What is the principal city of the Triad? (Charlotte, Raleigh: salons, 2010)

[DeaconJ]

1. Blanche....I recognize sarcasm very easily, and your statement about Wake Forest was not sarcastic. It was a feeble attempt to downplay the Triad's top university.

2. The fact that Salem College is coed is no reason to leave it out when comparing the colleges and universities of GSO and W-S. Salem's academic reputation far exceeds Guilford's.

3. Why would you assume that I "blindly" accepted the HBCU rankings? I was already aware that WSSU is an all around better school than either N.C. A&T or Bennett, and simply presented the rankings data to support my position. I would call doing so practical and efficient - not "blind". By the way, A&T is an engineering and technical school - that is true...but it is certainly not "one of the nation's best" by any stretch of the imagination. It is nowhere to be found on any list of the top engineering programs in the U.S. Making outlandish statements like that one is truly damaging your credibility in this forum...not that you care.

4. Thank you for attempting to educate me on the characteristics of a good school, but after several as an educator I think I'm qualified to recognize the factors that help determine the quality of a school. Of course I didn't fully research the schools, mainly because your opinion in this area is of no significance to me. But as a product of W-S/Forsyth County Schools I was totally offended by your condescending statement that "Forsyth County Schools are abysmal"...but it quickly turned to laughter when you stated that "Guilford has some of the nation's best schools". Neither statement is remotely sensible, and it's just another transparent example of you praising everything GSO and trashing everything W-S.

5. You made no convincing argument in favor of Greensboro's private schools. W-S's are clearly a cut above those in GSO. FCD is certainly no place for public school rejects...it is a highly regarded and well respected private school - and no, I don't HAVE TO present you with any research. I'm very familiar with FCD and the other schools that I mentioned before.

6. 2008 Greensboro population: 258,000
2008 Winston-Salem population: 225,000

It appears that once again you have exaggerated the superiority of Greensboro...the difference is about 30,000 residents - not 50,000. Now wait, you're a social scientist AND a geographer? Do you also sell Mary Kay in your spare time? Your credibility is very thin at this point.

Your problems with W-S streets does not mean that the streets are inadequate...it probably means that you weren't as familiar with them as you were with GSO streets. I had the same problem when I moved to GSO - it's called learning your way around a new city, and it can be confusing. There is no significant difference in the roadways of the two cities...and there is no traffic to speak of in either.

7. I noticed that you dismissed any rankings that I included as insignificant or invalid in some way. I don't necessarily view these rankings as factual, but they do lend some credibility to my stance on this issue. You, on the other hand, have presented no evidence to support your claims...they all appear to be blatant homerism or maybe a competitive jealousy directed at the peer city nearest to Greensboro. I really can't diagnose your problems online.

8. I don't know if the OP was seeking a "works cited" list, but you certainly presented something on the opposite end of the spectrum.

You don't love the region nor do you love each city. How can you post that kind of garbage about Winston-Salem and then announce your love for it? You love Greensboro, and it's obvious that will say anything to present a superior image of it, even if it means trashing neighboring cities. The rest of us aren't oblivious to reality. We can see and hear.

[cohaagen]

Originally Posted by DeaconJ

1. Blanche....I recognize sarcasm very easily, and your statement about Wake Forest was not sarcastic. It was a feeble attempt to downplay the Triad's top university.

So now you're telling me my own intentions. Thank you, God. Can you also bring back my puppy that died when I was 12? I made no attempt to downplay Wake. It is an excellent school. How did I reach this opinion? Was it a list of rankings from your magic book? No, genius, I went there when I studied law.

2. The fact that Salem College is coed is no reason to leave it out when comparing the colleges and universities of GSO and W-S. Salem's academic reputation far exceeds Guilford's.

My statement about Salem being coed in no way stated that as the reason for its status as a decent choice for a liberal arts education.

3. Why would you assume that I "blindly" accepted the HBCU rankings? I was already aware that WSSU is an all around better school than either N.C. A&T or Bennett, and simply presented the rankings data to support my position. I would call doing so practical and efficient - not "blind". By the way, A&T is an engineering and technical school - that is true...but it is certainly not "one of the nation's best" by any stretch of the imagination. It is nowhere to be found on any list of the top engineering programs in the U.S. Making outlandish statements like that one is truly damaging your credibility in this forum...not that you care.

You must not read enough of your precious lists, because A&T has several curricula that are nationally recognized. WSSU may have a wider focus and is recognized as a good HBCU, but does not offer stand-out programs of national regard.

4. Thank you for attempting to educate me on the characteristics of a good school, but after several as an educator I think I'm qualified to recognize the factors that help determine the quality of a school. Of course I didn't fully research the schools, mainly because your opinion in this area is of no significance to me. But as a product of W-S/Forsyth County Schools I was totally offended by your condescending statement that "Forsyth County Schools are abysmal"...but it quickly turned to laughter when you stated that "Guilford has some of the nation's best schools". Neither statement is remotely sensible, and it's just another transparent example of you praising everything GSO and trashing everything W-S.

An educator? Go back to your special ed kids and let them worship you. It won't happen here. Secondary: Western, Northwest, Grimsley, - Nationally recognized repeatedly by every one of your precious rankings. Also somewhat true of Page and Southeast. Weaver Center is a nationally recognized vocational institute. And then there's Guilford's Early College and GTCC's Middle College. Primary - There are really too many to list for Greensboro, so I'll list Winston's outstanding primary schools: Friendship.

5. You made no convincing argument in favor of Greensboro's private schools. W-S's are clearly a cut above those in GSO. FCD is certainly no place for public school rejects...it is a highly regarded and well respected private school - and no, I don't HAVE TO present you with any research. I'm very familiar with FCD and the other schools that I mentioned before.

State and nationally regarded private schools in Greensboro (since you're such an expert, I'll let you refer to your magical tome of school rankings in your own time): American Hebrew Academy, Greensboro Day, Caldwell, B'nai Shalom, Greensboro Academy, Canterbury. W-S has a few that are also noted, but you might want to rethink your worship of FCD. Just look at the percentage of students diagnosed as having learning disorders, as well as those who have transferred from other local schools.

6. 2008 Greensboro population: 258,000
2008 Winston-Salem population: 225,000

It appears that once again you have exaggerated the superiority of Greensboro...the difference is about 30,000 residents - not 50,000. Now wait, you're a social scientist AND a geographer? Do you also sell Mary Kay in your spare time? Your credibility is very thin at this point.

Does population equate to superiority? I'll need to bring that to the attention of URISA and the AAG at our future meetings. Geography is a social science. If you're an instructor in FC, I think you're quickly showing the source of their schools' performance.

Your problems with W-S streets does not mean that the streets are inadequate...it probably means that you weren't as familiar with them as you were with GSO streets. I had the same problem when I moved to GSO - it's called learning your way around a new city, and it can be confusing. There is no significant difference in the roadways of the two cities...and there is no traffic to speak of in either.

As I've stated, I've lived all over the Triad. I have driven nearly every mile of road in every county in this region, occasionally for research. I know the region better than most, so don't make assumptions of unfamiliarity.

7. I noticed that you dismissed any rankings that I included as insignificant or invalid in some way. I don't necessarily view these rankings as factual, but they do lend some credibility to my stance on this issue. You, on the other hand, have presented no evidence to support your claims...they all appear to be blatant homerism or maybe a competitive jealousy directed at the peer city nearest to Greensboro. I really can't diagnose your problems online.

True, rankings are a starting point, but there's more to everything than meets the eye. However, I see no more real evidence provided in your posts than in mine.

8. I don't know if the OP was seeking a "works cited" list, but you certainly presented something on the opposite end of the spectrum.

I gave him a short, concise opinion. Just like everyone else. That's what forums are for. Much like the lists that you carry in a golden sack hidden beneath your chastity belt, these threads serve as a starting point. No one would ask for input on a forum and then relocate based solely on that input.

You don't love the region nor do you love each city. How can you post that kind of garbage about Winston-Salem and then announce your love for it? You love Greensboro, and it's obvious that will say anything to present a superior image of it, even if it means trashing neighboring cities. The rest of us aren't oblivious to reality. We can see and hear.

Again, God, thank you for telling me my own feelings. I posted nothing horrendous or damning about W-S. I noted some flaws and gave short reasonings, as well as a disclaimer that it was only my opinion. Do you think that I wrote this as some comprehensive "Welcome to the Triad" brochure? I haven't mentioned economy at all. I must think that it doesn't matter, right?. I haven't mentioned the nationally renowned Baptist Medical Center. I must resent it for being far superior to the adequate Moses Cone system. Facts: I live in W-S, and have for a total of 12 non-consecutive years. I work in W-S, and have for a total of 14 non-consecutive years. I went to college for 2 years in Winston, at Wake (that terrible, terrible excuse for a university). I taught for 3 non-consecutive semesters at FTCC.
I do not hate Winston. I do not loathe it. I am not indifferent to it. I enjoy the town. My personal choice in this region, however, is Greensboro. There are things that I love about Winston and things that I hate, just as with Greensboro. Unfortunately, Winston has a greater concentration of things that bother me than Greensboro. Thus, I prefer Greensboro. People like you need to learn that this entire region is a community, just as places like Atlanta are communities. We have the quality of being a region with multiple centers, unlike Atlanta. We cannot further this childish culture of competition between conjoined twins.
The OP wanted some simple feedback regarding our opinions. I provided mine. Let it go and step down from your soapbox.

[DeaconJ]

You are really full of it aren't you? No one is buying your crap. I stopped reading the most recent fictional novel you posted after the first line...and skipped to the very end. I'm pretty sure you have repeated the same nonsense that was in each of your previous responses to me.

Wrong again...Atlanta has multiple centers...and wow, in addition to your several other careers and areas of expertise, you're a teacher and a lawyer as well? You must know everything there is to know about everything!

You aren't worth any further resposes...I should have noticed that everyone else in the N.C. and Triad threads ignores your rants. I will remember to do so in the future. Reading your posts and responding to you is a total waste of time. You have a severely slanted view of your little world and I have challenged that view with factual information that proves many of your "opinions" invalid. Sorry about that, but there are professionals that can help you cope...please seek some help...you are a mess.

[cohaagen]

Originally Posted by DeaconJ

You are really full of it aren't you? No one is buying your crap. I stopped reading the most recent fictional novel you posted after the first line...and skipped to the very end. I'm pretty sure you have repeated the same nonsense that was in each of your previous responses to me.

Umm... You do realize that "fictional novel" is redundant, I hope. Of course you do, after all, you're an educator.
I'm not here to make you believe anything, but anyone can see what you're trying to do now - "I can't make a valid point against anything this guy says, so I'll bring the validity of his statements into question."
Bravo! A true coward's path.

Wrong again...Atlanta has multiple centers...and wow, in addition to your several other careers and areas of expertise, you're a teacher and a lawyer as well? You must know everything there is to know about everything!

Atlanta has multiple centers? Are you kidding me? Let's see... there's Atlanta, and, well, nothing. It is a metro area consisting of a single large city, which is surrounded by several smaller cities whose growth and overall existence has been wholly the result of the effects from that large center. Or, for purposes of simplicity, it's a single hub with several small nodes, unlike the Triad, which has 2 larger centers, one smaller center, and several small nodes.
I never claimed to be a lawyer. I went to law school. Such an education is demanded by my profession in regional planning. And careers? I have a single career, and have had that same career since graduating from UNCG several years ago. I do not consider myself a teacher. As I said, I taught 3 semesters. The department invited me to instruct a class, and I happily obliged. But, being so involved in education yourself, I'm sure that sounds sooo far-fetched to you. No one asked for a biography from me, and I only provided the small details as supplements to my explanations.

You aren't worth any further resposes...I should have noticed that everyone else in the N.C. and Triad threads ignores your rants. I will remember to do so in the future. Reading your posts and responding to you is a total waste of time. You have a severely slanted view of your little world and I have challenged that view with factual information that proves many of your "opinions" invalid. Sorry about that, but there are professionals that can help you cope...please seek some help...you are a mess.

Translation: "I have been proved to be incorrect in my belief that my opinion is the one true gospel, so I will now result to the cowardly practice of making you sound like a crazy person. My next step will be to compare you to Hitler."

What rants are you talking about? I think this might be, at most, the third thread that I've participated in here. And you are the first brain-dead troglodite to give me grief about my participation. I'll be sure to ask your permission in the future, since you, as Supreme Ruler of Forums, find my input so damaging to your view of the world.

[ibeg4sushi]

DUDE, cohaagen! You have got to lighten up, man. You are taking yourself and everyone else on this board (and this topic!) way too seriously. Really, how important is this topic on a scale of 1 to 10, as compared to world hunger? This is not life or death. So relax. Breathe.

[gsoboi]

I think some come to the conclusion that Winston-Salem is more of a city just because its has more downtown skyscrapers. I do think thats a false assumption and that buildings are not what makes a city. I can think of a number of places that seem more like city than Charlotte and Winston-Salem combined and hardly have any towers. But its clear to me that Greensboro is the principle city. when the big shows come to the area, they come to the Greensboro Coliseum not LJVM. Greensboro hosts most of the big conventions that come to the area. There are more hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions, entertainment options in Greensboro. And there are more jobs in the Greensboro area. If you are looking for nightlife, Greensboro is the place to go, in fact, Greensboro has the second best nightlife in the state after Charlotte. Another thing that reveals Greensboro as the principle city is the number of highways in the city, some with 10 lanes. It shows how much commuting traffic comes to and through the city. There is just so much about Greensboro that clearly makes it the principle city but that doesnt mean Winston-Salem isnt a great city. Both cities have things that the other lacks.

[kittycondo]

There is really very little true difference between Greensboro and Winston-Salem. If you were to visit either city for the first time you would get the same impression.

[gsoboi]

Originally Posted by kittycondo

There is really very little true difference between Greensboro and Winston-Salem. If you were to visit either city for the first time you would get the same impression.

Exactly as I pointed out earlier. Once you get out of the downtowns, there is virtually no difference between Greensboro and Winston-Salem. They both look the same. In fact they both look like most southern cities.

[cohaagen]

Originally Posted by ibeg4sushi

DUDE, cohaagen! You have got to lighten up, man. You are taking yourself and everyone else on this board (and this topic!) way too seriously. Really, how important is this topic on a scale of 1 to 10, as compared to world hunger? This is not life or death. So relax. Breathe.

That has been exactly one of my points all along!
I don't understand the personal attacks. I assume DeaconJ slurps his sustinence from anonymity. I'm not taking anything seriously, I just don't understand this single troll's irritation with my candid (and not at all vicious, unsubstantiated or unpopular) opinions. My only advice to him is to wash the sand out of his vagina and get a real life. I come on this forum once every now and again just to see if I can learn anything or provide input to people with questions. As with all forums, we must deal with these trolls, which is unfortunate, but my only annoyance is that his erratic and unusual anger at something so meaningless as which Triad city has a brighter future is taking away from an otherwise interesting discussion. Seriously, I never understood the bloodshed in Ireland between Protestants and Catholics, but if supporters of two nearly identical cities get this worked up over disagreements, then that bloodshed between two very similar religious groups begins to make sense.

[Elm&McGee]

The main difference between Greensboro and Winston-Salem is that in Winston-Salem you have no problem finding the center city because of all of the skyscrappers, but anyone not familiar with Greensboro don't have a clue where downtown Greensboro is located. I live in downtown Greensboro and I have invited friends over before who had no clue where downtown Greensboro was located. I have heard some say they did not know that Greensboro had a downtown. Greensboro is know for its suburban shopping centers, High Point Road, coliseum, 4 Season Mall, Koury Convenction Center, Wendover, Battleground, and Friendly Center. Most suburbanites have little reason to go downtown.