What I Love, Hate, Like, Dislike about Portland Oregon (Detroit: low income, houses)

[2bpurrfect]

It's such a conflict for me living here. On the one hand there's so much visual natural beauty, but on the other, for instance, there's too much electrosmog, and we are the current homeless capital of the usa.

Go ahead, it's your turn, express how you feel about living in Portland.

[khyron]

Can you please say something more relevant like "there are a lot of homeless people here" instead of making claims like that?

First, there's no actual "homeless capital" measurement to be quoting from...so it's just an emotionally manipulative assertion. Second, it's one of those totally plastic kinds of labels that simultaneously gets applied to all kinds of places at once. Just do a quick web search and see how many totally unrelated American metropolitan areas are currently considered to be such a "capital."

To the uninformed or lazy lurker, your statement might appear to be somehow grounded in commonplace knowledge of Portland residents. If that's your intention, by all means, provide comparative statistics cited from a reasonable source.

[aroseinrain]

Can of worms now officially opened!

[dlb8685]

I thought San Francisco, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Detroit, and/or New York were the homeless capitals of the USA.

Portland would be a #6, just like the Trail Blazers.

[rhodan653]

Originally Posted by khyron

Can you please say something more relevant like "there are a lot of homeless people here" instead of making claims like that?

First, there's no actual "homeless capital" measurement to be quoting from...so it's just an emotionally manipulative assertion. Second, it's one of those totally plastic kinds of labels that simultaneously gets applied to all kinds of places at once. Just do a quick web search and see how many totally unrelated American metropolitan areas are currently considered to be such a "capital."

To the uninformed or lazy lurker, your statement might appear to be somehow grounded in commonplace knowledge of Portland residents. If that's your intention, by all means, provide comparative statistics cited from a reasonable source.

That's a rather defensive response. The reality is Portland has a very visible homeless population compared with other cities across the country of a similar size. I have traveled extensively and lived in different parts of the country and I have seen it with my own eyes - I do not need a 10 year study to tell me this. Portland has a mild climate and a very liberal attitude towards the homeless and as a consequence there are more of them kicking around. Nothing to get spun up about and quite frankly some people just do not feel comfortable around them and so for some, the OP's comments are helpful. This forum is supposed to present people with as much information as possible about a particular place - not sugar coat a reputation. Are you going to honestly tell someone there are no homeless people in Portland? That would be ridiculous and horribly misleading. Are they mostly harmless? Yes, but that is another topic all together.

[liblaw10]

Originally Posted by khyron

Can you please say something more relevant like "there are a lot of homeless people here" instead of making claims like that?

First, there's no actual "homeless capital" measurement to be quoting from...so it's just an emotionally manipulative assertion. Second, it's one of those totally plastic kinds of labels that simultaneously gets applied to all kinds of places at once. Just do a quick web search and see how many totally unrelated American metropolitan areas are currently considered to be such a "capital."

To the uninformed or lazy lurker, your statement might appear to be somehow grounded in commonplace knowledge of Portland residents. If that's your intention, by all means, provide comparative statistics cited from a reasonable source.

Relax friend! Not everyone is as informative as yourself or as poetically verse. The statement "homeless capital" they are referring to is commonly used not to manipulate anyone. They were not naming anyone in particular only making a generalization. And yes there are stats out there on the web regarding homeless in america. I believe the NSHAPC has this type of information you are looking for. Good luck. And to the others responding, let's not jump down peoples neck. Love your neighbor.

[philwithbeard]

Well since we seem to in Witch (sp?) mode on this thread...

I am no longer a fan of Tex-Mex foodie carts... TOO MUCH SALT!!!!!

I still miss good old east coast cannoli, the crusty flaky crust filled semi phallic symbol with a whipped cream + butter cream icing mixture good for about the same calories as a bottle of IPA beer. (BTW: did you know the nick name for cannoli in Pittsburgh PA is 'Lucky Lady', as I said, phallic symbol....)

I think the foodie carts in downtown should have at least ONE desert cart offering brownies, or hot fudge something or another. I know, I know, the chances of a low sugar added apple or cherry turn-over foodie cart is beyond reason, or hope, in Portland.

Some charity or do-gooders of some sort, inventing a coin-token that is only good for redemption at a shelter home for food. I hate to just give cash to a homeless people, I would rather give some one a partial payment for an honest meal instead. Something that banks would accept from low income restaurants and shelter cafeterias and then the banks in turn receive cash from the do-gooders organization. Again, I know, never happen.

And my biggest complaint of all, bus drivers who, due to their personality, should never hold a job that deals with the general public. The vast majority of bus drivers in Portland treat riders as customers, then there is that small minority.....

Other than that I love Portland.

[Wicked Felina]

Originally Posted by dlb8685

Portland would be a #6, just like the Trail Blazers.

What???

Dessert Carts!!! But, of course, that's what's been missing the whole time I've been living in Portland. ~ Actually, I think the food token idea is rather a brilliant one.

2bpurrfect, I didn't even know that a hypersensitivity to electrosmog existed. It's a very interesting subject...I just started reading about it.

LOVE: I never get tired of the sheer beauty of this state, desert or mountains. The quality and diversity of our local food supply is tremendous. It's very animal friendly, and has some of the best animal rescue outfits in the country, IMO.

Nobody cares what you do. Maybe that's Nordic ambivalence, I don't know, but there's a very "to each his own" attitude.

Also, our med facilities. Out of eleven Level I trauma centers (highest level of care) on the west coast, two of them are in Portland. (WA only has one; CA. 8 - and don't yell at me if I got the numbers wrong).

HATE/DISLIKE: There's nothing I hate about living here. Not a thing. Sometimes, I get really tired of the rain and then I get to pout about it for awhile.

I see many changes in terms of growth that I get a bit sad about. Like driving down I-205 twenty years ago and not being able to see a single house on Pete's Mountain. Now the mountain is littered with houses. Same with other formerly undisturbed areas surrounding Portland. Nothing one can do about it, it's growth.

And we're getting to be an expensive place to live, more and more.

I love OMSI, too ~

[bledsoe3]

Originally Posted by philwithbeard

I would rather give some one a partial payment for an honest meal instead. .

A gift card to Micky D's?

[Minervah]

Some years back (I don't know if they still do) Seattle had meal cards people could get from shops to hand out to the homeless people when they asked for food. There were signs everywhere telling people not to give money but to give these meal tickets.

A dessert cart? Brilliant idea! Maybe Pic's or Pappa Hayden's will hear that.