[eli_gottlieb]

>and then are shocked when they have a hard time retaining talented people after they get their degrees.

I mean, come on. Are they shocked? Or is this how the townies want it? My impression is that quite a lot of the "natives" who think of themselves as "True Bostonians(TM)" (ie: not just those of us who've lived here for years, married someone raised here, and own property here) want this place to be the world's most populous (but rather restrictive) college town.

Why would they want more people around to ruin their city by walking around doing things? Come, spend your money like a tourist, fuel their businesses, get your degree if you're one of those workaholic nerds, and get the fuck back out. You can come back eventually if you manage to make the tenure track!