How come Seattle isn't a world class city? (Chinook: neighborhood, vs.)

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by shoegal111

No problem. But of all the companies you named I don't believe any of them have a significant importance to the nation. The one you didn't name, Boeing (which is not really Seattle born), would fit that bill. If the other companies went under it would not impact the nation, however, there would be regional impact. Boeing would because of it is a defense manufacturer. The same would hold true if the Port of Seattle closed. But not even Microsoft would impact the nation since there are other competitors that would very quickly gooble up the empty space left.

?????? Where do you think Boeing originated? Despite its corporate offices uprooting earlier this decade, it started in Seattle and operated there for almost 100 years.

[shoegal111]

Originally Posted by seattlerain

William Boeing was not born in Seattle, however The Boeing Company was indeed founded in Seattle in 1916.

Sorry I thought it was founded just south of the city and not the city proper.

[SonicsFan93]

You know what really makes a city world class? When they have a song written about it. I direct you to Perry Como's "The Bluest Skies". It's especially great when a Sounders player sings it, and, well, why don't you be the judge:

Seattle Sounders (http://www.soundersfc.com/serenade/ - broken link)

[scirocco22]

Originally Posted by SonicsFan93

You know what really makes a city world class? When they have a song written about it. I direct you to Perry Como's "The Bluest Skies". It's especially great when a Sounders player sings it, and, well, why don't you be the judge:

Seattle Sounders (http://www.soundersfc.com/serenade/ - broken link)

But SonicsFan, you probably don't remember the TV series in which that song was written for ...so it was not really written "about" Seattle but for the setting of the TV series. It was actually composed by Hugo Montenegro for the TV series "Here Comes the Brides," a show staring Bobby Sherman and David Soul back in the late 60's. It was set in post-Civil War Seattle where loggers bring 100 marriageable ladies from Massachusetts to Seattle for a year.

The lyrics actually were moving to me at the time and even made me proud to be from Seattle. It wasn't until later that I realized the oxymoronic first line of the first stanza.

The bluest skies you've ever seen are in Seattle?!! Hah! When you can see the blue sky.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqUV210d7sI

[SonicsFan93]

Originally Posted by scirocco22

But SonicsFan, you probably don't remember the TV series in which that song was written for ...so it was not really written "about" Seattle but for the setting of the TV series. It was actually composed by Hugo Montenegro for the TV series "Here Comes the Brides," a show staring Bobby Sherman and David Soul back in the late 60's. It was set in post-Civil War Seattle where loggers bring 100 marriageable ladies from Massachusetts to Seattle for a year.

The lyrics actually were moving to me at the time and even made me proud to be from Seattle. It wasn't until later that I realized the oxymoronic first line of the first stanza.

The bluest skies you've ever seen are in Seattle?!! Hah! When you can see the blue sky.

Believe it or not, I actually learned that last night from watching Evening Magazine. How ironic!

[Gentoo]

to compare that to ANYPLACE in California is quite a stretch, indeed

Not ANYPLACE. Please do not lump northern and southern cal together. Here (San Diego) they're constantly cutting and butcher trees. Not necessarily cutting them down all the time but thinning them out. I never understood this behavior and dislike for full trees. There are so many tree trimming companies in this city.

To reiterate what's already been said, Seattle is a very green and beautiful place. It looks like Berkeley California to me only bigger. Both cities have lots of streets line with nice green trees.


You see beautiful places like this all over Seattle. This was taken in Berkeley Ca. however, just to show that not all of Cali is the same.

[Gentoo]

irrelevant in economy of region (much like City of SF)]

I can't speak fairly for Seattle but that's not true of SF.

[Gentoo]

I guess the other fortune 500 companies in Seattle don’t matter?

I heard people say Seattle is only Starbucks, then Seattle is only Boeings, then Seattle is only Microsoft, I guess it’s only Amazon.com, Washington Mutual, Real Networks, Safeco insurance, on and on and on etc. etc. too. If Seattle is only MSFT than L.A. is only Hollywood and San Fran is only Apple and D.C. is only politics and New York is only fashion and Chicago is only publishing, and Atlanta is only Coca Cola.

Very well said and I agree completely. I was only there for five days and even I know that Seattle has a lot to offer. Oh you forgot to mention UPS

One thing I was able to gather is that there are a lot of up and coming businesses in Seattle. Yeah we all know Starbucks. But Seattle's best is making some serious inroads now and I would gather Tully's could become national if it wanted to.

[SonicsFan93]

Originally Posted by Gentoo

Very well said and I agree completely. I was only there for five days and even I know that Seattle has a lot to offer. Oh you forgot to mention UPS

One thing I was able to gather is that there are a lot of up and coming businesses in Seattle. Yeah we all know Starbucks. But Seattle's best is making some serious inroads now and I would gather Tully's could become national if it wanted to.

He's right you know. UPS was founded in Tacoma in 1907, before leaving for New York in 1930.

Actually Seattle's Best is owned by Starbucks, and Tully's, while still operating their retail chain, sold its bean distribution business and brand to Green Mountain Coffee Roasters in 2008.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by Tangles

Seattle has an intentionally sleepy, almost complacent vibe. It's unapologetically liberal and TOO noncompetitive. I think these are all things that hold it back from being world class.

Sleepy my eye! I thought the place was quite vibrant. And a liberal should always be unapologetic. Conservatives are.