What I Love, Hate, Like, Dislike about Portland Oregon (Hillsboro: rent, construction jobs)

[PDXBorn]

Originally Posted by Ryant

The unemployment rate in Portland is less then a percent different then the national average. I don't see the point in bringing up unemployment ever time someone asks an unrelated question.

Except for it wasn't exactly unrelated- DoctorRain has stated many times he doesn't believe finding employment is as tough as it is here and is willing to become homeless.

[Ryant]

Originally Posted by PDXBorn

Except for it wasn't exactly unrelated- DoctorRain has stated many times he doesn't believe finding employment is as tough as it is here and is willing to become homeless.

Oh, I see, I didn't realize they were talking about a specific post.

[SunJoaquin]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

That's good. But I'm talking specifically about people who come here and ask about "survival" type of jobs, and then state that they don't believe what people are telling them. Some of them act like we're flat out lying to them when we try to tell them how bad the job market really is. They don't believe it when people caution them to come prepared and bring living enough living expenses for 6 months at the very least.

Let them believe what they want. I sincerely wish them the best of luck. But I personally will give them nothing.

Anyone who moves here to job hunt without enough "backup" money to live on for at least a year is taking a huge risk.

But if the money runs out with still no job, there IS cheap commune-living under the Burnside Bridge.

[Ryant]

Originally Posted by SunJoaquin

there IS cheap commune-living under the Burnside Bridge.

Nice, lol : )

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by Ryant

The unemployment rate in Portland is less then a percent different then the national average. I don't see the point in bringing up unemployment ever time someone asks an unrelated question.

Why is this addressed to me?

Personally I don't see the point in it either. Kindly show me where I've done so.

You can't, because I haven't.

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by Ryant

Oh, I see, I didn't realize they were talking about a specific post.

Personally, I wasn't. I was talking in general.

[Ryant]

Well, to be specific I hope everything does work out for DoctorRain. The cheap commune-living under the Burnside Bridge probably isn't the best possible outcome.

What I like about Portland? I like the chit-chat from almost everyone. Not sure if you guys noticed but it is a lot like that out here : )

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by Bluesmama

Both posters did, and I decided to rep them. While the method of gathering the info sounds even less reliable to me now, I do appreciate them taking the time.

I tried to rep you back but I'd already repped you for something earlier and the system won't let me give you another one yet.

I agree that the numbers don't tell the whole story. Where I spend my summers at in Alaska, the unemployment rate is 19%, but the local businessses always seem to be begging for help and everyone who wants a job seems to be able to find one. Can't figure that one out.

The telephone survey deal doesn't seem that reliable...I wonder if they are just calling people who have land lines and who have listed numbers? A lot of people don't even have land lines anymore.


Ryant, I may have misunderstood your post and I apologize if I did. It doesn't seem all that necessary to always bring up the job situation in unrelated posts--honestly I don't see it that much but you might read this forum more than I do.

[Ryant]

Yeah, sorry Metlalatla I shouldn't have directed that at you. It might be my impressions from the Oregon general forum or maybe it's just in my head.

[DoctorRain]

Originally Posted by United_Caps_Skins_Fan

Doc, I dont know about those other small cities, but I do know St. Petersburg, FL and it has only been depressed as long as this current economic down turn. While it did get fairly bad there, I don't think its any harder to find work there than it is in Portland. Pinellas co. is huge, and you must remember that St. Pete is also, quite literally right next to Tampa, which has not suffered nearly as much. The Tampa / St. Pete area is considerably larger than Portland, and is, IMHO one of the more cosmopolitan areas in the United States. I also do not think that comparing the likes of Altoona, Johnstown, Dayton, Lowell...etc is any sort of fair comparison. St. Pete is far larger than any of those, and as I pointed out is directly connected to Tampa, which is much larger than St. Pete still. Ive been to every city you list there (granted not since the current economic down turn), except Lowell, and can say with first hand certainty that there is really no comparison between those cities and St. Pete. The closest in comparison would be Dayton, but all of those cities are roughly 1/2 the size at the largest. None of them, again IMHO are nearly as nice as St. Petersburg, nor Tampa, even in St. Pete's somewhat downtrodden state.

As far as your assesment on the "hipsters" and / or "d-bags" as you call them in Tampa, well, I have visted it many many times, been out in Ybor many times as well, even before it was "cool" to go out there, as well as Channelside, Hyde Park, South Tampa, Davis Islands..etc. and really, this element you speak of is very small. If you want D'bags, go to Philadelphia,, anywhere in Jersey, even Baltimore... Theres far more of those types there than in Tampa, and I have spent a ton of time in just about every major east coast city with the exception of Boston.

I heard from residents that before Downtown St Pete got revitalized, it was worse off and has been a pretty depressed place. If anything, now its improved the appearance I'd say. Beachwise, its always been a draw and there is a bit of entertainment out there. Its larger than those other cities, but not much better off economically come to think about it. They got hit hard, but they still manage to have an industrial section out in the Gandy area. Looks like a place where I could have seen jobs pop up a lot for certain things so... Downtown area though, no jobs at all for sure.

Oh god.. there are even more DBags in many parts of the Northeast, but for city standards, I would say Tampa has a bit in a few select sections like New Tampa/Hyde Park/some clubbers in Ybor. A lot when you think about it.

I have grown up in MA. Economically they survive, anything not Boston is pretty bad for jobs though. Many service jobs available, but best for college kids getting discount rents. Try living in the city on full prices and you really cant on those salaries.
This is why I say, other places have problems, they are NOT exclusive to Portlands whenever someone mentions how oh people gotta leave because they can't find jobs or its so so so rough here.