Seattle: a leader in world trade

From fashion to music to movies to food, the Northwest exerted a powerful influence on world culture during the '90s. The very name of our city became a shorthand for artistic ferment, technological innovation, and enlightened consumerism. Cities around the country embraced the $3.50 cup of coffee. Urban professionals began donning expedition-quality hiking boots and jackets for their office jobs. Flannel fashion came to Fred Meyer, while international supermodels cultivated the gaunt, greasy look popularized by Seattle junkies. And on every desktop, computers hummed with Microsoft software. But the cultural transfer did not go in only one direction. Thanks to the efforts of people like Norm Rice, Mariners management, and MTV, we got as good as we gave, and the following table totes up the mutual damage.

What we gave the world

David Guterson
Kennewick man
Frappuccino
Sub Pop Singles Club
congressional Neanderthal Steve Largent
Bill Gates' CEO Summit
Pacific Northwest Ballet
Jose Cruz Jr.
healthy Billy Swift
Aaron Brown
Boeing space station
Smoke Signals
Linda Smith
Snow Falling on Cedars
the 777
Bill Nye
REI climbing wall
Seth Warshavsky
Kenny G's Miracles
"simple abundance"
Cameron Crowe
the Sonicare toothbrush
Wenatchee child sex ring
Roslyn's Cafe
Randy Tate
Redhook
Nirvana
Windows 95
Super Mario
Mr. Lifto
Nile Spice instant soups
The Measure of a Mountain by Bruce Barcott
Magic booster packs
Microsoft Barney

What we got in return

Nora Ephron
Wolfgang Puck
Medical marijuana
Singles
Sea Gal trainer Ken Behring
Janet, Lindsay, Nathan, David, Rebecca,
Irene, and Stephen
Riverdance
Paul Spoljaric
nondescript, sore-armed Billy Swift
Lauren Tewes
Italian transit buses
Jerry Springer: Ringmaster
Jeffrey Coopersmith
ObaChine
the Kalakala
Leroy Hood
the Amazon.com stock bubble
Michael Kinsley
Pineapple Banana Cherry Coconut Orbitz
the Seattle Sidewalk Hummer
Nick Broomfield
the wrapp
Old Navy
Hooters
Linda Evans
Red Dog
Bush
TCI cable service
Hammering Man
Ron Reagan
HUD "spot blight" loans
Hartz Mountain Industries
Promise Keepers
Jim McIlvaine