[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

To the OP's original post - I personally do not see or believe people from Florida are going to NC in "droves". Maybe during the boom, as others have suggested, there were more cashing out here and buying more cheaply there, but that has changed. Also lots of people move around just for a change of scene. Frankly I have seen people move to NC and then move back here when they realized it really isn't "all that." Even my hubby and I bought a second home in WNC (Asheville) for vacations and possible future living, but after awhile we saw that we loved Florida FAR more, for many different reasons, and sold that place. We have relatives living in the Triangle, they have lived there awhile and are looking to get out. They hate the weather, it's cold in winter and very hot in summer they say (to them, much worse than Florida).

Anyway, Florida has about double the population of NC, so I don't think the few who leave makes all that much difference. Just read these forums to see all the people who want to move here - we need to make room!

It is definitely true that there isn't the mad rush from FL to NC like there use to be. One of the biggest reasons is people stopped being able to sell their homes for what they paid for them and got stuck. And due to the economy there are not a lot of people moving anywhere right now. Maybe ND for a job?

But it doesn't change the fact that there are a lot of transplants in the Triangle and Charlotte areas and it has changed the character of the area.

I know I am an enormous hypocrite for writing this but I don't want to be near that certain group of people that marched through Florida and paved everything in its path while whining, "Where I come from things are not done that way."

I wanted to live in the real South around real Southerners. And by the way, I think native Floridians are real Southerners. And no, I am not a Southerner or a Floridian.

I'm a hypocrite.

[vaughanwilliams]

Florida = stagnation. Some people appreciate the change of seasons, the passage of time. Others like their little world to be the same day after day after day after day after day like an endless loop.

[beachmouse]

America's 20 Geekiest metro areas:

Geekville, USA: America's 20 Geekiest Cities - Forbes

5. Durham, N.C.
14. Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
20. Ft. Walton Beach-Destin-Crestview, FL

[WhatUpFLA]

Originally Posted by leftee

Artificial metro ? That's your opinion ... kinda like WPB-Fort Lauderdale-Miami ? Or Sarasota-Bradenton-Tampa ? Go ahead and compare those artificial metros Einstein ...

Thanks Sherlock for again stating the obvious ... I'm not looking for intellectual stimulation - I've got plenty in my life. And since when do you have to have a bachelor's degree or higher to work for the government ? Or since when does a metro have to be a seat of government to attract educated people like doctors, lawyers and others.

As I said before, go ahead and lump your precious WPB, Ft. Lauderdale and Miami together and we'll call it a metro. Population cutoff should be about just right ... and even if your imaginary "panhandle corridor" was created, you'd be a far cry from Raleigh-Durham.

Failure ? Truth hurt ? Your persistent defense of anything Florida is what denigrates the intelligence of most Floridians. No one said there weren't intelligent people in Florida; just not to the volumes of other places. Most people here with any level of education and mental aptitude would agree that Florida is not up to par with other states when comparing educational levels.

Not my list but again you choose to make it personal ... once again, this post was not about me. As I said before, I don't have any issue finding intellectual stimulation, even here in dreary ole Orlando.

Give the condescending and arrogant attitude a rest ... don't you have a Mensa meeting to go to ?

Please note that term 'MENSA/MENSO' is a term that I have only ever heard used by native Floridians in the State of Florida. Try using that word in a conversation with someone from New England, Upstate New York, the Upper Midwest, or the Pacific Northwest...ain't no one gonna know whatcha talkin' about...and people will look at you like you're a Martian. LOL.

[WhatUpFLA]

I live in Boca Raton, the second largest city in Palm Beach County, and there are many, many people living and working here that hold at least a bachelor's degree. When driving around town, one can't help but notice all of the university-themed Florida license plates from institutions like UF, FSU, FAU, Miami, USF, UCF, etc.; as well as license plate frames from universities not only in Florida, but across the country. You don't see too many college bumper stickers or decals because, after all, would you put a bumper sticker on a Bentley? ;-) LOL.

[Soup Not See]

Originally Posted by TriMT7

Are those metros utilized in your oh-so-objective "bestest edumacated" lists? Go ahead and get your latest version of "Highlights for Kids' Best Smart People in the World Places Survey" and tell the class what the methodology is, and by what metro standards and criteria they use.

My lists? Try again superstar. I guess you equate periodicals like Forbes and Men's Health among others to Highlights for Kids. What's the matter ? You're upset because WPB wasn't mentioned ?

Originally Posted by TriMT7

I've already shown that Tallahassee has more people with bachelor's degrees than Raleigh, individually. So why was Raleigh ranked but not Tallahassee? Because of the population threshold. Are you trying to say that any random random person in Raleigh will have a better chance, per capita, to be around or meet someone who is "educated" (whatever THAT means).

No, Tallahassee doesn't have more people with bachelor's degrees than Raleigh-Durham. According to your stats, the percentage of people with bachelor's degrees is higher in Tallahassee than Raleigh-Durham. And no, I'm not saying that any random, random, random person in R-D would have a better chance at meeting someone with a bachelor's degree than someone in Tallahassee. We can both see that the probability is about the same ... about the same as it would be in the town that houses the smallest college in Iowa.

Originally Posted by TriMT7

If that's not blatantly obvious to you, then we've got some major problems.

Why do you suppose Washington DC is always well ranked? Why do so many people with degrees live there as compared to the national average? Lawyers, lobbyists, politicians, public relations, staffers, etc. etc.

Also, when a town has one or two major industries: Colleges and Government, you tend to have a lot of people with degrees running around. Compare to if a major industry is manufacturing, agriculture or even financial services.

Hmm, why are Seattle, Portland OR, San Francisco, Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk constantly appearing on these lists ? Government ?
Colleges ? Or maybe just because smart people like to live where other smart people have chosen to reside. Or maybe it's the correlation between being edumucated and having cash.

Originally Posted by TriMT7

The south FLorida metro is 5.5 million people, ace of stats. Palm Beach County alone has 1.32 million people. We only have one university and one state college within the county borders, whereas "the Triangle" has three major universities in roughly the same population bloc, and a well established research apparatus based on the university backbone.

Even so, 31% of the population of PBC over age 25 has a bachelor's degree or higher. Not too shabby.

As for the "metro" area, 30% have a bachelor's degree or higher. There are over 350,000 people enrolled in colleges or universities at any time. Again, pretty good for a region with a very significant immigrant population that draws from some pretty poor places in the world. .

Considering the average for the United States is 27% with a bachelor's degree, one would find better than average educated populace in South Florida.

Go ahead and throw in the extra couple of million people that make up Miami and then give me the numbers. I will agree that PBC is an anomaly in a state of educational dysfunction and congrats on choosing that locale to hang your cap and gown.

Originally Posted by TriMT7

You're the one who started your post on a false premise. That people leave Florida to North Carolina in search of smart people. You made that statement despite no evidence, and only your misplaced, unearned educational snobbery to support such a statement.

During boom times, Florida has always had opportunities for blue collar, construction workers, agriculture workers and laborers. This is nothing to be ashamed of. Again, the more intelligent members of any society or city will find eachother.

Hardly unearned uneducated snobbery with two masters degrees ...

Maybe I should relo to PBC where all of the "edumucated" folk are ?
There's a reason that no major Florida city is thought of as an intellectual hotbed and if you don't see that, God help us all.

Originally Posted by TriMT7

Let's analyze your initial response to the OP:

Maybe it's because the folks that leave are lacking intellectual stimulation in Floriduh and the Raleigh-Durham area for one is always ranked as one of the most educated areas in the U.S. Don't see too many Florida cities on those lists, if any.

Good to know that you do not share the sentiment that Florida is "lacking in intellectual stimulation" and that only those who move to Raleigh Durham from Florida have made the determination (based on your infamous lists) is where they'll find the smart people they are so desperately craving to be around.

Florida has pockets of bright, intellectual, thought-provoking, stimulating people. Hard to find pockets ... all most Floridians care about is their next trip to the beach or how to make more than minimum wage or how to expunge their criminal records. I will say that you certainly are a diamond in the rough. It's refreshing to see a Floridian that has a vocabulary larger than 100 words and doesn't mention the word 'beach' or 'Gators' in every other breath.

Originally Posted by TriMT7

MENSA is for people who use terms like "Floriduh" in a nonironic manner.... you wouldn't happen to know people like that PERSONALLY, now would you?

I've met a few Men-suh types that couldn't carry my jockstrap. Droll, mundane, boring clones who can recite The Iliad, but can't tie their shoes or carry on a conversation.

[Soup Not See]

Originally Posted by beachmouse

America's 20 Geekiest metro areas:

Geekville, USA: America's 20 Geekiest Cities - Forbes

5. Durham, N.C.
14. Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
20. Ft. Walton Beach-Destin-Crestview, FL

I'd rather be a geek in Durham with cash than a beachbum in Ft. Walton Beach without two nickels to rub together.

[beachmouse]

The geeks in Ft. Walton Beach have often done quite well for themselves over the past ten years- lots of getting fat and happy from DoD contracts.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by WhatUpFLA

Please note that term 'MENSA/MENSO' is a term that I have only ever heard used by native Floridians in the State of Florida. Try using that word in a conversation with someone from New England, Upstate New York, the Upper Midwest, or the Pacific Northwest...ain't no one gonna know whatcha talkin' about...and people will look at you like you're a Martian. LOL.

I've officially seen it all.

They are referring to MENSA, as in the organization that has members that score at the 98th percentile, or higher, on an intelligence test. They did not mean the Spanish words for "stupid," male and female, ironically.

Oh, and I'm from New England, too. Lots of Hispanics there and all over this country.

I'm starting to see the original post from an entirely different angle.

Originally Posted by beachmouse

America's 20 Geekiest metro areas:

Geekville, USA: America's 20 Geekiest Cities - Forbes

5. Durham, N.C.
14. Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
20. Ft. Walton Beach-Destin-Crestview, FL

Even Forbes noted that soon the Titusville area will no longer be geekified. I'm surprised that Oak Ridge, TN is not on that list. On the other hand, people are in love with lists which explains why they are constantly and hastily slapped together and often don't make sense.

[Swimmom32]

we lived in Charlotte for 2.5 yrs We left NJ in 2007 and Moved to NC and let me tell you 1/2 of south florida, NY and NJ live there..We personally did not like it and we are originally from NYC/NJ and so many many people I knew and spoke too couldn't believe we were moving here...Oh well to each is own..I will tell you also that yes people were making money on their homes and looking for Utopia but they need to keep searching because there is no such thing....anyway, We love living here in Florida although NC was certainly much much cheaper to live...but cheaper isn't always better....