7Apr/0942
Change Portland?
Someone asked me a question about if I could change 1 thing about Portland what would it be. I'm not gonna tell you my answer; I want to see what fellow Oregonians think.
What would you do to help make PO better?
Someone asked me a question about if I could change 1 thing about Portland what would it be. I'm not gonna tell you my answer; I want to see what fellow Oregonians think.
What would you do to help make PO better?
April 7th, 2009 - 08:05
Remove hipsters from the restaurant industry so that we can all enjoy a meal without horrible service.
April 7th, 2009 - 08:12
How about road layouts that made sense on the west side. The grid is a beautiful concept.
April 7th, 2009 - 08:34
Portland Public Schools should play the “Bust a Bucket” video every morning in their schools, in place of the Pledge of Allegiance.
April 7th, 2009 - 08:51
Removing the giant stick from our collective asses.
Don’t get me wrong, this is a great place to live and work. Got a lot of good things going for us. Unfortunately, we know it and act like it.
Instead of all acting like our group of hipsters is better/worse that the group across the street (replace “hipster” with whatever PDX stereotype you like… cyclists, Greenies, whatever), let’s just all enjoy the place and welcome other people to do the same.
Oh, and get over the Portland isolationist thing. Stop taking shots at Seattle and Vancouver, etc.
April 7th, 2009 - 09:09
Maybe a little more social/ethnic/cultural diversity. Portland is such an open-minded city but unfortunately it seems to be awfully homogeneous in many ways.
April 7th, 2009 - 09:12
an NBA title
April 7th, 2009 - 09:27
@Sock-eye: Unless you mean one this year, the Blazers won the 1977 NBA title (with Bill Walton as the MVP).
April 7th, 2009 - 10:52
Decrease the number of people on the MAX who just use swear words to speak.
April 7th, 2009 - 11:11
A population of wild elephants wandering around in the parks.
April 7th, 2009 - 14:47
More basketball courts.
April 7th, 2009 - 15:46
A major league baseball team. I’m okay not having one, but my husband whines about it all summer long–so for his sake that’d be the one thing I’d change about PDX.
April 7th, 2009 - 17:48
Probably 2 things. One bring the NFL that would be sweet.
And then have a real Amusement Park, Some huge roller coaster. I hate that we have to go so far away.
April 7th, 2009 - 21:29
Stop pandering to the homeless.
April 7th, 2009 - 21:32
More diversity. As a PSU student it’s easy to take the diverse student body for granted but outside of school sometimes I’m blinded by the whiteness.
And more hugs.
April 7th, 2009 - 23:39
As something small, I wish the sense of community would return to the music scene. Everyone’s in a band, but no one comes to shows anymore. Most of the all ages venues are shut down… it’s really just down to a few houses (some of which are REALLY great) and some pretty intensely lame venues. I’ve been trying to help promote things, I know there’s people that still care.
April 7th, 2009 - 23:46
I HEART Channing Frye bumper stickers on all vehicles.
April 8th, 2009 - 12:33
Agreed with “remove hipsters”, but just in general. you want to talk about diversity? Get rid of a group that looks, dresses, and acts exactly the same.
April 8th, 2009 - 12:59
Less rain and more sun.
April 8th, 2009 - 13:19
I’d love it if people stopped calling it “Portland, Oregon” and just started calling it Portland. I grew up here, and I know we are a small city and what not, but saying “City Name followed by Name of State” should be reserved for towns that have weekly tractor pulls, Wal-Marts, and mountain people. Portland, Oregon sounds very quaint and as if we have short man’s disorder. No one is going to confuse us with Portland, Maine if we just call our city Portland.
April 8th, 2009 - 13:32
less whiteness
house shows every day
another (few) NBA title(s)
a MAX line that benefits the metropolitan citizens as much as the suburbanites
fewer Washington plates
actually the simple destruction of the bridge that lets Vancouver in
PS I do call it Portland, but whenever I’m on the east coast tellin people which city I rep, they get mad confused and flustered when I correct them and tell em “no, not Portland, Maine”
April 8th, 2009 - 13:40
less whiners and d-bags like SSA.
April 8th, 2009 - 13:48
Less liberals and more reasonable independent thinkers.
(most portland liberals are that way because its “cool”)
April 8th, 2009 - 14:07
Two things: First More Love. Second, Get rid of the income tax and add a sales tax. That is the “only” reason OR sucks. Channing feels this as he is hella-rich!!! Just nod your head in approval…If you live in the Couv and work in PDX your screwed, if you work in the Couv and live in PDX your screwed, how can they get you both ways????
April 8th, 2009 - 21:27
Calling for simply “less whiteness” is no better or worse than calling for “less blackness, or brownness, or what-have-you-ness” diversity isn’t always a color issue ya know…Also, maybe if you took the MAX to those suburbs you seem to despise so much you would see a little more diversity anyways (Gresham, Beaverton, Hillsboro all have larger minority populations than the city of portland, the couve is probably close behind just to let you know where you should go if you’re so dead-set on your dream) Either, I hate to assume, but I will: you’re probably white yourself, and also not FROM Portland, so if you really wanna make it less white, then leave…
April 9th, 2009 - 11:30
Oh, and I’d also like more civil discourse between liberals and conservatives. Although I personally think anyone who voted for GWB should publicly apologize for empowering one of the worst Presidents in the history of the US, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think conservatives shouldn’t have an opportunity to explain themselves without fear of being beaten with blunt objects.
April 9th, 2009 - 12:41
People here should stop thinking that this is such a diverse place and that people here are so open minded. It’s not. I don’t ride a bike and use public transportation because my job does not allow me to. Yet, I am looked down on because I drive a vehicle that runs on gasoline. I agree with Dave (above) – I did vote the first term for GWB and I feel like admitting it would have me burned at the stake. What’s the difference between that thinking and say a deeply conservative area that looks down on ‘liberals’. None.
More independent thinkers and less side-takers. SSA – please move, you are a bad representation of someone who grew up here.
April 9th, 2009 - 13:48
Note to ignorant Portlanders (you know who you are): Less of an isolationist mentality. You’re in Oregon for God sake. Embrace the whole state not just yourselves. Oh, yea and have a nice day!
)
April 9th, 2009 - 23:00
I think that Portland has a huge problem with homelessness. I am not advocating that the homeless should leave. I think that more homeless shelters should be built, especially ones with programs to help homeless people get jobs. Other than homelessness, there’s not too much that is wrong with Portland besides the fact that we haven’t won an NBA title since 1977. But you guys are working on that right now…
April 13th, 2009 - 18:53
I would volunteer one day a month with a local nonprofit to help improve our community. I wish it could catch on like first/last Thursday. Maybe if it was a city wide event like First Saturday?
April 14th, 2009 - 08:36
I’ve visited Portland throughout the year, and Portland is WEIRD! The people in Portland look Weird?? Don’t get me wrong, Weird is OK, but you have some many looking WEIRD, it’s WEIRD. In regards to diversity, you have very little, but I didn’t feel any less welcome to your city. I’m Black and I really like Portland and the WEIRD diversity of people. I experienced your city as being diverse in a very WEIRD way! I hope to be back to visit Portland before the end of the year!! PS. I told some of my friends of color about your city, so you might see 3 BLACK females walking your streets and shopping. Please introduce yourself when you see us! KPW & IBP
(Invite Black People)
April 14th, 2009 - 15:25
I’d love it if the rivers were clean and summer weather started a month earlier (summer weather generally starts on July 5th around here.)
April 14th, 2009 - 16:22
More Jobs, more money to go around.
More unspoiled pieces of land.
More clean rivers.
More good radio stations.
More warmth and sunshine.
More chill people like Channing.
April 14th, 2009 - 19:44
I am tempted to say the weather, but isn’t the lack of sunshine one of the things what shapes us? Overcoming the gray by making ourselves just a little more colorful?
If I could change one thing, all the meter-maids would be orangutans. Cus who wouldn’t want to get ticketed by an orangutan?
Bonus! Your fine would be just a bunch of bananas.
April 15th, 2009 - 13:18
I would get rid of the blazers from the NBA and probably destroy your house and make you move away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 15th, 2009 - 20:23
Less Liberals and more roundball!
April 16th, 2009 - 19:25
I wish we had a monorail like Ogdenville, North Haverbrook, and Brockway.
April 27th, 2009 - 14:49
clone julian.
May 1st, 2009 - 00:41
Make the NBA reg season a month longer because I’m really dieing now that its over ;(
May 10th, 2009 - 20:09
More cute guys
there isnt alot of them in Portland
and that needs 2 change!!!!
May 14th, 2009 - 19:28
When did Frye’s blog become a political and cultural discussion hot spot? I think sprinkling a few black people on Portland’s pasty white surface would be nice. Maybe then we could get dumb hipsters to quit clamoring to have a black friend like it’s a trophy. Also not all liberals hate conservatives, we simply disagree. As for feeling like you could be chastised for voting GWB… You should be. We have all done some stupid things before, REALLY stupid things before. I guess what I’m saying is you’ve busted a friend’s chops before… this is no different. Stupid mistake guys… we’ll forgive, but never forget. Sit back and take and take everything with a grain of salt. The world is a funny place laugh at it. Seriously people need to take it easy. If you think people are being hypocritically open-minded, don’t tell them to change show them you are different and don’t suck. Give everybody… LITERALLY everybody a chance. The one thing I really would change about PORTLAND, OR-EEEE-GON is: Get rid of some of the overflow of bands and bring in some stand up comedy. There are a lot of funny people out here… get drunk and do it in front of people.
May 19th, 2009 - 16:01
Separation of church and state: good.
Separation of bike and car: great. We need more bike lanes so people who are just learning how to get around town on two wheels don’t interrupt the flow of car traffic and instigate violence and misunderstandings that can grow to hatred.
Oh, and 24-hour liquor stores.
July 13th, 2009 - 20:36
I agree with DBaller… Portlanders look WIERD! I just got back from a visit to your city. I have not been there since 2003 and was shocked at how bad the downtown looks now. I remember loving it 6 years ago. I counted about 30 homeless within a 2 block radius, mostly teens. In my opinion Tacoma is now a better city.
Also, you should take steps to remove some of your liberal hipsters… those people suck, and from a visitor standpoint are super annoying to deal with.