First, the good news: Fortune Small Business has named Durham the #12 city in which to live and launch a small business. Citing factors from its high-tech and life sciences industry, to American Tobacco, to the Bulls and Nasher, Durham beats out Manchester, Virginia Beach, Salt Lake City, and -- yes -- Raleigh to be listed in the dozen best cities in this year's poll.
To its credit, Raleigh-based WRAL notes the accomplishment on its web site. But somehow, the words "damning with faint praise" comes to mind:
Durham, often the overlooked stepchild when it comes to publicity about the Triangle area, emerges ahead of its rivals in a new survey out from Fortune Small Business...
Noting accurately in its profile that Durham is “perceived as the underdog of the Triangle region,” the magazine describes the “pros” of the Bull City thusly: “Thriving biotech and pharmaceutical industries, lots of local arts festivals and college sports.”...
Other kudos for Durham include the Nasher Museum of Art and a “lower cost of living,” but it’s marked down for crime. “[T]he city also records higher crime rates, which has dinged its reputation in the region.”
Ironically, Bellevue, Wash., topped the list. That happens to be where Durham-based Motricity is moving its headquarters.
Gee, thanks, Mr. Goodmon! We're sorry we've been bad; can you let us out of the basement? It's dark down here, and there are spiders. We'll be as good to you as your real children. We'll play nice with Clayton and Varina and Holly, honest!
A few folks have asked me if they can get a hold of the t-shirt I had printed up (which says across the front, "I'm sorry, I think you mean 'Durham-Raleigh'") -- I suppose the next one I'll get printed up will say, "Durham: The Overlooked (Brilliant, Progressive, Gourmet, Diverse) Stepchild of the Triangle."
Sheesh. If you feel up to it (and happen to have a particularly effective asbestos-lined suit), the conservative commenters over at WRAL are eating this particular subject up with dripping irony.
I love reading the Wake Co. commenters spouting racist, bigoted, uninformed crap about Durham. No matter what their words say, what I see is:
"Thank God you live there and not here!"
Posted by: Emerson | May 13, 2008 at 01:58 PM
If you print up the Durham-Raleigh shirt, I'll take at least 2.
Posted by: JNB | May 13, 2008 at 02:03 PM
Geez. With the last one from the AP/N&O, and this one from WRAL, one might begin to think that it isn't simply sophomoric reporting, but rather rank malice. I, as well, will take 2 of those shirts.
Posted by: crc32 | May 13, 2008 at 02:29 PM
I can't bring myself to read the user comments on WRAL anymore. I just lose all hope for humanity.
Posted by: weege | May 13, 2008 at 02:43 PM
Kevin, thanks for bringing this to everyone's attention. Just one question; why are these idiot commenters automatically labeled as "conservatives"?
It should be noted that there are more than a few Friends of Durham that love this town and wouldn't live anywhere else.
I'll take a couple of your tee's too. As a capitalist I hope you're selling them for a profit!
Posted by: Michael White | May 13, 2008 at 03:25 PM
even communists sell things at a profit.
the difference is in who receives the profits.
Posted by: barry | May 13, 2008 at 05:22 PM
A little off topic, but does anyone else get a annoyed when you're on a plane landing at RDU and the crew says "Welcome to Raleigh"?
Posted by: merry | May 13, 2008 at 05:31 PM
I LOVE t-shirts. cafepress.com makes it easy. XXL please :) This reminds me. I went to church with my Grandmother this Sunday. I'm from a small town "down East". My Grandmother introduced me to an old lady in the church who asked where I was from. Proudly I said, "Durham". I've seen people roll their eyes before (lord knows I have) but this woman's entire face rolled! "I've heard some bad things about Durham", she scowled. To which I politely replied that she shouldn't believe every thing she hears. Then I prayed for her soul :)
Posted by: Will | May 13, 2008 at 07:25 PM
Just read a few of the WRAL comments, and I feel so ... dirty.
Posted by: reid | May 14, 2008 at 03:09 PM
"Just one question; why are these idiot commenters automatically labeled as "conservatives"?"
Well, when a guy uses "Conservative" as his user ID, it's a pretty safe assumption.
But let's just call a spade a spade, and call these people "ignorant" and leave it at that. Ignorance has no ideology.
Posted by: David McMullen | May 14, 2008 at 04:11 PM
Interesting they chose to note the detail about Motricity/ Bellevue. Motricity was a tenant at American Tobacco, which is owned by... [together everyone]
Posted by: David | May 14, 2008 at 06:31 PM
Did they take the WRAL comments down? I can't see them on that page anymore...
Posted by: Gabe | September 13, 2008 at 08:56 AM
Did they take the WRAL comments down? I can't see them on that page anymore...
Posted by: Gabe | September 13, 2008 at 08:57 AM