Dallas Texas

[almaty 19]

you be a funeigner commie in texas

Whats a funeigner?

that is teas-speak for "you aren't from these parts are ya?".

But no seriously, that is precisely the sort of thing that worries me about a potential move to Texas or anywhere else in the South. I have an Indian wife who speaks English with an accent and she feels very welcome in New Jersey. Indian people are about 20% of the population in this county and most of them are immigrants. So she enjoys a certain comfort level here that I don't want to take away from her simply because I want to save money on taxes.

brother arijit, maybe in the city she been fine..maybe..outside of any city...she be toast...

[Ban Hammer 12,836]

a mighty fine state.

Did Charles have a gun to your head when you said that?

i threatened to send him some fire ants

Don't they have lots of those in texas?

actually all along the gulf states. and ran into a few in florida too

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

you be a funeigner commie in texas

Whats a funeigner?

that is teas-speak for "you aren't from these parts are ya?".

But no seriously, that is precisely the sort of thing that worries me about a potential move to Texas or anywhere else in the South. I have an Indian wife who speaks English with an accent and she feels very welcome in New Jersey. Indian people are about 20% of the population in this county and most of them are immigrants. So she enjoys a certain comfort level here that I don't want to take away from her simply because I want to save money on taxes.

brother arijit, maybe in the city she been fine..maybe..outside of any city...she be toast...

i concur.

Daniel

:energetic:

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

that is teas-speak for "you aren't from these parts are ya?".

But no seriously, that is precisely the sort of thing that worries me about a potential move to Texas or anywhere else in the South. I have an Indian wife who speaks English with an accent and she feels very welcome in New Jersey. Indian people are about 20% of the population in this county and most of them are immigrants. So she enjoys a certain comfort level here that I don't want to take away from her simply because I want to save money on taxes.

brother arijit, maybe in the city she been fine..maybe..outside of any city...she be toast...

I have heard that from others as well.

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

that is teas-speak for "you aren't from these parts are ya?".

But no seriously, that is precisely the sort of thing that worries me about a potential move to Texas or anywhere else in the South. I have an Indian wife who speaks English with an accent and she feels very welcome in New Jersey. Indian people are about 20% of the population in this county and most of them are immigrants. So she enjoys a certain comfort level here that I don't want to take away from her simply because I want to save money on taxes.

brother arijit, maybe in the city she been fine..maybe..outside of any city...she be toast...

I have heard that from others as well.

i am sure either city would be fine. no better no worse than most cities in the US of A.

pros and cons everywhere.

Daniel

:energetic:

[Laveau 67]

Speaking as a native Dallasite and as someone who is about to return to Dallas-Fort Worth in a few months, I have to confess that I never saw the level of crime assumed by these surveys. I myself was never a victim of crime in DFW. Ever. In fact, I had to move to the UK in order for my house to be robbed, my car vandalized, my cat run over and killed, my post to be stolen, and for people to put THEIR garbage in MY garbage can.

If you're in DFW as long as you are in one of the more affluent surburbs, or a good area of a normal surburb...or in a relatively affluent part of Dallas itself, YOU WILL BE FINE. Parkies and North Dallasites practically never shoot each other.

Also, you have to take into account the fact that the DFW metro area has absorbed tens of thousands of Hurricane Katrina refugees, 60% of whom are both below the poverty line AND unemployed. Houston has seen a spike in crime since taking in Katrina refugees, and so has Dallas. Also, the violent crime rate as a whole had dropped enormously in the last 15 years. When I was in high school, Dallas had between 500-700 murders a year. That's just Dallas itself, not the DFW area. That figure was below 200 the last time I checked, so obviously things have improved. It may still be one of the more violent cities in the USA, but let's have some perspective.

Dallas gets dissed enough...we Dallasites get a little tired of it. At least people don't bring up the JFK assassination every single time I say I'm from Dallas, but geez...I sure got sick of that one. Dallas is an AMAZING city where you can make your own success while indulging your every cultural whim. I think it's a GREAT place and I can't wait to bring my husband with me to Dallas and raise a family there. It's awesome.

Where in Dallas did you grow up? Where did you attend high school?

I've been in Dallas since 1989 so it's definitely home to me. The public transportation kind of sucks but it's a great place to raise a family, in my opinion. I'm not so sure about diversity, however. Dallas has a lot of Mexicans, of course and I even lived in a prodominantly Jewish neighborhood for a few years but thats the extent of the diversity if you want to call that diverse.

I live in Addison now and LOVE IT.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

...I've been in Dallas since 1989 so it's definitely home to me. The public transportation kind of sucks but it's a great place to raise a family, in my opinion. I'm not so sure about diversity, however. Dallas has a lot of Mexicans, of course and I even lived in a prodominantly Jewish neighborhood for a few years but thats the extent of the diversity if you want to call that diverse.

I live in Addison now and LOVE IT.

True that public transport isn't very good in Dallas--but that mirrors probably the vast majority of US cities.

One of the few cities I know of which all areas access public transport is NYC--a place I cannot live or work in.

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

question for texas/dallas natives: is it easy to get a concealed weapon permit?

Daniel

:energetic:

[Ban Hammer 12,836]

question for texas/dallas natives: is it easy to get a concealed weapon permit?

Daniel

:energetic:

as long as you are eligible for one and pay the money for the course, can pass it, and you can hit the target.....

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

question for texas/dallas natives: is it easy to get a concealed weapon permit?

Daniel

:energetic:

as long as you are eligible for one and pay the money for the course, can pass it, and you can hit the target.....

I see. Any idea what percentage of the population has sucha permit?

I'll se if I can google it up, but on the chance that someone around here knows...

Daniel

:energetic:

[almaty 19]

question for texas/dallas natives: is it easy to get a concealed weapon permit?

Daniel

:energetic:

as long as you are eligible for one and pay the money for the course, can pass it, and you can hit the target.....

I see. Any idea what percentage of the population has sucha permit?

I'll se if I can google it up, but on the chance that someone around here knows...

Daniel

:energetic:

allot..especially in houston

question for texas/dallas natives: is it easy to get a concealed weapon permit?

Daniel

:energetic:

as long as you are eligible for one and pay the money for the course, can pass it, and you can hit the target.....

I see. Any idea what percentage of the population has sucha permit?

I'll se if I can google it up, but on the chance that someone around here knows...

Daniel

:energetic:

allot..especially in houston

[homesick_american 1]

I think it's kind of stupid that that would be important, since there are Democratic representatives in north Texas and Republican ones in central Texas. Travis County (where Austin is) may have gone blue in 2004, but it was blazing flaming red in 2000. Also, every county surrounding Travis County went red in 2004 and Texas is overwhelmingly Republican so if you're that type of person (a liberal who is only comfortable around other liberals) you might want to give Texas a pass altogether, just as conservatives who can't stand to be around liberals might not want to consider living in Massachusetts. I think people like that are sad, though. I vote Democrat and I have no reservations whatsoever about moving back to Texas.

Texas isn't AS Republican as you might think it is; it is simply Republican ENOUGH to tip it into the red category. Also, the Republican takeover of Texas was relatively recent; up until 1994, the Lege was traditionally Democrat. We also had Democrat governors half my life there, and most of the time I lived in Texas (including 20 years in Dallas) I was represented by Democrats in Congress, not Republicans.

But hey, stereotype away.

Blue Collar v White Collar

but hey... stereo type away

Who said anything about that?

... you should prolly take some time to check out both cities by actually "vacationing" there. one to keep in mind is one city is bluer than the other, so if that thing is important to you.

... so if you're that type of person (a liberal who is only comfortable around other liberals) you might want to give Texas a pass altogether, just as conservatives who can't stand to be around liberals might not want to consider living in Massachusetts. I think people like that are sad, though. I vote Democrat and I have no reservations whatsoever about moving back to Texas.

No, I don't particularly care who my neighbors vote for. I do care about the community I live in having certain values, though.

For example if I ever have kids I never want to hear that their school is going to stop teaching them evolution. I know that won't happen in the part of New Jersey I'm in.

I'd also be looking for a community that is racially and religiously diverse. Again, the community I live in right now has that and I appreciate it. No strange stares from the neighbors, no annoying questions, on that one day of the year when we decide to do something 'Indian' (I'm Indian-American).

And most importantly, I'd be looking for a well-educated and professional community. I know certain northern Dallas burbs fit that bill better than where I live currently does.

Just a few random thoughts.

ps. Oh and I need to live somewhere where I can get Chinese delivered to my house. Pizza sucks.

ETA: I forgot to mention: the #1 reason I'm even considering leaving the Northeast is property taxes and the general high cost of living.

There are some areas of the DFW metro area that are more diverse than others. Places like Plano, an affluent suburb, aren't overly ethnically diverse; Plano's probably about 90% white. Dallas proper is very ethnically diverse, but you'd have to be extra careful about where you lived if you wanted to send your kids to public school. DISD schools have a well-deserved reputation for being mostly fairly crappy.

The thing about DFW is it's so huge and there's such an enormous range of areas, from small-town feel to soulless sprawl to cute and tidy to down at heel to mega-rich, you'll just have to see it for yourself and see where you feel most comfortable. Austin's a little easier to pin down; southwest and south central Austin are trendy with families and diverse, parts of north central Austin are the pits, central Austin itself is brimming with college students, and the burbs are mostly white and conservative. It's a much smaller place.

If you want to know where the Indians are in Texas they seem to mostly be in Sugar Land, which is a suburb of Houston. B)

other variables to consider: weather (is it oo humid? hot?: this is a consideration for healt and cost. costwise it means more a/c); pollution(tons of refineries and manufacturing going on down there. which explains their economic prosperity. but for health cosiderations that is an important variable).

then their is the attire consideration, the music consideration, etc..

Interesting points. Weather, I am not too particular about. Energy bills I can afford, given the right salary

Texas is hot in summer. There's no way around that. Some of the heat waves can be absolutely miserable, and if you treat yourself to that 3,000 square foot house that's just so charmingly inexpensive, you may find yourself with giant $800 electric bills 4-5 months out of the year. Then again, it hardly ever snows and winter is mild...and brief. It's a tradeoff.

As for pollution, yes... definitely a concern. But then again I live in NJ so I don't think I've breathed actual air in years lol.

Dallas's air quality has improved since the 1980s while Austin's has gotten worse, but Austin's is still better than Dallas's. Houston's air quality is horrible.

Attire - what do you mean?

I guess some people still think you have to dress like a cowboy or other caricature to fit in in Dallas. Nothing could be further from the truth; there are all sorts there.

Music - I don't care what the locals listen to. I have my CDs lol.

The locals in Texas listen to anything and everything, and don't let anyone tell you different.

oh, also, do you have a truck?

truck??!?!

no, I drive an Accord. Will they let me into Texas if I'm driving an Accord?

Um...yes. Even with New Jersey plates on it. You wouldn't be the first carpetbagger to hit Texas, and you don't have to trade it in for a pickup with requisite gun rack.

a mighty fine state.

Did Charles have a gun to your head when you said that?

i threatened to send him some fire ants

Don't they have lots of those in texas?

Yeah, but they're no big deal. Long as you know what to look for when walking through grass (fire ant mounds, basically) and keep a clean house, you shouldn't have any trouble with them.

you be a funeigner commie in texas

Whats a funeigner?

that is teas-speak for "you aren't from these parts are ya?".

But no seriously, that is precisely the sort of thing that worries me about a potential move to Texas or anywhere else in the South. I have an Indian wife who speaks English with an accent and she feels very welcome in New Jersey. Indian people are about 20% of the population in this county and most of them are immigrants. So she enjoys a certain comfort level here that I don't want to take away from her simply because I want to save money on taxes.

Dude, it's not the 1950s in Texas. It's not like the Klan would show up and burn a cross on your lawn.

Where in Dallas did you grow up? Where did you attend high school?

I've been in Dallas since 1989 so it's definitely home to me. The public transportation kind of sucks but it's a great place to raise a family, in my opinion. I'm not so sure about diversity, however. Dallas has a lot of Mexicans, of course and I even lived in a prodominantly Jewish neighborhood for a few years but thats the extent of the diversity if you want to call that diverse.

I live in Addison now and LOVE IT.

Sounds like you and I probably lived close to each other. I went to Hillcrest and grew up in north Dallas near Preston and Forest. I think that neighborhood goes to W.T. White now.

Dallas is definitely more diverse than where I live in England. York's about 90% white. Boring!

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Texas is hot in summer. There's no way around that. Some of the heat waves can be absolutely miserable, and if you treat yourself to that 3,000 square foot house that's just so charmingly inexpensive, you may find yourself with giant $800 electric bills 4-5 months out of the year. Then again, it hardly ever snows and winter is mild...and brief. It's a tradeoff.

$800, damn. But yeah I like small homes. So does the wife. I'd like to not have a mortgage, no way can I do with if I insist on buying a big house lol.

Dude, it's not the 1950s in Texas. It's not like the Klan would show up and burn a cross on your lawn.

[babybunny 2]

the main issue is the katrina refugees that don't wanna go back to NO and just want to loot and rob people in Texas..

yeahs them dayum Katrinas!!! now i gotta get me a gun and train my dog how to use

it when I am not home. its like the "deperado " days. where Antonio Bandras be at?

[homesick_american 1]

Texas is hot in summer. There's no way around that. Some of the heat waves can be absolutely miserable, and if you treat yourself to that 3,000 square foot house that's just so charmingly inexpensive, you may find yourself with giant $800 electric bills 4-5 months out of the year. Then again, it hardly ever snows and winter is mild...and brief. It's a tradeoff.

$800, damn. But yeah I like small homes. So does the wife. I'd like to not have a mortgage, no way can I do with if I insist on buying a big house lol.

You might like some of the older, gentified areas of Dallas. Lakewood is very nice; the prices are high from a Texas perspective but coming from New Jersey, you'd probably think it was cheap. The older houses there can be as small as 1,000 square feet with only two bedrooms, or you could get a mock tudor mansion. Just depends on your tastes. Dallas noobs usually fall in love with Lakewood, but if you want to be adventurous they're also gentrifying parts of Oak Cliff, which was still THE HOOD when I left TX in 2001.

This is a house in Lakewood...small, but very very cute:

http://www.bobedmonson.east-dallas-lakewoo...51&type=SFR

Or you could get a pile in Denton for about $120,000, but it won't have personality.