A question for all the "chicken littl...

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Author Message   hello Citizen Username: Hello Post Number: 61 Registered: 7-2003 Posted on Monday, August 18, 2003 - 1:22 pm:        constantly praising millburn vis a vis maplewood. i try to keep an open mind, and i end up driving quite a bit thru maplewood and millburn, and i have a simple question: do ANY of you think millburn is even remotely as pretty a town as maplewood is? ANYthing about it- the terrain, the foliage, the homes, the ambience, the vibe? ANY of it.   nova87 Citizen Username: Nova87 Post Number: 255 Registered: 6-2001 Posted on Monday, August 18, 2003 - 1:31 pm:        I think it depends on where you go in millburn. I've driven through some very pretty areas and I've driven through some not so. They are quite different in some respects. There are beautiful homes in Millburn and Maplewood. Although in Millburn they tend to be a little newer with less character. Maplewood has more of a urban feel to it with its neighborhoods and blocks. Millburn has more of a rural setting to it. Kind of like how I grew up. No sidewalks lots of trees and larger lots. It also has a downtown area that it quite a bit more varied than our own. All in all I like Millburn better if only because I like that country feeling that you just can't get here in MW. Don't get me wrong I like MW too, its just that I'd prefer to have a little more land and not be able to hear the neighbors conversations. JMO   newjerz Citizen Username: Newjerz Post Number: 115 Registered: 5-2003 Posted on Monday, August 18, 2003 - 2:31 pm:        The nicest homes in Millburn are nicer than the nicest homes in Maplewood. The worst homes in Millburn are nicer than the worst homes in Maplewood. But I don't think that is the reason that people "praise" Millburn. People think highly of Millburn primarily because of its school system. However, I would guess that the superior school system has more to do with the quality of inputs rather than the actual quality of the teachers. I know some kids from Millburn and based on my observations, I think parents and the community place a greater influcence on academic achievement than we do in general in M/SO. I would be willing to bet that the average parent in Millburn spends more time reading to their kids and encouraging academic achievement than the average parent in Maplewood. I know that there is a lot of pressure to do well and get into a top flight college. Kids who can't cut it in Millburn public schools often end up leaving and going to a private school. They also spend more per student, but that is probably due to do the fact that they have very high quality facilities and don't have to staff as many remedial classes with small student to teacher ratios as we do. People's positive impression of Millburn also has to do with the fact that it is probably a safer town if only because it doesn't border and dangerous towns like Newark and Irvington. Take a quick glance at the police blotter from the Irvington Herald and you will see weekly reports of shots being fired. Even if Maplewood is still a safe place to live, hearing those reports can't help but make people nervous. Obviously, there are negative aspects of Millburn such as the material excess that we thankfully do not have too much of in Maplewood. Or the lack of exposure to the real world where everyone does not look, act, think, or behave the same. But when compared to safety and quality of education, these things seem less important to many people. On a separate but related note, I have heard from teachers who have taught in M/SO and also in other more affluent NJ suburbs that the level of genuine interest of the students in the subjects being discussed in class is considerably higher here, even if the quality of the work is not as good. Students in these other districts can write a perfectly organized, perfectly grammatical, clean, neat essay about a subject without really thinking or caring about the subject. These students probably score well on standardized exams, but are really just playing a game to get into college where they will put the same good solid effort into their work and once again graduate without reall considering all the issues our world and our society face.   Redsox Citizen Username: Redsox Post Number: 308 Registered: 6-2002 Posted on Monday, August 18, 2003 - 3:01 pm:        warning, preceding sentence by last poster is pure hippiestic drivel. warm up that time machine for a ride back to the 60's & break out the tie-dye.   newjerz Citizen Username: Newjerz Post Number: 120 Registered: 5-2003 Posted on Monday, August 18, 2003 - 3:33 pm:        Redsox, First of all, although I am not a Newt Gingrich disciple I am far from a hippie. Second of all, I go to a school where people like this abound. I know what I see and I know there are a lot of smart kids from alfuent upbringings who think the biggest concern in this world is what model BMW to get. They are not evil kids, they're just oblivious to everything except making money. Third of all I think a better use for your time machine might be to ride back to 1918 and break out the last Red Sox World Championship banner.   Nohero Citizen Username: Nohero Post Number: 1978 Registered: 5-2001 Posted on Monday, August 18, 2003 - 3:44 pm:        ... or keep them from trading the Babe ...   michael Citizen Username: Michael Post Number: 348 Registered: 1-2002 Posted on Monday, August 18, 2003 - 4:23 pm:        cluck ... cluck   REBORN STRAW Citizen Username: Strawberry Post Number: 946 Registered: 10-2001 Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2003 - 1:40 am:        This thread is a joke, right? Millburn vs Maplewood and chicken little Republicans. Talk about weenieville.   grw Citizen Username: Grw Post Number: 161 Registered: 12-2002 Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 10:37 am:        Let's go YANKEES   grw Citizen Username: Grw Post Number: 162 Registered: 12-2002 Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 10:39 am:        I lived in Short Hills (Millburn) for 40 Years I've lived in Maplewood for the last 9 years I'll take Maplewood anyday   nova87 Citizen Username: Nova87 Post Number: 259 Registered: 6-2001 Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 2:22 pm:        You don't say why. Clearly there must have been something to keep you in SH for 40 years, no? newjerz while I agree with most of what you said why do people equate the acquisition of expensive things with material excess? What is wrong with owning nice things? As long as it doesn't become the be-all and end-all in your life. I never understood that mentality and the only thing that comes to mind is either jealousy or envy. Generally, I tend to purchase nice things when I can. It doesn't mean that I am overly materialistic. Haven't I earned the right to buy what I would like without having that stigma attached to it? Oh and one more thing to hello? When was the last time they found a dead body in a church parking lot in Millburn? Just curious.   mtierney Citizen Username: Mtierney Post Number: 390 Registered: 3-2001 Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 3:01 pm:        Not to thread-drift here, but since Millburn is now with us in the Tenth Congressional District, I wonder how many of you received the "Keeping In Touch" mailer sent out by Donald M. Payne? The mailer includes an opportunity to take a constituent survey. Well, never one to avoid telling an elected official what I think about taxes, etc., I sat down to respond. The topics offered only a box rating 1,2,3 & 4, and covered economic issues and social issues. Not one word related to property taxes in Essex County! The closest the survey came to it was cost of living, cost of housing line items. There is an area for "comments" which I intend to use to point out that if Mr. Payne truly is representing most of Maplewood, Millburn along with Hudson and Union county communities, he had better check out the issue of property taxes. Help!   hello Citizen Username: Hello Post Number: 63 Registered: 7-2003 Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 3:15 pm:        perhaps, TT, you can explain to congressman payne how your property taxes are a federal issue?   nova87 Citizen Username: Nova87 Post Number: 261 Registered: 6-2001 Posted on Friday, August 22, 2003 - 8:57 am:        Well, hello? I'm waiting for your reply.   hello Citizen Username: Hello Post Number: 72 Registered: 7-2003 Posted on Friday, August 22, 2003 - 9:23 am:        sorry, nova, for seeming to delay. i had read and accepted your comments.