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Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011 | 7:30 p.m.
Another day, another list willing to keep Nevadans humble.
This time, it's Gawker picking on us. The site has ranked Nevada as the ninth worst state in the country. To be fair, all 50 states are ranked, so we were going to be in there somewhere.
They soften the blow by starting out with their idea of what's good. Nevada gets kudos for legalized prostitution and for Las Vegas being a great place to spend 48 hours. That's the extent of their love. They go on to say that Las Vegas shouldn't exist, call Reno and Carson City "total dumps," and in an honorable display of nonpartisanship, take swipes at both Sharron Angle and Sen. Harry Reid.
At least we're not Arizona, ranked as the worst state. Nevada's neighbor gets knocked for being in the middle of a desert, and Gawker has some choice words for Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Gov. Jan Brewer.
At the bottom of the list, making it the best state, is New York, which just happens to be where Gawker's offices are located. Bias, schmias. (And in fairness, they did rank themselves prior to Hurricane Irene.)
The site says the list came at the behest of the U.S. Department of Social Geography, which, unless Google is broken, exists only in the minds of those witty Gawker writers.
And you wonder why "damnyankee" is one word.
Prostitution in this state is over rated. The only way you are getting top notch hookers is if you have Charlie Sheen money. Most of the girls are 20 years younger than they actually look. The prostitution industry ages those girls like no other.
Gawker sound like idiots. Nothing better than the desert.
New York can have the crappy weather. When it's sleeting in NY in December and mid 70's here...then do your crappy poll.
Pretty ignorant comments by Gawker: "It's just brown scrubby desert for miles and miles and miles and that's it."
We happen to have some of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets on the planet. And I never tire of taking in the chiseled mountains surrounding the Valley.
More important than a place's climate and geography, however (which 'is what it is,' and is neither anyone's fault nor to anyone's credit -- as with everywhere else), there are decent people in Nevada. Now, I'm quick to call a spade a spade and speak up about what I think is wrong. But at the end of the day, this is my family's chosen home. It's where we are raising our kids. Las Vegas is where they will always say they grew up. And Las Vegas, Nevada is treating them pretty darn well. We have a lot to be thankful for from Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Gawker clowns needed something to write about. So they did what everybody else is doing these days: a cheap, lazy, "Top 10" (or Top 50) list.
And though I kind of just did so myself, if we all hurl insults at Gawker, they'll be self-satisfied about it, even as we'll all come across as poor sports.
And here you go gratifying their banter by acknowledging and promoting it. You should be proud! Cool!
Shouldn't they be more specific and say it's not legal in Clark County, Las Vegas, just Pahrump!!!!
Come on! Stop misleading people and do your job! It's not that hard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Even though they are a couple of pretentious writer wannabes with the sheer luck to have a NY address (For them anyway) everything they say about Vegas is very true. Please, we are a town built on everything they described, gambling, prostitution, pathetic neon lights and 48 hour (only) getaways.
Hey Gawker, or better yet losers..how dare you say Las Vegas shouldn't exist... remember it's you folks that are under mandatory evacuation, and I'm about to take a swim in 94 degree temps. After Irene is gone, and New York is flooded you'll want to reorder your list.
The writer of this article is just jealous. He wishes he could be living here. Who cares about some two bit writer from some junk publication.
Carson City, a "dump"? Clueless ...
Las Vegas is the greatest city on the planet, and no so-called writer from the pathetic website that is Gawker would survive one year here.
Long live the neon.
At least we are not Arizona..
:)
Gawker? Never heard of them and that speaks volumes about them and their opinions.
The most surprising thing to me is that they found eight worse states.
we asked Gawker staff members to rate the 50 states, based on whatever criteria they wanted, on a scale from 1-10. Quote from their site. Their is no criteria between people rating these states. Anyone who put a bit of agreement to this bogus rating needs to go back to La La land. Each state all 50 have + and -. Please do not judge all of us who live in NYS I would not rate it as the best state. This article reads like a bunch of new grad college kids trying to get a name in the world and it is written this way and the data is collected this way. Garbage in Garbage out and that is what this article is.
Las Vegas,...New York City,...mmmmmm, not much of a choice there since I wouldn't set foot in New York if someone screwed a gun in my ear.
On a visit to New York City with my cousin, in particular St.Patricks Cathedral our car got broken into and our luggages stolen. No trunk, it's an SUV. Have not been back since then and have no desire of going back.
Hey Gawker, everything is way better below the Mason Dixon line.
Been here 40 years. My knowledge tells me that Nevada is a place for East Coast public employees to retire. They always wanted to spend more than 48 hours here.
Gawker seems a little political, I say a little cause they only hit the high notes. (They obviously did not interview any locals, with a dog and a yard for the dog, and a vehicle to take that dog to the vet.) Maybe they had a bad experience with a legal ho, lost their money in the penny slots, and what about our neon? They probably don't even have one of those little neon signs that says "Open" on their door.
We long to take Arizona's position on that list.
Ninth worst? Wow, that's about 6 notches higher than I expected. Our economy is built upon fantasy. Having driven and also flown to and over the Reno area in the last month, I was appalled at how terribly ugly this state is. The good Lord must have been on sabbatical when he made Nevada.
"Las Vegas is the greatest city on the planet"
That's your opinion. It's probably the most fun city on the planet, but not the greatest.
You should travel more, Reza. You'd be surprised how many beautiful cities there are in this country, none of which have a 14% unemployment rate nor are they in the top 3 in foreclosed homes.
To each his own.
"And I never tire of taking in the chiseled mountains surrounding the Valley"
One of the things I miss MOST about living in the valley (other than the pool surrounded by palm trees). I was always mesmerized looking at the mountains driving to work in the morning to the point where I actually stopped a few times just to look!! They were so beautiful with the rising sun shinng on them; it almost made them look 3-D.
ummm, they are in 3 dimensions, unless you were looking at a billboard.
"Det_Munch" has no idea how much I travel, doesn't live in Las Vegas, and hides behind anonymity.
"I was appalled at how terribly ugly this state is."
Funny. I once lowered the top on my Fiat and took a ten hour, impromptu, 600 mile day trip from Las Vegas, up to Pioche and Ely, and back. It was absolutely gorgeous.
The greatest thing about anywhere in America is that you are free to leave anytime, Mr. Mortensen. Leave Nevada to those desert rats who appreciate its beauty, its freedom, and the simple fact that it isn't anywhere near the east coast elites.
"I was appalled at how terribly ugly this state is. The good Lord must have been on sabbatical when he made Nevada."
-------------------
Oh i agree, but then i spent some time in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Kuwait, and i realized that our Nevada desert here is not as depressing as Gawker says after all. :-)
All within a few hours drive..the Grand Canyon, Zion, Sedona, Monument Valley, Death Valley. Closer is Valley of Fire, Red Rock.
Some of the MOST beautiful places in the country...bar none.
Those that don't appreciate the beauty of these majestic places should really be living elsewhere.
Reza
I LIVED in Vegas for 7 years and LOVED IT! I have said that before many times. It is no secret here.
Being from the Midwest, I was always in awe of the mountains and the desert. I don't believe it is "the greatest" city on the planet as you suggest, but I personally don't think Vegas should be 9th on a list like this either. In fact, it shouldn't be on this list at all!! It is a place unto itself. Unique. It has a lot of wonderful things about it, unfortunately because of circumstances beyond my control I could not visit some of the places Tom has mentioned other than Valley of Fire and Red Rock. When we would go to Laughlin, we would always take the Arizona route and it never ceased to amaze me no matter how many times I've seen those sites. It was dramatic and beautiful. Some of the vistas were breathtaking. An then seeing the Vegas lights coming back. It always gave me the chills. And yes, I do miss seeing the mountains all the time. Currently, and Luckily, I don't live in a typical Midwest flat land area - it is in a valley with plenty of hills and trees and two rivers running thru it.
And when I lived in Chicago - NO ONE will EVER convince me otherwise that the GREATEST view in the world is the view of the Chicago Skyline from the bow of a sailboat on Lake Michigan during the day or seeing the lights of the City at night; or how on a clear, sunny day, the Lake glistens aqua/blue and you can see all the way across to Michigan! Guess I'm prejudice.
As for Vegas itself - it has flaws just like anywhere. I still get defensive when I tell people I lived in Vegas and they say "oh, really. That must have been fun" assuming all the locals spend all this time on the Strip, or "You don't seem the type to live in Vegas" (whatever the hell that means). As many of you probably have had to do, I had to explain that Las Vegas isn't just the Strip but it is filled with neighborhoods with real people just like them, who work, raise families, go to church! It is all quite normal.
And I actually brought myself to look at airfares to Vegas this morning!! Currently I can get a direct flight for $283...... I'm thinking maybe a Christmas present to myself!!!
I have to Agree with the report And go one more step ,, Vegas SUCKS, The strip is a slick slimey place anymore and is in need of a good cleaning, Flippers , and Hawkers, SO called entainers Get these nuts off the st.(strip)
another way to help NV,,(VEGAS) rid the state of Reids power
I guess none of you have visited N.Las Vegas.Specially by Owens and L.V Blvd. Perhaps the people, at the Shade Tree and the Salvation Army soup kitchen,can tell you what Vegas is.
Vegas is a fake, most of us residents, can't afford the life style we project, to the visiting $$$ holders, tourists.
Also working for min. wages and paying almost $4 for gas will make the 110* weather a pleasure, yea right.
Gawker? never heard of them
Who cares. Do I like it here? Yes. Do you like it here? If not then leave. Who cares.
Las Vegas is a different place to live. We get no local news it is a complete joke, the only way I know what is going on in my neighborhood is by my police scanner. Drivers are the rudest I have ever seen and I have lived all over this world. Stop lights are all screwed up, way too much crime, police force has no leadership, way too many cones in the roads when no work is being done, but I got to admit I do like living in Henderson.
What's wrong with desert? It's better than mile of mile of private land planted with soy that you can't do anything with. Maybe not as productive, but at least you can use it for something.