Los Angeles - "A Paper Tears Apart in a City That Never Quite Came Together"

[LA21st]

Originally Posted by Segun

IMO, LA is missing large public spaces. It needs more public gathering spaces in general, but could benefit from one or two big meeting places. Even Tokyo has Shibuya and the area near Parliament.

When something major occurs in big cities, there's always an area where you'll find people gathering to protest, party, etc. When you're in an urban setting surrounded by hundreds of thousands to millions of people on the street, it makes you look at your city differently.

Where is that in LA? No, the Academy Awards don't count. What would be a good contender?

Broadway in downtown is starting to get that, with some protests and "Night on Broadway".
I believe downtown LA has had some of the bigger women's marches in the last two years and they went fine. Crowded as hell, but no issues.

LA's neighborhoods have awesome/vibrant farmers markets everywhere where you can see the city coming together.

[Segun]

#2 - Infrastructure. I don't know if LA is not getting the funding it needs or what, but man, there's some serious issues with its bones. Its like they're contracting out to whomever is the first bidder. I remember years ago seeing a Christmas display in Pershing Square. I kid you not, it was like someone went to Costco and bought a bunch of inflatable Christmas balloons. It looked like that episode of the The Simpsons where Homer decorates his house. It sounds petty, but reminders that your civic authority cares go a long way. Hire planners to create a consistent design aesthetic across the city and people will begin to notice. Also, hire more people to clean, landscape and take care of the sidewalks and public spaces better.

[dc_denizen]

Weird critique of LA.

[badrunner]

It is a weird critique, and a bit schizophrenic. The decline of print media is not exactly news, so they had try to shoehorn it into some larger narrative about LA's lack of civic identity, lack of cultural and political institutions, endless sprawl, and various other outdated tropes that have been recycled for decades. Too much vapid editorializing and not enough reporting. I would have preferred a straight story on the newsroom drama at the LA times, with all the gory details. Now I have to look elsewhere if I want to get the real story.

[cabasse]

Originally Posted by 599GTO

Control your inferiority complex. The author of this article is from Los Angeles.

https://twitter.com/Rossalincoln?ref...Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Unlike the pathetic LAT, the NYT is the global paper of record and has office and media presence all over the world, including Los Angeles. All Los Angeles articles are written by the Los Angeles division of the New York Times. The New York newsroom has better things to do than write about Los Angeles.

you really are some strange caricature of a new yorker. lol

[chris08876]

Originally Posted by Quixote

Yeah, nobody from New Jersey would ever say they’re from NYC.

Right. Exactly! We are just New Yorkers that drive better thats all, and by better, I mean we don't grip the left lane (which New Yorkers do a lot), we just tailgate someone to death until they move out of the way on I-78 (NJ's version of the autobahn).

[Eightball]

Originally Posted by Segun

#2 - Infrastructure. I don't know if LA is not getting the funding it needs or what, but man, there's some serious issues with its bones. Its like they're contracting out to whomever is the first bidder. I remember years ago seeing a Christmas display in Pershing Square. I kid you not, it was like someone went to Costco and bought a bunch of inflatable Christmas balloons. It looked like that episode of the The Simpsons where Homer decorates his house. It sounds petty, but reminders that your civic authority cares go a long way. Hire planners to create a consistent design aesthetic across the city and people will begin to notice. Also, hire more people to clean, landscape and take care of the sidewalks and public spaces better.

No, the problem (per the LA Times at least) is that 20% of our TOTAL city budget goes to employee pensions. And rising. We could fix all of our roads, or house our homeless (per the article) if we could re-allocate that money.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by 599GTO

Control your inferiority complex. The author of this article is from Los Angeles.

https://twitter.com/Rossalincoln?ref...Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Unlike the pathetic LAT, the NYT is the global paper of record and has office and media presence all over the world, including Los Angeles. All Los Angeles articles are written by the Los Angeles division of the New York Times. The New York newsroom has better things to do than write about Los Angeles.

Originally Posted by sopas ej

Wow, snarky.

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

It's a good thing NY ers don't need constant justification, adulation and reassurance that they live in a great city... They Easily have the lowest self esteem of any group of people on earth

New Yorkers don't think they live in a great city, it's just that it's the only city by NY standards. And no, that's not snark. It's just the way a lot of people think about it, they don't think outside the city. LA is a fine city, with fine people on both sides. 599GTO was just stating fact. The "snark" I sense is from the rest of ya.

[jd3189]

As a born New Yorker, I have to agree with 599GTO and NYguy despite the former's pompous response.


When it comes to urbanism completely comparable to other global cities like London, Tokyo, Shanghai, Paris, Rome, etc. NYC is the only thing the US has that can compete. The other thread proves it, when it comes to public transport.


However, LA is still a unique city that has the potential to be urban in ways NYC or other older cities will never have the chance to be on a large scale. Even the way it is now, it's great the way it is. We can't have every city looking the same as NYC or the others.

[Quixote]

I guess on a somewhat related note, the LA Times (since it was brought up) is finally coming back into the hands of local ownership with Patrick Soon-Shiong purchasing it from Chicago-based Tronc, Inc.

With the NFL's return, the next black eye to be healed: LAX rail access (2023). Inch by inch.

[IMBY]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

in chicago we joke that phoenix is chicagoland's westernmost suburb.

it's at least a little true.

When I lived in Phoenix 1993-1996, it was estimated that there were 400,000 people in Phoenix with roots in Chicago, and going as far to call Phoenix, the New Chicago.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by IMBY

When I lived in Phoenix 1993-1996, it was estimated that there were 400,000 people in Phoenix with roots in Chicago, and going as far to call Phoenix, the New Chicago.

and that 400,000 figure probably didn't even include the 100,000s of chicago snowbirders that head down that way every winter.

i might not personally understand it, but chicagoans seem to LOVE the valley of the sun.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by NYguy

New Yorkers don't think they live in a great city, it's just that it's the only city by NY standards. And no, that's not snark. It's just the way a lot of people think about it, they don't think outside the city. LA is a fine city, with fine people on both sides. 599GTO was just stating fact. The "snark" I sense is from the rest of ya.

Give it a rest. We've all been to NY a million times and some of us, you know, lived there too. There's no "we New Yorkers" this or that. I'm sick of hearing that justification. There are just some assholes who live in New York who feel that living in New York imparts them with justification to look down on everyone else, as if New York's success as a city somehow rubbed off on them and made them equally successful through osmosis. It's tired and old, and says more about those individuals than about those millions of New Yorkers who don't act that way, and in the end will probably end moving elsewhere some day without batting an eyelash.

599GTO was indeed being snarky. He's always being snarky. He's got something stuck in his ass and you see it in every post when it comes to defending poor widdle New Yawk. He called the LATimes "pathetic" in that very post. Please defend somebody more deserving of it than him.

[Just-In-Cali]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Give it a rest. We've all been to NY a million times and some of us, you know, lived there too. There's no "we New Yorkers" this or that. I'm sick of hearing that justification. There are just some assholes who live in New York who feel that living in New York imparts them with justification to look down on everyone else, as if New York's success as a city somehow rubbed off on them and made them equally successful through osmosis. It's tired and old, and says more about those individuals than about those millions of New Yorkers who don't act that way, and in the end will probably end moving elsewhere some day without batting an eyelash.

599GTO was indeed being snarky. He's always being snarky. He's got something stuck in his ass and you see it in every post when it comes to defending poor widdle New Yawk. He called the LATimes "pathetic" in that very post. Please defend somebody more deserving of it than him.

I tend to agree.

LA doesn't need to be like NY as some have said. Its the first LA. Its a beast all unto itself. Some love it...some hate it. Fine. Same in the Big Apple.
The problem is that NY citizens...at least a portion of them...tie their self worth in large part to simply existing in NY. They start and end every sentence and description of themselves with "Well Im from NY...so.."
When you personally tie yourself in with a city to that extent, you take it really personally if anyone doesn't bow before your supposed greatness. They get a case of the "ButtHurts" if you don't tell them how wonderful they are.


New York is our premier city...I can say that. Its not our only city...and in many ways...not even our best. I have no quarrel with them. But the obsession with trying to take down LA is fascinating. There is a hint of jealousy there. They cant believe LA is in any way successful because it flouts everything NY is. Hell...LA developed on that very premise. The 'anti-NY"
It drives them crazy that LA gets a pretty big chunk of the attention that they feel they alone should get. It baffles them. "But but...we're New York...unless youre like us...how can you be good?"
Its not all NYr's. Most that spend their whole lives there don't really care. Its there home and they live there. Its more the transplants that have to justify their current lives to everyone else by declaring how "NY" they are.
That's where this article comes from. Its funny.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by Just-In-Cali

I tend to agree.

LA doesn't need to be like NY as some have said. Its the first LA. Its a beast all unto itself. Some love it...some hate it. Fine. Same in the Big Apple.
The problem is that NY citizens...at least a portion of them...tie their self worth in large part to simply existing in NY. They start and end every sentence and description of themselves with "Well Im from NY...so.."
When you personally tie yourself in with a city to that extent, you take it really personally if anyone doesn't bow before your supposed greatness. They get a case of the "ButtHurts" if you don't tell them how wonderful they are.


New York is our premier city...I can say that. Its not our only city...and in many ways...not even our best. I have no quarrel with them. But the obsession with trying to take down LA is fascinating. There is a hint of jealousy there. They cant believe LA is in any way successful because it flouts everything NY is. Hell...LA developed on that very premise. The 'anti-NY"
It drives them crazy that LA gets a pretty big chunk of the attention that they feel they alone should get. It baffles them. "But but...we're New York...unless youre like us...how can you be good?"
Its not all NYr's. Most that spend their whole lives there don't really care. Its there home and they live there. Its more the transplants that have to justify their current lives to everyone else by declaring how "NY" they are.
That's where this article comes from. Its funny.

The Grammys was a prime example of this. The extreme over the top NY mentions and discussions about being in NY or from NY was hilarious and sad at the same time.

[599GTO]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

I'm sick of hearing that justification. There are just some assholes who live in New York who feel that living in New York imparts them with justification to look down on everyone else, as if New York's success as a city somehow rubbed off on them and made them equally successful through osmosis.

When I drive my Rolls-Royce, it's not to say that I'm better than you, it simply means I drive a better car.

[Steely Dan]

When I ride my bicycle, it's not to say that I'm better than you, it simply means fuck cars (including rolls-royces).

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by 599GTO

When I drive my Rolls-Royce, it's not to say that I'm better than you, it simply means I drive a better car.

When you drive your Rolls Royce and yell out the window to everyone else, “Look at my Rolls Royce! Who can touch this?” is the better analogy.

Your incessant inferiority complex is best exemplified by your need to unnecessarily say things like this:

Originally Posted by 599GTO

More money probably flows through Midtown Manhattan on any given day than the total sum Philadelphia has seen in the last century.

It's certainly not a place I care to live, but Midtown Manhattan is the richest and most important district in the world.

[montréaliste]

New York can show LA how to put together 2 other superlative dailies; the Daily News and NY Post. Yeah right.

Sleep tight Angelenos.