United States of Shame map (Portland, Florence: mobile home, bankruptcy, high school)

[jjpop]

The map makes Ohio look like the least undesireable state in the Union!

[ccjarider]

Originally Posted by Jimrob1

I have to agree with the Boston one and the entire state of Mass on that label. Absolute horrible drivers and that's my home state. Sadly I have to agree with Oregon's label also. Beautiful state with some world class scenery. However the amount of homelessness, as well as obvious drug problems is very apparent. The percentage is just way to high vs what the population of the state is. As far as I'm concerned there are reasons for it, and the state as a whole has allowed it. I always felt even if it didn't appear so. That the amount of it had to have some impact on people visiting and moving there. Especially Portland. Though I'm sure many would say it has absolutely no impact at all.

I think San Francisco's homeless population is much more visible that PDX's.
Lived in Milwaukee, WI and Chicago for many years and while the bums seemed a little older in those locales, the numbers seemed similiar or; depending on the neighborhood, even more.

Actually for as mild as the winters are compared to midwest,I thought I would notice more homeless here. I think some in PDX like to make the homeless issue more than it really is.

[Jimrob1]

Originally Posted by ccjarider

I think San Francisco's homeless population is much more visible that PDX's.
Lived in Milwaukee, WI and Chicago for many years and while the bums seemed a little older in those locales, the numbers seemed similiar or; depending on the neighborhood, even more.

Actually for as mild as the winters are compared to midwest,I thought I would notice more homeless here. I think some in PDX like to make the homeless issue more than it really is.

All I can say is there was not one day in the 7 years I lived there. That I was not asked for money or use of my cell phone. Or a bottle of water or something else. Or I had to go around street people, especially kids when going into a business in downtown Portland or riding the transit. I just felt based on what the population of Oregon is (which is small for the size of the state). The amount was way to high. I also think it is its mindsets, politics and social welfare programs that bring many of them to the state. I don't think the rainy cool to cold climate has anything to do with at all. Or they would go to actua warmer climates more so than Portland. Yes I agree San Francisco has a very visible population than Portland. I also feel San Francisco seems like a much bigger denser city than Portland. Portland is way to small to have such a huge amount of homelessness. All over the city even the airport at times. Which I know for a fact because I worked there.

[slowlane3]

The Indiana forum here, has a current thread about how they're the most polluting, the most coal-energy dependent of any state.

SD's and AK's rape rates may be a product of their large Native American population, plus AK has the most gender-imbalanced population of any state.

VA has the worst standards of any state for child day-care centers, (according to this week's "Washington Post" newspaper). Over 1,000 day-care providers in VA are exempt from meeting any standards because they're religious-affiliated.

[Deezus]

Originally Posted by Jimrob1

All over the city even the airport at times. Which I know for a fact because I worked there.

Where are homeless people at PDX? I've flown out of the airport probably close to once a month for the last 10 years and I don't think I've ever seen homeless people there...

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by Deezus

Where are homeless people at PDX? I've flown out of the airport probably close to once a month for the last 10 years and I don't think I've ever seen homeless people there...

Recent news is that a few were snagging bags off the baggage return and hitting the MAX to get out of there.

@JimRob1 - I find it hard to believe that you were accosted every single day for seven years. I worked downtown for over a year recently, frequently walking through Old Town and around Pioneer Square, and can count on one hand the number of times I was accosted. Unless you're counting passive stuff like signs.

[Deezus]

Originally Posted by hamellr

Recent news is that a few were snagging bags off the baggage return and hitting the MAX to get out of there.

Yeah, I remember reading about that, but I never saw anything about them being homeless. Two of the people arrested were ages 12 and 15--and a few of the others arrested drove to PDX from homes in Vancouver. The whole story got thrown up as another one of theose "blame crime on MAX" opinion blog pieces..

@JimRob1 - I find it hard to believe that you were accosted every single day for seven years. I worked downtown for over a year recently, frequently walking through Old Town and around Pioneer Square, and can count on one hand the number of times I was accosted. Unless you're counting passive stuff like signs.

I worked downtown for six years and while I had to dodge homeless people around Pioneer Square all the time, I can only think of one or two times that anyone really acted all that agressively and you sort of just learn to ignore most of the panhandlers and their signs after while. And away from downtown I rarely see homeless people on most of the east side neighborhoods where I've lived except for a few places like parts of 82nd or closer to downtown on the inner eastside.

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by todd00

Do you have a link for this story and map? Minnesota, gets the tornado label? They had 32 in 2012, Kansas had 92. Ugliest residents, North Dakota? How did they determine that? There are many transplants in ND now due to oil. Did only the ugly people move north, I doubt it.

It was based on the quality of beauty contestants/winners. Miss USA is pretty much skewed toward populated states. Mostly Texas and California.

Here are pictures of Miss North Dakotas. You can judge for your self.

Miss North Dakota Scholarship Organization

As for Kansas and tornados, I guess they had given them the award for poorest health, and they couldn't think of anything else to give Minnesota.

[Jimrob1]

Originally Posted by Deezus

Where are homeless people at PDX? I've flown out of the airport probably close to once a month for the last 10 years and I don't think I've ever seen homeless people there...

As far as the terminal area goes. Sometimes they make it into the restrooms by the baggage claim, after they get off the MAX Train. They get in the stalls and stay in there. At times but not to often they get up into the food court area. Usually find a newspaper and sit there. Its not an everyday occurance. It seems to come in spurts here and there. Mostly in the wintertime. On the airport property itself. They have found them in the car rental lots (not the garage) sleeping in vehicles that were not locked. Some of those lots are not secure all that well and right near the runway. Besides homeless getting in some of the thousands of cars and vans parked there. The rental companies have also had a number of car thefts from time to time. Though I doubt that's the homeless.

[No_Recess]

Originally Posted by jjpop

The map makes Ohio look like the least undesireable state in the Union!

Native Buckeye here.

Not sure where the nerdy stereotype comes from. When people hear I'm from Ohio they usually mention crummy weather and farming.

The only real modern advantage Ohio has, IMO, is cheap cost of living while being within reasonable distance of the Midwest's major cities and the East Coast megalopolis.