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ConcernedCitizen1 · Guest

A special homage to Baylor123, check out this historical job loss map. The blobs of red (job losses) spread every where like ebola, but somehow Texas emerges relatively blue (job gains!)

http://www.slate.com/id/2216238/

balor123 · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 1204

hehe I posted this in the news category but yes Texas is doing well. Other than economy and cost of living I still much prefer living elsewhere. The problem is those things don't really matter to you until after you've worked for a couple of years and by that point it's a lot harder to move.

GenXer · Joined: 20 Feb 2009 Posts: 703

I read somewhere that Texas has a lot of oil. Maybe that's why they are doing well? Also, they may actually manage the state better. If MA was managed better, I think companies would be moving into the state rather than out of the state.

admin · Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 12:40 am GMT Post subject:

I have a friend who lives in Texas who was pulled over and then held in jail for two nights out of spite from the officer when he (easily) passed a breathalyzer test. They can hold you without charges for up to 72 hours, and they apparently do. Ryan Moat's harassment doesn't seem to be an isolated incident there, unfortunately. Maybe all the new jobs there are for prison wardens (I'm only have joking - prison has become a shockingly big business in the US, per a recent Economist article). I won't be moving to Texas anytime soon.

- admin

balor123 · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 1204

Having grown up in Texas I can provide you an accurate account of what living in the state is like. The state is VERY pro-development and it is one of the most and best planned states, which is why the state is able to accomodate so many people without big city problems found elsewhere. Cost and quality of living are highly emphasized there. Virtually everyone is able to afford a 3 bedroom single family house in a nice neighborhood near centers of business.

The state is also very big business friendly and there is little protectionism, focusing on attracting businesses instead to keep jobs. Waltham, for example, wants to build a shopping center to replace the Polaroid headquarters. In exchange for the opportunity, the developer has to spend ~$50 million on infrastructure to support it. In Texas, the cities front the money for the infrastructure and then find businesses to fill the space. The infrastructure there is very good and the economy is very diverse. Houston has Oil but Texas is far more than Oil these days. It is the hub for international trade with the Americas and has a large tech, finance, and biotech presence.

Texas is not for everyone. If you want to live in your house and make money off it too, then you will be disappointed there because when house prices rise the residents get angry because they have to pay more taxes. People don't move very often so they don't realize the gains and don't appreciate them. You won't find much local politics in those cities. They are just one big city. If you work for the government, then you won't be treated very well compared to here but those jobs are mostly held by immigrants who like being closer to home (Mexico) anyway. Most importantly, and the primary reason that I left, you have to be willing to tolerate hot weather. All year around.

balor123 · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 1204

Speaking of you friends incident with the police, they are far less tolerant there than here. If you are speeding by over 10mph, then you will almost certainly get a speeding ticket. Less than 10 and its a gamble. I've never had any runins (other than moving violations) with police and I don't know anyone who has but last time I got a speeding ticket there the police officer didn't seem to like that I had an MA license. Fortunately, I was driving a car registered in TX and he didn't give me too much trouble - they just don't like your kind down there I guess Razz

admin · Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 12:31 pm GMT Post subject:

Yeah, the first time I drove on a highway in Texas I was taken aback by how freakishly slow everybody was driving. Then I realized they were all doing the speed limit. I figure I have been conditioned to be impatient by Boston driving.

- admin

balor123 · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 1204

I got my last speeding ticket there for that reason (and I was only there for 1 week!). There's simply no need to speed there. There is little traffic other than rush hour, most of the roads have appropriate speed limits, and you generally don't have to drive far, even though the cities are bigger (apparently decentralization is a good thing when it comes to building cities).

john p · Joined: 10 Mar 2006 Posts: 1820

The stars at night, are big and bright, dat, dat, dat, dat..... deep in the heaaaart of Texas!

balor123 · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 1204

Ugh... I hate that song Razz

In fact, I hate just about everything else about Texas except for the things mentioned above.

john p · Joined: 10 Mar 2006 Posts: 1820

How about BBQ, and steak? I like those batman belt buckles too.

balor123 · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 1204

I don't care much for steak but BBQ is good. If you're ever in Austin, then you HAVE to check out a place called the Salt Lick. But in San Antonio you find primarily Tex-Mex and they're pretty much all good. Boston has lots of interesting and unique restaurants but it seems that Tex-max isn't on the list sadly. Probably for the better since it's not the healthiest food. People in SA are sort of fat Razz

balor123 · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 1204

Also, no one in Texas knows what Texas Toast is. To us it's just toast.

Boston ITer · Guest

john p · Joined: 10 Mar 2006 Posts: 1820

This weekend I went to two South Shore legends:

Christos of Brockton (greek food):

http://www.visitingnewengland.com/christo's.html

The Lynwood Cafe (pizza) of Randolph:

http://www.hiddenboston.com/Lynwood.html

We took the bulldog to Scusset Beach for some running around in the a.m. prior to the pizza/ Red Sox. I thought I was in heaven.

http://www.boston.com/community/photos/raw/2008/08/scusset_beach.html

No matter where you end up, you can find the cool places and find cool people at the cool places...