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Well, if you take a burn to me insulting your alma mater, then surely you can understand why I take a burn to you insulting my hometown. Can we call a truce?

And no, I didn't go to UB. HillBilly Clinton is (are) the bain of my existence. And I agree that Buffalo, unfortunately, has an extremely large libby population. Too much governmental assistance for the lazy, too many hippies on Elmwood Ave.

But I take exception to you calling it a "stinking hellhole." I don't want to sit here and bore you with a list of attractions, but the job market sucks everywhere right now, there's nepotism in every city, and there's corruption in every city. On what basis do you judge Buffalo being so much worse than others?

My short list.

The city is dirty
vagrants abound
crime is high
taxes are very high
jobs are lacking
the city has a big drug problem
episodes of "COPS" are from Buffalo (not a good thing)
the weather sucks (though some like 7 months of winter)
many city leaders and community activists think the key to rebuilding Buffalo and its economy is a new bridge to Canada!
Others think the movie Bruce Almighty is going to help the city. How?
Virtually all attempts to bring in new business and industry are ridiculed and prevented. How's the Aud doing?
How about the fighting and bickering over maintaining delapedated grain elevators? People think those can be a tourist attraction to help the economy! What a joke!
Hows the water front doing?

Sure, Buffalo has some attractions. The Albright Knox, which is world class and top notch. Niagra Falls, which is not in Buffalo. Bison’s games are fun to attend. The Sabres used to be, but now they suck. Bill’s games are fun to go to even though they suck. But a minor league team and 2 mediocre professional teams do not a city make, and in net economic terms they are a drain on the city. The Buffalo Zoo? I guess that’s an attraction. As long as you don’t go on student discount day.

I am having a hard time coming up with anything else that would make someone or a family want to visit Buffalo, and much less move there.

There certainly are a lot of things I miss about Buffalo. I loved my 5 years there and I wouldn’t trade them for 5 years at any other college or town. But there was nothing there that was worth staying and starting a career and having a family in the future. I also met my wife in Buffalo and I will never forgive the city for that! LOL! Just kidding.

The people I know who went to college in Buffalo, both Buff State and UB who are still living there are filling 2 jobs. Bartender or teacher. That’s it. Seriously. And the bartenders are graduates of UB.

The town I grew up in, Endicott NY is even worse. That place truly is a stinking hell hole with little to no chance of ever improving. Buffalo at least has a shot of returning to its former glory. Endicott does not.