Originally Posted by 2BNTV (Post 770965)

I'll admit I never read the book and I won't.

From what I have read on this forum, in general, Mr. Blechman did not have a very flattering opinion of TV.

I wouldn't let someone who has to sell books to make a living influence, my opinion. I love it here and I will be staying here until I croack. Rivet.

Billethkid said it best. The book belongs in the trash can.

Originally Posted by Golf View (Post 770917)

Please check out www.andrewblechman/leisurville to see what some people think about America's Friendliest Hometown.

Originally Posted by senior citizen (Post 771535)

Every mature adult who has lived a long life, raised a family and seen it all, knows that with each decade in our lives....our opinions alter and change.


Why everyone gets so upset over a book is beyond me.
THE VILLAGES SELLS ITSELF...........and that's a given.
Everyone should lighten up and allow freedom of speech.

Originally Posted by graciegirl (Post 771475)

Andrew Blechman in his book Leisureville has given some valid background information on retirement places in general and The Villages in particular...but..

If you wanna know what it is like to LIVE here and what motivated people to move here, ask either a happy or disgruntled villager.

We are not like most populations in Florida as we are all older and more conservative than most and we would have to have a bit of pioneer spirit to move away from the familiar and the loved and the well mostly COLD areas we did.

We were seeking something and most have found it in this place geared for us in the older (and wiser) population. Many seek opportunities to do healthy things for our bodies and our minds and we find them here.

What ruffles my feathers and gets my knickers in a hitch is the assumption in the book which is really a social commentary that we olders have no right to lay down our civic responsibilities. Well Junior, we sure do. Most of us have served on as many committees for improving things in our lifetimes as Andrew has years in his life.

We have done as much as we can to improve the world. It is someone else's turn now. And we still have many opportunities to volunteer here in areas that help our fellow man....and to help each other.

So bottom line is that Andrew is a writer who aimed to sell books and added a lot of sex and a lot of gossip and created a summary of a very busy fellow called Mr. Midnight.

I hope that Andrew saved all of his money from the book proceeds so that when he gets old enough and wise enough he can retire here where I am sure he will sing a different tune.

Originally Posted by senior citizen (Post 771763)

When have I ever denied the drug issue?
I've mentioned it many times. It's no secret.
It comes from "without".......it is insidious in its nature.
They come in and hook the young and middle aged into using and then selling drugs within the community.

Compared to other states, it really isn't that bad, if truth be told.
It's just that now we've caught up with the rest of society.

I've said over and over how wonderful TV is. We were impressed.
You are taking things totally out of context, I'm afraid.

As far as avoiding it, that's your prerogative. The recent fall foliage traffic was great for tourism within the state. It still is safe. The police have a definite handle on things.........the serious drug lords are in jail. All of the ones rounded up were booked by the end of the first day. IT WAS A HUGE DRUG SWEEP. We are proud of our police and law enforcement.
They have families too and do not want these druggies coming into our state. Again, no secret.

Originally Posted by senior citizen (Post 771789)

I know what you are saying......and I understand. I just can't find it.
Believe me, our townspeople (all 16,000 souls) abhor it and want it to end. We trust our police to do their job.
40 some were arrested out of 16,000. Among them were the Drug Lords from "away" as the cops said.
I think a "scare" was put into them, hopefully, anyway. Springfield, VT. with a pop. of 10,000 had a drug sweep with 30 arrested and jailed.
Rutland City, one hour north of us, ditto. So, yes, it is here.
But there still are worse places to live........but we are more aware, for sure.

I just found this:

America continues to wage its war on drugs. Drug use and drug trafficking has come to be expected in large cities, but size doesn't matter when it comes to drugs. It is affecting both large and small American cities.

An example is Missoula, Montana, a beautiful western state surrounded by national forests with a population of around 67,000. According to a survey by the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, this city had the highest rate of illicit drug use with 13.8 percent usage per household polled. They also have a huge methamphetamine problem with 50 percent of adult incarcerations due to meth.

Just north of Santa Fe, New Mexico is a little town called Española with a population of about 10,000. This little town ranks among the top ten in the nation for drug overdoses. They have 42.5 drug-related deaths per 100,000, compared with the national average of 7.3. In Washington, D.C., the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration reports that cocaine and crack are D.C.'s worst drug problems with the second ward having the highest rate of cocaine use of any area polled in the nation.

Chicago, New York and Boston have the highest herion-related hospital admissions in the country, and Baltimore and San Francisco have the highest numbers of heroin addicts and heroin-related crime of any cities in the nation, according to the DEA. New Orleans has one of the highest crack problems which has also led to their leading the nation in murder--95 per 100,000 people--that are known to be directly related to drugs.

Columbus, Ohio, rated by Forbes as #29 in the Top 50 Safest Cities to Live, in 2011 reached an all-time high in drug overdose deaths with 1,765 deaths. According to The Columbus Dispatch, one Ohioan died every five hours that year from a drug over-dose. In fact, since 1999, Columbus' drug overdose deaths have increased 440 percent. The drug problems appear to be pain killers such as OxyContin. From 1997 to 2010, prescriptions for OxyContin increased from 7 to 67 during this period, as reported by the Columbus Dispatch newspaper.

Originally Posted by senior citizen (Post 771803)

My husband said that if she is reading that our drug problem in Vermont is the worst in the nation.......then it must be because of our small population.
In other words, it's in relation to the small population.

Senior, hit on the link under post #17. The drug use cited for Vermont is per capita, so if Vermont was more populated, the problem may be even bigger yet. It's not the end of the world for Vermont.

All of this discourse is in correlation to your statement that you can't figure why everyone gets upset about a book that embellishes unsavory statements about The Villages.

My response was a comparison from me stating your reaction if negative things were embellished about Vermont, you would be upset too. You ARE upset when Vermont is displayed in a less than decent way and you should be. Now perhaps you understand why that book upsets many in The Villages.