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I realize some might not want to mention the name of their town or city....but was wondering if you all would like to tell a little about where you live.

Some of you know, I live in Los Angeles.  It has some good points, and bad points, of course.  The good points are being near to good public transportation, church, markets, restaurants, banks and sightseeing attractions (many of them free).

One bad point the past several years....the rents are climbing dramatically (like $1200 and more for a single apartment....that means a one room apartment!  I even saw one listed for $1600!).  The reason for this is they are building alot of condos, lofts, and apartment buildings in and near to downtown (professional people are tired of commuting and are flocking to live in downtown).  The city does have rent control....apt owners can only raise the rent about 4% each year.  But it also means having to stay in the same apartment no matter what, since the other apartments are too expensive to move into.

Well I live in a small rural area, in the mountains of Arizona.  Till the Rodeo-Chediski fire in 2002, this area was quite pretty. Though through Gods will the beauty is still there.  Everyone here knows their neighbors. Populatiion where I am is only 257 people. ;D

Like you though, I was born and raised in Los Angeles (Carson, Compton, Torrance, and Long Beach) which I don't miss. 

I live in a moderately large industrial town. Nothing the size of LA but for this area it is considered large. All the industries are fairly small but there are a whole lot of them. ADM is the only really large plant.

Rent here is $440.00 a month for a small 2 BR apt. in subsidized government housing. When I say small, It is small enough to fit into a small 2 car garage. A standard 2 BR apt other than that goes for about $600.00. A studio apt can be had for as low as $350.00 a month but that is down by the river where it frequently floods and in a house so old the floors lean enough that you can't use chairs on wheels.

Gas prices here just topped over $3.50 a gal. There is public transportation but it is too far for me and my wife to walk to get to the bus route and it is really difficult to get up those steps so I'll suffer with the expense of a car.  :D :D

We have only lived here just less than 2 years ( moving in a couple of weeks ).  It is a small, but not tiny, area of 3 townships South of Chicago, about an hours drive  ( they are Kankakee, Bradley and Bourbonnais ) . The 3 towns are growing and have merged where each 'runs' into the other. I am thinking the population is some where between 3,000 to 5,000. The Chicago Bears Summer training camp is here and I guess that is a big deal to some folks.  Not a bad place to live. People are nice here.

What a small World.... we lived out in the L.A. area too.   Torrance, Lawndale, San Pedro, and Redondo Beach .. as well as up North in the Sacramento area and in the S.F Bay area. ( Alameda) ... our son was born in Torrance and daughter in Sacramento.

 and I DO NOT miss it!

Well, first of all, thanks everyone so far for telling about your area.  :)

DreamWeaver, I have some family (2 uncles, 1 aunt and cousins) living in the White Mountains of Arizona....they live in Show Low; I think one cousin and his wife/family might be in Lakeside.  One cousin lives about 14 miles outside of Show Low in the wilderness.

My uncles used to live in PA (where mom and I are from, too....then they moved to CA.  So we moved to CA....but after the 1971 earthquake they moved to Phoenix, AZ.  Mom and I could never take the summer desert heat and didn't care too much for Phoenix....so we stayed here in Los Angeles.  Actually, in my younger years it wasn't so bad, but now with my mom much older and not so healthy, it's harder when one is alone.

After living in the big city for so long (been in L.A. for 40 years!), I don't know about moving.  I guess that would happen if our apartment bldg tells the tenants to move (some bldgs are converting to condos)....and if we couldn't find an apartment we could afford.

I've never been to Show Low (mom has)....but I don't drive now so think I would have difficulty getting around there.  (My uncles are senior citizens and my cousins are busy with their own families.)  I also have 2 cousins in Ft. Walton Beach, FL...it's probably very pretty, but the hurricanes are too much for me.  So as it stands now, I'm just going day by day with the Lord's help.

I live in metropolitan Washington, DC, in the Maryland suburbs about 5 minutes from Alexandria, VA.  I can reach downtown DC in approx. 15 minutes (non rush hour).  I am a couple of blocks from the Potomac River, unfortunately I do not have a river view.  >:( The National Harbor Project is currently under construction on the bank of the river.   It is being built by the same group that built the Grand Ole Opry Hotel in Nashville.  There will be a convention center, hotel, restaurants, stores, bike trails, condos and single-family homes.  Gas prices are averaging $3.30 for regular, and continue to climb. 

I am on the landing path for planes approaching National Airport (Reagan) and although they are 'supposed' to fly down the river, they fly over the houses.  There are times when we are sitting in the backyard, the planes fly so low we can actually see the passengers looking out the windows.  On one occasion, people were waving at us.  Rush hour traffic is an absolute nightmare, and people are becoming increasingly inconsiderate and rude.  However, the positives of living in this area, far outweigh the negatives.  Although I realize DC is a prime target for terrorists, I don't worry.  I have Jesus!!!

Amen!

I don't live in Show low, I'm outside of it. :D 

Show Low has gotten to big, for its pants.  They have a habit of thinking they are a big city, when they are a small country town.  I first moved there (1977) the population was a little over 2,500. I went there to open Sambo's Restaurant, # 741  Now the population is over 10,000.

The area I live in is rural, but not far from Fort Myers, Florida. Many inland communties are starting to feel the crunch of more new developments of gated communties building up where once was  vancant farmland and woodlands. Just had in paper recently a new Walmart has been approved to go in not far from us. Goodbye to more mom & pop shops. The average rents are $800-$1200 a month and more. I have considered moving back up north to Pennsylvania, but not sure I could stand the cold weather. Plus it makes getting around a bit more difficult with the snow and them there hills. Anyways, the towns around us are getting more people from other areas that weren't happy where they were so they moved here and are changing our area into what it was like back where they moved from. Our property taxes have gone sky high. When property is bought & payed for, for much more than its worth, and then a big expensive home is built on that property it causes surrounding property values to increase which also raises land taxes making it really hard for poorer folks to afford to keep there homes. Plus, along with that comes new shopping centers, and attractions. While yes it does create more jobs and recreation. It robs us who moved here to a quiet country town of the peacefulness of country life. We would move but can not afford to do so.

We just got a rent increase (get one each year) and it was quite a shock.  This year they raised it 6%...next month we will pay an additional $46 a month, plus some other nominal city fee.  I know the Lord promises to supply our needs but it seems like in a few years we'll be paying $1,000 a month!

My rent just went up by $72.00 per month. This is the first increase though in two years.

I know my property taxes went up in 2006, from 86.15 a year, to 93.57. 

Rub it in brother.   ;) ;D

Okay brother I will, my home here paided for already................. ;D ;D ;D

My other home was also paided for, by the blood of Jesus. Thank you Jesus

I just had  a experience with a "bee" right now in my position my blood really rush and made me want to move to my mansion in the sky that is all paid for by the blood of Christ mind  you.all paid all paid. too. and you are welcome to visit i have many angels there waiting to Grete you , no grass to mow i promise.just cloud dusting..

DreamWeaver ,You don`t want to know where i live you know the story of Lot well Brother in my time  I am Lot and the doors of hell are right there ..but if it was not for this situation and geographic place i would not have found the Son  of The living God Jesus Christ .the loud noise and festival and the way of life in the past  ten years  is ugly dirt unruly decadence unbelievable .so you don`t want to know where  i live here but my home is with the God of the universe He is going to pick me up soon .see you on a cloud OK ..love in Jesus.Def.....i have the festival just for laugh with the stage and the "bass" tower 200 feet from my bedroom ,jazz festival one corner away and that come with the car races  and the gay festivals and stabbings killings  drugs rapes they lost control they toke God out and Lucifer came in and i am right in the middle in a wheel chair and in all that that is where i found Jesus and would not change one minute of it except for ¼ of ¼ of a second and that is a other story the important one..OK dreamWeaver God had a plan and he is working and I am glad to be part of it..love in Jesus again..

but DreamWeaver I am privileged to be able to go to the mountain it is 20 minutes away in my wheel chair and i can also go the river in the same time so i leave early and go to meditate and be at peace on the mountain and the trees clap there hands "Isaiah"with God there is alway a way His way...def 8) :D thank you Jesus.

Sister I didn't know you were in an area as Lot.  I will be praying for your ministery sister. 

Right, Pastor Roger.  :)

I didn't realize you lived in such a bad environment either.  Can I ask what state you are in?

I believe def, is in Canada.

Me, is like a town or small city with coconut trees, lot greens, bleaches, and forests.

My husband, Steve and I live in the panhandle of Texas, Amarillo...I am from Richmond, Cali and my husband is from Oklahoma...He was born in Lawton and has many relatives in Lawton...Which the end of this month..I get to meet many of them at a reunion..
The city we live in has strange weather...it snowed in April..and the sun was shining on another part of town...all on the same day...We have many tornado and storm  warnings in the summer..
Gas prices are very high here and I see bike riders more and more...

 

LOL.............. ;D ;D ;D

Our own beps, is in that area sister.

Hello MaryJane,

WOW! - What a small world. I was born and raised in Lawton Fort Sill, Oklahoma. It was called Lawton when I was born, but Fort Sill was here long before Lawton was. We've been together now for over 100 years, so many call us Lawton Fort Sill, and some maps are beginning to reflect that. I don't remember when, but our city council did vote "yes" in changing the name. By the way, I'm very proud to call this my home. I've only been gone for short periods of time and had to come back.

It sounds like we are sharing some of the same strange weather. Tell your husband that Tom Rightmer from his home town said hello. I have no idea if we've ever met. I'm a retired police officer and in the over 55 crowd. My dad was a pastor here from the early 40s, and I started making life more difficult for him in the late 40s.   ;)  He's Home with the LORD now, but my mother is still going strong.

Love In Christ,
Tom

John 10:8-10 NASB  "All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

BEP...

WOW...do you know any Harpers?...
My brother was stationed at Fort Sill and when I went to go see him...I walked on the base like a nut and I was so glad to see him...He had just returned from Viet Nam and was being staioned to Fort Ord..where he became permanent party there...I will never forget all the skunks walking around town...Also...do you know any Helms..or Ridgeways..It is a small world...Also...I loved going to Cashe where Quana Parker lived...

Sincerely..

Maryjane

 ;D

I'm laughing about the skunks and don't know if you are talking about the ones with 4 legs or 2 legs. We killed most of the ones with 4 legs and put the ones with 2 legs in jail.   ;D

Yes, I know quite a few folks with the last names you mentioned. I don't know if I could list all the ones I went to school with and those who came to church with us over the years. Clyde Harper and his family attended church with us for over 40 years. One of their sons is named Harry. If I wasn't so tired, I might be able to make a list of all the names you mentioned.

 ::) It was the four legged... I will tell my husband of you...His uncle on his other's side lives in Mountain View...all his relatives are in Okla.  My husband and I along with my girlfriend and her husband were invited to go to a prison in Mangum, OK...Since we were involved in a prison ministry e had to take hostage training...We have ministered in numerous prisons...I was a bond agent for a long time and when we went to the Elis units many of the inmates knew me..as I was therir bond agent..
It is late...I have never been up so late...Thank you for your post..

Maryjane...

Hello MaryJane,

Sister, get some rest. I'll holler at you tomorrow.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Romans 11:33 NASB  Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!

I live outside of Baltimore MD in Howard County.  It is a nice area but climbing much too fast on new homes.  Prices are very high to me here.  It is pretty much like a high tech - high class area. The one thing that gets me is there is still no place for teens to go for activities so they just "hang out" in the neighborhoods like I did when I was a teen.

Hello FaithGranny,

I think this subject would be an interesting discussion. I can't count the number of times that I heard similar statements like this in 25 years of police work. BUT, I also wanted to know what kind of places they wanted for teens.

Example:  Would this be paid for by churches, taxpayers, or who?

Example:  What type of activities are we talking about?

Example:  Who would supervise the activities and be responsible for any problems?

Example:  Do the schools, churches, and city already have activities?

Example:  If YES to above, are they used, supported, or not enough?

Example:  Were various things tried and stopped or failed for some reason?

Example:  If YES to above, what happened and why?
__________________________________________

I ask these questions because I know of many things that were tried and failed in my city. Our population would be around 140,000. We still have all kinds of activities that receive varying amounts of support from schools, churches, and civic type organizations. The ones that survived are clean, well-supervised, and well-funded. They would include many organizations that have been around for a long time (i.e. Boy Scouts, YMCA, FFA, a huge list of things associated with schools and churches, etc., etc., etc.) The ones that failed usually involved alcohol, drugs, sex, and/or violence. We must also remember that these are the days of many law suits for little or no reason.

So, what are some ideas and answers? I know that everyone has different opinions, so the ideas and possible answers might be interesting. The last question is also significant: are you willing to participate and volunteer? Are you willing to donate time and/or money to make it work? If so, for how long?

Hello blackeyedpeas

There are numerous things to do around town during the day for kids and teens.  But it seems to me that as it was when I was a teen out at night (10pm curfew) there was really no place to go and that is pretty much how it still is around here.  I know of many tried and failures myself so I do know how it is.

We have a couple of "gangs" on the rise out here.  Although "gangs" can be a dangerous bunch;  it is my oppinion that they, at one time, were looking for help.  I was in 2 gangs myself as a teenager and all we were looking for was someplace to go and socialize.  Without somewhere to go and someone who cared; we were chased constantly by the police and after a while it became our fun time a night.  We where really good kids and we could not go into any stores because of the clothes that we wore.  Our parents knew where we were most of the time (at least mine did) as well as most of the others.  Just like it is now and probably has always been; walk into a neighborhood and the police are called because there are too many of you.  I know their frustration and if they would bring something into the community i would volunteer.  you do have the bad ones who won't change but you do have the good ones too.

Does this make any sense to you.  I ask because sometimes my thoughts are one way and I express another so if it doesn't make sense pls tell me so.  Your knowledge about gangs would be greatly appreciated.

faithgranny

I don't know much about gangs, so I will leave that to others to respond to. But I remember the things we did as teenagers that provided an outlet for all that pent-up energy. We had the local YMCA for swimming and basketball practice. There were  tennis courts and  bowling alleys, plenty of parks with swings and seesaws and a local theater with afternoon and evening movies. We didn't set at home in front of a computer, we read books or played board games on rainy days. Otherwise, we played baseball and in winter went ice skating or skiing or sledding down the alley ways. There was so many things we did with our parents we had little time to be bored or get in trouble. Not to say I didn't find some trouble, but the thing that held me back from getting into too much trouble was I had respect for my parents. I felt really bad during and after the times that I let them down. My father used to say "Your reputation is the most important thing you own, so don't ruin it".  I have kept his words with me all my life. Sometimes having something to do or not to do depends on the type of people you hang around with. I grew up in small towns, so I know big cities have other issues to deal within there  areas.

There is the key difference. Respect not only for parents but for adults or anyone in a position of authority. Not only are they not taught to be respectful but in many cases they are being taught to be disrespectful. Many have never been taught what true family is, what love is and they go in search of that family, love and respect in all the wrong places.

Gangs are different than they were 30 to 50 years ago. They have become more prevalent even in the smaller city areas. They have become more involved in drugs and many of these drugs are much more dangerous. I deal with kids that are in gangs on a daily basis. Some are what is called gang wannabes but gangs have been moving in here within the last decade or so. Children as young as 4 or 5 are being recruited into these gangs and used to distribute illegal drugs, taught to steal bicycles, car stereos, cigarettes and much more.

It is not from a lack of things to do. There is a YWCA and YMCA here plus a Boys and Girls club that provides plenty of things to do that is free for kids of all ages and a place to hang out right up to a short time before curfew. There is plenty of parks here and even a fishing lagoon in the center of town. Several churches have joined in and provide free lunches for kids including teens and have organized activities such as baseball games, pizza parties and much more. This has slowed it down but not that much.

All this goes back to what you said,


To be more precise family and love.

The lack of Jesus in our society, children being taught that they are nothing more than an animal, single parents, broken marriages,  not having provided proper supervision and guidance.

We live in a 40 year old mobile home out in the country on 5 acres of what was once my parents' farm. The place is paid for but property taxes keep going up. People keep building more and more "monster houses" in the area, which makes living in the area more expensive.

Public transportation is nonexistent and driving to everything is the only way to get there.

There is no cable TV or internet and we are too far from the exchange for DSL, so dial-up is the only way to get on unless you can afford satellite. The phone lines are so old that it is hard to keep a connection after rainstorms.

Rents in the area run $700 and up for two bedroom apartments.

Gasoline runs about $3.11 on the New York side of the border and $2.97 on the Vermont side. Guess where everyone buys their gas?

When we were kids we used to entertain ourselves in the woods and fields. We dammed the brook with sandbags and went swimming there - no one had their own pool then. Today more and more land has been bought up by rich city people and posted, and most of the kids seem to spend their time indoors in front of the TV or on the Internet anyway. If they do want to go out and do something, they seem to have to go to activities organized by others. There are fewer and fewer kids, too, as the population ages. Most of the young people leave the area to find jobs, while the NIMBYs keep out any company that might provide paying jobs and regulate the existing ones out of business. Affordable housing is nonexistent.

There is an organization in Los Angeles called Hola.  It was founded by a Christian and helps "at risk" kids.....meaning those that might possibly join gangs.  I don't know alot about it but do know they teach them art (even holding exhibitions for them to sell their art to wealthy people), drama and poetry....I think they have sports.  They also take them on some pretty nice trips like white water rafting, etc, since these kids have never been anywhere like that.  Also, they give them sandwiches for lunch...maybe only once or twice a week.   Being Los Angeles, they hold a big fund raiser each year....the tickets are really, really expensive and famous people attend it.  The kids attend it, too.

For smaller communities where there is nothing to do and probably not alot of money.....what about some church creating a  place for the kids to just hang out like an old-fashioned coffee house....maybe some of the kids can play music and entertain, plays games together, etc.  Just providing a place for them to meet with some activities is good.  Maybe a church has a spare room or dining hall for this?  Of course, you would need volunteers.

If the kids are interested in sports, does any church have a basketball court, etc, for them to use?  Again, with volunteers overseeing things.   Alot of kids like soccer these days....they might be interested in joining a soccer team....plus that's not too expensive to start, just need a soccer ball.

To give them something to do is important, I think.  Also, when they get around the Christian volunteers, this would make a difference, of course.  Someone to talk to about their problems as well.

Brothers and Sisters,

This is an interesting discussion with a lot of good ideas and information. Before I forget, Faithgranny, everything you said made perfect sense. In fact, everyone made perfect sense.

The first thing that became apparent is every place is different, and every family is different. However, the kids are not that different until their overall environment impacts them - either in a positive or a negative way. They are the same in that they need love, care, belonging, and the necessities of life. We still have kids in this part of the world who go hungry and lack some of these basic necessities of life. I'm not talking about nice to have things, rather food, clothing, and basic care as a human being.

Family is definitely one of the most important factors effecting overall environment. The lack of love, care, and attention is what turns many kids into problem kids who might seek to solve their problems in gangs. Many of these so-called problem kids became problems because of neglect, abuse, and lack of proper role models in their homes. For a lot of these kids, being rich or poor is NOT the major ingredient that formed their problems over a period of years.

Brothers and Sisters, loving Christians can treat some of the symptoms of our diseased society, but it's very difficult to CURE a teen who has had a life of neglect and abuse. It's easy to give them food, clothes, and a temporary escape from the real root of their problems. However, they still go home to alcoholics, drug addicts, fighting, more neglect, more abuse, and a home that is broken in many ways.

We have watched the rapid moral erosion of our society and ways of life. Homes that are broken in many ways are now the norm, not the exception. Nearly every family now has examples of alcohol abuse and/or drug addiction. It might not be the immediate family, but it's at least close. There is a long list of examples that indicate our societies are broken and in bad NEED OF GOD. A BIG ONE: how many marriages DON'T end in divorce? How many families have a man and a woman serving as proper role models that children can respect and look up to? The lack of MONEY has very little to do with the root problems. In fact, MONEY might be the cause of many problems. For many people, getting MONEY is more important than loving and caring for their family.

The backbone of our societies used to be GOD-fearing people who were easy to respect, regardless of whether they were rich or poor. CHRIST was the head of the home, and children knew they were loved and cared for. In fact, there was no doubt. The things of the LORD were TAUGHT AND LIVED. People were happy in the order, structure, and guidance of the LORD. How many families like this are left now? Do we really need to wonder what happened? SO, here's the big question:  how many people have TURNED AWAY FROM GOD?

Brothers and Sisters, loving Christians should never give up or become discouraged. There is much we should do and can do, regardless of our health or wealth. The first thing we can do is serve as a proper role model for our own families. CHRIST should be the head of our homes FIRST, and we must take care of our responsibilities to our children and grandchildren. I'm talking about love, care, and the things of the LORD. For whatever reason, some folks think that throwing money at children takes care of all their responsibilities. We have many obligations to our family, and they should be done because of love and care - under the LORD.

There is no irony that those who raise their families under the LORD have love and care left over for others. The LORD enables us to do all good things. WITH HIM, many things are possible, including the salvage of so-called problem kids. Those so-called problem kids didn't start out that way. They had a lot of dedicated neglect and abuse over a period of years to get where they are. We can help them in may ways, but only the LORD can cure them.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Psalms 139:13-14 NASB  For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb.  I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.

The first thing that became apparent is every place is different, and every family is different. However, the kids are not that different until their overall environment impacts them - either in a positive or a negative way. They are the same in that they need love, care, belonging, and the necessities of life. We still have kids in this part of the world who go hungry and lack some of these basic necessities of life. I'm not talking about nice to have things, rather food, clothing, and basic care as a human being.

Family is definitely one of the most important factors effecting overall environment. The lack of love, care, and attention is what turns many kids into problem kids who might seek to solve their problems in gangs. Many of these so-called problem kids became problems because of neglect, abuse, and lack of proper role models in their homes. For a lot of these kids, being rich or poor is NOT the major ingredient that formed their problems over a period of years.

Brothers and Sisters, loving Christians can treat some of the symptoms of our diseased society, but it's very difficult to CURE a teen who has had a life of neglect and abuse. It's easy to give them food, clothes, and a temporary escape from the real root of their problems. However, they still go home to alcoholics, drug addicts, fighting, more neglect, more abuse, and a home that is broken in many ways.

 In fact, MONEY might be the cause of many problems. For many people, getting MONEY is more important than loving and caring for their family.


I'm talking about love, care, and the things of the LORD. For whatever reason, some folks think that throwing money at children takes care of all their responsibilities. We have many obligations to our family, and they should be done because of love and care - under the LORD.[/b]

There is no irony that those who raise their families under the LORD have love and care left over for others. The LORD enables us to do all good things. WITH HIM, many things are possible, including the salvage of so-called problem kids. Those so-called problem kids didn't start out that way. They had a lot of dedicated neglect and abuse over a period of years to get where they are. We can help them in may ways, but only the LORD can cure them.


[/quote]

Thank you Tom - It is so true about our very own children in our very own states that are still lacking the basic necessities of life. And I do know some families that have very little but have a stong foundation in their homes with the children because they do place the LORD first and center in their lives. 

Then there are families that their isn't much of one to go home to; so to speak.  And yes also to the $$$ thingy because of lack of time or envolvement with the kids.  $$$ DOES NOT MAKE THINGS BETTER IF IT IS FOR THE WRONG REASON. How did that saying go "The more you make; the more you want - the more you can buy; the better you will feel".  NO, I know of no one who is happy and content with a lot of earthly riches.  Most are rather sad and lonely.   

So to me if you are just working on the kids; you don't know if you are really helping them until you know their families. And if you work with a family as a whole then there is a chance for change.  I know it is not always easy to work with a family. And Pastor Roger knows this better than I do; but one thing we can do for our youth in our cities is pray for them.  Pray everytime you see a group of kids hanging out on corners or anywhere.  You might be the closest person they have that really does care in way that they do not know.

Blessigns to All
Faithgranny

Amen. Prayer should be our first step in all things that we do.

Hi everyone; I'm new to forum and thought I would jump in here.

I don't mind if you know what city I live in, but I might let you guess it first.

It's big, and very multi-cultural.  A lot of people like to move away from here when they get the chance.  Local newspaper and others have uncovered a lot of corruption.  I personally think we are on the way to becoming a much better place to live!

We have either the worst, or near the worst, traffic in the entire nation.

There are many good and friendly people here.  A person's view of this city depends on what you want to focus on.  People here, like anywhere else, need the Lord.

Hello Paulito,

WELCOME!



We have people from all over the world on the forum, so I think you'll need to give us a few more hints. Regardless, I sincerely hope that you enjoy Christians Unite. I'll offer a wild guess of Singapore.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Psalms 37:39-40 NASB  But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in time of trouble. The LORD helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, Because they take refuge in Him.

Thanks for the welcome!  As time permits, I know I will enjoy the fellowship here.

I will put the city name in my profile.  "entire nation" = USA 

Have a blessed day.

 ;)  You didn't say whether we could offer a second guess or not, but how about New York, N.Y. I've only been there a couple of times, and I liked it.

There are really quite a few places that come close to that description now.

Hi Paul,

Welcome to Christians Unite.

Yes, there are a number of cities that meet that description now. I see from your profile though which one it is so I don't have to guess.  ;D

I look forward to having some wonderful Christian fellowship with you.

Welcome Paulito,
I guessed Miami, Florida. but your city could be any number of cities throughout the US. I wish people could learn to live and work together for the good of the all. But things continue to get worse instead of better. The ways of the World, are pushing out the ways of God, and the only hope left is in people repenting of their sins and truly accepting Jesus Christ, as their Lord and Savior. The troubles we see in this generation are nothing compared to what our children and their children's children will have to face.

Hi Tom, I've been to Singapore twice.  It is an extremely modern and clean city/country with lots of beautiful "greenbelts".  When I visited there, they had fines for any littering ($500 US)....so you did not see any litter at all.  Also, if your child did graffitti....the first time you were given a warning, the 2nd time he did it, you were fined a very large amount.....and if your child did graffitti a 3rd time, the entire family was deported out of Singapore!!  (I never saw any graffitti there.)

Singapore also had very tough laws on bringing illegal drugs into the country, drug-sniffing dogs sniffed all of the luggage.....if caught, you were sentenced to hanging....and they hung you right away.....no fooling around with appeals.

Many, many years ago, Singapore did have an unsavory reputation.  But their President put an end to that.

I have been to Singapore twice also. It has been many a year since I've been there. The first time was in 1972. They were just as strict on drug enforcement then but the cleanliness was not the greatest. The tourist attraction areas were pretty clean but many of the out of the way areas were really bad. Even the crowded down town area was relatively clean considering the conditions. There was one area of stores so close that you could touch products on both sides of the street without turning around. Sort of an open market area in the alley's.

That would sound like, New York city, N.Y., or Miami, Fl.

Yes, Miami is it.  NYC is also a very good guess, esp as to the cultural mix.  I don't know about the traffic, but would tend to use their extensive public transportation system if I lived there.  I have heard that people there are very nice, despite the hugeness of that city.

That's interesting about Singapore.  Yes, to know that you will be immediately hung would  be a remarkable effective deterrent to even coming close to a forbidden action.

Pastor Roger, I visited Singapore in 1987 and 1988....in our tour group, we joked to someone not to accidently drop their Kleenex because of that $500 fine.  Also, if I am not mistaken, is chewing gum outlawed there?  We visited their Chinatown in the daytime and the streets were also clean as a whistle.  We took trishaws (like rickshaws) to Little India at night....couldn't see much due to the darkness, but it was a fun experience....starting out in heavy traffic at first and then into the quiet streets of Little India.

Yes, Paulito, their laws did make a huge difference on crime.  Because they are so near to the "Golden Triangle" (opium growing), they had to be tough.

I never heard about any laws with chewing gum. If you were with a tour group then you were probably kept away from the dirtier areas. Although I was told that new laws came out in the early 80's that gave the government the right to demolish any building(s) that did not meet certain aesthetic requirements and they would rebuild better looking buildings in place of those. My second time there was in 1981 and it was much better then.

The laws on the drugs were made so strict because of Singapore being a drug trading center for so long and the crime was way out of control. There were drug gangs fighting and such. It was ruining the tourist industry which is a majority of the financial base for the country as well as being a trading center for legal commodities. Most of the drastic changes in the law occurred in 1988 and the crime rate dropped by over 50% by 1993 and has continued to drop since then.

Did you get to see the Tiger Balm Gardens while you were there? It is a major portion of the history of Singapore.

Yes, by 1987 and 1988, it was really a nice, clean city.  I did walk around on my own as well.  (I was there as a representative of our tour company.)

No, I didn't see the Tiger Balm Gardens (we did pass by the mansion of the founder of Tiger Balm...they were talking about perhaps tearing it down as it was in disrepair).  We went to the Botanical Gardens, took a harbor cruise (after the monsoon stopped!), visited the high peak with the view (forgot the name!), visited the musuem's jade collection, Chinatown and Little India.

As I prefer cities that are older and have authentic atmosphere, Singapore was not my favorite place.  I liked Thailand, Indonesia, and Japan the best.  Also, I visited Sabah, Malaysia on the Island of Borneo....that was very interesting, going into the jungle to see the orangutungs near Sandakan.  Also, stayed in Kota Kinabalu there.

I think that you would like portions of Korea then. Some of the older cities not damaged by the war. Singapore and Hong Kong were neither one my favorite places as both of them had rebuilt to more modern facilities. Hong Kong reminded me of downtown Chicago in many ways.

Japan was ok but I didn't get the chance to get out to the older areas. The Tiger Balm Gardens were set up with buildings of the older times, most of them of course were miniatures but they were exact replicas.

I always enjoyed going to the areas that were not normally considered tourist areas and actually meeting the residents that weren't affected much by the tourist industry. I think that I got to see more of the country and it's people as they actually are that way.

I also visited Hong Kong (3 times) but it's very similar to our Chinatown in L.A.....except for the nice harbor.  I did enjoy the ride on the Saipan and also a ride on a Chinese "junk" to Lantau Island (Hong Kong).

I understand Lantau Island got built up.....when I was there, it was all natural with the monastery on the tip top of the mountain.  It had a beautiful beach on the China Sea where we landed.  We walked through a tiny village....it was so interesting....the lane was so narrow.  I bought a couple of sweets from a "bakery" there.  A water taxi (a man on a flat wood raft) would take a person across a tiny waterway to some shacks on stilts.

I also saw a bull eating in the bush on Lantau Island, just mosying around several feet from me!  Got a photo and got out of there.

I don't care for Tokyo, but I did love Kyoto (declared a National Treasure during the war and therefore not bombed).  Kyoto has thousands of temples with beautiful, large gardens, all different.  As a Christian, I viewed this from an architectural viewpoint....plus I simply love gardens.  The people were very nice, too.

Also, visited Nikko (day trip from Tokyo)....you go up 32 hairpin turns to get there....beautiful lake, scenery, red bridge, waterfall lookout, and a lovely large shrine (very colorful and ornate architecture).  We were there in the Autumn.  You take 32 hairpin turns back down the mountain a different way.  Didn't get to Nara or anywhere else in Japan.

I spent most of my time in Hong Kong in the downtown area where there were a lot of skyscrapers and shops. I did manage to get over to the Kowloon side just once by a small motorized passenger boat. I didn't have much time though to leave the shops that were next to the pier.

I was only in the Yokosuka area in Japan within a short walking distance of the Navy base there. Most of the people in that area weren't very hospitable to Americans.

I did get to spend more time in the Philippines and Korea where I got to travel further away from the Military bases and sight see more and interact with the local people. I also lived in Hawaii and in Guam for three years each and traveled to the nearby islands. The only other place I've been in the Pacific area was Viet Nam and the war was going on then so that was a totally different situation, no enjoying anything.

Speaking of gardens  ...  One of the most beautiful ones that I have seen are those in Hawaii. There were five of them that I got to see. One of them I toured on horse back and another was by boat. God's handiwork in these gardens was totally tremendous. Many of the plants were rare, endangered species that can't be seen anywhere else. (A nice stint in jail for anyone that tries to pick them.) The air was full of a wondrous aroma and the sight was totally unbelievable.

Sounds like a wonderful experience you've had in travelling.  I think it's good to see other places for the learning experience besides the beauty, etc.

I've been to Hawaii (Oahu, Kauai, Maui, Hawaii) twice.  Lovely....Regarding gardens, just got to Foster Gardens, Byodo Inn Temple (beautiful with peacocks and Koi in the streams, set against the lovely green mountains) and a park in Manoa Valley (Paradise Park I think it was called.....it used to have bird shows....but the gardens were so beautiful).

Haven't travelled for some years now....it is always so refreshing I think....at least for us city dwellers.

I've heard Guam has a tremendous amount of poisonous snakes.  True?

There were only two snakes that I was aware of in Guam. There is the indigenous blind snake that can't bite and the slightly poisonous brown tree snake. The blind snake was really small almost worm like and stayed mostly in termite nests. I never saw either one while I was there and many residents that have lived there all their lives told me they had never seen any of the tree snakes. They did recognize the lack of birds the tree snake had caused though. Birds are almost extinct in Guam because of them. The tree snake has no natural predators there so they could spread quite easily but seemed to stay hidden all the same.

Too bad they couldn't import some mongooses (like Hawaii) to control those tree snakes....it's a shame the birds are almost extinct due to those snakes.

The authorities in Hawaii are really concerned about the brown tree snakes for some reason. They keep getting them in on transports coming from Guam. I would think that they wouldn't be worried about them because of the mongoose. After all Hawaii had a really big snake problem until the mongoose was imported. When I was there in 1974 there were no snakes left and the mongoose was becoming a problem because they didn't have any snakes left to eat.

I would think the concern about the tree snakes would be the fact that they might eat wild bird eggs and young in the nest. If they are poisenous there is that added danger.
In Florida, we have growing problems with African Killer Bees, I guess they will nest in areas most native bees will not, like in the walls of someones house or in air conditions. If even slightly  disturbed  they will attack. Sort of like hornets do but in greater numbers. I have been stung  by hornets and wasps and that's not fun at all, would not like being stung or chased by bees.

We have those bees out here, too, although I haven't heard of any incidents right in L.A.

Do you have many snakes in FL?  I hear sometimes pet pythons, etc, escape and are found there.  Any poisonous snakes there?  We have rattlesnakes, but not in the heart of the city.

The brown tree snakes not only eat the eggs and young nestlings but the larger adult snakes also catch and eat many of the adult birds. On Guam they have also been known to enter chicken coops at night and eat the eggs and young chicks. They also feed on lizards such as the gecko and bats. Both are highly prized and very important in the Indonesian Islands because they keep the insect population to a very low minimum.

I haven't heard of any killer bees here but we do have a rattle snake problem recently, mostly timber rattlers. They are being found even within the city limits.

We have a lot of ground hornets and mud dabbers but the worst problem is the yellow jackets.

Once in a blue moon, I see these really gigantic bees.....they look like yellow jackets, but much, much larger.  I wonder what they are......I rarely see them luckily.  :)

It sounds like the Bumble Bee?? We have Bumble Bees here. They aren't very aggressive although they will sting if you disturb their nest or bother them while they are on a flower collecting pollen.

In Southeastern Florida, they have caught very large pet pythons and a few anacondas, both can grow to 20 ft long and get as big around as telephone poles. A friend of mine had one python, for years until one day it died. It was eighteen feet long. Not my kind of pet. Anyways people get them for pets and do let them go or they escape from improper cages. In Florida, you are required to have a permit to keep them as they are non-native critters. They eat small animals, rabbits, rats etc.... but, pose a danger to pets and children.

We also have diamond-backed rattlesnakes and cane-breaker rattlesnakes, water moccasins and Pygmy rattlesnakes. Once in a while someone finds a copperhead, but they are mostly north of us in Georgia and the Carolina's.

We have the cottonmouth and the copperheads here also and we are overloaded with various kinds of garter snakes. I played with a lot of the garter snakes as a kid.   :D :D

This past weekend we have noticed 2 very different tree bugs outside.  I have not seen these before and they almost look like they cross bread.  Very unusual and concerning for me.

Jannie

Not my kind of pet either!  My goodness, 18 feet long....did he give it it's own room?  Can't imagine keeping it in a cage when it's that big.  I've read that pythons and anacondas can get even bigger in the jungles of other countries.

We live blocks from the huge Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, so we are close to large populations of rattlers. However, we rarely see them because they have a massive, undisturbed habitat. If we see them, something is usually wrong with the balance of nature. We do have hunts once a year in the area to keep them thinned out, and you wouldn't believe the number that are caught.

In case you're wondering - NO! - I don't participate in the hunts. I'll just say that I don't get along well with snakes.   ;)

Funny story.   Some of you might remember my dad had his favorite fishing spots when I was a kid.  One time we went on vacation near the PA/MD border.  There was this big dam and boulders down the huge side of the dam.  Well, there was a sign "No admittance beyond this point".  Well, my dad thought this was an ideal fishing spot so he and my cousin (male) started down the side of the dam.  My mom tried to point out that the sign said no admittance to this area....to no avail.  Well, about 5 minutes later my dad and my cousin came high-tailing it up the side of the dam.  They said all of a sudden under all of the boulders, they started to hear rattling like crazy!  Rattlesnakes, of course!

lol   Signs are posted for a reason.

Yes, He had a homemade big glass cage built in his garage that was 8' high & 8" long. Another interesting thing is that snakes only have one lung. So if they catch cold or get pneumonia, they need antibiotics  right away or their chance of recovery is slim at best. My friend is an avid snake hunter and has given me a few tips on the subject.

Amen....that's what my mom thought!  :)

What does he do with all of the snakes?  Does he sell them to zoos?  I know with some poisonous ones you can make anti-venom.

Did you read my funny, true rattlesnake story?  Of course, at the time, it could have proved very dangerous.

He sells the non-poisenous ones to some pet shops that take them, and also to pet shops that deal only in reptiles. In Florida, you need a special permit to catch snakes and sell them. There are some places that buy rattlesnakes and milk them for venom. And various wildlife attractions sometimes want them for doing their shows.
Yes, I read your funny story. They were very lucky they did not get bitten.