Monday, August 9, 2010
Another Lame Web Site Puts Cleveland on a Lame "Worst City" List
Posted by Kyle Swenson on Mon, Aug 9, 2010 at 5:37 PM
- WalletPop didn't realize, but this is a picture of Scene's parking lot in May
Here we go again. We all know the drill, so let’s get this over with quickly: Outsiders put together list on worst cities in America; pick Cleveland; never been here.
This time around the culprit is WalletPop, whatever that is. The Web site, which is some kind of AOL-affiliated consumer finance site in pressing need of a design upgrade (come on, WalletPop, how can we take you seriously when you have oceans of negative space all over that sucker!), has nailed Cleveland to the #2 spot of its “10 Worst Places to Live” list.
This one’s got all the hallmarks of a Worst Place list: The uninspired lead (“You don't need the U.S. Misery Index to tell you that things are bad in the U.S.”); the routine criteria (“unemployment rates, health data, the number of foreclosures, crime statistics, climate and other measures of misery”) and, our favorite, that necessary reminder for readers that the list is “unofficial” and “far from comprehensive,” just in case you thought otherwise. We’ll keep that in mind, WalletPop.
Anyway, WalletPop says you live in a horrible place, and you can probably guess why. The write-up mentions the population decline, the weather, unemployment, and Cuyahoga County corruption among its reasons, all of which makes us say, well . . . yeah . . . touché . . .
Cleveland shares the podium with El Centro, California and Detroit, at #1 and #3, respectively. The rest of the top 10 is filled out with the usual big city suspects (Los Angeles, Las Vegas) and small-time strugglers (Newark, Memphis).
At this point, Cleveland’s taken so much abuse from the hands of bored bloggers and the content-desperate that it’s no surprise we’re a contender for such a top slot. Seriously, this always come across as a tried stab at page views, rustling up a readership by shitting on entire cities with a single post. There must be a How-To out there on the internets for piecing together one of these hit-factories: Take one Los Angeles, add a Cleveland, a Detroit, and a Memphis, sprinkle in a few other surprises, and shake. So by now we’re okay with being roped in with this ugly crowd. But #2? WalletPop, have you ever been to Detroit?
Don’t worry Cleveland, we have a feeling our dignity has not been impugned before the masses. Yes, the article did land on WalletPop’s “Hot Topics” list, but only in third spot, after “Taco Bell Salmonella” and the site’s “hottest” topic of conversation: “Bernie Mac’s Widow Sues.”
Comments (11)
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I have lived in Cleveland 51 years. I have decided to adopt it. I like Cleveland.
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I like this City of Cleveland. I am especially in love with Cleveland now that Miami Lebron has settled comfortably in Miami. Now Cleveland can and will breathe easier. When was the last time Cleveland had a hurricane? Hello, New Orleans!! When was the last time Cleveland had a flood in its east side and west side? Hello Iowa!!! Cleveland?! It's comfortable. Cleveland is not defined by its sports teams, nor some web site that needs a story to make itself look good. Cleveland? It's a good old city with experience, toughness, and faith. The good live in Cleveland. Anyone can nitpick selected details. Cleveland has one, two, three sports teams. Hello LA? No NFL team. Well!!
and because they don't have any real journalists Scene feels it necessary to print the content of a web site that nobody reads. This story is worse than the original. "Hey guys some one else thinks we suck" un-educated rag. Do something more than bitch Scene.
Look Cleveland may suck however we have no hurricanes, no floods, ya blizzards,, so what... the cost of living is cheap ( u could easily buy a 3/4 bedroom house . with 2 car attached garage with2/ 3 bathrooms,, big yard in one of the neighboring suburbs for under 200,000$... ( TAKE THAT CALI) and we have the CLEVELAND CLINIC here where actually patients come from around the world. e have Cedar Point,, Huntington Beach.. Mentor Headlands Beach.. sure its no South Beach but then again we dont need hurricane insurance.. either and we are not Mexico( South BeachAKA- .. ) .. regardless its not so bad here... If u have a good job and u make decent money u can have a mansion for 300,000 to 500,00. YES MANSION/// Anyway just wanted to give u some info
Here we go again....another sorry popcorn website that no one has ever heard of before trying to rank on Cleveland. First off....what and who the HELL is a damn walletpop? with a website with a name like that they can't talk about anyone or anything. I'll bet this stupid website is run by the worlds biggest IDIOTS and MORONS. A word of advice to these STUPID FOOLS.....first get a website with a name that says something cause walletpop certainly is not doing it. Secondly.....before you even attempt to rank on Cleveland or any other city earn some respect cause I wouldn't give this IDIOTIC website any props.....you all are not even in same class as the city of Cleveland.....walletpop.....what in the hell is a damn walletpop??? WHAT A DUMB NAME....dumb by a dumb owner.....get a life you MORONS!
For my high school 50th reunion I wrote the following.
Over all these years I discovered that Cleveland is a very nice place. Why?
• I have never been told to evacuate my home for a snowstorm.
• I will always have plenty of drinking water.
• It is easier and cheaper to warm up then it is to cool down.
• Spring and fall weather is glorious. During winter we EARN our spring. Summers are only two weeks long – this year being an exception.
• It is easy to get to other places when I want to do that.
• I can avoid excessive expenditures on play-off tickets for championship teams.
Cleveland has its troubles but we don't suck and we never will. We Rock & Roll And we have a very kick-ass town so go blow somewhere else we don't need any of you visiting our City.You don't like our City don't come here.We have pride and strength do you not likely we have a strong personality, grace the toughness and grite of the great City of Cleveland. ES&D walletpoop.
Best thing Cleveland has going for it? Low cost of living, which affords me vacations to other places, like L.A, Boston, Chicago...
I'm glad outsiders think Cleveland sucks. It keeps those freaks and jerks from LA and NY from moving here and really making the town blow chunks.
Cleveland has consistently ranked number 1,2,3,4,5,6, or 7 in every horrible statistic in every conceivable poll in every year in recent history. While some of the polls are arguably questionable, all of them are not. Ironically, the truths about Cleveland, that are verified by these polls, are precisely why Cleveland's cost of living is so low. Nobody in their right mind wants to live here. And the people in their right mind who do live here are literally dying because it's too expensive to get out of this rotten city that's stupidly promoting it's past instead of getting rid of it's secret stranglehold crooks and building a family friendly future.
