Well, Seattle just released its new tag for the city, "Metronatural". So when I am out at the pub and someone asks me what Seattle is like, the city would like me to use the word "Metronatural". Do you know what a Glaswegian would do with a word like that? I would never hear the end of it. Is this a sick joke? On top of that, they spent $200,000 (106,225.00 in pounds (real money)) on it. They got taken for a ride.
The article also claims that Seattle is a world class city, which is just not true. What Seattle needs is a first rate public transportation system and a real commitment to public culture (as opposed to corporate pop culture). The knee-jerk reaction that Seattle is the best place on Earth also needs to stop. It causes both Seattle and other cities on the I-5 corridor to be un-self-reflexive and to continue the dithering on absolutely essential public works projects. For instance, my brother told me that his commute has only become worse in the last three years since I left home. That does not exactly inspire me to return to my home area. We need a massive change in the way the political game is played in Western Washington and that includes the elimination of "blue-ribbon commissions" that come out with policy proposals that everyone knows but no one wants to implement because they are scared but, simultaneously, the people do not want to put in the backbone to deal with the delays that are necessary to fixing the problem in the first place. A little less whining and a bit of resoluteness would go a long way both on the part of politicians and the public of Western Washington to fixing the problems of the region.
posted by Chris #11:05 AM | 0 comments |
