transplanters opinions of Jacksonville (living in, move to, transit)

[donisanasfan]

Actually I felt pretty good about myself before the "rant" as well. But if we are to play that game I was simply responding to a political remark witch was condescending and pointless. Now if you will excuse me I have to catch the rest of the O'Riley Factor.

[jsimms3]

Don, no offense, but please take it from a fellow conservative that you are embarassing yourself. The other guy won by riling you up and bugging you (which happens to me all the time and I appreciate when people cut me off). Also, your rant was probably over the top, and even I would never admit to watching Bill O'Riley (I don't watch him so I don't have to admit it anyway). Try CNBC. There you will hear a bunch of smart conservatives who are all business minded (trust me it is nothing like MSNBC and is much better than Fox Business because it leaves out some of the pointless political dribble and partisanship of social issues and focuses strictly on economic issues).

Besides we are way off topic. My favorite response so far has been on page 2 from AliciaMaria. This thread is interesting to me because I am on a lifelong mission to change people's outside opinions of Jacksonville and to help change the city's poor image and low self-esteem. These comments are revealing.

[abvavgjoe]

Now if you will excuse me I have to catch the rest of the O'Riley Factor.

even I would never admit to watching Bill O'Riley

I think that was meant tongue in cheek, referring to the "Fox News conservative" label used previously in the thread.

[donisanasfan]

abvavgjoe....you restored my faith in the fact that people do have some sort of sense of humor.

[donisanasfan]

Jsimms3- I don't mean to embarrass you , but I have read some of your previous posts and you are anything but a conservative. If you consider yourself to be , I would hope you would rethink that , so as to not give the impression that conservatives would berate a retired woman three times your age whom you called imbecile in a previous post. Not only would a conservative not do that but even a decent liberal ( though there are few ) would stoop so low. That, more then any of your political opinions speaks loudly to the kind of person you are. So, you can go back to class now, live a few more years, then grow up and realize that you owe your elders a little more respect then you see fit to give them at this point in your young life.

[jsimms3]

Don, not going to comment. You clearly haven't read my posts and you conveniently leave out that that lady and I have had maybe 1 or 2 arguments, both berating each other, but 90% of the time we bat for the same team. Also, you and I both know that so many liberals are so much more vitriolic than calling someone an "imbecile." Nice try (I guess not being so socially conservative as to be almost bigoted and also being for better public transportation automatically makes me a liberal.)

[jsimms3]

Back to topic: For the young transplants:

When you move to town, where do you find out about goings on and where do you most commonly meet people? How long does it take for you to discover some of the older neighborhoods/bar scenes and some of the local restaurant scenes in these old neighborhoods and where do you get this information?

I am referring to downtown nightlife (Bay Street), Riverside, San Marco, King Street area, Avondale, Murray Hill, Springfield, etc. What do you think people, the city, and businesses in these areas can do to better promote and educate incoming transplants and even our own citizens who are stuck in the Baymeadows or Hodges Blvd areas?

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by Dappleganger

This kind of broad-based bashing is not helpful to anyone. You may feel better about yourself after the rant, but it isn't helpful at all in this forum.

Don didn't start it - this is what started it:

<<Here are the cons:

The people tend to be Fox News conservative. I have never understood how such nice people can embrace such mean politics contrary to their own interests. I'm not from the South, so perhaps I'll never really understand.>>

Followed by this:

<<A couple notes:

#1 & 2 are entirely preventable, depending on wher you choose to live. The more historic, unique neighborhoods close to Downtown tend to be much more progressive and less car-centered than the sprawling suburbs that most of Jax is.>>

FWIW - Don's original message seems to be gone. Don't know whether he removed it himself - or whether it was removed by TPTB. So I don't know if his original message came before or after the second message that I quoted above.

IMO - it's ok if someone doesn't like the politics here - but - if one complains - one can expect people to respond.

The original message provoked the response. So if you'll agree that the original message was out of place - we can agree to close this matter (I agree that these "discussions" in general aren't profitable - no one is going to change anyone else's mind about these things these days). Robyn

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by jsimms3

Don, no offense, but please take it from a fellow conservative that you are embarassing yourself. The other guy won by riling you up and bugging you (which happens to me all the time and I appreciate when people cut me off). Also, your rant was probably over the top, and even I would never admit to watching Bill O'Riley (I don't watch him so I don't have to admit it anyway). Try CNBC. There you will hear a bunch of smart conservatives who are all business minded (trust me it is nothing like MSNBC and is much better than Fox Business because it leaves out some of the pointless political dribble and partisanship of social issues and focuses strictly on economic issues).

Besides we are way off topic. My favorite response so far has been on page 2 from AliciaMaria. This thread is interesting to me because I am on a lifelong mission to change people's outside opinions of Jacksonville and to help change the city's poor image and low self-esteem. These comments are revealing.

I watch Bill O'Reilly occasionally if nothing better is on while I'm preparing dinner. Why not? Sometimes the guy makes sense - sometimes he doesn't. And he frequently has interesting guests on.

I have CNBC on as "background music/white noise" all day while I'm doing market work during the week. I do not share your opinion that all of the commentators are conservative - or knowledgeable for that matter - but I enjoy hearing the market gossip. Have zero interest in listening to/watching it after the market closes. Apart from today's stuff that we record (like Mad Men and The Closer) - my husband and I record and watch a lot of old Gunsmokes. Some are great morality plays. My husband also likes "Have Gun Will Travel" (which has a lot of wry humor). If people start to shout over one another on TV (except on CNBC) - I change the station. To something like HGTV or a cooking show - where people don't shout over one another.

FWIW - I don't care what liberal family members think of me or where I live (don't have liberal friends - I can choose my friends - not my family). Don't think I or where I live is in need of "improving image". And I moved here in part because a lot of people share my opinions about life (don't think I would have enjoyed myself in Palm Beach County).

I had an interesting encounter a couple of days ago. With a younger couple from a major northern city (their work keeps them there) who took out a Valley Membership at the TPC. They spend perhaps 40-60 days a year here playing golf (there are lots of easy direct flights from where they live). They really like it here. They like the weather - they like the golf - they like the politics here in St. Johns County. Rather than trying to become something it never can be (like a pale imitation of a northern city)and probably shouldn't want to be (because if it winds up looking like any northern city - it will most likely look like Detroit - not Chicago) - I think JAX should look south to places like SJC and see if it can't do things to look more like us (step one IMO is improving the school system). Robyn

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by samantha123abc

Why hello there strangers,

I too am a recent transplant. Northwest for us, as opposed to the bussling Northeast. We're enjoying getting to know the city, finding what we like and what we don't care for. So far this is my list ~

Dislikes...

firehouse sub restaurants...
medieval recycling and reuse programs...

I am not an expert on sub sandwiches (and don't particularly care for them). But try the Hook & Ladder at Firehouse. I think it's the best sandwich there.

As for recyling - our programs here in SJC have been modified in recent years because they don't pay for themselves (and in fact cost a lot of money that taxpayers aren't willing to pay). Costs a fair amount more to recyle a lot of things than to "dump" them. Robyn