Obesity is not only a worldwide epidemic, it is also big, big business. For example, NBC's TV hit, "The Biggest Loser," which features overweight to morbidly obese people struggling to shed as many pounds as possible in a race-like contest, has become an enormous success in many countries around the world.
These days you'll pay at least $500,000 for a home in Queen Anne, but that's the going rate for a home in such a historical, close-in and panoramic area. But during the Roaring '20s, you could get a home for a song.
Prowls of the weekz Two cars parked in an alley behind the 3700 block of W. Barrett St. were prowled shortly after 11 in the morning Dec. 9, but an alert citizen saw the perps in action.It was two guys tooling around in a beat-up tan Honda, and they jumped out, broke side windows on two Toyotas and ripped off various items that included an IBM laptop, an Apple laptop, a Power Shot camera and a hooded Columbia jacket.The citizen also told police the two guys were laughing as they drove away with their loot that Sunday morning.
While the rest of America was buffeted by terrible storms, with supreme irony, the "perpetually rainy" city - Seattle - enjoyed a sweet balmy fog-in-the-early-morning-followed-by-rare-and-glorious-sunshine Memorial Day weekend.
Was anyone else besides me shocked to learn that America's newest super villain is only 18 years old? I'm talking about Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse, the pirate ringleader who briefly captured the American merchant vessel "Mersk-Alabama" last month, held the heroic captain hostage and was aboard a Navy warship when the Navy SEALS shot and killed his three comrades, thus freeing the captain and ending the standoff.
The Seattle Parks and Recreation Department has postponed the opening of 11 of the 25 wading pools it operates because of the delay in getting safety drains, now required by the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act signed into law last December.
Richard Pryor, before he got old, sick and religious, in that order, was the funniest man alive, especially when it came to matters of race and American society, circa 1975.
Marjorie Rodman Stapp passed away in the early morning of May 11, 2009 after spending a Mother's Day with her loving family.
Kathryn Bigelow and Catherine Breillat are veteran fighters in the male-dominated world of filmmaking. Never-say-die artists, they make movies that are powerful Rorschachs of their own distinctive psyches - no matter how controversial or commercially challenged the subject matter. Both are adrenalin junkies, Bigelow in the action milieu of self-defining physical threat, Breillat in the equally hazardous arena of sexual passion.
The Bouncing Wall, the popular boutique that reaped praise in regional and national media outlets is closing.
She's been at Brighton Elementary School in South Seattle for 18 years and will miss staff and students there terribly. But Beverly Raines is also looking forward to her new role as principal at Lawton Elementary School.
Last month, when King County Sheriff's Deputy Matthew Paul gave Christopher Harris a hard push, Harris banged his head on a concrete wall. That much is documented by a surveillance camera mounted on the wall at the Cinerama movie theatre at Fourth and Lenora streets. But other details of the case are still unclear.
Dear Mr. Dillon [Mike Dillon, publisher],I left you a phone message but I feel it is important to follow up in writing as well. I am aghast that you allowed Mr. Folger's "Rant" to be published (5/20/09). The author purports to believe that he might be the only person wanting to cut in line for a few "pumps" of coffee, of course free. What if there were five people like him who felt so entitled? A request for coffee is not the same as a request for a spoon, and to assume it should be free because it would otherwise be thrown out, well the same could be said about your newspaper.
Regarding "Inside View - Quick Rant", I am nearly speechless. As I understand it, this customer expects to be able to cut to the front of a line to get a free refill of coffee, (which in most coffee shops you have to pay for), and is offended that the barista continues to help the person in front of him. This arrogant and entitled VIP then proceeds to fault the barista's "Attitude." Don't look now, Sir, but most of us reading this piece are going to be quite clear about who has the attitude problem.
You might think someone who was born when Harry Truman was president would know what's what. But even at this late date I am puzzled about many things. And even when I figure something out, people up and change and I'm out in the cold, understanding-wise, once again.