Question about North Mexican, er, Canadian releases..

[termis]

Calgary at #24? Now, that's laughable.  This is BY FAR, the worst place I've ever lived in my life.  (And I've lived in a number of cities/towns/countries).

The whole "best places to live" is so completely subjective that lists like that don't really matter once you're in living in a country that is at least somewhat developed and you have all the "basic" necessities deemed for a decent shot at life (food, shelter, safety, access to education, healthcare, etc.).  After all that, it all depends on what caters to the individual.  I place a high value on good weather and random things like nice, twisty riding roads  -- things that affect my quality of life, which is what really matters in the end -- and these are things that Calgary sorely lack (among tons of other things compared to other places).

[Necromancer]

Actually, I think it has more to do with a strong economy, excellent public schools and social services (including socialized medicine), and a minimal crime rate (with very, very little violent crime - our gun crime rate per capita is something like 1% of the US gun crime rate, and we have nearly as many firearms per capita in this country). Medicinal marijuana is not a license you want to qualify for - you have to be pretty damned ill to get it. Same sex marriages are just a by-product of a well-educated liberal democracy.

Blah, blah, blah.  Canada sucks 'cause it apparently doesn't understand humor.

[GUTS]

I love the USA, but I've always had a dream of living in a place with no f*cking mexicans, is Canada perhaps this mythical place I dream of?

[nat]

I love the USA, but I've always had a dream of living in a place with no f*cking mexicans, is Canada perhaps this mythical place I dream of?

Hawaii.

Hawaii doesn't share a border with Mexico, and most Mexicans can't afford to live there anyway. 

I plan on moving there in T minus 10 months.

[SNKNostalgia]

You know what, that doesn't sound too bad for me. I am well adjusted to that type of climate since I lived in Puerto Rico on the Navy base for 6 years and then on a sailboat in the US Virgin Islands for 2 years. Of course the cost of living is high at these place but you get paid more, especially in any service industries. Any good schools there? I am finishing up my radio television broadcast degree.

[FM-77]

Wow, Hawaii... I'd really like to live there. Seems like a very nice place!

[nat]

I've been going to Hawaii every year for a few years now. I've been to nearly every island and I have to say the big island is far and away the best. But once you're a resident of the state, traveling to another island to visit is no more than a nice $40 ticket.

I plan on moving to the big island in 10 months and I'm sooooo looking forward to it.The entire lifestyle is different, and it's really not all that hot. It just stays nice year-round. Plus, if you already live on a west coast state, namely Washington or California, you're already accustomed to a higher cost of living. I live in Seattle, WA and the cost of living in Hawaii is very comparable.

I know a few people who've gone through the University of Hawaii and liked it a lot. I've never attended there, but I hear it's a fine school.

[termis]

I love the USA, but I've always had a dream of living in a place with no f*cking mexicans, is Canada perhaps this mythical place I dream of?

Dude, d'ya get beat up by Mexicans growing up or something?  All that rage towards 'em.    Like any group, some of 'em can be pretty annoying (the hardcore cholo types or whatever), but I find a lot of them to be good, fun-loving folks.

Anyway, Canada's all right for the most part.  If "No Mexican" dream is your what you're really after, you probably just need to move outside of the whole North American continent.  Australia/New Zealand are mighty fine places (I'm looking to move down there myself sometime in the next year or two).

[Keranu]

Mexicans are probably the best people on the planet.

[2X4]

As for Canada's big showing in a 'Best Places to Live' list, big surprise - it's called same sex marriages and medicinal marijuana. 

Same sex marriages are just a by-product of a well-educated liberal democracy.

There's no such a thing as well-educated and liberal; same-sex marriages are a product of a bunch of gay people.  That's just the type of rubbish you beady-eyed, split-headed bastards want everyone to think.   

Mexicans -- I see it this way (not that anyone should give a crap):  Poverty brings out the worst in all cultures, and right now, there are a lot of poor mexicans.  And the way our retarded government keeps cranking out incentive to be worthless, many worthless people (who happen to be Mexican) are drawn to the U.S. to suckle at the taxpayer's teet. 

[vestcoat]

Mexicans -- I see it this way (not that anyone should give a crap):  Poverty brings out the worst in all cultures, and right now, there are a lot of poor mexicans.  And the way our retarded government keeps cranking out incentive to be worthless, many worthless people (who happen to be Mexican) are drawn to the U.S. to suckle at the taxpayer's teet. 

They come here for family or because they're looking for work; the same reasons anyone immigrates here.
I can't believe this "work harder, millions of people on welfare depend on you" nonsense is still perpetuated.  There are a lot of arguments both ways on whether or not immigrants drain the economy (I believe they don’t); but I'm sure their impact is negligible compared to our taxes that are wasted subsidizing industries, incarcerating stupid hippies, and murdering our troops and Iraqis.  Unless you’re Native American, we have no room to criticize Latino immigrants following in the footsteps of my ancestors.

[Turbo D]

Mexicans aren't as poor as everyone stereotypes them to be. The second richest man in the world is Mexican and he is gaining on Bill Gates.

[2X4]

Man, I should just keep my mouth closed.  You honestly don't think that the largest growing demographic being on welfare and other government aid is a drain on the economy?  How well did you do in math class?  Anyway, I wasn't blaming mexicans, I was blaming our government, and suggesting that what other posters on the thread possibly don't like about some mexicans actually has more to do with poverty than with their ancestry.  I never said anything about their right to migrate.  And I know it doesn't even hold a candle to the $1 billion a week we spend in the desert, but one thread derailment at a time here. 

Turbo D, I know not all Mexicans are poor.  But there are many, many in the U.S. who are and the number is growing exponentially.  And I believe that unfortunately that has an affect on how some people view the culture and the race as a whole, whether its right or wrong.

[GUTS]

If you live in an area with tons of mexicans, you'd probably dislike them and their culture as much as I do.  I've found that generally the only people that defend them are people who don't live around them.

[nat]

I'm not at all racist, but I agree on some level with GUTS.

I'm 100% all for people immigrating here legitimately to find jobs and enrich their lives in the manner that vestcoat described.

But I have a big problem with illegal immigrants, Mexican or not. Unfortunately, the majority of illegal immigrants in the US, at least here on the West Coast, are far and away Mexican.

Every morning I drive by a Costco & Home Depot in an industrial district on my way to work. Every day there are huge groups (and I mean huge) of Mexicans standing in the lot waiting for the early morning contractors, landscapers and construction folks to make their daily stop at Home Depot to pick up supplies. Why? Because these people also pick up these Mexicans and pay them under the table to work for them for the day. I guarantee not a single one of these Mexicans is legal.

It's funny, some mornings the State Patrol will station two or three cars in the lot. On those days there isn't an illegal immigrant to be seen for miles. That same parking lot is barren.

If you live in an area with tons of mexicans, you'd probably dislike them and their culture as much as I do. 

One of my best friends growing up was Mexican, and I have another friend now who is Mexican. But these are not the type of Mexicans you are thinking about, and I know all too well the ones you mean. But again, it's not fair to typecast all Mexicans into that mold. Generally it's the illegals I spoke of earlier that only bother to learn enough English to communicate with the foreman that are annoying and like to play loud trumpet-y music late at night.