Local News

Seattle Times Fund For The Needy offers opportunity to give
The Seattle Times today opens its 31st annual Fund For The Needy campaign. The two-month drive, which collected a record $668,183 last year, comes as social-service agencies are squeezed between increased need and sharp cutbacks in donor support and government assistance. Sun, 11/22
 
Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
Last December, a state child-support enforcement officer in Vancouver made a startling discovery: The state of Washington had taken nearly $21,000 over 10 years from a father for child support he did not owe. Sun, 11/22
 
Danny Westneat
Bonus for supe with a B minus?
It's hardly a Goldman Sachs-style bonanza. It's no AIG outrage. But a plan to give the chief of Seattle Public Schools a pay-for-performance bonus — albeit only $5,280 — had parental jaws hitting homework tables around the city last week. Sun, 11/22
 
Nicole Brodeur
You have more to spare than you think you do
You would expect a rabbi to refer to the holiest of tomes when asked why we should give to those in need. Sun, 11/22
 
The Wrap | Ron Judd
Back and ready to rip through all the news
Pardon the interruption. While we were off playing newspaper for six weeks, several Wrap-worthy moments passed right by, taunting us with their stupidity. Fear not. In the interest of catching up later, we kept careful notes on a Tofurkey wrapper. Here goes: Sun, 11/22
 
Fundraiser descends after 113 nights on roof
Carol Schillios accepted a ride Saturday from an Edmonds Fire Department ladder truck down from the rooftop perch where she spent the past 113 nights to raise money for charity. Sun, 11/22
 
Federal judge pushes for answers on salmon recovery
The federal judge getting ready to decide whether the government is doing enough to save Columbia River salmon will have a question for its lawyers Monday: If you have plans in your hip pocket in case the fish numbers crash, why not put those plans to work now? Sun, 11/22
 
Sail back in time with festive ships
Celebrate the season with hot cider, music and free dockside tours of historic ships at Lake Union Park. Sun, 11/22
 
Street signs to honor Seattle's parks designers
The green and white street signs on Seattle's historic streets are being replaced with brown signs to honor the historic Olmsted boulevards that run through Seattle. Sun, 11/22
 
Palin excitement builds in Tri-Cities
"Going Rogue" was released last week and its print run already has been increased from 1.5 million copies to 2.5 million, publisher HarperCollins announced Friday. Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor and GOP vice presidential candidate, is in the midst of a nationwide promotional tour. The book sold 300,000 copies in its first day. Sun, 11/22
 
Reward offered for info on emaciated horses
The case of five emaciated horses found abandoned in a Pierce County forest has prompted the Humane Society of the United States to offer a $2,500 reward for information leading to arrests and convictions. Sun, 11/22
 
Shots fired at hall during a dance
The front windows of a community hall where a dance was under way were shot out Friday night. Two vehicles parked near the hall, in the 3500 block of South Mount Baker Boulevard, were also damaged by gunfire, according to Seattle police. Sun, 11/22
 
Police 'gang sweep' rounds up nearly 80 fugitives in Tri-Cities
A "very, very successful gang sweep" took nearly 80 fugitives off the streets — 57 in the Tri-Cities alone — along with eight firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, a variety of drugs and about $14,000 cash, authorities said Friday Sun, 11/22
 
Couple rescued from from perilous road near Grants Pass
Authorities say an Alabama couple following directions from a GPS device got stuck and were rescued from the snowy, mountainous back road where a San Francisco man got lost and died in 2006. Sun, 11/22
 
How your U.S. lawmaker voted this week
Here's how state members of Congress voted on major issues in the week that ended Friday. Sun, 11/22
 
Date set for trial in case of Klickitat County man accused of hiring hit man
A Klickitat County man charged with trying to hire a hit man — who was actually an undercover agent — to kill the father of his rape victim will go to trial March 1. Sun, 11/22
 
Craigslist adoption ad: A plea by young mother-to-be? A scam?
Police are trying to track down a woman in Federal Way who offered her unborn baby for adoption on Craigslist, but there's also the possibility it was a scam. Sat, 11/21
 
Italian prosecutors request life sentence for UW student
Prosecutors on Saturday requested life in prison for University of Washington student Amanda Knox and her ex-boyfriend accused in the fatal stabbing of her British roommate during an alleged drug-fueled sex game. Sat, 11/21
 
Seattle owners urged to secure vessels
Heavy winds knocked seven vessels loose from their moorings in Puget Sound Friday, sending Coast Guard crews scrambling. Sat, 11/21
 

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Nation & World

Tight Senate vote launches health care over hurdle
The 60-39 vote cleared the way for a bruising, full-scale debate beginning after Thanksgiving on the legislation, which is designed to extend coverage to roughly 31 million who lack it, crack down on insurance-company practices that deny or dilute benefits, and curtail the growth of spending on medical care nationally. Sun, 11/22
 
Awaiting daughter's birth, astronaut busy on spacewalk
Space-shuttle astronaut Randolph Bresnik put aside the impending birth of his daughter and blazed through his first-ever venture outside the International Space Station on Saturday. Sun, 11/22
 
Anti-Taliban militias arise in Afghanistan
U.S. and Afghan officials have begun helping a number of anti-Taliban militias that have independently taken up arms against insurgents in several parts of Afghanistan, prompting hopes of a large-scale tribal rebellion against the Taliban. Sun, 11/22
 
China coal mine blast death toll jumps to 87
Rescuers worked in frigid cold to reach 21 miners trapped underground Sunday as the death toll from a huge gas explosion in a northern Chinese mine jumped to 87 - the deadliest blast to hit the beleaguered industry in nearly two years. Sun, 11/22
 
Iran gets ready for military exercises
Iran will begin large-scale air-defense war games today aimed at protecting its nuclear facilities from possible attack, a senior military commander said Saturday, reflecting the country's concern that Israel could make good on threats to strike militarily. Sun, 11/22
 
Pakistan youth see little hope for future
Pakistan will face a "demographic disaster" if it does not address the needs of its young generation, the largest in the country's history, whose views reflect a deep disillusionment with government and democracy, according to a report released here on Saturday. Sun, 11/22
 
Intel plant target of religious protest in Jerusalem
Around 3,000 ultra-Orthodox Jews demonstrated Saturday outside an Intel plant in Jerusalem to protest its operating on the Jewish Sabbath, which they view as a desecration of the sanctity of the holy city. Sun, 11/22
 
Sri Lanka will release last of refugees from Tamil war
Sri Lanka will release next month the remaining 136,000 Tamil refugees still in the squalid and overrun government camps where they've been detained since the country's civil war ended six months ago, a top official said Saturday. Sun, 11/22
 
Iraq seeks resolution to election dilemma
Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi, a Sunni Arab, vetoed the legislation earlier this week because he wants more seats allocated for Iraqis living abroad, most of whom are Sunnis who fled the war. Sun, 11/22
 
Computers hackers leak e-mails, stoke global-warming debate
Computer hackers have broken into a server at a well-respected climate-change research center in Britain and posted hundreds of private e-mails and documents online — stoking debate over whether some scientists have overstated the case for man-made climate change. Sun, 11/22
 
Italy arrests 2 in terror attacks
Italian police on Saturday arrested a Pakistani father and son who allegedly spent just over $200 to set up a reliable and untraceable phone network that was used by the militants who carried out last year's terror attacks in Mumbai, India. Sun, 11/22
 
Bush library plan a notably sedate building design
Architect Robert Stern's plans for the George W. Bush Presidential Center call for a low-slung building of brick and limestone, following traditional lines and hugging the Texas landscape with a calm reserve. It's almost as if Bush has chosen to retreat into the patrician reticence of his blue-blooded, Connecticut forebears. Sun, 11/22
 
Census Bureau: Tough times began before recession
Even before the recession, more than one in five Americans needed help from family, friends or outsiders to pay for basic needs, according to a survey by the Census Bureau. Sun, 11/22
 
Hedge funds profit, homeowners save
As millions of Americans struggle to hold on to their homes, Wall Street has found a way to make money from the mortgage mess. Investment funds are buying billions of dollars' worth of home loans, discounted from the loans' original value. Then, in what might seem an act of charity, the funds are helping homeowners by reducing the size of the loans. Sun, 11/22
 
Neighbors' fears over Nevada mine validated
A new wave of testing by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has found that 79 percent of the wells tested north of the World War II-era copper mine have dangerous levels of uranium or arsenic or both that make the water unsafe to drink. Sun, 11/22
 
Historic health care bill nears key Senate vote
Senate Democrats got the 60-vote majority they needed to advance health care legislation today ahead of an evening showdown with opposition Republicans eager to inflict a punishing defeat on President Obama. Sat, 11/21
 

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Business & Technology

Chase shrugs off loss of CD investors
Since JPMorgan Chase took over Washington Mutual's banking operations last fall, billions of dollars in customer deposits have walked out the door as customers seek higher returns on their savings. Sun, 11/22
 
Sunday Buzz
Expedia, Intelius, Classmates slapped by Senate report
Expedia, Classmates.com and Intelius have reaped tens of millions of dollars by steering their online customers into "useless membership clubs," charges a Senate Commerce Committee report. Sun, 11/22
 
Denny Triangle gains skyline, but tenants slow to come
A high-rise construction boom in the 8th Avenue corridor alters the skyline, opens during trough Sun, 11/22
 
Your Funds
Money for nothing: Some investors pay for advice they never get
 Sun, 11/22
 
Sunday Memo
Heads up: A holiday-shortened week doesn't mean a shortage of economic reports, several on the residential real-estate market. Sun, 11/22
 
Investing
There is no investment 'cure' for a bad feeling
 Sun, 11/22
 
The Motley Fool: Every Sunday, useful tips on investing
 Sun, 11/22
 
The art of figuring the price of art
Want to know which way art prices are headed? Check the stock market. Sun, 11/22
 
Money Tip
Year-end goal: Use up your flexible spending account (FSA)
 Sun, 11/22
 
Analysis: Goodbye to the accounting reforms of 2002
A Democratic Congress is gutting the landmark Sarbanes-Oxley Act with the apparent approval of the Obama administration. Sun, 11/22
 
Money-fund assets rise, yields unchanged
 Sun, 11/22
 

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Sports

Jerry Brewer
UW women cross country runners find recipe for success
The Huskies have won 11 straight events and two Pac-10 championships over the past two years. They've been the overwhelming top-ranked women's cross-country team for more than a year. And on Monday, they are favored to repeat as national champions in Terre Haute, Ind. Sat, 11/21
 
Seattle U Hoops | Seattle U. women sees rally fall short
Georgetown (2-2) led Seattle University 41-16 at halftime, but Seattle U. (0-4) cut the deficit to 59-52 with 4:40 remaining on a three-pointer by Ashley Brown. Sat, 11/21
 
L.A. Galaxy has edge in star power at MLS Cup final
The battle for the MLS championship comes down to a few keys, but there's a clear choice for favorite and underdog. Sat, 11/21
 
Steve Kelley
MLS endures growing pains, but continues to improve
League will celebrate its growth Sunday night at Qwest Field, when L.A. Galaxy and Real Salt Lake play for MLS Cup. Sat, 11/21
 
Prep Soccer | 4A: Skyline keeps state title, beats Issaquah 2-1
The Spartans got past KingCo rival Issaquah in a shootout as they claimed their second consecutive state championship. Sat, 11/21
 
Seahawks could learn a little about rushing the passer from Vikings
Minnesota leads NFL in sacks, while Seahawks have trouble getting to the quarterback. Sat, 11/21
 
UW Volleyball | Fourth-ranked UW earns 3-0 sweep of Washington State in volleyball
In a postseason environment in front of a noisy, season-high crowd of 5,807 at Edmundson Pavilion, the Washington volleyball team looked tournament-ready Saturday night, sweeping Washington State 3-0. Sat, 11/21
 
College Football | Ninth-ranked Ohio State hands Michigan 21-10 loss to win outright Big Ten title
Terrelle Pryor threw a touchdown for the final score in the third quarter and avoided making many mistakes to help the ninth-ranked Buckeyes beat Michigan 21-10 Saturday for its sixth straight win in the series and an outright Big Ten title Sat, 11/21
 
Kyle Busch wins NASCAR Nationwide Series title, finale
Kyle Busch merely needed the green flag to drop to win his first NASCAR title. Sat, 11/21
 
Lee Westwood leads the lucrative Dubai World Championship by 2 shots
Lee Westwood of England maintained his two-shot lead at the Dubai World Championship after shooting a 6-under-par 66 Saturday in the third round.  Sat, 11/21
 
Men's College Hoops | Nik Raivio leads Portland past Oregon
Nik Raivio scored 24 points to lead a second-half turnaround as Portland registered an 88-81 victory over Oregon on Saturday night. Sat, 11/21
 
NW Briefs
Men's College Hoops: Western coach gets 450th win
Point guard Morris Anderson had 20 points, nine assists, six steals, four rebounds and three blocked shots as the Western Washington men's basketball team defeated Dominican 87-72 on Saturday in the final day of the Seattle Pacific University Tip-Off Classic at Royal Brougham Pavilion. Sat, 11/21
 
MLS Cup history
Seattle will host the 14th MLS Cup on Sunday, at Qwest Field. This is the 12th in a series of stories about the first 13 MLS Cups. Sat, 11/21
 
Motivated Everett Silvertips defeat Thunderbirds
The Silvertips, coming off a 6-0 drubbing to Tri-City in a showdown of two of the top U.S. Division teams on Friday, came out determined to make a better effort and skated away with a 4-1 win in Kent over the Seattle Thunderbirds. Sat, 11/21
 
NBA | Martell Webster propels Trail Blazers
Former Seattle Prep star Martell Webster had a season-high 21 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Portland Trail Blazers past Minnesota 106-78. Sat, 11/21
 
NFL: Mike Holmgren indicates he would be interested in working for Cleveland Browns
Mike Holmgren, former Seahawks and Green Bay Packers coach, has indicated he would be interested in working for the Cleveland Browns. Sat, 11/21
 
Oregon State rolls past Cougars, 42-10
Beavers' victory kept their Rose Bowl hopes alive. Sat, 11/21
 
Prep Football | 3A: Bellevue rolls past Glacier Peak, 34-7
Sean Coley dashed 80 yards for a touchdown on the first play, and the Wolverines' defense stopped the Grizzlies in a quarterfinal victory. Sat, 11/21
 
Prep Football | 3A: Meadowdale flattened by Union, 49-7
Nathaniel Penaranda rushed for 200 yards on only 12 carries as a physical team of Titans from Vancouver handed the Mavericks their first defeat. Sat, 11/21
 
Prep Football | 4A: Skyline crushes Curtis, 49-14
The defending state champion Spartans led 49-0 at halftime and advanced to a semifinal showdown with top-ranked Bothell. Sat, 11/21
 
Prep Soccer | 3A: Columbia River tops Mercer Island 2-1 for title
Mercer Island was 13 minutes from its first girls soccer state championship, but couldn't hold the lead and eventually lost to No. 11 Columbia River in a shootout. Sat, 11/21
 
Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid hospitalized with pneumonia
Coach's condition has improved, but he's not likely to make appearance at MLS Cup final. Sat, 11/21
 
Unbeaten Central Washington advances in Div. II football playoffs
Top-ranked Wildcats move on with 27-6 victory over Tarleton State. Sat, 11/21
 
UW Women's Hoops | Washington's Christina Rozier is playing for teammate Lydia Young, whose career is finished
Young's knee injury has ended her career prematurely. Sat, 11/21
 
Sideline Chatter
What a pity, too early even for an Egg McMuffin
Would you believe, college hoops at 6 a.m.? Sat, 11/21
 
Winter Sports | American Napier wins World Cup bobsled event
John Napier slid the race of his dreams Saturday, beating U.S. teammate Steven Holcomb to win a World Cup two-man race on his home track in Lake Placid. Sat, 11/21
 
Women's College Hoops | No. 9 Xavier beats No. 14 Arizona State
Katie Rutan made three consecutive threes during a first-half run that put Xavier ahead to stay, and had a steal and layup that ended No. 14 Arizona State's comeback and sent the ninth-ranked Musketeers to a 59-46 victory Saturday. Sat, 11/21
 
College Football | Jeremiah Masoli helps Oregon survive Arizona, 44-41, in double overtime
Jeremiah Masoli carried Oregon one step closer to the Rose Bowl.  Sat, 11/21
 
Bundle up: 2010 Apple Cup will be played in December in Pullman
Series that started in 1900 has never been played in December. Sat, 11/21
 
Capsule Preview |
Three keys to Seahawks victory  Sat, 11/21
 
College Football | Clock runs out on No. 10 Louisiana State in 25-23 loss to Mississippi
So many unusual things happened in the final three minutes of Mississippi's victory Saturday against No. 10 Louisiana State it got confusing. Sat, 11/21
 
4A football: Top-ranked Bothell stops Issaquah, 30-9
The Cougars' defense smothers the Eagles, paving the way for a trip to the semifinals at the Tacoma Dome next week. Sat, 11/21
 
Backtalk
Seahawks fans have issues with Tim Ruskell, Jim Mora Sat, 11/21
 
Bad weather doesn't stop razor clam digs
A total of 18,600 digger trips were made between Nov. 14-17, and the average was 13.3 clams per person. Sat, 11/21
 
Cougars' 2 Minute Drill
Player of the game Oregon State sophomore running back Jacquizz Rodgers ran for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Rodgers averaged 6. 9 yards on 24... Sat, 11/21
 
Prep Football | 2A: Archbishop Murphy stops W.F. West, 14-7
Alex Martinez ran for a touchdown with 31.9 seconds remaining, giving the Wildcats a quarterfinal victory. Sat, 11/21
 
Prep Soccer | 1A: Seattle Academy repeats as state champion
The Cardinals beat Emerald City League rival Overlake 2-1 for their second consecutive championship. Sat, 11/21
 
Prep Soccer | 2A: Archbishop Murphy stops Cheney 2-0 in final
The Wildcats capped a 23-0 season with a victory for the state championship. Sat, 11/21
 
Prep Soccer | 2B/1B: Bear Creek boys fall to Tacoma Baptist in final
Tacoma Baptist repeated as boys champ with a 2-0 win, and Orcas Island took the girls title by beating Napavine 2-1 in a shootout. Sat, 11/21
 
Seattle Pacific's Pixler captures historic 3rd straight NCAA title
Pixler becomes first Division II woman to win three straight NCAA cross country titles. Sat, 11/21
 
Statewide prep football scores
Bothell 30, Issaquah 9 Skyview 34, Auburn 21 Liberty (Issaquah) 20, Lindbergh 17 (3OT) Ellensburg 28, Mark Morris 7 Nooksack Valley 54... Sat, 11/21
 
TV clicks and picks
Analysis and predictions by Danny O'Neil of The Seattle Times  Sat, 11/21
 
College Football | Eastern defeats Northern Arizona 49-45, hopes to get playoff berth Sunday
Matt Nichols threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Nathan Overbay with 3:30 remaining to lift Eastern Washington to a 49-45 win over Northern Arizona on Saturday. Sat, 11/21
 
Kelly, David come up big in historic hydroplane race in Qatar
J. Michael Kelly drove the U-7 Graham Trucking to victory in the UIM World Championship in Doha Bay on Saturday, the first unlimited hydroplane race staged outside North America. Sat, 11/21
 

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Entertainment

SuttonBeresCuller: Big thinkers turn their attention to smaller-scale artworks
The artmaking trio SuttonBeresCuller shows new work at Lawrimore Project in Seattle through Dec. 19. Sun, 11/22
 
Book review
"Molly Ivins: A Rebel Life:" Fearless, funny and opinionated
In "Molly Ivins: A Rebel Life," authors Bill Minutaglio and W. Michael Smith suggest that the death of a college boyfriend may have put native Texan Molly Ivins on the path toward her legendary career as a tart-tongued, no-holds-barred political columnist. Sun, 11/22
 
Book review
'Changing My Mind': Zadie Smith ponders the mad, mad world
In "Changing My Mind: Occasional Essays," British novelist Zadie Smith holds her own as a thinker, writing on topics that include rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson's cinematic star turn, modern Anglo literature and the wretched excess of the Oscars. Sun, 11/22
 
'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helen's and Astoria, Ore.
An interview with Viggo Mortensen, who stars in the upcoming film version of Cormac McCarthy's bleak 2006 novel, "The Road." In the movie, which opens Nov. 25, the apocalyptic landscape was played by Mount St. Helens. Sun, 11/22
 
Rant & Rave
 Sun, 11/22
 
Director John Woo's 'Red Cliff' is an epic whose time has come
A Q&A with legendary Hong Kong filmmaker John Woo, whose new movie "Red Cliff," his take on a historic Chinese battle, is being released Wednesday, Nov. 25. Sun, 11/22
 
Book review
Philip Roth's 'The Humbling': an aging actor quits the stage
In Philip Roth's new novel, "The Humbling," an aging actor seeks redemption through an affair with a younger woman. Sun, 11/22
 
A wild and crazy list of best comedy albums ever
Bill Cosby, Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy and others really cracked up writer Sean Daly when he was 13. Here's his list of favorite comedy recordings. Sun, 11/22
 
An epic revival for 'Gone With the Wind'
The most popular movie ever — winner of eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture — was first released 70 years ago.  Sun, 11/22
 
Miles of music: trumpeter's collection covers 70 CDs
Hot on the heels of the much-celebrated remastered Beatles sets, Sony Legacy is releasing "Miles Davis: The Complete Columbia Album Collection," a stockpile of 52 albums on more than 70 CDs. Sun, 11/22
 
Book review
'The Anti-Communist Manifestos: Four Books That Shaped The Cold War'
In "The Anti-Communist Manifestos," John V. Fleming writes a history of four books that transformed world history by telling the grim story of communism. Sun, 11/22
 
The Short List
What our writers love this week
Seattle band Moondoggies, the BBC documentary "Beatles on Record" and the film documentary "William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe" make our Short List of A&E favorites this week. Sun, 11/22
 
'Precious,' Kelly Clarkson, Seattle Men's Chorus are arts highlights this week
The Seattle Times' weekly Short List of A&E highlights includes the movie 'Precious,' Kelly Clarkson, Seattle Men's Chorus' 'Santa Baby,' paintings by Alfredo Arreguín and Pacific Northwest Ballet's 'Nutcracker.' Sun, 11/22
 
John Grisham, Mitch Albom are hot sellers
John Grisham's "Ford Country" and Mitch Albom's "Have a Little Faith" top the best-seller lists. Sun, 11/22
 
Seattle best-sellers: 'The Big Burn' and 'Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet'
Authors Timothy Egan and Jamie Ford are hot sellers at Seattle's Square One Books Sun, 11/22
 

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Living

Washington businesses break ties to industrial-food chain
In the confusing web that is the nation's industrial food-supply system, small companies in Washington state are trying to untangle themselves, taking over processing, commissioning independent testing, buying more things locally and checking out sources more carefully. Sun, 11/22
 
This holiday gift list lets your conscience be your guide
Footprint's Green Market offers ideas for holiday gifts that keep the environment in mind. Sun, 11/22
 
Antique wood stove can light your decorative fire
The piece was a cherished antique at a local residence before it was donated to the RE Store in Seattle. Sun, 11/22
 
It's time to toss out the foulest fashion fads of 2009
In honor of Thanksgiving, here are some fashion trends of 2009 that were real turkeys. Sun, 11/22
 
Northwest Living
On Whidbey, a unified home from multiple recycled parts
A Whidbey Island designer creates a single home in three parts, going green with recycled materials, water-catchment systems and solar-powered heating — all on a small footprint. Sun, 11/22
 
The People's Pharmacy
People's Pharmacy: Pain relief for people who can't use NSAID drugs
In the People's Pharmacy column, discussions of pain relief for people who can't use NSAID drugs and sources of Vitamin D. Sun, 11/22
 
Plant Life
Good soil is the secret to successful gardening
Fall is the season to boost the content of your garden soil so that next spring everything comes up roses. Sun, 11/22
 
Taste
The Great Pie Bake-off pits friends and fruit
A little friendly competition between professional pie-baker Kate McDermott (apple) and The Seatttle Times' Kathleen Triesch Saul (banana cream) is handled with great taste. Sun, 11/22
 
Now & Then
Pike Place Market continues tradition of buying local
In the Depression era as now, Seattle's Pike Place Market is a haven for affordable home-grown goods — everything from produce and poultry to jackets and jewelry. Sun, 11/22
 

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Travel & Outdoors

Banff: powder, peaks & purity
Banff in winter offers skiers packed powder, lots of lodging choices Sun, 11/22
 
Thanksgiving travel plans expected to grow slightly
The number of Americans traveling away from home for Thanksgiving will be up only slightly this year from 2008, according to a report from the AAA auto club. But there will be a 6.7 percent decrease in the number of air travelers, totaling 2.3 million this year, continuing a decadelong decline of Thanksgiving air travel. Sun, 11/22
 
Ask Travel
A free day in Prague
After a tour, here are some suggestions on how to spend a day on your own in Prague in winter. Sun, 11/22
 
Ban Long Lao is a peek at traditional Hmong village life
For travelers interested in Asian minorities, a visit to Ban Long Lao, a Hmong village south of Luang Prabang in Laos, is pure cultural tourism. Sun, 11/22
 
Monument Valley, Utah
A weekly feature of readers' travel photos. Sun, 11/22
 
New art museum helps Rome rise from the ruins
A new contemporary arts and architecture museum designed by Iraqi-born Zaha Hadid is slated to open in Rome. Sun, 11/22
 
Protect yourself from baggage loss
Protect your bags when flying: Here's 10 steps you can take to avoid problems with lost, stolen or damaged luggage. Sun, 11/22
 
Rediscovering Moab, 'the most beautiful place on Earth'
Moab: The town may be overcrowded and commercialized, but the surrounding area still attracts bikers, hikers and photographers in search of beauty and solitude. Sun, 11/22
 

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Opinion

Leonard Pitts Jr. / Syndicated columnist
New York terror trials will restore faith in rule of law
We need this New York trial more than 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed does, writes columnist Leonard Pitts Jr. For all its risks, it offers a prize worth risking for: the promise of feeling like Americans again. Sun, 11/22