Blog

I've been blogging since 2010, with different blogs for different topics. With this one, I'm bringing everything together, gradually moving posts here from older blogs, which is why you see long past publication dates on some of them. This page lists, in chronological order, all the posts on this site.

A Bit of West Seattle Garden Tour History

Marie McKinsey

May 8
3 min

A Bit of West Seattle Garden Tour History

In the spring of 1995, a group of West Seattle gardeners brought us the first West Seattle Garden Tour (WSGT).

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My Comments on Sound Transit's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)

Marie McKinsey

Apr 24
9 min

My Comments on Sound Transit's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)

I am posting my comments here for two reasons: 1) According to "the rules," comments submitted by April 28th that address specific sections

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How Many West Seattle Businesses Will We Lose Because of Sound Transit's Light Rail?

Marie McKinsey

Apr 16
3 min

How Many West Seattle Businesses Will We Lose Because of Sound Transit's Light Rail?

Sound Transit's light rail extension to West Seattle will mean the closure or relocation of many businesses. How many and which ones?

2,986 views1 comment

"Because We Said So" - The Latest Episode of West Seattle Bridge Drama

Marie McKinsey

Apr 10
5 min

"Because We Said So" - The Latest Episode of West Seattle Bridge Drama

When I posted last week's article about the new season of West Seattle Bridge Drama, I thought, "Hey, that's it now, I'm going to go do some

772 views0 comments

Marie McKinsey

Apr 1
6 min

The Bridges of West Seattle

When the West Seattle Bridge, which links the peninsula of West Seattle with mainland Seattle, was closed suddenly in March of 2020, it left

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West Seattle's "Walking on Logs" Sculptures

Marie McKinsey

Mar 26
2 min

West Seattle's "Walking on Logs" Sculptures

Remember these kids? When the West Seattle Bridge was open, we passed them every time we drove into the neighborhood. Sometimes they were dr

282 views0 comments

Marie McKinsey

Feb 5
5 min

When It Comes To Transit, Think Small

Think Small. This simple ad, which ran in the 1960s, was part of one of the most successful campaigns of all time. It was clever.

109 views0 comments

Marie McKinsey

Dec 4, 2021
5 min

Why You Should Have A Commuting Budget

A commuting budget looks at both the amount of time you allocate for going to and from work each week, and what that commute costs you.

67 views0 comments

Three Ways Political Parties Poison Democracy

Marie McKinsey

Nov 20, 2021
6 min

Three Ways Political Parties Poison Democracy

I want to begin by reminding you that the Constitution makes no provision for political parties.

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Find Out by Zip Code How Much CO2 Your Neighborhood Emits

Marie McKinsey

Sep 24, 2021
2 min

Find Out by Zip Code How Much CO2 Your Neighborhood Emits

We've heard for decades that increasing population density is good for the environment. The theory is that it discourages suburban sprawl,

88 views0 comments

WTF Is a Woonerf? And Where Can We Put One in West Seattle?

Marie McKinsey

Sep 19, 2021
2 min

WTF Is a Woonerf? And Where Can We Put One in West Seattle?

Woonerf, a Dutch word, is translated as "a living yard." It is a street where car use is limited in favor of green space and room for pedest

414 views1 comment

Life at Alki Beach: Pirates and Pole Vaulters - Aaaargh!!

Marie McKinsey

Jun 11, 2021
2 min

Life at Alki Beach: Pirates and Pole Vaulters - Aaaargh!!

It appears that the Seafair Pirate landing at Alki Beach is cancelled this year because of lingering issues from the pandemic. This photo es

59 views0 comments

Marie McKinsey

Jun 6, 2021
3 min

The New Economy

Despite what the politicians and pundits say, I don't think we are in the midst of an economic "recovery." The word recovery implies going b

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The Alki 11 Row House Project: Density Done Wrong

Marie McKinsey

Jun 5, 2021
2 min

The Alki 11 Row House Project: Density Done Wrong

In 2013, a developer announced plans to replace these three beach houses with an 11-unit row house project in the Alki Beach neighborhood.

58 views2 comments

SkyLink: Rising Above It All In West Seattle

Marie McKinsey

May 18, 2021
4 min

SkyLink: Rising Above It All In West Seattle

Did you know that trains don't run uphill? It's true. On level ground, those smooth metal wheels glide along those smooth metal rails,...

354 views0 comments

West Seattle's Affordable Housing Crisis

Marie McKinsey

May 14, 2021
6 min

West Seattle's Affordable Housing Crisis

Is "crisis" too strong a word for the state of affordable housing in West Seattle?

1,257 views6 comments

The Alaska Junction in West Seattle: A 15-minute City?

Marie McKinsey

May 7, 2021
4 min

The Alaska Junction in West Seattle: A 15-minute City?

Can West Seattle's Alaska Junction become a 15-minute city?

2,741 views6 comments

How to Calculate Storm Water Run-off from Your Property

Marie McKinsey

Mar 6, 2021
2 min

How to Calculate Storm Water Run-off from Your Property

The EPA estimates that over 770 cities in the US combine waste water and stormwater in the same pipe and send it to sewage treatment...

35 views0 comments

Marie McKinsey

Feb 13, 2021
1 min

Back in the Day: Election Eve 1980

I shot these photos in 1980. Finally posted them in 2016. Monday, November 7, 2016 Today is Election Eve in the United States - tomorrow...

3 views0 comments

Marie McKinsey

Feb 13, 2021
1 min

Little Boxes Made of Ticky Tacky

I grew up in San Francisco's East Bay area, in the 1950s. My early memories are of orchards, vineyards and farm fields that grew every kind

20 views0 comments