West Texas Questions... (Houston, Dallas, Austin: best cities, layoffs, schools)

[michaelmac500]

I agree with the "land west of the Pecos" being far west Texas, and pretty much the eastern edge of the desert southwest.

I disagree that El Paso be lumped into the same category as Laredo or the RGV. The south Texas border region is much off the beaten path, and very mono-cultural. El Paso on the other hand, is on I-10 (a very major trans continental highway). Also Ft Bliss is a large, and getting larger, military installation.

These two things make El Paso more diverse and up to date than most other border regions.

[TexanWest]

Originally Posted by michaelmac500

I agree with the "land west of the Pecos" being far west Texas, and pretty much the eastern edge of the desert southwest.

I disagree that El Paso be lumped into the same category as Laredo or the RGV. The south Texas border region is much off the beaten path, and very mono-cultural. El Paso on the other hand, is on I-10 (a very major trans continental highway). Also Ft Bliss is a large, and getting larger, military installation.

These two things make El Paso more diverse and up to date than most other border regions.

Folks don't realize just how different El Paso is from the rest of Texas, or even from the rest of the US. It's a Texas city, but it's...not. It has more in common with cities like Tucson and Albuquerque, but is a little more rough around the edges, has a longer history, and has to deal with the complexities of the US-Mexico region more so than any other town on the US-Mexico border.

It has very little in common with other Texas cities with its culture, climate, and environment as well, and that includes the cities in the RGV. El Paso's nothing like Laredo, for example. El Paso is...El Paso. It's in its own class, strangely enough. Similar to New Orleans in a sense--only without all the crime and humidity.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by TexanWest

.........It's in its own class, strangely enough. Similar to New Orleans in a sense--only without all the crime and humidity.

NO? How in the world is NO even remotely similar to EP?

[Canine*Castle]

El Paso doesn't compare one bit to New Orleans and either does Tucson and Albuquerque to which you refer EP being "in common" with. I'll go with that comment though..EP is similar to Tucson and Albuquerque.

[GoingHome2TX]

The closest thing El Paso/Juarez can be related to is that it is an overgrown version of Presidio/Ojinaga.

Culturally, Del Rio/Ciudad Acuna would be a good runner up, with Eagle Pass/Piedras Negra, and Laredo/Nuevo Laredo following suit.

Geographically, Presidio/Ojinaga is the closest relative, with Albuquerque being a good runner up.

I can not see one similarity to New Orleans in El Paso.

[TexanWest]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

NO? How in the world is NO even remotely similar to EP?

I never said anything about the cultures being similar, but its situation of uniqueness. Please don't read anything into the comments that aren't there.

[TexanWest]

Originally Posted by Canine*Castle

El Paso doesn't compare one bit to New Orleans and either does Tucson and Albuquerque to which you refer EP being "in common" with. I'll go with that comment though..EP is similar to Tucson and Albuquerque.

Refer to my reply to Cathy4017.

[TexanWest]

Originally Posted by GoingHome2TX

The closest thing El Paso/Juarez can be related to is that it is an overgrown version of Presidio/Ojinaga.

Culturally, Del Rio/Ciudad Acuna would be a good runner up, with Eagle Pass/Piedras Negra, and Laredo/Nuevo Laredo following suit.

Geographically, Presidio/Ojinaga is the closest relative, with Albuquerque being a good runner up.

I can not see one similarity to New Orleans in El Paso.

Once again, read my comments more clearly, please. Places can be similar in situations, but that doesn't make them similar culturally.

This is basic reading, folks.

[Canine*Castle]

Originally Posted by TexanWest

Once again, read my comments more clearly, please. Places can be similar in situations, but that doesn't make them similar culturally.

This is basic reading, folks.

I didn't say you said the cultures were similar. None of it is similar to me, basic reading or not.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by TexanWest

I never said anything about the cultures being similar, but its situation of uniqueness. Please don't read anything into the comments that aren't there.

I didn't mention anything about culture. I just asked you how you can even begin to think that NO and EP are similar in any ways at all.

They're not.

NO, IMHO, is a dirty, crime-infested rat-hole swamp whose primary feature--the French Quarter, with its architecture/food/music--is the only things worth visiting for a very short period of time. And that was BEFORE Katrina. I can't imagine what a pit it must be now, but I won't ever find out, thank God.