Comments on: Tucson: the Desert “Civilized” http://blog.cheapmotelsandahotplate.org/2008/12/08/tucson-the-desert-civilized/ An Economist's Travelogue Sun, 22 Jan 2012 01:11:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: mike http://blog.cheapmotelsandahotplate.org/2008/12/08/tucson-the-desert-civilized/comment-page-1/#comment-969 mike Tue, 12 Apr 2011 20:57:47 +0000 http://blog.cheapmotelsandahotplate.org/?p=50#comment-969 Carl, Thanks so much for the letter. It made us both sad. Places had some integrity once, but now only money matters. Have you followed the Rio Nuevo project. Over $200 million spent, or stolen might be a better way to put it, and nothing to show fir it. Now the FBI is investigating. Ironically, we are in Tucson now, to take care of some health problems. Tucson does have a lot of good doctors. This past fall, we were in Portland for two months. We lived there in 2003-04. Take care and thanks again for writing. michael yates Carl, Thanks so much for the letter. It made us both sad. Places had some integrity once, but now only money matters. Have you followed the
Rio Nuevo project. Over $200 million spent, or stolen might be a better way to put it, and nothing to show fir it. Now the FBI is investigating.

Ironically, we are in Tucson now, to take care of some health problems. Tucson does have a lot of good doctors. This past fall, we were in
Portland for two months. We lived there in 2003-04.

Take care and thanks again for writing.

michael yates

]]> By: Carl http://blog.cheapmotelsandahotplate.org/2008/12/08/tucson-the-desert-civilized/comment-page-1/#comment-968 Carl Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:43:19 +0000 http://blog.cheapmotelsandahotplate.org/?p=50#comment-968 I just revisitd my hometown of Tucson on my annual spring pilgrimage. This webpage describes pretty accurately the uglification I see comparing the area to how it was when I last lived there, 1966. But there are neighborhoods, those I call by that name are known by the locls as barrios. The webpage doesn't include these outposts of civilization - and there are problems in the barrios for sure. The worst devastation is to the natural environment . It is caused mainly by sprawl - something that was prevented here in Oregon by laws from the 1970s called land use laws. I remember my mother protesting at having her water rates go up so the rivch people in the foothills could have their water pumped up to them. Proposals for lift fees were repeatedly defeated. The bars on the windows of even the poorest shacks tell a sad tale of desperation in the desert. The sprawl makes long distance driving inevitable, further degrading the air quality. I go back out of nostalgia and I walk the Sonoran desert dreaming about my childhood. But it is not nearly the same. My friends and relatives all miss the way Tucson was back in the 1950s. The money makers, developers, speculators, capitalist gamblers all, were at work even then. I grew up withkids from the Mangels Realty family. They were doing a "land office" business back then. Ralph and Helen Mangles were hardly ever home as the business was 24/7. I just revisitd my hometown of Tucson on my annual spring pilgrimage. This webpage describes pretty accurately the uglification I see comparing the area to how it was when I last lived there, 1966. But there are neighborhoods, those I call by that name are known by the locls as barrios. The webpage doesn’t include these outposts of civilization – and there are problems in the barrios for sure. The worst devastation is to the natural environment . It is caused mainly by sprawl – something that was prevented here in Oregon by laws from the 1970s called land use laws. I remember my mother protesting at having her water rates go up so the rivch people in the foothills could have their water pumped up to them. Proposals for lift fees were repeatedly defeated.

The bars on the windows of even the poorest shacks tell a sad tale of desperation in the desert. The sprawl makes long distance driving inevitable, further degrading the air quality. I go back out of nostalgia and I walk the Sonoran desert dreaming about my childhood. But it is not nearly the same. My friends and relatives all miss the way Tucson was back in the 1950s. The money makers, developers, speculators, capitalist gamblers all, were at work even then. I grew up withkids from the Mangels Realty family. They were doing a “land office” business back then. Ralph and Helen Mangles were hardly ever home as the business was 24/7.

]]> By: billybob http://blog.cheapmotelsandahotplate.org/2008/12/08/tucson-the-desert-civilized/comment-page-1/#comment-285 billybob Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:22:10 +0000 http://blog.cheapmotelsandahotplate.org/?p=50#comment-285 I'm with Bill. Tucson's already gone to shit though. Hell, even the 8th Congressional District is Democrat now! That's why I've moved up by Kingman. Maybe there the liberals and other California bound nut-jobs won't get snagged on their way west and ruin the pristine desert ranchland! I’m with Bill. Tucson’s already gone to shit though. Hell, even the 8th Congressional District is Democrat now! That’s why I’ve moved up by Kingman. Maybe there the liberals and other California bound nut-jobs won’t get snagged on their way west and ruin the pristine desert ranchland!

]]> By: mike http://blog.cheapmotelsandahotplate.org/2008/12/08/tucson-the-desert-civilized/comment-page-1/#comment-199 mike Fri, 04 Sep 2009 01:42:07 +0000 http://blog.cheapmotelsandahotplate.org/?p=50#comment-199 Bill, I hope you're not one of those horse riders ruining the desert. Or worse yet, a cattle rancher. Why did what I wrote upset you so much? I've written much more critical things about my home town. By the way, how's that Rio Nuevo deal going? MY Bill,

I hope you’re not one of those horse riders ruining the desert. Or worse yet, a cattle rancher. Why did what I wrote upset you so much? I’ve written much more critical things about my home town.

By the way, how’s that Rio Nuevo deal going?

MY

]]> By: bill http://blog.cheapmotelsandahotplate.org/2008/12/08/tucson-the-desert-civilized/comment-page-1/#comment-198 bill Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:03:48 +0000 http://blog.cheapmotelsandahotplate.org/?p=50#comment-198 I really hope you kept moving to Berkley that is surely where you belong. Please stay the hell out of Tucson! I really hope you kept moving to Berkley that is surely where you belong. Please stay the hell out of Tucson!

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