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That's because L.A. isn't a desert is it a subtropical (dry summer) climate. They get over 27" of rain a year on average there...our Saguaros and other type of desert plants (native only to Arizona/Sonoran Desert) would die from too much moisture, LOL! Go figure...AND most of the wealthy or "monied" type in L.A. can be counted in more conservative areas of the "Southland" like Orange County, Beverly Hills, Westwood, Brentwood, etc. If you've ever lived in those areas you'd definately notice the difference from West Hollywood...
Ritchie: I agree! I think 10% republican population is much too small...
Uh, no. They get 14 inches of rain per year. 2 more inches per year than Tucson.
I hear people say all the time that you don't go to the beach unless you are adjacent and thats as far fetched as saying you don't go up North in AZ unless you are adjacent. When you enjoy something enough, you make the time to go to it. Sure you won't go as much when you live further away, but there are plenty of people who love the "idea" that they live just an hour or two from the coast in the same way that Phoenicians boast about being a couple hours from the forests or 6-7 hours from the coast.
What's far fetched is people saying they go to the mountains all time. For most us working folks, we are too busy with work and family to be able to drive 2 hours up north all the time. The same is in LA. Most don't go to the beach because they don't have time. Sure, if you are retired or a teenager with a lot of time on your hand then maybe but for the vast majority of people living in LA, they rarely go to the beach.
And with regard to politics, people can vote Republican and be fiscally conservative and socially liberal. I know most people in Arizona seem to be centrist Republicals who are socially liberal and fiscally conservative. When people discuss politics in terms of liberal versus conservative, they are referring to social politics and not necessarily fiscal policy. Phoenix and LA are not all that different socially speaking.
I have seen transported saguaros in some Southern California yards. They look fine.
Lastly, many of the wealthy areas of Los Angeles are actually in Los Angeles County.
Malibu, Calabasas, Beverly Hills, San Marino, Rancho Palos Verdes, and Manhattan Beach are all wealthy towns and cities IN LA County.
Like I said, most don't know LA is a desert. Because it's near the coast, people automatically assume its not a desert. Interestingly enough, according to that same database, Phoenix averages 7.7 inches of rain per year and South Phoenix averages 8.8 inches per year. That is nearly 5 inches less rain per year than LA. Long Beach averaged 11, Riverside averages 10, Newport Beach and Orange average 12.6 That's not a lot of rain which confirms my point
Last edited by azriverfan.; 01-16-2010 at 12:44 AM..
Tucson & Phoenix being “nothing” alike is a quite far-fetched idea. Yes, it is hotter in Phoenix, but the natural landscape around is very similar. The man-made stuff in Phoenix does look like So Cal. As far as boring suburban sprawl, both places (and LA, too, of course) have plenty of it, but while Tucson at least has some history, character, and soul, Phoenix has nothing of this nature. It’s basically all about bedroom communities and shopping.
There was more soul in Oklahoma City than Tucson and I mean that nicely. Oklahoma City and Tulsa both felt like huge metropolises compared to Tucson. When people compare Tucson and Phoenix, it's just a joke to me because Tucson isn't even in the competition. It's so much smaller and lacks so many basic amenities that other cities have..whether you are talking about the roads, hospitals, schools, the airport, entertainment amenities...not even close! Tucson was one of the most overrated experiences of my life. It's essentially a glorified University town. Phoenix gets mischaracterized for only have chains and no character. What I learned is that Phoenix has everything Tucson has and then the chains and soulless strip malls as well. It's just that Tucson has such little to offer that whatever it does have gets magnified. For example, Tucson doesn't really have a bigger arts scene but its gets labeled as such. Phoenix just has so many chains and strip malls too that people assume that's all it has but as anyone who knows the Phoenix area well, that is anything but the case. It's just that most people don't know Phoenixwell and assume it only has what they see from the freeway or their drives through towns. Tucson was lacking in a lot of basic things that most other cities have. First of all, their roads are terrible. I didn't think they had great restaurants which includes their non-chain restaurants. And to be honest, I saw plenty of strip malls and chains in Tucson so I don't get where all this "original" stuff is coming from.
Lastly, I want to talk about this supposed "more liberal" feel that Tucson has. I certainly didn't feel that there. I saw more border patrol in Tucson than I ever did in Phoenix. I saw more cops setting up speed traps and pulling over people than I ever did in Phoenix, it reminded me of Texas in that manner. I saw more Rebel flag stickers and Nazi insignia on the back of trucks in Tucson than I ever did see in Phoenix including East Mesa. I didn't see any diversity there outside of Hispanics and Native Americans. At least in Chandler and Ahwautukee, you can see Indians(India), Chinese, Vietnamese, Middle Eastern, Pacific Islander and other ethnicities regularly in the community, but I never saw anything like that in Tucson. Oh and African Americans...maybe the U of A basketball team but I NEVER saw Blacks anywhere in Tucson. So I don't really get this "Tucson is more diverse" than Phoenix mantra. I think it gets it's "Bohemian" reputation because it's more associated with its university than Phoenix is with its school. Both Phoenix and Tucson have universities but Tucson really has nothing else so it gets called a "university town." I think Tucson is more fiscally liberal than Phoenix but socially, I thought Tucson was a little too "hick" for me.
Last edited by azriverfan.; 01-16-2010 at 01:08 AM..
Like I said, most don't know LA is a desert. Because it's near the coast, people automatically assume its not a desert. Interestingly enough, according to that same database, Phoenix averages 7.7 inches of rain per year and South Phoenix averages 8.8 inches per year. That is nearly 5 inches less rain per year than LA. Long Beach averaged 11, Riverside averages 10, Newport Beach and Orange average 12.6 That's not a lot of rain which confirms my point
Hate to split hairs, but Los Angeles is not a desert because it does not average less than 10 inches of precipitation per year. Riverside hovers around 10 inches but, then again, that's Riverside. Regardless, the whole region receives less water than most people think.
There may be parts of Los Angeles County that can technically be classified as a desert (I'm pretty sure, but I cannot confirm) - the city of Los Angeles and most of the county does not.
Hate to split hairs, but Los Angeles is not a desert because it does not average less than 10 inches of precipitation per year. Riverside hovers around 10 inches but, then again, that's Riverside. Regardless, the whole region receives less water than most people think.
There may be parts of Los Angeles County that can technically be classified as a desert (I'm pretty sure, but I cannot confirm) - the city of Los Angeles and most of the county does not.
Since we are splitting hairs then you would have to acknowledge that Tucson is not desert since it averages nearly 12 inches of rain per year. Cave Creek is also not a desert since it averages 13 inches of rain per year. Add Wickenburg to that as well since it averages 11.3 inches of rain per year
Since we are splitting hairs then you would have to acknowledge that Tucson is not desert since it averages nearly 12 inches of rain per year. Cave Creek is also not a desert since it averages 13 inches of rain per year. Add Wickenburg to that as well since it averages 11.3 inches of rain per year
Well, in the case of Tucson, it's not exactly true. I can't speak to Cave Creek and Wickenburg.
Quote:
Though desert climates are defined as regions that receive less than 9.8 inches (248.9 mm) of precipitation per year, Tucson still qualifies due to its high evapotranspiration in spite of receiving 11.8 inches (299.7 mm) of precipitation per year; in other words, it experiences a high net loss of water.[15].
Azriverfan probably hit the nail on the head with social vs. fiscal conservatism, and with Phoenix vs. Tucson. Two nails!
Before I continue, two points of clarification: I DID say that LA is partly desert, and I also said the Republicanism of Arizona (which is exaggurated in this thread) is NOT oppressive. I was asked above how I think Republicans are oppressive. Well, I am relatively young, but I did live through the Bush era. I don't understand how anyone can ask this question with a straight face.
Anyway, so I don't think Arizona is a Republican state any more. And I think that by 2012, Maricopa County will have more Dems registered than Republicans anyway. AZ voted for McCain. WOW! Shocker huh? Regardless of whether you all agree with me, I think it's very "far right slant" to claim AZ is a Republican stronghold. I didn't feel it at all like I have elsewhere. I hope that liberals are NOT disuaded from flocking to AZ, because it's a very diverse and interesting place. But it might be boring and cookie-cutter, I think. Take the past two years, though - boring is GOOD!
And, I repeat, NO major city is largely Republican. I think it is simply living in denial to believe that Democrats do not dominate or balance out Republicans in EVERY major city. And I use MSA stats, not the notoriously misleading "city pop," which would slant even moreso to the Dems. Republicans simply do not appeal to city people, as a general blanket statement. Sure, there are many exceptions. But I suggest looking up the 2008 (or any recent) election numbers for New York, Boston, Philly, DC, Baltimore, SF, LA, Seattle, Chicago, Miami, Cleveland, Houston, and Dallas, before claiming there are major citites which are largely Republican.
So anyway Azriverfan's comments seem to fit my experience, although I didn't notice the hick mentality of Tucson so much.
"I was asked above how I think Republicans are oppressive. Well, I am relatively young, but I did live through the Bush era. I don't understand how anyone can ask this question with a straight face."
Can you site an example of how you were "oppressed" by a Republican?How has a Republican "intruded" on you? (And, yes, these are "straight-feced" questions).
"And, I repeat, NO major city is largely Republican. I think it is simply living in denial to believe that Democrats do not dominate or balance out Republicans in EVERY major city. And I use MSA stats, not the notoriously misleading "city pop," which would slant even moreso to the Dems. Republicans simply do not appeal to city people, as a general blanket statement. Sure, there are many exceptions. But I suggest looking up the 2008 (or any recent) election numbers for New York, Boston, Philly, DC, Baltimore, SF, LA, Seattle, Chicago, Miami, Cleveland, Houston, and Dallas, before claiming there are major citites which are largely Republican."
I think, generally speaking (I know there are exceptions...not trying to go into that), that urban areas are largely Democrat, while suburban areas tend to be Republican. For example, Dallas (as has been discussed at length in other threads here) is majority Democrat, but the suburbs of Dallas are majority Republican.
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