From AZ to SA (Dallas, San Antonio: tech jobs, to buy, college)

[Robert123]

Hello "Lookingtoleave," I agree, of course. Another friend of mine who is an SA native put it this way, and it totally made sense to me: Anyone who is smart, and even moderately ambitious, leaves SA for Houston, Dallas, or another metropolitan area out of state. In other words, SA does not support an ambitious, career-minded, population. THAT is what this "lack of vibrancy" in SA is about. Ambitious people do not stay in SA; they are attracted to higher-paying and more stimulating environments.

People can say they like the laid back culture in a place like SA. Problem is, though, that you then have to accept that it's these laid back people who are running the whole show. All of our public services: construction, planning, emergency medical services, education--the whole of it.

[LookingtoLeave]

Originally Posted by Robert123

Hello "Lookingtoleave," I agree, of course. Another friend of mine who is an SA native put it this way, and it totally made sense to me: Anyone who is smart, and even moderately ambitious, leaves SA for Houston, Dallas, or another metropolitan area out of state. In other words, SA does not support an ambitious, career-minded, population. THAT is what this "lack of vibrancy" in SA is about. Ambitious people do not stay in SA; they are attracted to higher-paying and more stimulating environments.

People can say they like the laid back culture in a place like SA. Problem is, though, that you then have to accept that it's these laid back people who are running the whole show. All of our public services: construction, planning, emergency medical services, education--the whole of it.

I couldn't have said it better myself. If you want vibrancy, I would take Austin over this place. It's crazy that a city only an hour away is like night and day to SA. Don't get me wrong, all in all I do like the people here b/c they are pretty nice for the most part, they are not ambitious or career-minded at all. I feel like I am being judgemental, but I know so many people who are almost 30 and content at having no college degree and being a receptionist or a phone customer service rep b/c they are too lazy to go back to school for one reason or another. I subscribe to the "whatever floats your boat" philosophy, but I have never seen more un-stimulated people here. Plus this city seriously lacks diversity and culture. That is a plain and simple fact! As far as construction, my old boss from Houston pointed out that when he lived here in SA 3 years ago they started working on construction they are still working on today after he moved back from Houston for work. Plus they do a half-ass job anyways-whenever we get any rain, it's pot hole city all around. I do think SA is finally growing, but it's just now. So if you take into consideration that other metro cities are as well, we are still very much behind the times. Hell, we just barely got a Pei Wei and Cold Stone a few years back and I've been eating that for years out in Cali!

[210]

Originally Posted by LookingtoLeave

Hell, we just barely got a Pei Wei and Cold Stone a few years back and I've been eating that for years out in Cali!

You ramble on about vibrancy and ambition and then use Pei Wei and Cold Stone as some sort of measuring stick?

Wow, like someone said a few months back when the last group of you guys came through here, there's nothing more vibrant and sophicated than coming onto a internet forum and complaining daily about a city.


SA is uneducated? Yet was ranked number first in the nation for Knowledge Workers. So uneducated that SA has the second fastest going per capita income in Texas, right?

Maybe some of you should get a new friends, maybe some of you should get new schticks.

[saywhat?]

Robert123
I do believe you are a person after my own heart...old San Antonio expression

[LookingtoLeave]

Originally Posted by 210

You ramble on about vibrancy and ambition and then use Pei Wei and Cold Stone as some sort of measuring stick?

Wow, like someone said a few months back when the last group of you guys came through here, there's nothing more vibrant and sophicated than coming onto a internet forum and complaining daily about a city.


SA is uneducated? Yet was ranked number first in the nation for Knowledge Workers. So uneducated that SA has the second fastest going per capita income in Texas, right?

Maybe some of you should get a new friends, maybe some of you should get new schticks.

Pei Wei and Cold Stone aren't measures to a city so much as a measure to how SA gets things so late in the game. They have been around ages and we just now got them. Vibrancy is in regards to many things from beauty and diversity (which we lack) and ambition is in regards to education. As far as education, why do we have one of the highest drop out and teen pregnancy rates if we care so much about our education. Not only that, TX has one of the worst public school systems in the nation. I will admit I did not see that tidbit of info, my college professor last semester mentioned it as he was disappointed at this fact. You're right maybe I do need new friends, but my educated ones I went to school with already left SA

[LookingtoLeave]

Originally Posted by 210

Wow, like someone said a few months back when the last group of you guys came through here, there's nothing more vibrant and sophicated than coming onto a internet forum and complaining daily about a city.

Does it matter if we come here to complain or to support the city? The fact of the matter is we take our time to come here and give an honest opinion. If people ask a question about how we feel about the city, should we lie and tell them what they want to hear or be honest? It's not like we started a "We hate SA" thread-they are responses to threads others have started. Plus we all see this city through different eyes. I may not at all agree with what someone says about SA being so great, but I respect their opinion-including yours. I have lived here all my life and would love to know there's another side of SA I don't see and I'm not being sarcastic.

And just to defend myself here, I don't come here daily. I am a newbie as today was my first day here.

[Robert123]

210, what is this mystery source's definition of a "knowledge worker"? I suspect they are the telephone customer service reps that lookingtoleave was referring to.

Thanks for your comment, "saywhat."

[210]

The source, Business 2.0.

It's a list of five cities with the highest job-growth rates for college-educated tech and business professionals.

SA was first followed by: Washington, D.C.; Salt Lake City; Portland, Ore.; and Seattle. Hmm....

What degrading/insultful and cynical thing will you reply with next?

[210]

Originally Posted by LookingtoLeave

Pei Wei and Cold Stone aren't measures to a city so much as a measure to how SA gets things so late in the game.

You can't help how businesses operate. Usually Texas is entered as a market as whole and not thought of first. Not to mention finding someone buy a franchise, that takes time for any market.

Pei Wei was started in 2000, most cities didn't get a Pei Wei until 2002, SA got there's in 2004 a long with a host of other cities. Heck, Orlando didn't get there first until 2005.

Cold Stone didn't begin expanding until 1995, but didn't really start offering franchising until 1999 really. SA got their first in 2003.

But who cares about chain restaurants?

They have been around ages and we just now got them

2000 isn't ages. And Cold Stone didn't begin to seriously branch out until 1999.

Vibrancy is in regards to many things from beauty and diversity (which we lack) and ambition is in regards to education.[/quote]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think the hills in SA are beautiful, I think downtown's architecture is beautiful, I think the Missions are beautiful, I think the southside's rolling green terrain and rivers is beautiful. So do a lot of others.

As far as education, why do we have one of the highest drop out and teen pregnancy rates if we care so much about our education.

Well, I'd love for you to provide me the most recent years data on those listings so I can anaylize them and give you a response.

[saywhat?]

Business 2.0 is some CNN thingy. I've noticed that site ALWAYS has lists and I'm not real sure where they get their data to support whatever they're pumping at the moment.