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About Sarah Palin: an e-mail from Wasilla
2008 Election » Alaska »A state 'awash in money' from an extraction economy: It's different being governor of Alaska
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- Once a pal of journalists, McCain turns on them
Wasilla, Alaska, got $26.9 million in earmarks while Sarah Palin was mayor
- Washington Post
- Palin's vetting was comparatively minimal
- Welcome to the media major leagues!
- The hectic life of 'Gov. Mom'
- 'Mommy Wars, Special Campaign Edition'
Sarah Palin vs. the librarian: Facts are hard to come by
2008 Election »Mayor Palin had a rough record at Wasilla City Hall
Alaska »Under Mayor Palin, Wasilla went the strip-mall route
2008 Election »Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter is pregnant and will marry the father
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About Sarah Palin: an e-mail from Wasilla
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About Sarah Palin: an e-mail from Wasilla
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Is Sound Transit really one of 'the world's biggest boondoggles'?
(27 comments)
Sarah Palin: the liberal voter's worst nightmare
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The high price of Sarah Palin's candidacy
(19 comments)
The case for Sarah Palin
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A classic evisceration speech by the running mate
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Extreme Seattle
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Why Palin, why now
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An Alaska-sized gamble — and possibly a brilliant one
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No post-convention bounce for the Democrats
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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.
Our Whidbey Island correspondent shares her favorite way to explore the food and atmosphere of Portland, Vancouver, and Seattle.
The Northwest's mainstream newspapers are reporting political news on the Web first. Part 3 of 3
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?
Is Big Nanny running your town?
The libertarian magazine Reason has published a list of the biggest nanny cities in the country. The results for the big cities on the Pacific Coast are interesting. Portland is caught in a kind of "nanny sandwich" between Seattle and San Francisco. Apparently, the most ecotopian town in the Pacific Northwest has escaped the worst excess of politically correct fussiness.
Sausage Links, transit migraine edition
Ready to pay $6.85 round-trip to drive across the 520 bridge? Me neither. That's the proposed toll that would raise money to help pay for improvements to the floating fossil. But the idea of a toll begs another question, something I've been dying to get reader input about: Do you think having a toll on local bridges like 520 will sway voters to vote for the proposed light rail measure this November? Thoughts?
This annual gathering of students and teachers is unique in America, and another example of Portland's distinctive musical culture.
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Heart attack on McCain
I saw this coming. Last night after John McCain's GOP convention speech, the hall was blasted with the sounds of Seattle band Heart's rocker "Barracuda," which became the convention's theme music for Sarah "Barracuda" Palin (Barracuda was a high-school nickname). I figured an objection would be raised.
'Me' for president
Palin wouldn't be the first Northwest secessionist on a national ticket
The music you like tells a lot about your personality
The rebirth of activist theater
New theft of aboriginal art from Vancouver museum
My word of mouth on Kindle
27,000 Boeing workers strike
Sausage Links, Postman stops ringing edition
John Dean: Palin may not meet implied constitutional tests for vice president
Heart attack on McCain
Creationism is part of the case against elites
Our Convention Center has growing pains
Seattle's Convention Center is taking a close look at expanding, perhaps at a different location. It might complicate the coming legislative session if it puts its hand in the state trough of money for tourism-related taxes. Also crowding around the trough are the Huskies, King County arts, Seattle Center, KeyArena, low-income housing, Puget Sound cleanup, and more. And the Convention Center might topple some other interesting transportation dominoes.
Mount Baker
A new wine region emerges in Colorado
Portland's baseball team owner wants city help to build a new stadium
Now official: Oklahoma City's NBA team is the Thunder
Did Howard Schultz pull the last plug for the Sonics?
In touch with the average American
The funny thing about Seattle ...
'Drill their brains out!'
Salmonella sickens nine; health officials eye alfalfa sprouts
A new wine region emerges in Colorado
Slow Food Nation: now a political movement
Mount Baker
Proposed: Rename Seattle's Freeway Park for Jim Ellis, civic leader
Whassup with Wasilla
My word of mouth on Kindle
The music you like tells a lot about your personality
Final episodes: Northwest Afternoon sails into the sunset
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