OK. So I started a thread a week or two ago, about how the Democrats are going to balance the budget by jacking up taxes for corporations and "the weathy". They're also in the process of passing a law, regulating emissions standards on autos, modeled on California's. And I just found out that in 2007 they passed some law mandating 25% of a utility's power come from renewable resources by...2025(?) The state is fucking doomed. I need to move because even if I get a job here, by the time I have kids in school the whole place will be fucked.
So move East. Go east young man. Go east. Relocate east to Naugatuck or Bay Ridge Dunnough wha'to tell you Easy'nuff solution
I know. The problem is, I like the country. Apart from being barking moonbats, I like the people. And I've invested a lot of time and effort here. I've been building all my contacts and reputation in Oregon. But I know, I know. Sometimes you've just got to walk away from sunk costs. I've got a couple leads I'm working. We'll see where they go. If the money runs out, the plan is to take a gig out in Virginia and while I'm doing that, get the networking going so that when it wraps up I can transition into the private sector there.
Crap. With all the other shit, I completely forgot the initial reason for the post: The legislature is putting a ballot measure before the voters to increase taxes. Because the measure looks to be unpopular and doomed to fail, at the last minute the Democrats amended the wording into dense legalese that basically says: "Are you in favor of a tax hike? Vote 'No' if you are. If you aren't, vote 'Yes'."
Yeah, those damn Democrats, it's not like that's a celebrated tactic used by politicians of any stripe to try to get what they want. By the way, I wouldn't really worry about the renewable energy thing - we're getting new windmills along the Columbia all the time, and we've got the dams. You can find something to hate about anywhere you go, just depends on if you're looking for it or not. Consider this - states that might be more politically to your liking probably won't be socially to your liking enough to sell the clothing products you're pitching, at least not at any real volume. And besides, there's only one Acropolis.
Last time I was Oregon was when I was very young, but I really did enjoy the time I was there. I always vowed that someday I would return there, especially to see both Mount Hood and the Pacific Ocean!
Come home to the Midwest. Property values are low, schools are great, people and cuisine are superb. Leave the rest of the country to the crazies already there.
Yeah, budget sessions are always vastly entertaining here. But at least we'll have one, unlike a lot of other states at the moment.
The first one's of crappy quality - it was from my phone when I did the tour of my apartment. There are a number of apartments in downtown that can blame high visibility for my never giving them a second thought. The second shot is of Goose Hollow, so I basically get this sea of trees as well. Third shot is from the roof, shooting down to PGE park. Fourth shot is a lovely shot of the moon going FUCK YOU I AM HUGE. I'm loving living in downtown Portland. I'm far enough away from the noise (it is incredibly quiet - quieter than when I was living out in Beaverton), but it is damn convenient. Hell, I walked from my apartment down to Skidmore Fountain to this great Thai place. I'm walking to work every day. And I'm enjoying having a one-bedroom all to myself. Life is good. Well, non-work life. Work is...frustrating sometimes.
One day, I too shall return to Oregon. Was trying to figure how to make that sound all ominous and shit, but the word 'Oregon' really just nixes all the villainy right out of it. Still... tremble, and cower, and stuff.
So yesterday they decided to jack up meter fees for downtown by 35% and do away with not charging on Sundays. (They already started charging on Saturdays awhile back.) Gee it must be neat to have a business based in downtown Portland!
So yesterday I was reading a neighborhood free weekly tabloid for Northwest--the neighborhood with all the trendy shops and yuppie urbanites. There used to be a bookstore on NW 23rd. In May the owner decorated the display windows with a red/communist theme--subtly, mind you, but May was definitely Red month. Anyway, according to the paper, a couple months ago the place went under and the former owner has taken to panhandling out in front of the place. The story even had a photo. The woman had the obligatory cardboard sign, outlining her plight, and closing with the line "Thanks, Bush!" That evil George W. Bush! Even over a half year out of office, he's using his secret evil genius/idiot moron powers to ruin innocent peoples lives. Stupid, fucking hippies.
Oh, I almost forgot, that paper also had an article from Rep Mitch Greenlick about how fucked-up Oregon's public health insurance is and how it needs reform. See, in the late 1980s, Oregon came up with a public healthcare program. By the time I got here first in 2002, it was largely insolvent and Oregon has some 60,000 people without health insurance. Since the government solution clearly failed, the way to recover from that expensive failure is...anyone care to guess? Anyone?
Sounds like an opportunity for the booming private parking industry in Portland to do some expansion. Well, I say "industry," but in reality, it's just mostly Smart Park and City Center Parking, the latter of which has about a dozen different brands of itself. Either way, they'll fare nicely in the days ahead. To me, it's obviously a ploy to 'decrease auto usage', a.k.a. boost Tri-Met ridership. Hell, why don't they paint in a few dozen more of those useless bike boxes. They've done an excellent job of protecting asshole bicyclists thus far, why not continue? There are many things I like about Portland. Getting around isn't one of them. You're either going to be in your car dodging asshole bicyclists who don't know the rules of the road, on your bike dodging asshole drivers who don't know the rules of the road, or walking on the sidewalks and getting harassed by street musicians and special interests, both begging for money.
The other thing you missed? The fucking reserved ZipCar spots. Here you've got a private business--essentially a hippie version of Hertz--that the city sets aside free parking spaces for.
Well, there are, like 5 postings asking for a reserve officer of my rank, MOS, and branch of service in the DC area. And I've started the process to be considered for them. So I may be going back to the East Coast. Eh. DC is nice to visit and I haven't been to near enough of the Smithsonian. I know a couple good bars, the gun laws (in Virginia) are good (the NRA is there), I know my way around, the weather is like I enjoy, Philly and even New York are close enough for weekend trips, and there are Civil War battlefields to visit (I still haven't been to Gettysburg). It won't be Portland, but it'll be good enough. And I actually have relatives living out there.
Volpone, you could always move over the the eastern side of oregon where we basically ignore all the legislature passed by the webtoed bastards on the west side.....
