There is more to Massachusetts than Boston, much more (Worcester: house, buy) - (MA) - City-Data Forum

ruready1st · 10-12-2011, 06:25 PM

I find it so annoying that you have to wade through all the Boston posts to find what is relevant to what you want to know about the different areas in Massachusetts.

Why not a sub-forum labeled Other Areas? Or you could be even more specific with:
Cape Cod and the islands, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard
Western Massachusetts
Heck there could even be a sub-forum for the Berkshires

The Greater Boston area is a very specific type of area with different dynamics from the rest of the state.

So, forum moderators, please create a sub-forum for Other Areas or at least Western Massachusetts.
Thank you

Tiger Beer · 10-12-2011, 07:22 PM

I always thought that the 'Massachusetts' forum basically was the 'Not Boston' forum?

in_newengland · 10-12-2011, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

I always thought that the 'Massachusetts' forum basically was the 'Not Boston' forum?

But Massachusetts INCLUDES Boston. What we need is a place that is non Boston. See thread from a few days ago. See thread from before that. They say the same thing but still we don't really expect to get our own forums. We just get ignored and that is in line with history going way back, as if we don't exist.

massnative71 · 10-12-2011, 10:43 PM

Then all these "non-Boston posters" who are allegedly out there need to come out from under their rock and create enough activity that warrants a sub-forum for whatever other part of the state. I find it discouraging myself that anything related to inside of 128 will get multiple pages of responses, while something from the south coast or central/western MA will attract no interest whatsoever. But it is what it is, this forum just happens to be dominated by city focused posters. If you want to change that, start typing away.

in_newengland · 10-12-2011, 11:01 PM

lol--if we don't have a WMass forum where are we supposed to go to discuss traffic over the bridge to Amherst? or restaurants in Northampton? Or whether it's NoHo or Hamp? Or the unruly students at UMass? or how high the prices are at Atkins? Where to get the best Hadley sweet corn? The hurricane of '38?

I mean, what can we do? These are burning issues for us but we are too polite to intrude into some urban discussion of what Boston suburb is "best" or which one has the perfect school system.

How can we talk about Quabbin? What about the extension of the bike paths? Where did the first Friendly's originate-when it used to be good. How do you define Pioneer Valley? How high is the river? Is rte 5 going past Easthampton under water? Even such topics as how to navigate the E. Longmeadow rotary. Picnics in Forest Park and can you feed the ducks. Bridge of Flowers. Which is more snooty--Smith or Mt Holyoke? How many pancakes can you eat at Sylvester's? Driving up to the Summit House on Mt. Holyoke (Skinner Park). Is Greenfield going to make a comeback? How about Springfield.

When you were a kid did you buy your shoes at Brooslin's at the X or did you go to the Country Bootery in EL? What is King Phillip's Stockade? Who is the statue in front of the Spfld City Library?

Oh we'd field all the queries,
We'd furnish the facts,
About William Pyncheon
And dinosaur tracks (well...)

We'd all chat together
From politics to weather
And we wouldn't ruffle
A Bostonian feather!

(if we had our own forum)

massnative71 · 10-12-2011, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by in_newengland

lol--if we don't have a WMass forum where are we supposed to go to discuss traffic over the bridge to Amherst? or restaurants in Northampton? Or whether it's NoHo or Hamp? Or the unruly students at UMass? or how high the prices are at Atkins? Where to get the best Hadley sweet corn? The hurricane of '38?

I mean, what can we do? These are burning issues for us but we are too polite to intrude into some urban discussion of what Boston suburb is "best" or which one has the perfect school system.

How can we talk about Quabbin? What about the extension of the bike paths? Where did the first Friendly's originate-when it used to be good. How do you define Pioneer Valley? How high is the river? Is rte 5 going past Easthampton under water? Even such topics as how to navigate the E. Longmeadow rotary. Picnics in Forest Park and can you feed the ducks. Bridge of Flowers. Which is more snooty--Smith or Mt Holyoke? How many pancakes can you eat at Sylvester's? Driving up to the Summit House on Mt. Holyoke (Skinner Park). Is Greenfield going to make a comeback? How about Springfield.

When you were a kid did you buy your shoes at Brooslin's at the X or did you go to the Country Bootery in EL? What is King Phillip's Stockade? Who is the statue in front of the Spfld City Library?

Oh we'd field all the queries,
We'd furnish the facts,
About William Pyncheon
And dinosaur tracks (well...)

We'd all chat together
From politics to weather
And we wouldn't ruffle
A Bostonian feather!

(if we had our own forum)

What is stopping you from doing so on the main MA forum? You won't get a little club of your own without drawing a minimal attendance

. Be bold man, keep em coming. Please also read my post on the other similar thread.

in_newengland · 10-13-2011, 12:11 AM

Okay, massnative71. I'll try to get into a fighting mood and win our own forum. I think I have seen your posts but will go back and have another look.

in_newengland · 10-13-2011, 12:25 AM

Having read some of your other posts, how about even a West of I-495 forum?

That would give others a place to post without interfering with the Boston area posts and might encourage more people to participate. When there doesn't seem to be a place for us, it can be kind of intimidating to post but if we had our own area it might attract more people.

As for the Cape & Islands, Boston people come and go from there and they know all about it so that could stay as one forum.

The thing that keeps the western areas of MA from merging into one group is, I think, the geographical distance between all of them. I mean, people from Northampton who never go to Worcester and people from the Berkshires who never go to the Pioneer Valley. It's not like the Boston area, all compressed and self contained in one homogeneous area--or so it seems to us outsiders.

I don't even live in WMass anymore, I retired to EMass but WMass will always be home to me and I know a ton more about it than I do this eastern area. I want to keep in touch too and to know what's going on.

So how about a West of I-495 forum for the rest of us? Yes?

CaseyB · 10-13-2011, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

I always thought that the 'Massachusetts' forum basically was the 'Not Boston' forum?

It is.

Tiger Beer · 10-13-2011, 06:05 PM

...and on that note, the Massachusetts forum has so little activity....the Boston one as well. I just don't see how having more forums would make it livelier...you'd just click on the various forums and it would appear even MORE inactive.

Than again, I'm not in Mass, so I don't really have a stake one way or the other.