Posted Mon, Apr 23, 9:45 p.m.

Timeless advice, I guess; originally appearing in May, 2010. This is a provocative conceit, but atrocious advice. Aspiring writers should (and invariably will) read anything that they find artistically stimulating. They will then, of course, spend time imitating the writers they admire before accumulating the experience and maturity to find ...

Posted Fri, Apr 20, 12:17 p.m.

I clicked on the link to this piece with great anticipation--but I'm disappointed to read a variation of the "can't we all just get along?" plaint. Mr. Bozeman is certainly right that arriving at a shared, big-picture vision of a desirable future would be wonderful. The current state of American ...

Posted Wed, Feb 1, 11:24 a.m.

"The cutoff of Planned Parenthood anti-cancer funds comes only months after Komen installed a new and strongly anti-abortion vice president, Karen Handel, who ran for governor of Georgia in 2010, on an anti-Planned Parenthood pledge." Clearly, the leadership of Komen was already disposed to make decisions on the basis of ...

Posted Mon, Dec 19, 2:03 p.m.

Nearly as disturbing as the DOJ's findings is the chorus of Seattle civic leaders who are questioning its validity and diluting its impact. SPD quickly took vigorous measures when the Port of Seattle was an "Occupy" target recently, as documented by Crosscut and other media. Perhaps Mr. Royer, whose employer's ...

Posted Wed, Dec 14, 7:16 a.m.

Totally depends on the potential opposition, of which not a word in your piece, Jordan. Who is there, R or D, who can generate a bit of excitement among Seattle voters? After all, McGinn was elected as the slightly less tepid of two candidates who elicited yawns throughout the campaign. ...

Posted Sat, Dec 10, 12:03 p.m.

A resounding 'no' to Fielder, unless you can get him on a short-term deal with rights to renew (which you can't--he'll be looking for the same late-career-to-nursing home contract that Pujols amazingly got from the Angels). Seattle has its own underperforming long-term contracts (Figgins, who never will produce, and Ichiro, ...

Posted Mon, Nov 21, 10:46 p.m.

Great strategizing, Ted. So the President, who still has trouble getting his jacket on because of the knives in his back, should get out front again and try to lead the jackals to carrion? What ever are you thinking? Oh, I see. You're reliving ancient history--when the aisles of Congress, ...

Posted Thu, Oct 6, 9:40 a.m.

A fascinating and symbolic adjustment for Democrats--coming as it does in the midst of our latest, prolonged economic swoon, as the left shows signs of finding a voice in the streets, and the concentration of personal wealth is at an all-time high. While $250k per year doesn't quality as "rich" ...

Posted Sun, Oct 2, 9:44 p.m.

A reactionary right-wing blowhard? A fat reactionary right-wing blowhard? You're right, Knute. "Fat" doesn't matter, and isn't the point.

Posted Fri, Sep 30, 7:28 p.m.

Gosh, Robin. James A. Reeves's journey sounds so...so...prototypically AMERICAN. So redolent of our 21st-century angst. So, like, echoing Lewis & Clark, or Kerouac, or de Toqueville. Whoever. Know what I'm sayin'? Such "graceful and humble written observations and moving photographs of this large and complex nation"! WOW!! And all from ...

Posted Tue, Sep 13, 11:10 a.m.

"...as common experience, and journalistic record tells us, we apparently hate bicyclists." "An impolite driver is just a bad apple, or someone having a bad day. An impolite cyclist represents all of his kind." This piece is rhetorically and logically flawed, and if presented to me in a formal course ...

Posted Tue, Sep 6, 8:33 p.m.

"These numbers have scared President Obama and his administration." ...and these numbers have energized the right, which is very likely to take over the presidency on promises to make corporations, and the individually wealthy, even richer so they can raise the masses up through their entrepreneurial genius and altruistic natures. ...

Posted Fri, Aug 26, 10:07 p.m.

I'd like a job digging the tunnel, Mike. Can you dig it?

Posted Fri, Aug 26, 10:02 p.m.

I'd guess that any team in the American or National league would salivate at the prospect of having (or having had) Ichiro as their leadoff hitter for the past 10 years. Detractors are more likely to be local (familiarity does breed contempt), as in the preceding comment, but the record ...

Posted Wed, Aug 17, 12:06 a.m.

This vote foreshadows Mike McGinn's reelection chances. One and done. As with all prevaricators-for-convenience (remember George "I Won't Run for Reelection" Nethercutt? Slade "I Won't Trade my Vote for a Judgeship" Gorton?), McGinn can't erase the effects of his in-broad-daylight flip: the false claim that he wouldn't oppose the project. ...

Posted Tue, Aug 16, 6:21 p.m.

Great to see Carp, Ackley, and Pineda hit the show and really produce!

Posted Tue, Aug 16, 6:15 p.m.

Comparing the slaughter, and resulting rhetoric, of Gettysburg (and the issues that sparked our near-miss with disunion) and our little transportation issue is a bit over the top, Roger. Try something a bit more modest--like, maybe, "Can't we all just get along?" Or even more succinct and suiting: "That's all, ...

Posted Mon, Aug 8, 11:26 p.m.

From the Oregon side of the river, I saw Hatfield in the same vein as Dan Evans and Warren Magnuson to the north...but also in the tradition of Oregon mavericks like Wayne Morse, Richard Neuberger (succeeded by his wife Maureen following his death), and Tom McCall. All are northwest politicians ...

Posted Sun, Aug 7, 12:09 p.m.

Today's NYT has a brilliant OpEd on this theme... http://community.nytimes.com/comments/www.nytimes.com/2011/08/07/opinion/sunday/what-happened-to-obamas-passion.html Judging from the near-unanimous reader response, there is widespread consternation among those who envisioned a more vital, effective progressive leader who would counter the right. It's time to seriously consider the unthinkable: A movement within the Democratic party to dump ...

Posted Sat, Aug 6, 2:57 p.m.

Chone Figgins with his next team: .349 BA, OPS .900, 48 stolen bases? Gold Glove?

Posted Fri, Aug 5, 10:17 a.m.

Genius must result when (bureaucratic) need collides with (developer) desperation. Surely the 'repurposing' of one of our most visible buildings can stimulate better community vision than labeling it The Beacon of Corrections. That building was a monument to the U.S. Public Health Service, and served its original functions for all ...

Posted Mon, Aug 1, 10:28 p.m.

This brings back unpleasant memories of past (auto) trips to Vancouver; crawling, crawling, crawling along Highway 99 for the last 12 miles into city center after a 150-mile trip that had proceeded nicely (with occasional snarls at the border, of course). The stop-and-go is a replication of our Highway 99/Aurora ...

Posted Tue, Jul 26, 9:27 p.m.

Not premature at all, Mike...and you nailed it, with Jackson and Leinert both coming in. At least in Whitehurst, Pete Carroll has the guy he wanted (many of us can wonder why), and that guy has a year under his belt--not much playing time, but he did manage an important ...

Posted Wed, Jul 20, 2:31 p.m.

Nationally and locally, we lack a coherent philosophy of public finance. That's predictable, since our first attempt at national unity foundered on resistance to taxation--and we still have no generally-agreed principles of valuing or paying for social services. Is a rapid conduit down Aurora/99 to the West Seattle Bridge (or ...

Posted Wed, Jul 20, 12:02 a.m.

There is no joy in Mudville. The Mariners (who got the minimum 4 runs that Mike Blowers wished for in KIRO's pregame show in the first 3 innings, but then couldn't score in the next 11) lost again to go 0-10 for the last 10 games. Sackcloth and ashes are ...

Posted Sun, Jul 17, 2:28 p.m.

Nice fluff piece, Hugo. When I go to Safeco Field, I want to see competitive baseball. Distracting fans by suggesting that they consider the food is an insult and a travesty...just the kind that Mariner management has been perpetrating on us for the past ten years. Are you in someone's ...

Posted Thu, Jul 14, 9:41 p.m.

Circumstances will dictate. Thursday's inaugural game of the Rangers series just ended 5-0 for Texas, putting them 8-1/2 games in front. Fielder would indeed add offensive punch, but probably not enough. Can we focus on getting rid of the underperforming high-ticket players we have now, keep the pitching staff together, ...

Posted Wed, Jul 6, 7:43 p.m.

I say resurrect the dead, give them a uniform and put their names on a locker if that's what it takes to put even a bit of fright into opponents. The M's are back to the dead-battery look at the plate, and there's nothing to lose in bringing this young ...

Posted Mon, Jul 4, 2:24 p.m.

rjudd: Eloquently put. Pythagoras: I wish you were wrong. I know you're right.

Posted Mon, Jul 4, 11:24 a.m.

Jefferson allegedly said the Constitution should be rewritten every 19 years. That comment may reflect the fact that he was in France during the summer of 1787, and didn't experience or contribute much to the root canal operation that finally replaced the Articles of Confederation and laid the groundwork for ...

Posted Tue, Jun 28, 11:48 a.m.

Nice update on an old topic. In the Sabermetric age, there are a lot of folks who look at comparative hitting stats. Besides the one you mentioned, there's hittrackeronline, whose data is also posted on ESPN. They have up to 10 years' worth of comparative ballpark HR, runs, and hits ...

Posted Fri, Jun 10, 8:11 p.m.

"It’s good in politics to play nice with others, an indicator of gravitas." No, it's an indicator of politeness and basic decency, Roger.

Posted Thu, May 26, 9:36 p.m.

At last! Mr. E. engages in an arena worthy of his talent. I hope there are more such trivial pursuits to prevent him from gnawing away at the foundations of representative government and public finance. One can only wish that he were poor, unemployed, disabled, homeless, perhaps pregnant, undereducated, or ...

Posted Thu, May 5, 11:52 p.m.

Amazing reemergence in 12 days. Mayday! Mayday! doesn't mean that the entire team has hit the silk like D.B. Cooper over southwest Washington. You've got a thought on those callups--but it's less likely that they'll come up and keep producing than that the M's will continue what got 'em back ...

Posted Mon, Apr 25, 2:53 p.m.

I'm still rooting for Erik Bedard to overcome the physical problems and surgeries, even as his struggles to become a big-league pitcher again show that he's unlikely to make it. In 2008, I was in the stands when he threw seven innings of 2-hit, no-run ball against the Red Sox ...

Posted Wed, Apr 20, 7:04 p.m.

Well! Up on the wrong side of bed this morning, were we? Will, when looking well won't do it, looking ill prevail? Prithee, why the rail? This sounds suspiciously like a program of "cultural cleansing," and that could be dicey for one who has admitted that his love of landmarks ...

Posted Mon, Apr 18, 5:58 p.m.

Mike, you and others are starting to write energetically (and repeatedly) about what the fans have known, and been growsing about, for a long time. Good for you--the Times and P-I are also showing signs of poking their heads out of the press booth and realizing that this is a ...

Posted Sat, Apr 9, 9:38 p.m.

fires of war, and working energetically toward tax and banking reform, for example)...in the immortal words of Lloyd Bentsen, "Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy."

Posted Sat, Apr 9, 9:35 p.m.

No, I don't think Mr. Obama can articulate a vision for modern liberalism. I'm reluctantly concluding that, while he may have had genuine ardor for social justice in his fieldwork as a community organizer, he is neither passionate nor competent enough to grasp what it takes to perform on the ...

Posted Sat, Mar 26, 1:21 p.m.

An excellent piece in what has to be a continuing dialog about the processes and policies through which the city sets pay, health and pension benefits, hiring criteria, and reviews the performance of ALL employees, including SPD. Wisconsin is a great example of how NOT to make reforms in terms ...

Posted Wed, Mar 23, 6:17 p.m.

Great piece, Mr. Holmes. If Mr. McKenna can tilt at windmills in this fashion with no damsel's hanky on his sleeve, just think what he would do as Gov'ner. Not a future devoutly to be wished!

Posted Fri, Feb 4, 1:01 p.m.

I agree with the Councilmember that "Today’s police department is staffed with many good people who do their jobs extremely well." However, I think there's not enough specificity or substance in his recommendations, and in his summing-up "...hope (that) we soon begin to hear the proud voices of wisdom and ...

Posted Sun, Jan 30, 11:55 a.m.

Nice update, Mike. This would make spring training interesting for me: Milton Bradley is released (who would trade for him?), Chone Figgins is traded to Oakland, where he would again produce in a leadoff role, some of the M's many AAA pitchers and fielders show signs of being ready to ...

Posted Wed, Jan 5, 6:14 p.m.

Based on your description of Jim (electrician, age 34), I made the assumption that he would easily have satisfied the minimal criteria for Medicare eligibility under the ESRD (end-stage renal disease) program, which does not limit eligibility by age. Given that assumption, my statement was correct (as is yours, given ...

Posted Tue, Jan 4, 11:30 p.m.

Loss of the Basic Health Plan isn't at all desirable, and I hope it doesn't happen. As for Jim and his situation, please get it right. Medicare WILL pay for both preliminary dialysis AND a transplant, not "probably"--and his doctor is either being dishonest (not outside the bounds of possibility, ...

Posted Tue, Dec 7, 9:38 p.m.

I appreciate both the article and the vigorous debate it sparked--and several commenters are, I suspect, quite knowledgeable about public finance, whether it's for the purpose of meeting general expenses of government or special projects. And to me, public finance is the base topic, and one that the electorate has ...

Posted Sun, Nov 28, 11:23 a.m.

Thanks for this gentle view from the sidelines on a momentous commercial day. I've been trying to recall when I first heard the term "Black Friday" used to describe that shopping day. It's an odd rehabilitation of the original term--which I find occurred not in 1929, but on September 24, ...

Posted Thu, Nov 25, 7:41 p.m.

Remember "generic products"? In "Repo Man" Emilio Estevez drinks beer labeled "BEER" and eats food labeled "FOOD". Funny, yes, but inviting, no. "No Labels," as an appeal to a populace that is sharply sophisticated or dumb as a 2x4, is very likely to be "gotten" by those who don't need ...

Posted Mon, Nov 22, 9:21 p.m.

The double reference to "a divided Executive" is important to understanding an important, and unsettled, issue in our state constitution. A central concept in both national and state systems is the separation of powers in Executive/Legislative/Judicial fashion. With respect to the Legislative and Judicial, "division" is taken for granted; the ...

Posted Sun, Nov 21, 10:23 p.m.

Maybe it was just that Oregonians didn't want to hand the governorship to Dudley as his first elective office. It's an interesting trend in politics (now pretty solidly a rich person's game anyway) that those with wealth earned elsewhere "just decide" that it would be great fun to run for....governor...US ...

Posted Fri, Nov 5, 5:11 p.m.

Mr. McGinn would be well-advised to remember that credibility and influence are not only an elected official's most important resources, but in a sense are all that s/he can count on. To lead effectively, an executive must command respect and be seen as both principled and flexible. The mayor is ...

Posted Thu, Oct 28, 8:39 a.m.

So your recommendation is that no one should lick the stamp until the late hours of the final day, and do a careful check of all media before driving to the Lander St. mailbox just before midnight? There's no guarantee that a "This just in..." revelation will cause regret, but ...

Posted Wed, Oct 13, 6:49 p.m.

Common denominator: Zduriencik has worked with most of these guys--which may or may not be a positive. Win-loss records are notoriously deceptive or unhelpful with respect to future success. Joe Torre had a pretty ho-hum record before he got a chance at the Yankees, and was terrific--as was the case ...

Posted Wed, Sep 29, 7:28 p.m.

I thought the lesson in the parable you quote was going to be a more sophisticated one: "It doesn't matter what you've been carrying--so long as you're in good shape and are capable of bearing the burden." If you're asked to carry a weight from Point A to Point B, ...

Posted Wed, Sep 15, 9 p.m.

Mr. Rossi has bet that opposition to earmarks and bringing federal benefits to the state will win. It won't. Every community from Whidbey Island to Everett to Bremerton to SeaTac to the TriCities to Moses Lake to Spokane has tangible evidence of the value of having a congressional delegation that ...

Posted Sat, Sep 11, 8:52 p.m.

Why has Crosscut settled on Mike's "suit" picture? Why does the union (like the banks) refuse to recognize the profoundly depressed state of our economy and show solidarity with the displaced?

Posted Thu, Aug 26, 2:45 p.m.

Have followed your IHS articles with interest--it's been a year well-spent for you, and readers have gotten some exposure to this system. I'd like to take issue with your quotation from Dr. Anderson, but can do so only partially. To tar the entire health insurance industry is unfair and demonstrably ...

Posted Mon, Aug 23, 9:18 p.m.

Benjamin L: Yes. "Post-literate" with respect to the young's (un)willingness and (in)ability to absorb content and technique that some consider essential ("The Canon" writ large, not in the pinched Bloom/Bennett sense). Using the modalities of the future, our young are spurning the hard-copy ("book"), teacher-led and teacher-organized, classroom-based "production" model ...

Posted Sun, Aug 22, 10:09 p.m.

Your thinking may have been influenced by a Brookings Institution piece, but I suggest that you go deeper and study the history of the Common Schools. When you understand the depth of Americans' ambivalence about public schooling, you can also understand why those who can afford it have fled the ...

Posted Tue, Aug 17, 8:23 p.m.

While I admire your use of the most overworked current cliche of the era ("sustainable"; "sustainability"; etc.), this is pretty thin as a piece of policy analysis. It's certainly self-serving, coming as it does from the Port of Seattle (which does produce living-wage jobs for guys who drive trucks, operate ...

Posted Mon, Aug 9, 4:20 p.m.

Spot on, Mike. The real question is whether Nintendo has even the slightest desire to produce a winner other than their electronic hardware and software. My hunch? No. Zduriencik is making major dollars, and it's doubtful that he, either, cares about he long-term fate of the organization for which he ...

Posted Thu, Jul 29, 1:30 p.m.

I don't believe in representative government. I want to vote on every proposed governmental expenditure in excess of $1,000,000, and on any activities that may cost more than originally estimated. I want each mayor to push any policy s/he wishes, no matter how adverse to policies and projects previously approved. ...

Posted Sun, Jul 25, 11:22 a.m.

Give Wakamatsu a team culled of the prima donnas, head cases, and over-the-hill-and-it's-your-fault guys, and I think he'd do all right--if he could get his coaching staff to do nightly, or maybe in-game, reviews of fundamentals like baserunning, hitting the cutoff man, and being sure there IS a cutoff man ...

Posted Thu, Jul 22, 11:35 p.m.

Hmmmm... Man is finite and God is a cost/benefit analyst. Got it. And David Brooks, the mild-mannered, PBS-approved spokesman for conservatism, wears the shining raiment of...let's see...the anti-Pauline sort? Salvation is based on (penurious governmental) works, and not faith? As a pundit, Mr. Brooks is certainly preferable to the vast ...

Posted Thu, Jul 22, 8:54 p.m.

An excellent article, touching on one of our "Third Rail" issues: Crime, corrections, and rehabilitation. Despite the sophomoric comments by such as "kilgoretrout" (who affects a Vonnegut persona, but lacks the requisite intelligence--so it goes) or "Reklessone" (for whom human dilemmas can be packed away in the dark, like tuna ...

Posted Tue, Jul 20, 3:42 p.m.

We've hit this topic before. Figgins should have been dropped in the order long ago (he briefly was, but Wakamatsu caved when the highly-paid Figgins whined, and the manager immediately reinstated him as no. 2 in the lineup). IF Ackley shows any signs of major-league readiness in coming weeks, he ...

Posted Sat, Jul 3, 8:17 p.m.

I doubt that residents of Newport and Lincoln County feel duped. $20 million is chump change when you look at the infusion of permanent jobs and related economic benefits into that little coastal community.

Posted Wed, Jun 30, 3:35 p.m.

I should have acknowledged that the excellent Alvin Davis certainly did provide both fielding and hitting as M's first baseman from 1984-90 or so...

Posted Wed, Jun 30, 3:29 p.m.

I'll give Branyan a mulligan for his debut, but you're right to sound a note of caution on expecatations. With the exception of John Olerud (who was late in his career when the M's hosted him), the Mariners have never had the combination of fielding and hitting at first. This ...

Posted Thu, Jun 24, 11:55 p.m.

I don't think so, Mike. The M's do have a conundrum, but I don't think moving Jo. Wilson to first is the answer. Too short, throws right, and besides those two negatives, he'd do better pushing Lopez off the field at third (you can then DH Lopez), and you can ...

Posted Sun, Jun 20, 11:17 a.m.

I hadn't read Mr. Holmes' statement--so thank you for posting the hyperlink along with your comments. Having read Mr. Holmes' statement now several times, I wonder why Mr. Royer is taking issue with it. Certainly he can't find fault with the actions the City Attorney is taking, as described in ...

Posted Thu, Jun 3, 11:47 a.m.

Your students' work may not have the rigor of a formal study, but they've done fine work in the tradition of SOCIAL science. This piece touches on deep, deep issues in mass communications and "media studies"--far behind the immediate one of neopolitics and how such things get covered. It's those ...

Posted Thu, Jun 3, 12:31 a.m.

Well, it WAS just one game, Mike. Tonight they won another "just one game," scratching out their first extra-inning win of the season, I think, in a 1-run game that uncommonly went their way. Cliff Lee turned in another gem, but wasn't around to get the win. Ichiro figured again, ...

Posted Thu, May 27, 11:05 a.m.

You make good points, Ted...and we (truthfully identified, openly anon, covertly anon, or pseudo-anon) advance good points in rejoinder, rebuttal, etc. The anonymous issue predates the internet medium and era, but is further complicated by it. As you note, the old "Letters to the Editor" channel required vetting by editors, ...

Posted Wed, May 26, 11:11 p.m.

M's were tipping at the edge of the cliff, 8.5 games behind Texas and steadily losing ground--so by winning two in a row (for only the second time this year?), and reversing the slide momentarily (now -7.5 in the West), they avoid being pulled off life support. Your "What-if?" illustration ...

Posted Sun, May 23, 8:17 p.m.

Yes, this year's attendance may be averaging only 1,100 fewer per game than the 2009 edition...but that team drew less than the year before, which drew less than the year before, and so on, and so on, and so on--a decline interrupted only once since the high-water marks of 2001 ...

Posted Fri, May 14, 12:35 p.m.

In "The Heart of the Game," Paul Hemphill sketches the minor-league career of a second baseman in the Atlanta Braves organization. Hemphill quotes Willie Stargell as separating the season into three parts for a hitter: the part where you can't buy a hit, the part where everything you swing at ...

Posted Sun, May 9, 8:14 p.m.

Sunday: ...Mariners fired hitting coach Alan Cockrell (and Mariners under his tutelage fall all over themselves defending his work ethic and blaming themselves for weeks of choking at the plate)... ...Two AAA callups hit home runs, and one almost hits for the cycle; ...Ichiro breaks out with a 3-hit, 3-stolen-base ...

Posted Sat, May 8, 1:06 a.m.

How prescient: The pitching will go south. Cliff Lee's second start is seriously flawed...Ryan Rowland-Smith gets run over...now Felix Hernandez the mature and steady ace does a perfect imitation of Felix Hernandez the fragile, lose-your-focus-and-lose-the-game rookie. Z may be professional...Wakamatsu is regrettably too cool for what this team (players and ...

Posted Mon, May 3, 9:48 a.m.

I appreciate your attempt to focus on Mark Kleiman's Seattle appearance, but there's much more here about Dostoevsky and the Police Guild than there is about the professor and his specific ideas. For those who are interested, recordings of two Kleiman Seattle talks are here: http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=2301030 http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=5211033

Posted Mon, May 3, 12:14 a.m.

Postscript: The M's send Tuiasosopo to Tacoma, release Eric Byrnes, and bring up Ryan Langerhans and the other Wilson--Josh. These moves may produce some short-term signs of liveliness, but won't change the starting lineup and don't add the critically needed offense (a clutch contact hitter who can drive the ball ...

Posted Sun, May 2, 5:37 p.m.

Lee looked just like the guy who mystified the Yankees twice in last year's world series...and with more of the same, will set himself up for a huge free agent contract after this season. What are the odds that he'd sign with a team that doesn't provide any run support? ...

Posted Thu, Apr 29, 9:01 a.m.

Spurn generic success...embrace unique failure? How about a Whole Foods/Larry's or even Trader Joe's to generate some real traffic into the area on the part of citizens who are looking for something basic and harmless--like groceries--rather than booze, broads, and narrow, niche-y things like once-a-month art, stroll-through sports events, and ...

Posted Mon, Apr 26, 2:52 p.m.

Road record: 2-8. Home record: 7-2. When can this be called a pattern? Already, a .500 season looms, and big changes are needed. The 9-inning, complete pitching performance isn't part of the modern game--especially in the American League. The starter-(setup)-closer recipe is accepted, and works as long as your relievers ...

Posted Tue, Apr 20, 11:19 a.m.

When you're up to your ass in alligators, you remember that you just meant to drain the swamp... The original intent of plans for replacing the viaduct and 520 was to avert catastrophic failure of aging structures and prevent loss of life. (Maybe the 520 intent wasn't as "pure" in ...

Posted Mon, Apr 19, 3:40 p.m.

Regarding the projected 43% use of single-occupancy vehicles through 2040: JNILES is correct that this underscores the need for innovation in small, non-polluting (or nearly so) vehicles--with the explicit admission that there are huge benefits to some users, such that their "addiction" will not disappear, and must be addressed by ...

Posted Mon, Apr 19, 2:10 p.m.

My notes from Sunday's loss include the following: What was to like: (1) Casey Kotchman's sterling defense (perfect fielding and put-out on a bunt; another fine pickup of a hot grounder at first) and quality at-bats, with a home run). (2) 2nd base-shortstop defense; Figgins and Wilson turned two nice ...

Posted Tue, Apr 13, 5:10 p.m.

Re: Viaduct. Drill, Baby. Drill.

Posted Mon, Apr 12, 8:49 p.m.

Gutierrez' inning-opening double (wasted when he died on third), and THREE long foul balls (the two you mentioned, plus one by Kotchman) were the offensive highlights in this one. Ichiro-Chone: 0-for-8, and neither was on base a single time. Ryan Rowland-White pitched well enough to win, despite walking the bases ...

Posted Mon, Apr 12, 11:38 a.m.

2-5 today, so they've played .500 ball since you wrote. BTW Mike: I don't advise use of "achingly"--real M's fans don't ache. "Pukingly" is good, though. You pretty well hit the low spots...an offensive lineup with this many holes in it (Figgins will hit .290, but Wilson, Bradley, and Kotchman ...

Posted Thu, Apr 8, 11:39 a.m.

Ted, thanks for your piece—we ‘mere mortals’ should keep an eye on The Big Stage, and venture to form and voice opinions about it from time to time. Your laundry list is a pretty good one, and looks a lot like the list I would draw up myself--but I’ve come ...

Posted Mon, Mar 29, 9:19 p.m.

Maybe McKenna is acting within his prerogatives as AG, as former Sen. Gorton suggests. However, he's also showing his deficiencies as a legal thinker. The proof of this will come soon enough in the courts, and will not be a close call. Mr. McKenna may still be able to fool ...

Posted Fri, Mar 26, 4:52 p.m.

Darling? With a 33-25% approval rating, and 42% clueless? And, as you say, the (not quite anonymous) council boasting similar numbers? A better interpretation might be this: A clear plurality of Seattle voters have no opinion, and probably aren't paying much attention; among those who responded to this survey (explain ...

Posted Thu, Mar 25, 6:33 p.m.

I'm with you. I scorn street food that walks a fine line between informed adulation and lazy insult.

Posted Wed, Mar 24, 11:04 a.m.

Thanks for the reminder that all politics is loco. It had me fumbling for my book of H.L. Mencken quotes (actually, Lycos-ing for one); you and he provide the vinegar that matches the temper of the times. Such as...? "I believe that all government is evil, and that trying to ...

Posted Tue, Mar 23, 11:01 a.m.

Mr. McKenna is certainly not trapped. He's running for his next office, just as you suggest (Governor), and he's confirming his Rossi Republican credentials. Nothing compels his participation in this suit, which will certainly be pursued competently and swiftly without his involvement. His decision will be pleasing to voters who ...

Posted Wed, Mar 10, 11:30 a.m.

Despite our diversity and demand for choice in just about every aspect of our lives, we Americans are very much herd-minded with respect to institutional life. That's reflected in public (mass) education, business and governmental (bureaucratic) processes, and cultural trends--where we adopt trends uniformly and are nervous about deviation. The ...

Posted Sat, Mar 6, 11:12 a.m.

Your reminder of the value of the Christian season of Lent and the spirit of self-reflection and humility that it encourages is appreciated--but I question whether the case of Dr. Bishop is best evaluated within the construct of good and evil. From the descriptions I have read, this unfortunate (this ...

Posted Thu, Feb 11, 3:32 p.m.

Our Seattle style: 1. Boldly recognize risk--and opportunity to reintegrate waterfront into cityscape 2. Slowly and timidly make decision to manage risk and beautify, but with delay, such that... 3. New boss is chosen 4. New boss strenuously objects, then equivocates and waffles, then firmly decides not to oppose so ...

Posted Mon, Feb 8, 10:01 a.m.

Great work, Steve! I hope this reaches Sen. Reid, the President's handlers, and the 58 other wee, tim'rous persons of Congress who have allowed this travesty. George Bush, having lost the presidency by half a million votes in 2000, proceeded to act like Ronald Reagan following his landslide. The Democrats, ...

Posted Wed, Jan 6, 10:05 a.m.

(1) Batteries and power supplies and cords (2) Breakage (I just broke LCD screen on my digital camera--it can't be fixed) (3) Obsolescence and tech changes (4) Initial cost (5) Duplicates other systems (I've GOT a laptop; GOT a netbook!) (6) Another thing to lug (7) Hard to make notes ...

Posted Sun, Nov 29, 2:31 p.m.

I understand that, in your judgment, the President took too long in his review and analysis of the Afghan situation, the possible futures we face there, and the optional approaches that may produce those futures--including the particular intricacies of each approach. I understand, too, that you think "all the known ...

Posted Thu, Nov 12, 9:14 a.m.

Thanks for an informative piece...few of us know about the depth and breadth of city government's organization structure, perhaps especially on the Executive side where the work gets done (or not). Questions you raise by implication are zingers: Why would regular auditing of departments not already be a standard for ...

Posted Wed, Nov 11, 10:36 p.m.

"That's all there is to it. Now get to work, and good luck." SIR! Yes, SIR! Thank you, SIR! Will that be all, SIR!?

Posted Tue, Nov 3, 9:15 p.m.

Within our little corner of the nation, as well as across the USA, there's a much greater need for a fundamental, "back to basics" conversation between the electorate and their elected officials than there is a need for this or that programmatic/policy change. Let's face it: In the absence of ...

Posted Thu, Oct 22, 7:46 p.m.

I wasn't aware that Crosscut gave individual citizens access to its pages to do personal endorsements. No journalistic principle that I'm aware of would support turning over the front page to a single individual's pleasure, and it is a stain on Crosscut's credibility to have done so. Your policy is ...

Posted Tue, Oct 20, 9:53 p.m.

This is the first time in years that I voted early. Like, you know, a smug student who turns his homework in a few days before it's due. Extra credit?? What's THAT!!?? Changing metaphors here a bit: I paddled out and waited to catch the McGinn wave, but, darn it, ...

Posted Tue, Oct 20, 3:08 p.m.

24 hours in Seattle: * Council votes 9-0 to go ahead with tunnel. Orders commemorative hard hats and shovels from Amazon online. * Mike McGinn caves. Hope the tunnel doesn't! * Joe Mallahan crows. * Sightline, having apparently forgotten to change its wall calendar, wakes up and releases its speculative ...

Posted Sun, Oct 18, 3:58 p.m.

Sad story...another Post-Gutenberg, Post-Literate, tale like many others across the country, with the added effects of local factors, as you mention...and for a town historically ranked among the highest in per capita book sales, not a happy one. I've felt for years that EBB's location is much more a handicap ...

Posted Wed, Sep 23, 12:27 p.m.

Thanks for sticking up for we who were mediocrities in our youth...either from boredom, sloth, the need for a slower pace, more repetition, less-stressed and more sympathetic teachers, or any of the many other reasons for "substandard" performance. The issue here isn't isolated D's...it's the proposition that students who have--what?--1.0 ...

Posted Thu, Sep 10, 10:54 a.m.

Glass half-empty piece, Matt. I'm a regular cyclist, though not a daily commuter--and my impression (as both biker and auto driver) is that these prominent markings DO help to raise driver awareness of cyclists' presence and right to consideration. I appreciate that they've been added, and wouldn't want to lose ...

Posted Sun, Aug 16, 3:40 p.m.

Didn't hear the Nethercutt piece, but would have chewed nails right along with you if I had. The virus infecting the country vis-a-vis health reform is already frustration enough--for NPR to botch a commenter's ID and give him quality time for biased spin is just more vexation.

Posted Wed, Jul 15, 12:44 p.m.

Can't help but add a note following today's announcement of the Episcopalean schism. It's denomination-wide, rather than a single-congregation issue, but is another sign of strain in formerly homogeneous institutions...

Posted Sun, Jul 12, 10:30 a.m.

An interesting example of institutional strain in the face of a fascinating, and undeniable, trend: segmentation of interest groups based on cultural, racial, and political diversity. I can understand why some, like radbam, may wish to deny that it is a trend, but it's happening nonetheless. Read Bill Bishop's recent ...

Posted Mon, Jul 6, 8:43 p.m.

Rhetorically stirring. It obviously appeals to Rep. Carlyle’s (fawning) True Believers, to whom this back-bencher arrives with messianic promise, and who are quick to post the internet equivalent of a Standing O. But I kept waiting for the tag line: “My name is Reuven Carlyle, and I approved this message.” ...

Posted Sat, Jul 4, 10:27 p.m.

Ted, the long run of freedom and increasing power (financial and military) rooted in our founding structure and principles creates two roughly opposite effects: * On the one hand, a steady erosion in citizens' ability to understand, emotionally relate to, and revivify their government, and... * On the other, an ...

Posted Wed, Jun 24, 11:05 a.m.

Good piece, Mr. Lilly...and good comments in response. I, too, feel that we should be "working upstream" (much earlier) with respect to accountability, and that we should be looking for ways to acknowledge and involve parents/community in the effort. We should be assessing children at the kindergarten/1st grade level, and ...

Posted Fri, Jun 19, 10:49 a.m.

It's wonderful that Ms. Robinson won such a prestigious literary award--but she's very unlikely to even make the short list for logical, or theologically sophisticated, discourse. She says that "free will is an attractive phrase" and then "dissents" (from what?? there is no assertion from which to dissent, other than ...

Posted Wed, Jun 10, 11:40 a.m.

Dr. Gawande unfortunately didn't mention that he was replicating work that is decades old, and in the U.S. is most firmly associated with Jack Wennberg at Dartmouth. As long ago as 1973, he noted the variation in rates of care, costs, and so forth, in different locales, and certainly deserved ...

Posted Wed, Jun 3, 1:34 p.m.

Great piece; when I looked up "elisionary," I realized that I knew its root (elide) but not the derivative. As for another -ary word that you mentioned (visionary), I think you need to flesh out that part of the strategy. You're right about neighborhood schmoozing as an essential. That's the ...

Posted Thu, May 28, 2:18 p.m.

Thank you, kieth. I entirely agree with you that Saddam's disappearance from the scene is a good thing. As for the details of who (mis)interpreted or manipulated what, I'll encourage you to have a look at just two sources of information regarding how the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld administration managed the runup to ...

Posted Thu, May 28, 12:21 p.m.

Apologies--my earlier post was incomplete when I prematurely hit 'submit comment'... I'm glad you were persuaded of the correctness of the Iraq venture, Pastor Robinson, 'neath the bright blue sky and the spreading elms, by President Bush's ambassador's gutsy speech. The Bush administration was noted for its gutsiness, for its ...

Posted Mon, May 18, 11:15 a.m.

Jan Drago strikes me not at all as CEO of one of the west's largest, and most challenged, cities. I'll say the same for Hizzoner Nickels, but can't see that the city would be at all improved by ushering Ms. Drago into the Mayor's Office. I've heard her make very ...