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Washington-Baltimore
Metropolitan Axis
(In Brief)
| Population: | 2,974,000
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| Local Telecom Grid Access: | (NA/UCAS-NC) 2118 <?> |
| Per Capita Income: | 32,400¥ |
| Below Poverty Level: | 19% |
| On Fortune's Active Trader List: |
2.5% |
| Megacorporate Affiliation: | 34% |
| Felonious Crime Rate: | 24 per 1,000 annum |
| Education: |
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>>>>>[Aren't
we going to get into the usual "why these #s are misleading"
thread?]<<<<< >>>>>[I
suppose we could... But what's the point? We're all familiar w/ the
tricks of their data manipulation by now. If you're struggling to come
up w/ a rationale behind it all for D.C. though, I'd lean in the govt's
direction & say that these #s are bent twd the SIN'd. No reason
not to take them semi-seriously though. They're a fair reflection.]<<<<< |
Climate
The climate of the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan axis is characterized by
two distinct and dominant seasons: Summer and Winter. Summer is notably hot
and humid, with average daily temperature in excess of 90° Fahrenheit with
a relative humidity approaching 90%. Winter temperatures average 34° Fahrenheit
and the weather tends toward ice storms (rather than snow). The transitional
seasons of spring and fall are generally comprised of a period of two to six
weeks in which the temperature fluctuates violently from day to day before locking
into either the summer or winter mode. Annual precipitation averages 31 inches,
with the majority of that precipitation arriving as rain during the abbreviated
spring.
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>>>>>[Believe
every word of that. Weather's nastier than a feral hellhound in the summer
-- blazing hot ("...it's the HUMIDITY!...") -- and these stagnantly
bitter cold winters that are devoid of any of the fun stuff. Disgusting.]<<<<< |
Getting There
The Washington-Baltimore metropolitan axis is the fourth largest metroplex in
UCAS (edging out Boston by only a few thousand people) and is considered a major
stopping point no matter how you're traveling.
BY PLANE
Flights run almost constantly in and out of the area's three major aerospace
centers: Dulles International Aerospace Center, Reagan National Airport, Baltimore-Washington
International Aerospaceport (BWI). Of the three, Dulles is the largest, handling
international semi-ballistic flights on an hourly basis as well as the largest
volume of traffic in the area. Reagan National Airport, while listed as an international
airport largely serves local commuter and national passenger flights. Also,
a fleet of six high-speed helicopters and six low-altitude vehicles serves as
dedicated ferries between Dulles and Reagan National airports. Finally, BWI
is a fully outfitted international aerospaceport accommodating aeospacecraft
from local commuter helicopters to STOOV heavy lifters and semi-ballistics.
BY ROAD
The Washington-Baltimore metropolitan axis lies directly along Interstate-95,
a pair of beltways providing the major automobile infrastructure in direct support
of each city. Washington, D.C. is surrounded by I-495, which is fed by I-95
and I-270 (fed from I-70). Baltimore is surrounded by I-695, which is fed by
I-95 and I-83.
BY SEA
Baltimore serves as the area's major port, its harbor lying at the northern
end of the Chesapeake Bay. The majority of the port's traffic consists of freight
ships and pleasure craft. Several dozen ferries also populate the harbor's waters,
carrying passengers around the harbor or to other, smaller harbors further down
the Chesapeake.
BY RAIL
The Washington-Baltimore metropolitan axis has two major stops on the BAMAXpress
(Boston-Atlanta Metropolitan Axis eXpress
maglev train service): Union Station in D.C. and Penn Station in Baltimore.
Trains depart every half-hour from Union Station and hourly from Penn Station.
Also, the two cities and their surrounding municipalities are connected by an
intricate, subterranean mass-transit system called (simply enough) the Metro.
On Arrival
Laws & Law Enforcement
WEAPONS
Strictly enforced firearms statutes are in effect throughout the Washington-Baltimore
metropolitan axis. Automatic weapons and handguns are explicitly prohibited
and all hunting rifles must be registered and a hardcopy of that registration
form must be kept with the weapon at all times. Stun/self-defense weapons (i.e.,
a taser) are legal but may not be concealed under clothing or in bags; chemical
defense solutions (i.e., pepper spray), however, do not need to be openly displayed.
Also, bladed weapons are legal, provided they are kept in the home, in a locked
case, and listed as a "collectible;" kitchen knives are exempt from
this law.
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>>>>>[BTW-
If you think these weapons laws are a mess, you should see the local tax
laws... Argh!]<<<<< >>>>>[I
don't think (m)any of you have (too) much to worry abt in WashingBalt.
If you're pro, chances are in your favor that you'll never have to worry
abt getting stopped (on acct of you'll look "innocent" anyway)
and if you're NOT all that pro, most of the cops are scared shitless to
stop you...]<<<<< >>>>>[I
wouldn't buy that. The cops around here are packing serious ware. They'll
stop you if they don't like the looks of you. Take it from one who used
to be one.]<<<<< |
CYBERWARE & OTHER IMPLANTS
All implants, whether of a cybernetic or biological nature, must be on file
with a licensed medical practitioner. Implants installed within the UCAS must
be on file with the installing physician; those installed outside of the UCAS
must have registration or similar information on file with the individual's
personal physician. Visitors in the state must have all implants indicated on
their passport. Any individual with unregistered implants will be denied entry;
individuals with unregistered implants that still wish to gain entry will be
detained until the proper authorities can examine and either approve of or disable
the unregistered implant. All "aggressive, belligerent, or hostile"
implants, cybernetic or biological, are expressly prohibited by law.
CYBERDECKS
Grid activity in the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan axis is monitored by
the Capitol Area Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (CATRC), a task force
organized as a joint effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and
the National Security Agency. All Grid activity must originate with a registered
cybermodule; unlawful Grid access or abuse of Grid access privileges will be
investigated and prosecuted by the CATRC. All Grid access terminals (including
cyberdecks) must be registered with the CATRC at their time of purchase. Operators
discovered to be (1) violating or abusing their Grid privileges, (2) accessing
the Grid unlawfully, (3) suppressing their terminal's signature, or (4) in possession
of an illegally modified terminal will be prosecuted to the full extent of the
law.
ILLEGAL AND ADDICTIVE SUBSTANCES
A No-Tolerance law is in effect throughout the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan
axis concerning controlled dangerous substances. Any individual caught possessing
a CDS faces mandatory minimum sentences and/or heavy fines. Alcoholic beverages
are legal but strictly controlled; individuals caught operating a vehicle under
the influence of alcohol are prosecuted as though each charged violation was
premeditated. Tobacco products are also legal, though strictly controlled.
Emergency Numbers
Emergency Medical Service: 911
Police Emergency: 911
Fire Emergency: 911
Smog/Allergy Warnings: 211
Telecom Information: 411
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
Considering that the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan axis is home to George
Washington University, Johns Hopkins University, and the National Institutes
of Health (just to name a few), the area has an abundance of world-class medical
facilities. In addition to the plethora of teaching hospitals and medical research
centers in the area, Washington-Baltimore's day-to-day medical needs are serviced
by four dozen local hospitals and over a hundred clinics of various sizes and
specialties. Additionally, the region's emergency medical needs are well supplemented
by DocWagon and similar emergency medical service providers.
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>>>>>[The
funny thing is that ppl actually think that DocWagon will look out for
them around here. Most of the local DocWagon clinics are shaaaaaady places.
Rumor has it that at least one of the HTR units is running a private business
of their own (for example) -- and I'll be DAMNED if the legit DocWagon
units aren't regularly harrassed by local police units (contractual or
tax-paid).]<<<<< |
LEGAL ASSISTANCE
Perhaps because Washington-Baltimore serves as the seat of the UCAS government,
the area is awash with attorneys and political action groups. The North American
Civil Liberties Union maintains its headquarters in Washington, D.C., as does
the Metahuman Civil Liberties League and the All Peoples Foundation. The Ork
Rights Committee maintains its headquarters in Baltimore. Dozens of other political
action groups also maintain offices (or even their headquarters) in the Washington-Baltimore
metropolitan axis. All of these organizations offer free routing service through
the 411 telecom code to the switchboards of their local offices.
Getting Around
BUS
Perhaps the cheapest (though not always the most cost effective) means of transport
in the area is the network of buses running throughout the two cities and their
surrounding suburban environs. A fully government subsidized mass transit initiative,
the "Ride On" began in the D.C. area in the late-twentieth century.
Ride On services were expanded to include the Baltimore region (replacing the
MTA's bus services) when the two cities joined during the Great Re-Zoning that
accompanied the formation of the UCAS in 2030. While the Ride On is an easy
way to get around within each of the neighborhoods (and sometimes the adjacent
municipalities), getting from The Mall to the Inner Harbor would most certainly
present a challenge. Bus services vary from locale to locale within the region,
but most of the major routes have a bus running to/from each stop every 10 minutes
between the hours of 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. Night bus services are more rare, tending
to run on the half-hour along the major routes within the city zones; night
buses are practically non-existent in the suburban locales. All ride on buses
are solar-electrics except the fleet of night buses which burn clean natural
gas.
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Average fare: 2¥
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>>>>>[Granted,
it could take hours (and I means many hours longer than you would like)
but it is possible to get "from The Mall to the Inner Harbor"
via the Ride On. I know of a crew that does it all the time. Start in
the morning and you'll get there in the early evening but (if done properly)
you'll go completely undetected. You just gotta study the routes long
enough.]<<<<< |
CAR
The roadways throughout the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan axis are in a
constant state of upheaval due to various on-going repairs and improvements.
Despite the constant roadwork however, traveling by car remains one of the fastest
and most efficient means of travel in the region. The highway systems are fully
equipped to handle gas, electric, and hybrid automobiles, as are both of the
city zones; most of the suburban locales have been modernized to handle electric
vehicles although some of the less wealthy neighborhoods remain impoverished
in that respect.
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Average price of gas (per liter):
1.21¥
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>>>>>[Now
that's a dirty lie. Finding someplace w/ 1.5¥ gas is damn near bloody
impossible let alone 1.21¥! I'm usually paying over 1.7¥/L every
trip out. That alone is going to keep me in debt for years...!]<<<<< >>>>>[That's
ridiculous. If you've got the right contacts in B'more, you can score
gas at wholesale prices -- you've of course got to have the means to move
and store it but I rarely pay more than 1.05¥/L for petrol.]<<<<< |
METRO
The most heavily advertised mode of public transportation in the area and (perhaps
consequently) the most heavily used, the Metro is a subway system which will
ultimately provide service throughout both of the city zones as well as large
portions of the suburban locales. Although both cities had independent mass
transit train services prior to the Great Re-Zoning, the first order of business
on the first Co-Mayoral agenda was to physically join the two cities as they
were now joined in name. Although the project is on-going and has suffered numerous
set-backs, the current system effectively replaced the "old" Metro
in D.C. in 2037 and the likewise in Baltimore in 2039. The two halves of the
system were joined by a mag-lev express in 2040 and, as of 2055, the Washington-Baltimore
Mass Transit Authority (WBMTA) has announced that over 75% of the originally
planned system has been completed. Trains run every ten minutes between the
hours of 5 a.m. and 12 a.m.; night trains are automated and run every twenty
minutes.
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Average round-trip fare: 8¥
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>>>>>[This
MUST be copied from tourist-drek or s/thing similar. Why else would they
fail to mention the 'tro's tight security?]<<<<< |
AIR
Several air taxi services are available in the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan
axis for those which can afford it. The WBMTA, with full government subsidization,
runs a commuter plane service called the "AirMetro" between Reagan
National Airport and BWI every two hours, Monday through Friday from 6 a.m.
to 6 p.m.. The AirMetro's main competition is a private company called Cherub
Commuting Company which runs a fleet of vectored thrust LAVs between the two
city zones as well as several of the more developed suburban locales; Cherub
Commuting Company's service is knock as The Axis Hopper and runs Monday through
Saturday, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Also active in the area is a fleet of private commuter
helicopters and LAVs run by Capitol Area Air Travel; CAAT's fleet is by reservation
only and will take you anywhere in the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan axis
at any time, day or night.
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Average Fares
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AirMetro: 70¥
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Axis Hopper: 90¥
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CAAT helicopter: 80¥
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CAAT LAV: 120¥
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Basic Washington-Baltimore Economics
The economic profile of Washington-Baltimore is diverse but stratified, a sharp
divide marking the distinction between the wealthy and the impoverished, and
the well- and under-educated. The area's leading employer is the UCAS federal
government, employing close to a million of the region's denizens in a variety
of official, administrative, clerical, or other positions. Apart from the government
and related jobs, the two leading, most-employing industries in the area include
biotech research/development and high-tech computer and electronics companies.
Also, while the region supports some heavy industry, the primary field of employment
for unskilled labor is the service & support industry. Finally, being a
high-profile international city, Washington-Baltimore's primary unit of exchange
is the nuyen.
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1.00¥
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$2.92
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Entertainment
<BLOCK DELETE: 2.2 Mp>
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>>>>>[I
cut the crap out because (face it) what ISN'T there to do around here?
Washington-Baltimore contains dozens of museums (including zoological
parks and aquariums), two symphony orchestras, numerous play-houses and
art-cinemas, art galleries galore, restaurants, lounges, clubs... Not
to mention the fact that it supports (and I'm just talking about at the
highest professional levels here) an urbal brawl team, two football teams,
a hockey team, a baseball team, a basketball team, an indoor AND outdoor
lacrosse team, is the home of the Preakness, AND annually hosts the International
Sorcery Challenge. I think you get the picture...]<<<<< |