Magazine N°160

SEATTLE, THE 21ST CENTURY OF POSSIBILITIES

"Giving back to the community!
In the United States, these four words are part of cultural practice, if not a moral code, almost a creed.

Broadly speaking, and a far cry from the debate currently raging in our old country, the great fortunes on the other side of the Atlantic are not averse to philanthropy, distributing their wealth to a foundation, a charity, a research centre or even a public sector company. As we all know, this is not exactly the way things are done on the Old Continent. So it is in Seattle, which has become the flagship city of the American West in terms of new technologies, new industries and a new lifestyle,
in short, just about everything...

In Seattle, then, and following in the footsteps of Bill and Melinda Gates who set up their foundation there, Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft who died in 2018, has proposed to help disadvantaged populations gain access to health and education and to participate in medical research, neuroscience and artificial intelligence. Similarly, the inspirational Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, the e-commerce giant, has proposed advancing space research.
At the same time, the same billionaire has just invested 1.5 million dollars to increase the frequency of public bus services to his campus.

Seattle, a city of possibilities, where 60 % of the population have at least a university degree, a GDP equivalent to that of Malaysia, annual growth of over 5 % and a dozen Fortune 500 companies. A young city where all the hopes generated by a lifestyle specific to the beginning of the 21st century are allowed. This means that work is a priority, of course, but the professional world is always approached in a very relaxed way, if possible with a Starbucks caffe latte in hand and in front of a computer screen...

This style also includes a large section devoted to leisure activities, where the outdoors is the best place to be, in the evenings or at weekends, and the surrounding countryside is truly sublime. It's almost a city of happiness!

Oh no! There's just one problem: it rains a lot in Seattle. Enough, in any case, for the bad tongues to have nicknamed it the 'Rainy City'.

Nothing is perfect in this world.

Serge Barret, Editor-in-Chief