New misery index measures cities’ malaise

Such sensationalist journalism! The 'formula' they used is extremely trendy. Really, the title should read, Phoenix had the fastest rise in misery out of anyone else. It's like if I got a higher percentage raise than anyone else in my company, and then tried claiming that I was the wealthiest person working there. We definitely got hit hard, but we are still doing much better than a lot of the cities out there. I don't see us bulldozing old run down neighborhoods that were abandoned because no one wanted to live there (eh hem, Detroit) or dealing with more depression because we don't get enough sun (eh hem, Seattle). Yes it's hot. Amazingly, swimming, staying inside, and this new invention called A/C helps to handle that. Of course, I laugh the other 7 months out of the year when I'm sitting outside in 60 to 80 degree weather, and reading articles about record snow in the rest of the country.

Phoenix is comfortable all winter long, and the "snowbirds" flock in from every corner of the country. Spring and fall are gorgeous, too. Very hot summers, but with A/C, it's no problem. Housing is affordable, while Scottsdale and Paradise Valley offer world class shopping , spas, and dining. Golf and other sports, well, one could go on, but....

 

A little bird tells me that this non-story is more driven by politics than truth. Right? Yes, I believe so.... 

Don't you love what this country/world is coming too? Always comes down to politics. One blames the other, the other blames back. Never ending cycle. The fact is both are causing the world's problems. All parties make promises they can never keep just to get into power. Then the people place blame and on other parties, it's turning into a modern day segregation issue. you know what that lead too? Same thing that's going on in Libya and other parts of the world, and something this country already experienced, a civil war. We don't need another civil war, stop bringing politics into everything or else that will be our future. This country needs to work together. The fight should be against overproducing companies, make car manufactures produce less cars each year, really how many need a new car every year, most car companies use robots to make cars so no loss of human jobs. Make these sports players earn a respectable pay, makes me sick when someone gets a million dollar contract, and sits on the bench. Make cities stop building new homes/business buildings when there are tons out there that are empty, put the money into refurbishing them and building public parks and venues. This world revolves too much around politics and the almighty dollar and it's killing this world.

Soon the poor will be poorer, low class will be poor, middle class will be low class, and high class will be middle class, only 2 classes can afford to live anymore, and yet all people do is argue politics and ignore the true picture, nobody will be happy, because as long as politics has many mouths, many egos, only ones losing is the people, because republicans will never agree with democrats and democrats will never agree with republicans. Same goes for Libs, Cons and Reals, they all let there egos come before the ones that truly matter, we the people of these united states of america.

 

Thumbs down me all you'd like, you know all I've said speaks the truth, and the truth hurts.

I'm a transplant from greater LA.  My neighborhood has seen young families who were buried in debt (thanks to creative financing) walk away from their homes.  The new buyers are mostly snowbirds purchasing a winter home.  In general, they take much better care of their places.  The neighborhood looks better and is much quieter.  Almost a ghost town in the summer.  Easy access to the golf courses.  It's still OK to play golf in 115 degree weather.  If this is misery, I love it.

Some people will gripe about any place they were living. I love Phoenix, and its close communities. However after living here 56 years, The profile has changed very much. The desert is ugly, covered up with thousand of acres of asphalt, housing , trash, all because of our very rapid growth , many from Calif, Mexico, However we have added thousands of miles of new freeway, that was the biggest problem for years. Public transit now. Give us time we will become a little LA,. That is when I AM LEAVING for  greener pastures,./

All really liberal cities.  Libs tend to be miserable in general.  Life has not been and is not now good to them.

What? Phoenix? the largest city in a MODEL RIGHTWING state? the state where business flocks to as it is a "right to work sate"( republican spin for no mandatory  unions). Arizona has some of the lowest wages in the west, minimal environmental restrictions, and though they SAY they want the borders locked down, other than a few counties, look the other way while the corporate community uses illegal's to keep wages low. The state senate wants to fix things though, they are on the verge of passing a tax bill, they call a "flat tax" that does nothing more than LOWER the corporate tax liability and RAISES state taxes on poor and middle wage earners. I feel privileged to live in a state like this, of course that doesn't matter because I could never sell my house anyway.