My God, you are an idiot.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy

When you have 10 acres, you stop thinking about the whole property as a fucking suburban lawn. A little lawn and a garden is nice, but you also need a bit of meadow and some woods and a nice place by the stream to kick back while the dogs run.

People who want to walk to everything usually forget that part of everything is that bench by the stream with no one around. I need a vista. If I were ever going to live in the city, I'd have to be by the water front or looking over everything.

Vistas, I got. Except when it's too foggy, but that's only 5 days a week or so.

[Adder]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

my F-I-L is in Ann's Choice retirement village in Warminster. Warminster is pretty scary now. I'd hate to think what it'll look like once all our social contracts and police protection expire. Dad's 87. How many years before you see the wars starting, and can you recommend any good armed security in that part of Buck's?

In your world, there is nothing to worry about. Obama won't get re-elected, and as soon as President Romney is inaugurated the Rs will rediscover their love of stimulus spending (er, I mean unfunded war) and lay off the Fed to give it free rein to do what's necessary. And, of course, the Dems don't have the fortitude to use obstruction to put party over country.

Thinking about it is almost enough reason to vote for Romney.

[Adder]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

I think a sign things are really, really bad will be if we see cities shutting down a few strategically chosen roads (like DC did with the road in front of the White House). The pretext will be its part of some green initiative - to encourage more people to walk, or create something akin to a park in certain nice areas of town. But in reality, the idea will be to ring off some of the better areas to keep businesses and consumers in town.

I don't think your example fits your argument. Also, park areas are probably less effective borders than roads.

[Adder]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

Georgetown refused a subway stop?

Yes. The Orange/Blue lines go right under it on the way from Foggy Bottom to Rosslyn. Legend has it that the original plans included a Georgetown stop, which the residents of Georgetown voted down.

[Adder]

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy

When you have 10 acres, you stop thinking about the whole property as a fucking suburban lawn. A little lawn and a garden is nice, but you also need a bit of meadow and some woods and a nice place by the stream to kick back while the dogs run.

People who want to walk to everything usually forget that part of everything is that bench by the stream with no one around. I need a vista. If I were ever going to live in the city, I'd have to be by the water front or looking over everything.

You're doing it wrong, man. You need to move on up. From my east-facing windows I have a panorama of downtown. From my north/west-facing windows I look over a well manicured graduate school campus, with the Twins stadium beyond that. And I'm high enough that you can see the edges of the Mississippi Valley in the distance. There is no way I would trade that for spending three hours a day in rush our traffic, only to get home to a place where I have to drive some more to get something to eat or find some entertainment.

If it's nature you need, get a cabin.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

Georgetown refused a subway stop?

There is no reason gated communities can't be in a city instead of just in the burbs. Memphis has rebuilt it's downtown living areas with them. It's wrong, and quite an ugly statement, but they're there.

I don't think the average American with cash to live in a gated community wants to live in something like Sao Paulo, where the minute you leave the compound, you're in a danger zone. That's more a prison than a community. I also think most people like land.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally Posted by Sidd Finch

Ugh. I grew up with yardwork. I have no interest in any of this crap anymore. I'll keep my heinously expensive SF house, with its postage-stamp yard and a host of good restaurants, bars and bakeries within walking distance (or a short bus ride if the hills are too daunting).

Comparison of my home to a place in SF? Dude, that's no competition at all. You're in one of the greatest places on Earth. Anytime you get sick of it and would like to trade, I'm all ears.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by Adder

You're doing it wrong, man. You need to move on up. From my east-facing windows I have a panorama of downtown. From my north/west-facing windows I look over a well manicured graduate school campus, with the Twins stadium beyond that. And I'm high enough that you can see the edges of the Mississippi Valley in the distance. There is no way I would trade that for spending three hours a day in rush our traffic, only to get home to a place where I have to drive some more to get something to eat or find some entertainment.

If it's nature you need, get a cabin.

Better than inner burbs.

Yeah, the next couple million I spend on real estate will be a little pied a terre in the city. Probably get that sometime around 2025. Maybe in Montreal.

[Adder]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

I don't think the average American with cash to live in a gated community wants to live in something like Sao Paulo, where the minute you leave the compound, you're in a danger zone. That's more a prison than a community. I also think most people like land.

Maybe most, and maybe DC and Minneapolis have skewed my perspective, but I still see the trend moving back toward the city (as has been the case for a couple decades). Here, rental vacancies are rare, and there are at least three luxury high rise apartment complexes in the works.

[Adder]

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy

Better than inner burbs.

For my taste, better than all burbs. To me the only reason to even consider it is for schools if you have kids. Or I guess if you like busy-body neighbors.

Then again I put zero psychological value on owning a "house" and I really hate yard work.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by Adder

Yes. The Orange/Blue lines go right under it on the way from Foggy Bottom to Rosslyn. Legend has it that the original plans included a Georgetown stop, which the residents of Georgetown voted down.

Dude. I lived in DC when the blue stopped at the airport. I know where the lines go. I just can't believe the city let a neighborhood vote on that. Not to mention the bar/restaurant owners that get hurt by the lack of one.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

I don't think the average American with cash to live in a gated community wants to live in something like Sao Paulo, where the minute you leave the compound, you're in a danger zone. That's more a prison than a community. I also think most people like land.

well it needs to be a city that can be torn down to build the communities. But there is a part of Memphis that was poor and is now the area where the bars/restaurant that would attract the adders of Memphis. To live there might be sketchy, or at least people think it sketchy so there are several gated communities. I know some people like land, but some don't care.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by Adder

For my taste, better than all burbs. To me the only reason to even consider it is for schools if you have kids. Or I guess if you like busy-body neighbors.

Then again I put zero psychological value on owning a "house" and I really hate yard work.

I am happy your type keep to the city.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

In Philly, ...

I can see how you might come to one way of thinking about cities in Philadelphia, and someone who lives in Boston or DC or San Francisco might come to completely different views.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

Georgetown refused a subway stop?

That's a myth.