William P. Barrett, Journalist

By and About William P. Barrett

Published Material 2012-now

2014

Seattle toll system should have received an F (Fancy computers misread letter on license plate), NewToSeattle.com, August 31, 2014.

Seattle drivers among worst of worst (Allstate ranks them in bottom seventh of big cities), NewToSeattle.com, August 28, 2014.

Rutgers is coming to Seattle, but not as oldest college football team (Famous ‘first’ match in 1869 against Princeton was really soccer), NewToSeattle.com, August 22, 2014.

Good To Go system in Seattle takes its toll (Bridge charges me for trip taken by someone else), NewToSeattle.com, August 21, 2014.

IRS scammer makes threatening call to Seattle (Arrest promised unless “back-tax” payment was made on the spot), NewToSeattle.com, August 14, 2014.

Key gap at drivers license office near Seattle (Worker goes on vacation with only access to computer system), NewToSeattle.com, August 11, 2014.

Mosquitoes largely absent in Seattle (Cool weather, lack of summer rain keep down the critter count), NewToSeattle.com, August 8, 2014.

Fancy Queen Anne area leads Seattle in dog attacks on letter-carriers (Canines of genteel neighborhood displace West Seattle as worst for postal workers), NewToSeattle.com, August 1, 2014.

New USPS Seattle dog attack reports show no exaggeration (Documents show local PO accurately accounted incidents in city), NewToSeattle.com, July 31, 2014.

New trailer for Seattle-set ‘Fifty Shads of Grey’ shows strange geography (Office of billionaire tycoon depicted as located in working-class West Seattle), NewToSeattle.com, July 24, 2014.

Yep, USPS still exaggerates Seattle dog attacks (Post Office includes in count incidents occurring outside the city), NewToSeattle.com, July 14. 2014.

Could Seattle’s depiction as Fun City go up in smoke? (Beware the Law of Unintended Consequences), NewToSeattle.com, July 11, 2014.

A Seattle roof gathers woe moss (Clearing house tops of green stuff is a significant industry), NewToSeattle.com, July 3, 2014.

The New Gold Rush (The world’s mad scramble for rare earth minerals), Forward (journal of the Metals Service Center Institute), July/August 2014.

‘Seattle Freeze’ is now an accepted fact in Seattle (Assertion appears at the top of the front page of The Seattle Times), NewToSeattle.com, June 20, 2014.

Delta CEO snookers Seattle with old planes that don’t work well (Wi-Fi failure blocks passengers from seeing dramatic U.S.-Ghana soccer finale), NewToSeattle.com, June 17, 2014.

Seattle embraces high tech—except for the Internet (Online outages belie city's image), NewToSeattle.com, June 10, 2014.

Liberal Seattle tolerates guns (Outrage over college shooting incident may not change anything), NewToSeattle.com, June 6, 2014.

Seattle’s $15-an-hour minimum wage captures wide fancy (Media far and wide cover the story), NewToSeattle.com, June 5, 2014.

Repeat nomination in Seattle for ‘America’s Stupidest Charities’ (Breast Cancer Research and Support Fund, part of Community Charity Advancement, again pitches a known critic), NewToSeattle.com, May 27, 2014.

Are Seattle pedestrians really that safe? (New study says metro area is third least dangerous for those on foot), NewToSeattle.com, May 26, 2014.

Bad public signage continues to plague Seattle (Problems include unmarked forks, missing markers and cryptic symbols), NewToSeattle.com, May 19, 2014.

Is the USPS still exaggerating in new Seattle dog bite count? (The feds certainly did last year), NewToSeattle.com, May 14, 2014.

Seattle liberals choose pocketbook in rideshare debate (They force a public vote on rules to limit unregulated—and cheaper—car services), NewToSeattle.com, May 12. 2014.

Government agencies in Seattle yuk it up on social media (Official blogs and tweets are sources of mirth), NewToSeattle.com, May 7, 2014.

In L.A., a total stranger asks about the Seattle suicide rate (What does that say about the city’s image?), NewToSeattle.com, May 4, 2014.

For Indian charity soliciting around Seattle, the rest of the story (Scandal-plagued parent of Southwest Indian Relief Council spent more on fundraising and direct mail than good works), NewToSeattle.com, April 22, 2014.

Charity telemarketer plaguing Seattle files for bankruptcy (Associated Community Services kept most of money raised, but problems still arose), NewToSeattle.com, April 10, 2014.

Seattle quietly becomes clear No. 1 in big-city sales tax (Pending vote could hike up the rate even more), NewToSeattle.com, April 5, 2014.

Seattle’s love-hate relationship with rain (Image-makers try to downplay amount of precipitation), NewToSeattle.com, March 31, 2014.

Best 25 Suburbs For Retirement In 2014 (Top places offer value, low crime within 35 miles of big city), with SLIDE SHOW, Forbes.com, March 27, 2014.

Seattle is no stranger to landslides, either (Since 1890, more than 1,500 have occurred within the city limits), NewToSeattle.com, March 27, 2014.

Seattle’s newest tourist attraction—which can’t be seen (World’s largest tunneling machine will be stuck underground until at least September), NewToSeattle.com, March 18, 2014.

Seattle’s incredibly shrinking jaywalking tickets (If “official” records are to be believed, pedestrian infractions have dropped nearly 90% in two years), NewToSeattle.com, March 14, 2014.

Seattle cops don’t know how many jaywalking tickets they write (After run-around, police department says it doesn’t the count ), NewToSeattle.com, March 4, 2014.

Defense Budget Bumbling (The biggest impact of the much-hyped cuts may be the aggravating uncertainty) Forward (Journal of the Metals Service Center Institute), March/April 2014.

Usual suspects around Seattle unusually rich, as usual (Same 10 grace new Forbes list of the world’s richest), NewToSeattle.com, March 3, 2014.

Fresh proof of ’Seattle Freeze’ and ‘Seattle Nice’ (Civic report and Seahawks fan conduct reinforce local personality traits), NewToSeattle.com, February 26, 2014.

The most prescient billboard in Seattle (Eddie Bauer’s “EDDIE.SET.GO” sign on display as area company announces its sale to a Maryland company), NewToSeattle.com, February 15, 2014.

Great Places To Follow Your Passions In Retirement (List highlights 25 locations for the arts, outdoor activities, fine dining and volunteering), with SLIDE SHOW, Forbes.com, February 12, 2014.

Third candidate in Seattle for ‘America’s Stupidest Charities (Community Charity Advancement, doing business as Breast Cancer Support and Research Fund, seeks a donation from critic who wrote it spent zip on good works), NewToSeattle.com, February 12. 2014.

New ‘View of the World from 9th Avenue’ would include Seattle (City wasn’t on famous 1976 New Yorker cover), NewToSeattle.com, February 6, 2014.

Second candidate in Seattle for ‘America’s Stupidest Charities’ (Cancer Support Services asks for donation from a known critic), NewToSeattle.com, January 30, 2014.

First candidate in Seattle for ‘America’s Stupidest Charities’ (National Vietnam Veterans Foundation d/b/a American Veterans Support Foundation makes another pitch to writer of withering write-up), NewToSeattle.com, January 29, 2014.

With Seattle versus Denver, call it the Stupor Bowl (And other names for the epic contest between the centers of legal pot), NewToSeattle.com, January 20, 2014.

Another sketchy charity trolls for cash in Seattle (National Vietnam Veterans Foundation d/b/a American Veterans Support Foundation spends very little of donations on good works), NewToSeattle.com, January 18, 2014.

The Best Places To Retire in 2014 (Forbes picks 25 top U.S. communities for retirement value, ranging from Sunbelt Mecca Cape Coral, Fla. to chilly Fargo, N.D.), with SLIDE SHOW, Forbes.com, January 16, 2014.

Fresh attention to a Seattle inferiority complex (Seattle Times gives big play to collective personality quirk), NewToSeattle.com, January 16, 2014.

Seattle is world-class in many ways—including problems (Flawed floating bridge, stuck tunnel machine lead list of municipal woes), NewToSeattle.com, January 10, 2014.

If the Seattle minimum wage is so low, why are costs so high? (Tax structure may have something to do with that), NewToSeattle.com, January 5, 2014.

Succession Planning (The often-knotty problems of family businesses trying to stay that way), Forward (journal of the Metals Service Center Institute), January/February 2014)

2013

Far from Seattle, a few thoughts on ‘American Hustle’ (Movie makes ex-Camden, N.J. mayor Angelo Errichetti seem more laudable than he really was), NewToSeattle.com, December 26, 2013.

Bus video changes Seattle image from potheads to Bravehearts (Clip of passengers overcoming gun-wielding robber gets wide media praise), NewToSeattle.com, December 20, 2013.

Unlike Kiev, Lenin statue still stands in Seattle (Fremont neighborhood is popular tourist attraction), NewToSeattle.com, December 8, 2013.

Seattle’s United Way of King County still gilds the lily (Nation’s biggest UW unit calculates its financial efficiency using a Leave Out Most Of The Bad Stuff formula), NewToSeattle.com, December 5, 2013.

For letter-carriers, West Seattle was a dog-gone neighborhood (Neighborhood topped city in canine attacks on postal workers), NewToSeattle.com, November 22, 2013.

In Seattle, how billionaire Newhouse family stays that way (The New Yorker sent out an expiration notice with nearly four years to go), NewToSeattle.com, November 14, 2013.

Post Office exaggerates dog-attack problem in Seattle (Press release ranking city No. 2 nationally included incidents occurring elsewhere, as well as non-bites), NewToSeattle.com, November 12, 2013.

New cancer charity trolling in Seattle spent zilch of collected cash on mission (Of every $100 sent to Cancer Support Fund, only 14 cents went to true charity), NewToSeattle.com, November 8, 2013.

Election leaves dynamic Seattle in quiet mode (Status quo seems to be the message from voters), NewToSeattle.com, November 6, 2013.

In Seattle, voting on an initiative about … initiatives (Measure easing access is being pushed by Tim Eyman, whose living comes from pushing initiatives), NewToSeattle.com, October 25, 2013.

Elusive truths in Seattle-centered battle over GMO food labeling (Panicked food industry pours huge resources into opposition), NewToSeattle.com, October 21, 2013.

In Seattle mayor’s race, candidates try to out-liberal each other (Incumbent Mike McGinn and challenger Ed Murray push progressive agendas), NewToSeattle.com, October 14, 2013.

Stephen Colbert gets a high on pot rules for Seattle (Comedian criticizes recreational marijuana legalization), NewToSeattle.com, October 9, 2013.

Seattle-area charity scores P.R. coup from lack of disclosure (Journal of Accountancy publishes article by World Vision official about gift-in-kind accounting without noting charity’s past GIK controversies), NewToSeattle.com, October 1, 2013.

Postal Service apologizes for hiding Seattle dog-bite reports (Regret expressed after inability to produce simple records forced administrative appeal), NewToSeattle.com, September 25, 2013.

World headline writers gun for Seattle’s Starbucks (New no-guns-please policy becomes media fodder), NewToSeattle.com, September 19, 2013.

Forbes 400 list catches up with New To Seattle (Nordstrom family’s Anne Gittinger officially joins ritzy roster), NewToSeattle.com, September 16, 2013.

Looming spotlight: Seattle suburb vote on $15 minimum wage (City of SeaTac measure may draw national attention), NewToSeattle.com, September 11, 2013.

New pot rules for Seattle are a riot—for now (Will over-regulation of legal wed jack up prices and boost the black market?) NewToSeattle.com, September 5, 2013.

In Seattle, TV humor show might affect issue-less mayor’s race (“The 206” has a real chance to define the two candidates and thus the outcome), NewToSeattle.com, September 2, 2013.

Those bad Seattle drivers get even worse (City falls again in Allstate ranking of cities by frequency of accidents), NewToSeattle.com, August 30, 2013.

Is Seattle really all that much against government snooping? (Amazon.com is trying to do a big deal with the CIA), NewToSeattle.com, August 23, 2013.

Seattle again back in the national news for pot (Doritos-dispensing cops get wide attention), NewToSeattle.com, August 20, 2013.

Brown bags, Bezos and ballyhoo: Another week in Seattle (City election for mayor likely to draw far-flung notice as November nears), NewToSeattle.com, August 7, 2013.

A sign of Seattle: City sells me my name for $5 (But street signage around town remains less than top-rate), NewToSeattle.com, August 2, 2013.

Seattle again tops ‘America’s most miserable sports cities’ (Annual Forbes list measures elusive pro sports championships), NewToSeattle.com, July 31, 2013.

Reddit post about Seattle race relations creates quite a stir (Unkind comments attributed to Central District neighbors trigger illuminating thread), NewToSeattle.com, July 30, 2013.

In Seattle mayor’s race, politics run the gamut from A to A (It’s hard to tell the nine liberals apart on the issues), NewToSeattle.com, July 24, 2013.

Dissimilar Seattle and Detroit make a Top 10 list (Both cities grace a roster of large metro areas with the coolest summers), NewToSeattle.com, July 21, 2013.

More on Seattle and snobbery (Query seeking Seattle neighborhood with few kids draws scorn), NewToSeattle.com, July 15, 2013.

Seattle area had a mirror Roswell Incident—and just as valid (Bogus birds of a feather flock together), NewToSeattle.com, July 9, 2013.

Is Seattle really among ‘America’s snobbiest cities’? (Travel + Leisure ranks the area No. 5 in a tie with Santa Fe), NewToSeattle.com, July 2, 2013

Fracking’s Resilience (With compromise afoot, environmental and political objections to the controversial energy extraction technique are likely to fade), Forward (Journal of the Metal Services Center Institute), July/August 2013.

Police charity ranks among the scuzziest trolling in Seattle (National Police and Troopers Association benefits its members but not the public), NewToSeattle.com, June 26, 2013.

Comcast remains closer to Lake Woebegon than Seattle (Customer service problems persist at cable giant, but lower prices can be extracted), NewToSeattle.com, June 25, 2013.

Another big sales tax refund in Seattle, for all of $4.75 (State coughs up money after Fry’s Electronics and Iolo Technologies tell me to pound sand), New To Seattle.com, June 17, 2013.

Florida newspaper eats my Seattle dirt (Tampa Bay Times describes financial inefficiency of Cancer Fund of America), NewToSeattle.com, June 13, 2013.

Mayor’s race in Seattle: Zzzzzzzz (Crowded field hasn’t done much to create excitement, define issues), NewToSeattle.com, June 6, 2013.

Dubious charity playing in Seattle scores a dubious hat trick (Most of what the Breast Cancer Research and Support Fund raises in cash benefits only the fundraiser), NewToSeattle.com, May 28, 2013.

Seattle again through the eyes of different search engines (More and more, they primarily cater to tourists), NewToSeattle.com, May 22, 2013.

On top retirement place lists, Seattle area is largely MIA (Reasons include high cost of living and taxes), NewToSeattle.com, May 17, 2013.

In Seattle, tensions between dogs and letter carriers (City ranks second nationally in attacked postal workers), NewToSeattle.com, May 15, 2013.

Swindler Billie Sol Estes, Dead At 88, Is Remembered In Verse (Once famous Texas swindler had hard time staying out of trouble), Forbes.com, May 14, 2013.

Iffy charity soliciting in Seattle gets more iffy (Children’s Cancer Recovery Foundation to cut the amount of donated goods it claimed to receive), NewToSeattle.com, May 9, 2013.

New Seattle TV humor show is a little light on Seattle humor (“The 206” seeks an audience in an area not known for giggles), NewToSeattle.com, May 6, 2013.

Springtime in Seattle: annual fears about solicitors (Warnings come out about door-to-door visitors), NewToSeattle.com, May 1, 2013.

Monumental Seattle (Part 4) (Public art depicts nothing—or something). NewToSeattle.com, April 26, 2013.

In Seattle, Amanda Knox now draws little attention (Her hometown largely leaves her alone), NewToSeattle.com, April 22, 2013.

Monumental Seattle (Part 3) (Did you know about the local tribute to Confederate veterans?), NewToSeattle.com, April 17, 2013.

Seattle pedestrians sometimes forget to push crosswalk button (They wait, then get frustrated when the “walk” light doesn’t flash), NewToSeattle.com, April 11, 2013.

Yakima ad campaign needles Seattle by promising sun (Cheeky radio spot says “lost” spring can be found two hours east), NewToSeattle.com, April 4, 2013.

Folks in Seattle don’t dress for the rain (Umbrellas and raincoats are rarely seen), NewToSeattle.com, April 3, 2013.

Top Places To Retire Rich (New York City, Honolulu and San Francisco, plus a lot of smaller places, make Forbs’ new list of 25 places to retire in stile), with SLIDE SHOW OF THE TOP 25, Forbes.com, April 2, 2013.

Sexy Gates proposal brings more needling Seattle’s way (Call for a better condom draws a lot of notice), NewToSeattle.com, March 26, 2013.

Stamping out bad notaries around Seattle (Loose practices led to dozens of sanctions), NewToSeattle.com, March 19, 2013.

Seattle expects record tourism year: Pot, what pot? (Prospects of massive visitors seeking legal marijuana goes unmentioned), NewToSeattle.com, March 6, 2013.

In Seattle, the usual suspects again (plus two) (Anne Gittinger and Gabe Newell join roster of the world’s richest), NewToSeattle.com, March 4, 2013.

The Conflict Over Conflict Minerals (Regulatory requirements create confusion and disagreement), Forward (journal of the Metals Service Center Institute), March/April 2013.

Big Seattle charity cuts its bogusly high efficiency claim—a bit (United Way of King County is still making it up), NewToSeattle.com, February 28, 2013.

The Best Places To Retire In 2013 (List takes into account costs of living, taxes and other factors), with SLIDE SHOW OF THE TOP 25,

Forbes.com, February 25, 2013.

Really? Iffy charity says gift will benefit Seattle hospital (Children’s Cancer Recover Foundation spends a whole lot more on fundraising and telemarketing), NewToSeattle.com, February 22, 2013. UPDATED.

Club soda officially declared tax-free in Seattle—7 days late (Washington Department of Revenue finally responds to my formal query), NewToSeattle.com, February 17, 2013.

A song in ‘The Music Man’ suggests ‘Seattle Stubborn’ (Famous tune in local production evokes thoughts of the Seattle Freeze), NewToSeattle.com, February 15, 2013.

The Great Serbian Charity Dispute (Group’s claim it shipped medical supplies to Kosovo worth $1.5 million is hard to document), Forbes.com, February 13, 2013. SEATTLE ANGLE, NewToSeattle.com.

My 68-cent sales tax refund in Seattle (Albertsons gets back to me, more than can be said for the state Department of Revenue), NewToSeattle.com, February 7, 2013.

Best Places For A Working Retirement in 2013 (New Forbes list highlights area with healthy economies, affording living and reasonable taxes), Forbes.com, February 4, 2013.

Sales tax confusion in Seattle (Why is club soda hit with the state sales tax but not seltzer water?) NewToSeattle.com, February 3, 2013.

Far from Seattle, Texas boosters have a hero-spelling problem (They add a T to the middle name of Alamo commander William Barret Travis), NewToSeattle.com, January 28, 2013, and since UPDATED.

In Seattle, a sunbreak is to be treasured—for a bit (Brief bursts of sun get big play on weather forecasts), NewToSeattle.com, January 27, 2013.

When it comes to air quality, Seattle avoids the S word (But that “fog” sure packs a punch), NewToSeattle.com, January 19, 2013.

Charity Eyes Quarter-Billion Dollar Write-Down In Value of Goods Handled (After Forbes inquiry, Operation Compassion vows to fix "mistakes of the past" in valuation of noncash gift-in-kind), Forbes.com, January 14, 2013.

How to Take a Closer Look at China (Why due diligence is so tough and so crucial), Forward (Journal of the Metals Service Center Institute), January/February 2013.

Seattle influence in, of all places, Antarctica (More than a dozen features are named for local persons), NewToSeattle.com, January 7, 2013.

2012

It turns out Murder Inc. isn’t expanding in Seattle (City’s killing rate for 2012 is poised to be lower than average), NewToSeattle.com, December 28, 2012.

Seattle lawyers maybe not so liberal as local population (King County Bar Association system of evaluating judges is under attack), NewToSeattle.com, December 24, 2012.

Stampless in Seattle (Not for the first time, local Post Office branch is out of needed stamp), NewToSeattle.com, December 18, 2012.

Marijuana legalization is giving Seattle a goofy reputation (City’s image is, uh, rapidly changing), NewToSeattle.com, December 14, 2012.

Laws on weed and weddings put Seattle back in the news (New marketing opportunity clearly presents itself), NewToSeattle.com, December 6, 2012.

Monumental Seattle (Part 2) (What does “The Wall of Death” say about the city?), NewToSeattle.com, December 3, 2012.

Big Charity Admits Wildly Overstating Donated Goods (World Help says it will file amended tax return), Forbes.com, November 28, 2012

Why are some Seattle pedestrians so reckless in crosswalks? (They may be making political statements), NewToSeattle.com, November 24, 2012.

In Seattle, liberal politics, marijuana and the cops (They finally may be converging), NewToSeattle.com, November 17, 2012.

Big Seattle charity makes another iffy financial efficiency claim (United Way of King County says its charitable commitment is an amazing 98%), NewToSeattle.com, November 16, 2012.

Crista Ministries reduces an efficiency claim—a little (Claim of 94% disappears after challenge), NewToSeattle.com, November 11, 2012.

Seattle-area Crista Ministries now gilds gifts by only 6,400% (Deworming pill valuations still subject to great exaggeration), NewToSeattle.com, November 8, 2012.

Charity Regulators (Finally) Eye Overvaluation of Donated Goods, Forbes, November 8, 2012.

The Largest U.S. Charities for 2012 (United Way, Salvation Army lead list) and Methodology, Forbes, November 8, 2012.

Yellow Cab at Seattle-Tacoma Airport: What 10% discount? (Cab drivers profess ignorance of price break posted on Internet), NewToSeattle.com, November 2, 2012.

Charity pleading for money in Seattle spent 0% on its mission (That’s the official data on Vietnam Veterans of Washington State), NewToSeattle.com, October 12, 2012.

Seattle media go nuts over prediction of minimal rain (Prediction of minor weather event tops local news), NewToSeattle.com, October 11, 2012.

Dubious charity soliciting in Seattle gets a break in Olympia (An official state website says Washington AmVets has a terrific 100% charitable commitment ratio, but it looks more like a dismal 22%), NewToSeattle.com, October 8, 2012.

Departing Seattle Weekly owners were good copy (Mike Lacey and Jim Larkin covered the news—and made it, too), NewToSeattle.com, September 26, 2012.

The usual suspects of Seattle (plus others) (Bruce Nordstrom climbs onto the Forbes 400 list, but what about his sister?), NewToSeattle.com, September 23, 2012.

Chief Seattle statue’s 100th birthday recalls city’s grabby origins (Realizing the inevitable, he made the best of a bad situation), NewToSeattle.com, September 17, 2012.

Islamic Relief USA Says Drug Donations Fell 91% (Reduced claim comes after Forbes challenged accuracy of earlier numbers), Forbes.com, September 14, 2012.

Seattle floating homes and the U.S. Supreme Court (Owners of the city’s most famous residences file brief in Florida boat-seizure case), NewToSeattle.com, September 12, 2012.

Seattle’s .01 inch of rain gets national media attention (End of 48-day dry streak tickles fancy of far-flung outlets), NewToSeattle,com, September 10, 2012.

Does a 1941 depiction of Seattle still ring true? (‘Farthest Reach, by Nancy Wilson Ross, provided an unflattering view), NewToSeattle.com, September 3, 2012.

3-D Printing and the New Industrial Revolution (A looming impact on the metals industries), Forward (Journal of the Metals Service Center Institute), September/October 2012, p. 40.

Orange flags and bad drivers in Seattle (Local drivers fare even worse in annual Allstate study), NewToSeattle.com, August 28, 2012.

Proof of ‘Seattle Freeze’ is found in all the dogs (Canines outnumber children by better than a 3-to-2 margin), NewToSeattle.com, August 25, 2012.

New-arena debate in Seattle involves city’s self-image (Do residents want a big-city city, or not?), NewToSeattle.com, August 18, 2012.

Latest novel about Seattle lampoons city’s persona (Where’d You Go, Bernadette, by Maria Semple, finds much fodder in local doings), NewToSeattle.com, August 12, 2012.

California Sues ’Nonprofit Entrepreneur’ Roger Chapin And Charity Forbes Exposed (Help Hospitalized Veterans, its founder and others are accused of financial improprieties), Forbes.com, August 9, 2012

Eschewing A/C, hot Seattle residents head for their basements (Few homes have air conditioning), NewToSeattle.com, August 5, 2012.

Seattle plastic bag ban creates City of Clutchers (New law has unintended consequences), NewToSeattle.com, July 26, 2012.

Is the continuing rain dampening the Seattle psyche? (Residents seem worked up about summer storms), NewToSeattle.com, July 21, 2012.

Seattle’s love-hate relationship with its downtown waterfront (Tourists seem more interested in it than the locals), NewToSeattle.com, July 16, 2012.

Calling all behavioral economists: Stay in Seattle (Setting of tolls for waterfront tunnel project promises lots of material), NewToSeattle.com, July 11, 2012.

Congressional Incompetence: Why Capitol Hill does such a lousy job writing laws (Increasing complaints are heard about major legislation with major errors), Forward (Journal of the Metals Service Center Institute), July/August 2012.

Far from Seattle, Thomas Paine shrine lacks common sense (Nothing much happened at house bearing his name in New Rochelle, N.Y.), NewToSeattle.com, July 6, 2012.

The other museums of Seattle (Pinball machines, giant shoes, bizarre junk: The City has them all on display), NewToSeattle.com, June 27, 2012.

Another curious fundraising pitch in Seattle (This one is from an elusive police union on behalf of the My ID Club), NewToSeattle.org, June 21, 2012.

Back to the future, in Seattle trash (Time warp on a city web page for checking collection schedules), NewToSeattle.com, June 18, 2012.

Monumental Seattle (The city’s considerable number of public statues and memorials is revealing), NewToSeattle.com, June 9, 2012.

The 25 Best Places To Retire In 2012 (Affordability is among key factors), with SLIDE SHOW OF THE 25, Forbes, June 25, 2012.

Is Seattle still overacting about string of killings? (It’s important to put things in perspective), NewToSeattle.com, May 31, 2012.

Signs in Seattle of .... what? (Some public notices are, uh, thought-provoking), NewToSeattle.com, May 30, 2012.

The devil in Seattle’s suburbs: a tiger on the loose! (A Bengal tiger is reported on the prowl in Pierce County), NewToSeattle.com, May 24, 2012.

What do so many no-solicitation signs say about Seattle? (The city is not a very friendly place), NewToSeattle.com, May 23, 2012.

Crosswalk rights in Seattle versus California (In one Los Angeles suburb, pedestrians with the right of way get warned), NewToSeattle.com, May 17, 2012.

Different search engines see a different Seattle (Inclusions and omissions are interesting), NewToSeattle.com, May 13, 2012.

Seattle by the numbers (Answers to questions I get asked by friends everywhere), NewToSeattle.com, May 8, 2012.

Obama ‘endorses’ a mortgage broker in Seattle with a past (Paramount Equity runs a long presidential sound bite in its refinancing spots on the radio), NewToSeattle.com, May 3, 2012; Forbes.com, May 3, 2012.

Likkered up with an Amazon Kindle in Seattle (Prominent Fremont Bridge billboard gets a new advertisement), NewToSeattle.com, April 29, 2012.

Another day, another dodgy charity calls around Seattle (Kids Wish Network spends a lot more on fundraising than kids), NewToSeattle.com, April 27, 2012.

All sex-story roads lead to Seattle (Puget Sound angle seems to be everywhere), NewToSeattle.com, April 26, 2012.

’Damn Yankees’ is just a mile in Seattle from ’Damn Mariners’ (Perfect game underscores long-suffering fans), NewToSeattle.com, April 23, 2012.

Starbucks bug story is big news outside Seattle (Headline writers have a field day), NewToSeattle.com, April 20, 2012.

Another dubious charity solicits in Seattle (This time it’s the United States Armed Forces Association), NewToSeattle.com, April 17, 2012.

The devil in the suburbs of Seattle (Pierce County seems to have more than its share of unfortunate incidents), NewToSeattle.com, April 15, 2012.

NY Times headline cites Seattle ‘bubbles of corruption’ (But it only refers to a novel), NewToSeattle.com, April 10, 2012.

The Rime of the Seattle Mariners (I hear little talk about the city’s baseball team), NewToSeattle.com, April 6, 2012.

Fifty shades of Seattle (New “mommy porn” trilogy, Fifty Shades of Grey, is set along Puget Sound), NewToSeattle.com, April 4, 2012.

To Seattle from a Californian: ’Take the Sacramento Kings. Please!” NewToSeattle.com, April 7, 2012.

Searching the 1940 U.S. Census in Seattle: Oops! (Wait of 72 years will be a little longer), NewToSeattle.com, April 2, 2012.

Blogging the blogs of Seattle (Here are my periodic picks for the best), NewToSeattle.com, March 29, 2012.

Stressful Seattle: HOW CAN THAT BE??!! (Metro area ranks No. 9 in list of “most stressful” cities), NewToSeattle.com, March 22, 2012.

Jay Leno links politics, pornography—and Seattle weather (City image-makers should better market the rain), NewToSeattle.com, March 21, 2012.

Hollywood mystery solved in Seattle! (So where exactly is the headquarters of IMDb?), NewToSeattle.com, March 20, 2012.

Big Seattle charity uses accounting magic to look better (United Way of King County counts money in an unusual way), NewToSeattle.com, March 14, 2012.

Don’t Make These Dumb Mistakes With Your IRA (After all, your account is probably smaller than Mitt Romney’s) , Forbes, March 12, 2012.

In Seattle, how do you solve a problem like Jean-Sun? (Miss Seattle’s disparagement of local weather and people draws international attention), NewToSeattle.com, March 8, 2012.

A dubious charity solicits in Seattle (Cancer Fund of America looks for donations around Puget Sound), NewToSeattle.com, March 4, 2012.

In Seattle, an anti-government protest over bridge tolls? (A 40% traffic drop might be caused by Tea Party-like sentiments), NewToSeattle.com, February 29, 2012.

Gender equality in Seattle (T-shirts cost 33% more for women than men), NewToSeattle.com, February 25, 2012.

What’s all this talk about crime in Seattle? (Rise in violent offenses looks more like a statistical blip), NewToSeattle, February 24, 2012.

Charities Fudge Their Fundraising Costs? Shocking! (Ability of St. Jude Children’s Research Center to attract funds draws attention), Forbes.com, February 22, 2012.

‘Oklahoma’ casting is PC reaction to Seattle’s racist past (Controversy misses the real issue), NewToSeattle.com, February 18, 2012.

Barrett among seven exiting staff of Forbes (Cited reasons include “reallocating resources” to hire freelancers, ex-interns and junior staffers with “different skill levels”), The New York Post, February 17, 2012.

The richest people in Seattle—a very long time ago (None of their descendants rank among the wealthiest today), NewToSeattle.com, February 12, 2012.

Has Personal Finance Goddess Suze Orman Lost Her Luster? (Review of her career cites at length 1998 Forbes article questioning her credentials and advice), Alternet.org, February 7, 2012. TO READ THAT 1998 FORBES STORY, CLICK HERE.

A ranking where Seattle just became No. 1 (Bad news: It’s the list of big-city sales tax rates), NewToSeattle.com, February 5, 2012.

IRS Tackles Giants Safety Antrel Rolle--Hard (Star defensive player agrees to pay $1.9 million to settle improper-deduction claim), Forbes.com, February 3, 2012.

BBB Asks Charities To Explain Deworming Med Valuations (Watchdog’s queries focus in on issue of made-up numbers), Forbes.com, February 2, 2012.

Average U.S. Sales Tax Rate Drops—A Little (Tuba City, Ariz. still leads nation at 13.725%; Chicago and Seattle top big cities at 9.5%), with SLIDE SHOW OF THE U.S. 25 WORST SALES TAXES, Forbes.com, February 2, 2012.

‘World’s Worst Banker’ Loses British Royal Honor—Like Mussolini (Fred Goodwin joins some infamous characters), with SLIDE SHOW OF 10 NOTABLES STRIPPED OF THEIR HONOR, Forbes.com, January 31, 2012.

IRS Audit: Big Charity Field Misleading Tax Return (But Food for the Hungry says it will challenge report it misvalued donated gifts, including deworming medicine), Forbes.com, January 30, 2012. Seattle angle, NewToSeattle.com, January 30, 2012.

In Seattle, car washes in the rain (Commercial facilities seem to do a good business, too), NewToSeattle.com, January 29, 2012.

History’s repeating loop in Seattle (Similar stories exactly a century apart in The Seattle Times), NewToSeattle.com, January 26, 2012.

How Romney Would Rank Among the Richest U.S. Presidents (George Washington still tops them all), with SLIDE SHOW OF THE 10 WEALTHIEST, Forbes.com, January 24, 2012.

Snow buries Seattle’s image, too (Ridicule, not sympathy, seems more the order of the day), with NewToSeattle.com, January 23, 2012.

25 Top Places To Retire—And Work (Cities across the country are identified for prospects and affordability), Forbes.com, January 23, 2012.

Shoveling snow in Seattle: “You must be new here” (Few seem to clear their sidewalks), NewToSeattle.com, January 19, 2012.

Bracing for Seattle ‘snow’: Armageddon with a smile (The city—or its media—is in a near-panic over what looks like next to no accumulation), NewToSeattle.com, January 14, 2012.

Online Critic Says He’ll Apologize to Public Company Suing Him (He says he can’t afford to fight Lecere Corp, effort to gag him), Forbes.com, January 11, 2012.

Where they’re from: the meaning of Seattle death notices (Most of them are for people born elsewhere who moved to the city), NewToSeattle.com, January 10, 2012.

IRS Admits Errors In Rejecting Workout Offer But Says Tough (Los Angeles man asked appeals court to make the agency follow the law for an offer-in-compromise), Forbes.com, January 5, 2012.

For whom the bridge tolls: a lesson in Seattle economics (How many drivers will waste time and money to save $3.50 crossing Lake Washington?), NewToSeattle.com, January 4, 2012.

Lamar Odom Stuffs IRS In Tax Case Over Fines, Fitness Fees (Feds take $7,800 to settle $87,000 bill for 2007 taxes), Forbes.com, January 3, 2012.

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