Newsgroups: alt.peeves
Subject: Re: Mall of America or whatever it is
From: thompson@gumby.mgi.com
Date: 16 Aug 92 14:23:15 CDT
Organization: Management Graphics, Inc.

In article <17477@autodesk.COM>, booter@Autodesk.COM (Elaine Richards) writes:
> In article <92226.194503JKH107@psuvm.psu.edu> JKH107@psuvm.psu.edu
              (Joy Haftel) writes:
>>My main peeve right now is the Mall of America, or whatever
>>it is they're calling this supermall that has just opened in
>>the vast cultural and intellectual wasteland known as the Midwest
>>(my apologies to any Midwesterners, but since this mall has been
>>built, my estimation of that region has gone down about 100%).
 
It's just a very large mall with a very small amusement park. Of course,
due to the lousy weather we have here about six months a year, the whole
thing has to be indoors, giving the local boosters an excuse to hype it
endlessly.

Peeve: The Twin Cities media and other boosters who constantly try to convince
us that we are living in a "world-class" city. They constantly compare us to
New York and other big cities, and whenever anyone here does anything even
vaguely worthwhile, they tell us that "The attention of the world is once again
focused on Minnesota". Any story about Minnesota that gets even 10 seconds of
network airtime is celebrated as proof that the entire planet is watching us in
envy. Why can't they just accept the fact that this is a small but very nice
urban area? 
 
> It initially disgusted me until I found out where it was located.  Its
> in Minnesota. Minnesota is populated by Native AMericans (lived there
> for 30,000 years+) and various Caucasians of Viking extraction.  WHen I
> went to Minnesota years ago, I saw one Black kid. He was parka-ed so
> heavily, he looked like the Goodyear blimp with a little boy head on
> top.  Only VIkings and natives can live there. The place is exceedingly
> cold in the winter.

This is slightly out-dated. While Minnesota is still one of the most 
ethnically boring places in the country, I work with people who were born in
Ethiopia, Jamaica, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Nigeria. We are Christians,
Jews, Muslims, Buddhists of several varieties, Hindus, Ras Tafarians, athiests
and at least one witch. This is in a company of less than 100 people. I'd guess
that about 60% of our employees are white. We all get along very well, too.
There is certainly racism in Minnesota, but it's nothing like what I
experienced while living in East L.A., where I was verbally abused regularly,
and occasionally threatened with great bodily harm because of my poor choice of
ancestors. Judging by what I've seen on the news lately, things haven't
improved a whole lot.
 
> Of course, I solved that by living in California.
> Hm. Maybe the mall is a !Peeve. If they are happy in their warm 
> climate-controlled pseudo-environment, they won't come and live here
> and jack up real esate prices.

This is sort of how we feel about the weather. It keeps out the riff-raff.

I've lived in East and South Central L.A., and now I live about 5 miles from
the "mega-mall". Yes, the weather sucks in winter, but I'd never consider
moving back.


MOKO
  
Newsgroups: alt.peeves