Misery Index

 

http://graphicsweb.wsj.com/documents/DJFX/pu.php?graphic=MISERY20110329

Misery Index

 

http://graphicsweb.wsj.com/documents/DJFX/pu.php?graphic=MISERY20110329

 

I'll take it. It's nice to see Cleveland sandwiched between Boston and NYC..

^Wait... so is a low number good or bad?

Lower is better.

 

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/03/29/where-are-americans-most-miserable/

There was a pretty interesting piece on forbes.com this morning where Steve Forbes actually discussed in some detail why Cleveland  keeps getting the brunt of these negative lists. I guess there was enough negative feedback to warrant an editorial.  It's a fairly in depth read, and I recomend you guys look for it (hard to post links on my iPhone).

 

In a nutshell he seems to keep drawing comparisons to Cleveland in 2011 and the 1940s Cleveland depicted in A Christmas Story, apparently his, or at least one of his, favorite holiday movies. He seems almost offended that the city has suffered so much in those 70 years, hence the various comparissons between the two eras. It's like a blaming the victim mentality.

 

Strange article but it explains, on at least an irrational level, his problem with the city. Not that he say it explicitly, just read between the lines.

I can't find it on forbes.com, was it Steve Forbes or another editor?

...PSYCH

Hehe April Fools Day

God, I am SO glad it's finally April 2nd. 

 

Anyway, here's a ranking of the Top 10 most segregated cities.  Unlike Forbes, I actually believe Salon's data and they've got nice maps and write-ups on each city.

 

Cincinnati and Cleveland are both in there...and my hometown is STILL number 1. :(

 

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/03/29/most_segregated_cities

Good stuff on segregation, though suprised to see NYC and LA on that list.  The rest?  "Round up the usual suspects"

 

 

On the segregation map....interesting to look at the map of Chicago, the way the high-concentration Latino neighborhoods act as buffer zones between the whites and the west side black ghetto, hemming it in on the North and South (following the now-former industrial and railroad barriers of the old Milwaulkee Road and Burlington Route).  In Chicago railroads and industrial districts act as racial boundaries to some degree. 

Jeffrey, are you serious?! I'm not surprised at all about NYC. Techically you could say theres ghettos everywhere throughout the city. It's the king of segregation but they more or less celebrate their lack of diversity. The city as a whole is diverse but neighborhoods are extremely segregated. That's why I say--and I know people hate to hear me say it--but diversity is overrated. A lot of neighborhoods wouldn't be as interesting if they were truely diverse.

I was not surprised at all with New York City. And David, I can agree on some level with what your saying. In some instances, strong diversity isn't necessarily the best thing.

Jeffrey, are you serious?! I'm not surprised at all about NYC. Techically you could say theres ghettos everywhere throughout the city. It's the king of segregation but they more or less celebrate their lack of diversity. The city as a whole is diverse but neighborhoods are extremely segregated. That's why I say--and I know people hate to hear me say it--but diversity is overrated. A lot of neighborhoods wouldn't be as interesting if they were truely diverse.

 

I tend to agree with you.  To be diverse as a nation simply means that we need to learn to respect and appreciate the differences of those around us.  It doesn't necessarily mean we all need to live in the same neighborhood.  To completely homogenize society would be the antithesis of diversity...

<b>Top 10 Destinations for Family Fun</b>

 

 

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-38952334

Anaheim beat Sandusky? Get out of town! Sandusky has the best amusement park in the world and also a great beach.

 

For the most part, the list was fair, but I question Panama City. Back when I was in high school, that's where everybody went on spring break to get drunk, do drugs, and have drunken premarital sex.

Panama City is where I went for Spring Break in college! This chick wanted to hook up with me that was a couple doors down but she seemed too sleazy. The whole hotel was one big party where everyone was invited in everywhere. We didn't do drugs but a lot of people were smoking weed and doing pills. We drank a lot of Jager aand I may or may not have hit a vaporizer but if I did, I definitely did not inhale. I remember going down the strip and it was the same crappy touisty chains in a pattern, sort of like a board on Nintendo where the background just keeps repeating itself but hey it was a cheap beach destination. I think a couple of the people I met from Conn. are still on my facebook.

^sounds like a nice trip, but good thing you didn't inhale.

 

Unrelated story, but I met someone in Michigan last year who was from the Gulf Coast who said Ludington and Silver Lake had better beaches than Panama City. They also loved the lighthouses. They were floored by what Michigan had to offer and couldn't believe how big the sand dunes were. It was their first trip to major Great Lakes beaches. I've never been to Florida, but I doubt anything tops Lake Michigan. That would make a good Travel Channel show, "Michigan Beaches Versus Florida Beaches."

You were hoping to find a nice wholesome girl who wanted to do a spring break hook up with you, David?

^sounds like a nice trip, but good thing you didn't inhale.

 

Unrelated story, but I met someone in Michigan last year who was from the Gulf Coast who said Ludington and Silver Lake had better beaches than Panama City. They also loved the lighthouses. They were floored by what Michigan had to offer and couldn't believe how big the sand dunes were. It was their first trip to major Great Lakes beaches. I've never been to Florida, but I doubt anything tops Lake Michigan. That would make a good Travel Channel show, "Michigan Beaches Versus Florida Beaches."

 

Florida beaches are overrated, but they are usable for a much greater portion of the year than Michigan beaches.  That is really their main advantage.

^That and the water isn't freezing, there's much more sun, hotter weather, palm trees, etc.  Northern Michigan is absolutely beautiful, but comparing a lake's "beach" to an ocean (particularly florida) seems to be a stretch.  They are totally different experiences.

Hts shut up. Florida sucks in the summer time. The only time worth going is Spring or maybe Fall, I don't know - I've never been in Fall but maybe it's nice then too. I was there during xmas and it was too cold to enjoy the beach. In summer I never went outside in Daytona I stayed inside next to the AC vent and chased lizards in the kitchen. Thats about all i remember. I stayed with my grandparents and one of their old neighbor friends died like every other day. Living in Daytona seems depressing.

David, as one who moved to Cleveland from Clearwater, Florida, I will say that the beach there is spectacular.  In my opinion October was the best month because the water was warm and the temperatures were moderate.  Here in Cleveland, I will put Mentor Headlands beach up against any beach.  It is 1 mile long by 500 ft. wide and all sand - Absolutely beautiful!  Two of my other favorite beaches on Lake Erie are Cedar Point and the Sand Dunes in Erie, PA.

I thought you'd say Australia or Jamaica or something but no...you claim the best beach is in f_ing Erie, PA and Cleveland. I don't buy it.

SMH@TMH

A lot of beaches have sand dunes lololol! Cape Cod's beaches are overrated. It's basically where you'd go when you want to relax and sip on a Pina Colada....by yourself. The beach was corroded with nasty slimey seaweed. At first I thought I was in the midst of the bp oil spill. No place can claim to be one of the best beaches unless they have white sand and crystal-clear water.

^That and the water isn't freezing, there's much more sun, hotter weather, palm trees, etc.  Northern Michigan is absolutely beautiful, but comparing a lake's "beach" to an ocean (particularly florida) seems to be a stretch.  They are totally different experiences.

 

This.  I also love Michigan's gorgeous beaches but they in no way compare to the waters of South Beach/Key West.

^That and the water isn't freezing, there's much more sun, hotter weather, palm trees, etc.  Northern Michigan is absolutely beautiful, but comparing a lake's "beach" to an ocean (particularly florida) seems to be a stretch.  They are totally different experiences.

 

This.  I also love Michigan's gorgeous beaches but they in no way compare to the waters of South Beach/Key West.

 

Anyone who disagrees with this has clearly been inhaling too much from David's vaporizer.

wait, what happened to the story of David and the sleasy chick at the hotel party

LOL!

I have a million stories from Panama City. It was like my Eat Pray Love journey of self-discovery. Natininja, for the record, it's not my vaporizer, it was ColdPlayMan's or whatever his name is.

I was in Key West for spring break in 93. I found their beaches to be mostly meh. Really shallow, where you had to walk almost a football field to go deeper than your waist, and filled with a lot of seaweed, etc.

 

Nevis, in the British West Indies...now there's a beach.

Any Caribbean Island beach > Key West beaches > Michigan beaches.

 

Happy? :D

Any Caribbean Island beach > Key West beaches > Michigan beaches.

 

Happy? :D

 

Key West, eh?  Is there something you're not telling us?  Last time I went to Key West the sand was alright, but the bois were the main attraction. 

 

To be perfectly honest, I'm not a big saltwater fan.  Of the Great Lakes, Superior is too cold, but the rest are great in the summer.  I think the beaches in Chicago and Racine are the best for people watching.  As for good sand, Kohler-Andrae and pretty much anything on Michigan's Lake Michigan coast. 

The last time I was at Key West was 2000 and it was a cruise ship that couldn't dock in the Grand Caymans due to some hurricane.  Overall, I didn't notice anything "gay" about the place (actually, it seemed more like a Madison; laid back, random stray cats, Margaritavilles, and lazy frat white boys) but the water was warm.

^I have heard that one half of the island is gay, the other half is red neck

Well the part of the island I was on was mostly touristy, fat white people with fishbowl margaritas, and again, random, demonic, stray cats.  I didn't realize it was a ProvincetownSouth or PensacolaSouth.

Any Caribbean Island beach > Key West beaches > Michigan beaches.

 

Happy? :D

 

No. I want to go back to Nevis, now.  :x

You mean...

 

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/10/27/95/beach-at-nisbet.jpg

You mean...

 

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/10/27/95/beach-at-nisbet.jpg

 

You mean, alright. You very very mean.

^I have heard that one half of the island is gay, the other half is red neck

 

The red neck side of the island is pretty much confined to the parking lot of The Home Depot.  It's a pretty gay place. 

Lol, what is happening to this forum. C'mon Forbes, give us something to talk about

Pensacola haha. It's the unofficial white trah capitol of the U.S. I've never seen so many wiggers with baby blue hats or fly-by-night churches in my life. Northern Florida might as well be Alabama.

That and the water isn't freezing, there's much more sun, hotter weather, palm trees, etc.  Northern Michigan is absolutely beautiful, but comparing a lake's "beach" to an ocean (particularly florida) seems to be a stretch.  They are totally different experiences.

 

I'm sorry, but I have to give the nod to Michigan:

 

 

 

 

At least Michigan has no hurricanes.

That and the water isn't freezing, there's much more sun, hotter weather, palm trees, etc.  Northern Michigan is absolutely beautiful, but comparing a lake's "beach" to an ocean (particularly florida) seems to be a stretch.  They are totally different experiences.

 

I'm sorry, but I have to give the nod to Michigan:

 

 

And while that's beautiful (and a great photo Calvin), I'm still sticking with:

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-47YbbA8HCSw/TVNVwdwbRYI/AAAAAAAAAJM/9lxiM-iEmSE/s1600/Sailboat+%2526+Lady.jpg

Pensacola haha. It's the unofficial white trah capitol of the U.S. I've never seen so many wiggers with baby blue hats or fly-by-night churches in my life. Northern Florida might as well be Alabama.

 

I totally agree with David. I had to spend a month there for work last year. The whole city is nothing but pawn shops, strip joints, fast food and tattoo parlors. Truly amazing.

Cincinnati is the 5th oldest American city...as in some stupid "RealAge" health metric of the population.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/08/youngest-oldest-cities-america_n_846256.html#s262152&title=5_Oldest_Cities

^Don't be hating on real age! That list was very fair, with Saginaw and Tampa right next to Cincinnati.

 

And Salt Lake City, Austin, San Francisco, Denver, DC, Boston, San Diego, Seattle, etc. being youngest cities? Makes sense to me.

C-Dawg I just saw your Michigan beach photo (I usually use UO Mobile which means I don't see a lot of graphics.) Nice photo but all the photoshop in the world won't take the grime out of that beach water lol! People in Michigan avoid TAP water like it's contaminated with Fukushima radiation. I wouldn't step foot in that water; I don't need to come out of there with a third arm.