In defense of Phoenix

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by movin'on

Hmmm, what I find most interesting about this whole thread, is the concept that someone actually takes the time to post a thread in defense of Phoenix. I betcha this doesn't happen in the other forums.

This just leads me to wonder why...who are these people who take the time to defend Phoenix? Now, I can understand a bashing Phoenix thread, as it does provide some outlet for pent up aggression (whether correctly directed or not, it can be cathartic and it beats kicking the dog or the wife). But if someone is just happy with something, they have no reason to defend it. In fact, they like it so much they realize that this is an hour of their life they'll never get back and they could be hiking those brown rocks instead of wasting time here to defend a place wherein, in all reality, no more people should move to, as we are in danger of losing our most basic resource -- water.

I always wonder -- why do people encourage people to move here? Just typical Bush voters who vote against their own best interests? Misery loves company?

Why did I start this thread a couple of months back? Precisely because of people with sad attitudes like yours, who at various points in time seemed to have hijacked the forum. As I've said before, I came here for ASU, one more year and I'll probably be moving on, but in the meantime, I've learned to love Arizona, Phoenix, and the Southwest. Constantly complaining and whining about a place don't come off as being very smart. Asking questions, contributing to discussions in a positive way, exploring new places, and learning to make the best of it shows character. Most of the complaints people have against Phoenix can apply equally as well to any large city in the country. Once you peel away the exoticism of the desert away, Phoenix is a quintessential example of pure Americana. If you want to say Phoenix is "strip mall infested," fine, but you can also say America is a strip mall infested nation.

Your observations about the aridity of the climate here are astute-- but you know what? The whole western US, including California, including your favorite city, San Francisco, has to deal with water issues. And in terms of water rights, Arizona is in a very, very good position. Nevada has far more to worry about than we do. Most development in the Phoenix area occurs on former farmland-- land which already has irrigation, already has water rights, and which the natural desert has already been plowed over years ago. We are converting from agricultural to municipal uses. From a pure ecological standpoint, neither is good, but from a human standpoint, I think that is a fair trade off. Plus, we have the Central Arizona Project canal, one of the largest desert irrigation canals in the world. I say, if you hate Phoenix so bad you can't stand it here, why don't you pack your bags and leave this very day? One less complaining mouth drinking our precious water!

[twiggy]

Originally Posted by Dazgaz

I've been a member of this site for about 24 hours, and I've stumbled across this thread. I haven't read all the posts, just the first few and find them quite amusing. I've posted comments on another thread earlier today which have similar undertones to this one. I've lived my entire life in the North West of England (over 40 years). If you want to see overcrowding, extremely busy roads, row upon row of the same kind of house, high air polution, bad driving, ignorant people etc. then come here for a few weeks. England is quaint, only to those who haven't been or experienced the real lifestyle here, and please don't say "I've been to London" because that's as far from real England as you can get. Oh, and one of the posts mentioned high gas (Petrol?) prices. We're currently paying the equivalent of $8 a gallon! $3 a gallon for gas, how on earth do you manage? I've been to Phoenix (well, Glendale) 7 or 8 times and I'm planning on moving there as soon as I sell up here. I can't wait to experience those awful things mentioned. Finally, I love England and being English, it's the people and politics with which I'm not overly enamoured. Not that that's relevant to this thread, I just wanted you to know I'm not a UK basher who's just in favour of AZ. Sorry about the spelling, I can't bring myself to not spell things correctly even on an American based site.

Your in for a little shock, we don't have nearly the social services your use to and were brown, brown, brown. Do you like the desert? I hope so. A lot of soldiers train here for Iraq because the terrain is so similar. A lot of people think it beautiful so if you like the middle east you will prob. luv it. We even have the haboobs(spelling?) lay mens terms giant dust storms followed by monsoons.

[yukon]

For the first time in YEARS, I enjoyed driving the week I was out there. Yes, even in rush hour. I'll trade you our dingbats, confused seniors, and road rage warriors in FL for your drivers anyday. Your freeways are gorgeous, by the way.

[nevercoldcall]

Originally Posted by yukon

For the first time in YEARS, I enjoyed driving the week I was out there. Yes, even in rush hour. I'll trade you our dingbats, confused seniors, and road rage warriors in FL for your drivers anyday. Your freeways are gorgeous, by the way.

Go to AZ from September through March. Way more confused seniors than you could ever imagine!!

[Livewire]

Originally Posted by AZ_singlemother

The pay sucks here. Even with a college degree, they don't pay much but the cost of living is rising near Cali rates. New Yorkers and Calis think they are getting a deal bringing themselves and their savings/equity but it's all going run out after time when the salaries pay their lunches but not their lifestyles.

In defense to what you are saying, I have to mention that once upon a time, about 3-4 years ago, a person could do reasonably good on the lower wages out here. If you dont expend yourself, as some do. Housing wasnt so high and the cost of living in general wasnt that bad, it balanced out. Up until about 3 years ago, 85k could put you in a pretty nice house in a great neighbourhood. Heck, in Az City it could put you in a brand new home. Not anymore.
But in comparison to Calif wages, we see what it takes to live out there and even in many areas, a person still needs either a 2nd income or a drs degree to make it.
It just shocked the heck out of me when I first came out here from Calif, about 12 years ago, got a job waiting tables at a truckstop and learned the wages for food servers is/was 2.15 hr, they expect you to rake in the tips to make the rest of it.
Though I cant really say too much 'bad,' about Az because I have to live here, I do have other preferences, and no matter where a person lives, you cant complaetely dodge everything. The air quality/heat/crime rates/cost of living.

[tina3219]

<<<...and no matter where a person lives, you cant completely dodge everything. The air quality/heat/crime rates/cost of living.>>>

I moved from MI to Cottonwood AZ, after being born and raised in "Detroit" , the Northend, I was thinking that ooooh I would be safe, small town with no problems but found that the kids here in Cottonwood have nothing to do and no recreational facilities are being built well the first one this year...however the kids are on Meth and the parents have their head buried deeply in the ground saying ...oh no not my kid...but figures and drug busts don't lie. So I repeat, <<....and no matter where a person lives, you cant completely dodge everything. The air quality/heat/crime rates/cost of living.>>

[ron17571]

Im a trucker and have seen most of the usa,most citys are about the same,walmarts, taco bells and pizza huts and on and on.i live in west phoenix and its like living in mexico,its much better if you speak spanish and dont mind drivers who dont beleave in stop signs or red lights.most of the houses in my area are for sale.or in forclosure.theyre overpriced considering the wages.you can see the stress on peoples faces when driving,and the only people who care about the downtown are people who have money invested there,its a toilet!most people avoid downtown like the plague.the light rail thing is a joke also.Phoenix is anouther version of los angeles.your neighbors well drive into their garage and youll be lucky to ever meet them or even know their name before they move away.its a tough place,i listened to people shooting guns while laying in bed last night.and yes i live in a nice neighborhood!its probly not much different from other screwed up citys.if you think about moving here just imagine a slightly cheaper los angeles.