What do you love/hate about New Mexico? (Albuquerque: live, mall)

[GregW]

I thinl BtheK writes some great polemic but I suggest his nearly unlimited dislike of the culture of NM says more about him than NM.

[CindyBQuilts]

Originally Posted by Billygoat the Kid

Isn't Mississippi a part of Appalachia? I thought so. So are 8 or more states. That's quite an extrapolation to compare an entire region of 20 million people of multiple states. I can tell you that some of the poverty here in NM matches those in the poorer regions of Appalachia and other poverty stricken places in the world. Have you checked the stats on where our state ranks in terms of poverty, unwanted teenage pregnancy, dropout rates, murder rates, etc.? If it were not for Mississippi and/or Louisiana, we'd be dead LAST!

Sorry, BtK, I double checked on Encarta, just to make sure, and Mississippi is not part of Appalachia... The Appalachian mountains go down to Georgia....maybe you were thinking GA?

[Billygoat the Kid]

Originally Posted by CindyBQuilts

Sorry, BtK, I double checked on Encarta, just to make sure, and Mississippi is not part of Appalachia... The Appalachian mountains go down to Georgia....maybe you were thinking GA?

From Wikipedia:

"Appalachia is a term used to describe a region in the eastern United States that stretches from southern New York state to northern Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia."

"Over twenty million people live in Appalachia, an area roughly the size of the United Kingdom, covering mostly mountainous, often isolated areas from the border of Mississippi and Alabama in the south to Pennsylvania and New York in the north."

"The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) was created by the U.S. Congress in 1965 to bring poor areas of the 13 U.S. states of the main (southern) range of the Appalachians into the mainstream of the American economy. The commission is a partnership of federal, state, and local governments, and was created to promote economic growth and improve the quality of life in the region. The region as defined by the ARC includes roughly 408 counties, including all of West Virginia and counties in 13 other states: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia."

Appalachia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Billygoat the Kid]

Originally Posted by 6/3

Gosh.....sounds like you just described yourself to everyone here. How sad ???

Keep dreaming.

[CindyBQuilts]

I wouldn't take information from Wikipedia as totally correct/accurate, as it can be edited by anyone...

[Billygoat the Kid]

Originally Posted by CindyBQuilts

I wouldn't take information from Wikipedia as totally correct/accurate, as it can be edited by anyone...

True.

[loborick]

Originally Posted by Billygoat the Kid

I have no clue who that is. That was my first post to this board.

Did I say that??? I said the CULTURE here is one of anger, jealousy, negativity, ignorance and near hopelessness. Nowhere did I say "EVERYBODY" was that way, but there is a big portion of people in NM and especially in Albuquerque that think that way. I have never, ever lived in a city where I have faced so many angry and vengeful people.

Since I have lived here, I have been robbed at gunpoint, had another person pull a gun on me while driving, had the inside of my garage tagged, my mom's brand new car keyed, and have dealt with businesses that have no morals or scruples when it comes to robbing their customers and employees blind. And as I have stated before, it seems as everywhere I go I get mad dogged or someone wants to yell at you, fight with you or get mad at you. That has NEVER happened to me in any other city of an even bigger population and size. It's amazing how anyone makes a living let alone stays sane in this city.

Pick up a newspaper or do some internet research sometime. This is one of the most violent cities in one of the most violent states in the Union. Just take a look at this:

Most Dangerous States 2008 - AOL Money & Finance

There are an estimated 150,000 or so gang members or associate in L.A. Most of which live in South Central L.A., Compton, N. Long Beach and parts of the San Fernando Valley. And I never, ever had a problem or a run in with any gangbanger when living in L.A. They pretty much stick to themselves and leave normal people alone. I don't ever think I've seen a gangsta at the Grove, in Santa Monica or even on Sunset. But go to the NM State Fair... gangbanger heaven (or hell). Either some hardcore moron or some wannabe moron trying to start smack. And in a town of around 550,000 as compared to a large megalopolis of 12+ million? You do the math. It's ridiculous.

You live in Southeast Albuquerque? Home of the "warzone". Lovely. You may have been around town to see some of the 'homeboys' shooting at each other. Unless you have been living in a cave in Nob Hill, gangs are in every 'hood in this city - especially the SE. Also, take a drive to Westgate or Five Points and tell me now there are no gangs.

Get real.

I care! Maybe if we attracted some major league sports franchises here we'd have something to be proud of. Maybe that would dump hundreds of millions of dollars here so that we would have better jobs and actually give people something to do and see. And I never paid $100 for a ticket to a game. Dodger games start out at $9. $40 got me a ticket to the USC-UCLA football game. And my buddy, who was a season ticket holder for the Kings, gave me free tickets on the 5th row all the time. So, I don't know what the heck you are kvetching about.

BTW - Miami is one of my favorite cities on earth.

Isn't Mississippi a part of Appalachia? I thought so. So are 8 or more states. That's quite an extrapolation to compare an entire region of 20 million people of multiple states. I can tell you that some of the poverty here in NM matches those in the poorer regions of Appalachia and other poverty stricken places in the world. Have you checked the stats on where our state ranks in terms of poverty, unwanted teenage pregnancy, dropout rates, murder rates, etc.? If it were not for Mississippi and/or Louisiana, we'd be dead LAST!

How's our mayor doing? Still in office, and may be for an endless amount of terms. Is Manny Aragon in prison yet? Nope. And he was in the Senate for 30 years! We are 2nd or so behind Louisiana in terms of political corruption. You can barely wipe your nose without some politico getting a take of the action.

No, it does not suck "in most of the United States". Head on out to the Boston area and you cannot turn a corner without running into a place of higher learning. Our APS is failing our kids as are the parents. Again, that may have something to do with the culture which goes on in vicious circles.

Who said I hated NM? I love NM. Too bad the culture, schools, job scene and crime all suck. Otherwise, it would be paradise.

I can barely even read what you write. Did you graduate from one of our wonderful public schools?

Bzzzt! Wrong again.

Thanks. Not that much longer until I am gone. I'll be sure to write after a day of surfing and eating dinner at George's at the Cove. Gosh, I am getting short.

I've lived in NM all my life and have never had anything near what you're talking about happen to me. You sound like you've got some bad karma or something. I think you do need to leave.

Don't let the door hit ya where the Lord split ya!

[desert sun]

Originally Posted by loborick

I've lived in NM all my life and have never had anything near what you're talking about happen to me. You sound like you've got some bad karma or something. I think you do need to leave.

Don't let the door hit ya where the Lord split ya!

I've lived in NM all my life and Ive had a gun pulled on me twice and both were just random, wrong place at the wrong time, things happen

[Billygoat the Kid]

Originally Posted by desert sun

I've lived in NM all my life and Ive had a gun pulled on me twice and both were just random, wrong place at the wrong time, things happen

Yep. Happened to me too. Never had that happen to me in So. Cal. or Vegas. I really never felt unsafe in any other city, but I do here in Burque. Again, I attribute it to culture.

Sorry that happened to you, man. It affects you psychologically and you really never see people the same way again... at least, I don't.

[tcburns]

Really Billygoat, don't you think you've made your case? Perhaps it's time to move on from here as well?