http://www.seattletimes.com en-us Copyright 2009 The Seattle Times Company Sun, 5 Jul 2009 23:02:03 PDT Sun, 5 Jul 2009 23:02:03 PDT XML::RSS 1 http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/art/ui/stlogo_231.gif http://www.seattletimes.com http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/stevekelley/2009418657_kelley05.html?syndication=rss When Portland and Phoenix play an exhibition game at KeyArena this fall, fans should use it as a chance to welcome home McMillan, Roy and Webster. Steve Kelley http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/stevekelley/2009418657_kelley05.html?syndication=rss Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:21:48 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009419462_jocks05.html?syndication=rss Douglas Warshaw has a theory: Sports fans can't read enough athletes' Twitter posts, blog entries and Facebook messages but they need a... Other Sports http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009419462_jocks05.html?syndication=rss Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:16:08 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sounders/2009419561_usasoccer05.html?syndication=rss The U.S. crushed Grenada 4-0 in a CONCACAF Gold Cup match at Qwest Field, with Robbie Rogers scoring a goal and adding two assists. Sounders http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sounders/2009419561_usasoccer05.html?syndication=rss Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:16:08 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009419454_tour05.html?syndication=rss Olympic champion Fabian Cancellara powered to a convincing, 18-second victory in the Tour de France's first stage, a 9.6-mile time trial. Other Sports http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009419454_tour05.html?syndication=rss Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:16:07 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2009419445_albeat05.html?syndication=rss Chien-Ming Wang's next start is in jeopardy after the New York right-hander left early against Toronto. Mariners http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2009419445_albeat05.html?syndication=rss Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:16:06 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sidelinechatter/2009419193_chat05.html?syndication=rss Guess she should've blocked a few shots after the game, too. Phoenix Mercury star Diana Taurasi was cited for drunken driving at 2:30 a... Sideline Chatter http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sidelinechatter/2009419193_chat05.html?syndication=rss Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:16:06 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009419444_tennnisside05.html?syndication=rss As American Andy Roddick plotted and perspired over the years to get back to the place and the round where he once belonged, the opponent... Other Sports http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009419444_tennnisside05.html?syndication=rss Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:16:06 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009419134_tennis05.html?syndication=rss It is rare to see Venus Williams telegraph defeat on Wimbledon's Centre Court, where she has triumphed so many times. But masterful serving and... Other Sports http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009419134_tennis05.html?syndication=rss Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:16:06 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/seahawks/2009418769_mcnair05.html?syndication=rss Retired quarterback and a woman were shot to death in Nashville Seahawks http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/seahawks/2009418769_mcnair05.html?syndication=rss Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:16:05 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009418844_outn05.html?syndication=rss In the northwest Straits, an estimated 372,000 crabs die each year in "lost pots" Other Sports http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009418844_outn05.html?syndication=rss Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:16:05 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/larrystone/2009418770_stone05.html?syndication=rss Ichiro, Russell Branyan, David Aardsma and Felix Hernandez have the numbers, but will the team being in the middle of the pack hurt their chances? Larry Stone http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/larrystone/2009418770_stone05.html?syndication=rss Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:16:05 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2009418712_heckle05.html?syndication=rss web-summary tag with dummy text. Sports http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2009418712_heckle05.html?syndication=rss Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:16:05 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2009418692_mari05.html?syndication=rss First baseman finishes an 11-pitch at-bat with a game-tying sacrifice fly to left. Then Takashi Saito walks the bases loaded in the ninth and Chris Woodward singles in the game-winning run to defeat the Boston, 3-2. Mariners http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2009418692_mari05.html?syndication=rss Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:16:05 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419669_stnoise05m.html?syndication=rss Sound Transit plans further tests after complaints of screeching and grating loud enough to affect sleep and property values. Local News http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419669_stnoise05m.html?syndication=rss Sun, 05 Jul 2009 02:34:23 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419675_stnoiseside05m.html?syndication=rss Train noise is hardly noticeable in Rainier Valley, where most of the Link light-rail line's neighbors live. But the clang of automated train bells can be heard two to four blocks away. Local News http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419675_stnoiseside05m.html?syndication=rss Sun, 05 Jul 2009 02:33:33 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419663_shiobit05.html?syndication=rss Shi Pei Pu, a Beijing opera singer and spy whose sexually convoluted love affair with a French Embassy worker created one of the strangest cases in international espionage and was the inspiration for the Broadway show "M. Butterfly," died in Paris on Tuesday. Nation & World http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419663_shiobit05.html?syndication=rss Sun, 05 Jul 2009 02:32:56 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419676_uwtentcity05m0.html?syndication=rss Security and logistical concerns at the University of Washington have stalled the school's decision on whether to allow Tent City 3 to relocate to campus after the proposal won unanimous support from the Faculty Senate in May. Local News http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419676_uwtentcity05m0.html?syndication=rss Sun, 05 Jul 2009 02:24:53 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419591_assessments05m.html?syndication=rss Assessors in both counties say the decades-long rise in home values followed by a sudden decline has made it unusually tough to appraise property. Local News http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419591_assessments05m.html?syndication=rss Sun, 05 Jul 2009 02:02:41 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2009419620_tourism05.html?syndication=rss Travelers hitting the road around Washington this summer will notice lots of changes born of the recession — from lower menu prices to more child- and pet-friendly B&Bs and more hotel rooms available last-minute. This spells good deals for tourists but struggle for small-business owners, who are trying to find new ways to stay alive. Travel http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2009419620_tourism05.html?syndication=rss Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:27:35 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2009419639_eye05.html?syndication=rss Celebrity gossip, famous birthdays and other tidbits, compiled from Seattle Times news services. Entertainment http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2009419639_eye05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 23:56:33 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009419616_reltwitter05.html?syndication=rss Things went smoothly for the first hour of the Twitter experiment at Trinity Church in Manhattan on Good Friday in April. While hundreds of worshippers... Nation & World http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009419616_reltwitter05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 23:17:21 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419664_smokejumper05.html?syndication=rss Two years ago, veteran smokejumper Sara Brown dived out of a plane into a wildfire and shattered all of the bones in her right leg. Local News http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419664_smokejumper05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 23:07:59 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2009419290_taco05.html?syndication=rss Tacoma got past Salt Lake 7-5 in 12 innings and Everett beat Yakima 3-2 in 10 in minor-league games Saturday night. Mariners http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2009419290_taco05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 23:04:00 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419668_snopud05.html?syndication=rss The feisty utility that uncovered audiotapes of Enron Corp. traders discussing gouging "poor grandmothers" is hedging its bet against another energy crisis. Local News http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419668_snopud05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 23:00:04 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419666_snakes05m.html?syndication=rss Seattle's first public herpetarium, or reptile habitat, opened in June in Beacon Hill's Jose Rizal Park, to provide shelter for the local garter snake population. The modest structure was built with rocks and concrete debris that had been removed for the benefit of Seattle Parks Department mowing crews. Local News http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419666_snakes05m.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:58:05 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419656_motorist05.html?syndication=rss A Seattle police officer was injured early Saturday when he was dragged by a car driven by a man stopped for reckless driving. Local News http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419656_motorist05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:55:12 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419659_furlough05.html?syndication=rss King County offices will be closed Monday as the county government takes the sixth of its 10 mandated furlough days this year. Local News http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419659_furlough05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:45:45 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009419828_emdowns05.html?syndication=rss Saturday (Track fast) 16 ½ furlongs, purse $6,650, maiden claiming $7,500, 3-year-olds. Horse /Jockey 1/4 Str Fin Odds Hit the Juice... Other Sports http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009419828_emdowns05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:42:12 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009419613_oildepend05.html?syndication=rss Despite its title as the "American Clean Energy and Security Act," the energy and climate bill the House passed recently takes only a modest step toward reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil. Nation & World http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009419613_oildepend05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:38:36 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009419544_auto05.html?syndication=rss Tony Stewart led lap after lap around Daytona International Speedway, using a flawless pit-road performance to inch closer to his second... Other Sports http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009419544_auto05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:38:28 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009419285_digs05.html?syndication=rss Poker World Series of Poker director expects longer main event this year: The main event of the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas will... Other Sports http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009419285_digs05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:38:14 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009419386_emerald05.html?syndication=rss Elusive Horizon took the early lead, then held off favored Gadget Queen to win the $50,000 King County Handicap on Saturday at Emerald Downs... Other Sports http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009419386_emerald05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:38:04 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/golf/2009419536_golf05.html?syndication=rss Anthony Kim finally gets a crack at Tiger Woods — and when he says he has been practicing for a moment like this all his life, Kim... Golf http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/golf/2009419536_golf05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:37:52 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009419287_mail05.html?syndication=rss Just one man's opinion Jerry Brewer's recent two-part series on the impact of the Sonics' move ("Our team, their town," Thursday) is a clear... Other Sports http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009419287_mail05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:37:31 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2009419288_nlbeat05.html?syndication=rss Manny Ramirez hit his 534th career home run, then dodged reporters' questions after the Dodgers' loss to San Diego. Mariners http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2009419288_nlbeat05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:37:26 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009419538_regr05.html?syndication=rss Jean Theoret, driver of the U-37 Miss Bello's Pizza, is hospitalized in stable but guarded condition after a blowover accident during an... Other Sports http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009419538_regr05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:37:10 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sounders/2009419539_soccer05.html?syndication=rss It is not often a man in a blue suit is serenaded by 40,000 screaming soccer fans. But when that man is Florentino Perez, the president... Sounders http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sounders/2009419539_soccer05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:36:58 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2009419172_stonepower05.html?syndication=rss Last week's ranking in parentheses Team 1 Dodgers (1) Canceled promotions: Manny Ramirez Female Fertility Drug Ingesting Bobblehead 2 Boston... Mariners http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2009419172_stonepower05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:36:49 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009419611_obamafourth05.html?syndication=rss President Obama warned Saturday "there will be difficult days ahead" in Iraq and said the United States will remain a strong partner to Iraq for its security. Nation & World http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009419611_obamafourth05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:53:52 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/iraq/2009419601_iraq05.html?syndication=rss Vice President Joseph Biden spent the Fourth of July with his son and other U.S. troops in Iraq on Saturday, while the Iraqi government spokesman publicly rejected Biden's earlier offer to help with national reconciliation, saying it's an internal affair. Iraq http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/iraq/2009419601_iraq05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:53:25 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009419608_nationweek05.html?syndication=rss Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, came to Washington in 1991 as a rabble-rousing Republican willing to disrupt the House to score points against powerful Democrats. Now, as the House Republican leader in a town again dominated by Democrats, he is back to his old tricks. Nation & World http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009419608_nationweek05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:52:22 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009419606_mystery05.html?syndication=rss The saga of Everett Ruess, an idealistic wanderer whose disappearance in 1934 sparked one of the most enduring mysteries of the modern West, is not over yet. Nation & World http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009419606_mystery05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:49:15 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419660_b3dragonracelo05m.html?syndication=rss Local News http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009419660_b3dragonracelo05m.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:47:31 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009419604_jackson05.html?syndication=rss Investigators are focusing on at least five doctors who prescribed drugs to Michael Jackson as they try to unravel the circumstances surrounding... Nation & World http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009419604_jackson05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:43:07 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009419600_iran05.html?syndication=rss The most important group of religious leaders in Iran has called the disputed presidential election and the new government illegitimate, an act of defiance against the country's supreme leader and the most public sign of a major split in the country's clerical establishment. Nation & World http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009419600_iran05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:39:45 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009419598_girlsrescue05.html?syndication=rss Doe Cyrille and his crew searched for hours in high winds and waves up to 16 feet high for a sign of Yemenia Flight 626. Then they spotted a... Nation & World http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009419598_girlsrescue05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:37:24 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009419595_crown05.html?syndication=rss The National Park Service has reopened the crown of The Statue of Liberty to visitors. Just thirty people per hour are now permitted to climb the narrow, 354-step staircase to the top of the statue. Nation & World http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009419595_crown05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:27:21 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419341_sundaybuzz05.html?syndication=rss Seattle's landmark Smith Tower is now at least 70 percent vacant; also, some former InfoSpace executives are off the hook in lawsuit alleging tens of millions in improper payments to option holders. Business & Technology http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419341_sundaybuzz05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:40:00 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419340_terms05.html?syndication=rss Typically, borrowers who get or are offered settlements have missed at least a few payments. Business & Technology http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419340_terms05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:26:53 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419335_toyota05.html?syndication=rss Toyota Motor's honorary chairman, Shoichiro Toyoda, scolded the company's president for being so anxious to boost sales and profits that he'd let Toyota emulate now bankrupt General Motors and Chrysler. Toyota, he said, had become addicted to big, expensive cars and trucks and had forgotten customers' need to save money. Business & Technology http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419335_toyota05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:25:51 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419343_pulse05.html?syndication=rss We often hear about how consumer spending makes up 70 percent of the economy, but one strategist says that unfairly paints Americans as binging consumers. Business & Technology http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419343_pulse05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:20:47 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419347_pfmakeover050.html?syndication=rss Nina Davis has met plenty of challenges in her life. "I'm a go-getter," Davis says. "And a really hard worker." Now she is working at spending less, cutting her debt and building for the future of her and her daughter. Business & Technology http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419347_pfmakeover050.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:18:47 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419352_moneyfundassets05.html?syndication=rss U.S. mutual funds added $3.75 billion in net deposits two weeks ago, the lowest inflows since a stock-market rally began in March. Business & Technology http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419352_moneyfundassets05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:17:47 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419351_moneytip05.html?syndication=rss Credit-reporting agencies have agreed to voluntarily remove completed Chapter 13 filings — where someone pays off part or all of their debt under a court-supervised plan — seven years from the date of filing. The idea is to give consumers some credit for having paid back as much of their debt as they could afford to pay back. Business & Technology http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419351_moneytip05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:16:35 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419350_motley05.html?syndication=rss Q: Is it a good time to invest in airlines? Business & Technology http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419350_motley05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:14:45 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419355_brokeredcds05.html?syndication=rss Even relatively safe, federally insured certificates of deposit issued by banks and credit unions can pose hazards for investors seeking to squeeze the biggest returns from their portfolios amid a slumping stock market and historically low interest rates. Business & Technology http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419355_brokeredcds05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:12:15 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419354_burns05.html?syndication=rss Syndicated columnist Scott Burns says that dramatic predictions of a dire economic future are as common as their inaccuracy. We don't know the future. All we can do is cultivate flexibility, diversify our savings, and share as little of our return as possible with those who claim to know the future. Business & Technology http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419354_burns05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:07:10 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419353_jaffe05.html?syndication=rss Syndicated columnist Chuck Jaffe says that somewhere between the minimalist one-fund-is-your-portfolio approach and the hobbyist's massive collection is the right number for the average investor. Business & Technology http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009419353_jaffe05.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:05:07 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/horoscopes/2009417704_horoscope20090705.html?syndication=rss Horoscopes http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/horoscopes/2009417704_horoscope20090705.html?syndication=rss Sat, 04 Jul 2009 03:08:12 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2009407609_pacificplife05.html?syndication=rss Curved-metal raised beds make it easy to grow vegetables and herbs at home. And in Lake Forest Park just outside Seattle, Joan Caine has transformed her front garden to make it happen. Pacific NW http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2009407609_pacificplife05.html?syndication=rss Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:54:19 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2009407610_pacificpnwl05.html?syndication=rss In the tiny town of Edison, Wash., one simple corner lot is home, shop and town gathering spot all in one. Pacific NW http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2009407610_pacificpnwl05.html?syndication=rss Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:45:11 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2009407608_pacificpicnic05.html?syndication=rss Picnics in the Pacific Northwest are always an exercise in hope. That's because of an inveterate, uninvited guest: the weather. So people cope by doing everything from packing tarps to wearing fleece, vying for the most likely sunny days and having a Plan B. Pacific NW http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2009407608_pacificpicnic05.html?syndication=rss Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:39:46 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2009407612_pacificpdorp05.html?syndication=rss While a snowy scene at Seattle Center isn't all that common, crowds of people are — especially for big events like the Folklife Festival, an annual musical rite of spring. Pacific NW http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2009407612_pacificpdorp05.html?syndication=rss Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:04:18 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2009407611_pacificptaste05.html?syndication=rss Following a rich tradition of tone-setting in the White House, President Obama and first lady Michelle start with a garden on the South Lawn, signaling that fresh, homegrown food is a priority. Pacific NW http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2009407611_pacificptaste05.html?syndication=rss Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:58:58 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2009407613_pacificpadviser05.html?syndication=rss Looking for a good-quality rosé as a summer sipper or picnic option? Fortunately, the wine scene is now full of them. Pacific NW http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2009407613_pacificpadviser05.html?syndication=rss Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:54:31 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/thearts/2009412100_outdoortheater05.html?syndication=rss The Seattle Outdoor Theater Festival will present 10 plays at Volunteer Park on July 11 and 12, 2009. The free festival is the unofficial kickoff of the Seattle area's outdoor-theater season, with participation from GreenStage, Wooden O, Theater Schmeater, Balagan and more. The Arts http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/thearts/2009412100_outdoortheater05.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:55:25 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/thearts/2009412099_outdoorarts05.html?syndication=rss Your best outdoor bets for the rest of the 2009 summer include the Olympic Music Festival, the Bellevue Artsfair, Seafair, the Chinatown-International District Summer Festival and more. The Arts http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/thearts/2009412099_outdoorarts05.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:52:05 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/thearts/2009412103_outdoortheatercal05.html?syndication=rss The outdoor-theater season calendar for Seattle-area productions of Shakespeare, musicals and family-friendly plays, staged by Wooden O, GreenStage, Key City, the Mountaineers in the Kitsap Forest Theater and many more. The Arts http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/thearts/2009412103_outdoortheatercal05.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:51:57 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/books/2009412084_br05butterflies.html?syndication=rss "The Dangerous World of Butterflies" is journalist and radio host Peter Laufer's account of the world's most dazzling insects and the many threats arrayed against them, including predators, pollution, pesticides and irresponsible breeders. Books http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/books/2009412084_br05butterflies.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:14:45 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/books/2009412086_br05lance.html?syndication=rss John Wilcockson's "Lance: the Making of the World's Greatest Champion" recounts the awe-inspiring career of cycling champion Lance Armstrong, but there's too much gloss and not enough grit in the author's reportage. Books http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/books/2009412086_br05lance.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:11:20 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/books/2009412089_br05sell.html?syndication=rss Philosophy professor and former jeweler Clancy Martin's hard-boiled novel "How to Sell" is a devastating sendup of the jewelry business. Books http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/books/2009412089_br05sell.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:10:00 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/books/2009412090_br05zhivago.html?syndication=rss "Zhivago's Children: The Last Russian Intelligentsia" by Vladislav Zubok is the story of the brief flowering of Russian intellectual life throughout the second half of the 1950s and into the '60s, a time of great optimism and hope. Books http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/books/2009412090_br05zhivago.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:07:24 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/books/2009412093_localbestsell05.html?syndication=rss Ann Gonzalez's "Running for My Life" and Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows' "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society" are current best-sellers at Seattle's Santoro's Books. Books http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/books/2009412093_localbestsell05.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:05:44 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/books/2009412083_bestsell05.html?syndication=rss Catherine Coulter's "Knockout" and "Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Deception" by Eric Van Lustbader top the list of best-selling fiction, according to Publishers Weekly. Books http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/books/2009412083_bestsell05.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:04:48 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/movies/2009412094_lombard05.html?syndication=rss Carole Lombard, the queen of screwball, is the subject of a film retrospective at Seattle Art Museum. Movies http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/movies/2009412094_lombard05.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:52:54 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/obituaries/2009412096_maryhenry05.html?syndication=rss Mary Dill Henry, one of the Northwest's most accomplished painters, died in May in Coupeville on Whidbey Island. Obituaries http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/obituaries/2009412096_maryhenry05.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:44:11 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/musicnightlife/2009412108_quincy05.html?syndication=rss Music producer Quincy Jones, a Northwest native and Garfield High School graduate, worked with Michael Jackson on record-breaking recordings, including "Thriller" and "Off the Wall." He wrote this remembrance of Jackson for The Los Angeles Times. Music & nightlife http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/musicnightlife/2009412108_quincy05.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:27:23 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2009412107_pharmacy05.html?syndication=rss Benzophenone-3, also known as BP-3 or oxybenzone, has estrogenlike activity. We suggest looking for sunscreen that has physical blockers such as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. These have no known hormonal activity. Health http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2009412107_pharmacy05.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:11:21 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/living/2009412110_rantrave05.html?syndication=rss Living http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/living/2009412110_rantrave05.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:07:11 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2009412114_trask05.html?syndication=rss What is the wait these days for getting across the U.S.-Canada border to White Rock, B.C.? Travel http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2009412114_trask05.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:03:03 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/lookingahead.html?syndication=rss Business & Technology http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/lookingahead.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:57:42 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2009412119_travelpostcard05.html?syndication=rss A weekly feature of readers' travel photos. Travel http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2009412119_travelpostcard05.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:55:19 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2009412118_traustralideals05.html?syndication=rss With the travel industry reeling, it's not hard to find a vacation bargain. But for American travelers, some of the deepest discounts are Down Under. Travel http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2009412118_traustralideals05.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:27:47 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2009412115_traustraliacruise05.html?syndication=rss The Murray is the ultimate lazy river, a 100-million-year-old ribbon of green that winds 1,470 miles through South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, passing farms, Aboriginal homelands, red gum forests, holiday cottages, arid scrub and towering ochre-colored limestone cliffs festooned with snow-white cockatoos. Travel http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2009412115_traustraliacruise05.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:26:07 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2009412121_weekahead05.html?syndication=rss The week ahead Arts and entertainment highlights, the week beginning July 5. Entertainment http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2009412121_weekahead05.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:19:54 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2009412122_tryosemite05.html?syndication=rss Few places are more glorious than Yosemite Valley on a sunny summer day. Driving a classic American convertible heightens the experience as you move at the leisurely pace of yesteryear, Bridalveil and Yosemite falls roaring above you, the Merced River rushing through wooded glens. Travel http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2009412122_tryosemite05.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:16:37 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2009412124_trthaitourism05.html?syndication=rss Facing its worst crisis in years, Thailand's tourism industry is going to great lengths to drum up business that has plunged thanks to political upheaval, the global recession — and now swine-flu fears. Travel http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2009412124_trthaitourism05.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:56:51 PDT http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2009412128_trbriefs05.html?syndication=rss Getting into a bar in Utah has become much simpler as the state has eased its restrictive liquor laws. Travel http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2009412128_trbriefs05.html?syndication=rss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:54:57 PDT