Friday, September 25, 2009

Grass is always greener elsewhere

Many people wonder what it would be like to live elsewhere. As the need to be mobile increases, largely because of having to go where the jobs are in this recession, folks are confronted with the possibility of living in a new town, city or state they've never even visited.

There are also people who simply don't like where they live or want to try living in another region.

For anyone considering a move, there is a web site called Sperling's BestPlaces (www.bestplaces.net/) that rates towns based on various data like unemployment levels, crime rates, education stats, etc.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about this site is the comments from people who either live or have moved from the town you're searching on. The vast majority of comments are negative, which leads me to wonder about a couple of things.

Are people really that unhappy with where they live or have lived? Does familiarity truly breed contempt? So many remarks from folks refer to the grass being greener elsewhere. Yet, when you search on the "better" towns that they are praising, you will find people there who aren't that happy with those municipalities.

People make harsh judgments on places and the residents who live there -- even places that most folks seem to like, such as Raleigh, N.C. Here's a typical comment from a hater:

"They are the most ignorant drivers, I've ever come across? Hello, did anyone ever teach you how to use your indicator? I believe it too about the "illegals" People from Raleigh can't resist a good deal when it comes to someone working for them. They lost their slaves, but now they have found replacements."

Driving skills, traffic, crime, lack of culture, cost of living and too much or too little of whatever are common complaints. Everyone seems to complain that strip malls stink, but I wonder how many of those people ever went to a planning and zoning meet to fight against a strip mall proposal?

I have looked at this site a lot over the years and truly haven't found too many places that everyone likes. I also haven't found too many larger towns and cities where the crime rate isn't very high compared to where I live in Loudoun County, Va. Spending on education also seems fairly low in many parts of the country. Most of the places where people do have relatively favorable opinions also have an extremely high cost of living.

If you're thinking of a move, the site is worth a look. But I would focus more on the actual data and statistics than the rants from residents, visitors and former townees. If you pay too much attention to the comments, you'll never want to move anywhere.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Meeting celebrities is always fun

Brian Billick, the former Super Bowl-winning coach of the Baltimore Ravens, was in Federal Hill last night speaking at an event tied to a local radio talk show called "Chalk Talk."

Of course, if anything Ravens-related is happening in Baltimore, my daughter, Stephanie, is usually tuned into it. That's her on the right posing with Billick and a couple of her friends last night. Her husband, Kevin, is also a huge fan of the NFL team and wasn't shy about taking the microphone and asking the coach a question or two.

You can see the football stadium from Federal Hill as well as the Inner Harbor. The area reminds me a bit of Old Town Alexandria, Va., with a tad more tourism because of the harbor, aquarium and nearby football and baseball stadiums. Lots of bars, shops and residences. Has a safer, cleaner feel to it than the rest of Baltimore. My daughter tells me that one of George Bush's daughters lives in Federal Hill.

It's always fun to meet celebrities. Just the other day someone I had recently met was excited to have run into Chris Cooley, the Washington Redskins tight end, in a deli in Leesburg, Va. Not too long ago, I saw musician Dave Matthews strolling around Charlottesville, Va., with his daughters. I also saw Sen. John McCain at Dulles International Airport.

For whatever reason and at any age, rubbing elbows with these accomplished public figures seems to always give us a little boost, particularly if we can interact with them. My daughter was in awe of Billick's Super Bowl ring. Apparently, the ring was the size of a Smart Car. Some in the media have said Billick's ego is even bigger. Regardless, the coach-turned-broadcaster has a personality that can be very engaging. Can you imagine sitting through a talk given by New England Patriot's head bore, Bill Belichick? I'd take a pass on that event, regardless of how many Super Bowls the guy has won.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Obama talkin' jobs with Dave

I was glad to hear President Obama acknowledge and place emphasis on the unemployment problem during his appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman last night.

The first step in overcoming any problem is to recognize it. Too many politicians, and even some business leaders, won't discuss problems (under their watch) and only talk about their various successes. While the economy is showing some signs of recovery, unemployment continues to worsen in most parts of the country. Until people get back to work, the recovery will be slow and fragile at best.

Obama handled himself well, mixing in humor with a serious tone at times. Almost the entire show was dedicated to Letterman interviewing the president. And while health-care reform is still a major topic, the unemployment situation seems to be a top-priority item for Obama. However, Obama didn't make any promises that jobs would be restored anytime soon, nor did he specify what he's doing to prevent more layoffs. I believe he was honest in his appraisal of the job market and the timetable for full recovery. He didn't seem to be sweeping the worsening jobless statistics under the rug, but I also didn't hear any details about how and why jobs would eventually return.

While Obama's frankness was a good thing, I would have liked to have heard what exactly it's going to take for businesses to start hiring again. Of course, Letterman was asking the questions, so I didn't expect the talk-show host to probe too deeply or for Obama to fess up to anything that he wasn't asked.

A lot has been made of Obama's many television appearances. Some in talk radio have been critical of the president for over exposure. But this is the information age. A time in which leaders must communicate and must do so often, clearly and on various platforms. As long as the president is doing his job, I don't see a problem with his appearing on TV, radio, the web or in newspapers. He seems to be a high-energy guy, capable of multi-tasking. Personally, I enjoy the fact that we have a president who is articulate and willing to shake things up.

Whether or not one agrees with all of his policies is a whole other matter. I've shaken my head more than once at some of the people Obama has appointed to help him run this country. Not much change reflected in some of those appointments. I've heard complaints from people I know who run small businesses, who don't feel Obama is helping them. And, of course, we are still waging war in two countries.

If Obama can get people back to work, that will give him time and public support to address other issues and reforms. However, if Americans continue to lose their jobs, it's going to be more difficult for Obama to change the things that need to be changed, regardless of how many television appearances he makes.

Read the latest about Congress possibly extending unemployment benefits: http://money.cnn.com/2009/09/22/news/economy/extending_unemployment_benefits/index.htm?postversion=2009092207

Sunday, September 20, 2009