You can always sniff when a mayoral election campaign is in the offing as politicians begin to talk and act tough when it comes to public enemy #1. Forget terrorism or affordable housing: In Seattle, our Bin Laden is potholes.
The new master plan for the signature park near the center of the city creates more open space and adds some good amenities, but it keeps the awkward Center House and proposes a living-together arrangement with school football teams.
The pattern is very strong: In Seattle you have affluent, largely single people chasing a small supply of urban housing. The result is small household size, an exodus of families to the suburbs, and very high housing prices in the city.
When a Seattle writer tried to recruit some north-of-the-border help in her fight against cancer, she learned how different our countries really are.
When it comes to superheated potatoes, such as sports arenas and stadiums, our local politicians have learned to do their deals very quietly. And so, with a solution for the Sonics starting to come together [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/basketball/353782_arena05x.html], mum's the word as the dealma
