I'd say so. Seattle area sports fans are a bit more... fickle? (the right word fails me) than I grew up around (New York City) and many have to drive much farther than the majority of east coast fans but we do have some advantages. Both a basketball team and a hockey team would have instant rivalries. And rivalries are the heart and soul of successful sports franchises.The new Sonics would pick up the Trailblazer rivalry immediately not to mention a ready made super grudge rivalry with the the Oklahoma City Lying Thieving Fucking Bastards. The Canucks are already one of the most hated teams in the NHL in general and few things are more satisfying to a passive aggressive psyche than a good hockey brawl. Population numbers are OK. I'm told the market is the 16th largest in the US (by guys on sports radio, which I must confess is a guilty pleasure of mine). My concern on that score is that the population is dispersed and may include people that live a several hour drive from Seattle. The venue will be about 18K seats, I think... that seems about right for an arena in a city like Seattle. Key arena was just under 18K according to Wikipedia. That means the sports should be able to sell out regularly. I don't know what the TV $ or the memorabilia crap $ means in the venue equation but I would think it significant. Both hockey and basketball have a real genuine championship history here in Seattle. It's kind of ironic that the two major pro sports that Seattle has had championship teams with are gone and the of two teams that we do have one has made it to the championship game only to lose. Between hockey and basketball there would be, including preseason and post season games, something like 100 home dates booking the venue. I would think at least 20-30 non-sporting acts would book there as well and maybe a few other dates taken by college basketball tournaments, circuses (do we allow those in Seattle?) and other more unconventional acts. I'd think 160 booked dates in a year would be reasonable. Maybe more. I'm biased. I like pro sports. But I know what I'm up against and Seattle is not a classic pro sports city. Not the way New York or Boston or even Cleveland and (god help me) San Francisco are. It's a Husky town, maybe. It's a tough town to get top players to come to. You have to fly hours to get to most of your opponents even within the division. It's rainy and cold a lot. etc. But few things bring cities together like a home team doing well and sports are one of those things that people of all political/social/economic/political stripes (with some exceptions) can talk about and be passionate about and find some common ground in. I miss that sort of thing. I have friends whose politics I abhor but we have sports in common. Without sports I would not have them in my life and I think that would make my life poorer in some way. And they would not have me in their life calling them mercilessly on all their shit in the non-sports world. And I know I have more influence over their thinking on non-sports subjects then they could ever have over mine. But I digress. As usual. Or more than usual. The real question becomes "Is this a good deal for Seattle". I say yes. This seems the best deal in years for any city. It'll work. We'll make it work.

There are several places within the Seattle City Limits where you can still fish safely and legally. The Duwamish River is not one of them. The water there is highly polluted, and signs are posted in multiple languages warning that it is unsafe to eat fish and shellfish from those waters. Seattle Photographer David Ryder has done a nice series on the process of healing the Duwamish, and he has observed people fishing there right next to the signs that warn against doing so. I'll include this link to his work because it's quite moving, but I want reiterate that fishing there and eating your catch is extremely ill-advised. http://www.photographer-in-seattle.com/duwamish-river-photos-healing-a-river/

Lake Washington and Greenlake are great places to fish, on the other hand. Greenlake is one of the most highly stocked trout lakes in the State. Every year the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) deposits tens of thousands of juvenile trout in Greenlake for recreational anglers to catch. Lake Washington also has ample opportunities to catch perch, trout, and salmon.

There are also a handful of good saltwater access points within the city. This handy guide shows them all. http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/piers/ There are two at Shilshole, one at Pier 86 and one at Seacrest Park in West Seattle. Should you choose to venture beyond city limits, there is also a great fishing pier in Des Moines and one in Edmonds.

No matter what you fish for, or where you fish, you will need a fishing license. They can be purchased online from the WDFW at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/ or in many hardware and sporting goods shops, including Fred Meyer stores. Licenses are cheap, and the penalties for fishing without one are severe, so buy one. It's the law, and it's also good stewardship, your license fees go towards habitat restoration and conservation efforts.

You'll need some fishing gear. Fred Meyer is also an excellent place to buy your fishing gear. The equipment they sell is modestly priced, and well-suited for a beginner. If you plan on getting serious about fishing and want hardcore gear for salmon trolling or deep water bottomfishing in Puget Sound, you'll want to make the trek to Cabela's, as they sell more expensive sturdier rigs. But I think you'll do fine getting started at Fred Meyer.

The kind of gear you'll want to buy will depend on what kind of fishing you intend to do. In general, saltwater gear is heavier and more expensive than freshwater gear, while freshwater gear has more "feel" and finesse (and is less expensive). I'd recommend starting out with freshwater.

You'll also need to check the regulations for the place and time when you fish. The portions of Puget Sound within Seattle City Limits are designated as Marine Area 10 by the State, and rules are listed on page 120 of the regulation book: http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01185/wdfw01185.pdf Freshwater rules vary by lake, Lake Washington rules are listed on page 71, Greenlake follows the statewide general rules on Pages 20 & 25-26.

It's kind of the off season right now for most things. There are not a lot of species open right now that are really worth going after, but trout opens on Lake Washington and the Lake Washington Ship Canal on March 1.

I'd recommend heading to Freddy's and buying a simple rod & spinning reel combo, some pinch-on sinkers and, hooks and some powerbait. Try powerbait and/or a worm for trout. That's always the best thing to start with. If you hear that people are doing better with something else, try what they're trying, but powerbait/worm is my default trout strategy.

A final note on regulations, fishing rules are very complicated in Washington State, and "I didn't know" will not get you out of a ticket. When in doubt, ask. Seattle is in WDFW region 4. If you aren't sure whether or not something is allowed, call and ask the WDFW Region 4 staff at (425) 775-1311. Remember, when in doubt, ask. Also, feel free to ask any additional questions on here. I'm happy to help.

For what it's worth, as a teenager I caught my first salmon ever in Seattle, a few hundred yards north of the SR 520 floating bridge. So to answer that part of your question, yes, people still do catch and eat fish in Seattle!

Happy fishing!

They would have won again in 1919 if not for that damn flu!

The open air stadiums with their huge sloping tiered seating have the appearance of a 'bowl' shape. If the history of the such events were created today they might call them "domes" as that is the prevalent design of large stadiums (covered and enclosed).

Try Evo (Fre-lard), Play it Again Sports (near REI) or Second Ascent (Ballard)

The simple answer is yes, the pool has sweaty ball juice and saliva and the urine of small children. It also has filters and enough chlorine to kill anything that could potentially harm you (well, except the chlorine itself).

Thing is, there is no virgin water. Every drop on the planet has been peed out by a Tyrannosaur, barfed up by a fly, or sweated out of a philosopher's big bald head. Urine, as fluids go, is pretty inoffensive.

It's still WATER, it's just water with a history.

If you stick your hand in dog shit, then put Purell on it, you still have dog shit on your hand...it's just really clean dog shit. If you sterilize water, it's effectively CLEAN, but that doesn't change what's dissolved in it or where it's been. It just means any living thing in it that can hurt you is dead.

If your friend can't deal with that fact, he or she should definitely not be swimming in a lukewarm public pool. But I can't suggest any place they should swim instead, or any fluid they should drink.

I'm sorry if I just made a bad situation worse. I don't talk to my OCD friends about stuff like this.

You might start with one of the "sprint" triathlons. That's a 1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike, and 3 mile run.

You don't mention your gender, but my wife did the women's Danskin Triathlon in August. It was her first triathlon. It seemed to be well organized and she had a good experience.

One thing I'll add ... if you do a tri that includes a lake swim, do some training in the lake. My wife only trained in a pool, and got a bit freaked out by the waves and depth of the lake (still finished though).

Second Ascent in Ballard. Easily my favorite outdoorsy store in Seattle.

Also try Play It Again Sports by REI.

Feathered Friends isn't cheap - I've only rented their stuff for snow camping - but it is amazing.

I am 100% pure Chinese. My answer is 1. Wildly caught crabs are yummy and more importantly -- fresh. There are a lot of Chinese cuisines that use crab meat as a major ingredient but my personal favor is just the simplest way -- steam.
2. They are pricy on market so why not catch them and have fun!

Oh dear. How on earth did you end up THERE? The correct answer is of course Tottenham Hotspur, the finest club in all the land. But if you're set, you're set. At least you're not taking the obvious, scumbag route of choosing Man Utd (spit), Chelsea (spit), or the Arsenal (spit).

Of those three, I'd say the proudest tradition is Everton's. They've won the league more than the other two combined, and have been in the top flight since 1954, which is longer than Manchester United, Liverpool, or indeed any other club besides Arsenal. They're overshadowed by their close neighbors Liverpool FC (their two stadiums are about a mile apart), but Liverpool is a lovely city to be from. In Liverpool they're known as "the people's club", unlike those prima donnas over at Anfield, with whom they have a bitter but oddly cheerful and blessedly non-sectarian rivalry. Liverpudlians and Evertonians will talk each other to death but are unlike to get out the knives and bombs like, say, Man Utd v. Man City or Rangers v. Celtic. In fact, red and blue are not segregated in the stands, unlike most Premier League games -- and nearly every Liverpool family has supporters of both clubs in it somewhere.

Everton has always played beautiful football, and had a great deal of success, though in the modern billionaire they are not serious contenders -- they're on the outside, in the second tier, with Spurs and Aston Villa, hoping against hope to get enough lucky breaks to play in Europe and maybe, just maybe, get rich enough that way to sneak into the top tier -- but to be honest it's just not likely to happen. They're playing for fourth or fifth at best.

WHO YOU HATE: Liverpool, Manchester United, London clubs.

The nicest thing I have to say about Newcastle United is that I like their shirts, the black and white stripes, but their fans are rarely wearing them -- the classic Newcastle fan being an obese shirtless man shouting pornographic abuse in zero-degree weather. They have a less storied history than Everton but an impressive one. I've never been to Newcastle, but one possible drawback (or perhaps bonus) is the Georgie accent, which is absolutely impenetrable -- they sound like Germans trying to dislodge a severe mucus problem. Good beer, though, and you'd be able to show your support in a lot more places -- Newkie Broon is pretty commonly available.

Their football is somewhat tragic, I'm afraid; Route One all the way, and they've just come back from a terrible run of form including relegation. The club owner is one of the most obnoxious and meddling in the league, which is a problem. If the recent past is anything to go by, you'll be seeing two or three new managers every season, which will be extraordinarily frustrating.

WHO YOU HATE: Sunderland (currently in a lower division), London clubs.

Blackburn Rovers are an interesting team. They're probably the most likely to get relegated of the three, which is a tragedy you may not be strong enough to endure. Your choice here is for life, you know.

Blackburn are in a category best described as "plucky". They probably shouldn't even be in the league at all. Blackburn is an obscure place in Lancashire best known to Americans for the Beatles lyric about "4,000 holes" (which was a real newspaper story, about road potholes). The city of Blackburn is not high on anyone's tourist route, being purely working class and a crumbling remnant of the Industrial Revolution, but they have carved out a niche with imaginative and resilient football. They've even won the Premiership before, something neither of your other choices can say, though their one win was two decades ago in a brief period of insane spending that nearly destroyed the club. They were relegated shortly thereafter, though they've been back for a decade and are now a mid--to-lower table club, though they will struggle every single year -- the struggle to stay up is a hugely stressful one that will cause you to lose sleep. But they're usually a fun team to watch.

WHO YOU HATE: Manchester United, Bolton Wanderers, London clubs.

All three of these clubs will give you some cred walking down the street, as any nimrod with a credit card can find himself a Man Utd shirt to parade around in without even knowing who the hell they are, but if you're wearing a Newcastle, Blackburn or Everton shirt it can only be on purpose.

For an interesting perspective on being an American following the Premiership, you might read "Bloody Confused: A Clueless American Sportswriter Seeks Solace in English Football" by Chuck Culpepper. He settled on Portsmouth, a small team from the south that just happened to have an improbable run of success while he was writing, though they have since fallen into deeply dire straits and have not only been relegated but are in danger of being wound up entirely (i.e., going bankrupt). He's a rather silly man, and Portsmouth is a silly club, but it's an entertaining story of learning how English football and culture work.

I don't know of anyplace where you can rent a pole, but then again, I wouldn't know. Asking me that would be like asking a devout Christian where you can rent a bible. You can buy yourself a pretty decent rod and reel combo at any Fred Meyer store for about $20. Make sure to buy a license too. Licenses are cheap, compared to the ticket you get for not having one. And, your license fee dollars go towards habitat conservation and hatcheries, so be a good citizen and pony up.

As far as fishing spots, it depends on where you are, and how far you're willing to travel. In the city, Green Lake actually has a pretty good stock of trout. It's one of the most heavily stocked lakes in the State. On the East Side, Pine Lake is also highly stocked.

Lake Washington is usually good for some perch at least, but I haven't fished there in months so I can't vouch for it right now. Keep in mind that you can rent a canoe at the UW to fish in Lake Washington, so that's a good way to go. You're always going to catch more from a boat than from shore.

If you have the opportunity to get up North, there are some great lakes in Whatcom County (Bellingham area), Silver Lake, off the Mt. Baker Highway is doing pretty good this year, from what I hear. Silver Lake is also special because it's one of the only places left that I know of where you can rent a rowboat.

For more general info, and to find out who's catching what, where, read Mark Yuasa's column in the Seattle Times and check out the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife's (WDFW) Weekender Report.

Have fun!

Have you tried an inflatable mattress? They aren't the easiest things to move but they do provide quite a bit of cushioning.

Hell yes, and they need to do it tonight!!

There are 106 steps, according to http://www.seattle.gov/parks/park_detail.asp?id=399 , but I've seen it listed as 105 or 107, as well.

Aside from the obvs website as NWEBS mentioned, to answer you questions:

1. Grindline is a construction company that specializes in concrete skateparks, they do business in Seattle, build skateparks in Seattle, and presumably live, shred, rage, and raise families in Seattle when they're not working elsewhere.

2. Grindline was started in 1990 by Rob Owens, Mark Hubbard, Jay Iding, and Dave Palmer, all four experienced in shotcrete construction at the time (both skatepark and non skatepark related work) Sumner was the first skatepark they built, followed by Bainbridge, Orcas, then parks all around the world for the last two decades.

3. They are well known and very much respected as both skaters and construction-er-ey guys in skateboard circles. I can not stress enough that these guys are the real fuckin' deal. Grindline and Dreamland are really the only two companies worth hiring to build a municipal skatepark and because of the two companies Oregon and Washington are known as THE skatepark mecca in the skateworld.

4. I don't know how many they've built, you're going to have to check out their website for that. Unless something's changed they don't really operate the parks after they've been built- they're construction dudes, you hire them to build shit, they build it, then they move on to the next project and you run the show.

Hope this helps, I'm in no way affiliated with Grindline or Dreamland personally or professionally, I just love to skate and what they do is the best.
Check out their website and contact them if you're deeply concerned. Seems like they're very open to community input, but you're probs best off just kicking back and letting them build the best skatepark possible

ussmariner.com is good blog to get up to speed with if you appreciate sabermeterics.

Having said that, the Ms season will be a success if they can pull off 75 wins. .500 baseball is probably not in the cards but anything approaching a .500 season would be welcome.

Bill Bavasi wrecked the team in just a few years. I'd swear the Orioles paid him off as the now infamous 5-1 trade for Bedard greatly improved baltimore while destroying the Mariners' future. We're rebuilding from less than 0. Felix is king, Ichiro is Ichiro, but after that the talent level falls off. The rotation is proving to bed pretty solid so far (it's early, I know) but the bullpen is suspect at best. Guity is a great player when he plays but this persistent stomach ailment is worrying. Figgins should be better this year and Milton's got talent but is a head case.

Jack Z is the real deal IMO and I would expect the Ms to greatly improve over the next few years.

What Jack said. June is actually the worst month of the year for soccer in all western European countries; the seasons end in May, and preseason friendlies don't start until late July or into August -- and even then, are likely to be either overseas, for the top clubs, or against very local lower-level clubs, probably in their stadiums, which will be impossible to get into.

This season, for example, ends on May 22, and while next year's schedule won't be released until July, it will probably start on Saturday, August 27.

If you do change your schedule, Fiorentina is a top club and will certainly be playing next year (i.e., won't be relegated). To an Italian, a team fifteen miles away might as well be on the moon, but as an American you're not bound that way, so you could easily travel to Cesena, near Rimini on the coast, or Bologna to the north, both of whom are currently out of the drop zone, though Cesena by a single point. Siena, in Serie B, is also close, and they're likely to get promoted this season.

How easy is it to get tickets? I dunno. I'm seeing conflicting information. http://www.footballinitaly.com/travelplanner.html says it's pretty easy at various club-associated bars and other outlets, which your hotel should be able to help you with. But the site may be old; there are new very strict controls over who gets to go to the matches and in what part of the stadium -- there is absolutely no mingling allowed between supporters of different clubs. You will have to declare (and you should declare for Fiorentina, obviously).

Fiorentina's fans are notorious but unless you back into a flare or something you should be perfectly safe, especially if your kids are with you. Some Italian lunatic might teach them how to say something spectacularly offensive in Italian, though!

The easy way is to go through a broker, who will charge you an arm and a leg, but will get you a working ticket for sure. I'd try the hotel first.

The other option is to see what else is on at the stadium. Fiorentina's stadium is a top venue and Italian international matches will be played there. The European Championships are next year and qualifiers are being played now. In June? Italy's playing Estonia on the 3rd (subject to change) but the stadium isn't announced -- it could be Fiorentina, but it's unlikely. There are other events there, too, like concerts and even Rugby Union.

More info:

http://www.budgetairlinefootball.co.uk/636/35001.html

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/75cf2/24e41/d/ (warning: popup hell)

http://en.violachannel.tv/ (official site, in English, sort of)

I thought that dry cleaning was not appropriate for down sleeping bags and did some checking.

From REI there is this page that give washing advice recommending against the use of dry cleaning methods.

 

Without following the link it reads, in part:

Washing

Many people prefer to have their bag professionally laundered. REI partners with Rainy Pass Repairs, inc., to offer a bag-laundering service.

Note: Dry cleaning is not appropriate for sleeping bags, especially down. Solvents used in dry cleaning can strip the natural oils from down that help it retain loft. Solvents are also very difficult to remove from synthetic insulation.

I think we should schedule something. (No need to leave your house. Just set a time for the city of Seattle to take part in a nude-off, and get the Guineas Book of World Records or some sort of magazine involved). Organized by The Stranger and/or KEXP. It can be done. STRANGER STAFF: READ THIS.

It's a complex array of reasons, including:

1. Social pressure (you live in, say, a heavily religious area)
2. Familial pressure (mom and/or dad make you go)
3. Spiritual needs (it makes you feel better to go and worship/meditate with other like-believing people)
4. Social needs (for many people, especially older ones, church is a major, guaranteed weekly social event)

There's also what I think of as frivolous reasons, like "weekly free donuts and coffee," "I can get a discount rate for using the church for my wedding if I attend for a few months," and "I like singing hymns even though I don't like the sentiments expressed." And finally, there are the musicians, who frequently go because they get paid to do so.

Most goggles have polycarbonate lenses, so pricey ones will scratch in about the same way as cheap ones, which is easily. When they aren't on your face, keep them in a pouch or goggle pocket, and only use an appropiate cloth to clean them. No wiping them off on your sweater! Some expensive brands (like Oakley) may claim that their lenses are tougher. This is complete bullshit.

Anti-fog remedies usually work in two ways: ventilation or coating the lens with a treatment. You can buy the lens treatment in any ski shop, but you are stuck with the ventilation that your goggles come with. Look for models that have lots of ways for air to circulate, but that will also slide shut in super windy or cold conditions.

I like Smith goggles. Not only do they make the best lenses for flat light, they are optically precise and they have a lifetime warranty. I've broken hinges on their glasses before and they sent me a whole new pair. It's a good company, and slightly less expensive than Oakley. Here is a cheap pair.

There are two that I know of that don't require a membership:

- Magnuson Community Center (http://www.seattle.gov/parks/centers/Magnuson.htm)

- Mountlake Terrace Community Center (http://www.cityofmlt.com/cityServices/recreation/recreation.htm)

Driving I90 to Summit for sure is going to be the easiest. Being an Interstate and being lower elevation than the rest of the ski areas makes it the easiest to get to, even if there's snow on the road.

The Corolla will actually handle well in the snow so long as you've got a good set of tires with traction on them.

Steven's is usually pretty well plowed being on a major highway. Crystal is usually pretty good to except the last 3 miles.

Hope that helps.

Snowboard Connection

Lincoln Park in West Seattle. Outdoor salt water pool, running trails, and beautiful madrona-covered bluffs overlooking the sound. It's my favorite.

You could write scenarios that don't require everyone to be there. This doesn't work as well if you're doing a long-running campaign, but if you're doing something more episodic, it should work. You can even tie these individual episodes into a longer-running story that gets unrolled in bits and pieces. Like the A-plot and B-plot of a TV show. Regardless, you should keep a wiki or something for the game so that people who miss out have an idea about what happened (I like wikis for this because everyone can contribute, so it's not just you doing all the work).

As for finding other groups, I haven't played DnD for a while, but for general gamerness I would suggest checking out Go Play NW (http://www.goplaynw.org/). Their yearly convention isn't until the summer, but it's cheap and most people there are working adults, so it's a good place to meet people, try out new games, and build a gaming group. I would also try Nearby Gamers: http://nearbygamers.com/. And you could always try hanging out at the local game shops or posting a notice. Seattle has a lot of gamers and independent game designers, so you're living in a great place to meet people. Good luck!

Couple more ideas:

Gingerbread village at Sheraton downtown (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/photogalleries/localnews2010333564/)

Christmas lights at Marymoor Park (http://www.seattlepi.com/local/lite18.shtml)

Ice skating at Seattle Center as part of their Winterfest (http://www.seattlecenter.com/programs/detail.asp?EV_EventNum=73)

A Holiday Carousel is set up at Westlake Park in Downtown Seattle.

REI has everything for your snow needs.

It just takes money and a few folks showing up at meetings with nice words to share.

However, Seattle Parks&Rec Dept has no development cash, and there's none in the forecast either - so you'd have to fundraise or pony up. This isn't a matter of "oh, I'm sure they could move some things around to afford this" - they really have no money (and instead have a list of things that have to be closed / mothballed/ folks they're going to lay off). These are fairly grim times for local parks proponents.

Also, the Parks dept unfortunately requires a 3-bid process for most purchases >$5000, so you'd likely need to find two other companies to answer a RFP with a similar product before the city could move forward. I'd imagine if you walked in with the full money as a gift though, some 'expediting' might be available.

FWIW there are some playground structures already in the Seattle parks system with rings, albeit not such a long 'travelling' course. Those playgrounds might be good places to garner support for your cause.

Yes.

I was seven. She was eight. She started it.

Yes and no.

It ended the fight though! Justice was restored to the playground after what seemed like eons of oppression.

 

 

(>")>    I like to keep it classy.    <("<)

If you haven't done so yet, you may want to look at some of the information in these questions/answers:

"Best place to buy a bike?"
http://questionland.com/questions/1240-best-place-to-buy-a-bike

"What are the best bikes for Seattle?"
http://questionland.com/questions/1278-what-are-the-best-bikes-for-seattle

"Road bike or hybrid?"
http://questionland.com/questions/10821-road-bike-or-hybrid

"How much $$ will i have to throw down to begin commuter biking?"
http://questionland.com/questions/10820-bike-newbie-how-much-will-i-have-to-throw-down-to-begin-commuter-biking