What ails The Cure at Troy?

I caught The Rep's production of The Cure at Troy, an adaptation of Sophocles’ Philoctetes by the Irish poet Seamus Heaney. The production directed by Tina Landau features a stunning set and lighting design, but I just couldn't connect with the show — and I love Heaney's work.

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Like millions of others, the Clintons can't get their taxes done on time

More proof that the system is maddeningly complex, confusing, and just painful. Let's do something about it.

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A surprise amid newspaper gloom: more younger readers

Fourth in a series: The Internet is destroying the economic model that sustained the newspaper industry for generations, but it is also bringing to newspaper Web sites younger readers.

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Here's a real dream ticket: Barack Obama and ...

Some say it's unfair that the U.S. Constitution stands in the way of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger running for president. Only the accident of his Austrian birth blocks his path.

Schwarzenegger's not the only one whose public service is stifled by the law of the land. A dream ticket awaits us, if we can just clear that Constitutional obstruction.

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Hillary to the Democratic Party: I will burn down the house

In Sunday's Washington's Post, Hillary Clinton makes clear she's not going away till the bitter end, and it will be bitter if it doesn't go her way:

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Maybe it's not so easy keeping factories in Seattle

I'm a big fan of the Puget Sound Business Journal, which this week has a story about four high profile factories that might leave Seattle. A lot of media attention has followed efforts to keep Korry Electronics, which was looking at the Port of Seattle's Interbay site. (I refuse to call it North Bay.)

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A friend goes off to war — for a second time

It's hard when a friend goes off to war, especially when the president is envious.

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Riding King County's roller-coaster budget

The King County Executive is preparing another budget. What is the message this year? Oh, cripes!

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Does Barack Obama have the brass?

If he wants to be president, he's going to have to answer the question sharply posed by his Democratic rival: Is he tough enough? So far, we don't know the answer.

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Olympia's feared watchdog: Brian Sonntag

He's got even more authority now, thanks to a voter-approved initiative that provides for evaluations of public-agency performance. The state auditor is effecting change inside institutions like the Port of Seattle.

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A Canadian is shaking up the Northwest newspaper business

If printed papers are dying, publisher David Black of Victoria acts like the happy guy at the funeral.

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Is trend-setting Seattle starting a new fad: year 'round Christmas lights?

According to The Etiquette Answer, Christmas lights are supposed to be taken down "no later than Jan. 7, after the celebration of Three Kings Day." To do otherwise, was tacky. In Seattle, lights used to come down on or around New Year's Day. And in that, we were just as conventional as any other burb in America. But something happened. Now you notice more and more houses with lights left up longer.

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Hey, Yahoo: Looking for a white knight? How about Exxon?

As Microsoft gears up for a takeover battle with Yahoo, there could be an Exx factor.

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'Change' is officially history in presidential politics

Barack Obama's big win in South Carolina provides confirmation that "change" is yesterday's story.

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The names people play, in politics and in life

Barack was Barry, Fred was Freddie, John was Johnny, and Hillary is now just Hillary. In both life and politics, the monikers we choose can be revealing.

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Seattle is home to one of the nation's best film critics

A couple of nights ago, I saw There Will Be Blood, a grim, and undeniably powerful movie about a California oil man. It stars Daniel Day-Lewis. I always measure the power of a movie if I wake up the next day and think about it. And when that happens, I often seek insights from the Post-Intelligencer's William Arnold. I wasn't disappointed.

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Suddenly, another subject displaces "change"

This could be a game changer. Suddenly, I'm starting to pay much more attention to the candidates' talk about the economy.

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Does John Edwards have a secret sartorial strategy?

Just asking. But what is with John Edwards' suits? Several times now, I've noticed that Edwards has appeared at high-profile events wearing ill-fitting suits.

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A transportation layaway plan

To replace the Highway 520 floating bridge, will the public support the idea of paying now, getting later?

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That buttery P-I expose? Smells like old lawsuits

The P-I is celebrating its coverage of diacetyl, a butter-flavored chemical additive often found in microwave popcorn and butter-substitutes.

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The dos and don'ts of Christmas cards

Caution: trying to do something nice can be fraught with hazards, but don't give up on sending good cheer.

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A jury sides with BusinessWeek in a lawsuit brought by a former Microsoft director

Plaintiff Peter Tilton said a reporter broke her word in naming him in an article about difficult coworkers. But the jury said no promise existed.

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It's all about the O

There's no doubt that Oprah Winfrey gave Barack Obama's campaign a boost this past weekend in Iowa. I've seen different numbers about how many people turned out for one rally (10,000 versus 29,000), but the most important statistic may be the 20,000 people who gave their names to the Obama campaign to get tickets. That list helps Obama in two ways: as a list to call and urge support on caucus night; and as a list that may include people who were not planning to caucus and who may do so now.

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Mitt Romney on faith in politics: Believers are best

His speech on faith sought to dampen concerns about his Mormonism, but it failed a larger test: Can he lead us from the wreckage of the Bush years?

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Willingham keeps his job as UW football coach

The UW is keeping football coach Ty Willingham, who has a 11-25 record in three seasons as head coach and who is paid $1.4 million a year. According to the P-I, the Huskies under Willingham has had two of the worse defenses in team history. This year, the defense gave up 446 yards per game.

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Richard Conlin is the likely next president of the Seattle City Council

It's the post he thought he had in 2006. This time, with no active rivals, it's likely his.

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The essential Seattle newspaper columnist

The prominence of the big city newspaper personality has diminished, but the job remains important. Danny Westneat is the best of the lot in Seattle.

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Big development comes to Yesler Terrace

After 68 years, the nation's first racially integrated public housing community faces enormous change. So what will happen to the people who live there?

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Craig McCaw may be an enigma, but his business strategy is simple

From paging to wireless phones and now Clearwire, the eccentric billionaire follows an established pattern: Grab what others don't see. But just try predicting his next move.

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Don't panic: You have two days to learn the Thompson Turkey

Each year about this time, the late P-I columnist Emmett Watson urged us all to try the Thompson Turkey. I never did, but you gotta love his last paragraph: "The meat beneath will be wet, juice will spurt from it in tiny fountains high as the handle of the fork plunged into it. You do not have to be a carver to eat this turkey. Speak harshly to it and it will fall apart."

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Google's scan of user e-mail: fair or creepy?

As the Internet behemoth introduces more online services, it's finding ways to gather data about you that are increasingly expansive, specific, and valuable. Is it time to get nervous, or should we just continue to enjoy the free services?

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Shouldn't we just pay college football players?

Seeing another Husky risk paralysis is a good time to remember that in big-time college sports, everyone gets money except those taking risks on the field.

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Meet Kevin Martin, a very influential guy you've never heard of

He walks the path of a long line of chairmen of the Federal Communications Commission — an institution itself that is really powerful and virtually unknown.

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A great big dose of antiestablishmentarianism

Updated through the day: In an evolving thread, Crosscut's writers analyze Washington's general election. They see an electorate distrustful of the people in charge.

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The DUI factor

The DUI vote was split. Venus Velazquez appeared to be losing to Bruce Harrell in a Seattle City Council race. Jane Hague appeared to be retaining her job on the King County Council, defeating Richard Pope. Velazquez and Hague both made headlines for recent DUI arrests. Both issued apologies. But in addition to her act of contrition, Hague spent $430,000 of her own money to ensure a win.

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Bill Clinton seeks to re-frame discussion about global warming

The man who put himself in the White House on a message of jobs, jobs, jobs makes the case for how we can persuade the nation and the world to fight global warming. On this, he's right.

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Now, who wrote that initiative you're endorsing?

Idaho Sen. Larry Craig may be the most despised politician in America. But in Seattle, the most reviled figure in politics must be Tim Eyman, the king of Washington initiatives. So there was much surprise in the editorial Sunday in The Seattle Times endorsing Eyman's latest measure, Initiative 960, which would make it more difficult for state government to raise taxes. "We think it would have a wake up effect on legislators," said the editorial. Curiously, the editorial made no mention of Eyman himself. It may be a case of loving the sin but not the sinner.

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