Way up north

Things will be quiet around here for the next two weeks -- we're in Alaska for a hiking and fishing adventure. See you soon if we don't end up as bear chow.

How to sort out Seattle's monorail mess

Here's a reasoned approach to figuring out what to do next and why to do it. Don't give up on the monorail yet. We're on to something - let's figure out how to do it right.

4 reasons to have a neighborhood blog

We usualy can't resist a funny - but this isn't another joke list. This is an invitation to you to join the conversation. If you're not writing about what is cool and good and needed in your neighborhood, who is? Do you really want that guy down the hall picking which restaurants should survive and die on your street? Do you really want your favorite coffee shop to be so secret it goes out of business?

1) There are too many granularities in the city -- types of people, types of finances, types of tastes. City-wide radio stations, tv, newspapers and weeklies can't do the job. They might make the shift someday but, more likely, they'll stick to the chewy middle of what 'everybody' wants.
2) Talking about what you like will create more things that you like. It's how it works. Especially in a city where there are 1,000 others that look like you and walk like you and talk like you. Everything you like and want is a trend. Write it down. Start the trend.
3) The more information people can get about an area, the more they will visit, explore and move there. Information about what is good and great in your hood will attract people that are good and great. (BTW, fake info about what is good and great will attract fake good people so beware!)
4) You'll appreciate your hood more. How do you love it? Count the ways. You'll start walking down streets you haven't walked down yet and trying businesses you haven't been inside before. You'll talk to more people. You'll meet people through your blog. You'll take pictures. You're like the freaking mayor!