how come when i go off i never get a mention.

this is a conspiracy. a FRESNO conspiracy.

guess i need to get really drunk and beat up by fresno PD to get any BH love.

oh wait. i did that already.

STILL NO LOVE.

conspiracy.

I agree with you Mike... somethings wrong with them!

I also saw this stinker today (really irritated me)

wickdsmaht: Going to rent a car for a while until my NEW SCION TC gets here from Fresno! (I hope it doesn't smell like armpits, coming from Fresno...)

I agree... There must be something wrong with them.
Fresno isn't the biggest/best city but it isn't all that bad
either. I think they just jump on the band wagon since Fresno tends to be the butt of a lot jokes...

@jason farris: NEW SCION TC = douchebag car

can I say douchebag on BH?

@Bradley: After "Awesome," "douchebag" is the second most used word on The Beehive.

I never understand why people hate Fresno so much. I could write a list of stereotypical things that are annoying to ME, but overall, I've traveled A LOT around this country and Fresno just isn't that bad. Maybe if they spent a week in Wildwood, GA or Parker, AZ or Greensboro, NC they would understand why Fresno just isn't that bad.

@Marisa: Good points. I always maintain that as crappy as anyone thinks Fresno might be -- at least I live in California.

Fresno > South Dakota

Right?

Hating Fresno is like like hating the president (pre-2009) or idolizing the president (2009ff.). It's the cool thing to do. It makes you feel superior. To have a different opinion will make people give you an odd look. Every city has its pros and cons, but what's interesting to me is how often "hatred" of Fresno amounts to an ad hominem attack:

"Fresno sucks." Why? "Because it sucks!" Oh, thanks. If you start getting specific, and honest, you realize things aren't much worse that a lot of other cities, and there's some pretty great stuff about it too.

The only thing that annoys me more than outsiders dropping irrational ad hominems about my city is actual Fresnans doing it. I'm with you, Oz. Time to turn the magnifying glass inward for a bit.

The only thing I'm not too big on about Fresno is the police. And the incessant news stories I hear about it's corruption. But that's no reason to hate an entire town, there are douchebag cops everywhere.

I've been ranting on cops all day today, and I would like to point out that as I am not a fan of police, I understand that there are police out there that actually do care, and do work to help their community. These police should be congratulated. They are probably hated at the station...

Oh yeah, and it does get real hot here, but I'm not going to complain about it, there's no humidity. and a 110 degree day here is nothing compared to a 90 degree day in Oklahoma.

I always attribute it to a lack of creativity in the search for metaphor.

Ask not what Fresno can do for you,,,,,,

Yeah going onto Yelp to read restaurant reviews, I'm dumbfounded by how many people feel the need to go out of their way and say how crappy they think this town is. And they apparently don't even live here. Mind boggling. I guess people need to feel better than others any way they can!

I think a lot of them lived here before and either had falling outs with their parents or friends or something and now blame it on the whole town.

I mean sure, we all have things to complain about and might not live here in a perfect world and given the perfect choice, but for so many outsiders to get all excited about it is pretty childish and an unattractive way to be.

...ya know what I hate about Fresno?

(guess.)

--and, um,
if you don't know Nigel?
ya need to understand, he's sorta dark
(and brilliant, one of the better painters to come out of here,(was nearly killed on his bicycle not too long ago, actually.)
--but his sense of humor can be acidic, ghoulish, and negative,
(which: remove the 'ghoulish and brilliant painting ability?' --is the same humor I see active on the blogs all the time...)
--but, yeah, if you're not used to it:
Nigel sends out headers and notices like that all the time... It's sort of reverse humor.
If you don't 'get it,' it comes across real 'hater.'

But anyway:
what I hate about here?

You're not allowed to really say that you 'hate' about here...
(people are so tweaked out over being the joke of so many geographical jokes or whatever...)
(well, unless,
you know,
other people are in agreement, and feel like laughing at themselves or somebody else here.)

--which is really imbalanced and unhealthy.

-Find me a group of people who can't handle (or only allow certain folks) to speak positively (or negatively) about something?
I can't get away from them fast enough.
-And there's a lot of that here.
(I Hate that, it's just another form of lying, and pressuring others to lie as well.)

Now, there's a lot of real stuff of Fresno to love.

There's also real stuff of Fresno to hate.
-and until people can deal with both, voice the bad, address it, and have the (actual) freedom to do such?
(and not be put through: '..don't dis Fresno, or you're a 'hater.')

--It ain't ever gonna change.

(I've written this before, but darned if the pods in the basement just keep showing up.)

My answer?
(which has made for one interesting ride, lemme tell you.)

Speak what you see and feel,
-Actually tell the truth (good and bad,)
It will resonate somewhere with somebody, and be shown for what it is.
-(ditto with falsities.)

Then go about your business.

Towel:
Believe me, I know you take the good and you take the bad. Diss Fresno. Fine. But have something behind it.

People:
"Fresno sucks"
"Fresno is the pit of civilization."
"Fresno is the armpit of California."
"There's nothing to do in Fresno."
etc, etc.

To me, that's elementary. If you wanna talk about what's wrong, then talk about what's wrong with it. But who speak in cliches and generalizations, I generally think are stupid.

All this hating on Fresno... lemme give you my outside perspective on it..

(I know I just posted about not liking the cops here, sorry, it's been stuck in my head since I saw the news last night.)

"Fresno Sucks" - I haven't noticed any sucking. Or blowing for that matter. And I don't feel like i am going to fly out of the window because "Fresno sucks".

"Fresno is the pit of civilization" - Obviously you have never been to Montana. It's so bad there the suicide rate is the highest in the nation.

"Fresno is the armpit of California" - I'm no anatomy guru, and have never had an anatomy class, but it seems to me that Fresno is located more towards the elbow, perhaps even closer to the bicept. anatomically speaking I think Reno or Carson City would be the armpit of Cali

"There's nothing to do in Fresno" - because you're too lazy to get off your ass and do something. There's plenty of stuff to do here in Fresno, as evidenced by the plethora of things posted daily here on the Fresno Bee Hive. Go see a band. Take some time to go downtown and see some art. Go visit the new museum.

Do something, but remember, if you don't like it, and tell everyone about it, no one is forcing you to stay.

the only thing that sucks about Fresno is that there are too many SF Giant fans in this town.

...okay, point well taken(agreed,)

I mean, walking around saying 'Fresno Sucks' is a pretty heavy generalization.
--but (take it from one who, um, knows?)

We are in a world today (locally and abroad) where

-people really aren't encouraged to explain themselves, really communicate thoroughly, and really collect their thoughts into intelligent descriptives. (It's ADD, ADHD, and taking the time to listen is a felony.)
--It's a 'soundbite' nation,
--and I'm prolly in the top three on the post-office wall with a bullseye on my head.

You,
Me,
a lot of folks?
-actually know how to string words together and describe stuff.

--But Most really don't
(I'm amazed, I mean, (even if) you can get somebody to really communicate what they're feeling? In public they got tight as a clam.
This is not a world that values opinion anymore, it values jabs and shots.

-Further:
Twitter? (...twitter???)
-can you imagine ME on twitter?
I'D beat me with a bat if I was on twitter.
It's total drive by comments,
and done with thumbs. (read) 'maybe a few words,'
--but basically gutteral remarks that CAN'T be elaborated on
(well, I could do it, but I'm weird.)

-Final?
Look at the previous vid. of Dude in Florida asking Obama a question...
(not picking on Will here, but)
--the guy is obviously not 'creme of the crop' in social circles, may have a legitimate chemical imbalance
-what's the first thing done to him?
Ridicule for 'being,,,' and being what, hyperactive? passionate? sub-blue collar, a dork?

I hate to say this Mike, (but maybe by saying it, it will scare it away,)

--This is the era where somebody wipes out on a skateboard, crushes the matched set on a railing, and faceplants cement? And people laugh. 'LOOK, DUDE PWND!'
-Fat kids getting shot by painball guns (or falling out of carnival rides,)
-people getting suckerpunched.
-little kids getting smacked in the head by a piece of playground equipment,(or simply crying terrified.)

This is the era of 'laughing at others misfortune, their poor choices,' of ridicule, scorn, and derision...
-What used to be 'sad' or 'cause for concern'
(like: dude, that had to hurt, are you okay?
is now ROFL, --with blood dripping.)

We're vicious anymore,
--but even that word means less, (because we're used to it.)

How that translates?
People are reaching for the 'negatives' and the 'dislike' because it's easier, (We were discussing this 20 years ago in the art world, it's easier to do a painting and creep somebody out, -or scare the shit out of them ---than to bring on a sense of peace, happiness, anything fulfiling.
-Fear, Anger, hate, ridicule (all that negative stuff) really is one of the easist and most base of places in the human psyche.
-We used to teach people that 'being that way' and trashing others was wrong.'
--Now? It's exemplified as being funny.

--we've conditioned ourselves to enjoy trashing others, other towns, -and people are doing it about here, (plain and simple.)

I (personally) don't like it.
I think it's dehumanizing.
(I miss genuine humor, I actually like solid genunine complaint,
-both show insight, intelligence, and communication...
---So, yeah, if they wrote about 'what they hated,'
I can see that as more constructive...

(I should start taking up a collection of folks NOT wanting me on Twitter... I could pay for freakin' med-school...)

agree with mdub420 about the Giants thing.

Uncertain whether or not we over here (i.e. in Clovis) should be annoyed that we're not getting any of this love/hate ...

Any PR is good as long as they spell your name correctly, right?

@MikeOz...thanks to your last comment, I now have the theme song to Facts of Life stuck in my head:

"you take the good and you take the bad" blah blah blah

Can we start a campaign for the Fresno haters to leave? Tell them to go to SoCal and pay three times as much in rent?

Hahahahahahahhaha

Oh all of you beutiful people! I love you all so very deerly! I actually am having a very productive day, and all is acually going really well. And it just got better now that I see that mike and many took all the time to write about my silly comment on Fresno. In my tweet about Fresno please replace Fresno with nigel. So the message would be I hate nigel he sucks burn in he'll nigel!!! Yada yada yada...

I believe that if you grew up here you need to be gone by at least age 25, and I'm already 26. It's just what you need to do. Go out and see our beautiful and dark world. Don't just stay in Fresno. Fresno is a great launchpad for anyone of any nature, of any level of talent. You could be an artist, you could be a scientist. It doesn't matter. But if you grew up here like I did you need to leave. It's your lives purpose to go out and set an example and show people that people from Fresno are extremely cool, extremely hard working, and more amazing than sliced bread. I'm mad at my self for not doing this yet, although I will be gone soon, I can't wait for the day, and I'm extremely impatient. And I have the right to bitch and moan about it until I leave. I think Fresno is a great town besides all the gangmembers that drive around in their black and white dodge chargers with the Christmas lights on top, that legally rob everyone. I also dislike the parking enforcement. They are total fascists. I hate all of them with a long time deep seeded passion.

The people of Fresno are great. The gangs of Fresno are ruining it. And by gangs I'm saying the ones why legally steal from the community. Legally is the keyword. It repulses me.

Again thank you so much for caring about what I write even though it's just meaningless rabble. Rabble rabble. Who smells the cat food smell?

Get me outta here.

"You take them both and there you have"... Man, I've actually fallen in love with our town, I couldn't imagine living in Clovis or something! I'm totally joking of course because I have to save face with my dislike of "The Clovis Way of Life".

Anyway, it does suck when it's 115 degrees outside but we're the knot in the bow tie that is California; without us, things would come undone!

So to Ms. going to lunch with a bad attitude and mr. artist guy without any sense, "All We Are Saying Is Give"... not peace a chance but instead adventure and character a chance.

"That's it people, KEEP IT CLASSY FRESNO"!

I don't get the hate. Fresno rules. We have some of the best gun and ammo stores in the state. Eat your heart out, Frisco.

F R E S N O I S N O T G H E T T O E

omg this is totally lame i dont understand fresno might be a lil dull but it's ok!

I don't even complain about the heat anymore. Spent MANY a week in Laughlin, NV on business - THAT'S HEAT!

And, as a vegetarian, if you ever tried to find any sort of fruit or vegetable outside the valley, GOOD LUCK! Unless of course you like me to throw up after I eat your soaked in a ham hock and then deep fried version of a green bean. BLECH!

I spent forever in Tennessee and Georgia and North Carolina and Texas and Montana and Arizona and I've never eaten more coleslaw in my whole life. UGH! I hate coleslaw but it's the only thing close to green in the south & east. BOOOO!

Thank you Fresno, the fruit basket of the world :) :)

I forgot to mention the issue of cabin fever. I have cabin fever from living here tooo long and not getting to experience the outside world beyond the valley. Its my own dang fault, but it sure would help if lame ass city of fresno would stop stealing money out of my wallet. Theives I tell you. Theives. The worst part of it is they do it all legally.

You know what I love about Fresno? I love that its comfortable.

I love how if you know the town, like I do, you can survive off almost nothing.

I love how you can get good food for cheap.

I love how you can also get 32oz bud Ice for 99 cents at some liquor stores.

I love that we have so many home depots.

I love that we have tokyo garden!!!! Coolest bar ever.

I love the tower district of course. I also hate the tower district beacause theres so many fvking cops.

I hate fresno city college.

I LOVE the fresno city college art department.

I ABSOLUTELY HATE the traffic lights in fresno. They just slow everyone down. They have the worst timing. They suck.

I love eating PHO 99 on mckinly and first. That is my favorite place to eat. I LOVE LOVE LOVE #33 spicy chicken.

I love that were in California.

I HATE that its so comfortable here that it makes it really hard to leave.

It bothers me that everyone thinks you need to have a job, like a bunch of zombies. The secret is you have to figure out what you love doing. I figured out that I love painting. Painting is my love. I love it so much that people pay me to keep painting. Anyone can do that with anything. They just need to break the monotony and take some fvking risks.

I like the beehive. Its fun. Glad its here.

Thank you.

oh and if you want to know what my problem is....
go to my website. http://www.nigelrobertson.com

YAY BEEHIVE!

This is what I posted in reply to Nigel's tweet.

Fresno is what YOU make of it. Don't hate on it like everyone else.

Sure this town has it's problem. But name me one town that doesn't. Yeah I didn't think so.

But hey, at least it ain't Clovis...

Then again, such touchiness at just two sour notes suggests they might have a point ;P

As always,
Out Onna Lim

Marisa has it right...If you ever want to feel grateful for something wonderful, enjoy our fruits & veggies...at a fruit stand, farmer's market, shoot...at yer local grocery store.
After growing up in our beautiful bow-tie, seeing the "produce section" at a grocery store in Kansas or Missouri will make a Fresnan CRY!!!

@Nigel thanks for your words and artwork. And thanks for hating Fresno for the right reasons. I'll be happy to see you off on a great adventure. I'll also be happy to welcome you back if that day comes.

To Nigel: Yes, but the things I really love to do are for the most part useless to anyone but myself and it would therefore be silly to expect to be paid for it. Unless you want to hire me to walk my dog or spend time with my wife.

I don't need a lecture about how I could monetize on these things (!!), and what I do for a living is based on something I enjoy (sort of) doing as well, but the sense of entitlement from embittered Fresnans gets on my nerves.

I just don't understand why so many people think they're so special that they should get to live on the beach and hang out with pretty people and have great jobs that anyone else would want. Most of us aren't so lucky and we should just get over it already and work toward the things we'd like to make happen. Work sucks but it's a sacrifice, like many things in life.

There's nothing wrong with wanting to get out and see the world, and this town is REALLY lame in many ways, but the constant whining and pouting about how bad it all is and how it's just not fair needs to stop. We're very fortunate to live in this country and this town. Open a newspaper sometime!

I've learned that people who put the hate on Fresno are really just Hating the State of California. This is why I see Fresno haters move to Oregon, Washington or NY. But if they are in California in another City and hate on Fresno then they might as well hate the California city they live in too.

Besides that right now it's the best time of year for the Valley the Air is as clean as it gets and the skys are as clear as they can get and the wild grasses are green on the hills and very soon will be popping up with wild flowers.

If you don't like Fresno then you don't like California.
Leave the State and go to Oregon or Washington.