Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| princess |
| 02/23/01 at 11:19:09 |
| as'salaamualikum :) thought this was interesting..when u got it, u got it ;) i love being a texan :) the hee haw and all :) COWBOYS..rock on :) (i got this article from the real estate section on AOL..if anyone [i]really[/i] wants the link..look it up ;)) ma'salaam ;-D ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Top 10: The Ten Most Popular Cities To Move To: New York giving you ennui? Had it up to here with Beantown and Brotherly Love? You're not alone. From coast to coast, urban Americans are discovering a new host of metropolitan areas that float their collective boat-or microchip, as the case may be. Powered by 21st century economies and warm weather, these cities are more technologically savvy and ethnically diverse than ever before. And each one has its own unique flavor and style. To be sure, Gotham and its contemporaries still reign supreme in terms of sheer numbers, but the up-and-coming cities listed below are currently exploding with growth. So if you're looking to relocate and think the Windy City is a bunch of hot air, keep reading and check out the new hot spots on the real estate market. By the way, these rankings are derived from U.S. census data comparing 1990 city populations to 1998 populations (the most recent numbers available) 10. DALLAS, TX Percent increase, 1990 - 1998: 6.8% Once run primarily by the rough-n-tough oil industry, modern-day Dallas is very much a city in transition. Since black gold gave way to technology as king of the Dallas dollar, the economy has blown up, employing 5,000 more people this year than last. This shift has drawn an ethnically diverse group of younger residents to the area, chipping away at the Good-Old-Boys-network mentality that once pervaded the city and spurring some cultural diversity in the arts, as well. Dallas is also safer than it's been in years. With the exception of the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys, violent crime has dropped steadily over the past decade. In other words, you can park your car in a dark alley, but don't go anywhere near Texas Stadium during football season. The tag on Dallas is that it has killer traffic. While the city is working hard to renovate a growing public transportation system, there's still a herd of cars clogging up the highways-not to mention your lungs. 9. HOUSTON, TX Percent increase, 1990 - 1998: 8.0% Houston is, in a word, large. Sprawling, even. Greater Houston is larger than two Rhode Islands, and the city employs more people than all of Colorado, which makes its rate of growth all the more puzzling. There is a clear sense that the West dominates a portion of Houston culture and nightlife. Many historic downtown buildings have been renovated and converted to stylized residences, reminiscent of those in a John Wayne flick. The nation's most elaborate rodeo, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, can be found here, and country line dancing is still the rage at many a downtown club. But Houston is so tremendously metropolitan that the cowboy hats and belt buckles could easily go unnoticed. This is a city that considers tourism a major industry, boasting 46,000 hotel rooms and 10,000 theater seats. However, Shell and Exxon are still the biggest employers-stark reminders that oil continues to reign supreme. 8. JACKSONVILLE, FL Percent increase, 1990 - 1998: 9.2% Jacksonville is the fastest growing city in Florida, yet unlike its neighbors in southern Florida, the city's immigrants are predominantly under 65. Indeed, the median age in Jacksonville is 35-downright juvenile for the retirement-friendly Sunshine State. The city plays host to a thriving talent community, supported in no small part by students attending nearby schools dedicated to the practical and performing arts. There are also several local artist guilds. The job market in Jacksonville is continuing to blossom. Several companies keep their corporate headquarters in the downtown business district (including Winn Dixie, Inc.). The Navy also maintains two stations in the area, which employ a combined 30,000 "Jack-civilians." But the industry that's really taken city by storm is telecommunications. 7. SAN DIEGO, CA Percent increase, 1990 - 1998: 9.9% During San Diego's so-called "rainy season," the city experiences a deluge of roughly 1.5 inches of precipitation per month. The Santa Ana winds, which come from the mountains to the east, ensure that the temperature floats just above 90 in October, making non-rollerblading weather less common than the lunar eclipse. If the sun gods smile on any town in the country, they are beaming at San Diego. The city has been a model of ethnic variety for several years. Roughly one quarter of the population there is Hispanic, and ten percent is from the Pacific Islands, yet hate crimes are rarer than overcast days. Since the decline of an economy firmly routed in defense spending, San Diego has diversified financially. Like Jacksonville, the telecommunications business has set up shop here, led by the cellular phone juggernaut Qualcomm. The industry contributes about $5 billion each year to the local economy. 6. SAN JOSE, CA Percent increase, 1990 - 1998: 10.1% Fortune magazine ranked San Jose the number one city for business in the nation, and as the self-proclaimed "Capital of Silicon Valley," it's pretty easy to see why: Hardware is king in northern California's largest city. San Jose is also an environmentally conscious city in its own right, especially considering its heavy contribution to industry. The Bay Area's "Spare the Air" campaign implores citizens to carpool to help reduce smog, and several local statutes make water pollution a cardinal sin. This is a community of residents who churn out microchips like nobody's business but nonetheless appreciate the value of local vineyards and harvest festivals. The only real trick to living in San Jose is finding an affordable home. The average house is valued at well over $200,000. But, then again, that should be par for the course in a community with an annual household income of just over $75,000. Did we mention there's money there? 5. SAN ANTONIO, TX Percent increase, 1990 - 1998: 14.1% Perhaps no other city in America can claim to have cleaned up its act to the extent that San Antonio has done so over the past 10 years. The city has seen roughly a 50% decrease in major crimes and homicides since 1990. Putting more cops on the street has gone a long way toward making San Antonio a safer community. Several local environmental initiatives have also made San Antonio cleaner than other cities with comparable growth rates. Four gasoline companies have agreed to sell fuel containing fewer pollutants than conventional petroleum, and the city's Neighborhood Sweep Program targets potholes and graffiti. This is, by all accounts, a very green town. The lush River Walk, though ranking high on the tourist scale, is a significant cultural hub with eclectic shops and restaurants. The Walk also houses the International Center, a major forum for Mexican-American business and politics. This begs the question: Are residents put off by the fact that, around the corner from their NAFTA-enabled businesses, high school kids are hocking T-shirts that demand tourists to remember the Alamo? 4. AUSTIN, TX Percent increase, 1990 - 1998: 17.0% A haven for high-end techies and the setting for the e-workplace film satire Office Space, Austin used to reek of burnt silicon and take-out Chinese. But a generous market and massive influx of disposable income have triggered something of a cultural resurgence in this once-flat capital city. Austin has been sponsoring a host of cultural programs, including a Shakespeare Festival and a campaign to set up art displays in public places. The Austin school system also easily rivals those of its Texan neighbors, a strong draw for yuppie programmers to stay in the area and start a family. When Intel opens the doors of its new 500,000-square-foot office space in 2002, expect other hi-tech giants to follow suit. Land is cheap in Austin, which means that, for better or for worse, growth is inevitable. 3. EL PASO, TX Percent increase, 1990 - 1998: 19.3% Straddling Texas, New Mexico and the U.S.-Mexican border, El Paso is a true border town. The people are young, ethnically diverse, and-not surprisingly-bilingual. And while the average citizen's income hovers just below $40,000, the cost of living has been declining steadily since 1993, despite a booming population. Not unlike its citizens, the architectural El Paso has the look of a prototypical melting pot, blending 19th century pastoral with 21st century chic. At the crux of the city's revitalization efforts is the Union Plaza district, a rundown commercial center en route to a shopping-mall-esque makeover, complete with a 414-space parking garage. Is it any wonder that someone named a brand of microwave-able burritos after this place? 2. CHARLOTTE, NC Percent increase, 1990 - 1998: 20.3% The hardest adjustment to make when moving to Charlotte is realizing that, despite hosting some of NASCAR's biggest races, life moves slowly there. Very slowly. Polite chit-chat in doing business is a must, and a 45-minute commute to the office is about average. But let there be no mistakes: Regardless of the pace, Charlotte is bursting with big business. Take a look at the numbers (courtesy of The Charlotte Observer): #3 in cell phone permanence, #5 in business trips, and #2 in big banking. Conscious of its strong Southern identity, Charlotte is a conservative city that is sweet on traditions. Northerners are still "Yanks," grits are still the breakfast food of choice, and Jesse Helms is still elected to public office. 1. PHOENIX, AZ Percent increase, 1990 - 1998: 21.3% Very quietly, Phoenix has grown to become the nation's sixth largest metropolis. Set squarely in the middle of nowhere, the city has not kicked up much dust in becoming the Southwest's premier destination for commerce, industry, and entertainment. Just how quickly is Phoenix growing? 82,000 people moved in during 1998, just as 95,000 new jobs opened up. Major companies like Motorola, Honeywell and Boeing all have key offices in or around the greater Phoenix area, and small business is booming there, as well. As is the trend, 46% of all manufacturing jobs in the area are considered "high-tech." A vibrant and well-integrated Native American community sets Phoenix apart from its fast-growing peers. Pueblo culture has a strong influence on local art, and the Heard Museum-which holds an impressive collection of Indian pottery and crafts-is the area's cultural cornerstone. It's joined by the rustic, unassuming Symphony Hall downtown, which plays host to both the Phoenix Symphony and the Arizona Opera. |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| bhaloo |
| 02/23/01 at 11:59:04 |
| slm Interesting. Someone was telling me that texas is green in certain areas and has hills. But you know according to the United States Census Bureau: The 10 fastest growing states in rank order are: 1). California 2). New Mexico 3). Hawaii 4). Arizona 5). Nevada 6). Idaho 7). Utah 8). Alaska 9). Florida 10). Texas (Taken from www.census.gov) :) But anyways I thought Las Vegas was the fastest growing city in the US? ??? Its growing at such a crazy rate too. I don't know why Phoenix has become so popular, its sooo hot out there, I had the unfortunate experience of being at their airport. :( |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| princess |
| 02/23/01 at 12:52:29 |
| walikumas'salaam warahmatullah :) everyone should move outta cali..it's gonna fall off ;) ma'salaam ;-D |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| PacificBreeze |
| 02/24/01 at 03:19:50 |
| CA is the number one populated state now..but alhamdulillah we still have lots of open land..since we're such a beautiful and diversified rich state..(masha'allah!) :P the Bay Area is where it's all at... :) but all of CA is awesome blossom masha'allah...northern & southern...we have almost everything here..including cowboys.. :) so y'all dont need to go to texas just for that. :P the reason phoenix is number one is cause..well a bunch of calis and celebrities have been moving to phoenix b/c they like the heat..(more body show off seasons) and it's relatively cheaper than CA..and so you can get gorgeous homes (from the inside and outside) at good deals..and...well..frankly..i've quite forgotten the reasons why..(something about the celebrity lifestyle..the spas etc..)...but phoenix is actually the magnet city for those with mega $$$$..i remem rdg and seeing the news report about it some yrs back.. ahem...CALI rocks..and we've got the quakes to prove it! :P :) i'm wondering what'll come up with the tech downfall...not really a "downfall" per se..but more of a stablizing event now and no longer a sucking vaccuum to cash in at every step...? i think silicon valley will still stand insha'allah..it's just further evolving and there are now diff issues and angles to work on...anyhow, so far even with the energy crisis and the stock losses..the real estate is still holding..rather soaring alhamdulillah..even some yrs back before the big dot come fever, ppl have been leaving the area and even the state to go to "cheaper" places which also means with lesser salaries..and i'm just wondering if there'll be an "emergency evacuation" of this place soon if the stocks continue to fall..i know some dot coms have moved out of the area..or the state even...it'll be interesting to note if it did happen...something like a repeat of the past gold ghost towns...but i doubt it? SF has always been growing..and the bay area has so much to offer besides the tech industry..and there's more to tech now..more specializations and diff slants besides the straight chip or computer or digital fields etc..just more competition as in other fields..no longer necess the gold rush..? lol ok enough mumblings to my self.. ;) wa salaams and to all a merry goodnight.. ? btw, when exactly is youmul arafah and the first 10 days of dhul hijjah accord to the gregorian calendar? i don't have the islamic calendar on me..? |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| Arsalan |
| 02/24/01 at 03:18:43 |
| [slm] According to the ISNA site, the 10th of Dhul Hijjah (Eid al-Adha) will be on Tuesday, March 6th 2001. Insha Allahu Ta'ala. |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| PacificBreeze |
| 02/24/01 at 03:22:35 |
| assalaamu alaikum, jazakallahu khairan..so in other words..we should start fasting tomorrow?? (if we wanted to do all 10 bi idhnillah?) wa salaamu alaikum |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| PacificBreeze |
| 02/24/01 at 16:10:18 |
| off subject, i know but according to this calendar...the first day is tomorrow! (sunday!) |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| Tarar |
| 02/26/01 at 03:13:25 |
| [slm] Can't believe it!! this year eid is on 6th march in pakistan, arab countries and in USA as well. normally it is celleberated with a day gap. [wlm] Tarar |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| PacificBreeze |
| 02/26/01 at 03:56:19 |
| oh alhamdulillah! takbeer! Allahu akbar wa lil la hil hamd! :) wait a sec...it's ok if it's a day apart...it depends on where you see the moon..naturally, the other side of the world is a day ahead... as long as the moon is sighted (locally) we are fine! :) (totallly paraphrasing..but remem the hadeeth along the lines of where there were some travellers who came from a town that saw the moon but the others didn't..n the reply was that the local moon sighting is given precedence...in other words, see it to confirm it (moon)...it depends on ur location) oh yeah...but then again..this is eid ul adha...i'm sleepy..disregard my post ;) |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| zubaid |
| 02/26/01 at 03:36:13 |
| as-Salaamu 'Alaykum, Speaking of Texas and Ramadan, the two things I was thinking of right now...everybody in the US is doing Eid on Tuesday with ISNA as far as I know....except Dallas. We are going with Saudi from what I've heard and are doing it on Monday. Which I find to be very ani-climactic. Is DFW the only place, or are there more out there? This is the first time I can remember, where Eid ul-Adha is not celebrated together. Take care, Zubaid Kazmi |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| gift |
| 02/26/01 at 03:46:30 |
| assalam u alaikqm unfortunately we have had eid ul adha on more than one day in the uk many times. its really sad - but inshallah Allah SWT will guide us to the right path. wa'alaikum as salaam |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| jannah |
| 02/26/01 at 04:01:48 |
| Hmph... I'm getting tired of this too. I liked a suggestion I heard. I think we should just pick someone to follow and just go with it. So even if Saudi is wrong (and they've been proved wrong over and over again), ISNA should just follow them so that we can have a unified day of Eid. (Since local sighting and global sighting are both valid fiqhi opinions.) Like every Christian in the world will tell you that Jesus (as) was not really born on the 25th of Dec. Some say it was spring, some say fall etc but they all agree it really was NOT on the 25th, yet they all get together and agree to celebrate it on that date. |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| PacificBreeze |
| 02/26/01 at 04:28:33 |
| wouldn't you be getting rid of one of the rights of moonsighting then? (local vs global?) [for eid ul fitr?] |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| jannah |
| 02/26/01 at 09:58:01 |
| We'd be doing global then. |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| princess |
| 02/26/01 at 10:39:30 |
| walikumas'salaam warahamtullah :) [quote]Speaking of Texas and Ramadan, the two things I was thinking of right now...everybody in the US is doing Eid on Tuesday with ISNA as far as I know....except Dallas. We are going with Saudi from what I've heard and are doing it on Monday. Which I find to be very ani-climactic. Is DFW the only place, or are there more out there?[/quote] ahh..come on down to houston :) it's better then dallas AND ft worth put together ;) [quote] This is the first time I can remember, where Eid ul-Adha is not celebrated together.[/quote] well..actually..if u recall a few eid's ago..i wanna say it was eid last yr..(in beginning of 2000) that dallas had it 1 day before houston :) and the only reason i remember, is cuz 1 of my best friends moved to dallas :( and she'd come down with her husband the next day, to have eid with us (actually her family..we just happen to be there..;)) anyways..come down :) inshAllah, eid's @ george r brown convention center :) so it'll rock :) ma'salaam ;-D |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| bhaloo |
| 02/26/01 at 11:20:31 |
| slm What is really unfortunate is when mosques within the same city celebrate Eid on different days. I've seen this happen out here. The communities need to work together and pull their resources together, not fight each other and make things miserable for everyone. |
| NS |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| princess |
| 02/26/01 at 15:47:09 |
| [quote]What is really unfortunate is when mosques within the same city celebrate Eid on different days. I've seen this happen out here. The communities need to work together and pull their resources together, not fight each other and make things miserable for everyone.[/quote] walikumas'salaam warahmatullah :) that's why houston is so awesome, alhamdulillah, mashAllah, subhanAllah :) i think the ppl here, really try to put all their differences behind, for @ least 1 day, or a few hrs..(for salah) and unite :) that's the beauty of having an big orginization, like ISGH (Islamic Society of Greater Houston) that can, alhamdulillah orginize such a big event :) aite..enough plug in for houston for now ;) ma'salaam ;-D |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| Asim |
| 02/26/01 at 16:33:54 |
| Assalaamu alaikum, Well, it appears that Eid here in Columbus Ohio would be on the 5th. It also appears that the two major organizations here have agreed to the date and hopefully there won't be two Eids prayers like in previous years. I don't really understand why they can't stick to one organization. Everyone should follow ISNA and the Shura Council. Period. What's the problem? If you don't follow one source then everyone will come up with there own opinions and cause divisions among Muslims. The Eid drama never seems to end...:( Wasalaam. |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| PacificBreeze |
| 02/27/01 at 02:22:02 |
| re eid ul adha..it'd be cool if united we stood with saudia.. re eid ul fitr..it'd be cool if united we stood with ISNA... however, i know there were quite a few grumbles this past eid ul fitr re ISNA...supposedly ignoring moon sightings and going strictly by their mathematical calculations..well...there was a local sighting in the state..and some ppl thought it ws ludicrous for the org to have decided months earlier and blame it on the eclipse which totally didn't effect CA..nor at the time of the moon..ne how...whateveroo. there have been some united eids..and some not so united eids.. ;) |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| bhaloo |
| 02/27/01 at 10:56:59 |
| slm Dah, ISNA goes by moon sightings, but they use also calculations to determine if something is realistically possible, i.e. (to make sure the month is some valid number of days, 29 or 30 not 27 or 28, then once they determine the number of days are valid, the a moon sighting is acceptable). Some people go and sight the moon but this is after 27 days, so that's not even possible. I probably didn't explain things too clearly. That website, www.moonsighting.com is how they do things, and has some decent explanations. :) |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| Arsalan |
| 02/27/01 at 13:25:52 |
| [slm] Bhaloo, although I respect ISNA and their decision(s), and considering they are the umbrella organization in this continent, I think we should all be united under them. However ... there is truth in what PacificBreeze has said. moonsighting.com often mentions that the moon will be impossible to see on such and such day because it will only be so many hours old, therefore Eid should be on such and such day. These are calculations. However, if someone DOES see the moon on the night when it was 'impossible' to see it (based on statistical reasoning, mind you - the premise is that nobody has ever been able to see a moon that young with the naked eye), and the number of such witnesses is more than two or three, I think they should follow their testimonies. There have been cases that I know about where very credible people sighted the moon, and they were ISNA affiliates. Yet when they called to report their sighting to ISNA, ISNA rejected it because it was 'impossible' to have sighted the moon that day! The moon had already been born, mind you. They were saying that it was way too young for anyone to have sighted it. Now if someone comes and tells you that they sighted the moon at a time when the new moon wasn't even born yet, of course that testimony would be rejected. Because that is *truly* impossible! Wallahu a'lam. Wassalamu alaikum. |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| jannah |
| 02/27/01 at 19:40:23 |
| here's a good article on sighting on the moon stuff too. http://www.sbia.net/ramadhan/moonsight.html |
| Re: TEXAS..rock on.. |
|---|
| bhaloo |
| 02/27/01 at 19:47:34 |
| slm The article Jannah posted is the guy the Shura council (ISNA/ICNA, etc) consult. |
Individual posts do not necessarily reflect the views of Jannah.org, Islam, or all Muslims. All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Comments are owned by the poster and may not be used without consent of the author.The rest © Jannah.Org |