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Re: “Acceptable?”
how about this: who gives a shit? next.
Re: “"I was supposed to go to Jantzen Beach today to MC a costume contest for dogs."”
the Tracktown Pizza photo is f-ing great.
Re: “Sprawl Vs. Open Space”
Big surprise that people want to eat their cake twice. True, a farmer's land outside the UGB is only worth $7,000 per acre. But that farmer bought the land at farm prices (or it was given to his family through the homestead act) and now he can sell it at farm prices, which have risen at the same rate or faster as other kinds of real estate.
Plus, Farmers in Oregon have benefited from big tax subsidies, which means Fred pays way less in taxes than his neighbor.
And, without the UGB, there would be a LOT more land to develop and land would be a lot cheaper than it is now--so he wouldn't get the kind of $$ he thinks he would get, anyway.
What exactly is he losing, other than the chance to cash out at the expense of the public as a whole? Actually, I suppose that sounds pretty all-American to me...
Re: “Tonight at Powell's: David Owen”
I believe the book is probably very good, but the event was not a great advertisement for it. A better local companion for Owen would have been someone better able to describe where Owen's book fits into a larger discussion, why it's different or worse or more important than other similar thinking going on. Also, a discussion of density and a comparison between Portland and New York City would have been such a great opportunity to discuss how pricing changes people's behaviors and preferences. But neither Owen or Setzer was equipped to have that discussion. oh well!
Re: “How Southeast Portland SHOULD Look.”
@ mizzzzzzzz "BTW, still haven't heard a cognizant argument against the freeway." okay, try this:
If you build it, the cars will come. That scientific debate ended in the 1960s. New highways just add capacity for more cars to make more trips, faster. That sounds great except what happens to the town? People have an incentive to move somewhere cheaper (read: further out) because they can still get there just as fast. So they travel more often, and longer distances.
More cars + more trips = more congestion. So then we spent all that money on a new highway, but we're back in the same congested situation we were in before the highway, only now everyone lives 20 miles further away than they would have if the highway weren't ever built. And since everyone moved 20 miles away, the retailers and businesses followed their customers. And the schools followed, and so on. Then what's left in our town? nothing. Sound familiar?
Re: “It's PARK(ing) Day!”
I would be interested to know why parking day focuses on metered on-street parking--which is probably more efficient and equitable than free parking or privately owned parking. I'm confused what the message is. Are they saying people shouldn't have to pay for parking at all? Or that they don't pay enough? Or that the parking spaces shouldn't be on the street at all? (which is the same as saying parking shouldn't be public). Just asking...
Re: “In Defense of Kanye West”
The best part of the Andy Roddick tirade is when he asks the ref six times in a row "do you have ears!? you're an idiot" I hope he got fined at least $10k just because his shit talk was lame.
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