What do you think about Elmira, Binghamton, Ithaca, and Jamestown?

[NatreeRose]

Originally Posted by tviz25

SO, what does everyone think of these 4 small cities-
-Elmira
-Binghamton
-Ithaca
-Jamestown

I live and grew up in Jamestown. It is a pretty cool place for the arts, if that's what you're into. I have met some of the most incredible people through the arts here. I actually worked for 2 years for a band out of Jamestown called Big Leg Emma. They developed a HUGE fanbase in the area and I really saw the kinder side of Jamestown. There is always something to do here, lots of places to hang out, and pretty much an outlet for whatever kind of creativity you possess. As far as jobs, the pickings are VERY slim.

While being with the band I also got to travel to Ithaca and make some lifelong friends out there which I stay with occasionally, and it is BEAUTIFUL! A great place for outdoor activities and it has a gorgeous view of the finger lakes in some of the higher altitude areas. It is also a huge art community, and made up by a majority of hippie-types (which I was perfectly fine with!). It has a GREAT music scene. It IS a college town, so I guess that would be the best way to describe it. A free-thinking, anything goes kind of society.

Hope this helped!

Peace.

[mark beylo]

Originally Posted by schmoe

thanks for posting a reply that didn't go straight for the jugular; unlike many tech forums which oppose the slightest difference in perspectives.

For the record, i am no longer there and 10,000 percent better, at least, since i have more order and stability in my life, and the quality of people went up by the same factor, as soon as i drove out of the gloom county area. Having said that, there were indeed a few exceptions to this, and i do missing hanging out with them. But overall my view of that area is very very clouded with negativity.

I came there as part of a computer project and did not have any sort of expectation related to anything whatsoever. Are you kidding me? Entertainment? What - cuz rod *serling* is from there???? You have got to be kidding me on that.

I was aghast at what i saw, as compared to real civilization. Honestly my beef isn't with anyone there from an individual standpoint. There is no doubt to me though that there are some serious problems with the business community and this 'culture of ripping off' newcomers - well documented and tested in several sectors by myself and a former co-worker, and validated to some extent by a local friend of ours. One of the places that i was shown to rent was so bad i wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.....picture the worst public gas station restroom that you have ever seen and that is what they were trying to rent to me. Disgusting. There were some other very underhanded bait-and-switch deals that some of the esteemed members of the real estate community did -- which simply would not fly in atlanta or san jose or orlando or phoenix or a lot of other places other than upstate ny. Actually the culture there seems to have more in common with mexico than in a lot of other places....ya need to bribe and pay everyone in cash everywhere you go, just to make it through your daily routine.....

And not even the president of davis university wants to live there. If you were hiring a university president, wouldn't that be a pretty visible position? The guy is gonna live in miami and work in binghamton new york??? Huh? What's wrong with this picture??? Did the mafia get him the job?

Of course, there are some filmmakers currently filming the ayn rand classic 'atlas shrugged' which covers themes of declining morality and social decay. It is starring angelina jolie. Maybe someone should call their film crew and get them to set up a remote 'binghamton' unit.....it has all the right scenery, imagery, bad attitude, corruption, etc.....

where to begin. I lived in bingo town all of my life 50 yrs. I am now making steps to get out within two years. The bing city schools have had a huge influx of students from nyc over the past 10 to 15 years about the same time all the drug dealers from nyc decended on the city. Broome countys welfare system made it easy to come here binghamton welcomed them for reasons to boost the residence census to keep binghamton a city. Bu is a great college the only thing that has helped the bing area. Beyond that downtown is a conglomerate of vacant storefronts. The only dept store boscoves has stayed only from the huge tax breaks the city affords them. U can always find low paying jobs here though. As far as weather bing does not have anything to offer. People go crazy when the sun comes out in the summer because there is aprox 20 nice days a year. The rest are gray overcast and rain. The mountains are nice. There is not much to do in bingo town. Come here bring your proxac oH AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST COME TAKE A DRIVE AROUND THE CITY AND PLAN TO MAKE A DENTIST APT. AFTER THE RIDE BECAUSE THE ROADS WILL RATTLE YOUR TEETH OUT AND U COULD ALSO NEED SOM VEHICLE REPAIRS FROM THE LARGE POTHOLES THAT RESIDE NEXT TO THE SMALLER POT HOLES. ENJOY THE RIDE. COME STAY FOR A WEEK SEE A HOCKY GAME AND THEN LOOK FORWARD TO LIVING SOMEWHERE ELSE.