"Black Tie Attire", in modern usage almost always means tuxes for men. In more traditional times (or even particular places) it can mean just a black suit but really we are probably talking tux.

In Seattle it may very well just mean no jeans and t-shirts. I swear there is a different standard for dress here. Back in New York it would absolutely mean a tux or, perhaps, a very nice formal suit. No question.

White tie is much more specific and in all my advanced years of rubbing elbows I have only been to two white tie events.

Women can wear a fancy cocktail dress (VERY fancy and NOT AT ALL trashy!) or an elegant evening gown. Black tie for women does infer more of an emphasis on jewelry, however. Expensive jewelry. If you don't have it and/or can't afford it, borrow it or rent it. This is when you want to drip with diamonds. White tie for women would mean an evening gown only.

Unicorn headpieces are probably out but, again, this is Seattle so maybe if you go with a faberge-ish horn you may be OK.

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.

a former seattle institution still kicks into gear once a year and sells cheap trees. they used to be $5 but cost more now:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/chubby-and-tubby-christmas-trees-seattle

I'm king of the asthmatics. That I am alive at all is amazing. I'm allergic to nearly everything (except dust mites), have been intubated and my parents flown in from Jersey because I was pretty much dead from my asthma. Deep coma, anyway. Some days I have to stay in bed with an air cleaner and prednisone at the ready though flovent has been a god send. I use advair 250/50 and spike it up to 500/50 or even 750/50 or more when things are bad.

Monday morning call Dr. Kirtland of Virginal Mason hospital at (206) 223-6622 and make an appointment. This doc is awesome. Virginia Mason is awesome. Best doc and big hospital experience I've ever had.

Really. And all testing necessary can be done at V M which is a big deal.

Good luck.

You're not going to like what you're about to find out about cockroaches. As a native New Yorker I am, like all New Yorkers, a de facto cockroach expert.

If you live in a 10 unit building then there are 10+ ways that things can go horribly wrong every day. Someone moves in. Their last place had roaches. BOOM! The new place has roaches. And roaches are quite expeditious at colonizing new territory (your apartment).

Roaches can eat anything. As you go about your apartment bits of skin, food, assorted detritus and the flotsam and jetsam generated by being a biological entity are all food to a roach. Grease in your pipe? Delish! Earwax? Yum! If you really want to freak the fuck out youtube "roach in ear".

That's the bad news. The good news is you don't seem to have much of an infestation using some chemical controls is fully warranted, safe, reasonable and effective.

do you own or rent? If you rent call the landlord/property manager asap and quietly lose your shit over the infestation. Exagerate for effect. just a bit. Don't over do it. Most prop managers that give a rats ass about thier newly remodeled buildings prefer pain in the ass but fastidious tenants like yourself over destructive, sloppy ones. So long as you're up on the rent.

And document, document, document. Take a pic or the roaches and write a letter and send it registered mail or email it requesting a return receipt. Keep records. Buy sa roach motel and keep the receipt, etc. If the roach problem continues and you documented the problems you may find it much easier to get out the lease or withhold rent.

Good luck.

Totally fine. Most 73 fords are be burning that much oil anyway wether you put in the tank or not. Your valves may even like it as it's probably been a while since they saw the softening affect of the lead that was once in gasoline.

Swedish is the worst when it comes to that shit. I've stopped going to their emergency room (not that I'm a terribly regular visitor). I have a few particuarly worrisome and painful chronic conditions that I know how to treat. But they won't listen and kept testing me and giving me ultrasounds.

I now go to Virginia Mason or, rarely, Carolyn Downes (sp?). Wam bam thank you ma'm and I'm outta there. It's really that different.

I understand (having nothing but anecdotes to back it up with) that the larger insurance companies really don't dig Swedish at all, but I'm not sure that's a dig on Swedish.

and don't use a fucking circ saw on your daughter for christ's sake. My last cast I took off my sliding a piece of steel down the cast to protect my leg and then running the dremel over that it until I could crack it open. I probably didn't need the steel but had never done it before.

Horribly obnoxious website but:
http://www.nikereuseashoe.com/
has info on how to recycling them locally.

Good luck

It's at the Greenwood Market so I guess Town and Country markets carry it. Includes Greenwood Market, Central Market, Ballard Market et al. Tried it last night. S'ok. Not a big fan of malt balls and there are lot of them.

This probably being done by a skunk, racoon, or possum. There is a good chance it won't happen again. Flip the sod back down, water the heck out of it, and see what happens. If it is flipped over again you have two basic choices; physical control or biological/chemical control.

Physical control would be a cyclone fence or something. Very effective against skunks but racoons are a lot tougher. Possums are good climbers but seem put-off by fences.

A dog is probably the best possible/easy thing. If you don't have one you may be able to borrow one. My dog is famous for his anti-vermin qualities but he is getting old.

Bilogical/chemical control includes getting one of the various commerially available repelents and spreading it around. Or, a big, huge bag of hot pepper spice. Spread it around.

A friend on Vashon uses motion sensitive cells to turn on lights, a radio, and fans with metalic/mylar strips that freak out the dear and racoons that raid his garden and chicken shed.

Another thing worth trying is putting sprinklers on a timer so the things turn on for a few moments every couple of minutes all night. Warn the neighbors.

BTW- whatever critter it is is probably trying to root up some worms.