In fashion, we tend to look ahead more often than we reflect. As 2010 comes to a close, the Dress Code gets introspective and stuff and counts down our favorite "goods", "bads" and "uglies" of the year. more ›

Saturday morning at 12:00pm, the area around the Troll in Fremont turned bright red... with a little white trim. Santacon descended upon the keeper of the bridge with sightings of Elvis, gorillas, bunnies, and presents alike. It all seemed very jolly. Then, as you look more closely, you noticed several paper-bagged beverages. Suddenly, you realize this isn't so much a family-oriented event as it is the start of a very long day of debauchery. These Santas weren't convening to speak with children about toys, they were coming together to begin an all-day bender. That's right, a Santa pub crawl. more ›

Since 2003, those convicted of a non-violent crime in Washington state have had the potential to half their prison time by virtue of "good behavior" during incarceration. The law allowing this to occur was set to expire in 2010, but now it looks like it will be extended, thereby saving the state something like $10,000 per released inmate. The savings, doubly attractive in these lean budget-cutting years, are matched by the policy's overall positive impact on Washington's rates of recidivism, or how many ex-convicts end up right back in jail. Of course, some people (lawyers, natch) hate happiness and freedom and are opposing the extension of the law. more ›