Overland Park ranked one of the 20 best places to live... (Lee's Summit: house, theater)

[denverian]

Originally Posted by TabulaRasa

Yeah, but that's completely an issue of personal taste. I grew up on a remote farm, and love that kind of peace and solitude (and no, I don't fish/hunt/ride ATVs/"go shootin'," or whatever other redneck stereotype one could trot out), just as much as I love the variety of activities available in urban areas. Each thing in its place. That's why living in a metro that offers a variety of cultural amenities and conveniences, but still offers easy and quick access to rural peace and solitude is perfect for me and for people like me. That kind of flexibility in a given community is an asset to people who appreciate both those things. I'm also the sort who finds a million things to do wherever I go, though.

I don't get the whole, "Why would it matter if KC (or fill in the blank with whatever city of your choosing) is adjacent to 'the country,' when 'the country' sucks so badly, and there's no way anybody would find it enjoyable" thing. Even if that sort of thing isn't a draw for you, it seems reasonable to acknowledge that there are others for whom it is. I don't snowboard or surf or mountain bike, and so easy and frequent access to snowboarding, surfing, and excellent biking terrain wouldn't be anything remotely important to me in a prospective community...but I can fully well acknowledge that is certainly a population for whom that would be a big draw.

I know some people like it, but I just don't understand what you would do, just driving out to rural areas. We go up to the mountains a couple weekends in the summer, but it has a different appeal than driving out to the eastern plains of Colorado. I've never headed east of Denver other than to drive to KC.

[PA650]

Originally Posted by CrownVic95

I'm saying that there isn't a single Bay Area city that isn't close to the bottom of the livability rating list for the average American. They range from way too expensive to outer-space unfathomably expensive. And those that are merely "too" expensive are crime-ridden hell-holes.

Any average American considering relocation to the Bay Area....shouldn't be.

I can't necessarily disagree.

[grs1]

kcmo hasn't had any relevance since they destroyed their el train.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by CrownVic95

A half century ago I visited Madison and it was a nice little town. I hear, though, that it has changed rather profoundly since then.

All cities change, but Madison and Dane County are better choices than most other places in the US these days. Because of the diverse economy here and the emphasis on high tech, bioscience, medical records, research, and education it will continue to act as a talent magnet while retaining the nice qualities of a small metro.

[CrownVic95]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

All cities change, but Madison and Dane County are better choices than most other places in the US these days. Because of the diverse economy here and the emphasis on high tech, bioscience, medical records, research, and education it will continue to act as a talent magnet while retaining the nice qualities of a small metro.

Haven't been there in a long time, as I said, but I have no doubt that is true. But the main reason that's a pretty safe assertion is that half the country, at least, is utterly unlivable.

What I would enjoy there is the climate and the more traditional environment of heartland America, though I might have to stay out of the city proper to experience that. Madison may be nutty, but only within a limited radius.

The reason that "bioscience", "medical records", and "research" is a "talent magnet" is the geometrically growing vast sums of wealth that the corrupt medical industry sucks from our GNP. That system has become a bottomless pit and is the easiest big money that there ever has been for the most soulless of business leaders. It is therefore the last feature that I would hold up as a plus for any city. But that is not a slap at Madison, as there are lots of cities nationwide where medical system milkers are springing up like weeds. It is, quite simply, where all the money is as the rest of our economy circles the drain.

There has never been a con on a scale anything close to that of the "health care" system in America today.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by CrownVic95

Haven't been there in a long time, as I said, but I have no doubt that is true. But the main reason that's a pretty safe assertion is that half the country, at least, is utterly unlivable.

What I would enjoy there is the climate and the more traditional environment of heartland America, though I might have to stay out of the city proper to experience that. Madison may be nutty, but only within a limited radius.

The reason that "bioscience", "medical records", and "research" is a "talent magnet" is the geometrically growing vast sums of wealth that the corrupt medical industry sucks from our GNP. That system has become a bottomless pit and is the easiest big money that there ever has been for the most soulless of business leaders. It is therefore the last feature that I would hold up as a plus for any city. But that is not a slap at Madison, as there are lots of cities nationwide where medical system milkers are springing up like weeds. It is, quite simply, where all the money is as the rest of our economy circles the drain.

There has never been a con on a scale anything close to that of the "health care" system in America today.

I can't say I necessarily disagree with most of those points. Epic in Verona is a direct competitor to Cerner in Kansas City (medical records digitization industry). I work in Tech (GIS field) in the transporation engineering realm. Due to changes in the US economy and globalization many jobs have disappeared and have been lost in other parts of Wisconsin due to technological advances, consolidation, offshoring, etc. Since cumulative job growth has been higher in Dane County, more people from the more rural areas of the state have also moved in (often to the smaller cities surrounding Madison.) Wage growth in the Midwest has been lower for several reasons, but the biggest being the relatively larger population (a historic holdover from the manufacturing era), and a somewhat less quantity of good paying positions relative to the now larger numbers of people that do have degrees in fields like engineering, math, sciences, etc.

[mandavaran]

Originally Posted by denverian

One thing odd I noticed about OP... why have they torn down all the movie theaters in northern JoCo and it seems like the only "multiplex theaters" are way out south? For years, I've always lived within 5 min. of a multiplex theater, which is convenient. But from what I can tell, there are no theaters near Oak Park Mall or north of there.

There is a multiplex theater in Merriam, near the Ikea store. I saw Godzilla there this summer.

[iNviNciBL3]

Originally Posted by grs1

kcmo hasn't had any relevance since they destroyed their el train.

Most people in this country aren't as obsessed over public transportation as C-D posters are, which is why Overland Park is ranked one of the best places to live.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by mandavaran

There is a multiplex theater in Merriam, near the Ikea store. I saw Godzilla there this summer.

That's all a new development I haven't seen yet. Maybe if they tear down Metcalf South and re-develop it, they'll build a theater. Seems like central JoCo is missing a good theater.

[MUTGR]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

All cities change, but Madison and Dane County are better choices than most other places in the US these days. Because of the diverse economy here and the emphasis on high tech, bioscience, medical records, research, and education it will continue to act as a talent magnet while retaining the nice qualities of a small metro.

A lot of people like Texas apparently.

Why everybody is moving to Texas - Sep. 29, 2014