David Brewster

Crosscut's early years were about as bumpy as Seattle streets, but two saviors came to its rescue: the Gates Foundation and KCTS. Now it's a force.

There is the intriguing possibility that Gov. Jay Inslee, once easily re-elected in November, will decamp to a high post in the Biden administration. At that eventuality, the new lieutenant governor automatically succeeds to the governorship.

The Virus Depression (called VD) has greatly changed the way we live. Surveillance mechanisms are now ubiquitous, monitoring temperatures, spacing, coughing. Grocery stores are well-policed, both to enforce health regulations and to guard against the food riots that broke out in late 2020.

Maggie drained the entire $100 million bridge replacement fund and soon the bridge design was high enough to allow passage of "the highest mast conceivable for a ship at that time; higher than has ever been remotely needed."

Bernie Sanders is one more example of how, once bitten by the presidential bug, politicians stay infected for years.

The problem can more probably be seen as a choice between roads and humans services. Seattle chose services.

Some reasonable guidelines for judging major changes: Spend bigly. With bailouts, strings need to be attached. Allow for some triage, particularly fading industries such as fossil fuels and governmental agencies beyond their pull-date.

Seattle has a knack for growing families of enormous wealth. Now's a good time to get some of these internationally-focused foundations a bit more intentional about the locals.

The problem, says publisher Tim Keck, is that "all the diversification was in one area, events and entertainment." What was smart diversification turned out to be a perfect storm of revenue-peril. So it's white-knuckle time.

Books are a big draw, but the Gronigen Forum also has lots more: movie theaters, exhibition halls, an auditorium, a comics museum, a hip restaurant and bar, and a rooftop "market square" with great views. (And shops.)