Pabst moving to Chicago from San Antonio

[hotfoot]

Apparently, Illinois is their largest market. Doesn't surprise me one bit.

[slam]

yeah, no surprise there. the hipsters loves thems somes of that pabst!

[mrjohnchimpo]

yeah, no surprise there. the hipsters loves thems somes of that pabst!

and hamm's. i've seen a lot of that lately, too.

[shining_path]

There are hipsters in Chicago?

yeah, no surprise there. the hipsters loves thems somes of that pabst!

[lainafair]

There are hipsters in Chicago?

HAhahahahahah....nothing more...just unbearable laughter!

[mrjohnchimpo]

There are hipsters in Chicago?

aren't more than half of us hipsters? what makes a hipster anyways?

[hotfoot]

everyone from new york thinks hipsters are from the midwest.

[007]

aren't more than half of us hipsters? what makes a hipster anyways?

I posted this previously :

http://www.catbirdseat.org/catbirdseat/bingo.html

[notorious]

I posted this previously :

http://www.catbirdseat.org/catbirdseat/bingo.html


bingo for hotfoot.

[mrjohnchimpo]

I posted this previously :

http://www.catbirdseat.org/catbirdseat/bingo.html

shit yeah. i could hang with any 2 of my friends and get a bingo on that shit. :lol:

[hotfoot]

bingo for hotfoot.

and here i thought i had the occasional high life 'cause it tasted good.

[larryhead]

Hahahah.. I have that hipster bingo sheet printed out and hanging in my cube.. "4-foot tall girl" always brings a smile to my face :thumbsup:

[larryhead]

aren't more than half of us hipsters? what makes a hipster anyways?

I think the best definition I've heard is that hipsters are "those people at the other table who dress, talk and act like us."

:D

[slam]

I think the best definition I've heard is that hipsters are "those people at the other table who dress, talk and act like us."

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Talking Sandwich]

aren't more than half of us hipsters? what makes a hipster anyways?

Great question . .i've been wondering

A. When did this term start getting dropped by everyone.
B. What does it mean exactly?
C. When will people stop using this term.

/Bring back "trendy" as an insult
// or "fuck face"

[hotfoot]

Great question . .i've been wondering

A. When did this term start getting dropped by everyone.
B. What does it mean exactly?
C. When will people stop using this term.

/Bring back "trendy" as an insult
// or "fuck face"


i remember using it around the milleniom to refer to all the people at indie rock shows. i think it replaced *emo* at the time. how embarrassing.

[JVO]

Great question . .i've been wondering

A. When did this term start getting dropped by everyone.
B. What does it mean exactly?
C. When will people stop using this term.

/Bring back "trendy" as an insult
// or "fuck face"

I have had many conversations trying to define "trendy". I think the easiest way for me to define it is as everything I am not...(I say as I sit in my navy blue dockers, dress shirt, and tie with an elephant on it, while listening to Lynard Skynard on my cassette tape...Tuesday's Gone with the wind, My Baby's gone with the wind...)

I think to be trendy is to be up on all of the latest fashions and music and to use this information as a way to define your own personal style consciously or unconsciously. I also think that people who are "trendy" tend to only feel comfortable in bars/parties/places where other "trendy" people frequent. That is why you don't see too many trendy people at Country Bars or Frat parties (although I am sure there are trendy country people also). Also it seems like hating sports is some sort of bizarre requirement.

I had a friend in college who defined "Trendy" as someone who was a Counter Culture Brick. A brick obviously is somebody who follows the rules, morals and ideals of mainstream society regardless of what they dictate. A "Counter-Culture brick" is someone who rebels against mainstream rules, morals, and ideals regardless of what they are. I am not sure that I define that as trendy, but I definitely do know people who that applies too and most of them are trendy.

[Soul Queen]

I think that hipsters are not trendy in the sense of the pop culture fashion trendy. They aren't running around in long john bottoms, or whatever the fashion is on E.

Its an anti pop culture fashion type thing. I always think of it as shabby clothes, the hoodie, crazy haircuts, etc. Most hipsters I know grab their clothes from consignment shops.

It includes elements of anti-pretty too. If that makes any sense.

I have seen trendy hipster stores here in Miami. Miami makes a buck off of EVERY style.

[hotfoot]

http://www.hipstersareannoying.com/

some answers, perhaps.

[hotfoot]

http://www.hipstersareannoying.com/

some answers, perhaps.

including a definition:

10. Hails from the Midwest, lives somewhere in Brooklyn.

9. Owns at least two Guided By Voices albums.

8. Firmly believes that Ralph Nader should have won the 2000 presidential election.

7. General arts over-education (i.e. has either designs to attend graduate school, is in graduate school or has gone to graduate school)

6. Parents shoulder some of his/her financial burden.

5. Owns at least three too tight T-shirts adorned with dated symbols (usually fuzzy or shiny/decal) with which he/she has absolutely no knowledge or connection.

4. Can readily and willfully recall the theme song from at least one television sitcom that was cancelled before his/her birth.

3. Will consciously muss and/or neglect to wash hair in order to achieve a 'look.' (male only)

2. Is of the opinion that 'Pet Sounds' is the greatest Beach Boys album (a comment generally follow by this statement): 'rivaling the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.'

1. Insists on calling movies 'film,' insists on calling concerts 'shows.'

[False Alarm]

Great question . .i've been wondering

A. When did this term start getting dropped by everyone.
B. What does it mean exactly?
C. When will people stop using this term.

/Bring back "trendy" as an insult
// or "fuck face"
a. i dunno.
b. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hipster. doesn't really clear anything up (and a lot of the definitions are pretty stupid), but it gives an idea of the impressions peeps get when they hear the word.
c. over/under: 5 more years. i'll take the over (barely).

i dunno. the word's so broadly used i don't think it has much effect, even as an insult. "punk," hippie," and "beat"--these were definite things, terms you could do something with. but oh, you're interested in art or independent music? then i guess you hate the mainstream and you're a hipster. you like poetry or any nonbestselling authors? hipster. you like thrift shops? hipster. you drink super-cheap domestics? hipster. unkempt hair? hipster. suburban background and low-paying job? hipster. indie-film fan? hipster. don't much like big biz? hipster. fall into a certain age group and live in one of these trendy neighborhoods? hipster. don't like sports? hipster.

i mean, there's scene shit that annoys me as much as the next person, but peeps' ideas of "hipster" are so general that at least something above applies to pretty much everyone i know. so apparently my mom is a fucking hipster she loves thrift shops y'alls. or maybe there's a threshold, like if you answer yes to at least three or four of the above questions, you might be a hipster and should contact your doctor immediately. the fuck.

(although i do laugh when i think of the time that sandwich, hasslehound, notorious, hotfoot, harvey, and i were playing cards and realized we were all wearing hoodies and skullies.)

edit: add hotfoot's last post to my list of questions. maybe we can put together a Hipster Warning Signs circular or something.

[Soul Queen]

Hipster: You're such a conformist, haveing a Louis Vitton purse is so unoriginal. I like my purse I found in the gutter for $4 dollars.

Non-hipster: but it's fugly

Hipster: yah, but no one else has it. It's completely unique.

Non-hipster: that bum over there has something pretty similar though.

:lol:

[JVO]

Ok I am bored today...

(From my own personal experience)


You may be a hipster if...

You have never been tan a day in your life.
You think that Radio Head and the Beastie Boys are musical geniuses.
If you are a man and you wear glasses they are perfectly round and/or have black rims.
If you are a woman and you wear glasses they are not at all round, and probably resemble cat’s eyes
For many years, your parents were secretly worried that you were gay.
Unless you are swimming, you never wear shorts.
Either you don’t own tennis shoes, or you wear them less than once a month.
Either you don’t own blue jeans, or you wear them less than once a month.
90% of your clothes are black, beige, or forest green
Off the top of your head, you can name 100 bands who have never cracked the top 100, but you have no idea who Jim Croce or Merle Haggard are.
You think all frat brothers are assholes and all sorority girls are whores.
You are allergic to at least two things.
If you are a man, and you have a pet, it is a cat.
If you are a girl, and you have a pet, it is some exotic creature (snake, lizard, etc)
You own at least 2 collections of the original Star Wars trilogy.
You still own at least three Star Wars Action figures
You still read comic books.
You own over 1000 CD’s but have not actually bought a CD in a store for over 3 years.
You have seen at least 4 bands perform live this month.
You know the doorman and all of the bartenders at, at least 2 bars.
You often find that you are the oldest person in the bar.
You own over $10,000.00 in clothes, but you don’t own a car.
You either make over $40 an hour, or under $10.
You work in retail, food service, or computer programming.
You finished in the top 10% of your highschool class.
You voted for Ralph Nader.
Depending on the source, if somebody mentions the name of a band that you have never heard of before, you either immediately burn it, or think that they suck.
You are a man, and it takes you less than 10 minutes to get ready to go to the bar.
You are a woman, and it takes you over 2 hours to get ready to go to the bar.
You are a woman, and you own over 25 pairs of ear rings.
You are a man, and you own over 3 tee shirts with smart ass sayings on them.
You can not shoot a game of pool to save your life.
You don’t own any pairs of white socks or sweat pants.
You think that every bar in town (other than the 2 or 3 that you go to) suck, despite the fact that you have never been to most of them.
You are a vigorous reader, but you never read any best selling novels, and look down on those people you do.
You secretly wish you were French.
You think “Titanic” is the one of the worst movies ever made, but you love all movies with zombies.
You have taken Ectasy at least five times.
You hate all domestic beer.
You only buy beer that is in bottles.

[Soul Queen]

You are a woman, and you own over 25 pairs of ear rings.??

I don't think that I'm a hipster, but i have some jewelry. What girl doesn't.

Same way with amount of clothes. I'm not for sure if that would define someone as hipster.

Your just thinking of Andi!

[JVO]

You are a woman, and you own over 25 pairs of ear rings.??

I don't think that I'm a hipster, but i have some jewelry. What girl doesn't.

Same way with amount of clothes. I'm not for sure if that would define someone as hipster.

Your just thinking of Andi!

Do you have more than 25 pairs of ear rings? If so, you might be a hipster.

Do you have an entire room that is dedicated to clothes? If so, you might be a hipster.

I understand that woman require a lot of clothes (remember I have 3 sisters), but there is a difference in having a normal amount for a girl and having a normal amount for a girl hipster. If you have a closet full of clothes that is normal for a woman. If you have an entire room that is used only for clothes storage, you might be a hipster.

I really wasn't thinking about anyone in particular, just all of the people who I see at Shattered every weekend (myself included). My main barometer was to go with the opposite of me on as many things as I could think of.

I am sure that everybody could answer yes to a handful of these, In fact, I would have to answer yes to some of them. Like False Alarm said the more Yes answers you give, the more of a "hipster" you are.
Everybody has a little hipster in em.

I stand by my list.

[larryhead]

You hate all domestic beer.
You only buy beer that is in bottles.

hah.. this should be corrected... . Hipsters LOVE to drink PBR... especially out of a can. :upsidedown:

I think you are confusing hipsters and... I dunno..

For me, this bingo board is the epitome of your typical midwestern hipster... there are tons of them by where I live, and if I walk around Wicker Park or Ukrainian Village on any given night, I am virtually guaranteed to get a bingo!

http://www.catbirdseat.org/catbirdseat/bingo.jpg

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[larryhead]

missing from the bingo board:

- 'zine girl
- big leather snap bracelet
- faded 1980's iron on decal t-shirt

[mrjohnchimpo]

what about messenger bag with little band pins all over it?

[larryhead]

Ooohh yeah, that's one for sure!

[Diamond Vision]

oh shit... shit...
I'm a hipster...
shit! identity crisis...


as for what's trendy:
what ever year it is, subtract 2, find a pic of me from product-year.. whatever I'm wearing in the pic will invariably be the trend in the current year!

glitter scarves to the ground? i started that.
nerdy bow ties? i started that.
houndstooth pattern coming back? yep, me.

[lainafair]

I think we're getting the word "hipster" confused with the general disposition of our generation.
JVO's definition of "hipster" doesn't really relate to what I would consider to be hipster here in chicago, but what it does relate to is nearly every person I've met, under 30...and a few under 35.

[Ag Au]

when my fella and i moved to brooklyn last year, slam was kind enough to give us the hipster handbook for the holidays.
http://www.hipsterhandbook.com/
there are so many different types of hipster defined here that you might be one and not even know. scary, funny, ha.

[JVO]

I think we're getting the word "hipster" confused with the general disposition of our generation.
JVO's definition of "hipster" doesn't really relate to what I would consider to be hipster here in chicago, but what it does relate to is nearly every person I've met, under 30...and a few under 35.

I agree that I probably wasn't really discribing "hipster" I guess. It is such a nebulous term that it is hard to put a finger on. I will say that I disagree that I discribed everybody under 30. In fact I know a lot more people who are the opposite of what I descibed than who match. I just think that people normally hang out with people who are similar to them (I find it much more interesting to hang out with people who are not similar). Therefore if you surround yourself with people who are similar to you in interests than it may sort of narrow your perspective. For example I can think of at least a dozen people my age or younger who have either never seen or don't like Star Wars (just for an example). Or just think about the millions of people out there who are buying all the country albumns. Also wearing jeans and tee shirt is the normal get up for a majority of the people that I know. If I didn't work, I would wear shorts, a tee shirt, and a baseball cap pretty much year round. Yet in the 5 plus years that I have known Slammy (for instance) I have never seen him wear jeans or a baseball cap. Also as far as music goes, I honestly don't have a damn clue about a majority of the bands that we discuss and if I was going out to the Golf Course with my work buddies and I threw in RadioHead or the Beastie Boys, I would totally get humiliated than I would get my ass kicked. Obviously nobody is right or wrong just different. That is what makes it all so much fun!!!!!

[mrjohnchimpo]

there is right and wrong in music.

[slam]

Yet in the 5 plus years that I have known Slammy (for instance) I have never seen him wear jeans or a baseball cap.

i wear jeans every day, yo. mebbe you meant my arch-nemesis, shorts?

i had a certain feeling while reading through your list that you were just describing me, JVO :>

[mrjohnchimpo]

i wear jeans every day, yo. mebbe you meant my arch-nemesis, shorts?

i just bought shorts for the first time in like 5 years the other day. my legs are like gigantic slabs of pale, hairy sausage, which i think is why i stopped wearing shorts in the first place.

they sure are comfortable though. :D

[Soul Queen]

i wear jeans every day, yo. mebbe you meant my arch-nemesis, shorts?

i had a certain feeling while reading through your list that you were just describing me, JVO :>

I thought he was describing Andi. :p

Are you sunning yourself up for the floattrip. Or are the legs still a ghostly white, slam?

[Soul Queen]

I'm trying to picture slam in a baseball cap?!?

[andikay]

I thought he was describing Andi. :p



I'm too old to be a hipster! But I do own over 25 pairs of earrings, have an entire room devoted to clothes, have (probably) more than $10,000 worth of clothes but no working car, know a doorman/bartender at 3+ Columbia bars, and go to at least 4 rock shows a month (and yes, I call them "shows").

The distinction is that I don't automatically shun and disdain popular culture as a knee-jerk, identity-defining reaction, or think that the things I enjoy are culturally superior because not as many people know about some of them. I think the difference between regular old "fashionable person" and "trendy hipster" has to do with the latter's defensive need to automatically look down on people who enjoy mainstream and/or pop culture, because defining yourself as superior to pop culture is part of the hipster identity. Also, hipsters don't shower. I shower at least every other day.

An example of hipster thinking: Some kid at the clothing store was saying he was glad they were tearing down the canopy (a concrete overhang in downtown Columbia that keeps the rain off the sidewalks, built in the late 1960's. It is being torn down now) because he "hated what it stood for." I looked at him like he was stupid and said what do you mean? "Well they built the canopy to make downtown more like the mall."

Noooo, they built the canopy so that the downtown area could continue to be competitive with the newly-popular enclosed mall shopping experience emerging in the mid-to-late 1960's. They built it to keep the downtown area alive, dumbass. There's a difference. That is typical of the hipster attitude: an automatic and instinctive reaction against staying competitive with big business because he thinks it dares to imitate a corporate business strategy, specifically because hipsters (and pseudo-neo-punks) think that part of being a hipster is hating all things large, successful, and mainstream, without examining their merits on a case-by-case basis.

[007]

Why are they tearing down the downtown over hang?
I can't see any reason to NOT have it...

[Soul Queen]

It's Columbia. Anything that would remotely make sense will be destroyed. New shops and roads will take their place.

All of the development really irritated me before I left. It seemed that Columbia was hell bent on destroying every tree.

My sister told me recently Columbia wants to "round up" most of the geese because they crap all over the place.

Wouldn't it be nice if they actually focused on real issues.

[larryhead]

It's Columbia. Anything that would remotely make sense will be destroyed.

Ouch, sounds like a tough town! :lol:

[JVO]

It's Columbia. Anything that would remotely make sense will be destroyed. New shops and roads will take their place.

All of the development really irritated me before I left. It seemed that Columbia was hell bent on destroying every tree.

My sister told me recently Columbia wants to "round up" most of the geese because they crap all over the place.

Wouldn't it be nice if they actually focused on real issues.

My boss was on the city counsel for quite awhile and he has been bitching about that canopy ever since I started. To be honest, I have never really noticed it before, but apparently there have been a lot of complaints. I guess it is starting to rust, is outdated, and is a gathering spot for bees and other undesirables. I think they are just tearing it down because they think the property value will actually go up once it is eliminated. Andi probably knows much more about this than I do.

As far as the geese go, (that is fun to say) I heard on the radio the other day, that the City of Columbia estimates that there is over $1,000,000 in property damage a year because of the geese. So it actually is a bit of a problem. I think the solution they proposed is to attach speakers to the top of a lot of the buildings. The speakers will give off a sound that geese will find annoying, but that people will not hear. So no geese will be injured and the city/downtown business, will save some cash. They use the same thing at all the resorts in the Bahamas.

I personally think that CoMo is one of the most organized places I have ever been. Every year it makes the top 10 in best Middle sized cities to live. Unemployment rates are way below the National and State averages. New businesses are coming to the area every year. Existing businesses are building new and bigger headquarters and are hiring more employees. Cost of living is still very low. Rental rates are very low considering the amount of demand. It has the most parks per capita in the country (including 2 cheap public golf courses). It is expanding at an incredible rate. Wages are getting higher. Violent crime is very rare (under 3 murders a year). MU had the best donation year in their history. All three Universities have had increasing enrollment. Every year they add more special free events downtown. Somehow the District seems to be healthy and vibrant despite the 3 Super WalMarts and a good sized mall. Pot was recently virtually legalized in small amounts. The no Smoking inside buildings law probably won’t make it to a vote (a recent poll had 49% of Columbian’s opposed to only 24% in favor). Stadium, Broadway, and Nifong have all been widened and they are currently working on I-70 and Hwy 63. Columbia hosts the biggest amateur sports festival in the country. And I have never heard of any corruption or evil coming from inside the government. I think all and all CoMo is an oasis of heaven in the middle of hell.

Of course there will be some loss of land, but really if there is one thing that Mid Missouri has enough of it is vacant land. Besides if you want to live somewhere with no development or growth, why did you ever leave G-Town? Why move to one the top 10 developed places in the country? Not to mention the fact that CoMo is about as good at creating parks (both City and State) as anywhere in America. The alternative to a growing city is a dying one.


What real issues do you think the city should be tackling that they are not?

[andikay]

Why are they tearing down the downtown over hang?
I can't see any reason to NOT have it...

It does serve a purpose, and I am sorry to see it go. But, in order for the downtown area to qualify as a historical district and be eligible for state and federal grants and tax credits so that the building owners can restore and improve the buildings, the concrete canopy has to be torn down. The plan is for everybody to use their grants and tax credits to install very wide-reaching cloth awnings, buy new signs, and plant more trees. I'm sorry about the demise of the canopy, particularly because people still go shopping in the rain because of the protection the canopy affords, but I think getting the downtown area to qualify as a historic district will be good for all businesses downtown in the long run.

[andikay]

Some more background on the canopy issue, for those who care:

Here's a story about how and why the canopy is being removed:
http://columbiamissourian.com/news/story.php?ID=20122

If you are interested in reading minutes from a city council meeting regarding the downtown restoration project (I know, yaaawn, :p but to me this is fascinating), here's another link:
http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Council/Minutes/documents/min06_mar20.pdf

Somebody loan me $20,000 to open a store and help fund my campaign to run for City Council, and I'll help make sure Columbia stays awesome.;)

[Soul Queen]

No one gets paid shit working in COMO Missouri. Why? Because it has 3 Universities and it is ranked in the top ten places to live. So there is a large percentage of the population that have degrees, hence the lower wage. Why pay someone well, when you can hire someone equally qualified for less pay. There is not a large variety of jobs. You are either working at a hospital, university, restaurant, store clerk, construction, teacher.

I think that the City Council is corrupt. Why else would Walmart put 4 fucking stores up. A town of 70000 needs 4 Super Walmarts? People protested. But the Super Walmarts are everywhere.

It has been going downhill for awhile. What about that measure to take away the bottle deposit? So some homeless people made some cash by cleaning up the roads. No, i didn't like them going through my trash, but ulimately I think the town was more clean.

Real issues...How about working on having a bus system that actually functioned on a regular schedule? How about one that runs past 6 p.m. (that may have changed since I left), but I bet it doesn't run past 8 p.m.

Public health, how about funding better public health centers. The downtown office is in a cupboard. A new center for people to go to would be nice.

i don't think building renovations or problems with birds are real issues. But in the Tribune there is always something about the library, a building downtown, blah, blah blah.

Downtown in its way has always irritated me. I have heard about store owners feeding the pidgeons poison, because they don't like them flying around. They always have problem with the homeless people.

I agree that there are nice things about Columbia, Missouri. I do miss the nice parks. Being able to get across town is 10 minutes...

It seems that Columbia wants to be a big city and its not. I don't miss the squabbles over nothing. Or being pulled over because I happened to be the only person on the road and the cop needs to make their traffic ticket quota.

My ideal would to live about 20-30 minutes away from the city. That way I can enjoy the air, yet can go do stuff if I want.

It is the nature of cities to grow and take over everything green and nice around them.

Thats my rant. I'll try to think of more positive things later.

[JVO]

Awesome Rant.

True that the CoMo Job Market is very competitive, but that is just because the city is so popular that educated people from all over Mid Mo flock to Columbia because of everything it has to offer and those who graduate from here are reluctant to leave because they enjoy living here. I think if you look at the amount of money that people make compared to the low price of housing, the wages are very fair. Also I have had 6 jobs in CoMo (yikes!) and none of them were working at a hospital, university, restaurant, store clerk, construction, or teacher, so I am not really sure what you are talking about.

As far as ShitMart goes, nobody hates them as much as I do. I have not shopped in a WalMart in 6 years, but if the town is big enough to support 4 WalMarts how can the city counsel possibly stop them. I understand your hatred for business, but no city cousel in the world is going to tell a business that they can’t come to their town. Especially when that business will offer 100’s of jobs (granted shitty ones, but there will be no shortage of people who will work them), $1,000,000 in city and state revenues, and will bring in shoppers from all around the surrounding areas. The only people who complain about the WalMarts are the residents who have houses in nearby neighborhoods. I understand their grievances, but if the City code allows business there is nothing the City Counsel can do, unless they want to convert to Communism.

As far as the homeless situation, I have noticed a dramatic decline in homeless people since I have lived here. When I first moved here, there were homeless people on every corner. Now I go months at a time without seeing one. I am sure they still exist, but I certainly haven’t seen an increase.

I have never been on one of the busses, but I can say that I was very surprised to find that a city the size of Columbia even offered public transportation. Plus you can’t say that the City Counsel is ignoring real issues when they are trying to restore historical downtown instead of ensuring that the buses run on time.

CoMo has more hospitals per capita than any other city in Missouri. And 3 of the hospitals just made the top 100 hospitals in the Nation list. I don’t know about the Public Health Department, but I have gone to MU a couple of times when I did not have insurance, and I didn’t have any problems.

I really think that taking care of the Downtown area is extremely important. Not only does it aid the Colleges in recruiting, but also allows the city to make more money with the increase in tourism. The reason why the city has so much success with the free functions that they hold downtown is because so many people buy things from the downtown shops (and not WalMart). The District is the heart of the city, and maintaining its welfare must be one of the government’s top priorities.

In the 10 years I have lived in Mid-Missouri, I have only been pulled over once, and I drive over 90 miles a day.

I do understand what you are saying about the growth of the City becoming depressing. I know it pains me to return to Denver and see how all of the foothills are now scarred with houses. But unfortunately that is just a byproduct of having a successful vibrant city. The reason why the city is growing is because more and more people want to take advantage of living here. From a City Government perspective that is totally the goal. Do you think they should pass some law that makes it illegal for new businesses or people to move to Columbia?

That was my rant...sorry, but I have to defend my adopted hometown.

[Soul Queen]

Of course I don't think there should be a law forbidding new businesses and people to move to Columbia.

I think that Columbia has lots of wonderful things to offer too.

Sometimes the people irritate me with their silly problems. Geese, awnings for covered shopping?! I saw frivilous issues come up alot at the library.

The reason you don't see too many homeless people in Columbia is because Columbia is making it so they aren't welcome. Getting rid of the bottle deposit, making it illegal to panhandle downtown etc.

The problem is still there, its just not there for people to see.

Plus with the public health issue, what did you go in for? My dad went in for a hernia and he didn't have insurance. The doctors at University Hospital told him he had to come up with $6000 up front BEFORE they would do the surgery.

I don't believe that hospitals can deny you emergency services, but I'm not for sure about other services.

The Public Health Department is different from University Hospital. The Public Health Department provides services such as immunization shots, women's health screening (before President Bush slashed funding, but thats another rant), childhood screenings, etc. It is geared for people who can not afford to go to the doctor. They offer reduced or free services. The WIC office is usually found here.

Health care is more of a State/Federal issue.

With Gas Prices what they are I think that every town should put together public transporation.

Sidenote (wishful thinking) It would be nice to have the railroads run everywhere connecting at every town. People could get around and save money. It could be a solution to gas prices....

Mainly I think major issues are taking care of poor people, making sure people can get to where they need to go, providing safe neighborhoods, good jobs (with benefits), good homes, etc.

Thats all I really have to say.

[JVO]

Sidenote (wishful thinking) It would be nice to have the railroads run everywhere connecting at every town. People could get around and save money. It could be a solution to gas prices....



Matty and I were just talking about that. We think they should build a bullet train that goes from Kansas City to St. Louis and only makes one stop (conveniently in Columbia). That way if I wanted to go to a Cards game it would take under an hour to get there. Also, as you well know, it is such a major pain in the butt if you have to fly somewhere. Since CoMo airport is nothing, you always have to drive all the way to KC or St. Louis. That means, unless you have a very, very good friend who is willing to drop you off, you either have to pay an outrageous amount for airport/hotel parking or you have to ride one of those shuttle services. I know flying to Chicago for instance, the drive to St. Louis takes twice as long as the flight to Chicago. Do you know anything about the Jeff City Airport? I wonder if it is any better than Columbia's?

[larryhead]

Well, this thread certainly took a strange turn :)