Archive for Thursday, February 21, 2008
Lawrence is No. 7 on smart cities list
February 21, 2008
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Lawrence one of four Big 12 towns in smartest cities list
If you always feel your neighbors are smarter than you, it may not be your fault. It may be where you live. Enlarge video
Forbes.com recently ranked the 10 'smartest' cities in the country.
Reader poll
Seventh Smartest City in America
If you always feel like your neighbors are smarter than you, it's probably true.
Forbes.com has ranked Lawrence the seventh-smartest city in the country.
"Employers are looking for a diverse population," Mayor Sue Hack said Wednesday. "If biosciences and high tech jobs are a priority for economic development, we can show those employers that we can meet their work force needs right here. They don't need to go to somewhere else, like North Carolina."
Forbes developed the rankings by comparing more than 300 metropolitan statistical areas in the United States and then ranking them by the percentage of residents with bachelor's degrees or higher. In its list, Forbes also mentioned the percent of residents who finished high school or had a Ph.D.
Almost 44 percent of Lawrence residents 25 or older have at least a bachelor's degree. About 93 percent of residents had graduated high school.
"I think it's a great complement to our educational system, all the way from pre-kindergarten all the way up through higher education," Hack said. "It's something we've always known, but it's nice to get national recognition."
Joining Lawrence on the list were Boulder, Colo., in first place, followed by Bethesda, Md., Ithaca, N.Y., Ann Arbor, Mich., Corvallis, Ore., and Ames, Iowa.
All those towns, and indeed most on the list, were home to a major university like Kansas University. Among KU's other Big 12 peers, Columbia, Mo., was 11th and Austin, Texas, was 24th.
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21 February 2008
at 6:19 a.m.
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doc1 (Anonymous) says…
if you could only get rid of those trailer parks Lawrence could move up the ladder. JK
21 February 2008
at 6:33 a.m.
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vegetablegirl (Anonymous) says…
Roy should have never left…. where are the big cities in NC?
21 February 2008
at 7:03 a.m.
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powershopper (Anonymous) says…
I have worked for three companies on Forbes top 100 employers list and each and everyone of them were miserable experiences. I later discovered that those included on the list had to pay to be there. Great recruiting tool actually. I am somewhat skeptical about Lawrence being the 7th smartest in the nation. Bethesda and Ann Arbor I can believe, but Lawrence…….
21 February 2008
at 7:17 a.m.
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yankeelady (Anonymous) says…
It doesn't do us much good since the city makes it so difficult for business to locate here. Everything from Deciphera to the American Eagle fiasco a few years ago. And if the city does approve something there will be anti growth (change) groups out against it. Not to mention the issue with roads and access.
21 February 2008
at 7:29 a.m.
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merrill (Anonymous) says…
Looks like our local real estate industry executives are busy filling out forms again entering favorite city contests.
Yet smart Lawrence still has this problem, so it kinda makes one wonder how these ratings are decided.
The problem is our mismanaged high tax bedroom community.
The city's current budget. crunch can be tied directly to infrastructure expenses needed to serve new housing developments.
If residential growth paid for itself and was financially positive, we would not be in a budget crunch But with increased numbers of houses you have increased demand on services, and historically the funding of revenues generated by single-family housing does not pay for the services, they require from a municipality.
Why are Lawrence powers that be continuing down this same path that does nothing but expand our tax bills? Spending more on NEW infrastructure for more housing,retail and light industrial property without tenants not only increases our tax bills but is likely decreasing the value of our homes due to a flooded market.
If the housing boom were paying back to the community it seems residents would be receiving tax rebates instead of Dicephera.
21 February 2008
at 7:34 a.m.
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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…
Go to AnnArbor at least 2 times a year vlots of big houses a huge hospital and a bunch of college kids that think the own everything. But it is a pretty place laid out kinda weird roads make no sense but in all never had a bad experience up there except that one Feb. when it was who knows how low below zero and then you just add the wind to that was cold enough that it cracked the face on my cell phone in my coat pocket. it was cold… i need to move to Hawaii…..sigh sigh sigh I hate the cold…
21 February 2008
at 7:56 a.m.
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00jester (Anonymous) says…
A city in Missouri made the list. It's a fraud.
21 February 2008
at 8:02 a.m.
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DaREEKKU (Anonymous) says…
right_thinker
To excel with academia, and SUCK with real life.
“A book smart professor was hit by a bus. Brilliant on paper, dull in life.”
…jealousy maybe? Tisk…
21 February 2008
at 8:13 a.m.
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missmagoo (Anonymous) says…
Columbia, MO?
hahahaha… yeah right.
21 February 2008
at 8:22 a.m.
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beobachter (Anonymous) says…
Obviously ratings were prior to election of current city commission. That proved we aren't a very smart city.
21 February 2008
at 8:31 a.m.
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livingstone (Anonymous) says…
doc1 (Anonymous) says:
“if you could only get rid of those trailer parks Lawrence could move up the ladder. JK”
Being smart is also about being tolerance. Look at the list, everyone has their share of homeless and trailer parks.
21 February 2008
at 8:35 a.m.
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volunteer (Anonymous) says…
Lies, damn lies, and statistics. But what do I know. When I studied grammar we were instructed to write “graduated from high school” rather than “graduated high school.”
21 February 2008
at 8:42 a.m.
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beobachter (Anonymous) says…
Obviously gigolo, if proper grammar usage was a necessity for posting on forums, 99% of all posts would not make it on.
21 February 2008
at 8:45 a.m.
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Reality_Check (Anonymous) says…
“All those towns, and indeed most on the list, were home to a major university like Kansas University”
You mean college towns have more college-educated people in them? OMG! Shocking, shocking I tell you!
What would we do without magazines like Forbes to tell us the freakin' obvious?
21 February 2008
at 8:45 a.m.
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fu7il3 (Anonymous) says…
If the people are so smart, why are the drivers such idiots?
21 February 2008
at 8:45 a.m.
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arizonajh (Anonymous) says…
Who would have thought college towns would have the most people with degrees? I bet if we set up a study we could prove that towns that are located next to bodies of water have the most boats and cites with skyscapers have the most people living above 25 floors.
Take away the university ( from Lawrence, Bolder, Ames, etc) and very few jobs in town require a degree. Look at the want ads in todays paper what is there that requires a degree besides health care and ed? Where's the company headquaters or the major manufacturing? Every time I come back to Lawrence I see all kinds of well educated people, I'm sure many with letters behind thier names. I see them working at the grocery store, yellow sub and tending bar earning $7.00 an hour and thanking God they have a job at all.
21 February 2008
at 8:48 a.m.
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OnlyTheOne (Anonymous) says…
A “degree” does not a “smart” person make!
There's many “educated” fools around here……
21 February 2008
at 9:01 a.m.
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monkeyhawk (Anonymous) says…
Hack assumes that the smart people were brought up through this school system. She needs to understand that there are very few smart people who are originally from this little prairie paradise. The smart children I know are from smart parents, none of whom are USD whatever educated. Some were educated in the excellent Shawnee Mission / Blue Valley systems, but most are from areas far away from here. So, for our mayor to take credit for the overindulged school system is disingenuous.
21 February 2008
at 9:09 a.m.
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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…
moneyhawk you are being unfair I know plenty of smart people born and raised in law. in the public schools. people are only as smart, book wise, as they let themselves be. Even in the worst school a person can choose to go beyond and study and read and educate themselves.
21 February 2008
at 9:10 a.m.
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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…
logic where the logic?
21 February 2008
at 9:23 a.m.
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00jester (Anonymous) says…
Grammatical errors on a public forum; who cares?
I also, find it funny, that those who point out errors in others post, generally have errors in their own.
21 February 2008
at 9:51 a.m.
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Defender (Anonymous) says…
“Than how come everyone who lives around me are idiots.”
You should read your post, b3. Just makes you out to be the idiot that you are.
21 February 2008
at 10:06 a.m.
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KUGreenMachine (Anonymous) says…
…since when has it been “Kansas University”?
21 February 2008
at 10:11 a.m.
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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…
logic give me a break, you think I am smart or something?:)
Just kidding,
21 February 2008
at 10:14 a.m.
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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…
now you really did not need to explain anything you know, the whole smart thing is supposed to come in to play, I think… this is about being smat right? Heck now i'm confused.
21 February 2008
at 10:20 a.m.
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DBAWalt (Anonymous) says…
not smartest.
“Highest percentage of advanced educated people”, or “city with the highest proportion of people with a college degree”, or something, but you have only to read some of the postings in these comments to see that “Smartest” is not represented.
21 February 2008
at 10:21 a.m.
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BABBOY (Anonymous) says…
I was getting excited and feeling good. Then, I learned the poll was based on imput from random samplings like Dollypawpaw.
It was good while it lasted…..
Logic: I got your joke.
Maybe you should consider my approach on this site which is that I almost never respond to people who respond to my posts (I do enjoy annoying some posters — not you — that I think are morons however). I refuse (generally) to argue directly with people unless there is money involved…..
21 February 2008
at 10:22 a.m.
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BigPrune (Anonymous) says…
Having common sense is more important than being book smart, as we all know, there are a lot of book smart people who absolutely have zero common sense whatsoever.
21 February 2008
at 10:39 a.m.
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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…
no logic just so many people saying so many negative things on here thought to lighten things up and your logic is sound. I always think fun is a good thing laughter and smiles make you live longer.
21 February 2008
at 11:09 a.m.
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ihatejohntravolta (Laura Watkins) says…
speaking of smart, you misspelled compliment. it's compliment unless you are using it as a verb, then it is complement.
21 February 2008
at 11:10 a.m.
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JSpizias (Anonymous) says…
Data from US Census quick facts show that for the entire County (2000 census), Johnson County, KS has a higher percentage of people with a Bachelor's degree or higher than Lawrence.
Bachelor's degree or higher, pct of persons age 25+, 2000
47.7% (Johnson County) 25.8% (State of Kansas)
For the City of Leawood, KS the figures are:
Bachelor's degree or higher, pct of persons age 25+, 2000
68.0%
I think this says something about the quality of the “research” done by Forbes.
See for yourself:
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/stat…
21 February 2008
at 11:12 a.m.
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notajayhawk (Anonymous) says…
monkeyhawk (Anonymous) says:
“Hack assumes that the smart people were brought up through this school system. She needs to understand that there are very few smart people who are originally from this little prairie paradise. The smart children I know are from smart parents, none of whom are USD whatever educated. Some were educated in the excellent Shawnee Mission / Blue Valley systems, but most are from areas far away from here. So, for our mayor to take credit for the overindulged school system is disingenuous.”
The story did mention things like high school graduation rates, too, and I think that's the part the mayor was referring to. However, high rates of graduation can just as easily mean very, very bad schools as good ones. Would you rate JCCC a better school than KU if more of their kids finished?
I moved here from the Kansas CIty (MO) area. I worked with high school kids who were getting A's and B's in school, and literally could not spell three-letter words correctly. Just because the bodies are sitting there for the whole four years doesn't mean it's a good school.
21 February 2008
at 11:35 a.m.
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BigPrune (Anonymous) says…
The more I think about it, this ranking is total b.s.
21 February 2008
at 11:36 a.m.
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JSpizias (Anonymous) says…
For the home of my alma mater (Purdue) West Lafayette, IN the figures are:
Bachelor's degree or higher, pct of persons age 25+, 2000
69.7%
nuff said!
21 February 2008
at 11:40 a.m.
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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…
picky picky people have fun enjoy life play in the snow.
21 February 2008
at 12:03 p.m.
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tigerforlife (Anonymous) says…
7th smartest city?
obviously they didn't interview many jayhawk fans…
21 February 2008
at 12:03 p.m.
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Escapee (Anonymous) says…
Grasping for kudos…. This is the biggest joke yet. The only thing that makes Lawrence's 'diverse' pop. contribute to a title like this is it's senior citizens. They come here because it's small scale 'cultural' and for those who've achieved some degree of financial success — it offers a pretty cushy life for a reasonable price and still is close to good docs, hospitals, etc. These are things that are attractive to people who've thought thru what retirement needs might be. There is a significant retirement population here — and they are fabulously intelligent, good citizens…if they can tolerate the old hippy, left over KU grad culture that is so vocal in keeping a thriving homeless, gun-wielding population to keep us all looking over our shoulders in this god forsaken small town that has way too many problems to be considered 'smart' at all….
21 February 2008
at 12:04 p.m.
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Confrontation (Anonymous) says…
As others have said, if Columbia, Missery, is on the list, then the list is a joke. I bet this list is really “cities who think they're the smartest.” If this is based on diplomas, then that's really sad. I know several people in my college class who could barely read a textbook, and they definitely couldn't comprehend it. I can't wait to see the bumper sticker: “Lawrence: America's Most Smartest Town.” Yes, it's a play off a particular TV show's title.
21 February 2008
at 12:05 p.m.
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Confrontation (Anonymous) says…
tigerforlife: Get over it. You didn't deserve a decent bowl game.
21 February 2008
at 12:36 p.m.
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compmd (Anonymous) says…
Something everyone has neglected to note is that Lawrence is ranked above the Cambridge, MA metro area. I find that extremely intriguing.
21 February 2008
at 12:42 p.m.
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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…
why?
21 February 2008
at 2:06 p.m.
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notajayhawk (Anonymous) says…
vegetablegirl (Anonymous) says:
“Roy should have never left:. where are the big cities in NC?”
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080221/a…
'Hey, we can all sue for emotional distress because someone *else* got arrested!'
21 February 2008
at 2:19 p.m.
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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…
now this is smart, in a house with bad weather and a 7,6,5 2 4yrolds,3, and a 1 year old and a hubby who wants to play the ps2, no logic or brains what was I thinking.
21 February 2008
at 2:29 p.m.
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Buggie7 (Anonymous) says…
book smart but dummer than a bag of rocks. Common sense isnt a given in the area. There are alot of “Book Smart” people but as said above can they cook a potato? Mammaeffortx2 trash the ps2 or him or both you can do better.
21 February 2008
at 2:32 p.m.
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notajayhawk (Anonymous) says…
compmd (Anonymous) says:
“Something everyone has neglected to note is that Lawrence is ranked above the Cambridge, MA metro area. I find that extremely intriguing.”
You've evidently never been to Massachusetts. And you don't know that many m*ssh*les.
21 February 2008
at 2:42 p.m.
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LawrenceLover88 (Anonymous) says…
Lots of snobbery poppin' off on this ole message board today.
And this whole smart, dumb, book smart, common sense debate…ah such naps…
How about a few moments to count a few of the blessings this town has to offer you? Here is a short list; feel free to create your own:
Dusty Bookshelf
The arts center
Mass street on a Technicolor day (even in ice, jeez)
Walking across campus in October
Friendly, friendly people…for the most part.
Farmers markets
Waxman's candles
Fourth of July on the Kaw…
If you don't love it here, you obviously haven't tried to move away…
21 February 2008
at 3:08 p.m.
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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…
oh buggie such drastic messures? he's bored but now he can shovel the driveway and sidewalk. yippie.:)
21 February 2008
at 5:24 p.m.
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LawrenceLover88 (Anonymous) says…
Cool:
Amen, bruva
21 February 2008
at 5:51 p.m.
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kawryan (Anonymous) says…
Thank god they don't count the local paper online comments as a consideration!
21 February 2008
at 6:06 p.m.
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horsegirl (Anonymous) says…
I have to say, at least for local newspapers, the LJW comments have got to be some of the most entertaining and wildly debated comments of anything I've read. Course, I only tend to read KC, Larwrence and Topeka papers…
There seem to be a lot of people with their panties in a wad over this proclamation. People getting offended because maybe they didn't have a college degree, and then of course those people who don't live in Lawrence. Well, it is true a college degree does not make you more intellegent. It only makes you more educated. There is a difference. However, there are plenty of educated people who have a lot of common sense and there are plenty of non-educated people with common sense. And then there are the complete idiots, both educated and not. But for a “census” like this one, they have to look at measurable factors. Common sense is not one of them.
21 February 2008
at 6:15 p.m.
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mick (Anonymous) says…
If it is true that Lawrence is the 7th smartest town in the country you need to temper that with the fact that the USA is 29th in the world and declining rapidly.
21 February 2008
at 6:23 p.m.
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compmd (Anonymous) says…
notajayhawk said:
“You've evidently never been to Massachusetts. And you don't know that many m*ssh*les.”
Yes, I've been to Massachusetts, and have run across plenty of “those people” you refer to. :) I also know lots of people at Harvard, Brandeis, and MIT. However, I haven't been impressed by anyone at MIT lately.
21 February 2008
at 7:37 p.m.
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rockchaulk2 (Anonymous) says…
so…we are 7th. wonder where we rank on per capita income,hourly wages,etc.?..just wondering.
21 February 2008
at 9:17 p.m.
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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…
who care how much education you have people just enjoy life and live longer education does not help with that. More work less play=more education,more work where be the fun?
21 February 2008
at 9:53 p.m.
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notajayhawk (Anonymous) says…
compmd (Anonymous) says:
“Yes, I've been to Massachusetts, and have run across plenty of “those people” you refer to. :) I also know lots of people at Harvard, Brandeis, and MIT.”
Cambridge also has legions of folks who push brooms through the hallways of Harvard, Brandeis, and MIT (and a number of other universities around there). Something tells me the average Harvard kid finds a janitorial work-study job as somewhat less than attractive.
Also, as I mentioned earlier (or maybe in the other thread on this), a lot of KU and Baker graduates stay here when they graduate - they can afford to. In the Cambridge (or the general Massachusetts) area - not much affordable housing for someone just graduating with a bachelors. When I used to work for the federal government I put in for a transfer to a different agency. One of the places they wanted to send me was to Boston - as a grade 5 (which at the time paid about 21K). I declined.
21 February 2008
at 10:06 p.m.
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hornhunter (Anonymous) says…
cool,
The only reason Boulder is smart then Lawrence, is because they are one less on Eastern slope sprawl, YOU.
And you can't froget to get one more stab at the oread inn and the historic areas. So now I know this article did not include you.
21 February 2008
at 10:10 p.m.
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cnedwards (Anonymous) says…
Judging from the quality of some of the comments here, it's a wonder that we're not lower than 7th.
22 February 2008
at 12:18 a.m.
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Multidisciplinary (Anonymous) says…
Oh dear, so many to respond to…
notajayhawk (Anonymous) says:
monkeyhawk (Anonymous) says:
“Hack assumes that the smart people were brought up through this school system. She needs to understand that there are very few smart people who are originally from this little prairie paradise. The smart children I know are from smart parents, none of whom are USD whatever educated. Some were educated in the excellent Shawnee Mission / Blue Valley systems, but most are from areas far away from here. So, for our mayor to take credit for the overindulged school system is disingenuous.”
*****************************************************
I SO agree. When I returned to the dating scene a few years ago, I was shocked at the difference locals vs. 15 miles or more away from Lawrence. Small town. Even if they had earned a PhD (like phys ed LOL) They thought they were doctors and even their email names said so, but they didn't know squat compared to smart people from here, and especially people from greater areas. (higher education at important places). Talk about shocking and frightening. I was actually physically injured from someone who had a PhD in a field, who thought they knew more than my Orthopedic and P.T staff. A local PT, when assessing my body, she was so ANGRY, she wanted the man arrested!
Mommaeffort:
I don't know how you do it. I've sat for a large number of children, around 4-5-6-, but not that amount so young. And it's always handy to have a husband around to play games while you are taking care of things. Sympathy / Empathy for you. Hang in there. Or pick up and leave his gameplaying self.
22 February 2008
at 1:15 a.m.
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more_cowbell (Anonymous) says…
And apparently the weather staff at the J-W isn't the reason either:
The forecast for Friday says “Early Furrie”
http://www.6newslawrence.com/weather/
X-D
22 February 2008
at 7:35 p.m.
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nomansland (Anonymous) says…
I really don't think Lawrence is as smart as it used to be. Too many suburban people have moved in and stupified this town.
22 February 2008
at 8:06 p.m.
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camper (Anonymous) says…
I think lawrence might really be the 79th smartest city in the land. I've studied it carefully. For a long time I believed it was the 83rd though.