Tom

has written 5 SperlingViews. Currently, Tom is living in San Francisco, CA and has a little something to say:

Stop bashing the Big Easy Posted On: 1/25/2008 11:00:13 PM

Everywhere has problems, so there's nothing to be gained by harping on them. New Orleans is the only place of any interest in the South culturally. And really, is NOLA the only American city with a jerk for mayor? HAHAHA, not by along shot. What some people don't understand is that racism is part of the federal government's response to Katrina. Don't blame the natives for that, blame the incompetent and corrupt Bush administration. I say that as a white northerner.
And to all you insist in bashing it, ask yourself why you visited in the first place. Is it because in a country with damn few special/different towns or cities, New Orleans still has something special you can't find at home? Laissez les bons tomps roulet!

Love the Big Easy Posted On: 1/25/2008 12:40:42 AM

As a white ex-NYer I have to say that alot of the criticism of NOLA strikes me as racism. Yes there are problems, like where doesn't have them. Yes the cleanup has been ridiculously slow and inept. Well the mayor is a first class jerk, and the Republicans in DC don't give a damn about anyone but rich white people, so blame the Texas idiot and his corrupt crew. All you white suburbanites don't like it because it's messy. That doesn't stop Midwesterners and other Southerners from treating Bourbon Street like their own private frat house.
New Orleans is a special place in a country with damn few special places left. The friendliness, the live and let live attitude, it's the best place in the entire South.

So many extreme comments for such a sunny place Posted On: 1/16/2008 4:07:19 PM

I am always surprised by the vitriol in these posts. How much animosity towards people with differing opinions.
Some room-temperature I.Q. observations: San Diego is not NYC. Well, duh.
Stop complaining about the weather/traffic/cost of living: you people are dreaming, everyone everywhere complains about the weather/traffic/cost of living. Get over it! Some place cheap with no traffic is where? Fargo maybe. Think about it, if someplace is desirable more people will move there, and it will cost more, duh!
The old mantra of changing that which you can, accepting that which you cannot change, and having the wisdom to know the difference between the two applies here.
San Diego has many problems, of course, but it offers alot more than most places and at a very reasonable cost compared to some. Maybe it is kind of a St. Louis by the sea, but if you don't expect it to be something it isn't you should do okay.
Having lived all over, I think San Diego is way above average.

Know where you're going Posted On: 11/3/2007 5:09:05 AM

Hey, another thing that bears mentioning is that this is not a liberal city, fair number of Christians, and you will meet lots of folks from Texas. The current US Rep. is commonly regarded as one of the most corrupt Republicans, which is saying alot. I'm very liberal myself and am here to tell you that ABQ is not a half-mil version of Santa Fe or Burlington. The reason you move here is to get a foot in the door, to make your move to Santa Fe easier, or to go UNM. That's why I moved here, and I'm happy with it. That being said I will probably move to Santa Fe if I stay in the state.

What are you looking for? Posted On: 11/3/2007 5:00:11 AM

Like everyplace else there is bad and good. I'm a ex NYC-er so trust me when I say the Nob Hill nabe is the only part of the city that's walkable and interesting. Cost of living? Fantastic, $530 for a 1 BR incl. utils. Crime, yep we've got it, mainly car theft. Weather, brilliant, tons of sunshine, lotta outdoor stuff near by. Traffic, good compared to everyplace else I've lived (NY, Seattle, LA). Food, great if you like New Mexican or Mexican.
So the pros are: low cost of living, great weather, good university.
The cons: the drivers here are the worst, they will tailgate you doing 80 when there's not another car in sight. Not exaggerating, it's pretty bad. Also not the most sophisticated place. But I do give it a thumbs up.