We're #1 (and #3)!
According to sources (hat tip to my sister for the link), Detroit, Michigan is the most miserable U.S. city to live in. Third on the list is my hometown of Flint, Michigan.
Go 'head Detroit/Flint: Way to put the state back on the map! Represent, baby BAY-BAY!
- ACL
11 "Insiders" spoke their mind. Join in...:
Uh...Andre...
This is about as dubious of an honor as there is, kind sir. :-/
Being a skeptic (I guess you're rubbing off on me), I have to question the veracity of this report.
How can cities be adequately ranked using numbers like this, when there is FAR more that goes into understanding why people choose to live where they live? There are too many questions that "studies" like this fail to answer. True, I don't live in Michigan (I live close to Atlanta), but that doesn't stop me from being a little on the cynical side.
So my take is simple: read this article at your discretion. As i see it, this piece is nothing but a reinforcement of pre-existing assumptions about certain cities. That doesn't make it journalism.
This is what happens when you have a Canadian govenor and a hip hop mayor running things...
I actually agree with GA girl on this one. Though I'm a Georgia native as well, I'm having a hard time accepting this drivel. Especially when he pointed to some cities that are absolutely stunning! Sure most cities have their rough spots, but isn't that to be expected?
I live 1.72 miles outside of Flint, work within it, & can see every-bit why it ranked as high as it did (I visit Detroit frequently as well, & have the same opinion for that city too; go Kwame!). While this ranking was calculated by considering a variety of factors such as job availability, crime, median home income, weather, quality of schools, etc., a study like this can hardly be considered scientific, as even if certain variables are given "scores", there's still a large degree of subjectivity involved.
With that said, Flint is every-bit of the piece of shit that it is portrayed to be. Any "history" that once existed here sailed away long ago w/ the auto-industry & the rest of the jobs. Michigan consistently ranks in the top 2 in unemployment, & Flint represents a large chunk of that. Michigan also ranked #1 last year in young people moving out of the state; in fact, Michigan was 1 of only two states last year that actually lost citizens, rather than gained. Flint, once the 2nd ranked Michigan city in regards to population, is now ranked either 3 or 4, depending on the source (as there hasn't been a census in a few years)...and that's not because people are moving to other Michigan cities folks.
Perhaps I'm being a negative-Nancy, but even if you disregard everything else, theres Flint being ranked #1-3 (depending on your source; multiple years running no less) as "most violent city" multiple years in a row (our mall is now 18+ past 5pm due to the removal of a # of firearms in the food-court during a brawl last year), not 10 years removed from a State take-over, a deplorable road commission (contrary to what our Felon of a mayor claims), a member of the "once ranked #1 fattest city in America" club, & the fact that college-educated persons have to battle it out w/ sometimes hundreds of other college graduates for a job @ a grocery store. Should I mention the 1,000's of "For Sale" signs that represent Flint's place not far behind Detroit & Cleveland in this wretched housing market? Sure, some will point out some positive aspects (although they escape me @ the moment), but I bet I can match @ least 3 cons for every pro.
So, miserable? No bloody doubt.
-n
@Dre,
I'm thinking about moving to somewhere safer.....like Iraq or Sudan.
@ga girl & Cynthia,
While I agree with your skepticism about the worth of these studies, I think we can quote Tony Blair on this one; "I judge the worth of a country (in this case a city and state) by how many people want in......and how many want out." With Detroit, Flint, and all of Michigan losing residents, I think that speaks for itself.
nic
why dont you say how you REALLY feel ,Hells door opens here!
I was never in Flint and now I certainly do not want to visit, thank you for the tourist info .
YIKES
I've never been to Flint (Apparently, I should be thanking God for that. Dang, Nic!), but I have been to Detroit. It wasn't all that bad. Of course, I'm sure the city is pretty big; big enough to miss the bad spots.
The contents of this article are questionable, at best.
@ Cyn: You mean to tell me that you're not jealous that your hometown isn't the 3rd most miserable place in the U.S.?
I think you are.
@ Ga/Cynthia: I agree that there's a serious lack of empirical data used to support this author's ranking system. Being a researcher myself, I understand the value of collecting solid data. But sometimes the proof is in the pudding. I mean, these two cities really ARE pretty lousy.
@ Anonymous: Ha! True dat!
@ Nic: I think you already know what I think of your comments. Anonymous's "How do you really" feel question says it all, my friend. Still, I feel you.
@ HC: I was actually thinking of that same Tony Blair quote earlier. But I refused to cite it. I mean, anybody who supports Bush can't get quoted on my blog. Good try, though.
@ Anonymous: C'mon! I think you'll enjoy Flint. Well, after being robbed, released from your outsourced job, pimped by one of the thousand ministers on each city block, and getting drunk at every other convenient store.
@ KC: See previous comments.
LMAO at NIC!!!
I agree 10000%
I went from living to #3 to #1...
What the HELL is wrong with me?!
P.S. THis is Joslyn and I just didn't feel like signing in
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