Ask me anything about Cascadia

[Bruce]

Greatest place on Earth^TM.

Y'all should come visit, but don't try to move here.

[US 89]

but don't try to move here.

You won't have to do much convincing on that one. I like warm weather and seeing the sun, thanks 

[Bruce]

but don't try to move here.

You won't have to do much convincing on that one. I like warm weather and seeing the sun, thanks 

Well, the Tri-Cities does get 238 days of sunshine a year on average.

But it's the Tri-Cities.

[Takumi]

but don't try to move here.

You won't have to do much convincing on that one.

Seconded.

[jakeroot]

Y'all

About as foreign as me saying "the 5!"

[hotdogPi]

Y'all

About as foreign as me saying "the 5!"

1. "Wicked" is outside your region, but I've seen you use it several times.

2. CA 120 is not in SoCal.

[webny99]

Y'all

About as foreign as me saying "the 5!"

1. "Wicked" is outside your region, but I've seen you use it several times.

Sometimes words/phrases like this are used humorously by people from outside the region where it originated. In my case, there are several phrases common in Canada (like "eh", among others) that I sometimes use humorously, and if you do it often enough, it starts to become part of your everyday language out of habit.

I'm not sure if that's the case here, however.

[jakeroot]

Y'all

About as foreign as me saying "the 5!"

1. "Wicked" is outside your region, but I've seen you use it several times.

2. CA 120 is not in SoCal.

Putting the exclamation point outside the quotation marks is also a foreign practice.

I didn't say "wicked pissah" or anything. Wicked alone isn't just for New England. On the flip-side, "y'all" is decidedly southern, even if it's the preference over "you guys" these days.

Sometimes words/phrases like this are used humorously by people from outside the region where it originated. In my case, there are several phrases common in Canada (like "eh", among others) that I sometimes use humorously, and if you do it often enough, it starts to become part of your everyday language out of habit.

Agreed. I actually say "bloody Nora" quite frequently, totally out of 'muscle memory', even though it is very much not an American term. Barely even a British term these days. Thanks James May.

[tolbs17]

When talking about the Cascadias, how would you rate Seattle's winters?

In my opinion, I find them dull.

[J N Winkler]

Y'all should come visit, but don't try to move here.

Channeling Tom McCall?

[empirestate]

Why did they change the setting of Stand by Me to Oregon from the original Maine?

And are you guys totally over the Goonies by now?

[Bruce]

Y'all

About as foreign as me saying "the 5!"

It's far more acceptable than any Californianism. And it's convenient.

When talking about the Cascadias, how would you rate Seattle's winters?

In my opinion, I find them dull.

5/10.

Pro: The weather actually changes, but not enough to bring overwhelming snowstorms.

Con: It get repetitive when it's so stable, and when a storm does come we are utterly unprepared.

Y'all should come visit, but don't try to move here.

Channeling Tom McCall?

Yes. Or the late Emmett Watson, founder and leader of the Lesser Seattle movement.

Why did they change the setting of Stand by Me to Oregon from the original Maine?

And are you guys totally over the Goonies by now?

Before my era, so eh.

[JayhawkCO]

Why does Belltown in Seattle keep going back and forth between hot spot and crack den? (I used to live there, haven't been back for a while, but I've heard it's bad again.)

Chris

[empirestate]

Why did they change the setting of Stand by Me to Oregon from the original Maine?

And are you guys totally over the Goonies by now?

Before my era, so eh.

Oof. I've accepted being part of an earlier generation, but a whole era...?

[jakeroot]

As a homegrown Cascadian, I suppose I can also answer some of these questions:

And are you guys totally over the Goonies by now?

The Goonies is still a big part of Astoria. I've personally been several times just for film locations (Kindergarten Cop, too).

Why does Belltown in Seattle keep going back and forth between hot spot and crack den? (I used to live there, haven't been back for a while, but I've heard it's bad again.)

I would edge closer to it being a hot spot than a crack den at the moment. But there are bad blocks all around the city. As long as you avoid them, the sense of urbanism, nightlife, and whatnot is still very evident.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I think Forks became the new Astoria for its association with Twilight.

[MikieTimT]

As a homegrown Cascadian, I suppose I can also answer some of these questions:

And are you guys totally over the Goonies by now?

The Goonies is still a big part of Astoria. I've personally been several times just for film locations (Kindergarten Cop, too).

Why does Belltown in Seattle keep going back and forth between hot spot and crack den? (I used to live there, haven't been back for a while, but I've heard it's bad again.)

I would edge closer to it being a hot spot than a crack den at the moment. But there are bad blocks all around the city. As long as you avoid them, the sense of urbanism, nightlife, and whatnot is still very evident.

My brother lives in a condo in Belltown about 4 blocks from the Space Needle.  We went on a road trip back up to his place from my place in NWA a month and a half ago and I stayed a couple of nights on the weekend before flying back.  We walked pretty much everywhere while there and did the ferry to Bainbridge Is.  Went to pick stuff up from the store out on 5th behind his building the second night, and there's homeless sleeping in the entryways of businesses closed for the day, which I guess is pretty normal there now.  In the daytime, noticed that there's quite a lot of businesses boarded up and closed from the riots still.  In broad daylight, you have to keep walking past bums that follow you begging for money for a block to a block and a half before giving up and moving on.  Had breakfast at a wonderful bakery on the way to the ferry terminal on that Saturday, but after eating then heading to the terminal, passed a guy that was looking straight up in the air, humping a car door to distract everyone from his picking its lock, in plain sight of everyone, except the absent and unfunded cops.

I'd say that it's still closer to crack den at the moment, unless I just happened to be there the weekend of a full moon.  I've visited him several times over the last decade that he's lived up there, so it's a little easier for me to tell differences that locals may have creep up on them unawares over the course of day by day living.  It used to be a trip that I looked forward to for months.  Right now, it would take a year or two of some improving of the law and order before I'd want to go back.  Shouldn't need to keep one hand on a pocket knife or other concealed weapon while walking the streets of what used to be a rather exciting area.

[JayhawkCO]

As a homegrown Cascadian, I suppose I can also answer some of these questions:

And are you guys totally over the Goonies by now?

The Goonies is still a big part of Astoria. I've personally been several times just for film locations (Kindergarten Cop, too).

Why does Belltown in Seattle keep going back and forth between hot spot and crack den? (I used to live there, haven't been back for a while, but I've heard it's bad again.)

I would edge closer to it being a hot spot than a crack den at the moment. But there are bad blocks all around the city. As long as you avoid them, the sense of urbanism, nightlife, and whatnot is still very evident.

My brother lives in a condo in Belltown about 4 blocks from the Space Needle.  We went on a road trip back up to his place from my place in NWA a month and a half ago and I stayed a couple of nights on the weekend before flying back.  We walked pretty much everywhere while there and did the ferry to Bainbridge Is.  Went to pick stuff up from the store out on 5th behind his building the second night, and there's homeless sleeping in the entryways of businesses closed for the day, which I guess is pretty normal there now.  In the daytime, noticed that there's quite a lot of businesses boarded up and closed from the riots still.  In broad daylight, you have to keep walking past bums that follow you begging for money for a block to a block and a half before giving up and moving on.  Had breakfast at a wonderful bakery on the way to the ferry terminal on that Saturday, but after eating then heading to the terminal, passed a guy that was looking straight up in the air, humping a car door while picking its lock, in plain sight of everyone, except the absent and unfunded cops.

I'd say that it's still closer to crack den at the moment, unless I just happened to be there the weekend of a full moon.  I've visited him several times over the last decade that he's lived up there, so it's a little easier for me to tell differences that locals may have creep up on them unawares over the course of day by day living.  It used to be a trip that I looked forward to for months.  Right now, it would take a year or two of some improving of the law and order before I'd want to go back.  Shouldn't need to keep one hand on a pocket knife or other concealed weapon while walking the streets of what used to be a rather exciting area.

I used to live in an apartment at 4th and Battery and worked at Wild Ginger down at 3rd and Union.  At the time, when Belltown was definitely at a high point (2005), I 100% wouldn't walk down 2nd or 3rd to get back home from work at night.  4th was good most of the time, but 5th was better.  Especially since I was often walking with $200+ in cash from the evening's proceeds, it wasn't ideal.  Having heard it's fworse now, I can't even imagine.  Seems silly to Uber 9 blocks, but maybe it'd be worth it.

Chris

[triplemultiplex]

What's your favorite cascadia volcano?

[Bruce]

Why does Belltown in Seattle keep going back and forth between hot spot and crack den? (I used to live there, haven't been back for a while, but I've heard it's bad again.)

Chris

The concentration of social services (such as the county health clinic) and proximity to 3rd Avenue help attract the homeless population.

My brother lives in a condo in Belltown about 4 blocks from the Space Needle.  We went on a road trip back up to his place from my place in NWA a month and a half ago and I stayed a couple of nights on the weekend before flying back.  We walked pretty much everywhere while there and did the ferry to Bainbridge Is.  Went to pick stuff up from the store out on 5th behind his building the second night, and there's homeless sleeping in the entryways of businesses closed for the day, which I guess is pretty normal there now.  In the daytime, noticed that there's quite a lot of businesses boarded up and closed from the riots still.  In broad daylight, you have to keep walking past bums that follow you begging for money for a block to a block and a half before giving up and moving on.  Had breakfast at a wonderful bakery on the way to the ferry terminal on that Saturday, but after eating then heading to the terminal, passed a guy that was looking straight up in the air, humping a car door to distract everyone from his picking its lock, in plain sight of everyone, except the absent and unfunded cops.

I'd say that it's still closer to crack den at the moment, unless I just happened to be there the weekend of a full moon.  I've visited him several times over the last decade that he's lived up there, so it's a little easier for me to tell differences that locals may have creep up on them unawares over the course of day by day living.  It used to be a trip that I looked forward to for months.  Right now, it would take a year or two of some improving of the law and order before I'd want to go back.  Shouldn't need to keep one hand on a pocket knife or other concealed weapon while walking the streets of what used to be a rather exciting area.

The cops have plenty of funding, to the tune of $360 million a year after the cuts. They just refuse to do their jobs when it comes to investigating property crime because they're lazy and deserve to get cleared out.

I've been around Belltown plenty during the pandemic and haven't noticed it getting any worse than it has in recent years, so you just happened to attract some attention. It's not nearly as bad as Pioneer Square or 3rd & Pike, so I would feel okay with walking in the early evening but not late at night. With body language that says "don't bother me", I haven't been followed or harassed while going through there.

What's your favorite cascadia volcano?

My hipster answer is Glacier Peak, since it's not as well known and is harder to spot from the west side due to how far back it is. Also my county's highest point.

[empirestate]

And are you guys totally over the Goonies by now?

The Goonies is still a big part of Astoria. I've personally been several times just for film locations (Kindergarten Cop, too).

And Short Circuit.