See the problem with that is I don't think its including Redmond (Microsoft),Kirkland (Google) Bellevue (Valve), and the other surrounding towns. However if you get far enough out of the Sprawl the pay would go down again (like Everett and Tacoma) All I'm saying is the Cops I know can't afford to live in Seattle proper, their pay isnt in salary its in having a pension

Well, why don't we ask someone who was there? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Actually, Seattle in the 80's was the recovery period. The famous Will the last person leaving Seattle turn out the lights billboard appeared in the '70's. During the 80's, things were getting better, even before we knew about the Microsoft millions and the return of Boeing. Japanophobia never really hit Seattle; the city has a long history of working with Asians, and in fact had some of the earliest Asian-American elected officials. (Later on, Gary Locke would become the first Chinese-American governor in the USA.) We weren't afraid of the Japanese.

I'd say more, given how SR seems to have moved away from the "one job away from starving" undertone of the old books.

Seattle was also /viewed/ differently by other parts of the country.
I'm not sure how many of the original writers were Seattle Natives (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Seattle was on the fore-front of the Japanese invasion. They were Asia friendly, they had as many, if not more, Asian businesses popping up than LA did.

It could easily be the perception the original writers had. Really all of the fluff is based on their perceptions, and perhaps some research (although sometimes it seems clear they didn't bother doing a ton of research on some subjects)

"Some"?

As for the "One job away from starving", I'm still aiming at trying for that. Don't think I'm experienced enough a GM for it, however. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

Seattle still *is* viewed differently by the rest of the country. Really, all most people know about it is that it's the capital of the other Washington (which it isn't. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) ) Seattle has a long history of cultural exchanges with the Japanese, as opposed to the Chinese. Heck, everywhere else, the Japanese were still suffering prejudice from WWII. Seattle was probably the least prejudiced against the Japanese during the 70's.

IIRC, the original writers chose Seattle off a map, and did minimal research. They did hit on a few good points, as I recall. Auburn and Kent are probably the only neighborhoods that'd elect an Ork named Zax Pound-Down as mayor.

On the other hand, I could not see liberal Seattle ever electing someone like Brackhaven (the equivalent of David Duke) to office. Other than some similar landmarks and names, the Shadowrun version has little to do with the "real" version of Seattle.

Which just puts it right in line with all the rest of the Shadowrun universe compared to the real one.

IIRC, Chicago got some pretty decent treatment. Then again, FASA was based in Chicago, so it only goes to show. Fun Trivia fact: the Cermak Blast was centered on the then-current FASA headquarters. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Well, the problem with Brackhaven is that he got to the position due to one candidate having AIPS (And pulled out of the elections due to that), and the other going Senile due to experimental cybernetics.

When faced with that, the guy with a business model that actually has a chance of working doesn't seem so bad. ... As long as you have rounded ears, of course.

Dude, you as the Seattle-Native of this thread, don't mention Grunge? Tsss.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

That's because it doesn't need to be mentioned.

Ever.

Again.

Period.

Give me whiny Hippie protest songs or punk any day!

You want a grunge story, whippersnapper?

More years ago than I want to think about, I went to the OK Hotel to see a a friend's band. On the playset was a band no one had heard of before-- called Nirvana. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Anyone who was in the scene during those days would know of two places you never spoke of: The Last Exit on Brooklyn coffee shop, and the OK Hotel. The OK Hotel was the place to hear and see lice music. The owners were good about finding and booking local talent, and everybody played the OK Hotel. The place was damaged beyond repair in the Nisqually Earthquake, but I always wanted to see a new one pop up in the Seattle sourcebooks.

When I was in Seattle a couple of years ago we saw very few police, infact it was a problem-large numbers of homeless in some areas disauded us from visiting china town, and it, to this day, is a joke between my husband and I- that there was 'a' cop in the whole town. Seriously in the week we were there we saw 2 officers at a road site directing traffic, 1 on a bicycle, a car driving on the raisded road way (Alaska drive?) one night and a dog being trained by firemen to detect accelerants. That was it. In a week, in the city.

Alaskan Way Viaduct.

And that's a good thing. Police congregate where there's trouble, and you seem like you didn't encounter any.