The Portland job market statistics sucks at present because of the general economy and high percentage of high tech manufacturing and construction jobs in the area that take a major crap every time the economy slows down. In the outlying areas, lumber plays a prominent roll and crashes when construction is down.
The service market is a different market and also slows down, but not in direct proportion. Yesterday I did see a sign for help in a Subway sandwich shop and last week I noticed one at a Jiffy Lube. They are out there, just not as abundantly as before.
Our streets are rife with homeless, because the weather is on average mild and Portlanders are tolerant. The homeless have to go somewhere and our welfare programs are liberal.
A very high percent are now professional homeless folks, whom you see year after year with their “give me money, God bless” signs, new shoes, and clean clothes.
Now we are seeing a lot of younger people with signs. Some of those exploiting puppies, while wearing nice shoes, and sporting things like crutches or bright clean medical splints on their leg. After seeing them on corner after corner, they tend to disappear into the woodwork.
Getting a medical card was as easy as asking my doctor to sign the physician’s statement, filling out the paperwork, walking up to the window at the state office, and paying $100. They gave me stamped copies and I was good to go without waiting for my card.
Getting a grower is more involved and stretches this thread pretty far, so suffice to say it is harder than just doing it yourself. Our outdoor season is short, so you need to grow indoors most of the year.
Don’t fuck with the cops in Portland because they will most assuredly shoot you dead about 21 times for making a gesture that made them “concerned for their own welfare and those around them.” They band together, lie in court, and don’t play by the rules.
A very strong police union presence and the board of inquiries, as well as the grand juries almost never find them at fault, even when the person was unarmed and there was more than one officer.
Portland housing costs are extremely high. A suburb would be cheaper but Portland has made a point through Metro development commission to limit new highway construction so as to force denser housing in the metropolitan area. That can make commuting during rush hour a bear if you live very far away.
On the plus side there is MAX that can make parts of it a snap, and Tri Met to get you around town if you abandon driving and Portland may well be the US bicycle capital.
GW
The service market is a different market and also slows down, but not in direct proportion. Yesterday I did see a sign for help in a Subway sandwich shop and last week I noticed one at a Jiffy Lube. They are out there, just not as abundantly as before.
Our streets are rife with homeless, because the weather is on average mild and Portlanders are tolerant. The homeless have to go somewhere and our welfare programs are liberal.
A very high percent are now professional homeless folks, whom you see year after year with their “give me money, God bless” signs, new shoes, and clean clothes.
Now we are seeing a lot of younger people with signs. Some of those exploiting puppies, while wearing nice shoes, and sporting things like crutches or bright clean medical splints on their leg. After seeing them on corner after corner, they tend to disappear into the woodwork.
Getting a medical card was as easy as asking my doctor to sign the physician’s statement, filling out the paperwork, walking up to the window at the state office, and paying $100. They gave me stamped copies and I was good to go without waiting for my card.
Getting a grower is more involved and stretches this thread pretty far, so suffice to say it is harder than just doing it yourself. Our outdoor season is short, so you need to grow indoors most of the year.
Don’t fuck with the cops in Portland because they will most assuredly shoot you dead about 21 times for making a gesture that made them “concerned for their own welfare and those around them.” They band together, lie in court, and don’t play by the rules.
A very strong police union presence and the board of inquiries, as well as the grand juries almost never find them at fault, even when the person was unarmed and there was more than one officer.
Portland housing costs are extremely high. A suburb would be cheaper but Portland has made a point through Metro development commission to limit new highway construction so as to force denser housing in the metropolitan area. That can make commuting during rush hour a bear if you live very far away.
On the plus side there is MAX that can make parts of it a snap, and Tri Met to get you around town if you abandon driving and Portland may well be the US bicycle capital.
GW
On point and thorough.
