In Questionland, the Holodeck of civic inquisition, folks have already begun asking Mayor Mike McGinn their questions. McGinn will answer on Thursday. A few of the questions so far:

roche asked:
What are we going to do about all the 'pits' around the city?

West Seattle's "Hole Foods", Stone Way's Phantom QFC, Green Lake's "Second Lake", Denny's in Ballard, and several less prominent stalled development projects are making our city less fun and crippling housing prices and associated development. What are you going to do to get people working on this?

JB asked:
How can a person portrayed as someone with the right experience to be mayor be so lame in his 45 days in office by trying to do an end-run around the Council (sorry naive card won't work) and then not have a good plan for executing layoffs before announcing them?

Daniel Johnson of the Seattle Permaculture Guild asked:
I see that the City has declared 2010 as the Year of Urban Farming ... would you support the idea of a Department of Permaculture in Seattle so we could have more interdepartmental cooperation on issues relating to urban farming and appropriate technology?

Explorer asked:
Could rebuilding the seawall include an opportunity to improve Pier 66 or create a new waterfront events space?

The mayor will answer on Thursday from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. You still have time to ask a question. Sign in using your Facebook account or make a Questionland account. Once you're signed in, you can also vote "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" on each question, increasing or decreasing pressure on the mayor to answer. Have at it.

Dan Savage is in Questionland all day today, answering your questions about love, sex, and relationships. Just in time for Valentine's Day! Should you DTMFA? Should you propose? Should you give in to your significant other's weird fetish even though it grosses you out? Find out now!

He'll be taking questions until about 3:30 pm, and he'll do his best to get to answer as many of the questions as possible. The sooner you ask, the better chances you have, so click here to ask Dan Savage a question in Questionland!

Here's one question he's tackled so far:

Q: How do I break up with my long term GF?

Dan's answer: I think it would be... a thoughtful gesture, on your part, to make yourself scarce after you break up with her. Having to make small talk and eye contact with the person who just dumped you, because you live together, can be excruciating in the extreme. Have a bag packed, drop the bomb, and give her what she'll probably need and will most likely ask for: space. Which requires distance.

Maybe you can transition to roommates and continue to share the house with your cousins, maybe not. But let your ex, who didn't have much control over the end of the relationship, have some control over that decision.

Begin asking HERE.

How will the mayor respond to five members of the City Council who joined anti-transit suburban forces to begin building the 520 bridge?

Whats his role in opposing or supporting the parks department's proposal for a draconian code of conduct?

How will he earn support for putting light rail on the ballot?

Don't like those questions? Ask your own damn questions. Plus you can vote for or against the best/worst questions; the more thumbs up a question gets, the more pressure on the mayor to answer it.

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, we're bringing the world's most beloved sex-advice columnist to Questionland! Dan Savage is going to be in Questionland all day tomorrow, February 5th, to answer your questions about love, sex, and relationships—it's like Savage Love live!

Having a hard time figuring out if you should save that money you'd spend on a fancy Valentine's dinner and DTMFA? Or maybe you've got a healthy relationship, and you just need some advice on how to keep things... ahem... interesting. Whether you're in love, in lust, or bitter and heartbroken, Savage has answers for you.

We've already started taking questions—click here to see what others have asked, or submit your own question now. Savage will be answering as many of them as he can tomorrow.

And don't forget—if you're still reeling over a recent (or even not-so-recent break-up) the Stranger's 13th Annual Valentine's Bash is coming to Neumos Saturday, February 13th. Bring a memento of a past relationship (letters, a wedding ring, cheesy stuffed animals, whatever), and watch Savage destroy it on stage while everyone cheers you on and boos your horrible, horrible ex! Tickets are on sale now.

Q: "What are some sexy movies (NOT porn) I should bring on a romantic weekend getaway?"

Some of the answers so far include: Secretary, Basic Instinct, The Piano, Stealing Beauty, and Y Tu Mama Tambien.

What sexy (but not pornographic) movies would you pack for a romantic weekend? Share your answer in Questionland.

Yesterday afternoon a Questionlander asked "How can local bookstores compete?" in response to Paul Constant's post about their not-so-bright future.

Some folks have already weighed in with suggestions:

Stop having animals that people can be deathly allergic to wandering around their place of business.

I would be in twice sold tales constantly if that damn cat wasn't on the prowl.

Echoing Paul's suggestion: make bookstores more community orientated spaces; a place where a quiet guy who loves to read and isn't a big fan of bars can go to meet other quiet people and talk about books on a Friday night without feeling like a weirdo. Combine that with a selection of beers and/or wine (I know, liquor licenses are a pain so maybe a coffee shop?).

Combine it with a responsible, low-key bar. A quiet bookstore with lots of comfortable sitting room and a fantastic scotch, wine and port collection. Would bring in great crowds for readings.

So, ditch the cats and bring in alcohol. But there's got to be more they can do. What do you think local bookstores can do to survive? Share your thoughts in Questionland.

Q: "What are your top 5 to 10 books that you think everyone should read at some time as an adult?"

Here are some of the titles folks have already suggested:

Heart of Darkness by Joeseph Conrad - My personal favorite book. Every sentence is packed with literary cleverness. Every time I read this little 75 page "book" (really, more of a novella) I learn something new about it. Not for everyone, but if there could be a benchmark for modern general fiction, this is a hot contender.

"Tomorrow's Children" by Isaac Asimov
"The Salmon of Doubt" by Douglas Adams
"Live and Let Die" by Ian Fleming
"Our Bodies, Ourselves" by the women's collective
"2010: Second Odyssey" by Arthur C. Clarke

"War and Peace" (Seriously, it is a good book)

What books do you think every adult needs to read?

• JAMES YAMASAKI

Cody J. Hamilton Pace is a Integrated Pest Management & Bed Bug Consultant with EDEN Advanced Pest Technologies, here's some great advice he's already given:

Q: I don't have bed bugs, and I certainly don't want them! How do I keep them away?

A: Luggage Racks are one of the worst places along with chairs to place your luggage. Those are two items in infested hotel rooms that almost always have bed bugs on them. Think about it... When people come to a hotel they place their luggage on the luggage rack. How do bed bugs enter hotels? On luggage. Bad Combo. My recommendation for what to do when staying in a hotel is as follows (The Exact Protocol I use Myself) -
1. Place my luggage in the bathtub. (No Bed Bugs Here)
2. Strip the bedding.
3. With a strong LED flashlight I inspect the entire mattress, box spring, bed frame, bed skirt, night stands and remove the head board and check that as well. (They usually are hung on the wall)

I know it sounds like overkill but you never want to bring them home with you. Also, as Brendan mentioned take some heavy duty garbage bags with you to wrap all your clothes in for when you pack up to leave. This way you can wash/dry them when you get home. This will kill all life stages of bed bugs.

I also recommend using luggage that can be washed (i.e. Duffel Bags, etc...) If that is not possible I would recommend using a steamer to treat your bag.

Lastly, using a mattress and box spring encasement to prevent bed bugs from infesting in your bed is important, especially if you travel often. I recommend only one brand as it is the only one that has been shown to actually work and not allow bed bugs to bite through, escape from inside or enter into the cover. All the brands at stores like Bed Bath and Beyond will not work. Take a look at this website.

They eliminate all folds and creases for bed bugs to hide, eliminate the horror that is the design of box springs and allow for a quick visual inspection.

So, want to know something about bedbugs? Head over to Questionland now.

Sleep tight, don't let the... whatever. You know how it goes.

"What's the best netbook?"

Need help organizing your finances in the New Year? Questionland is here to help! We brought in money expert Mindy Crary to answer you questions about what's in (or not in) your bank account.

Mindy Crary founded save-9.com, a financial advice website, and she knows her stuff. She has over 11 years experience and has worked for Ameriprise Financial as a Financial Advisor, Trainer, Consultant and District Sales Manager.

Here are a few examples of what's already been covered:

Q: My finances are a mess. How does one go about seeing a financial planner?

A: Since you are having a hard time making ends meet, I would suggest credit counseling and education . . . they can work with your creditors to modify your terms AND create a program that is within your means:

http://www.myfinancialgoals.org/

American Financial Solutions can give you lots of info on how best to approach your problems.

Financial planner would not have the same weight or access to creditors to help modify your situation, so for now I don't think you should consider seeing one.

Q: Where should I invest money for medium-term savings (the 5 to 10 year range)?

A: I am a big fan of Vanguard, and you might want to consider one of their Life Strategy funds, which manages your money for you in a mix of stocks, bonds and short-term instruments so that your money is not subject to market fluctuation when you're close to the time you need it:

https://personal.vanguard.com/us/funds/vanguard/LifeStrategyList

I also like Vanguard Index Funds, which track a benchmark using index management—so you could choose a bond index and let it sit—but then you'd be at the mercy of that market sector.

Ask Mindy a question now!

(We also have other experts standing by so you can also get great advice about losing weight, quitting smoking, or improving your overall health. Happy New Year!)

"If SLOG was an acronym, what would it stand for?"

Yesterday Doctor Ellen, an internal medicine doctor and weight loss expert, started answering your weight-loss related questions in Questionland. Here are just a few of examples of her good advice:

Q: How bad is skipping breakfast?

A: A number of studies have shown that people who skip breakfast tend to be heavier. Folks who help people manage their weight suggest eating more of your daily food intake at breakfast is one strategy that might help. However, if you are at a good weight for you, get exercise, and your weight stays about the same, I wouldn't worry a lot about breakfast. You might notice what you choose for lunch—i.e., when you skip breakfast do you choose food that give you a lot of calories quickly, like pizza. Hope that helps!

Q: What do you think of the Medifast diet plan?

A: The rapid weight loss achieved on these kind of diets is almost impossible to sustain. You are right that metabolism slows down and weight tends to come back on—the body responds as if it is starving (and it is). Permanent, long-term weight loss, usually 5-10% of body weight, can be achieved by permanent lifestyle changes. At this point, dramatic, permanent weight losses pretty much only result from bariatric surgery procedures like gastric bypass. But these procedures have serious risks and can have serious side effects. So they are currently reserved for individuals having health problems from their weight like diabetes. Irregardless of what you decide, to keep the weight off will require you to start exercising regularly, if you haven't already, and to make some simple changes to decrease the portion size of what you eat and cut out empty calories from Coke, etc. You may have already done this, but if not, it's the best place to start. Good luck!

You can see more of what Doctor Ellen has to say right now in Questionland. Or, need a little advice of your own? Ask Doctor Ellen a question!

(Dr. Barak Gaster, Sara Beth Rubin, and Mindy Crary are also standing by to answer whatever questions you might have about quitting smoking, improving your overall health, or getting your finances in order, respectively. Hooray for New Year's resolutions!)

It's a new year, a new decade even which means it's time to take those New Year's resolutions seriously! Right? Goddamn right! And Questionland is here to help. We've brought in some insanely smart experts to make sure you get off on the right foot.

Looking to save money or make smarter financial decisions?

Mindy Crary is a Certified Financial Planner practitioner who can answer whatever questions you've got about keeping that checkbook in, uh, check!

Want to quit smoking?

Dr. Barak Gaster is a General Internist at the UW Medical Center who has all the advice and information you need about breaking that stinky and expensive habit.

Want to lose weight?

Doctor Ellen is an internal medicine doctor who specializes in weight loss and researches how the body controls body weight and what happens physiologically when we try to lose or gain weight. She can help you lose weight healthily (because no, drinking only lemon water and cayenne pepper is not the way to go).

Want to improve overall health?

Okay, so maybe you don't smoke and aren't overweight, but you still want to get healthier in 2010. Sara Beth Rubin is a Licensed Massage Practioner who knows every nook and cranny of your body—all the muscles, nerves, bones and whatever else is in there—and she's full of great suggestions to give your overall well-being a boost.

So what are you waiting for? Head over to Questionland and ask these experts your questions! 2010 is a great year to start being awesome (or to get even awesomer).

"Do I need to worry about paying parking tickets issued by Diamond Parking?"

"Is there a fabulous tattoo artist in the Seattle area who specializes in cover-ups?"

"Where is there good Udon noodle soup in Seattle?"

Right now, in Questionland, you can get holiday baking advice from Quill Teal-Sullivan, the master baker behind all the delicious treats at Oddfellows Cafe. Here's just an example of some of Quill's advice:

"Got any good ideas for bread pudding?"

Bread pudding is like a fantastic blank canvas with endless possibility for experimentation. When thinking about the bread pudding I make, it generally has some sort of booze, spice and fruit (and often chocolate). Think about flavors you like together, or get inspired in the bulk department at the market. Play with nuts and dried fruit, apples or pears, chocolate chips, coconut, marmalade or jam, types of bread.
If you are using dried fruit, soak them in the liquor (if using) for 20 minutes before mixing them into the bread and custard so the fruit gets plumped and saturated. Also be sure that you use sufficient custard to get the bread thoroughly soaked. Bake the pudding with a water bath, and cover with foil to keep moisture in while in the oven.

The most remarkable bread pudding I have had was about a year ago at a local restaurant. It was an Irish Cream bread pudding, with an amazingly ethereal custard layer at the bottom and topped with chocolate sauce. Simple and incredible!

Need your own help in the kitchen? Ask Quill a question now!

You can also get music recommendations from Music Editor Eric Grandy and book suggestions from Books Editor Paul Constant!

Still looking for a few last minute gifts this year? Music and books are always a good way to go, but what CD should you get that 13-year-old niece of yours? What kind of book does a dad like, anyway? Lucky for you, Stranger Books Editor Paul Constant and Music Editor Eric Grandy are standing by with their expert advice and you can ask for their personal recommendations now!

So head over to Questionland right now and make this holiday season a little easier.

What bars have photobooths in them?

"Where can I get some adult sized galoshes in Seattle before snowpocalypse 2010?"

"Where should I get a wedding cake in Seattle?"