Forbes: Buffalo Is Miserable Because Of Snow

Why is it that cold weather in Buffalo is bad...but cold weather in Denver, Minneapolis, etc...is good? Look at Forbes, they obviously know the formula - come up with as many "city" polls as you can - it will certainly drive traffic to their website. And Chicago? I'll be on any list with Chicago - it's a fantastic city.

Last year, Los Angeles and New York were in their top ten. Eventually, every city will make their list.

They're phoning it in from Palm Beach as usual. How miserable are they now that Bernie Madoff ran off with their money?

forbes is junk.

This makes me laugh at the stupidity of press. Living between here and Atlanta now I find myself constantly defending the actual LACK of snow we get. I partially blame our own local news stations as they grab a snow warning and usually run with it. Of cource any Buffalonian knows the snow is usually in the far Southtowns, but the news just lumps it into being the City of Buffalo and that mistake goes to the associated press nationwide. I recall many days living here and the weather channel etc say snow in Buffalo NY today and looking out the window at the blue sky and my snow free lawn...

Aha -- so THAT'S why the state senate reform committee won't come to Buffalo.

Dan's headline is wrong to say "because of snow". Their list looked at nine factors equally, one of which was weather. His statement "it's their FIRST selling point, while they list population decline as an afterthought" indicates he didn't read or comprehend the following from Forbes:

"We compiled our rankings by looking at the 150 largest metropolitan statistical areas in the U.S., which meant those with a population of at least 378,000. We ranked those metros on nine factors: commute times, corruption, pro sports teams, Superfund sites, taxes (both income and sales), unemployment, violent crime and weather."

These kind of city rankings on different topics are always very subjective, sometimes stupid. The nine criteria looked at here include a few important things like crime and taxes, and some ridiculous like sports and superfund sites.

But it's amusing how whenever one of these lists Buffalo postively (as Forbes did recently for housing prices, very subjectively looking only at 1-year time frame, or by other magazines for arts-culture, etc), then local cheerleaders and politicians will give the lists super credibility and importance.

While I agree these types of lists are silly, I find it predictable (and supported by history on this site) that BRO discredits the ones that rank Buffalo poorly in something, and advertises with enthusiasm the ones that rate it highly in something.

Forbes is Miserable

Does Forbes have writers who can think of nothing else but make "Lists"?

I'm guessing its corruption that put us over the edge... not snow.

The Forbes people need to get real lives. I don't think we're miserable at all. We get grouchy on occasion, especially when we read a misery list, but other than that we're quite ebullient and charming. I know I'm having fun!

How on earth is snow attributed to misery anyway?

IF IT DIDN'T SNOW WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU PUT UP WITH THIS CLIMATE??? Pittsburgh was a miserable place to be when I lived there during the winter. I couldn't ski, snowboard or snowmobile without wasting half a day traveling north. Brown lawns, dead plants, nothing to do. That brown really gets depressing. I thoroughly enjoy the fact that you need sunglasses in Buffalo in the winter. The snow keeps the landscape bright and, for God sakes, gives us something to do all winter.

I think people need to read the article and not concentrate on the picture caption. The number of sunny days in the Western New York and midwest area in general is less than almost everywhere else in the US. Snow may not be so bad, but its the cold, cloudy long winter that is the factor, snow is only the media's dramatic way of making that point.

The corruption and selfish political atmosphere in Buffalo has in no uncertain terms stunted the cities growth. Nothing is done for the greater good unless the connected locals can get a piece of the pie. You may have gotten away with this in 1940 or 1950 or even 1970 and 80, but the economic climate of the modern workd is ultracompetitive between states and even with international places. You need to be realistic to compete in this, and the corruption in Buffalo is obviously a handicap.

Taxes - see comment re competition above. New York has one of highest sales tax and local area has ridiculously high property tax (anywhere around 2.5% is insane). Income tax is high also in New York. This is a critical handicap to competing for industry and jobs in these times.

Unemployment - Jobs - Poeple always say "if you have a good job in Buffalo the..." Well the "if" is the notable condition that indicates this is obviously a problem. There are a lucky few fighting and positioning constantly for these jobs. To rise on merit ends up a difficult challenge because few positions open to rise into. Thats why young talent is seemingly migrating away from the local area.

I'm relatively new to Buffalo and I don't think "it snows a lot" is enough to register on the misery index, but "it snows a lot" and "the public transportation sucks so I have to walk in the middle of the street to get anywhere" might bump that number up. Or "it snows a lot" and "the only jobs are in the outlaying suburbs which makes commuting lousy" could also do it. Or how about, "it snows a lot" and "I don't know where all this tax money goes, but it sure isn't going to salting the sidewalks and plowing the side roads."
I've lived in other cities with snow and I barely noticed it since it didn't interfere with every other aspect of my life.

Well Said Marcus

That is the same picture they used when Buffalo made it to the top of one of their best place for real estate lists.

I was born in a country with lots of snow in the winter-and I would have a hard time not feeling the cold 'bite" i the face during our winter here. Actually, the amount of snow here makes me fondly remembering my childhood winters. Is it miserable here for other reasons? Personally I would be happy to see more waterfront activities centered around children and youth, this is after all a coastal City, and the only one seeing the sun setting over Lake Erie! A lot of job creations are in the tourism industry, and why we not go full steam around the waterfront is beyond me, the glacial speed is frustrating, perhaps this summer will be different?
I like the comments by skarnath, try it and you will enjoy it!

buffalo ACTUALLY has a lot of "sunny days"

So Buffalo is on the list for being cold and snowy, and Miami is on the list for.....

Yeah, I do get it....there were 9 factors for deciding the worst cities, HOWEVER, I don't feel too bad about sharing any lists with cities like Chicago and Miami, both amazing places.

I think that Forbes got the list right...they just screwed up the title.

They meant to call it:

Top 10 Most Fascinating Cities....and Detroit

Where is the actual list of the ten cities, i cant stand having to view the 'picture 'list'', lame. Regardless, unless the 'list' is for the cities with the biggest *******s or most crime, i would say chicago and miami is good company to be in. These Forbes lists are getting real old, real lame, real played out, and we should just start ignoring them because they have proven to no hold any credibility and are just a bull**** ploy for attention, clicks, and advertising dollars.

I guess mild curse words are sensored, thats bull$hit. Damn Forbes @sshole ba$tards can go fu.ck themselves.

I love Forbes` lists. I`m hoping that eventually they will alienate all of their potential readers with one list or another, go out of business, and do us all a favor.

Forbes is the new Consumer Reports?

I think Donn Esmonde's article from today's Buffalo News offers a good perspective.

http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/575931.html

The problem with articles like these is the ipact they have on the tourist population or those who would consider moving to the area, and site selectors, etc. This kind of thing just perpetuates the negative perception about the area and people, holding onto the bad things they hear will continue to avoid the area and manitain their perceptions about the place, effectively leaving the place isolated, forgotten. Its no wonder when the "brave souls" not from the area venture there they are often times amazed at the upside of the area they never knew of. With that said I still dont believe Buffalo does enough to truly market itself and all its historic/ cultural resources to the mainstream both in and out of town.

The weather during an extended work stay in "perfect climate" San Diego bored me intensely. Give me 4 seasons, garnished with snow.

I thought it was hilarious to be on the list.

Ah. To be a bug in the room (not a fly on the wall; a bug in the room) when CEOs show their worth...

Seems like a lot of rationalization happening on this forum.

Summers in Buffalo are nice. However, many other places have good summers and dont have a 5+ month span of ugly weather. Lets be clear that you are trading a mild and sunny nice summer for over 1/3 of the year where you rarely see the sun and the temperature is regularly below freezing. Take a look at the numbers for Nov, Dec, Jan and Feb that Needles linked to and I copied below. Buffalo's sun numbers are some of the lowest on the whole chart.

I guess Buffalo is like the Beverly Hills of summers in that you pay a very high price for it.

If you really like winter for the sake of winter fine. I personally like snow too and like a change of seasons. Snow is nice when its between 28 and 34 and its nice and fluffy. When its below that and its small and blowing sideways, only a penguin, sled dog or polar bear could honestly tell you they enjoy it. And if you like the winter for the sports then Colorado, Vermont, New Hampshire or even Alaska are better choices.

% of Possible Sunshine:
http://www.met.utah.edu/jhorel/html/wx/climate/sunshine.html

OH yea, there is my other fear. That Buffalo, NY is being reserved specifically for those roosters.

You should be assured then. I dont think you have to worry about those people flocking to a place with high taxes, lots of corruption, average weather and few jobs. They already have most of that, except more jobs.

A thing that is N.O.T a pleasure in Buffalo, NY:

Being all snug and comfy in an armchair while it is only snowing outside and knowing that while a snowfall is happening here, at the same time on the TV, there is a horrible forest fire happening far elsewhere,,,

(my biggest wish at such a time would be that the snow could fall on the fire,,,)

and, it is very strange, at such a thought-provoking time, to realize ALL those elsewhere people can think of as a bad happening is that it snows over here!!!