Anyone else think LA is going down the toilet? (Los Angeles: hotel, buying)

[Huckleberry3911948]

very good post. the police have been backed into a corner. it is much easier to fire and jail them than to fight a personal injury law suit. we will pay a heavy price for putting the cops on the defensive. never tie up a guard dog.

[Trajjic]

Originally Posted by fairweathergolfer

Well dang, it is our loss then. Good luck to you Trajjic and with your producing. I am glad for you too that you have family in the business. I do have a question though if you don't mind. Is it just the finances? The mean people? Are the Hispanic gangs and their nastiness toward blacks having any impact on your decision or the illegal immigration overall impacts on our society? Overall I am a bit curious to know what are the specific factors for your leaving as an African American male (more then you mentioned-although they are enough! ). Is it the shifts in the music business here? If we are losing talented upcoming African American males I want to know why.

It's a lot of reasons. The music biz has been down in Cali except Rock but even the Rock scene is taking a hit. As for the Hispanic gangs mean out look to African Americans yes that is another reason were leaving. But on the real it's economics more jobs in the south less cost of living in the south. Plus blacks have a place there our ancestors built the south as slaves and many of us are coming into our own in the south. Sure we still have problems but were making more strides there as a whole. I seen an article stating more blacks in the south are going to college than ever before that is a step in the right direction. I like the progression were making down south that is what I would say is my main reason I left L.A. for the south.

[7stringguitarguy]

Yes , i would have to agree. Every year the traffic gets worse and worse and more people keep on moving in from other parts of the country , i wish they would stay where they are, there's no room in Los Angeles.

[pwright1]

Originally Posted by 7stringguitarguy

Yes , i would have to agree. Every year the traffic gets worse and worse and more people keep on moving in from other parts of the country , i wish they would stay where they are, there's no room in Los Angeles.

according to the U.S. Census people aren't exactly breaking down the door to move here.

[Bond. James Bond.]

Originally Posted by 7stringguitarguy

Yes , i would have to agree. Every year the traffic gets worse and worse and more people keep on moving in from other parts of the country , i wish they would stay where they are, there's no room in Los Angeles.

The only people moving here are from Mexico. And Mexican babies being born. I wouldn't be surprised if the adult population here was stagnant or dropped. Don't blame traffic on newcomers, blame it on our heavy auto dependency.

[nowincal11]

Originally Posted by 7stringguitarguy

Yes , i would have to agree. Every year the traffic gets worse and worse and more people keep on moving in from other parts of the country , i wish they would stay where they are, there's no room in Los Angeles.

It's a free country. Why don't you move?

[majoun]

Originally Posted by Bond. James Bond.

The only people moving here are from Mexico. And Mexican babies being born. I wouldn't be surprised if the adult population here was stagnant or dropped. Don't blame traffic on newcomers, blame it on our heavy auto dependency.

The population of children has dropped, of all ethnicities. Which is probably a good thing.

[Dustville702]

I'm an L.A. native, born and bred, but I'm in Las Vegas now and have been for about six years. The schools here make L.A.'s schools look European, there's really not much going on aside from all the tourist stuff (and you'll run out of money real fast if you're doing that every weekend), the summer weather is absolutely horrible, the state of Nevada is run by some of the most ignorant blowhard cowboy reactionaries imaginable (I was cured of being the mild libertarian I used to be real quick), and so on and so forth. Arizona sucks even worse, except for Flagstaff and Tuscon.

What else is wrong with it? The "we have to keep taxes low so that businesses will come in/stay!" is self-defeating B.S. We attract the bottom feeders that pay $8 an hour, like 'Carl's Liquor, Laundromat, and Video Poker Depot.' Serious industries, new and old, have no incentive to come here; the infrastructure just isn't there for them, and they can't force their white collar workers to send their kids to the 48th worst public schools in the nation. (Did I mention that the Clark County SD makes the LAUSD look good? I didn't think that was possible... until I moved here!) Which leaves the casino/resort industry, which is currently in the toilet because when times are bad the first thing people cut out is trips to tourist towns!

Not that I don't like Vegas. I can think of much worse fates than being condemned to live here for the rest of my life, believe me. The rent really is super cheap to me (technically it's right at the national average), though if I had bought a house (I was considering it before the bust) I'd be in deep, deep doggy doo right about now. Highest foreclosure in the nation, even higher than Detroit's! That aside, Vegas life certainly has its perks, but it's no L.A. That would be like comparing Sacramento (which I like) to San Francisco: you just can't. I'm thinking about going back to Californy one day, maybe up north, like up in the northeast Bay where I have a bunch of extended family. You don't know what you got 'til it's gone!

Originally Posted by RedNC

My wife was reading a NASCAR article in a sports trade magazine that was talking about attracting more Mexicans to the Ontario CA track. They cited that over 80% of teenagers in SoCal are Mexicans.

NASCAR, huh? Jesus, some of you people really don't like Mess'kins, do ya? Well, I'm just glad that people like you have less and less power to screw with us with every passing year. Pete Wilson could never run for Governor today, and that's a good thing! I'm glad you found a place to live that's much better suited to you.

"Oh, but you're one of the good Mexicans" said the grandma of this one girl I was dating back in the day. Oh gee, thanks, that makes it all better then. I mention that because I know that's what some of you were thinking!

[FromNYC2LA]

Originally Posted by gypsystar

We just moved back to L.A. from Florida (thought it would be cheaper there -it wasn't) and I have to say that even the nastiest parts of the San Fernando Valley can't compare to some of the nastiness that we saw in parts of Texas and other states! We had to stay overnight in Odessa, TX and I can't even begin to describe how bad those residents must have it - they even get to smell the nasty sulpher odor from the oil rigs all day and night. We have so, so much here--such as amazing theaters and museums--and after going through all these small, rundown towns, I have no idea what they do for entertainment. I feel that a lot of these people simply exist, not live. I'm not saying that they don't enjoy their lives, but after living in L.A., I have certainly been spoiled!

My husband and I aren't rich by any means and we are SO thankful to be back in L.A. I don't think you have to have lots of money here to take advantage of everything the city has to offer. After seeing the rest of the country, I feel that a lot of us here (not just the billionaires) have it pretty good. My few months away from here certainly put things in perspective for me.

Although I am new to the Los Angeles area, what you mentioned above is correct. I lived in Florida & Texas for 12 years combined, and trust me when I say that there are VERY bad areas. Outside of the rich areas in South Florida, there are sooooo many bad areas that make the worst parts of LA look like a paradise. And don't even get me started about Miami! Yikes!!

As for Texas, it has its share of bad areas well. Notice the theme here? But I did enjoy living in Dallas very much and also think that Austin is a great city to call home.

Anyway, having the opportunity to grow up in the south for most of my life I can tell you this: It may not have the high cost of living most of you are accustomed to, but it is DEFINITELY not perfect. The poverty I witnessed down South has not be rivaled on any level at any place I have lived since. And that includes NYC!

I think the bigger question is what has happened to America as a whole? We've become a victim of our own circumstance. Places like Los Angeles, NYC, etc., are always going to have things magnified a bit because of the enormous population. But with every big city, it will go through peakes and valleys and reinvent itself. This has been the case for most US cities minus Detroit. and from what I have read, it sounds like Los Angeles is in the process of such renewal.

Again, I respect all comments in this thread especially since I am new to LA. So far I really like it here but also hope that those who hate it here find what they are looking for. We all deserve that!

Best,
JB

[Miss Pip]

Originally Posted by fairweathergolfer

It will survive, but will we?

Besides who just wants to survive?

"We" are not all the same. Not everyone in this forum is struggling.