1 - it is an ...

Posted Tue, Aug 5, 9:33 a.m.

Get Ur Done: Get Ur Done is right. FWIW, Forest Service employment is a desirable endeavor. Requiring college degrees in a relevant subject is not unwise - making those folks actually work, seasonally, is perhaps a better idea. Unless of course that would violate the code of the liberal arts ...

Posted Tue, Aug 5, 9:24 a.m.

Close to home: I spent the weekend on the Middle Fork Snoqualmie watershed - historically ruled by a strange balance of mud seeking 4x4 enthusiasts and equally ferverent Alpine Lakes Conservationists. The unforseen coalition of those with an agenda of hiding secret fishing holes and no access wilderness advocates has ...

Posted Tue, Aug 5, 8:56 a.m.

Complicated Dynamics: This demographic observation is right on target, in spite of Brewster's claim it will advance the Democratic party. I probably fall into that same cohort of moderate democrat fed up with Seattle. This is may be a markedly different group than the historical 'Reagan Democrat' in some respects, ...

Posted Thu, Jul 31, 10:59 a.m.

RE: Why the label of Drew Carey?: In areas that are democratically controlled the Libertarians do end up on the right side of the balance of power. Ron Paul's Houston area district was Democratic until Reagan, so arguably there the Libertarians are more Reagan democrat types. Curiously the predecessor incumbent ...

Posted Thu, Jul 31, 5:49 a.m.

Seattle pro sports has no balls (except for the Seahawks?): Let me try to explain, though I'm not sure if Mr. Berger will appreciate my translation, but then again the customer is always right, be it reader or spectator, no? What's really going on with Seattle Sports is the folks ...

Posted Wed, Jul 30, 6:16 p.m.

To make an estimate of Seattle's Future: To make an estimate of Seattle's future read the comment thread on Morrill's latest... Balls, yes Balls, may be just what's needed. As for me, I'm looking for some water east of the Cascades to float mine.... -D

Posted Wed, Jul 30, 6:08 p.m.

RE: Feels Like the City of 1975?: A fact also that you have not documented, not saying it isn't true, but it would be nice to read up on the details. D

Posted Wed, Jul 30, 11:51 a.m.

Fighting City Hall???: It would take a while to educate myself on this Judge's actions, but as a former Seattle resident I'm certainly sympathetic. I hope there are many current educated residents who are looking into the matter. I bought my first house in Tacoma over four years ago and ...

Posted Thu, Jul 24, 1:53 p.m.

RE: We Already Know That Sims and Ted Think: Paula Hammond was on the Eastsider Dave Ross's radio program, neither particularly Rossi types - and both angling for no light rail on the Eastside, running buses on I-90 instead. The plan is not the best possible and anyone who claims ...

Posted Thu, Jul 24, 1:46 p.m.

RE: Van Dyk's Sound Transit performance claims are valid: I as an adult student graduating into a slower economy I had the opportunity to attend a lot of the Board meetings ending not long before the 1996 successful vote. My recollections was that capital costs for track upgrades were anticipated, ...

Posted Thu, Jul 24, 1:31 p.m.

RE: sand point hangers: We definitely need some Seattle canoe facilities - otherwise Berger and I have to drive to Eastern Washington to go paddlin'. -Doug

Posted Tue, Jul 22, 12:22 p.m.

Tacoma's Blueberry Park: Tacoma has a public park where Blueberries can be picked gratis, thanks to some dedicated neighborhood gardeners. FWIW, I think Bellevue has at least two, but I've never tried either. I'll make a point of saying 'Om' with every berry this afternoon.... -Doug

Posted Tue, Jul 22, 12:15 p.m.

RE: Wrong from the second sentence: The founding board discussed at great length a couple of principles that the current 'control freak' powers that be have completely spat upon. First is the principle of sub-area equity - where you spend money roughly in proportion to the amount raised in the ...

Posted Tue, Jul 22, 12:06 p.m.

RE: Where do I send my contribution?: And the damage done to urban lifestyles by the control freaks behind Sound Transit would surely outweigh any benefits provided by speedy interurban transit. -Douglas Tooley

Posted Tue, Jul 22, 12:03 p.m.

RE: The Bailo Stationary Plan: Good points, but it isn't easy. Who decides these sorts of economic questions? There are certainly areas where large corporations with few competitors make sense - Boeing is certainly one of them, and the OS division of Microsoft is another. However the reason we have ...

Posted Tue, Jul 22, 11:56 a.m.

RE: Van Dyk's Sound Transit performance claims are valid: Your last point is perhaps the most persuasive - why is it that these folks are in such a hurry to get their financing nailed down for as long a period of time as the voters will give them - before ...

Posted Tue, Jul 22, 11:49 a.m.

RE: Fronting for Kemper Freeman: Rice is apparently a bellwether of the bad effects of what is, unfortunately, Baby Boomer management incompetence. Though he claims to be a nice guy, he is not. He and many, not all, of his staff members are just a bunch of primadonnas who go ...

Posted Tue, Jul 22, 11:43 a.m.

RE: This is not productive.: I do agree with you as to being sceptical about the reform proposal - the Port of Seatte example you cite being perfect. However although there was lip service given to the 'reform' of Sound Transit before it was, in fact, quite the opposite. The ...

Posted Fri, Jul 18, 5:54 a.m.

RE: Sound Transit - an Example of the Corruption of Corporate America under Boomer Leadership: Proponents of public projects can take a holier than thou attitude - the public interest is something that needs to be debated. When you throw people in jail who are responsible participants in that debate ...

Posted Fri, Jul 18, 5:32 a.m.

timing is everything: I'd advise against Eastern Washington in July or August, April-June, definitely, and also September-November. I've never understood why anyone would want to leave Western Washington during our short summer - there isn't anyplace nicer. Save the trips for when its needed, and there is nothing finer than ...

Posted Tue, Jul 15, 3:44 p.m.

RE: Buses can't meet the need: Right of way is important for bus transit to succeed - that's why Bob White successfully argued for HOV exit ramps - a very expensive section of ROW, but one that makes the ENTIRE network more efficient. One crucial difference between buses and light ...

Posted Tue, Jul 15, 3:38 p.m.

RE: Sound Transit - an Example of the Corruption of Corporate America under Boomer Leadership: The law is the law, for everybody, no?

Posted Tue, Jul 15, 9:43 a.m.

Sound Transit - an Example of the Corruption of Corporate America under Boomer Leadership: It isn't for me to say whether the Puget Sound should've invested in Light Rail 40 years ago. The fact is that the public expressed its will and the decision was made, period. That 40 year ...

Posted Fri, Jul 11, 10:11 a.m.

Nice: And hopefully cheaper than the $500,000 bike locker under I-5 - mostly due legal fees between Metro/Seattle and various freeway 'authorities', as 'fostered' by former Seattle Councilmember Sue Donaldson. BTW, a design thought, perhaps a bit smart ass - put a Bumber on that baby and you'd get a ...

Posted Fri, Jul 11, 9:58 a.m.

5000 Foot Lots: The typical 5000 foot lot is smaller than much of typical, post WW2 Suburbia. It's prevalence in Seattle is a bit of a historical artifact, built during the conversion from trolley to car. It is also an artifact that works very well. Respecting this success is perhaps ...

Posted Fri, Jul 11, 5:06 a.m.

Towards a solution: McDonald has it right - he's got a better hand on the details and the big picture than most of us. This is a complicated question and the need for civic education on the subject should be apparent for anyone who follows the various arguments. Il-informed comments ...

Posted Wed, Jun 18, 2:42 p.m.

Party over Politics: I'm currently in Durango, Southern Colorado, long enough now to get a good summer bake on, the sun kind. I've been hoping to write on my own blog about Barack's closing of the deal. The handling of the Florida and Michigan votes still disturbs me. The DNC ...

Posted Mon, Jun 9, 9:33 a.m.

It Takes Everybody: Although I disagree with Mossback on the Ballard Denny's he is right on with this piece. But it takes more than just a politically alignment of greens with internal consistency, it takes everybody. The converesation that Berger is attempting to start needs to happen, but everybody needs ...

Posted Fri, May 30, 7:10 a.m.

RE: ol white guys--cain't trust em: That's what Gates and co. are teaching at the UW these days, isn't it? Funny how those criticisms never seem to apply to them, just everyone else!?

Posted Fri, May 30, 6:56 a.m.

RE: Commons: How about we get Seattle Center working before we start whining about the Commons again, eh?

Posted Fri, May 30, 6:54 a.m.

RE: Questions: It's important in matters like this to take it piece by piece. The design is a seperate question from the funding, and even the design can be broken down into different elements. It looks to me that the design has merit. The problem has been discussed for decades, ...

Posted Fri, May 30, 6:32 a.m.

Japanese Maples of Seattle University: While finishing off my degree at the University of Washington I managed a mid-sized apartment building about a block from Seattle University, where Ciscoe once was landscape Czar. That campus has some fantastic specimen Japanese Maples. I had the opportunity to plant some trees in ...

Posted Wed, May 21, 10:25 a.m.

If it isn't Broke Don't Fix It.: Unfortunately the UW is broken - and I think this may well be endemic to many large public Universities. The reasons for this are difficult to understand as these institutions are deeply ingrained in the personal lives, positively and negatively, of just about ...

Posted Wed, May 21, 10:15 a.m.

RE: Highway robbery: I'm not sure where I stand on this issue, but it is a great topic. Brewster's point about the broad based useage of tourist taxes beyond just sports stadia is smart. Similarly we should be looking at the 1% for arts funds as a way of funding ...

Posted Wed, May 21, 10:07 a.m.

Smart Idea: Making provisions for environmental protection in a military area is just damn smart. It may well turn out that an area like this may well just turn out to be among the most viable low-elevation habitats anywhere in the US. Sure, I imagine quite a lot of environmentalists ...

Posted Wed, May 21, 10:01 a.m.

McDonalds is a Family Restaraunt: And it is also friendly to single men. And they don't get nutty when I ask for 'two cremes' either, if you get my point. :-) BTW, in my wanderings I worked as a temporary for Starbucks, probably 95 or 96 - sorry Howard, but ...

Posted Wed, May 21, 9:54 a.m.

A Case Study of Business History: This is the sort of coverage that is essential to a good understanding of how this area works - much better than the typical stuff that gets hyped up as being the true debates and battles of the moment. A good example of this ...

Posted Wed, May 21, 9:44 a.m.

Could voters in Florida and Michigan pass the WASL: Although the media is mentioning the undecided role of Florida and Michigan voters in the race I have yet to see, anywhere, an analysis of the possible range of impacts depending on the final decision. Would Hillary win if those votes ...

Posted Mon, May 12, 11:05 a.m.

We already have a Council with Authority: We have a council with more than advisory authority. It's called the City Council, and they have an authority that's based on their election. Not that the bureaucracy, or the courts and its officers, have any respect for that. In fact, be so ...

Posted Thu, May 8, 6:37 a.m.

In even the delusional there is often some truth: Like with the Monorail Nickels and Co. just can't seem to get it right. There is certainly no reason why the political lawn chairs on the deck of the ship can't be rearranged however we see fit - or for that ...

Posted Thu, May 8, 6:13 a.m.

RE: A new transportation line: Mayor Greg Nickels today showed of his new solar powered 'Batman Spotlight'. Nickels noted "now when I need to call Batman I can do so with zero carbon emissions". Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis continued explaining the technical aspects of the unique device: "this system provides ...

Posted Mon, Apr 28, 9:22 a.m.

Right, but old news: Though I lived in Seattle during Royer's reign my political memory really starts about the time of the race for his successor. Talk about Seattle process is nothing new - this is a cogent summary of it, and the era in which the author succeeded in ...

Posted Wed, Apr 23, 9:48 a.m.

One Act Con Game By Hugh Spitzer: From the P-I, November 18, 1997: "Washington state's Constitution stars with a Declaration of Rights stating that "all political power is inherent in the people" and that governments are established to protect and maintain individual rights." Op-Ed by Hugh Spitzer One must remember ...

Posted Wed, Apr 23, 9:32 a.m.

Git 'er Done: The Democratic party needs to get pragmatic about implementing its values here and figure this out. They need to do two things - 1. Figure out an acceptable way, and time, to bring in the Michigan and Florida votes. Waiting till after the rest of the States ...

Posted Wed, Apr 23, 9:23 a.m.

Leftie Capitalists: One of the most ironic things about Seattle is that Downtown's most liberal icon, the Pike Place Market area is also the purest capitalist endeavor in the City. Leftie values and business are not contradictory things, though the right wing folks that control our current system would certainly ...

Posted Mon, Apr 21, 12:54 p.m.

RE: Still Researching Ted? - White Lies: There is a connection. My recollection isn't strong enough to make specific allegations, but it is there. And there isn't anything illegal about that, just so long as the truth is out there. Which apparently none of the PMT supporters are willing to ...

Posted Mon, Apr 21, 12:51 p.m.

On budget: Bus ramps are a good thing, I agree. They are expensive, yes, but when one considers the efficiencies they add to the existing network (not the least of which is the traffic slowing effect of a bus moving from the left lane to the exit) they make a ...

Posted Mon, Apr 21, 12:45 p.m.

RE: Ted Van Dyk response: FWIW, as I recall 'R on Beacon Hill' had some sort of Sound Transit Job while heading PMT. PMT has definitely had in-kind support from engineering firm(s), couldn't say for sure about cash, but it would be a pretty safe bet, for investigatory purposes. Chuck ...

Posted Mon, Apr 21, 12:40 p.m.

R (P?) on Beacon Hill: If my memory, and extrapolation skills are working correctly, you would be Mr. P., yes? Check out my blog sometime, My Blog See ya around. -Douglas Tooley South Tacoma

Posted Mon, Apr 21, 12:35 p.m.

RE: Comment by Ted Van Dyk: People for Modern Transit was founded in conjunction with a respected Bellevue based engineering firm as part of their effort to obtain Sound Transit work. I attended a couple of their meetings - not my style, but not bad folks either. There are certainly ...

Posted Fri, Apr 18, 1:07 p.m.

RE: The Roots of Neighborhood Planning: I have not. Do you have a cite? The incident which prompted his resignation was an allegation of Date rape with, allegedly rohypinol, as I recall. The allegation was made quite some time later, if not months. Although I find it quite plausible that ...

Posted Fri, Apr 18, 11:19 a.m.

Not fit to comment on the Constitution: Any member of a profession that claims to own the Constitution is not fit to serve the public in any capacity. In fact, by their own common law, they are second class citizens not worthy of any authority whatsoever for the remainder of ...

Posted Fri, Apr 18, 11:08 a.m.

Kerman Kermoade's Neighborhood Planning Contribution: District Elections and Neighborhood Planning

Posted Fri, Apr 18, 11:06 a.m.

The Roots of Neighborhood Planning: Is neighborhood planning really about bottom up efforts? Or is it really a bunch of spoiled rotten white women, some of them man haters just going on a rampage? The implementation of neighborhood planning was perhaps the last accomplishment of Vision Seattle. It was envisioned ...

Posted Thu, Apr 17, 11 a.m.

Gregoire and Precedent: Confidential to Christine Gregoire: Legal precedent means the law you make applies to you as well as everybody else - not that every person you and the absolute wackos on your team have screwed over is screwed for life. More legal lessons to come. Anyone know where ...

Posted Thu, Apr 17, 10:56 a.m.

half full/half empty: Do you know the difference between a pessimist and an optomist? An optomist thinks things can't get any worse... A pessimist knows they can! BTW, Deliverance is one of my personal top ten, and if you'd like, I'd love to take you paddling sometime! :-)

Posted Wed, Apr 16, 10:05 a.m.

Regional Governance: I've been following regional governance since the late 1980's - I organized a forum on the UW Campus for KC 2000. While the UW people I met at that event were great, my opinion of the typical 'reform' process has dimmed. Unfortunately these same folks also have many ...

Posted Fri, Mar 28, 12:03 p.m.

All the news that's fit to print: Good profile on McClatchy - I'm aware of them as a regional powerhouse owning my local paper, the TNT - but I didn't know the details, including their large stake in the Times. Business history is filled with companies that have made the ...

Posted Wed, Mar 26, 12:12 p.m.

RE: What Are We Getting For All That Pork & Other Fed Research Funding?: Sad as it is we'd be much better off with David Brewster as a Regent than with the current crew. Pray to god there are some mathematically literate folks on the new 'team' as well. Handicap ...

Posted Fri, Mar 21, 10:21 a.m.

It's a fact of life: That if you want to play with the big boys Seattle - and call yourselves the international rival of Manhattan, Paris, Tokyo, Etc that the folks who made up the community of businesses that you used to house will leave. Like with big corporations such ...

Posted Fri, Mar 21, 9:25 a.m.

Small Steps: Though the increased competition in formerly 'safe' partisan districts will be small it will have positive effects much greater than actual risk. That's one of the big benefits of free speech - including benefits to those already in power (a little fact the legal profession in King County ...

Posted Fri, Mar 21, 9:09 a.m.

Symbolism: Potholes are a great, and functional, political symbol. But here in Tacoma we are more concerned with stopping the criminal dumping in Pierce County, perhaps nowhere else more significantly than in my own broader area as well as Hilltop. Historically Tacoma actually welcomed such folks - we do have ...

Posted Fri, Mar 21, 9:02 a.m.

Neighborhood Plan?: I was a member of the neighborhood plan board for the University District during the early 90's - first to be done in the City. I actually didn't live there and wasn't currently enrolled. The University District was my favorite place to hang out - I had a ...

Posted Tue, Mar 18, 9:29 a.m.

RE: Seattle hates privately funded arenas: Maybe they should offer their deal to Tacoma - might be a better deal for us than continuing to pour money into our convention center (which is, BTW, pretty sweet, though not profitable)

Posted Tue, Mar 18, 9:27 a.m.

This is a better proposal: However with the involvement of Matt Griffin it is really just an example of same old same old. If a car dealer tries to rip you off for 50k do you go back to him when he offers to give you a deal that might ...

Posted Tue, Mar 18, 9:24 a.m.

A Counter Proposal: What about spending that same money on improving highway's 2 and 7, and perhaps 101 - improving access to our superb natural assets?

Posted Tue, Mar 18, 9:22 a.m.

Well Said: Your point is a good one, and really the only good opposition in this entire comment thread. But the crucial distinction, in my mind, is how much we are paying people to work for our entertainment. An artist will likely work for 50k a year - the players ...

Posted Tue, Mar 18, 9:16 a.m.

Cry me a river....: Sports are a quality of life issue - an important issue, overall, to be sure. But there are many aspects to quality of life - and, for one, the health of Puget Sound is a quality of life issue, not mention also a public health matter, ...

Posted Tue, Mar 18, 9:11 a.m.

RE: The Real Agenda: FWIW the Sonics themselves aren't the real culprits. The folks who claim to work for them are. The biggest shame on the Sonics is the hiring of such overpaid, complete deadbeat, trash. That's the thing about bad lawyers, everybody ends up losing. It's lose-lose or win-win. ...

Posted Tue, Mar 18, 9:06 a.m.

It's a tough balance: I've know Kent for at least 15 years - he is probably to Seattle what Bill Cosby is to comedy in this Country. FWIW I think he does a better job as unofficial host than as official scribe, but that's just my opinion. In any case ...

Posted Fri, Mar 14, 11:02 a.m.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander: Sports, perhaps an equal apple to the orange of the Arts, are important to our culture. Though, FWIW, the majority of voting ages folks would probably be better off 'arting' up their homes or participating in a sport rather than ...

Posted Fri, Mar 14, 10:51 a.m.

More likely: More likey we will see a de-facto coalition built between the Democratic Party and a super-majority of independents. led by Tim Eyman as well as others, including Dino Rossi and Rob McKenna.

Posted Tue, Mar 11, 8:35 a.m.

How about working what you write: Like for example, 'working' as a 'VP' to a 30 something black man?

Posted Tue, Mar 11, 8:32 a.m.

Between the Highway and Wilderness: A small point here, a bit off topic. The Hwy 2 corridor parallels the Skykomish river, a national wild and scenic river. These laws were inspired by our own William O. Douglas and the scenic and recreational river classifications are supposed to be a commercial ...

Posted Fri, Mar 7, 9:49 a.m.

Gregoire and Hillary: Not making the articulation of the political pundits was the fact that Washington State was the start of Obama's win streak. Gregoire's endorsement of Obama just prior to that 'vote' is, hopefully, an indicator of some caution on Hillary's part with respect to Gregoire. FWIW Obama is ...

Posted Fri, Mar 7, 9:40 a.m.

What's Good for the Goose: The calculation of public benefit for investment in an open facility like Key Arena is tough. In the past their may have been lip service, but, frankly, it may be no more substantial than that of an English major writing a short story - a ...

Posted Thu, Mar 6, 9:34 a.m.

RE: Leadership lacking? Do a survey!: On that theme there is only one question worth asking - Does the Sound Transit Organization merit a second chance? That's not one for a self appointed lackie 'citizen' commission to answer for us so as to preserve the power at the source of ...

Posted Thu, Mar 6, 9:29 a.m.

Well written: As a business profile, but I'll tell you Albers still has a long ways to go to get credibility with me - perhaps no better than Crosscut itself. It is quite true that Russel is as important to Tacoma as Boeing is to Washington. It is also true ...

Posted Wed, Feb 27, 12:34 p.m.

Wrongest: We all pay for elections - yet the laws enacted by the legislature in response to this federal decision specifically require that all crossover and independent votes not be tabulated. Personally, I'm fine if the parties do as they wish, at their expense. But when you charge us to ...

Posted Wed, Feb 27, 12:22 p.m.

RE: What's Your City?: The growth management act SHOULD not have been a blunt instrument - rather an effective implementation of transportation 'concurrency' fees would have given us a market based solution to these questions. The funding of 520 and the viaduct, though both urban, are good examples of this. ...

Posted Tue, Feb 26, 7:37 a.m.

On that subject: Tonight, Tuesday the 26th, Crosscut's Brewster, Fancher of the Seattle Times and the Oregonian Editor will be panelists at a Tacoma News Tribune event. Ad revenue isn't the topic, but it's pretty close.

Posted Mon, Feb 25, 12:02 p.m.

Can we have a commenter's pick for good posts?: Sjenner gets it exactly right. It's a totally non-scientific push poll. That said, I do agree with most of what they are 'pushing' as an alternative, with one exception. As Jenner notes light rail across I-90 isn't wise. Better to delay ...

Posted Mon, Feb 25, 7:32 a.m.

Good Points About McCain: It will be interesting to see how these charges play out. FWIW I'm listening to these, whereas the recent NYT stories about McCain were pretty obviously disgusting. McCain still has my ear, and I am a big Boeing supporter. I never looked into the financial improprieties ...

Posted Mon, Feb 25, 7:13 a.m.

RE: But why does the process take so long?: The end effect of justifying stifling bureaucracy through various 'noble' intentions is problematic. It does seem though that there might be a nexus of interests around historic preservation and design review. These are subjects of judgement. They are not subjects of ...

Posted Mon, Feb 25, 7:06 a.m.

RE: But why does the process take so long?: The end effect of justifying stifling bureaucracy through various 'noble' intentions is problematic. It does seem though that there might be a nexus of interests around historic preservation and design review. These are subjects of judgement. They are not subjects of ...

Posted Mon, Feb 25, 6:55 a.m.

So now I understand: Why Norm Rice got rid of Norward Brooks by disposing of the Comptroller's Office!

Posted Tue, Feb 19, 11:12 a.m.

Points of Focus, aka Foci: There is, if you will, a political omission in this piece. Microsoft was able to compete with the more flexible structure of Silicon Valley with some very revealing strategies. Microsoft is monolithic, silicon valley organic and decentralized. There is a role for both in our ...

Posted Tue, Feb 19, 10:58 a.m.

Seattle vs. Tacoma: In support of the position that it is Seattle which is the humorless: 133 Blog Video Links The PSA is short and captures the essence of the two 5 minute or so shorts done by the same team. All are time worthy. BTW, why no discussion of ...

Posted Thu, Feb 14, 11:02 a.m.

RE: The Horror: Best be careful, you might give some developer poetic inspiration.

Posted Thu, Feb 14, 10:59 a.m.

RE: Coffee? Please!: I'm still waiting for the annual Cobain festival at the Park where Madison Park turns into Madrona, adjacent to the Cobain manse. A little story - I participated in this web seminar yesterday about economic development and retail. As you may be aware I know a little ...

Posted Thu, Feb 14, 10:49 a.m.

Looks okay to me: I was reading Motor Trend at the Barber yesterday, not sure which issue - they had a story on this building BMW has built in Germany - it's in that same 'edgy' genre as the new Library, and some of the stuff they are building in ...

Posted Tue, Feb 12, 1:05 p.m.

Gregoire lost Hillary the nomination: Elsewhere in this discussion a stat of Hilary having 47% negative is mentioned - don't know if this is true, but if lined everyone in a line from negative to positive I'd come in somewhere in the upper 50 range on the postive side. I ...

Posted Tue, Feb 12, 12:47 p.m.

You are missing the story here: Mr. Berger- You present this story of Republican criticism of other Republicans as something new and a stealth campaign against Gregoire. It isn't new, and, FWIW, if the Democrats had half the integrity evidenced by the Republican activists in this issue they would've never ...

Posted Mon, Feb 11, 12:50 p.m.

Very Well Put: Unfortunately I won't be dead. There is a crucial topic to understanding how our economy works. FWIW the expansion of home ownership is a good thing for the economy and War is bad. Don't let any Republican's tell you otherwise, directly or indirectly. Consider this though, a ...

Posted Mon, Feb 11, 11:32 a.m.

Ferry Ideas: The director of Kitsap Transit several years ago floated an idea that makes sense in this discussion - and may well the victim of exactly the balkanization effect Brewster points out. His idea was to use a car ferry as your transit center - transfer among routes while ...

Posted Mon, Feb 11, 11:23 a.m.

Eastside Rail Details: Understanding Eastside Rail requires an understanding of the Eastside. It is true that the proposed joint rail trail operation does not go through the center of downtown Bellevue - it does however go through the it's outer reaches, including Bellevue City Hall. As such a connection from ...

Posted Mon, Feb 11, 11:02 a.m.

Reading Tea Leaves: Here's an interpretation of Saturday's 68-31 percent vote in Obama's victory among the party faithful, albeit with my usual agenda- Democrats know the problems with the games of the typical old girl political network - manifested here via Christine Gregoire - though the 'games' still do play ...

Posted Mon, Feb 4, 12:13 p.m.

quite the contrast: That's quite the contrast to the 'people' around here calling themselves 'successful' businessmen as they suck off the treasury and balloon the deficit. Pity us poor 'losers' who would actually point out that the emperor is naked. Douglas Tooley Lincoln, Tacoma

Posted Sun, Feb 3, 10:16 a.m.

Now that's ironic: I actually pay more B&O than Bill! -Douglas Tooley Lincoln, Tacoma

Posted Thu, Jan 31, 12:58 p.m.

It is 'their' property: Trying to save downtown Seattle is a noble cause, but it is one perhaps best left to the powers that be. The important thing is that they not receive subsidies for their efforts - excessive or not. Focusing your efforts on developing quality alternatives might be ...

Posted Thu, Jan 31, 11:10 a.m.

RE: Media Distorts Important Message: Good points, but generalizing from local experience nationwide is hard - Seattle and Greater Bellevue may well be a region of aristocrats and those who serve them, but the situation is different elsewhere. FWIW, McCain, given his support for immigration reform, may well grab the ...

Posted Thu, Jan 31, 10 a.m.

Credibility: I was once a tunnel sceptic because of the record of recent projects such as the big dig project. FWIW, I think the tunnel may well be the way to go now, when one looks at the big picture - including the highly unlikely possibility of expanding I-5 through ...

Posted Thu, Jan 31, 9:17 a.m.

Respectfully, I Disagree, Completely: I'm sorry Mr. Berger but contrary to your thesis every candidate still in the race is a populist to some degree. Just because the phonies drop out does not a theory prove. True, Hillary is perhaps the closest thing to an establishment candidate - but the ...

Posted Tue, Jan 22, 1:19 p.m.

Locked in Confrontation?: The core issues here aren't subject to mediation. We've got a bunch of power mad genetic defects running around with their pants unzipped - anyone who even gives these losers the time of day is part of the problem.

Posted Sat, Jan 19, 1:13 p.m.

Well....: Back before the whole Commons thing local business owners had a plan to connect South Lake Union to Seattle Center with an expanded Parkway kind of thing. Extending the Benson Trolley to Seattle Center has been batted around for quite some time as well.

Posted Fri, Jan 18, 11 a.m.

RE: WWHSS - What would Homer Simpson say?: my faith in you, though challenged, is restored

Posted Fri, Jan 18, 10:58 a.m.

RE: Will anything work?: David, et al- Light Rail and Modern Streetcars are the same guage. This technological kismet offers us an opportunity to proceed with light rail development on region wide basis that is also pedestrian friendly. Those two goals are not easily meshed, but I believe it possible ...

Posted Thu, Jan 17, 6:28 a.m.

Before my Time: This is before my time, but still valid speculation. Perhaps the reason voters turned down the first light rail proposal wasn't because they were stupid but in fact because they realized the corruption associated with the backers? Just a thought gentle reader, but perhaps we should have ...

Posted Thu, Jan 17, 6:21 a.m.

There is still a role for parties: I'm an independent, but that doesn't mean I don't respect the few honest politicians who actively work within a party framework. One of the best examples of the crucial role of the parties is the denial of both candidates 'sponsored' by the Greater ...

Posted Wed, Jan 16, 8:49 a.m.

Caucus and the Primary: I think I'm gonna caucus as a Republican, but vote in the primary as a Democrat. The parties won't mind if I lie about my political affiliation, will they? FWIW I DO mind that the parties have conspired to remove my VOICE as an independent in ...

Posted Mon, Jan 14, 6:14 p.m.

RE: The numbers are insanely high: yeah, insane is the word. So the solution you propose is that the rest of the people of the State pay for your unfeasible project? If the costs of living in Seattle become unbearable then perhaps you should move. Either that, or get Bill ...

Posted Mon, Jan 14, 5:35 a.m.

All Well and Good: I'm a supporter of congestion pricing - and I suppose, as a resident of Pierce County my say on this matter is limited, though I guess the details of that are up for current debate. However some words of advice to my less savy neighbors to ...

Posted Sun, Jan 13, 4:22 a.m.

RE: Hansen et. al. - Money for UW if you pick Everett: I met Hansen when he was Mayor of Everett and sitting on the Sound Transit Board. He wasn't a typical politician charmer by any means, my recollection of him (not verified through much personal dealings) is as an ...

Posted Sun, Jan 13, 4:08 a.m.

If you want Tacoma to solve your problems: If you want Tacoma to solve your problems you are going to have to pay for it. Don't come to Olympia whining about how it's all a structural problem. What a bunch of deadbeat LOSERS. I was at both the Seattle hearing ...

Posted Tue, Jan 8, 10:19 a.m.

RE: Meltdown...: I would have pegged you as a Republican actually - mathematically literate democrats are my personal favorites, starting with Sonntag on down, including his friends on the right side, perhaps starting with McKenna. Perhaps the two of them could make a good fill in for everything Gregoire lacks ...

Posted Mon, Jan 7, 8:50 a.m.

Just Wondering: You'd think the tax revenues in Tukwila, with Southcenter and Boeing, must be high - per capita I'd be they are highest in the State, though I haven't checked. Just wondering, but what in the world do they do with all that cash? City Hall is nice, but ...

Posted Wed, Jan 2, 7:17 a.m.

Final Analysis - on Evans?: Reading between the lines the biggest consequence, if not motivation, of Mercer Island's Jarrett is an endorsement of Gregoire over his Issaquah neighbor Dino Rossi. Personally, I'm opposed to Gregoire - as far as I'm concerned the question is whether she belongs in jail or ...

Posted Wed, Jan 2, 6:11 a.m.

Schloomberg, et al: Call me a pessimist, but it looks like there's a segment of NY society that is hedging its Giullianni bet against Hillary. I'm only a distant observer of that City, but I can figure out some of the dynamics of the Giulliani led revival. Like with Reagan ...

Posted Wed, Jan 2, 6:04 a.m.

Only one thing for sure...: This election is not going to change the approval polling of the Presidency, or Congress, by much. McCain and Clinton have, for different reasons, the potential to be the most positive. Obama is the best leader, but the very worst thing that could occur would ...

Posted Wed, Jan 2, 5:47 a.m.

Shoulda been a main story: Very interesting. FWIW I'd bet Portland beats Seattle on the local engagement measure, by quite a bit, but that's a guess. Seattle needs some 'old testament' justice on its City employees who run around accusing people of criminal harrassment to any one who cares to ...

Posted Sat, Dec 29, 8:43 a.m.

Portlandville - an interstate perspective on the Light Rail vs. Seattle Streetcar debate: Twas down in Portland for Christmas, a city reliably provides a good experience. As Goldilocks would say before encountering the three bears - not too big, not too small, but just right. I haven't ridden the Seattle ...

Posted Thu, Dec 27, 2:05 p.m.

Well: I certainly could see how the scenario of D. Brennan could come to play - with those in power that outcome is also a fairly safe bet. However done right it might well be the ONLY solution to the mess we find ourselves in now. Much of what we ...

Posted Wed, Dec 26, 11:35 a.m.

Flying Rats and Swimming Bears: Have you ever seen a baby pigeon? For an urban resident who contemplates such subjects this is a true conundrum - they must exist, right? I saw my first this summer, while re-wiring my Tacoma home (now complete enough to show off). Made getting cooked ...

Posted Thu, Dec 20, 7:19 a.m.

Paying it forward with the Tech: Well said, Mr. Stuka. One thing to keep in mind with both technologies is that they could be used not just for tolling, but also for additional purposes - all under the umbrella of what some call 'Intelligent Vehicle Systems'. Most important of those ...

Posted Thu, Dec 20, 7:07 a.m.

The idea is good, but...: It won't necessarily solve the problem. I've been talking about an elected solution for some time, perhaps as long as a decade, and certainly before even the start of the Rice/Stanton effort, most likely one 'brokered' by the incompetent Stanford Frat boy lawyer Mike Vaska. ...

Posted Thu, Dec 20, 6:59 a.m.

Tacoma News Tribune Weighs In: Today's Tribune weighs in on this subject, with some more detail about what's planned regarding the issue of 'sub-area' equity. TNT Print Published Blog Item Just because a sex predator changes from a red suit to a blue one doesn't mean they won't still be ...

Posted Wed, Dec 19, 10 a.m.

RE: Husky Stadium light rail line: All this is is an attempt by one of the two big Sound Transit law firms to hedge their bets. It does appear to be a bit of a competitive move against PGE through some shared motivation between Foster Pepper Sheffelman the Discovery Institute. ...

Posted Wed, Dec 19, 9:55 a.m.

RE: No Joke: This is a good example of why lawyers calling for 'bipartisanship' is a joke. Mike Vaska was Foster Pepper Sheffelman's attorney on the Sound Transit effort. As I recall his most significant contribution was the naming the agency, but perhaps it was just the Sounder train. Vaska ...

Posted Wed, Dec 19, 9:03 a.m.

Measure of a Politician: Perhaps the best measure of a politician is the moment the choose to resign from office. Standing up for ones principles is important, but it can become counterproductive. Resignation at an appropriate moment can, in fact, be the highest, true, mark of distinction. Former King County ...

Posted Tue, Dec 18, 9:06 a.m.

RE: Perhaps we Seattle-ites can be lucky enough to get a LOT of retirements: All I know is that Kohl-Welles's press releases are a good bet for a snicker. I don't know Sommers well, but she has my utmost respect. FWIW I'd attribute that last budget where they spent all ...

Posted Tue, Dec 18, 8:55 a.m.

Floods and Droughts: Somehow I just cant forget this weatherpicture on the front page of the paper - I think it was the P-I. At that time the usual suspects were raising the alarm over the potential for a drought. The picture was supposed to illustrate the point, showing a ...

Posted Tue, Dec 18, 8:43 a.m.

Glad I read it, but: Norm Rice is still incompetent. Just because he can steal somebody else's good idea and throw them in jail instead of recognizing their contribution, let alone pay for it, doesn't mean that he'll be able to actually make that idea work. Rather, quite the contrary. ...

Posted Thu, Dec 13, 11:27 a.m.

Ditto: This piece does definitely take credit for discovering something that is quite obvious to any observer of Real Estate patterns. South Lake Union has been zoned for high tech since the 80's - the exact path by which this was realized was not forseen, but the direction is nothing ...

Posted Thu, Dec 13, 11:19 a.m.

I love my dog: Sometimes well crafted words don't pass the 'sniff' test, such as the above. I wonder who pays you for such 'professionalism'. -DLT

Posted Thu, Dec 13, 11:12 a.m.

Maybe: Maybe the reason subway rail failed is because it doesn't make sense? Or perhaps it is because Ellis's business practices have alienated way too many people? Methinks the answer is both. Rail can work, but it has to prove itself, segment by segment. It ought to be like a ...

Posted Tue, Dec 11, 9:30 a.m.

I've actually got a solution...: It's still in the oven - biggest thing missing is the 'position' on my part to see it through over the time it's going to take.

Posted Tue, Dec 11, 6:27 a.m.

Real Estate Numbers: It would be interesting to see a comparison of the relative benefit to the State between Microsoft and the imported Real Estate equity of recent immigrants - some of whom no doubt are leaving places they had a hand in messing up. Numbers aside though, I think ...

Posted Tue, Dec 11, 6:18 a.m.

Sometimes a little bit of distance...: A hunter of integrity has the utmost respect for his prey, and most importantly, takes only what he needs - the respect of a gardener is similar, but not exactly the same for the fruits and plants harvested. (Gardening and 'gathering' has historically has ...

Posted Thu, Dec 6, 3:49 p.m.

Has this 'crisis' already been solved?: This isn't a new 'crisis' - certainly in the long run (last 150 years), tree cover has decreased. The lack of trees compared to suburban Cities is stark. But there have been programs for quite some time addressing this subject, and I suspect they ...

Posted Tue, Dec 4, 8:14 a.m.

Something to think about: I live close to Downtown Tacoma, and we certainly have plenty of the panhandling sort, but it has never been a problem here. I am concerned about the traffic in my alley, in part from freeway located encampments. That alley is on a route to a ...

Posted Mon, Dec 3, 10:26 a.m.

Bear Shit: Well, I think that answers the question about a tree falling in the forest. BTW, quickest route to the Bellevue Cinema is from the backdoor of the parking garage on 108th - entry and exit. -DLT

Posted Mon, Dec 3, 10:20 a.m.

RE: e-member, this is the guy: Heck, I stopped drinking when I reached legal age! (well that's a lie, but not far from the truth when it comes to smoking). My impression was that Carr did try to distinguish himself from Sidran - but that of course could mean any ...

Posted Mon, Dec 3, 10:11 a.m.

On-Line Revenue: The ad revenue picture is one that isn't really that solid. I am actually quite surprised that no one has stepped up to fill the 'yellow page' niche - the source you go to for a purchase that could be made locally, or nationally. I guess Google is ...

Posted Fri, Nov 30, 2:08 p.m.

2008: Washington does matter - the folks behind Gregoire have power nationally too. I'm supporting Hillary, though a McCain comeback might cause me to change my mind. I think she's got a shot at solving some of the problems this country faces. If Gregoire wins, I'm leaving the Country. BTW, ...

Posted Fri, Nov 30, 2 p.m.

Harrassers.org: Although I only have problems with 'Will@Horsesass.org' I must admit I find this interpretation of their corporate name satisfying. My apologies to all who might find the repetition boring. ...It's still making me happy... -Doug

Posted Fri, Nov 30, 1:56 p.m.

Whine, Whine: Try reading the Kline quote on the front page of the Paper today - for example.(I'm not sure whether it is the TNT or the Times - I get both currently on the weekend.) Reality is not a shouting match, it can be much harsher than that. You ...

Posted Wed, Nov 28, 10:46 a.m.

It takes all kinds: The winner of last year's Nobel Peace Prize was a Bangladeshian by the name of Mohamad Yunus (along with his private micro-capital Grameen Bank). An economist winning the peace prize got that community in a buzz. Some have gone so far as to proclaim the micro-capital ...

Posted Fri, Nov 23, 7:32 a.m.

Correction: Bill Gates is not an entrepeneur - he's a just a lucky kid - a mom who got him the business just like she got the divorce business for Pop - pop's firm just happened to be powerful enough to use him as a patsy for one of the ...

Posted Wed, Nov 21, 6:32 a.m.

Well: Uh, it's not like anyone never warned you. Taxing yourself - or the State - out of Seattle's situation is kind of problematic. The simple fact is that a dollar towards subsidized housing is just increased demand, raising prices by a near exact amount. There are some things that ...

Posted Wed, Nov 21, 6:23 a.m.

Soccer Moms: I'm not in touch with families in Seattle, but in Portland, perhaps the most kid friendly urban city in America, Soccer is big. Perhaps it is the influence of Phil Knight, he's certainly doing okay by the UofO - heck, I bet even Patty Murray owns one pair ...

Posted Tue, Nov 20, 8:03 a.m.

RE: New Status Enhancer Award?: Consider it done, if we can set a date. Where exactly in Phuket was it? -Doug

Posted Tue, Nov 20, 8 a.m.

Use or Abuse: The TNT had a related story leading their local section this a.m. It's not about e-mail specifically, dealing with the use of YouTube by Blockwatchers. It does however have the activists e-mail prominently displayed. There was recently a controversy about providing police accessibility to private webcams downtown ...

Posted Sat, Nov 17, 8:45 p.m.

RE: A much more varied radical history: The divestiture movement of the Reagan years marked a transition between these two periods. Berger's omissions of 60's and 70's radicalism is more telling though. As Freud said, before he plunged into cocaine psychosis, and came up with that oedipal stuff, "all progress ...

Posted Sat, Nov 17, 9:02 a.m.

A glimpse into the soul of Seattle: An honest look at leftist politics in Seattle reveals what this City is all about. Now, mark my words, there are lots of good people in this City who have prospered in the shadow of the dynamic I am about to articulate, but ...

Posted Wed, Nov 14, 8:25 a.m.

Reasonable Carey: My attention has been caught by Drew Carey as of late. I'm a subscriber to Reason - a surprisingly popular monthly (and not surprisingly very well written). I must say a libertarian (small l) host of the 'Price is Right' is quite entertaining. I bet Steven Colbert may ...

Posted Tue, Nov 13, 1:11 p.m.

Legal Disclosure: Though some Attorney Client privilege might be a good idea, it would also be good to know who the client's of law firms doing business with the public are. We can figure out the rest, never a detail disclosed. -D

Posted Tue, Nov 13, 8:34 a.m.

Face It, We've got a Strongman: It's called the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce. Though they like to call neighbors who rightly oppose their corporate welfare incompetence 'NIMBY's" the fact is that the cycle of wrongful 'Strongarming' begins with them and their friends. Put forth a solid design backed up ...

Posted Mon, Nov 12, 9:06 a.m.

Brainstormin': Though I do agree that there is room for more research education in Western Washington I think we would be better served by a private institution of the caliber of a Stanford or Yale. There is certainly demand for additional four year degrees, but I think we might be ...

Posted Fri, Nov 9, 10:21 a.m.

Harrassers.Org: True, the Seattle voters know exactly what the 'f' they are talking about. (Your words, not mine.) -Doug

Posted Fri, Nov 9, 10:19 a.m.

RE: The County Council is proportional!: I'll trust Phillips and Gossett. Ferguson, Constantine and Patterson seem to be following Hague in her degeneracy, in that order. Did anyone hear Constantine's radio ads on KIRO? Is anyone complaing about 'f' you money, however it might be collected? -Doug

Posted Fri, Nov 9, 10:14 a.m.

RE: No. Seperate regional and loca: 10-4 The County should close down it's District Courts and transfer all authority to the municipals, if not even the 'neighborhood' courts. The District Court folks have a chip on their shoulders being second class citizens to the folks in Superior Court (though perhaps ...

Posted Fri, Nov 9, 10:03 a.m.

Whoops: How could I be so crass and stupid. Please, let me correct myself. Make that Madam Goddamnable. -D

Posted Fri, Nov 9, 10 a.m.

Jean Godden: Definitely. I can't believe no one had the temerity to say it before me. -Doug

Posted Fri, Nov 9, 9:49 a.m.

RE: the answer to your question: Although I know Flynn and Kumasaka I'm watching this from a long ways away. The thing that comes shining through the fog is those policy statements the School District published recently that said, effectively, all white people are racists and minorities are incapable of ...

Posted Fri, Nov 9, 9:39 a.m.

RE: That takes courage: And anyone who has been around town at all knows he's earned the right to be listened to, no matter how delusional he may seem, or not seem.

Posted Wed, Nov 7, 7:36 a.m.

Business Advice for Seattle, the Sierra Club, and David Brewster: Instead of trying to bully through poorly thought corporate welfare legislation via allegations of creepiness and craziness try this simple tool; the conversation. Yes, that's a rip from a Trader Joe's tagline, but that's a good demographic, likely only to ...

Posted Tue, Nov 6, 9:40 a.m.

Gregoire a Business Leader?: I think not. I don't even think she knows the law all that well. Look at who her top two attorney hires are. Mark Sidran and Jenny Durkan. Bipartisanship, my ass, just a bunch of unaccounable primadonnas looking for more of the same. Another related activity ...

Posted Tue, Nov 6, 9:22 a.m.

If it isn't broken, don't fix it: Here I was so certain Crosscut had lost it quite badly on the transportation issue, when there's a post I can't stop from commenting on. The first fact is that Sound Transit is broken - the lack of accountability of this particular agency ...

Posted Fri, Nov 2, 9:02 a.m.

Al Gore: I smell the words 'Climate Czar' in the winds of words. Let the War on Carbon begin....!

Posted Fri, Nov 2, 8:59 a.m.

It's the doing of it...: I've previously made a claim to be one of the originators of the idea for the Pacific Interchange. After Brewster's piece I though I'd see if I could document and date same. I certainly cannot claim credit for implementing the idea, just for being a ...

Posted Wed, Oct 31, 4:47 p.m.

After Survey Comments: Requiring people to sign in prior to participating in a survey would be better than limiting by IP address. You might have a problem with folks creating fake accounts in order to stuff the ballot box, but that could also be dealt with, if necessary. Also, the ...

Posted Wed, Oct 31, 4:39 p.m.

Unscientific, but: I conducted a small poll for the neighborhood group Vision Seattle on the Seattle Commons proposal. The responses to that were well under 100, but they were a wide cross-section of educated and involved citizens - the results were contrary to popular wisdom - but in the end ...

Posted Wed, Oct 31, 4:27 p.m.

RE: Bass ackwards...: Start with the UW administration. As I recall the NCAA investigation cited problems with the 'span of control' - I don't think that 'span' has been fixed - certainly its problems are evident from other perspectives as well. I think the Alumni are feeling milked quite a ...

Posted Wed, Oct 31, 4:19 p.m.

RE: I wish SOMEONE would have asked Hizzoner about: Good points. Perhaps if our electeds, like Jane Hague and Julia Patterson, weren't quite so quick to take offense at anyone who testifies to the TRUTH and defame their constituents we might have a government that worked for everyone, not just ...

Posted Wed, Oct 31, 4:12 p.m.

RE: NAME THEM CARS: It seemed strange that the one's to pay the piper for the Colacurcio's corruption efforts were Wills and NiCastro. Now they might be a bit gullible(and too young for the office) and I might be a bit of a sucker for a pretty girl who flirts ...

Posted Wed, Oct 31, 4:04 p.m.

RE: WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE: Yeah, that is a risk, but I think just making it tougher will be a good thing, regardless of specifics. Congestion pricing is a highway strategy, but it does maximize existing resources if you price roads so they stay at a speed level that maximizes ...

Posted Tue, Oct 30, 8:26 a.m.

Reverse Racism: Eyman would probably hate that term but I just love how all the politically correct folks and their panderers love to scapegoat post-Boomer Eyman for the evils of their fathers - not to mention their alcholic selves. Not it may well be that Eyman in not completely without ...

Posted Tue, Oct 30, 8:17 a.m.

An invitation: Wanna go to the 'Prosperity' 'Partnership' luncheon on Thursday? -Doug

Posted Tue, Oct 30, 8:11 a.m.

Who is the enemy?: There's a fatal flaw in your argument - easily discernible enough to not make your waffling worth reading - Prop 1 does not provide a business model to move people that works. The business model that is at work in this plan is nothing but a ...

Posted Mon, Oct 29, 1:48 p.m.

SLUT vs. LINK: Not that I am betting man, but... The SLUT is going to be one heck of a lot more 'popular' than Sound Transit's LINK. :-) -DT

Posted Mon, Oct 29, 1:29 p.m.

It takes a Village...: Kent's argument is a good one - but I too think an expensive school building can be a good thing, but we aren't getting our money's worth now. Designed obsolesence is something that occurs in all to many products, public buildings included. We should be spending ...

Posted Mon, Oct 29, 8:41 a.m.

Step Forward?: The shorter format the Crosscut team is experimenting around with is one that also lends itself to a higher priority presentation of quality discussions. I've seen em delete a few posts, and, by and large, they do so with credibility. But this new format appears that it makes ...

Posted Mon, Oct 29, 8:04 a.m.

Political Strategies: Targeting the neighborhoods of respected political writers for grass roots action is a smart strategy - I've no idea if this was same, or not. FWIW I might even be able to take credit for the Union Bay bypass of the Montlake Neighborhood (which requires the interchange in ...

Posted Mon, Oct 29, 7:11 a.m.

Sue Rahr and the KC Criminal Justice Council: If you weren't aware the Criminal Justice Council is an ad-hoc body comprised of 'leaders' in various segments of King County's various legal functions. It's only public existence that I've discovered is a press release by Larry Gossett, several years ago. No ...

Posted Fri, Oct 26, 9:41 a.m.

Lean Math for the Numerically Illiterate: "Squander the money now because we can get the votes." That says it all in single sentence. For more on a related topic see: A Blog -DT

Posted Fri, Oct 26, 9:33 a.m.

Penumbras: Blame it on the Penumbra of alcoholic legal professionals.... -D.

Posted Fri, Oct 26, 9:31 a.m.

It's the cross BASE hwy: I'm am not unsympathetic to the need for the preservation of low elevation wild space/habitat. I'll have to say though this looks like a case of knee jerk army/white male/america haters more than a substantive argument. I am certainly open to hearing more, but from ...

Posted Fri, Oct 26, 8:37 a.m.

My Sally Clark Story: A good apple in a rotten barrel? I met Sally Clark while a transfer student at the UW. Perhaps unwisely I made the decision to focus my older student community activities off campus, but did have a chance to interact with Ms. Clark during her term ...

Posted Thu, Oct 25, 8:01 a.m.

Generational Transit: But it doesn't hold up. The politics are tough, and from a backword looking perspective, you are completely right. But we need to look forward, not just to a better transportation future, but also to a better government. One, for example, not filled with liars out to fill ...

Posted Wed, Oct 24, 11:25 a.m.

RE: Sit down before you fall down, chief.: Are you for real? There isn't a single thing that's even worthy of responing to in this spurt. I did respond to you in your reply to my comments about the potential quality of bus service, though for some reason you take ...

Posted Wed, Oct 24, 11:18 a.m.

RE: more buses won't get people to ride in them.: I have ridden Seattle buses quite a bit, but it has been a few years, and I may well be out of date. Please don't F'in insult me because I disclose possible faults with my proclamations. A couple of thoughts ...

Posted Wed, Oct 24, 11:09 a.m.

It's gotta be paid for...: Three inter-related opportunities to finance health care - and maybe even pay off the deficit: 1. Legalize, and Tax, Marijuana - dedicate cigarette and alcohol taxes to medical care 2. Make health insurance a requirement, like car insurance, for anyone wishing to purchase any drug, ...

Posted Tue, Oct 23, 10:08 p.m.

RE: more buses won't get people to ride in them.: Your argument is commonly extended as a justification for light rail - allegedly attractive to a better class of rider - which may well have happened in a market or two. But there is nothing save happenstance going on here. ...

Posted Tue, Oct 23, 9:19 a.m.

RE: This is a serious transportation proposal, but...: For the purpose of the ballot question the appropriate analysis of Dr. Morrill's outline is "are these things so obvious so as to indicate bad management on the part of Sound Transit?" The question is not whether another proposal would pass or ...

Posted Tue, Oct 23, 7:28 a.m.

Can 'they' handle the truth? (continues above): The fact is that 'they' can't handle the truth - this marks the difference between a good organization and a bad one (as well as a bad lawyer and a good lawyer). Rather than responding to their critics they have sought to discredit ...

Posted Tue, Oct 23, 7:20 a.m.

Is it legal to lie about the Public's Finances?: This argument that opponents of Prop. 1 have no alternative is a lie, if not an outright fraud. The fact is that the Sound Transit Board has completely failed in their financial responsibility to manage two major areas of their capital ...

Posted Fri, Oct 19, 7:41 a.m.

Hague's Leadership: It appears that Velasquez is one smart cookie - she certainly learned from the Jane Hague case how 'non-partisan' law works in King County. She executed her education with quite a bit more class than Hague. Give her a few years. Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for Satterberg to ...

Posted Thu, Oct 18, 2:39 p.m.

Sharing Walnettos with Goldy Hawn: We were allowed to watch Laugh-In - though probably not from the start. I do recall the skits you mentioned. Truly a seminal show - probably inspiring Saturday Night Live - the early years of which would be more indicative of my era. As Lily ...

Posted Thu, Oct 18, 10:21 a.m.

RE: Walt Whitman at WW: Well, I have to admit, I'm making it up as I go along too. I spent the weekend near Goose Prairie and am developing an affection for the area - just now starting to read on W.O. After Douglas' father died the family moved from ...

Posted Thu, Oct 18, 9:42 a.m.

Tibetan Tangent: Although I didn't vote for George Bush he does, occassionally, deserve kudos - his welcoming of the Dalai Lama in Washington D.C. is one of those. A suggestion to China - perhaps as a follow-up to the Olympics as a symbol of the continuing re-birth of the longest ...

Posted Thu, Oct 18, 9:20 a.m.

Walt Whitman at WW: Let's hope William Orville Douglas - inspirer of the Wild and Scenic Rivers act, and graduate of Whitman (law school was at Columbia) - would be proud. -D.

Posted Mon, Oct 15, 12:12 p.m.

Coining a good phrase does not a great journalist make: There are some jewels in this piece - Schlocks vs. Aints; stevie wonder at badminton, etc. However the only thing that sucks is the primadonna fans that booed the Hawks relatively early on - and, for that matter, in the ...

Posted Mon, Oct 15, 10:53 a.m.

Case in point: I ran into exactly one of those road maintenance issues this weekend. The Bumping Lake area of the William O. Douglas Wilderness is perhaps the closest remote spot to Pugetopolis - when Chinook pass is open. It is not widely used, which is a good thing. I ...

Posted Mon, Oct 15, 10:35 a.m.

Forest Management: At my core I am sympathetic to arguments related to wise management of forest land. However the doing of it is more problematic - and I think a great example of the problems we face in our society - our Cities, if you will. I am a bit ...

Posted Mon, Oct 15, 9:07 a.m.

RE: Question Authority: BTW- Joni Earl, the replacement for the Scapegoat Bob White, should not be considered, de-facto, part of the group that needs to be fired. There were some adminstrative improvements that needed to be made and getting rid of her might well be a case of throwing out ...

Posted Mon, Oct 15, 8:45 a.m.

Tacoma Folks: The biggest cohort of people that concern me in Tacoma are the people that prey upon the military and the poor - not to mention the social service worker rejects from Seattle. By and large though the people down here are one a lot more 'real' than the ...

Posted Mon, Oct 15, 8:33 a.m.

Question Authority: There is no big relevation here in this vote - everything that is now being revealed was clear not long after the first two votes on Sound Transit. Although they tried to scapegoat Director Bob White for the problems seen then, it is clear now, as it was ...

Posted Wed, Oct 10, 4:57 p.m.

News Flash: That lay-away-plan being offered by those S. Tacoma Way or Aurora used car lots is pretty much the same as that being sold to us by the Sound Transit proponents... :-) -D

Posted Wed, Oct 10, 4:25 p.m.

RE: verything we do impacts the environment.: My use of the term 'Status Quo' was not about technology, but rather one of administrative control - substitute the word 'they' or 'the man', if you prefer. The biggest obstacle to finding a solution will be those that don't respect the needs ...

Posted Wed, Oct 10, 2:11 p.m.

RE: verything we do impacts the environment.: My apologies if you find that comment patronizing. It is my opinion that one of the biggest reasons to vote against this package is the financial practices of these good old highway boys cloaking themselves in environmentalism. Certainly if you saw the status ...

Posted Wed, Oct 10, 11 a.m.

MacArthur Foundation: Does that mean I'm nominated? BTW - it would be nice to see some of your perspective on Hillary's NYC as compared to Giullianni's... Inquiring minds want to know. -Douglas Tooley Lincoln District, Tacoma

Posted Wed, Oct 10, 9:38 a.m.

RE: verything we do impacts the environment.: Light rail should be a part of our overall transit future. But it needs to earn its way, and it has not yet demonstrated anything, save as a worthwhile downtown circulator in Tacoma. As I understand it (correct me if I'm wrong) the ...

Posted Wed, Oct 10, 9:31 a.m.

RE: Lots of promises, little action: I agree that we need to reduce vehicle emissions drastically. However if we spend our entire budget on much less than 10% of the entire transportation demand what have we accomplished? Nothing but created a whole bunch of ancilliary problems. We need to solve ...

Posted Wed, Oct 10, 9:25 a.m.

RE: Growth Itself Has Carbon Costs: If we spend all of our money on light rail what will be left to actually move people. The theory is fine, but it doesn't work in the reality that is America. Sure, we could enforce an environmentally justified stalinism, but I'm not sure ...

Posted Mon, Oct 8, 9:40 a.m.

A Simple Test: Before you vote yes on this plan, if you are so inclined ( I am not), please go and see what you are voting FOR. Tacoma has a working light rail link - it's nice. Personally though I think the technology though isn't the best alternative for ...

Posted Fri, Oct 5, 8:37 a.m.

Tough Love: A modern day extrapolation on this slavery argument - call it a future tangent, if you will. Did the civil rights movement actually advance the implementation of our founders vision of a society comprised of free individuals? Or was that baby boomer movement actually just a new technique ...

Posted Thu, Oct 4, 12:03 p.m.

RE: Polar bears? How about your children?: Although I share the concerns of many right wingers about global warming hyperbole and what it will be used to justify it is a fact that we have changed the atmosphere and that those changes have an unknown risk of climate change. The ...

Posted Thu, Oct 4, 11:58 a.m.

So let's make it work...: I think Vance's interpretation of Sim's positions is a bit extreme, though I've no doubt that Sims supports rail more than he. I, for one, do agree with Vance that we need to put greater priority on highways - AND I think we can do ...

Posted Tue, Oct 2, 6:16 a.m.

Nickels, Allen, and Reality: Paul Allen and Greg Nickels do deserve credit for the emerging South Lake Union neighborhood - perhaps especially for the transportation financing plan which includes a 50% match from adjoining property owners, including Allen. But it is not just a story about the super powerful waving ...

Posted Mon, Oct 1, 9:52 a.m.

RE: More Than "Medical Research": I'll second you, and go one further. Putting a biolab in an urban area just seems strange. Sure, the risk is unknown - there's no history of such. But we do know the potential risk, like that of global warming, is apolytical and potentially even ...

Posted Mon, Oct 1, 6:20 a.m.

All is well on South Lake Union: ...But I'm still waiting for the Common's backers to bring their vision of park building revitalization to the area around our downtown park, Seattle Center. Right-o. -Douglas Tooley Lincoln District, Tacoma

Posted Mon, Oct 1, 6:17 a.m.

Passage to India: I had the opportunity to travel in India as a 19 year old, well before the outsourcing trend began, at the tail end of a Himalaya trip. India is a wonderful country with many, many wonderful people. There is a large middle class, perhaps numerically nearly as ...

Posted Mon, Oct 1, 6:10 a.m.

Bobbe Bridge: I am reminded of a recent Town Hall forum hosted by a modern day Maria - Bobbe Bridge on the subject of gang violence - entitled Jets and Sharks. I like the idea of using this classic play to educate on a modern problem - but the title ...

Posted Mon, Oct 1, 6 a.m.

RE: Have they got a deal for us!: Public infrastructure expenditures are important. However the crucial measure is an elected class that can, with integrity, present and sell, financially and technologically feasible plans. We have none of those elements. We have politicians who lie to us about a plan that ...

Posted Thu, Sep 27, 7:11 p.m.

U-District Coffee Houses: A guilty pleasure of mine was a mint mocha at the Last Exit, but I developed a true coffeehouse addiction at the Allegro. Located on the Alley near the Magus used Bookstore, one block down from the Bookstore it is a secret like that you might find ...

Posted Wed, Sep 26, 12:17 p.m.

Sons of America: It also wouldn't be a bad idea to honor the Iraqi and Afghani vets when they return - at least not so much as to spoil 'em. Certainly the next spurt of Tacoma's future will be largely shaped by these indivduals and their experiences. Apartment dwelling meth ...

Posted Wed, Sep 26, 11:47 a.m.

An economic idea does not a political movement make: Although there the beginings of a rational economic argument here, it has not been followed to the point of the implied conclusions of this piece. Yes, it would be good if the price of Salmon economically justified removal of a dam. ...

Posted Tue, Sep 25, 6:40 a.m.

Income: FWIW, Income is not a determinant of whether one has style or is 'pond scum'. Ca Piche, Punk? -Douglas Tooley Lincoln District, Tacoma

Posted Tue, Sep 25, 5:42 a.m.

Ditto, but: Moving here in 1986 Crowley and Carlson's 'Point-Counterpoint' did much to shape the foundations of my political perspectives. A tip of the hat to Godden for her well written tribute. Godden herself is deserving of the same respect, but I still can't forget her recent wisecrack about Waterfront ...

Posted Sun, Sep 23, 9 a.m.

Rhetorical Question: Just how many of the folks moving here now are takers from the communities they moved from? I've no idea, nor even any sense of how you'd measure such. However, it would be possible to compare the wealth generated by folks bringing their home equity to the state ...

Posted Sat, Sep 22, 3:04 p.m.

Ken Burns: Nice poems, enjoyed them all. However I think you might be dissing my slightly senior fellow alum (he may well have been a classmate of local financier Maud Smith-Daudon) contrary to your intentions. Burn's political rootings are much closer to the 'People's History of the United States' than ...

Posted Sat, Sep 22, 2:53 p.m.

Tacoma Arts: Certainly Tacoma has nothing on Seattle as an Arts 'hub', however it is not without merit. The Pantages Theatre is classic, the Museum of Glass truly a one of a kind. The Grand Theatre may not manage as many screens as the Seven Gables chain, but it might ...

Posted Sat, Sep 22, 8:21 a.m.

'Ghetto Queen' 2: Associations with the Ghetto Queen The legal profession, of which Gregoire is arguably the most superior, hold themselves up as the zenith of our society but they are in fact only the most expensive of the welfare deadbeats. I believe Hillary Clinton, though somewhat involved in these ...

Posted Sat, Sep 22, 8:18 a.m.

Associations with the 'Ghetto Queen': Those are strong words, as I recall the most spitefull ever to come out of Reagan's mouth. They are, unfortunately, quite true when it comes to Christine Gregoire. (Before you jump to conclusions please also note that I am a supporter of Hillary's, though not ...

Posted Wed, Sep 19, 9:46 a.m.

"Frothy spit in the corner of their mouths": Coolpappa, Do I need say anymore? -D

Posted Tue, Sep 18, 9:15 a.m.

One Suggestion: I am not an educational expert. However I spent a total of six years in so-called alternative education and as a Graduate Record Examination taker who scored on all subjects in the upper 80th and 90th percentiles I feel I have some worthwhile 'outside' perspective on the subject. ...

Posted Tue, Sep 18, 8:59 a.m.

Keeping an eye on the ball: A bit of a tardy thanks for your good works on the WASL. Accountability certainly starts in school and the objectives of WASL is an absolute requirement for our society. However the bastards can still win if we allow them to meddle as they ...

Posted Tue, Sep 18, 8:31 a.m.

Haller Lake and NW Hospital: In the interests of full disclosure, Mr. Barrett should have disclosed that his own neighborhood has a similiar relationship with a neighborhood located major medical institution, NW Hospital. As I recall NW Hospital's legal representation is Foster, Pepper, and Sheffelman whose land use practice led ...

Posted Tue, Sep 18, 8:17 a.m.

RE: Children's can respect laws and neighborhoods (if they feel like it). Part 3: Perhaps one of the most telling measures of the failures of the Seattle Establishment is the, frankly, fringe, status of such a well spoken, community based voice of Rick Barrett from the Haller Lake nieghborhood between ...

Posted Tue, Sep 18, 8:07 a.m.

RE: Spread the wealth: It would have been nice to have hear the rationale behind the decision to stay central from the Children's Board. Certainly many medical, and education institutions, have chosen to decentralize. Then again, Children's may play a role in the regional medical industry similiar to Harborview's Trauma ...

Posted Tue, Sep 18, 7:39 a.m.

RE: Corrected reference to the "Piano Drop": It would have been nice to have more names, in general, in the story. Specifically - who is on the Children's Board - who is their legal representation? Do the Laurelhurst neighbors have a designated spokesperson? How was the opposition fomented - via ...

Posted Mon, Sep 17, 11:50 a.m.

RTFM: Long links can be acceptably formatted by reading the directions immediately preceding the comment box. FWIW I am sympathetic to your concerns about the rapid growth of Children's. Although Children's has always been there and some growth should be expected and allowed this particular proposal does exceed reasonable expectations ...

Posted Mon, Sep 17, 11:23 a.m.

What's a Nimby? - I wonder what Greenspan would say...: This is an interesting case study of 'NIMBYISM' (Not In My Backyard). The subject has been of interest ever since I moved to Seattle, studying economics at the University of Washington and getting involved in my community - volunteering to ...

Posted Thu, Sep 13, 9:18 a.m.

When you don't have the facts on your side...: There's an old saying about strategies in an argument - attacking your opponent when facts and the law are not on your side is your last, best, option. It's use can be considered a symptom of desperation - and, if the ...

Posted Tue, Sep 11, 12:48 p.m.

Anarchists and Libertarians Unite!: Spot on Mr. Clifford. For your further edification consider thusly: Republicans are Shia and Democrats, Sunni. Hopefully we'll always have the Kurds, should we ever need them. -Douglas Tooley Lincoln District, Tacoma P.S. Was our Civil war worth the casualties? History may well still be mulling ...

Posted Tue, Sep 11, 6 a.m.

RE: Proposition 1 - Sucks to be us!: Amen! Unfortunately though I do believe we are going to have outside of the State to actually see this wisdom implemented. -Douglas Tooley Lincoln District, Tacoma P.S. - The same strategy might help improve the UW too.

Posted Tue, Sep 11, 5:55 a.m.

RE: basics?: I am not an opponent of Public Transit. However you are a fool if you actually believe that the 'powers that be' have put together a package that is the right thing - every bit as much as a Republican who believes that we are in Iraq to ...

Posted Fri, Aug 31, 9:14 a.m.

The Palimpset of the Future: Thanks for a nice, personal, reflection on our history via a walk around a lake, from one most qualified to do so. Let us not forget though that it is in shorter lakeside walks, as well as social gatherings of any size, within view of ...

Posted Thu, Aug 30, 8:46 a.m.

Definitely a Tangent: My Bloodgood Japanese Maple is dropping leaves, but I fear it is not due global change, but rather my own neglect - having left the girdling descriptive tag in place on the trunk. Where's Ciscoe, the SU expert in Japanese Maples, when you need him? Or for ...

Posted Thu, Aug 30, 8:39 a.m.

Memories of Montlake: Montlake Bridge is an icon in my memory of Seattle. What first brought me here to Seattle was the annual whitewater slalom sponsored by the Lakeside School in the last public reaches of the Cedar River. A visit there is not complete without a workout on the ...

Posted Wed, Aug 29, 8:29 a.m.

RE: Competition means not who is the best, but who is the best for YOU: I'm certainly not writing them off - I'm just not Catholic - for some people that might not make a difference, but for me, it does. It doesn't mean I wouldn't recommend, or commend them ...

Posted Wed, Aug 29, 8:15 a.m.

RE: Styling Lake Washington: Thnx C'est La Vie! -D

Posted Wed, Aug 29, 8:10 a.m.

Tangent or Tributary?: In recent history the SE Shore of Lake Washington has been the least utilized and appreciated. Kennydale, in N. Renton, was perhaps the best value for a near lake Neighborhood. It is changing, in large part to our S. of the Lake landlord, Paul Allen. I haven't ...

Posted Tue, Aug 28, 9:45 a.m.

UW's Real Peers: Nominated: University of Massachusetts (I believe the largest public school in that State)

Posted Tue, Aug 28, 9:30 a.m.

RE: UW #1!: Lady be Good- I knew Harvard, I knew Yale. Believe me Lady, the UW is no Harvard, the UW is no Yale. The UW is a politically correct cesspool which justifies its status by running around hurling racist and sexist insults at its local community. ...And all ...

Posted Tue, Aug 28, 9:14 a.m.

Styling Lake Washington: For a late afternoon taste of McConaghy's adventure try renting a sea kayak at Enatai (under the shadow of I-90 from Bellevue Way). You could spend an entire afternoon exploring the Urban wilderness of Mercer Slough, but if you've got the energy paddle south to the Newport ...

Posted Mon, Aug 27, 7:37 a.m.

Competition means not who is the best, but who is the best for YOU: One thing for dang sure, we need another, top tier, University in Western Washington. Seattle University is great and I have both a great deal of respect for them and a greater faith in their goodwill ...

Posted Mon, Aug 20, 4:24 p.m.

Posting on Public Property: FWIW I don't think it is legal to post signs on public property. I wonder how many public property yard sign posters have gone on to vote against grafitti or to regulate billboards. That said, I think they do have an effect and would like to ...

Posted Tue, Jul 31, 9:41 a.m.

Omissions: I had the opportunity to cruise by Gates Lake Washington mansion once - via a close to native outrigger canoe originating on the shores of North Lake Union. The scurrying of the guards as we approached our point of focus, parallel to the 520 Bridge, was enough to divert ...

Posted Mon, Jul 30, 6:39 a.m.

Center of Knute: Excuse me, but I always thought **you** were the 'center of the universe' - er, at least of 'Crosscut' - Bear proof heartwood through and through. BTW - how's the Volkswagen Beetle running? Does it still make it to speed on the Autobahn? -D P.S. - I'm ...

Posted Fri, Jul 27, 8:32 a.m.

Ahem: If I follow the thread of this argument correctly it started with the assumption that the only tunnels being built by Sound transit were planned efforts in the University District and Downtown Bellevue. Well, a bit of a fact check for you folks. We have a tunnel being built ...

Posted Fri, Jul 27, 8:24 a.m.

Here's an idea: How about we hire the homeless to take the jobs of those now feeding us Sound Transit? I bet they're cheaper, and a whole lot less harmful. -D

Posted Fri, Jul 27, 8:10 a.m.

Just another $2.00 Whore: Your vacous attacks against Bundy don't hold water, and are in fact merely evidence of the extent of the problems in Sound Transit and those they associate with, as well as their methods. Bundy is perhaps the environmentalist I respect the most. His credibility and integrity ...

Posted Thu, Jul 26, 12:44 p.m.

2.00: Score two points for Crosscut - or $2.00, if your preferences run in such a direction. Let's hope the team puts together a winning score! -D

Posted Thu, Jul 26, 12:41 p.m.

Local vs. National: A point or two for Mr. Vance - Yea, the national stuff matters, but its the loss of principled connection to the individual where that plays out. All the State Republican's can do is to stay true to those principles, and not just for themselves, for everyone. ...

Posted Thu, Jul 26, 12:18 p.m.

The right amount of turnover: The right amount of turnover is a tough management call. Too much, whether by intent, or circumstance, can be disruptive. However too much stability is also bad. I've no doubt that Norm Maleng was about a good a boss as they come. There do seem ...

Posted Thu, Jul 26, 11:55 a.m.

Just the facts maam: ...as Joe Friday would say. Spinning a worthy fact as you are can be counterproductive. It is something worth knowing, but don't oversell it - you'll get more bang, if you will. -D

Posted Thu, Jul 26, 11:37 a.m.

1.75: 2 points for McGann! -D

Posted Thu, Jul 26, 11:33 a.m.

Historical Competition: Berger on Kuow, Shramm/Carlson on KVI or Dave Ross? That's some stiff competition. I bet Dave is up to it, but things are getting better and better. Unfortunately I missed all three. More please! As to preservation - we should be aware that government regulatory issues affect historic ...

Posted Mon, Jul 23, 10:33 a.m.

Sans Trans: I'm personally in the midst of a weight loss effort, down 75 pounds from my peak. I was chubby as a child but buffed up around 16 or so, in my mid twenties I got more sedentary and slowly gained weight into the mid 200's. I quit smoking ...

Posted Thu, Jul 19, 2:21 p.m.

Reality Pricing: If one had lots of spare time it would not be all that hard to do a Michael Moore style reality show about politicians. I guess you could use TVW feeds to start, but I'd bet they've got a copyright... -Doug

Posted Thu, Jul 19, 2:21 p.m.

Reality Pricing: If one had lots of spare time it would not be all that hard to do a Michael Moore style reality show about politicians. I guess you could use TVW feeds to start, but I'd bet they've got a copyright... -Doug

Posted Thu, Jul 19, 2:17 p.m.

RE: Machiavelli was a plagiarist, Good Business sense is universal: The key word here is moderation - and also practical results. Sure, what you say is true - but consider the skyscraper that is so tall, dense, that it needs so many elevators that take up too much of the ...

Posted Wed, Jul 18, 9:19 a.m.

Machiavelli was a plagiarist, Good Business sense is universal: I've heard it claimed that Machiavelli was a plagiarist of an Arab thinker - I'm not a historian, so no cite from me, but it is believable - certainly as believable as the Medici's picking up the art of accounting, and ...

Posted Wed, Jul 18, 8:56 a.m.

Did Jean every smoke Marijuana?: Like on that occassion she and Jeff Renner hung out in the JP Patches studio in 1973, after the 11:00, and before they finally tore the studio out. I wonder if she enjoyed it?! -Douglas Tooley Tacoma, WA

Posted Tue, Jul 17, 8:39 a.m.

More than media: IMO Enersen stands as a role model not just for media, but for all women, working or not. The fact she's maintained that status for 35 years is pretty amazing. Joyce Taylor may not be of the same cloth as someone like Robert Mak but, FWIW, she's ...

Posted Sun, Jul 15, 10:21 p.m.

Pictures from the Narrows Opening: Frank Chopp kicked off the opening ceremonies by remarking "Oops, I coulda had a V-8 instead of building this new brdge." (Thanks Frank) Here's a picture of the bridge from near Day Island. Some architectural detail from mid-span. Christian hecklers, with megaphones (a good touch) ...

Posted Sun, Jul 15, 3:09 p.m.

Top Dog: Well, I decided to risk it - not to heckle Gregoire, but to take my dog. Pictorial proof of the first dog across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge (save for perhaps the State K-9 unit, inside their patrol cars); Zephyr , the super dog. -Doug

Posted Sun, Jul 15, 7:32 a.m.

Heckle Gregoire?: I was going to go to the opening ceremony, but alas, not pets allowed. Oh well, maybe next time. -Douglas Tooley Tacoma, WA

Posted Fri, Jul 13, 1:09 p.m.

2008 Call: Clinton/Lieberman v. Giulianni/Powell As to the Governor's race, let's at least hope it is interesting. -D

Posted Thu, Jul 12, 8:42 a.m.

RE: Cross-eyed Crosscut: FWIW I don't think anyone's given any serious attacks against Dinsmore - the concerns regard Davis, which of course Dinsmore is implicated in. Your words regarding Dinsmore's financial abilities have credibility with this somewhat distant observer of the Port, but the specifics of this act are certainly ...

Posted Wed, Jul 11, 8:28 a.m.

Tough Love: I am not a close enough follower of the Port to judge Davis' and Dinsmore's contributions. However the financial missteps were serious - as far as I'm concerned an arrogant abrogation of trust as serious as any priest/pedophiles - whom, presumably, also did as much good as anyone ...

Posted Wed, Jul 11, 8:10 a.m.

Demographic Subtext: I'm not sure if this is appropriate or not, but I am reminded of a current Hollywood release, 'Evening'. There are two beautiful houses prominent in the movie - one a Newport Society Mansion, the other, more modest, but still beautiful. The first is the house of Glenn ...

Posted Tue, Jul 10, 8:53 a.m.

Tools and Disadvantaged Neighborhoods: Tool libraries, as well as 'constructive', community oriented permit departments, are great arsenals in the war against crime breeding despair, not to mention the symptomatic resulting blight. The oldest model of such, that I am aware of, is Roger Faris's Phinney Ridge program. I've never been ...

Posted Tue, Jul 10, 5:24 a.m.

Race, Income, and Neighborhood Community: Perhaps integration should be a factor in growth management decisions, not in school management. The destruction of community building via attacks on community schools under the white sheet of 'integration' is perhaps the single worst policy of PC public/private corporate America. A community school is ...

Posted Sat, Jul 7, 11:08 a.m.

RE: When we turned into a big city: January 3, 1986 Via Orange County, Eugene Oregon and noteworthy stopovers in Western Mass and Eastern Tennessee.

Posted Sat, Jul 7, 11:03 a.m.

Ship Canal Mud: If you really want something disgusting try digging in the accumulated muck at the bottom of the canal - it is definitely a wiser choice to let sleeping 'dogs' lie on those items. For other 'dogs', go visit the area during a heavy rainstorm, euphemistically called a ...

Posted Fri, Jul 6, 7:13 a.m.

The New Nowhere: As I sit here sipping my not too cafeinated black tea I contemplate Raban's words. Not heard on these pages is my new mantra of 'f*** you Bill Gates' every time my Vista/Office 2007 hiccups, which is all too often. Bad thoughts, but at least I no ...

Posted Thu, Jul 5, 3:20 p.m.

RE: Mossback brings a perspective not seen in other papers.: Well said, all of it. But personally I'm a bit sceptical of anyone who calls the victim crazy, as Berger does. Self fulfilling prophesies may be the operative clause at play here, but whose? The real answer is both the ...

Posted Mon, Jul 2, 9:44 a.m.

If Christine Gregoire is the New Lt. Ellen Ripley...: Which sequel of 'Alien' are we now experiencing? -Douglas Tooley Tacoma, WA

Posted Sun, Jul 1, 9:03 a.m.

Background Cop Reading: In the last couple of years I've read two books by senior level local officers that generally address these topics, and I recommend both of them. 'Breaking Rank', by WTO scapegoat Norm Stamper, is destined to be a seminal classic and should be required reading for every ...

Posted Sun, Jul 1, 8:48 a.m.

Mossback is the new Napoleon: Stuka- I liked your Napoleon story better than this, one thing you've got to learn is to be your own critic, no matter how 'creative' you might be. Continuing as critic, one glaring omission of both of yours lists is Ballard, and of Course, Lake ...

Posted Sun, Jul 1, 8:12 a.m.

Breaking News: Tim Eyman is a hero. Port Commissioner Pat Davis is no better than the Madam of a brothel that rips off its clients, even if they do give the 'whores' a cut of the takings. Is that ethical, or not? :-) -Douglas Tooley Tacoma, WA

Posted Wed, Jun 27, 7:04 a.m.

Isn't it funny?: Isn't it funny how the most purely capitalistic institution in town is also the most democratic? And not to mention, soulfull. Comparing 'the market' to national corporate republicans Cheney ends up looking like Joe Stalin. -Douglas Tooley Tacoma, WA (Seattle Exile)

Posted Tue, Jun 26, 6:31 a.m.

Wheat from the Chaff: It is an unfortunate thing that business has such a reputation so that any insight into a large transaction is viewed as a problem. FWIW the most corrupt 'business people' I've run into are those former crusaders who believe you **must** sell your soul in order ...

Posted Mon, Jun 25, 3:49 p.m.

Winning and Losing: It is truly a shame that all of us win when our County lawyer, the prosecutor as well as the civil attorney for the County, lose. I am reminded of lobbying regulations in Olympia - which as I understand it, have absolutely no impact to any of ...

Posted Mon, Jun 25, 3:36 p.m.

Transportation Oriented Development?: One of my pet projects, at least for talking about, is connecting the viaduct rebuild to I-5, via the Denny corridor. Basically this means a branch of the Battery Street Tunnel heading due East to a rebuilt interchange at I-5 - right through the heart of the ...

Posted Sun, Jun 24, 1 p.m.

Quotable: Norm Stamper's closing quote from his book 'Breaking Rank': The only kinds of fights worth fighting are those you are willing to lose, because somebody has to fight them and lose and lose and lose until someday, somebody who believes as you do wins. In order for somebody to ...

Posted Sun, Jun 24, 6:11 a.m.

technology for the next 100 years: I agree with you about old technology. However I don't think we have much more than a guess as to what will be the next big thing. It would be nice if Seattle invested some of the wealth that the rest of the world ...

Posted Sun, Jun 24, 6:05 a.m.

Follow the MONEY: As I recall the Durkan family, iconic lobbyists of Olympia and King County, are active in Real Estate in Maple Valley. Nothing harder than that, take it as you will. -Douglas Tooley Tacoma, WA

Posted Sun, Jun 24, 6:01 a.m.

Historical Context: The timing of the development of Seattle is very relevant to your 'soft', and correct, observations. Recall that Seattle was largely built at the end of the Streetcar era and the beginning of the automobile era. The resulting typical 5000 sf lot size may be kismet, but it ...

Posted Sun, Jun 24, 5:57 a.m.

RE: Comment for David Brewster and reply to comments to me (Morrill): Your comment about Economics being the 'softest' of the social sciences is curious. Economics is a social science and is subject to the same weaknesses, 'softness', as any other. However it is most likely the 'hardest' one to ...

Posted Fri, Jun 22, 7:56 a.m.

I too was once a believer: Making the case for rail is not something to do on 'faith'. We need elected leaders and staff who are capable of designing a system and presenting it to the 'public' with confidence. We do not have that at this time. Instead our 'leaders' ...

Posted Thu, Jun 21, 7:47 a.m.

A lesson from one of Dr. Morrill's classes: I took a class from Dr. Morrill. I only remember one lecture well, one that is relevant to this subject. He compared the historical efficiencies of different types of transportation networks in the context of democracy and monopolies. You would think that ...

Posted Thu, Jun 21, 7:40 a.m.

Denny Triangle - Think Incrementally: We need more opportunistic thinking that advances our transportation system as opportunities arise. One such opportunity is the current discussions regarding the future of the Denny Triangle. Here's an idea- how about extending the Battery Street Tunnel directly East to a rebuilt Denny interchange? A ...

Posted Thu, Jun 21, 7:30 a.m.

Follow the Money: One of the first intellectual tools one needs to learn when engaging in public finance issues is that of 'follow the money'. If one does not apply that rule to a debate, you will end up being a fool. That too, is a rule. E.g- I guess ...

Posted Thu, Jun 21, 7:23 a.m.

All Roads Lead to Rome: Although I agree with your demand supply perspective on individual responsibility vs. government I do think the first lesson from enhanced individual responsibility is that we need to expect a lot better from our government. James Vesely, usually a balanced voice on regional affairs wrote ...

Posted Thu, Jun 21, 7:11 a.m.

Feet First!: An important point - not the least of which is the resulting health benefits from walking a mile or two a day or five. One advantage of a bus system is that you can invest in a high speed corridor - a 'busway', like that South of Downtown ...

Posted Sat, Jun 16, 8:21 a.m.

RE: American Justice?: Thanks for your 'sympathies', but unless they are dropped off in Tijuana with only the clothes on their backs I'll remain, at least somewhat, sceptical. -D

Posted Fri, Jun 15, 11:33 a.m.

Public Standards of Malfeasance?: Washington State Law makes it illegal for anyone convicted of a crime while in office or who acts with malfeasance to act in any official capacity. Conviction standards are easy. What though constitutes Malfeasance? Theoretically, given our Constitution's assertion of individual rights, any single individual can ...

Posted Fri, Jun 15, 11:01 a.m.

Its the Public's fault!: Although this was a well written piece, and a balanced one, I am suspect of anyone that blames the public for the failings of goovernment and/or business. I finished reading this piece with those questions in mind and when I read the Biography of the author ...

Posted Wed, Jun 13, 10:32 a.m.

RE: And get your dates right: The general foundation for Mr. Berger's humorous piece about economic impact studies is well accepted. It may well be that there are some who still debate those facts, but you can take this article as a statement of fact to the prevalence of that ...

Posted Wed, Jun 13, 10:15 a.m.

"All the World's a Stage...: ...And every man and woman a player." ...or something like that! -Douglas Tooley Tacoma

Posted Wed, Jun 13, 7:46 a.m.

American Justice?: Anyone find it funny that the illegal immigrants get the headlines and the arrests while the temporary agency which hired them gets nothing but a passing reference? I'm no fan of George Bush, but even he, rightly, realizes the importance of that issue. However the enforcement of current ...

Posted Tue, Jun 12, 2:13 p.m.

I think I'm important: I just caught Paton on KIRO 710 - with Dori Monson. He gave a great review to the article, as well as Crosscut. I think this was a first time cite for Crosscut on that station - one that stands as a measure in the traditional ...

Posted Fri, Jun 8, 7:41 a.m.

And get your dates right: I know you are citing an unnamed UW publication, however I think the dates are wrong. I for one recall having a specific discussion about the Kingdome Baseball study with Mr. Beyers in 1990 or so, way before the revisionist history you vaguely refer to. ...

Posted Fri, Jun 8, 7:26 a.m.

Bike Tunnels?: Here's an idea - how about Bike Tunnels? Seriously, how about a bike escalator up Queen Anne, or for that matter, Continue the Rainier Square concourse up First Hill to Seattle University. -Douglas Tooley Tacoma, WA

Posted Fri, Jun 8, 7:23 a.m.

Be Specific - and Complete!: I'll have to admit I haven't read the study. As with Ms. Stambor I do have other direct knowledge of credibility on these subjects. I will however counter with a more specific example of some recent reading that generally shows demonstrates the practice. The Washington ...

Posted Fri, Jun 8, 7:09 a.m.

Arts vs Sports: Impact studies on the arts are inspired by those in sports. One thing for sure, 1,000 artists making 50,000 has lot better impact on our society than 10 baseball players making 5 million. That said, we've got a long ways to go till either type of 'study' ...

Posted Thu, Jun 7, 2:26 p.m.

Oink, Oink: I'll 2nd Stambor's compliment. And take the opportunity to jump on the soapbox myself. Not sure who's all doing the studies these days, but it used to be the fact that it was never anyone associated with the UW Department of Economics. One of the seminal studies of ...

Posted Thu, Jun 7, 2:18 p.m.

Sound Transit Brakeperson: One thing about light rail is that steel on steel brakes much, much slower than rubber on asphalt. Sure, classical trains are still safer than cars - but surface light rail through the Rainier Valley? I'm sceptical, though perhaps Mossback can whip out some safety stats from ...

Posted Thu, Jun 7, 2:10 p.m.

How to run a county-wide campaign: Blame Seattle Politicians for everything, but pander to the downtown Bureaucrats every chance you get. Simple as that, probably for at least the last 40 years, if not more. -D

Posted Wed, Jun 6, 8:33 a.m.

RE: What Gates could do: Nor did he read mine. Must be a UW Graduate! :-) Seriously though, competition to be the best would lift the UW's standards much better than continuing to spoil them with donations. A similar problem would exist with irresponsible funding of secondary education as well. ...

Posted Wed, Jun 6, 8:02 a.m.

Did we spoil Norm Maleng - have we spoiled ourselves?: Thanks for a great column Mr. Brewster. I certainly disagree with your listing Mark Sidran as even a potential candidate, but I guess it is another opportunity to publically hold him accountable for his rather poor implementation of the law ...

Posted Wed, Jun 6, 7:48 a.m.

The Big Issue: A wise architect once gave me some sage advice as I finalized my career choices. Urban Planners, he said, control nothing. While the legal profession controls everyone , including the planners. Unfortunately the integrity of this control does not extend to financial matters, or the appropriate allocation ...

Posted Mon, Jun 4, 11:26 a.m.

RE: Follow the money: 'Follow the Money' - words to live by. Don't forget also, Jack Abramoff, the jailed PGE lobbyist was a 'specialist' in Tribal Gambling. Although, given Jacob's age, it is safe to assume he obtained his job as a political favor (at least on the basis of ...

Posted Mon, Jun 4, 10:30 a.m.

RE: What Gates could do: How about endowing King County with a private University to rival Stanford or Harvard? Consider a site directly across Lake Washington from the UW, where Microsoft itself has its roots. -Douglas Tooley Tacoma, WA

Posted Mon, Jun 4, 10:24 a.m.

RE: Great article, sensible proposals - right-o-way to go: Just build a little 3 inch high 'curb' 6 feet or so out from the sidewalk. Sure, you lose some on street parking, but that can be mitigated. One way to do that would be to build some Park and Ride ...

Posted Mon, Jun 4, 10:17 a.m.

Boeing Field and Eastside Rail: Thanks for giving at least a little bit of ink to the very real question of what is actually going on with the Boeing Field trade. FWIW, Boeing Field, if converted from Airport use after the third runway is finished, becomes a very valuable piece ...

Posted Mon, Jun 4, 10:07 a.m.

Community Forums - Sharks vs. Jets ?: This is a great project. I looked at the descriptions for one of the community events you mentioned, a forum titled 'Sharks vs. Jets' about gang violence with Gil Kerlikowski and, of all people, the drug addled downtown diamond girl, Bobbie Bridge. Why ...

Posted Sat, Jun 2, 7:51 a.m.

Great Concept, but: I am very sympathetic to your goals. However I don't believe you are realistic enough to actually propose a concept that is practically and politically possible, let alone find some one willing to pay for it. The Burke Gilman is about as good as you get - ...

Posted Sat, Jun 2, 7:41 a.m.

Just Speculating: Isn't 'Surface' the first thing Microsoft has ever invented? BTW, I do like it. -Douglas Tooley

Posted Sat, Jun 2, 7:33 a.m.

RE: Tip of the Iceberg?: It's also a subject worthy of debate - no need to specify which of us is the 'devil's' advocate - I do repeat it is only speculation. But it is a valid speculation. We have a large, well managed, escort/call girl industry in Seattle, perhaps ...

Posted Sat, Jun 2, 7:25 a.m.

Young Males: Young Men are like Grapes. To make something decent you have to stomp all over them and keep them in the dark for 20 years. Something Jacob, nor Greg, ever experienced.

Posted Fri, Jun 1, 9:52 a.m.

Wise Capital Spending?: Kimberly- Love the public finance topic, a personal favorite of mine. Technology and Security is a sensitive subject, but I suspect we'd arrive at similar 'destinations'. One measure I like is that used regarding research in the medical profession - it is a requirement of practice to ...

Posted Wed, May 30, 7:30 p.m.

Tip of the Iceberg?: I think there is more going on here. I certainly did plenty to give my parents pause, but by the time I was 25 I was well past that stage, though unfortunately not past the point of gossip justified on prior. On KIRO 710 a listener ...

Posted Wed, May 30, 9:15 a.m.

I am someone else: And it hurts when I laugh. Does that mean anything? Seriously, a discussion proposal from a fellow brain lowering transplantee: Taking a cue from Medical Marijuana - how about requiring medical insurance for anyone who wants to purchase alcohol? This would require a bar code scan ...

Posted Wed, May 30, 9:05 a.m.

Canadian Geese: .. or a 'protected' Seattle Duck spreading E-Coli throughout Lake Washington. However, at least at the moment the lake, though warm enough to swim in, is cold enough that the poop is not so much a problem. Come August and the primary season though, best to stay out. ...

Posted Wed, May 30, 6:22 a.m.

Grrrr: Stands for Grand Righteous Religious Republican of the Right. And, FWIW, it would be good to see a few gone 'wild'. Better that than a domesticated nut case like Dick Cheney. Or for that matter, Crosscut repeating the mistakes of EastsideWeek! - a Seattle based animal on the loose, ...

Posted Sat, May 26, 8:26 a.m.

On the whole, a plus, certainly.: Like you Casey, I too had minor issues with Norm Maleng. Unfortunately I never followed through with my concerns as you did with yours - I suspect I may well have come to a similar conclusion had I done so - but my faith ...

Posted Fri, May 25, 7:47 a.m.

Maybe: Historically the Seattle City Government, including the Council, was the patsy of King County Republicans, many of them working downtown and living on the Eastside. (and, safely assumably, at least a few would employ the better looking of the female population as 'escorts'.) That situation may have changed, and ...

Posted Wed, May 23, 9:50 a.m.

'Insecurity' Force - in fleece and goretex: A word of warning, from experience. Becareful with the rent-a-cops - they more likely have chips on their shoulders than do the sworn officers. Although they have less to abuse, they also have more 'flexibility'. I recall my days at College with a ...

Posted Wed, May 23, 9:35 a.m.

Picking 'Fights': Deliberate and sincere historical background stuff like this is truly a jewel, especially for those of us with aspirations who might have long term ties, but were not born here. I'd be proud to associate myself, if only in the most of indirect claims, with some of this ...

Posted Wed, May 23, 8:42 a.m.

Double Standards for Lawyers?: The McKay case is getting spun by a lot of people with agendas, including myself - and I think mostly for good effect. I do wonder though if one of the political motivations at play now is to make it harder for State AG Rob Mckenna ...

Posted Tue, May 22, 9:01 a.m.

Contributor Comment: No time this A.M. to even read the article, but I do know the author fairly well. Not sure if I agree with him or not, but one thing for sure, this guy is a four suite Ace. And that is a level of 'quality' sorely missing on ...

Posted Mon, May 21, 10:24 a.m.

A Million Years, Indeed!: Change, including climate, warmer or colder, is always a good thing. In it we can in fact see the hand of 'god' - those that have survived the floods, the ice, and the wind, as well as the tower of babel and other plagues are the ...

Posted Fri, May 18, 6:13 p.m.

RE: Nine Speculative Scenarios Listed by Owner: Citizen Buyout? - what about Player Financing? I like your idea of a citizen buyout - certainly with the amount of money given to the owners a share is most definitely appropriate. Let me throw another idea into the mix - how about ...

Posted Sat, May 12, 5:37 p.m.

Critic begins to support McKay: Keeping up the pressure on McKay is, as Martha Stewart would say, a good thing. I have shared Mr. Taylor's sceptism, even filing a recent grievance against McKay before the Washington State Bar. Although I do not rank as high as Sharkansky in the world ...

Posted Wed, May 9, 10:23 a.m.

An important ongoing story: Understanding the business and social components of growth, good and bad, is an essential part of being an informed citizen of the Puget Sound. That might sound trite, but it is too easy to forget - as, for example, is the story of Frank Colarcucio, our ...