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Old 06-01-2016, 04:03 PM
 
Location: Florida
2,011 posts, read 3,541,704 times
Reputation: 2747

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mainlander View Post
CarrwayDJ, the only sh*t I see here is your attitude. Your arrogance is staggering. Because you lived on the island for a short period of time you're the absolute authority on the experience of every other person that has lived there past and since?

I haven't even been gone a year. I'm not arrogant. I and 99% of the people who frequent CD can spot the over-the-top epic ranters whose opinions differ so greatly from the mainstream that you can't just say it's a difference of opinion. It's BS...plain and simple.

Does the sun revolve around you as well? I'm sure in your mind it does. My words may have been a bit heated/angry (for obvious reasons) in my first posts but true nonetheless.

If you said you were burglarized once before you could unpack it would be believable. I'd just say you have rotten luck. Several times? Highly unlikely. Heck, you'd have a hard time avoiding the front page of the South Whidbey Record. That in conjunction with your other way over-the-top remarks has me throwing the BS flag.

Every single forum on CD sees these epic drive by attacks. It's especially suspicious when a new user does it. Often times these people write something outlandish, defend it, and disappear into the night never to be heard from again. Maybe some people do this for kicks. Maybe you did have a bad experience that jaded you. Still no excuse to mislead others.


It seems you still haven't bothered to look at any of the links that were posted to this thread. You also seem content to keep asserting that your OPINION is more valid than factual data. Lets all bow down to the master of the universe who has graced this thread with his mighty truth.

I did. You have a public emergency declared in 2014 but there is no mention of numbers. We don't know the extent of it. Wow, a home invasion suspect was charged. Never said the place was free of crime. Your crimes stats are hardly authoritative. None of those sites are. See my links below.

1)Fact: Whidbey has less officers per resident than any county in the state

Won't argue that.

2) Fact: Some residents have been burglarized up to FIVE TIMES

Show me a resident burglarized up to 5 times and I'll show you either a moron or someone living in the worst ghetto of Oakland. How many people are we talking about?

3) Fact: Whidbey has a property crime rate FAR higher than the large city of Seattle, three times higher than "safe" communities in WA, and 63% higher than the national average.

BULL. According to HomeFacts Seattle has a property crime score of 270.57. Clinton has 107.03 You probably need to talk to more Seattle residents. BTW, South Whidbey is not just Clinton. According to Langley has a property crime rate of 932/100,000 and Seattle has a property crime rate of 6,127/100,000. shows Clinton with a property crime score of 40.9 and Seattle with a score of 65.3.

4) You say: "- That he's already had several break-ins and he barely had time to unpack. Seriously, he makes it sound like he moved to Oakland. No way that was truthful."

Actually Oakland also has a LOWER property crime rate than Whidbey Island. Before you go around calling people liars, do some research, the internet is your friend.

BULL. According to HomeFacts Oakland has a property crime score of 366.44. Clinton has 107.03. also shows Oakland having much higher property crime. It also shows that. Seattle however, DOES have a higher property crime rate than Oakland. Are you sure you don't live in Seattle?

Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

That site is an outlier. It is ludicrous to even suggest South Whidbey has a higher property crime rate than Oakland. I will say this though. The populations of the South Whidbey towns are very small. Clinton and Langley have about 1,000 each. Freeland has about 2,000. Theoretically a couple guys could go one one crime spree and it would jack up the rate.

You can blather on all you want and spew your antagonistic drivel but you can't deny facts. A wise man once said:

"A skeptic will question claims, then embrace the evidence. A denier will question claims, then reject the evidence."

Intelligent people absorb new information and choose to adapt from there, as AADAD and MyNameIsMom did, they don't continue to stubbornly hold on their version of the truth despite a mountain of evidence to the contrary.

Of all of the people that have posted on this thread I wish you the most luck, because with that personality you're going to need it.

Yeah, I'm not kind to people who seek to so blatantly mislead others. A lot of people come to CD to research places to live. It's not a playground. People who write these over-the-top rants do others a disservice. Heck, you might have talked the OP out of a great decision. Anyone that writes an over-the-top rant deserves to be viewed with a heavy dose of skepticism. That is especially the case when it's a new account. Again, this isn't a difference of opinion. You are flat out exaggerating. I'll use a more polite term for not telling the truth.
, Clinton vs Oakland: Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

Clinton:Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

Seattle:Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

Clinton: Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

Seattle: Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

Mainlander's epic rants:

"The island has a culture of dishonesty, and the islanders prey on the new arrivals, or as they call them "mainlanders". I have never met so many shady people in one place in my life."

"We've already had several break ins and have barely had a chance to unpack."

"they'll sell you on this false small town utopia and then try to get over on you like a bunch of vultures."

"It's like we stepped onto the set of "Deliverance"."

"They all know each other, and they all refer each other to the mainlanders hoping for a hunk of the new meat."

"The Island has an interconnected web of dishonest tradespeople"

"Inflated bids for any work will come back triple what they would be in Seattle despite a far lower cost of living and business overhead. If the bids are fair, they'll shake your hand and then come back after the work is done with a number double the amount agreed upon. We saw this over and over. "


Look at your over-the-top remarks. Geez.

Last edited by Yac; 11-18-2020 at 02:37 AM..
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Old 06-01-2016, 05:37 PM
 
560 posts, read 846,426 times
Reputation: 1206
Well, I'm sure happier now knowing that I live up north outside of Oak Harbor instead of down south in that hotbed of iniquity!


Seriously though - my husband and I consider the island a wonderful place to live. No kids so we know nothing about the school system, other than that Oak Harbor High School has a great culinary program that we tend to watch.


We live on the island full time, but are not retired. Have had no problems in the years we've been here, which include a couple of years renting while we decided on an area and a home to purchase.


We aren't ostriches and we see the issues with drugs and burglary. I complain about them, but it sure as heck could be worse! As I've said - we've had no issues and most people I know haven't had an incident either.


As to the "culture of dishonesty", "islanders preying on new arrivals", "interconnected web of dishonest tradespeople" and most of the other comments I've seen in that vein - again I can say we've NEVER, NOT ONCE, had a situation that made us feel taken advantage of.
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Old 06-01-2016, 06:08 PM
 
Location: Lyon, France, Whidbey Island WA
20,831 posts, read 17,015,172 times
Reputation: 11532
Thanks Sea Dreams. We spent time in Oak Harbor and I liked it quite a bit. My DW an artist wants to be in the South so we will end up there.
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Old 06-01-2016, 07:54 PM
 
Location: Alamogordo, NM
7,940 posts, read 9,439,000 times
Reputation: 5695
A thought just struck me. I wonder if Camano Island has the same problem. I am wondering this because Camano Island has a lot of people that want to isolate theirselves and hide from the rest of humanity. I know this is true because I spent about 3 years living in Stanwood. if this happens sometimes criminals like to prey on these types - because, often these types have vacation homes in which they like to hide. Just a thought - maybe it doesn't matter where you live, it might just be your dumb luck reigning, right?


Right. I would lock your doors and your car doors, too. If you're gonna put a dog in your car and lock them in, though, I will take a large rock (boulder boy) and just bash the h#$% outta your window to get that dog out. What's really sad is when people leave human babies in hot cars. Really? What the? And people let their 3 year olds out of their site to take a picture at the zoo, and....whammo. Their kid is suddenly down in a moat with a terrifying silverback gorilla. I say this on the kid stuck in a moat with an ape dimemna: Watch your kids closely - be manic about watching them in public. It doesn't just fall to the Jared Fogle types to terrorize you out in public - there's big, bad apes in moats at the zoo that are just waiting to terrorize you and your bratty 3 year old who won't listen to his Mom and just does what he wants.


That poor silverback. He has ta pay for this ultra-stupidity with his life. Oh, it's real life. He's shot dead. Deader than a doornail. Disgusting. But I digress. Watch your kids even closer than you ever thought you had to.


Lock your doors. And move to Whidbey Island, anywhere on the island, people. It's a beautiful island waiting for you. Don't be afraid - but do use common sense.
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Old 06-02-2016, 01:42 AM
 
Location: Florida
2,011 posts, read 3,541,704 times
Reputation: 2747
Quote:
Originally Posted by AADAD View Post
Thanks Sea Dreams. We spent time in Oak Harbor and I liked it quite a bit. My DW an artist wants to be in the South so we will end up there.
If your DW is an artist she will love South Whidbey. Know this though, she will be one of many. When we would visit people we often saw an easel in a corner with a nice painting in some phase of completion. It's what people do there. There is a very large artist community for her to socialize with. There were plenty of times there when I felt like a talentless toad. Never been around so many artistically talented people in my life. If they don't paint they play an instrument...or make their own dishes....or blow glass...or make jewelry....and so on.
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Old 06-02-2016, 10:06 AM
 
6,885 posts, read 8,882,454 times
Reputation: 3495
Quote:
Originally Posted by elkotronics View Post
A thought just struck me. I wonder if Camano Island has the same problem. I am wondering this because Camano Island has a lot of people that want to isolate theirselves and hide from the rest of humanity. I know this is true because I spent about 3 years living in Stanwood. if this happens sometimes criminals like to prey on these types - because, often these types have vacation homes in which they like to hide. Just a thought - maybe it doesn't matter where you live, it might just be your dumb luck reigning, right?


Right. I would lock your doors and your car doors, too. If you're gonna put a dog in your car and lock them in, though, I will take a large rock (boulder boy) and just bash the h#$% outta your window to get that dog out. What's really sad is when people leave human babies in hot cars. Really? What the? And people let their 3 year olds out of their site to take a picture at the zoo, and....whammo. Their kid is suddenly down in a moat with a terrifying silverback gorilla. I say this on the kid stuck in a moat with an ape dimemna: Watch your kids closely - be manic about watching them in public. It doesn't just fall to the Jared Fogle types to terrorize you out in public - there's big, bad apes in moats at the zoo that are just waiting to terrorize you and your bratty 3 year old who won't listen to his Mom and just does what he wants.


That poor silverback. He has ta pay for this ultra-stupidity with his life. Oh, it's real life. He's shot dead. Deader than a doornail. Disgusting. But I digress. Watch your kids even closer than you ever thought you had to.


Lock your doors. And move to Whidbey Island, anywhere on the island, people. It's a beautiful island waiting for you. Don't be afraid - but do use common sense.
you seem pretty fearful
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Old 06-02-2016, 05:04 PM
 
20 posts, read 28,174 times
Reputation: 23
CarawayDJ:

Your logic is baffling. By your reasoning, it’s not possible that someone had a different experience than you, no, the person MUST be lying. Sorry but that is, to use your favorite expression, BS. If my posts sound “over the top” to you, maybe it’s because our experience thus far has been HORRIBLE. These experiences have shaped our perception of the island just as your idyllic experience has shaped yours. These are two different realities for sure, but not because someone is lying, as your simple minded logic continues to conclude, but because experience SHAPES PERSPECTIVE, meaning both are “right”, if one can really use that word in this instance. That you can’t seem to grasp this basic concept speaks to your obtuse nature.

You also reason that our story would be on the front page of the paper. Really? Again, your logic is nonsensical. First of all we, like most people, would never allow ourselves to be on the front page of the paper like that, and second, burglaries don’t seem to be covered by the paper at all unless it’s more of a generalized story on the crime problem or one that is particularly violent. Moreover the Whidbey Register isn’t exactly a hub of investigative journalism. Our first break in was not a forced entry and the dollar value wasn’t huge. Not exactly front page material. It did mess with our heads and make us feel unsafe in our home. The second one was a forced entry with more belongings taken, but again, nobody home and no violence.

Once your house is known, they often do come back. The person that was apparently burglarized five times was mentioned in one of the linked articles. Unlike you, I take them on their word, I don’t assume they’re lying. I also wouldn’t call them a “moron” as you so kindly do. Perhaps like many people they have not yet invested in a top of the line security system. Large properties with outbuildings and no visible neighbors are prime targets and once they’ve had a successful haul and know their way around why wouldn’t they be back for more? Easy pickings. You can’t be there to guard your house at all times and it takes 10 minutes for them to be in and out. One thing that all of us who have experienced this share is an understanding of how violating it feels, and how it will mess with your head, jumping at every little bump in the night, etc. I’m glad you haven’t had to go through this. Nobody should.

I fully agree that there is conflicting information regarding crime statistics, no doubt about that, the numbers are all over the place, however show me a small “safe retirement community” that has a plethora of stories like this. You can concede that the island has fewer officers per resident than any other county in the state yet you can’t grasp that that could possibly lead to high crime rates. It’s simple cause and effect.

You claim I’m “misleading’ people but I would say that any realtor that sells people on the island without disclosing these problems is misleading people. Why didn't the realtors who were showing AADAD and MyNameIsMom ever once mention that the island has an ongoing crime problem and lacks the funds to adequately address it? Most people would consider that relevant if not vital information so to give no mention of it even when asked is highly unethical IMO. I absolutely felt misled after learning all of this after the fact and was only trying to save someone else that experience. Some, like AADAD may choose to go forward anyways, and that's great, but the point is they should be able to do so with all available information, not with this ridiculous "everyone leaves their doors unlocked" myth.

I can also concede that my first couple of posts were too strongly worded, but again, if anyone had the experience we’ve had on the island I’m sure their posts would be equally as “over the top”. The people we met after immediately moving to the island were not honest people and did not do right by us. That has not happened to us before, having so many bad experiences with people in such a short amount of time.

Maybe we just had the misfortune of meeting the wrong people, but as I said, since they introduced us to others who were equally dishonest, it did feel predatory. That was our experience. Who are you to invalidate that? I’m not invalidating your wonderful experience with all the brilliant people you met while you were on the island. Believe me if I had that experience I would raving about the island as well, however I can also grasp the concept that someone with an opposite experience would be understandably upset and have a far different perception of the place in general. I have never denied that there are good people on the island but you can’t seem to imagine the possibility that a very bad element also exists. These things are not mutually exclusive. Both can exist simultaneously in the same place. It’s not black or white, i.e. if someone doesn’t share my experience they must be lying.

You also seem unnaturally preoccupied and paranoid by “new posters” on City Data. I’ve never seen someone take so much pride in being a regular poster on an internet forum, lol. Every person posting here was a “new poster” at one time including yourself. Did that make them (or you) a liar? Again, dense reasoning, if one can even call it that. Lots of people post once or twice on a site or thread and then don’t come back, that is the nature of the internet in general. City Data as a place to hang out online just doesn’t interest me in the way it obviously does you. I stumbled across this particular thread and thought I’d answer the OP’s question, no nefarious intentions behind it, in fact, I posted with only the best intentions, to help someone avoid a bad situation.

We can keep going round and round but I think it’s best to just agree to disagree. This has become a waste of energy for all concerned.

Last edited by Mainlander; 06-02-2016 at 05:34 PM..
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Old 06-02-2016, 06:51 PM
 
Location: Lyon, France, Whidbey Island WA
20,831 posts, read 17,015,172 times
Reputation: 11532
Excellent and balanced Mainlander. I talked with the Sheriff yesterday for about 30 minutes. He is very helpful and can be of assistance to any person thinking of moving there. The incident map clearly shows all calls (851 in the last 2 weeks) 3 of those were burglaries and the overwhelming majority were dog barking, traffic issues. No assaults, no home invasions, and various and assorted alcohol drugs but most were the kind of thing a small town sees all the time.

This is consistent with what I felt and found out while there. Mainlander's experience was in that sense was extreme and I think his sense that his home was "targeted" probably is accurate. It could have been targeted before they ever moved in. There are bad people everywhere unfortunately.

I have moved site unseen as a travel nurse and there are resources which can assist a person but face to face is always best. If you sit in your car for an hour three times a day at different times and watch who comes and goes it's pretty obvious. I feel bad for Mainlander and his family but sometimes these things happen for reasons that we cannot yet know. In any case this thread has been very and uniquely helpful for me.

Thanks to all posters.
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Old 06-02-2016, 09:57 PM
 
20 posts, read 28,174 times
Reputation: 23
Thanks AADAD, I really appreciate your compassion and level headed thoughtfulness, you’ve helped me see things from another perspective as well, so to me this thread has also been interesting and helpful, though I must admit, too stressful for my tastes It has also been a learning experience for me in terms the internet. I think I ‘ll be sticking to light hearted commentary from now on!

Nothing but the best to you and everyone else who posted here (yes, even you CarawayDJ)
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Old 06-03-2016, 03:23 AM
 
Location: Florida
2,011 posts, read 3,541,704 times
Reputation: 2747
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mainlander View Post
CarawayDJ:

....

We can keep going round and round but I think it’s best to just agree to disagree. This has become a waste of energy for all concerned.
In science they say that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. I'll twist that to fit places like CD. Epic rants require epic levels of skepticism. Anyone that asserts something about an area that is far outside of what you typically read or know from experience should be viewed very critically. If I went into the Seattle Weather thread and wrote that I found Seattle to be warm and sunny all year round, I can expect to be challenged on it. People will throw the BS flag on me...and they should. Such a claim would differ greatly from the mainstream perspective. I have nothing against new posters per se. We all start there. When the first post from a new poster is an epic rant that's a different matter. I do view those with a larger dose of skepticism...and we should. CD is full of these.

To give you the benefit of the doubt I can imagine someone settling into the small pocket of South Whidbey near Skatchet Head, befriending some of the drug worshippers and what few sketchy people live there, and having a bad experience. The problem is that you painted the entire island with a broad stroke of extreme negativity. There was nothing balanced at all.

If that truly is your experience there then you must not have ventured into the community much, if at all.

Did you go to Useless Bay Coffee in Langley and see the group of authors sitting around the table up front discussing their books and adventures? Did you ever sit near them like I have just to listen to their stories?

Did you go to any of the cultural events at the Northwest Language Academy? They showcase different cultures and regions, have dinners and so on. The last time we went there they had a Turkish cultural event and Erden Eruç was a guest. He was the first person to circumnavigate the globe...ROWING. I gotta tell you. None of the people going to these events look shady. They are amazing people with amazing stories.

Did you see the Nutcracker put on by Island Dance? It's simply amazing how a community of so few people can put on such a great performance. It's hard not to know someone whose kid isn't in the show.

Stop by the storage place just north of 525 on Langley road. Talk to the owner/manager who lives in a small RV on the lot. He's written several books and gives all the money to help the homeless. He has a story to tell. He also tries to shelter some homeless. Have him talk about some of his success stories. He has their pictures on the wall in his office.

Stop by the Mukilteo Coffee cafe near the airfield in South Whidbey. If you see the 90+ year old former New Zealand sailor playing the accordion say hi to him.

Don't miss out on the HS band performances. They have one of the better jazz and brass bands around. Amazing.

Stop by the Island Church on Halloween. Look at the great program they have for the kids. Check out the community spirit. Keep in mind that this gets put together by a small community.

Check out a Whidbey Children's Theater play. Just amazing how they can pull all of this talent from such a small community. Where do you think these kids come from? The community. What type of parents do you think these kids have? Meth heads?

Reflect for a moment how such a tiny community even has a children's theater, a dance theater, a center for arts, a language and cultural center, and more......... Can dishonest druggies out to burglarize mainlanders be so cultural?

Go the Freeland on the 3rd of July for their Celebrate America fair. Enjoy the fireworks. Then after you see what a good family event looks like go to Maxwellton on the 4th for their fireworks. It's a freaking combat zone down there lol.

Have you been to Greenbank Farm?

Have you checked out any of the events put on by the Whidbey Waldorf School? Do the people there look shady?

Have you been to the Clyde? What type of people do you see sitting around you?

Say hi to the couple who have their realty office in the little plaza off of Commercial ST in Clinton. Even after they got my business they invited us to some functions at Sandy Hook to help us settle in and make friends. They are fine people. While you are there say hi to the lady who cuts hair across the parking lot. She's another great person. You never run into people like this. Here's your chance.

In a nutshell, you somehow managed to miss a great community with a lot of great people hiding in plain sight. I saw the druggies too. I knew there was crime. I also knew this represented just a small part of South Whidbey. Your emotional rant might cause other people to miss out on the great experiences I had and what most people have. Your experience, if fully truthful, is an outlier. It's unusual. It's rare. It's shared by few. It's not typical. Had you qualified your first post accordingly I wouldn't have mentioned a peep.

Last edited by CarawayDJ; 06-03-2016 at 04:15 AM..
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