Did Microsoft ruin Washington?

[Scott_J]

I just want to know the feeling of people. I especially want to know the feeling of born and raised Washington people.

I know that when I moved here the first time, NW people were anxious to see new comers leave. They did not want to Californiate so to speak.

[Ratboy]

Speaking as a newcomer -- I've been here almost 3 years -- I've never felt anything but welcome in Washington. Although I do hear a lot of people saying they wish outsiders would go back home, but that's always been when someone comes here and wants to change it to be like where they came from. If this place became like Texas, I'd have to move again.

[lummox]

sisu_suomi said:

I just want to know the feeling of people.

i know its sunday and all. but holy shit that sounds loopy. but ill let you touch me if you do it real nice.

[EWolfe]

By that logic, any success story of Washington may have contributed to the decline by attracting people and the upscaling of a (once) down-to-earth city: Amazon, Boeing, UPS, UW Hospital, Fred Hutchinson, and many others.

 

Born and raised here, Seattle lost it's small-town feel (and attraction as a place to live)to me sometime in the early-to-mid 90's. That coming after 25 years of living there.

My .02

Good thread , Sisu

 

[Billygoat]

If you think it is bad here, you should check out some of the other places. Plus, what do you think the natives thought when the whites showed up?! They had the place for many thousands of years prior to that...

[catbirdseat]

I've been here for 13 years after having moved from California. Emmet Watson was the only person ever to make me feel unwelcome (and has was sort of joking).

 

This place has lost some of its small town charm but it still is a heck of a lot better than either California or Texas.

[allthumbs]

Washington will be a damn sight better when fucking Boeing, Starfucks, Microsoft, Verizon, Sea First Bank (or whatever the fuck it's called now), and all the other big business cock suckers move the hell outta the state and take all the non-native cum guzzlers with them. This state needs to get back to it's roots: Loggin, huntin, fishin & fuckin. And that's that mother fuckers, so eat some pen-is. Bwahahahaha

[marylou]

My family's been here for over a hundred years, so for a white person, I feel native enough to comment.

 

Microsoft, like Boeing, Amazon and Starbucks, are all local companies. In most cases, I feel that they have lost their roots, but in all cases, I don't have a problem with them being here.

 

What has been harder for me as a local has been this: People ostensably come here for the lifestyle (and the scenery) and then when they get here, they want to make it just like the place they came from, except with better scenery. Part of what makes this place what it is is the people who populated it (once again I am speaking in the Whitey revisionist way, sorry to any real natives) so why on earth would you want to change it wholesale into Kansas City, Los Angeles, or any other place? We have a unique, albeit subtle, culture here, and I for one am not willing to give it up to become like every other US city.

[Szyjakowski]

i wish bill was my uncle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[allthumbs]

Those Kalifornia hippies and hippettes are the worst offenders.

[Ratboy]

While the dot-com bust has emptied quite a few portfolios and extended the unemployment line, it's also sent a lot of people packing.

[AlpineK]

When I was a kid everyone worshipped Boeing, even when there were big layoffs. Nowadays I think there are a lot of people who wish Boeing would just hurry up and leave.

 

Microsoft seems to have taken over Boeing's spot, but I don't think you can really put much faith in folks who spend less time innovating new things and more time being business bully boys.

 

In a lot of ways things were much cooler around here when I was a kid, but you can't turn back the clock. Also from a geographic perspective it's only natural that there's a big population build up in coastal areas with good harbors and a nice environment.

[Sphinx]

marylou said:

My family's been here for over a hundred years

 

I'm sorry. Why would you want to live your entire life in one state? Maybe that's why you're bitter.

[marylou]

[Kiwi]

All I am pissed about is the horrible traffic and the insane prices in the housing market.

[allthumbs]

Kiwi said:

All I am pissed about is the horrible traffic and the insane prices in the housing market.

always thinking of yourself aren't you Mr. Selfish?

[Thrashador]

Kiwi said:

[snip]the horrible traffic and the insane prices in the housing market.

 

In a way it's become L.A. in the rain. Certainly not culturally, but transitwise for sure. Seattle had it's chance for mass transit in the 60's and, imho, blew it bigtime by passing up the opportunity.

[RockHard]

marylou said:

My family's been here for over a hundred years, so for a white person, I feel native enough to comment.

 

Microsoft, like Boeing, Amazon and Starbucks, are all local companies. In most cases, I feel that they have lost their roots, but in all cases, I don't have a problem with them being here.

 

What has been harder for me as a local has been this: People ostensably come here for the lifestyle (and the scenery) and then when they get here, they want to make it just like the place they came from, except with better scenery. Part of what makes this place what it is is the people who populated it (once again I am speaking in the Whitey revisionist way, sorry to any real natives) so why on earth would you want to change it wholesale into Kansas City, Los Angeles, or any other place? We have a unique, albeit subtle, culture here, and I for one am not willing to give it up to become like every other US city.

WTF are you talking about? Take the bong out of your mouth and attempt to make some sense, OK?

[Kiwi]

trask said:

Kiwi said:

All I am pissed about is the horrible traffic and the insane prices in the housing market.

always thinking of yourself aren't you Mr. Selfish?

This affects everyone.

[jon]

Our local unemployment rate is/was one of the highest in the country, be glad these companies are still here because it could be much worse. I've lived in Redmond my whole life and it is a whole lot different now, and while I'm sad that the golf course where my dad taught me how to swear is now a shopping center complete with and REI, I realize that these things have created jobs for thousands and thousands of people. In Microsoft's case the their buildings and the homes of their employees don't just magically appear, someone has to build them. While I don't agree with a lot of M$ practices I have a lot of friends who work for them and they get treated very well, I wish I got perks like that.

[Fairweather]

I believe that many of the folks railing against "big business" work for govt./education, or lack the drive necessary to participate in "the system". Nothing wrong with that, but occassionally they need to come up for air long enough to wipe the milk from their chins. The very milk that they sucked from the teat of big corporations...and small business owners too, for that matter!

 

I too have lived here all my life (Born in Tacoma, WA. 1962) , and I agree with Jon. I also (gulp) agree with Marylou, although I suspect my idea of what constitutes "acceptable change" is somewhat different than hers. Californication does suck. Hell, this used to be a state where a Republican could actually become governor!

[marylou]

Touche, Fairweather!