[PTSA]

Oldmanshirt,

You are exactly correct. Keep an open mind and you will do quite well in the direction you have embarked on.

Alexjon,

No one jumped because the price of gas did not stay high enough for a long time and everyone adjusted to the new expense when the inconveniences relaxed. Somehow I do not think this will happen this time and if it does then that is really unfortunate for all of us.

Talk about density, did you ever walk in the major cities in India? I am very well aware what densities that are involved. When my Mom was born in Manhattan in the 1920's, if she was still living, she could tell you how much change there was in her lifetime and there we are talking about an area constrained by water on three sides. A planner can not make a reasonable forecast beyond 30 to 50 years. 100 years is not worthy of an attempt.

A note for your information (since you have never heard anything like this with your familiarity of Portland), yesterday a 28 year old woman was beaten and her purse stolen on the Gresham to Portland light rail line by four teenagers that were roaming the light rail line. You see, she tried to stop them when they started harassing a helpless elderly man. There were people in the car and they did nothing to stop this. Some say the operator of the light rail was aware of it and did nothing. They got away with it. Just recently a commuter was beaten to a pulp on that same line and I am not sure if he ever recovered from it. Oddly enough the light rail line had an open house for that same line on how to improve the service that evening. As reported by local TV the #1 issue was security and crime. They had short interviews with open house participants. The statements were something like this...I do not travel anywhere on light rail without my mace...the platforms are unsafe there is only one way in and out and no other recourse to escape...I have to constantly look over my shoulder. Are you starting to get the picture. This is not the goal of increased density and urbanity. Do you understand how many transit police it would take to saturate the cars and this is only one line.

I never stated that SA needs help in tourism. Please learn to read. But what city and business community would refuse to have an increasingly growing tourism business. There is a marketing director at SA that does exactly that every day.

Oh yes I lived in Seattle also. I even witnessed the Boeing crash first hand. Bought several distressed houses and sold them eventually. Was there two weeks ago for a weekend. Nice.

You seem to be well motivated to your cause however any further effort in this direction is pointless and a waste of my time. You see when individuals are not willing to change, or at least be open to other ideas, then that is why no one jumped during those energy problems. For most people you really need to turn up the heat so they can jump. Just a fact of life. Nothing bad.