Around once a year, maybe more often, a local publication will attempt to dispel Portland's amazingly good image, drawing attention to things like its lousy job market, annual rainfall, increasing influx of condos, lackluster public school system and ever-rising population of hipsters and empty-nesters. This almost inevitably leads to dozens of readers writing in to express their views on the subject, turning any discussion of the article into full-fledged class warfare before everyone settles down long enough to collectively agree that the mountain, the beaches and easy access to high-grade pot make it all worthwhile.

Matt Davis' op-ed from Monday is the latest in the series and it received 140+ comments that should be considered required reading for anyone thinking of moving here in the near future. Long story short: if you don't have a lucrative career waiting for you, don't even think about moving to Portland. The days of easy-living in Stumptown ended at least four years ago. That said, the mountain really is lovely.