So sad...but oh so funny.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Some of it sucks. Kansas City is hands-down the single worst place I've ever been in the US, all things considered, and I'm including impoverished areas and Paramus, NJ. Luckily we've got Chicago, Minneapolis, Madison, St. Louis, and some lovely towns with great history. There are some really ugly parts of the Midwest though. I don't think it really works as a "region" per se.

yeah kc sucks, that's why i live in the country

Just curious, what sucks about KC?

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

Some of it sucks. Kansas City is hands-down the single worst place I've ever been in the US, all things considered, and I'm including impoverished areas and Paramus, NJ. Luckily we've got Chicago, Minneapolis, Madison, St. Louis, and some lovely towns with great history. There are some really ugly parts of the Midwest though. I don't think it really works as a "region" per se.

yeah kc sucks, that's why i live in the country

Just curious, what sucks about KC?

from my perspective, traffic and crime.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Some of it sucks. Kansas City is hands-down the single worst place I've ever been in the US, all things considered, and I'm including impoverished areas and Paramus, NJ. Luckily we've got Chicago, Minneapolis, Madison, St. Louis, and some lovely towns with great history. There are some really ugly parts of the Midwest though. I don't think it really works as a "region" per se.

yeah kc sucks, that's why i live in the country

Just curious, what sucks about KC?

from my perspective, traffic and crime.

Aah, ok. I've never been to anywhere in the midwest (unless Austin counts) so I have no idea. I like NYC, the traffic doesn't matter if you use the subway and the crime isn't a problem anymore. Too bad I can't afford to live there or I would, it's so convenient. It would be nice if they could "fix up" some midwestern cities so middle class folk who like urban convenience have someplace to go too

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

ps. I've been to detroit MANY times, how come i forgot! That was part of me going to visit my wife in canada. Can't believe i forgot all about that Detroit is surely midwest, I think.

[Alex+R 0]

Some of it sucks. Kansas City is hands-down the single worst place I've ever been in the US, all things considered, and I'm including impoverished areas and Paramus, NJ. Luckily we've got Chicago, Minneapolis, Madison, St. Louis, and some lovely towns with great history. There are some really ugly parts of the Midwest though. I don't think it really works as a "region" per se.

yeah kc sucks, that's why i live in the country

Just curious, what sucks about KC?

from my perspective, traffic and crime.

Aah, ok. I've never been to anywhere in the midwest (unless Austin counts) so I have no idea. I like NYC, the traffic doesn't matter if you use the subway and the crime isn't a problem anymore. Too bad I can't afford to live there or I would, it's so convenient. It would be nice if they could "fix up" some midwestern cities so middle class folk who like urban convenience have someplace to go too

Chicago is pretty much that. It's good if you have a car, but you don't absolutely NEED one to get around. That could change if they let the El fall into decay, though. Also, the el extends to some really beautiful suburbs so you're not cut off if you want to live there, too. It doesn't feel as safe as NY, but pretty much, if you know where to avoid.

The idea that KC sucks because of traffic is cute (and the crime thing is actually true!) but what really sucks about it is that it's like going into a giant mall in half of it and a totally dilapidated crack neighborhood in the rest. It's a huge suburb, of the faceless middle-American variety. It's like nobody bothered to build a city. Except in the parts that have beautiful architecture, which is mostly Section 8 housing and has a bunch of hoods hanging out in front of it. So you can either live in crimeville or inside the mall of America or in an even lamer suburb. There is also NOTHING to do there. The most depressing place I've ever been.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Chicago is pretty much that. It's good if you have a car, but you don't absolutely NEED one to get around. That could change if they let the El fall into decay

What's the level of commitment to public transport? In NYC, as I'm sure you know, there's no question that it lies at the center of public policy, they're building new trans hudson tunnels and they'll be Scranton PA to NYC in the next decade. There's no question that NYC won't be letting it fall into decay, is that not the case in Chicago?

The idea that KC sucks because of traffic is cute (and the crime thing is actually true!) but what really sucks about it is that it's like going into a giant mall in half of it and a totally dilapidated crack neighborhood in the rest. It's a huge suburb, of the faceless middle-American variety.

I live in one of those faceless suburbs, I've grown comfortable with that. Sad to say. I still enjoy the city though, it's always weird when we return to our quiet little corner of Jersey.

[Alex+R 0]

Chicago is pretty much that. It's good if you have a car, but you don't absolutely NEED one to get around. That could change if they let the El fall into decay

What's the level of commitment to public transport? In NYC, as I'm sure you know, there's no question that it lies at the center of public policy, they're building new trans hudson tunnels and they'll be Scranton PA to NYC in the next decade. There's no question that NYC won't be letting it fall into decay, is that not the case in Chicago?

The idea that KC sucks because of traffic is cute (and the crime thing is actually true!) but what really sucks about it is that it's like going into a giant mall in half of it and a totally dilapidated crack neighborhood in the rest. It's a huge suburb, of the faceless middle-American variety.

I live in one of those faceless suburbs, I've grown comfortable with that. Sad to say. I still enjoy the city though, it's always weird when we return to our quiet little corner of Jersey.

I think they're letting the El get out of shape and not appropriating enough money to its repair/renovation. It's not the huge priority it is here, but it's a big enough priority that that upsets people.

I think the thing about KC is that it's supposed to be a city, but there's nothing there. I know from faceless suburbs, having grown up in one, but at least there was Minneapolis 10 minutes away. And in your case you have several cities a short drive away. In KC it's like there's NOTHING...ANYWHERE. No city to drive away from.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

In KC it's like there's NOTHING...ANYWHERE. No city to drive away from.

Sounds awful. A mall does not a city make, I wonder if the people who planned KC know that

The latest trend in NJ is to rebuild the old "walkable downtowns" that so many towns had before the advent of the automobile. There are a bunch of new projects to rebuild that along with the reactivation of old train stations and old train lines. It's very promising.

[Krikit 1,164]

I have no words...

-P

I do. Within the first 30 seconds she said "This maht be a stoopid question buht... Ah thought Europe WAS a country."

Actually, Kellie, that was a stupid statement.

[DeadPoolX 9]

All things considered, I could possibly see why someone with little education would think that Europe might be a country instead of a collection of countries. How often, in the U.S., do we refer to Europe as a mass in of itself, versus the many different countries within it? Quite often, I'd say.

In discussion, I wouldn't normally refer to each individual country (unless there was a specific reason to do so), which is why most Americans usually say "Europe" as a catch-all phrase to mean all of the countries in that area. Maybe if Americans were taught to think of European nations as separate countries, instead of one giant collective, mistakes like this wouldn't occur.

[Alex+R 0]

All things considered, I could possibly see why someone with little education would think that Europe might be a country instead of a collection of countries. How often, in the U.S., do we refer to Europe as a mass in of itself, versus the many different countries within it? Quite often, I'd say.

In discussion, I wouldn't normally refer to each individual country (unless there was a specific reason to do so), which is why most Americans usually say "Europe" as a catch-all phrase to mean all of the countries in that area. Maybe if Americans were taught to think of European nations as separate countries, instead of one giant collective, mistakes like this wouldn't occur.

Not sure what you're getting at. We refer to it as "Europe" when we are talking about the whole continent. I went to public school and I managed to gleam that France is its own country. Don't blame the American public schools, problem-filled as they are, for this one.

[Minya's wife 25]

All things considered, I could possibly see why someone with little education would think that Europe might be a country instead of a collection of countries. How often, in the U.S., do we refer to Europe as a mass in of itself, versus the many different countries within it? Quite often, I'd say.

In discussion, I wouldn't normally refer to each individual country (unless there was a specific reason to do so), which is why most Americans usually say "Europe" as a catch-all phrase to mean all of the countries in that area. Maybe if Americans were taught to think of European nations as separate countries, instead of one giant collective, mistakes like this wouldn't occur.

By that same token, references are very often made to the "European Union" which implies that it is a collection of something....so no I don't see how one with little education would think that Europe is one country.

-P

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

All things considered, I could possibly see why someone with little education would think that Europe might be a country instead of a collection of countries. How often, in the U.S., do we refer to Europe as a mass in of itself, versus the many different countries within it? Quite often, I'd say.

In discussion, I wouldn't normally refer to each individual country (unless there was a specific reason to do so), which is why most Americans usually say "Europe" as a catch-all phrase to mean all of the countries in that area. Maybe if Americans were taught to think of European nations as separate countries, instead of one giant collective, mistakes like this wouldn't occur.

Not sure what you're getting at. We refer to it as "Europe" when we are talking about the whole continent. I went to public school and I managed to gleam that France is its own country. Don't blame the American public schools, problem-filled as they are, for this one.

oh really?

btw, up here there is always yard work to do alex. and while you may think there isn't anywhere to go when you leave kc, there is always leavenworth/ft leavenworth (oldest continually operated military base west of the miss, atchison - birthplace of amelia earhardt, and if a college town is your liking, there's lawrence.

[Alex+R 0]

All things considered, I could possibly see why someone with little education would think that Europe might be a country instead of a collection of countries. How often, in the U.S., do we refer to Europe as a mass in of itself, versus the many different countries within it? Quite often, I'd say.

In discussion, I wouldn't normally refer to each individual country (unless there was a specific reason to do so), which is why most Americans usually say "Europe" as a catch-all phrase to mean all of the countries in that area. Maybe if Americans were taught to think of European nations as separate countries, instead of one giant collective, mistakes like this wouldn't occur.

Not sure what you're getting at. We refer to it as "Europe" when we are talking about the whole continent. I went to public school and I managed to gleam that France is its own country. Don't blame the American public schools, problem-filled as they are, for this one.

oh really?

btw, up here there is always yard work to do alex. and while you may think there isn't anywhere to go when you leave kc, there is always leavenworth/ft leavenworth (oldest continually operated military base west of the miss, atchison - birthplace of amelia earhardt, and if a college town is your liking, there's lawrence.

i've been to those places and they suck. sorry about the wrong word choice, btw. it obviously upset you.

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

All things considered, I could possibly see why someone with little education would think that Europe might be a country instead of a collection of countries. How often, in the U.S., do we refer to Europe as a mass in of itself, versus the many different countries within it? Quite often, I'd say.

In discussion, I wouldn't normally refer to each individual country (unless there was a specific reason to do so), which is why most Americans usually say "Europe" as a catch-all phrase to mean all of the countries in that area. Maybe if Americans were taught to think of European nations as separate countries, instead of one giant collective, mistakes like this wouldn't occur.

Not sure what you're getting at. We refer to it as "Europe" when we are talking about the whole continent. I went to public school and I managed to gleam that France is its own country. Don't blame the American public schools, problem-filled as they are, for this one.

oh really?

btw, up here there is always yard work to do alex. and while you may think there isn't anywhere to go when you leave kc, there is always leavenworth/ft leavenworth (oldest continually operated military base west of the miss, atchison - birthplace of amelia earhardt, and if a college town is your liking, there's lawrence.

i've been to those places and they suck. sorry about the wrong word choice, btw. it obviously upset you.

maybe you are just hard to please and i'm not upset, i thought you was a proofreader