New from upstate New York?
Newcomers from upstate New York are helping to transform our region by bringing new cultures, tastes for food and accents to our area. I examined the trend for an article in today’s paper.
If you’re a newcomer from New York, what do you think of life here in Charlotte? How is it different – or the same as – life back home? Why did you move, and what made you choose Charlotte? I hope you’ll drop me an e-mail at Ldyer@charlotteobserver.com so I can contact you with follow-up questions, but you’re welcome to post here too.
And if you’re new in town from other regions and you haven’t already gotten in touch, I want to hear from you too, with your experiences and questions about getting settled in the Charlotte area.
If you’re a newcomer from New York, what do you think of life here in Charlotte? How is it different – or the same as – life back home? Why did you move, and what made you choose Charlotte? I hope you’ll drop me an e-mail at Ldyer@charlotteobserver.com so I can contact you with follow-up questions, but you’re welcome to post here too.
And if you’re new in town from other regions and you haven’t already gotten in touch, I want to hear from you too, with your experiences and questions about getting settled in the Charlotte area.
posted by Leigh at
4:21 AM
65 Comments:
I don't qualify as a newcommer but left upstate New York for pretty much the same reasons that exist today. Only I did it nearly 25 years ago.
The whole Charlotte region has changed dramatically in that time period and I blame it in large part on the Yankee and Latino invasion. The upwardly creeping taxes are one thing we escaped from when we left upstate and no longer had to pay nearly $800 a month in taxes therre 25 years ago. There is also no industry to support the population other than service industry - I seel you insurance you seel me shoes.
If I could bring the foods, ethnic cultures, and scenary of upstate New York to the Charlotte area I would do it in a heartbeat. But I gladly give it all up for nice weather and better yet generally nice people and a slower less frenetic pace that even exists in upstate.
I am disturbed by the importing of rediculous laws into this state which were on the books in New York 30 years ago and were one of the contributing factors to upstate's demise along with the taxes.
Now that NC is starting to fill up my wife and I are looking at some towns in South Carolina where we can retire and return to the wonderful days of yesteryear that were once Charlotte's. This place is getting really screwed up and I don't understand why community leaders are always pushing for growth. It does nothing but raise taxes and lower the quality of life- I have seen it too many times in my travels around the nation and Charlotte is being poisoned with growth.
Buffalo Born, moved into Iredell in 99. Great place for family, friends, and continuing support for Buffalo Sports teams. Why leave...simple.. Sunshine everyday if it's 20 or 90. Employment opportunities for me and my kids in the future so we can live in the same state. Costs/Quality of life is great to people who thought our taxes were normal in NY. They are not. Enjoy the LAKE NORMAN area, we do and hope our fellow BUFFALONIANS will reach out and enjoy wings,Beef on Weck, Pizza ans BUffalo sports with us evernight. Contact us and join the BUFFALO FAMILY TROUP...or just email us at kmh_amh@hotmail.com. Best Regards from the Harrigans from Tonawanda,NY
Bronx Raised, like the previous Anon, I moved to Charlotte for better quality of life for my family. I can't say the people here are nicer than those in New York. It seems Charlottians resent New Yorkers. Charlotte is a great place to live, but it definately needs culture. Homes and insurance are the only things that are cheaper than New York. Food and clothes are more expensive here than back home, and utilities are basically the same. I don't like the blatant racism that is tolerated in North Carolina school systems, and it's a shame that in 2007 Cabarrus County School Board members are all Caucasian. The downtown/Uptown area needs a variety of amenities.
The Anon with the issue of "Yankees" and "Latinos" is the main reason why Charlotte may not ever become a world-class city. Charlotte has potential to become something special but arrogant racists will hinder it's growth. Lastly, everyone here goes to Church, but there are few who really walk the walk. Christianity is more than going to Church, it's about your life style Monday through Saturday.
Hmmmmmm.....
I moved my family down here for work and a supposed better way of life than Chicago.
So what is great about Charlotte?
Weather? The only thing going for Charlotte. Hwever, if another Hurricane Hugo hits, the idiots who approve the building code will be in for a shock when ALL of these houses are missing roofs or leveled.
Traffic? Hmm.. I can be in downtown Chicago from Naperville in 40 minutes which is far west of the city. I cannot make it to uptown in just 12 miles under 40 minutes. You call these buses public transportation?
Food Prices? More expense - they could learn from Meijer
Clothing? More expensive
Utilities? WAY more expensive.
Building Code? Wow, I can see wires with a thin rubber sheething - how about conduit in the walls? Copper for pipes? Real insulation? Windows that do not blow cold air in (we are renting a new "well-built" house)?
Schools? I have NEVER seem 32 monile homes for a school. Just does not happen in the Midwest as we care about education and enough schools.
Church - as the other person psoted, how about living it 7 days a week?
Uptown? Wow! I see a cemetary, restaurants, office buildings, garages, churches, and very little of anything else. Culture? Definitely lacking.
Zoo? What zoo? Why should I drive over 1 hour to see one?
Finances? 10,000 house foreclosures!
Crime? Compare any area out here to Naperville - way higher? Very violent crime occurring in good neighborhoods.
Racism? Exists
Jobs? Remember, there was a period of time of banking conslidation that wiped out MANY jobs. 5% unemployment here. A lot of the companies here will continue to outsource to India.
As you can guess, once the lease and contract are up, we are getting out of here.
^ The two posters above need to understand that the reason natives resent you is because you do nothing but COMPLAIN! If you hate it here, maybe you should've done a bit more research on the place before you moved.
I can't wait for these people that are complaining to leave. I'm born and bred here and the South, and while I'll be sugary sweet to them in person and as individuals, if we're doing something so wrong than PLEASE PLEASE go back to where you came from!!!! Just go home and be miserable with all your miserable yankee friends.
While we have only been here from outside of Buffalo, NY since August, we have felt more than welcome here. Yes, I do agree my grocery bill has gone up, my ride to work is 30 minutes, however, we could not be happier. A large part of why we came was because we needed a chance to live, in Buffalo you live to work and pay the tax man, here we get to enjoy our home, neighbors and life. We were from Depew, a rather nice place to live, but the public school was horrendous, no discipline, no parental involvement, not a place to send a child who enjoys school. We are now in the Mt. Pleasant Middle Scool and our son is thriving, we could not have asked for more! We found employment rather quickly, both of us are employed by companies that have moved here from up north in recent years. While the hospitality has been terrific and the weather is great, where can I get one of those cars that comes without turn signals?
Im from NJ, across the bay from NJ. Here in charlotte the food sucks, the crime sucks and theres way to many religious nuts. But its warmer.
...Born and raised in the "Q.C.," graduated from South Meck in '97, got my degree from UNCC in '01, and moved to Denver, CO right after college; been here ever since. The reason? Baptists, Presbyterians, and other assorted loonies. (Remember the gang of five and "Angels in America" back in the mid '90's?) Don't get me wrong; I miss the hell out of Harris Teeter and especially Cheerwine, but that's what the internet's for right?
And yes, I know, we've gotten a lot of snow this winter; but it just makes up for the ones recently where it hardly snowed at all. It's a common misconception that it snows here all the time anyway; it was 70 on Christmas Day in '05, for crying out loud! All the Buffaloans(?) will appreciate this; when it does snow here, (usually) it's sunny the next day and all the snow melts within 2-3 days as it gets back up into the 40's and 50's.
I'm not alone here; I know at least 4 families in our neighborhood who moved here from NC; 2 from Charlotte, and one each from Raleigh and Winston. I'm not knocking Charlotte; it's my hometown after all. But you want to become a major, influential city, you have to open your minds and realize we're all Americans, no matter what part of the country we're from; that means no more Yankee-bashing.
Congrads on the IKEA though...that's one thing we're still lacking.
I am from Columbus , Ohio and I thought that was bad until I moved to Charlotte; I do like the Birds and the weather , the food needs a going over and the food price for being a small Southern town and having a grocery on every corner is Washington D.C. price. I am astounded by the fraudulent house prices; You see they know Northerners are headed down this way with a fist full of bucks while Mr. Haney tries to get it. I think Charlotte started out on the right foot but now has went really South. Really, the Cultures are like oil and water and dont mix.
People in Charlotte try to shove a car down your throat and want you to join church, organization or some club where you sacrifice goats on an alter. This place is groupie paradise. Its really scary, if you say anything THEY dont like people with dark sunglasses will follow you around in dark cars in the middle of the day.
At least one thing holds true from region to region, the vast amout of ad-hominem attacks against people can be depended upon wherever one roams.
My wife (a schoolteacher) and I recently arrived here in Cabarrus County from Minnesota and have had mixed feelings. Overall, we have found the people to be pleasant and accomodating. Yes, its true there are more introverted religious zealots here but we knew that coming in.
Like many other posters here on this forum, we have been shocked by the lackluster quality and performance of public services in the area from Social Services to Public Schools. Newcomers come in and complain, Natives say "if you don't like it - leave!" but what does this accomplish?
I sincerely doubt that any native Charlottean can take pride in the low quality of, and public support for, the area school systems. An attitude towards CMS and other systems as inferior goods is shocking. The dominance of private schools creates an inbalance in opportunity as those who can afford to send their children to school for more per year than many pay for three plus years of collegedo, while the rest are stuck with a system abandoned by those with power long ago. Similar arguments could be made about other public entities as well.
Again, what person honestly believes these things to be good? The like it or leave it mentality seems to be rooted in a denfensive stance taken by natives who feel their way of life threatened by newcomers, be they yankees or (sarcastic gasp) Hispanics.
Charlotte has the makings of a world class city and is beginning to experience the associated growth. Many young professionals are coming in, along with migrating rust-belters. Yet, if this community is to grow and thrive well into the future it needs to provide the services that its population will demand. Young professionals will have kids, Post-boomers from New York will grow old and need health care, and so forth.
Yes, these services cost money. Yes they will require taxes. And yes the south has a history of low tax and low government. But, like it or not, the New South is emerging. A new south is one that is more urbanized, educated, and affluent. One that is strengthening the economy of a region all to recently abandoned by the textile industry. The paricipants in this economy are going to want, in one form or another, the benefits of growing this economy in the form of services. So get used to the taxes many of you are complaining about. They show you are a growing, attractive area to live.
As for the "if you don't like it - leave it" mentality, We just may. Minneapolis may be cold, but Minnesota nice is just as good as Southern hospitality and a little cold is fine by me so I don't have to spend 36,000 dollars a year to send my kids to a decent school.
To make the "love it or leave it" mentality a little clearer to newcomers, you have to understand that most of the problems you are complaining about are a result of the rapid growth. Natives of the city have dealt with 30 years of rapid influx, and have had to deal with all the associated negative changes. So there is nothing more irritating than someone who's not even unloaded the moving truck yet, and is already talking about how far inferior this community is to their city "back home".
Look... you wouldn't go to someone's house and tell them that yours is better. You wouldn't ride in someone's car and tell them yours is better. So what would make anyone think that it's good form to move to someone's city and tell them that "back home" is better?
Again, and I can't say this loudly enough.... if you have moved here in the past few years, you WILL receive a hostile reaction if you spend a lot of time griping about the area. It's not because everyone here is introverted and standoffish; it's because you have no perspective about the area and are breaking social rules you may not even realize exist.
Up North and back Home where we are from we tolerate less from a Government who is not practical; I do believe Southerners were dealt with severly if they did not follow the herd; Deep rooted extreme religions play a part in this type of brainwashing , and it works. If you dont agree with us , you will be cast out into the dessert alone. In Middle eastern times this was sudden death with all the dangerous animals. The same with Charlotte citizens are made to believe there will be no job for you , homeless, shamed and ostrasized from the social order. Up North we hold a loving GOD first and Religion much later in the order. We the Northerners are not HATE MONGERS like we have here and I believe was taught by RELIGION. Remember the TALIBAN Religion do it or die , thats the order of the day.
get out ,get out I say to you ,if you dont like the way we sit on the toilet backwards; We will send our Religious zealots around to bully you . I ask you who is this Jesus Christ NOOooooooo this is the Hate infested Religions they teach here in Charlotte the New Contraversy the New MIDDLE EAST . They will curse us with Dark cars following you from Hate churches . Tax evading machines that take Peoples money for their own use and very little if anything goes to the needy; As the Minister stands and tells you how to live, while he is tax evading and buying sports cars and fornicating in MOTELS . Thats the New Religion of MR. GREEN . SUCK IT UP SUCK IT UP SUCK IT UP thats what the Preacher Hate wants HOLY WAR and customers.
Some of you sound really silly! This really isn't a topic worth arguing over...Charlotte is available to anyone that wants to make it their home. If you want to succeed here, you look around find out how others succeed and go for it. It's rather silly to come to another city and complain that it's not as good as the one you left, your the one that found Charlotte, Charlotte didn't find you.
If things were so bad, I wouldn't even waste the time to post complaints, I'd be on the phone setting up my next destination....
I'm originally from Boston and Charlotte fits great with me. If it's not your cup of tea....put some gas in the car and move on...
It's not a big deal...
Anything is better than Boston a restroom is better than BOSTON;
Charlotte is a professional city ran and managed by ametuers. Thats why it runs backwards to People not from here. They need to find a city manager from Washington D.C. or New York or ATLANTA. someone that doesnt have cheese for a brain.
Boston creme pie , Boston tea party, Grand Lodge MASONS with stockings . Paul revere another Mason; Teddy Kennedy a great AMERICAN , John Kerry a great american, Home of the Public consultants group an all american spy group. Boston Baked Beans Joe Kennedy and the SCOTCH smugglers; Banono brothersinc and Boston.
Im a Northerner and if you dont like Charlotte change it by calling your politians or face the small city charm with Hopes that farted and dreams that are Nightmares. Smog, traffic congestion , trailers for schools , low pay , religious people waiting for GOD to do their work. FASCISM, tyranny , Governmnet cameras all over includng your closets; Forget criminals and spy on innocent citizens .
Charlotte is a city owned by the British ; Notice all the QUEENS hats on street signs ; The House of Windsor owns the township here in Charlotte and surrounding areas. The QUEEN is at the airport and Queen Charlotte was Mulato half BLACK and HLAF white and is related to the present QUEEN of England. The BANK OF AMERICA is really a subsidiary for the BANK OF ENGLAND and the same with US AIRWAY being British airways same company but diffrent location. So HAIL TO THE QUEEN HAIL TO THE QUEEN I am at her service
I liked living here until I read all these comments....
Oh, I get it.... some of you guys are so bored and don't have anything to do to occupy your lives, so you complain, complain, complain..
So sad...
I have a suggestion...
If Charlotte is holding you prisoner you can't get out...try click your heels three times and repeating this phrase....
"There's no place like home..."
"There's no place like home..."
"There's no place like home..."
hopefully, When you open you eyes, your sorry behind will be long gone....
New Yorkers don't complain, we just won't tolerate the backwards life style southerners put up with. We're not cocky, just confident enough to say what we feel. Get over it, the North won the Civil war.
Well said. END OF STORY. PERIOD.
I am from Upstate NY (syracuse region) and moved here after undergraduate school to get out of the cold weather, the depressing job scene and the lack of "things to do." When you have 50 people going after the local management position at Burger King (all with higher education) you know its time to go. I run into people I went to high school with semi-regularly. I have been here for about 2 years and am loving it. There isn't anything in Upstate NY worth staying for.
I've said many, many times, Upstate NY is "a great place to be from."
small-town charm is dying everywhere. People keep moving to try to find it.
I hope people reading this board realize most of the complaining and negative comments on here are from people who don't even live in NY.
We all need to do a better job of not stereotyping.
Mecklenburg County, right now is a great place, but people shouldn't be at each other's throats because government officials allow land to be abused for a buck. Let's start concentrating our complaints on the right things -- not on each other.
One day, taxes will rise because your road infrastructure is shot.
One day, taxes will rise becuase new schools will have to be built, etc...The grass is not always greener. Have a nice hurricane sesason.
Once a Western New Yorker, now...just me where I am happy, Charlotte, NC. Complaints? Not really but things are certainly done down here a lot differently and one is paid more to do it. Work ethics and "service" are my main objections but then, I grew up in the north! So, learning to become a less stressed out homeowner and realise daily that I made the right decision!!!
Relocated to Charlotte area 15 years ago from a town just north of Albany NY. Better jobs and weather were the bait back then too.
Married a local girl, which is seemingly rare these days. Bought a house in Matthews. Lived there 15 years while I watched the Charlotte government loose its mind trying to become the city everyone else was trying to escape. Of course that is my opinion.
Sold my house, admittedly made a tidy profit. Crossed the border to York SC. Bought 5 acres of countryside (which would be illegal in Charlotte if the local government had its way). Built a new home in a neighborhood of all 3+ acre lots, far from any trains or bus stops.
Wife found a job in the "big city of York", I commute 28 miles to the I77/485 south Tryon area in NC.
My commute time is significantly faster on 77 southbound, which has twice the lanes (4)than my old route of 18 miles on the 485 outer parking loop.
We still enjoy the Nascar races, Panthers games, trendy places to eat, the convention center shows, street festivals, and likely the Nascar Hall of fame when its completed. We are considering using the new light rail train too so we can park our car in the south end and not worry about parking uptown.
My bet is, that train will become a unsafe journey though. Charlotte law enforcement seems either hog-tied by government, inept, or both. York County does seem better, atleast so far. They still have a service called "house watch" to have the local police keep an eye on your property while you are out of town. Perhaps Charlotte has the same, I suggest you call and check for yourself if you are interested. I saw a report with all the times they walked around my house last weekend. Pleasant suprise for us.
Bottom line...GO CHARLOTTE. We hope folks keep moving in so it can grow and become the new Atlanta, or Washington, or whatever it is the local government is trying to resemble. Too bad the State itself looks at Charlotte first for paying the most taxes, yet last when its time to provide infrastructure and other services. It is obvious, the city has changed dramatically over the years and does not resemble the old at all anymore.
I am sure this angers some. I understand and respect that. No appologies though. Not even for my gas purchases, that are consistently 10+ cents a gallon less here in SC, or that I use it in a car mostly driven to work in NC.
I do however thank God for Charlotte, it brought me there, I met my wife there, make money there, and even spend some of it there too. Just not on rediculous taxes.
I love to hear from SOUTHERNERS when they say " If you dont like it just leave" they are all starting to sound like a "pull string doll" Why leave when I can drive Southerners Nuts by saying " the way we did it back home is like this" or " Back home where Im from Its" ...... this drives the average Southerners bazurk. I love when Im talking to other People and they just happen to overhear with their stethascope an A - B conversation and they join in with a " If you dont like it leave" I am wondering do they tell their ministers and teachers that if they dont like what they hear? If you dont like it MINISTER get the get out of the church. Hey teacher leave us kids alone.;
I wish liegh DYER would take Kerry Hall out to lunch and tell here we got the Big Toyota plant somewhere east of Lexington
I am from Columbus , Ohio and for entertainment we all get lawn chairs and watch dairy cattle parade downtown streets on weekends. Then we go to the Scioto river and walk across it becuase there is so much muck in the water. We have a downtown convention center but someone forgot to use a square when they built it , and you can guess what happened. Sometimes we sit on the concrete barriers and watch the STATE wokers come out of the offices and some are still asleep from their jobs , some still in their pajamas and slippers. Sometimes In Columbus we watch Judges come out of the Courthouse holding hands and skipping down High street . High street got its name from People drinking to much during the GREAT DEPRESSION . On week ends we would go to OSU games and pretend we are all still in college going on 50s ourselves and seeing our kids come out of classrooms at the college.
In Columbus, Ohio where Im from we would put flowers in the GRIL cows hair and pretend they were 'elsy'the cow, Bordens girl. Sometimes we would put a shiny coat of KIWI wax on their hoofs and boy were they pretty.
Charlotte native here. 10 years ago everybody was one, can hardly find one today. I hate to say it but the "if you don't like it, leave" comment is true. Nothing is worse than someone from somewhere else complaining its not where they are from. First off Charlotte IS NOT NYC,not SF,not Chicago, or thank goodness not Atlanta. Those are all top 10 major cities(size wise) and no smaller city is going to compare.Charlotte has some big city aspects while keeping some small town ones. One one hand people say "its not NYC, too small" and on the other hand say " its growing too fast, wah wah". make up your mind. and nothing is worse than someone from the North(not all) who thinks they are automatically smarter because we talk different. Guess what, you sound funny to me!
As long as more and more people move here from other places, schools and roads will be crowded. Real estate is higher because people come here and flood the market. Northerners find cheaper housing here, are willing to overpay for it, and it drives up prices across the board. And as far as food prices being higher, please. Ever hear of Food Lion? dirt cheap food. Go to a major city and see how much you pay for groceries from a market(glorified convient store).Not even close.
Im glad there is an influx of different people here from all over. It makes everyone more diversified. 20 years ago my first chicken wings ever were from Township Grill(owned by transplants from Tonawanda NY). There is decent pizza here now. Chicago dogs. Mexican taquerias everywhere. It may be lacking to some, but if you have been here for a few years you can see the difference. If you are here for the weather and jobs, but complain about everything else then move back home or to another warm climate and complain to them. Lots of us are sick of hearing it. To those who come here and embrace the differences from your hometown, I say welcome.
I'll agree to the real estate has went higher than the wages here by leaps and bounds; Thats part of Charlottes dilema; If real estate keeps getting this high and no one can afford it , guess what no affordable workforce, hence , Companies will take off to China , India and timbucktu; I see a huge problem with Charlotte work force huge House payments and low paying jobs equal Companies cant pay everybody $50,000 a year. All Rich town or all Poor town take your choice.
I believe Charlotte real estate prices have been pushed up by artificial demand and its causing More and More homeless People . People from the North Pay anything because they got $250,ooo dollars equity and Builders price houses way over their market value. When the HOUSE of CARDS fall like the city or National economy , look out.
There was nothing "civil" about the "War of Northern Aggression"
The North won! period.
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This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
and what exactly did the north win in the war of northern aggression?
PIZZA !!!!
Don't forget the Brews!
Yankee ----- is better than anything in Chawlotte
I'm originally from Battery Park Manhattan and lived a short spell in upstate NY, Albany, just before moving to Charlotte.
At first, I was very apprehensive about "the south" and its obvious stereotypes. While some folks can just let go, I find Charlotte to be thriving with growth and progress. With every new year, more and more folks come from all over and are making Charlotte into a "new south" city. Racism and hyperactive church members still exist, but it seems like these folks become less in numbers all the time.
Hey at least we've got NPR.
In my short time here I've a relaxation in "Blue Laws", the laws the prevent sale of "non-essential goods and alcohol, be dropped in Rock Hill,SC. A city just over the state line and in close proximity the Charlotte. So tolerance for global society is growing, slowly, but growing.
Some tips for the newcomers:
1) Try to get good at faking a Southern Accent(or at least learn the southernisms associated with it).
This helps with the folks not friendly to Yankees or others.
2)Get used to other drivers not using their turn signals while driving.
3)Sweet Tea is not Iced Tea.
4)You can NOT like sports and still have plenty to check out downtown.
5)If you are East Village type, locate NoDa and go there. Cabo Fish Taco is unreal !
6)Fireworks are legal in SC (just a few miles south of Charlotte). There are warehouses of explosive fun.
7)You can buy good wine in the grocery store and not loose your shirt !
8)Charlotte Airport flys Jet Blue almost everywhere.
9)Your close enough to the coast (Charleston, Myrtle, etc...) but far enough to miss Most of the Hurricanes.
10)Resist the temptation to "get into it" with the hyperactive religous folks.
* Remeber there are more of them here than there are of you.
Hello Charlotte from the space ships up above ; The other night we flew threw Charlotte and stopped in mid air for a while. Yes, that was my family from ZONAR remember the other day when we said we come out from the universe . We fly over often with the lights out but this time we left our outer lights on so you would see the Blue color of our ship. Well, we will make another appearance within a week on our way back from D.C. good luck Charlotte.
My entire family is from the Charlotte area, leading way back to my grandfather who was the first governor of North Carolina. I'm 44 years old and when I was a kid, remember Charlotte more like the size of Greensboro, NC. These days Charlotte and the surrounding area really is an exciting place to live. After a few short years, these past years have given most great equity in our homes, where you're able to sell it, move up and slightly outward, and still be here, making a nice profit. This would not of happened if all these people that we are arguing with hadn 't seen this place being their "new" home to move to. I do admit we are an Atlanta "wanna-be" situation, and are not offered the quality government structure and services we expect. But, I welcome all of you out-of-towners because we would still be like Greensboro, if you didn't show up. As far as all the personal problems, that's just a waist of time. So, it seems like we will still need more out-of-towners to move in so we can grow some more, and finally get things to improve. Or, youu can just buy a cheaper house, and send the kids to a private school. You'll get the same reputation for the right reasons. If you've been a Charlottean for a while and the change is too much, then just sell your house to someone moving here, make a long buck, and get the last laugh!
The New South is here, did you get it?
All I got was PIZZA PIZZA. BEER BEER !!!
Hey all you fellow Yanks !
Why don't we start a Yank outing once a month ? Lets pick a bar uptown and DO IT !!!
Strength in #'s !!!!!!!!
Better yet, why don't one of you bar owners start having a "North Night" ???
Any takers ?
PIZZA PIZZA !!!
Being 16 years old and currently living in Hamburg, I don't blame whoever wants to leave. I'm leaving for Chicago, myself.
I am planning to relocate near Charlotte from northern CA. I have had people ask me why and the reason is simple - I want a gentler and kinder place to live and contribute to my community.
I happen to peruse these comments and am disappointed in the hate filled and often unintelligible postings. Every area has its differences and it's time to embrace the good wherever you are. If you believe the bad outweighs the good, then it is time to contribute to making things better. Use your excess time and energy to make a difference!
Well put !
Lets get PIZZA
It's hilarious how so many of the posters complain about the racists and religious zealots in the south when the north is busting at the seams with crazy Catholics. What a bunch of kooks. Oh yeah, and if NYC and other such cities are such a melting pot of cultures, then why is there a "China Town", "Little Italy", "Little Odessa", "Little Saigon" and "Little Jamaica" in every one of those cities? Every culture isolates themselves into their own little insulated enclaves. Northerners visit these places as tourists in their own cities and then pat themselves on the back at how tolerant and multicultural they are before their drive back to the suburbs. What a bunch of nonsense.
Racism and intolerance are everywhere, and deluding yourself into thinking that one region has the market cornered on these problems is foolish and dangerous.
Charlotte is a great city with its share of flaws. And to all you idiots who say the north won 'the war,' think about where you're sitting as you write that crap. That's right, the south, because your champion cities are becoming cesspools or ghost towns. But hey, they have great pizza and wings! That's got to count for something!
Last poster is the typical Southern jackass I have dealt with since I moved here from NY 20 years ago. Go ahead and confront them head on and they ALL cower like little sheep. Big mouths with no back bone.
Lets make it simple, okay ? ALL religious people are "Kooks".
We are here in the South for 2 reasons. Warm weather and jobs. The weather has nothing to do with you Southerners. The weather is just "the weather". It's here regardless of Southerners or Northerners.
The jobs however have everything to do with Northern companies moving South for......WEATHER and cheaper operation costs.
Again, nothing at all to do with "Southerners".
So please don't ever pat yourself on the back for this booming economy.
Without us it wouldn't be here. Incase you missed it I've been here for 20 years. Along with many other Northerners. It's nothing new. We started building this city into something besides a cow field years and years ago.
As for the civil war. Who gives a flying #@$$ ?
Get over it already you constantly complaining crybabies. No wonder the entire world thinks badly of the South.
Want progress?
All that's needed is for all the people who say "if you don't like it here, leave" to leave.
Then, maybe, there can be a step forward, instead of a leap backwards to racism, Mayberry and bad skuls.
Don't worry. They will leave soon enough. They have so much hate for Northerners and Blacks that they will eventually move to the outer lying areas. Hopefully sooner than later.
A lot of people simply cannot afford to live in larger cities and are forced to find alternative places to live. Trust me, if they could afford it, they wouldn't of thought about moving South. It has nothing to do with these cities being "cesspools" (right, thats why people from all over the world come to see cities like LA, NYC, Chicago, and Philadelphia).
We need Dr. Phil to come to Charlotte to deal with the Southerner Yankee hatred going on ; Come on Dr. Phil come forth
Dr. Phil soundboards
http://www.ebaumsworld.com/drphil.html
I too am from upstate NY (Chemung County). I left NY when I was 28 (I am now 50) & went to Florida. I later went back to NY for awhile, but was just miserable. The long winters, fast pace & high cost of living was crazy. I moved to NC during the summer of 1993. I live in Iredell County now & have been happy here all these years. I have no intention of ever moving from NC. My parents, brothers & even some cousins are here now. This is my home. This is where my daddy is burried & this is where I belong. I don't worry about what other people may think about a New Yorker making NC my home. It is not my problem & I don't need their approval. I also do not listen to people that move here & then just complain about everything. They don't have to stay here. The highway goes both ways. I moved here, worked here, paid taxes here & the whole nine yards. I do have a problem with people moving here from other countries & not paying taxes, living off those who do work & not even being leagle. I don't care where you came from, pay your way, speak the language & obey the laws.
I am not a yankee or a rebel. I am an american, born & raised! Thank God.
I inhereted just under a million dollars thats in a trust fund spread out over 10 years ; I would like to think if I have the resources to stay somewhere I should be able to live where I want to . I am really sorry that the South does not py like the North and retirement is a joke here unless you were in LOWES ESOP plan ; Sign Northerner
Poster 7:42AM. Typical pathetic internet tough guy. What are you going to do to us, TYPE IN ALL CAPS? Moron. You moved here because of the jobs. The jobs moved here because the companies that provide them were being taxed to death, paying ridiculous operating costs and were rotten with lazy overpaid union workers, oh yeah, and for the weather. How do you think those conditions got that way?
And you're right, many transplants have been here 20 or more years, and have contributed positively to the growth of this city. You've also contributed to the ass backward development, the screwed up transportation system, ridiculous taxes, etc, as I assume you're a registered voter. Companies leave your hometowns to escape crappy economic situations of your design, yet you're so blind as to claim you're "building this city into something besides a cow field." Even now, the companies that moved to Charlotte to escape your idiocy and mismanagement are now moving on to the cow fields of York, SC and points beyond to get the same types of incentives they initially got here or better. Of course it's all way more complicated than that, but I just couldn't resist, what with your whole 'weather and jobs' argument. Thanks for the economics lesson gramps.
Southerners can be so petty...
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OK I have read all these posts, and also just found out that Charlotte was just given "The best place to live in america award" My wife and I are thinking of relocating from I hate to say it!!!Jersey. Is there southern hospitality down there? We are a hard working couple that respects everyone as long as they respect us! We just want a less stressful lifestyle, and our willing to work for it!! Posistive feedback would be good.
Hi there, anon 12:33. I'm the author of this blog and received notification that you posted, but I changed jobs awhile back and I'm no longer updating the blog. You'll want to email my replacement in the newcomer job, Amy Baldwin, at abaldwin@charlotteobserver.com. Good luck!
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