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Sausage Links, pork barrel edition

What's the most important news of the day? It's not the passage of the Wall Street bailout bill. It's not the pundits' reactions to last night's vice-presidential debate. No. The most important news item of the day is that Saturday, Oct. 4, is the last day to register to vote. So if you haven't already, do it. ...

For Gregoire, all the highway news is bad news

Crosscut Guvometer - Rossi +3. Two big unresolved transportation issues are back in the public's eye, reminding voters of the governor's biggest failure.

Sausage Links, budget deficit edition

David Goldstein at Horse's Ass wrote over the weekend — post gubernatorial debate — that "there is no state budget deficit," prompting me to wonder what the hell he was talking about. I thought, "Did I miss something?" As Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire said in Saturday's gubernatorial debate, the state is currently generating a surplus. But it has been widely reported — even by Horse's Ass blogger Josh Feit — that the state faces a projected $3.2 billion deficit in the coming years. Gregoire even told The Seattle Times on Friday that she expects a deficit next year. So what gives? The folks at Washington Policy Center Blog put it another way:

Sausage Links, Caddyshack edition

The Oregonian reports that a popular driving range in Oregon is asking golfers to cast their "swing votes" by aiming practice shots at 8-feet-tall metal likenesses of John McCain and Barack Obama. While no one is exactly sure whether people are trying to hit candidates they support or oppose, so far, McCain is in the lead. ...

Sausage Links, Postman stops ringing edition

It's a sad day for state journalism. Seattle Times chief political reporter David Postman, the author of the ever-popular Postman on Politics, announced today that after some 14 years at the paper, he will leave to join Vulcan Inc., a company founded and run by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. The Capitol press corps appears to be devastated. I sure am. ...

Did Howard Schultz pull the last plug for the Sonics?

Last week, Howard Schultz threw in the legal towel on his lawsuit trying to recover the Sonics from Oklahoma City. Thanks, Howard. Had he capitulated earlier, when the City was working out its deal with the Oklahoma City purchasers, there would have been leverage, maybe earning a firmer pledge from the NBA about a future expansion. This way, Schultz and Seattle got nothing in return for dropping the suit.

Miller times

Between national party conventions, I took an advance look at Joseph Miller's upcoming memoirs, The Wicked Wine of Democracy, to be published next month by University of Washington Press. The book provides an almost too-candid portrayal of politics and lobbying in the Northwest and nationally over 50 years and is an intriguing chronicle of some of the main figures in Northwest political life.

A Stumptown weekend

Portland is one cool town. As a lifelong Washingtonian, I've always considered Seattle my city, whether growing up in the rural community of Arlington or living on Whidbey Island for the past 33 years. But after spending a weekend in Portland, defection is not out of the question. I'm not surprised that a growing number of our South Whidbey "kids" have decided to make Portland their new home town.

Sausage Links, 'Pledge Allegiance to the Top-Two Primary' edition

Today is the the "top-two" primary, and everyone expects the polls to be packed. But before casting your ballot, take a moment to remember our failed state primary formats of the past. As the editorial board at The Seattle Times writes: "Pause now for a moment of silence in remembrance of the state's defunct blanket primary, which served Washington's voters well for almost 70 years" — that is, until federal courts declared it was unconstitutional. After the blankie went bye-bye, Washington state tried the "Pick-a-party" primary, but voters didn't feel the vibe. Today, we've been blessed with the oft-litigated, much deliberated top-two primary, a format some people say is doomed to fail. But dammit, we might as well try it out. ...

Sausage Links, top-two primary Cuban cigar edition

Today is "Top-Two" Primary's Eve, and as usual, the pundits have circled and speculated about tomorrow's big turnout. But we'll get to that in a second. First, Oregon congressional candidate Mike Erickson has a lesson for us titled What not to do when going on a "humanitarian trip" to Cuba. In 2004, Erickson said he visited a Cuban "medical center, met with doctors, and attended a presentation on the plight of the disabled." But according to a recent story in The Oregonian, the medical center Erickson said he visited does not exist. The story goes on to say that Erickson and some friends spent nearly $1,698 each for the weeklong Cuban vacation, which conveniently coincided with the Habanos Festival, an annual celebration of Cuban cigars. ...

Seattle has a streetcar named Desired

Minneapolis is the latest city to develop Portland-envy and, thanks to the Portland-imitating Seattle Streetcar, a little Seattle-envy as well. Minneapolis is now considering a starter-streetcar line, with maybe six more to follow. Minnpost.com writer Steve Berg recently visited the Northwest cities, rode and praised the streetcars, and was "reminded again how far behind downtown Minneapolis has fallen."

Seattle outpaces Portland in income growth

The current issue of Marple's Pacific Northwest Letter ($) tallies up personal income figures for Northwest metro areas. One shocker is how low the figure is for Portland, a booming area that is still shy on high-paying jobs. Or, conversely, how affluent Seattle is.

Eat and walk your way through Northwest cities

On the Portland walking tour. Our Whidbey Island correspondent shares her favorite way to explore the food and atmosphere of Portland, Vancouver, and Seattle.

After a late start, MSM blogs are everywhere

Jeff Mapes' backpack. The Northwest's mainstream newspapers are reporting political news on the Web first. Part 3 of 3

Blue, red, right, left: A blogroll for Northwest political junkies

<i>Slog</i>ging toward Olympia: Dan Savage. These are the partisan voices you might not know or have been afraid to try. Part 2 of 3

Seattle, you ignorant SLUT

Oregonian columnist Steve Duin has fun feeling superior to Seattle, calling the Big Bad City to the North "a mass transit basket case." But he does find something to praise, even if he drips with condescension, and that's the Seattle Streetcar, fondly known as the SLUT. Duin likes the idea, a steal from Portland, of course, not because it's a serious transit solution but because the name is so funny.

Sausage Links, 'you'll shoot your Eyman out' edition

Ballot king Tim Eyman had to be happy to see Seattle Post-Intelligencer columnist Joel Connelly say his traffic congestion measure, Initiative 985, "might be on to something" and deserved a "closer look." Unfortunately for Eyman, the Office of Fiscal Management released a report today stating the initiative would, among other things, cost the state $668.6 million already going to current congestion relief projects, cost the state $324.6 million to implement, cost the Washington State Arts Commission $500,000 over the next five years, and increase the state's budget deficit by an estimated $290 million. The Washington Policy Center Blog has the full breakdown. Meanwhile, David Goldstein at Horse's Ass points out that I-985 would be one more reason Eastern Washington voters would continue to hate Seattle. ...

Sausage Links, no pun intended edition

Seattle Post-Inteliigencer political writer Chris McGann reports how Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi's opposition to abortion, gay marriage, gun control, stem cell research and gay rights' expansion has been underplayed by his campaign in an effort to sway liberal voters. Rossi, however, says those aren't the issues he's running on. Meanwhile, Josh Feit at the Stranger has some potentially bad news for Gregoire — the ominous Obama-Rossi yard sign juxtaposition. ...

Walkability is nice, but it's not making us skinny

Current theory says that a city's walkability promotes health and will impact the fight against obesity. The claim is that America's weight problem can be helped by making cities more pedestrian-friendly. It should follow, then, that our most dense and walkable cities are where the skinny people are, right? Well, not really.

To lower housing prices, look at Chicago

Median condominium prices in Chicago, notes Harvard urban economist Edward Glaeser, are $232,000. That's very low, even a shade under those in Trenton, N.J. (The King County median price for condos is $285,000.) What do those smart urbanists in Chicago know about affordability?

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Mossback » Fishing at The Dalles, circa 1910.

(Historical) context is everything

Making arrowheads, tossing spears, wandering old homesteads, and studying petroglyphs: All are part of a Washington state program designed to ensure that material progress doesn't completely obliterate the past. Part 1

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David Laskin: Seeing L.A. through the eyes of Weimar artists

Fleeing Hitler's Germany, major figures such as Thomas Mann, Bertold Brecht, and Harold Schoenberg set up in Los Angeles. For a while, that city was the center of European culture, and then it faded away with the rise of McCarthyism. Seattle writer David Laskin traces their footsteps and visits their homes in Pacific Palisades.

Unannounced guest star of Intiman's new show: Sarah Palin

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Business / Technology »

Reality is sinking in for the tech sector

Ebay has announced cuts, Microsoft's Ballmer retracted his no-worry comments, as the financial crunch begins to affect the tech sector.

Bank of America offers relief to Washington mortgage holders

Ron Sims offers to move his office to save money

Politics / Government » Fishing at The Dalles, circa 1910.

(Historical) context is everything

Making arrowheads, tossing spears, wandering old homesteads, and studying petroglyphs: All are part of a Washington state program designed to ensure that material progress doesn't completely obliterate the past. Part 1

Uh-oh for Obama: delay in sentencing Tony Rezko

Despite the credit crisis, Washington state gets more federal funds

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Recreation / Outdoors » Fishing at The Dalles, circa 1910.

(Historical) context is everything

Making arrowheads, tossing spears, wandering old homesteads, and studying petroglyphs: All are part of a Washington state program designed to ensure that material progress doesn't completely obliterate the past. Part 1

Paddle or sail

'Real estate economy' of the Rockies suddenly looks rocky

Sports »

Senior administrator ousted at UW athletics department

Marie Tuite, senior associate athletic director for sports programs, and in charge of women's basketball and volleyball, is ousted by the new athletic director, Scott Woodward.

It's football blight in Seattle

Giants rout Seahawks, 44-6: how it looks from New York

Flip Side »

San Francisco voters buried in a blizzard of ballot measures

It's numbing as you look through propositions from A to V. And don't miss Proposition R, on whether to change the name of the Oceanside Water Treatment Plant to the George W. Bush Sewage Plant.

The geniuses who aren't on Wall Street

When brain surgery isn't brain surgery

Travel »

Carless and carefree: Victoria to Courtenay by train on Vancouver Island

I prefer road trips that don't include me as the driver. And now with the gas gods scowling down on us, even folks who would never leave their beloved vehicles at home are opting for alternative ways to roam. Plus, lots can happen when you're not behind the wheel. You can read. Listen to tunes. Eavesdrop. Take a snooze. Or see familiar sights with fresh eyes. My favorite way to travel to British Columbia is a combination of trains, buses, boats, and planes. This is the fourth and final in a series of my carless, carefree getaway to BC. Depending on your time and budget, cut and clip as necessary.

Sausage Links, HOV lane endorsement edition

Amtrak to consider reviving two Seattle-Chicago routes

Food »

Travel: Oregon's Valley of the Wine

There are now 275 wineries in the valley, which has come of age for tourists, even without fancy hotels. With slide show.

Ivar's turns 70

Earthier wines from Europe vie for Yakima palates

Lifestyle / Leisure » A botanical drawing of allium sativum, garlic, from 1793.

Garlic tells a story

If you're not growing garlic, you should think about it, and here's why.

'Real estate economy' of the Rockies suddenly looks rocky

Travel: Oregon's Valley of the Wine

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