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Post by shin on Feb 20, 2006 14:18:54 GMT -5
Dith-cuth.
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Post by maarts on Feb 20, 2006 14:30:36 GMT -5
Uh?
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Post by shin on Feb 20, 2006 16:27:25 GMT -5
I hab a lithp.
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Post by wayved on Feb 28, 2006 23:57:38 GMT -5
shin-thats totally fucking brilliant. You should pat yourself on the back.
Alamogordo New Mexico sucks. I love it and hate it at the same time.
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Post by Kensterberg on Mar 1, 2006 0:11:27 GMT -5
What don't you like about Alamogordo ... other than the fact that it's too big to have small town charm and too small to have any of the advantages of the big city?
I prefer Las Cruces myself ...
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Post by wayved on Mar 1, 2006 1:31:17 GMT -5
Ken--Like I said, I love it and hate it......I grew up there. The majority of my formative years were there. If I had the talent I would write a Springsteen-like album about it...The beauty and the ugliness-just like anywhere else that people dwell...A boy scout trip to a decaying saw mill? I guess I'm just being negative--but I was just there last week. The mountain views are breathtaking and I could see myself--if I get to live to be retirement age--living the rest of my years there--
I have walked all the concrete that it takes to get from Panorama Blvd to tenth street (where the record store is) at least a hundred times. The 13 miles it takes to get from Alamogordo to Tularosa (where the love of my life was) is the longest 13 miles in the history of mankind. It still is. I checked. Its just a strange little place. I love it and I hate it. Everytime Im there it just feels lonely.
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Post by Kensterberg on Mar 1, 2006 1:47:14 GMT -5
Understand completely ... I have a lot of the same feelings about the midwest ... "we've got to get out while we're young" "it's a town full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win" "this is your home town ..."
I don't think you can go through big events in your life in a given location and not have some ambivelent feelings about it. I love El Paso, but there are a lot of memories I've got here that I'd just as soon forget. Kind of hard when you drive by buildings on a daily basis. Which is one reason why I've given some thought to moving ... though I'm not ready to do it yet, nor am I excited about moving elsewhere in Texas or taking another bar exam.
If it weren't for the friggin' hurricanes, I'd move to Galveston or Corpus Christi and live by the beach ... but I just can't deal with hurricanes. Like tornadoes only worse ...
BTW, where do you live now, Wayved?
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Post by Mary on Mar 1, 2006 2:32:34 GMT -5
Wow, how did I not notice this topic before??
I've definitely ranted about some of these places before, but I can never resist the opportunity to do it again.... but, before I come off as a terribly nasty, mean-spirited curmudgeon, let me just say as a caveat that I haven't spent a great deal of time in any of these places, and I am sure that any place has its virtues, once you get to know it. These are first impressions, without any opportunity to dig deeper and to find the more interesting pockets that surely exist in any city. That said....
LAS VEGAS
This absolutely takes the fucking cake. I don't just hate this city - it seriously makes me DESPAIR. The inside of a casino in the middle of the afternoon is a singularly depressing site. The crowds on the Strip seem to consist uniformly of the stereotypical dumbass frat-boy type (I'm not saying all frat boys are dumbasses.... but that there is a particular type, and they're all in las fucking vegas) The "sin city" element has become totally homogenized and corporatized so it's just a big orgy of crass commercialism, a Disneyworld for adults. This is the place where washed-up has-been celebrities go to DIE. Outside of the horrendous Strip with its grotesque kitsch creations, hordes of morons, and charming folks handing out "XXX Hotel Room Escort Hot College Girl" flyers, I could find almost nothing but strip malls. The city seems to have no history, no sense of self, no culture, no nothing except this hideous industry that feeds off desperation and despair.
Colorado Springs, CO
My uncle and aunt live here and I've visited them a few times. On the upside, it's in a truly gorgeous natural environment. On the downside, well, everything else. This is ground zero for the religious right and the millitary - it's a landscape of fundamentalist churches and military bases. I can find very little evidence of any sort of alternative culture - perhaps it's just my extended family, but every time I visit, we go to a few big chain restaurants. There are no pedestrians and I've never seen so many SUVs in my entire life. It's also possibly the most homogenous population I've ever encountered.
Orlando, FL
There are two things in Orlando: Disney World, and sprawl. This is a city without a soul.
Someone should also start a best city/state you've ever visited and why thread. But I'm lazy. But I swear I'd post way more there, I'm not really so negative. I love talking about cities.
Cheers,
M
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Post by sisyphus on Mar 1, 2006 2:55:30 GMT -5
Wow, how did I not notice this topic before?? I've definitely ranted about some of these places before, but I can never resist the opportunity to do it again.... but, before I come off as a terribly nasty, mean-spirited curmudgeon, let me just say as a caveat that I haven't spent a great deal of time in any of these places, and I am sure that any place has its virtues, once you get to know it. These are first impressions, without any opportunity to dig deeper and to find the more interesting pockets that surely exist in any city. That said.... LAS VEGASThis absolutely takes the fucking cake. I don't just hate this city - it seriously makes me DESPAIR. The inside of a casino in the middle of the afternoon is a singularly depressing site. The crowds on the Strip seem to consist uniformly of the stereotypical dumbass frat-boy type (I'm not saying all frat boys are dumbasses.... but that there is a particular type, and they're all in las fucking vegas) The "sin city" element has become totally homogenized and corporatized so it's just a big orgy of crass commercialism, a Disneyworld for adults. This is the place where washed-up has-been celebrities go to DIE. Outside of the horrendous Strip with its grotesque kitsch creations, hordes of morons, and charming folks handing out "XXX Hotel Room Escort Hot College Girl" flyers, I could find almost nothing but strip malls. The city seems to have no history, no sense of self, no culture, no nothing except this hideous industry that feeds off desperation and despair. Colorado Springs, COMy uncle and aunt live here and I've visited them a few times. On the upside, it's in a truly gorgeous natural environment. On the downside, well, everything else. This is ground zero for the religious right and the millitary - it's a landscape of fundamentalist churches and military bases. I can find very little evidence of any sort of alternative culture - perhaps it's just my extended family, but every time I visit, we go to a few big chain restaurants. There are no pedestrians and I've never seen so many SUVs in my entire life. It's also possibly the most homogenous population I've ever encountered. Orlando, FLThere are two things in Orlando: Disney World, and sprawl. This is a city without a soul. Someone should also start a best city/state you've ever visited and why thread. But I'm lazy. But I swear I'd post way more there, I'm not really so negative. I love talking about cities. Cheers, Mkudos to the hatred of las vegas. i think the last time i found myself there it was for an SPE (society for photographic education) conference in 2002. i was able to have a little fun exploring in some eclectic areas near the OLD strip, but for the most part it was a loud, jolting, nerve-racking cum bath of an experience. too much...overwhelming, and overwhelmingly disgusting. i also hate all those goddamned faux stucco mini malls and strip malls. ackk. still, there's something strangely attactive about it in a pulp fictiony sort of way... the heat...the older parts...the tacky westerniness of it all... dunno. dave hickey came close to persuading me to like it in "air guitar," but.... it's not for me. |
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Post by rockysigman on Mar 1, 2006 3:45:29 GMT -5
Damn, I was hoping a good retelling of Mary's time in Grand Rapids too, as for some reason I really enjoy that story, but alas, Grand Rapids did not make the cut.
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Post by Fuzznuts on Mar 1, 2006 8:04:49 GMT -5
Orlando, FLThere are two things in Orlando: Disney World, and sprawl. This is a city without a soul. I am totally with Mary on this point. And I think I've vented on this subject somehere on this board before. As someone who lives roughly 80 miles north of Downtown Orlando and about 15 miles from the first signs of Orlando's influence, I can vouch for this one first hand. The only identity this sorry excuse for a city has is given it by the countless hordes of tourists that come to throw tons of money at the nearest flashing lights. Look just beyond the artificial tourist areas, and you'll find slums and ghettoes and strip clubs. Look a little farther past that and there's pre-fab look-alike housing as far as the eye can see. Barf. [/tirade] |
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Post by phil on Mar 1, 2006 9:01:19 GMT -5
Hé ! I'd love to spend a serious weekend just walking in Vegas ...
BTW, Vegas is not about soul and history
(how long is that place been around anyway ...?)
but kitsch and escapism ...
There are just a few cities that I failed to connect with
but it probably has more to do with circumstances than the city itself ...
I mean, a week in Athens during a cold wet december week is plain depressing,
the most engine fumes pollution I've ever seen, smelled and inhaled in my life !!
No matter how beautiful/interesting/charming any city could be,
you won't appreciate any of it when you're cold and lonely ...
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Post by Paul on Mar 1, 2006 9:27:24 GMT -5
LAS VEGASThis absolutely takes the fucking cake. I don't just hate this city - it seriously makes me DESPAIR. The inside of a casino in the middle of the afternoon is a singularly depressing site. The crowds on the Strip seem to consist uniformly of the stereotypical dumbass frat-boy type (I'm not saying all frat boys are dumbasses.... but that there is a particular type, and they're all in las fucking vegas) The "sin city" element has become totally homogenized and corporatized so it's just a big orgy of crass commercialism, a Disneyworld for adults. This is the place where washed-up has-been celebrities go to DIE. Outside of the horrendous Strip with its grotesque kitsch creations, hordes of morons, and charming folks handing out "XXX Hotel Room Escort Hot College Girl" flyers, I could find almost nothing but strip malls. The city seems to have no history, no sense of self, no culture, no nothing except this hideous industry that feeds off desperation and despair. Cheers, M Wow! There goes my plans to visit Vegas. I've never been, but I've always figured it's one of those places I need to see w/ my own eyes at least once. I figure once will do it, as I've actually envisioned it to be fairly similar to your description. On the East Coast there is the dreadful Atlantic City (which isn't to say I didn't have fun while there), that to me is a cheaper, and much smaller/scaled down version of Vegas. I hate casinos, b/c like you said, it's a depressing site. It makes me sad when I see all these people, many of whom are elderly, or look like poor white trash, waste their money and spend hours gambling. Plus all the lights and noise kinda freaks me out. Perhaps I don't like them b/c last time I was there I wanted to play some blackjack, and I lost horribly. I did so bad that I was out $100 before the waitress got back w/ my drink I had ordered just 5 minutes earlier. Ultimately I view AC, and envision Vegas, to be the ultimate gathering for pure cheez. Still though, I want to check Vegas out once.... |
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Post by Paul on Mar 1, 2006 9:30:35 GMT -5
Orlando, FLThere are two things in Orlando: Disney World, and sprawl. This is a city without a soul. I am totally with Mary on this point. And I think I've vented on this subject somewhere on this board before. As someone who lives roughly 80 miles north of Downtown Orlando and about 15 miles from the first signs of Orlando's influence, I can vouch for this one first hand. The only identity this sorry excuse for a city has is given it by the countless hordes of tourists that come to throw tons of money at the nearest flashing lights. Look just beyond the artificial tourist areas, and you'll find slums and ghettoes and strip clubs. Look a little farther past that and there's pre-fab look-alike housing as far as the eye can see. Barf. [/tirade] I've been there once to see a college bowl game, and didn't like it much at all....It reminded me of a bigger and even more touristy place than Myrtle Beach, SC. It was nothing but sprawl, shopping centers, and chain restaurants...Unfortuantly it seems more and more places are becoming like this... |
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Post by Fuzznuts on Mar 1, 2006 9:34:50 GMT -5
And the Citrus Bowl isn't exactly in the best neighborhood either!
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