crosscut.com : Most Commented

The case for more rail transit

Ben Schiendelman, Crosscut — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:00:01 PDT

The region has tried a largely bus solution for 40 years, and by now the capacity flaws are apparent. If we are really serious about building density, we need to lay more rails.

Fixing our big flat tire

Ted Van Dyk, Crosscut — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:00:01 PDT

Sound Transit, the Viaduct, 520, the Mercer Mess — everywhere you turn, there's a Puget Sound transportation problem awaiting solution. It's time for citizens to demand leadership from leaders and to push for reform of agencies and even government.

Sound Transit showdown

David Brewster, Crosscut — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:00:01 PDT

The votes for a 2008 submission of a $15 billion package now are almost there, thanks to some last-minute concessions to Snohomish County. The election will be risky, but the transit agency faces greater risk by waiting until 2010.

At the top floors, the high and mighty are in denial

Ted Van Dyk, Crosscut — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:00:01 PDT

It's time for New York magazine editors, Seattle bank executives, and Puget Sound transportation leaders to exit their elevators — at the lobby level.

More fun than Deliverance!

Knute Berger, Crosscut — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 05:00:01 PDT

Spend your summer vacation in Eastern Washington, an exotic locale where lakes are slippery, the Scablands surprising, and wheat farmers are smashing stuff for fun.

Helpful policy tips for Dino Rossi

David Brewster, Crosscut — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:23:01 PDT

So far, not a lot of policy is coming out of the Dino Rossi campaign, but it may be very interesting when it does. That's because the Republicans are getting pretty desperate for bold new ideas to turn around their national tailspin. I'll give some examples below.

The geekiest arsonist

Kim McDonald, Crosscut — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:00:01 PDT

Software engineer Jennifer Kolar is to be sentenced this week in federal court for her role in Earth Liberation Front arsons, including one at the University of Washington. Her time in prison will be reduced because she turned state's witness, but that doesn't mitigate the fact she is now regarded as a snitch by peers and could be labeled a terrorist by the government.

In Maine, banks are involved in Seattle Times Co. decisions

Bill Richards, Crosscut — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00:01 PDT

To satisfy lenders, the company says, it will impose another round of cuts — the fourth in a year — at its Portland, Maine, newspaper.

In the garden: U-pick blueberries

Geri Larkin, Crosscut — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 06:00:01 PDT

The book Plenty is about a young Vancouver couple, Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon. The two decide to live on locally grown foods for a year. I've just read to the section on blueberries where they find a patch of beautiful, fat juicy ones only to discover that they are being grown for a local Buddhist temple and are not for sale. I don't know, yet, if they talk their way into a sale. Given how personable the couple is, my guess is probably. Putting the book down to attend to chores, I've realized that Smith and Mackinnon have convinced me to seriously consider following their eat-local example. This is the stat that caught me:

Sausage Links, sex, satire, and rock 'n' roll edition

Clark Fredricksen, Crosscut — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:03:01 PDT

At Horse's Ass, David Goldstein has a lengthy investigative story detailing a case of sexual harassment at the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR). According to a 62-page document obtained from public records, a young woman who worked at the DNR quit her job after being harassed by 68-year-old Commissioner of Public Lands Doug Sutherland. The story goes on to say: