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Tij...WARNING: be prepared to get slammed by the LV cheerleaders...they don't like bad news spreading about their beloved LV!
I believe that the hotel/casinos (i.e., corporations), LV Chamber of Commerce, Local paper (LVRJ), and even McCarran's Airport try their hardest to suppress the bad news...the last thing they want is for the millions of tourists that arrive each year to think that LV might be an unsafe area to visit. The truth is that, especially with the internet, that these stories are revealed and the bad word about crime, ecomomy, traffic, and foreclosures keeps spreading across the country like wildfire! As long as people keep coming, nothing will be done. If, and when, the tourists stop arriving...then something may be done. At that point, though, it may be too late, IMO.
Tij...WARNING: be prepared to get slammed by the LV cheerleaders...they don't like bad news spreading about their beloved LV!
I believe that the hotel/casinos (i.e., corporations), LV Chamber of Commerce, Local paper (LVRJ), and even McCarran's Airport try their hardest to suppress the bad news...the last thing they want is for the millions of tourists that arrive each year to think that LV might be an unsafe area to visit. The truth is that, especially with the internet, that these stories are revealed and the bad word about crime, ecomomy, traffic, and foreclosures keeps spreading across the country like wildfire! As long as people keep coming, nothing will be done. If, and when, the tourists stop arriving...then something may be done. At that point, though, it may be too late, IMO.
the slammings generally occur when the posting is way off base, contains inaccurate facts or broad generalizations that don't give an accurate picture.
tij's post doesn't contain any of those, although does bring up an interesting point regarding whether or not tourists are objective when choosing a vacation destination. i think it is hard to compare LV w/ another country, as most americans have only one language they are comfortable w/...crime being equal, people will feel safer somewhere they can communicate if there is a problem.
i do think you are little off base in inferring that a big city in central america and LV share the same crime level (my apologies if this wasn't inferred).
would you really expect to read about a purse snatching in the LV newspaper? doubtful...not a 'sexy' enough crime. you would never read about a petty theft happening in another country here either. what you read about are the execution of police officers in mexcio, shootings on the strip in LV, fire bombings in paris, etc.
tj sums it up well w/ "Every city has their good points, bad points, shouldn't be embarrassing to admit to a few of our negatives." but i don't feel that the so called cheerleaders here are embarrassed to admit to negatives (check out the posts..every agrees there is crime here...i haven't read one person claim nothing bad happens here).
and jfk: really? you think the casino's etc. try suppress bad press and news...really? maybe you have been living in a small town for too long...it's called damage control and it is not unique to LV or any other city or institution. You think universities don't under report crimes? esp. crimes against students? you think large corporations don't try to settle out of court to avoid bad press? you are just so blinded by your inability to believe that people actually like it here that you go out of your way to try to find things wrong w/ LV.
and for the record, while reports about crime might affect tourism (highly doubtful) people don't care about the economy, foreclosures, traffic of their vacation destination...it doesn't affect them and won't affect their vacation plans.
the slammings generally occur when the posting is way off base, contains inaccurate facts or broad generalizations that don't give an accurate picture.
LV painted as being a town of true friendly and real neighborly people is off base, a broad generalization and most certainly gives an inaccurate picture to a newcomer, not only in my opinion, but in many other people's opinions, who currently live there or have lived there in the past.
I know you don't agree...and you don't have to...but it's how I feel and how many others feel. You, on the other hand, do not agree and may find others who don't, either. We're each entitled to our own opinions, and we've both stated such. So let's just leave it at that, ok?
I agree that the major reason I fail to encounter so few Americans in my journeys to Central/South America is their lack of language skills, fear of not knowing where to turn to when they need help. It's been reported that Americans are among the laziest people in the world when it comes to learning a 2nd language (Spanish being the easiest). It makes me wonder if the average American lived and grew up in Germany, would they limit their travels to only Germany, and not learn the basics of Italian to take a trip to Italy, or the basics of French, English, Russian, Scandanavian, to travel to France, Britain, Russian coutries or Scandanavian countries. I meet hordes of multi-lingual Europeans down there who know enough English where I can have some conversation with them. I really feel for the foreign travelers that come to Las Vegas and get lost some night trying to find their hotel, or get stopped by the police, can't give proper directions to a taxi driver or getting directions to find a restroom in a casino. I'm so thankful I took the time and energy to learn a second language, finally, and have never regretted eating those delicous $3 bacon-wrapped filet mignon dinners in Bolivia, those $5 a nite rooms in Ecuador, and recently, those $5-$6 thick steak dinners all over Argentina. As long as Americans avoid a good chunk of Latin America I'll enjoy all the benefits of not having hordes of tourists driving up the prices like Las Vegas.
LV painted as being a town of true friendly and real neighborly people is off base, a broad generalization and most certainly gives an inaccurate picture to a newcomer, not only in my opinion, but in many other people's opinions, who currently live there or have lived there in the past.
I know you don't agree...and you don't have to...but it's how I feel and how many others feel. You, on the other hand, do not agree and may find others who don't, either. We're each entitled to our own opinions, and we've both stated such. So let's just leave it at that, ok?
can do if you will quit inaccurately stating what i have said. i have been very clear to say in my short experience here or in my neighborhood i have met friendly people. not off base, not generalizations, and absolutely an accurate picture of my experience.
this is where we differ remarkably: i am speaking from my perspective (a newcomer to vegas). as a newcomer, i can offer people a perspective of my experiences here. i have met friendly people. i like my neighborhood. i dig this town.
you are speaking from what you have heard/read. you tend to make blanket statements similar to "all people who move to vegas have made a mistake and are uneducated about their choices" or "everyone who moves to vegas has the same story....grass is greener, escaping problems, yadda yadda yadda". (i know those aren't your exact words, and i must i will go dig through your posting and give you specific examples). these are GENERALIZATIONS based on what you have heard from your brother's bad experience here or what you have read. i know you have been here a bunch, but have you actually experienced any of the crime you so readily point out? have you personally had any interactions with these bad neighbors that according to you abound here?
what is the longest consecutive time you have spent here? my guess is that my continuous 2 months (ok, month and 18 days) actually LIVING here gives me a perspective you can't have. i pay rent here, i shop here, i walk my dogs here, i work here. when not stuck at work, i hang out downtown or i enjoy the incredible outdoor life. i can offer newcomers the perspective of another newcomer. how can that be an inaccurate picture? i know i don't have any sort of aura/karma/?? that makes things around me 'rosy'...just an average single, mid thirties, guy who's experiences should shouldn't be that different than other newbies.
I agree that the major reason I fail to encounter so few Americans in my journeys to Central/South America is their lack of language skills, fear of not knowing where to turn to when they need help. It's been reported that Americans are among the laziest people in the world when it comes to learning a 2nd language (Spanish being the easiest). It makes me wonder if the average American lived and grew up in Germany, would they limit their travels to only Germany, and not learn the basics of Italian to take a trip to Italy, or the basics of French, English, Russian, Scandanavian, to travel to France, Britain, Russian coutries or Scandanavian countries. I meet hordes of multi-lingual Europeans down there who know enough English where I can have some conversation with them. I really feel for the foreign travelers that come to Las Vegas and get lost some night trying to find their hotel, or get stopped by the police, can't give proper directions to a taxi driver or getting directions to find a restroom in a casino. I'm so thankful I took the time and energy to learn a second language, finally, and have never regretted eating those delicous $3 bacon-wrapped filet mignon dinners in Bolivia, those $5 a nite rooms in Ecuador, and recently, those $5-$6 thick steak dinners all over Argentina. As long as Americans avoid a good chunk of Latin America I'll enjoy all the benefits of not having hordes of tourists driving up the prices like Las Vegas.
agreed! i speak rudimentary spanish...enough to get by (e.g spend an unsupported month in the americas). and i love heading south (been fortunate to spend time in mexico, honduras, & costa rica and to a significantly lesser extent panama and nicaragua) and am jealous of your s. american experiences...and now hungry, too.
however, if the average american grew up in germany, they wouldn't be an average american
Fair enough. Your post makes sense. Since you are a LV resident, you (and the other residents who post here) truly would be a better judge of fellow residents and neighbors there. I have heard from other residents while visiting (directly, other than my brother & SIL, and not just posts from this site) that it is very difficult to make friends in that town. Since it is a residential matter, and I am not a resident, I'll leave that to the residents for discussion.
Fair enough. Your post makes sense. Since you are a LV resident, you (and the other residents who post here) truly would be a better judge of fellow residents and neighbors there. I have heard from other residents while visiting (directly, other than my brother & SIL, and not just posts from this site) that it is very difficult to make friends in that town. Since it is a residential matter, and I am not a resident, I'll leave that to the residents for discussion.
however, since you do have that source (your family) you can offer a perspective i can't, namely people who have had bad experiences. (also valuable info to newcomers...i fully stand by the whole this place is not for everyone and LV is what you make it)
i just get a little touchy w/ the all encompassing generalizations that don't allow for there to be another side of the LV coin (or would it be chip?)..and for better or worse, i almost always have to play devil's advocate.
LV painted as being a town of true friendly and real neighborly people is off base, a broad generalization and most certainly gives an inaccurate picture to a newcomer, not only in my opinion, but in many other people's opinions, who currently live there or have lived there in the past.
Yes, I will agree with this. I have stated this in other threads also. I have lived here 29 years, and have seen quite a bit of change here, growth, etc. But, the above statement, that JFK states, has always been . Many people that have lived here for 15, 20, 30 years will agree with this also.
Yes, I will agree with this. I have stated this in other threads also. I have lived here 29 years, and have seen quite a bit of change here, growth, etc. But, the above statement, that JFK states, has always been . Many people that have lived here for 15, 20, 30 years will agree with this also.
understood...but it doesn't change the fact that my experiences as a newcomer have been for the most part positive and opposite of that statement. and i can only speak to that which i have experienced, which thankfully, has been friendly neighbors and a group of people that i feel comfortable calling friends (again, i am talking about people i see regularly and hang out w/ outside the dog park/work).
*and for the record, my problem w/ the statement was that i didn't paint the town as a whole as friendly, just my little slice of it
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No second language for Americans
w/ the all encompassing generalizations that don't allow for there to be another side of the LV coin (or would it be chip?)..and for better or worse, i almost always have to play devil's advocate.
