Posted on 11/23/2001 5:25:09 AM PST by LarryLied
Despite the "friendly" Sunbelt's purported ease and opportunity, the "unfriendly" North continues by far to have the best quality of life.The United Way now reports that Minnesota (of which I am genetically half a native, which may undermine the good data here) is the best state, in economic well-being, education, health, civic engagement, safety and the environment. Having visited this Midwest Finland, I am not surprised. And I find New Hampshire's Number 2 rating apt, too, having inhabited that rocky realm of rectitude, responsibility and (usually) reasonableness for four years.
Ditto the others in the top 10: Connecticut (even with Hartford!); Massachusetts; Vermont; Maine; Wisconsin; Iowa; New Jersey, and, yes, even Rhode Island, hardly a state at all!
Meanwhile, the bottom 10 are all in the Sunbelt, the worst New Mexico, and then Louisiana.
Maybe it's mostly the weather. The North's bracing and wildly variable climate energizes people and encourages planning and careful citizenship. And it's probably better for you, because cold is bad for bugs. Even the post-war wave of air-conditioning hasn't let previously soporific Southern schools, offices and factories overcome the North's paradoxical climatic advantage.
And Northerners tend to be less mobile, and so less likely to slide into that appalling anomie in which the American Dream is pursued by folks wandering the roads in search of pots of gold that turn out to be tin, and leaving no forwarding address. But then, it is easier to wander about where the weather is warm. Thus the pervasive trailer parks in the Sunbelt, and enough social problems to make you ask if the Sunbelt's growing national power is a good thing. (Don't show this to my Tennessee relatives.)
#3, if this is how you yankees in Illinois are gonna act, even this yankee moved south doesn't want you moving here! LOL!
Maybe the 2nd shift will put it up. 2nd shift starts at about 4 central, doesn't it? :^)
And incase your reading JD, you will be hard pressed to find someone who will defend the flying of and the wearing of the Confederate Flag more than I.
Me too. It's actually pretty popular up here.
I saw that a little while ago. Man what bad timing. LOL I admit Rockford is a little screwed up, but that's about 200 miles north from me.
I've read a lot of bickering back and forth in relation to the North-South argument. I'm of the mindset that this is what the Left wants us Right-Wingers to do. It's a divide an conquer tactic, perhaps.
As a Southerner living in the Atlanta area, and one who has traveled extensively all over this wonderful country, I can personally say that I see more stereotypes flying around than anything.
In general, the north and the south are the same in the quality of life deparment if you are partaining to rural areas. The people are mostly Conservative and view traditional values, despite what the media says. However, there are a few exception in liberal, hippie enclaves in New England.
In terms of metropolitan areas, most southern cities are by and far nicer, cleaner, more aesthetically pleasing, etc. This may have a little to do with the fact that most of the development in the south is newer. Furthermore, the people in northern metropolitan areas, on the fascade, tend to be relatively less well off. For example, most pay higher taxes, drive older cars, etc. However, despite that, most places are the same.
In terms of Atlanta, despite what a lot of people have said, the entire metropolitan area is not liberal. I will admit, though, there are a lot of northerners living here. In some places there are more, in others less. The Atlanta area, even in last year's elections, revealed that Fulton County, inside I-285, Dekalb County and Clayton County were the liberal areas. This is mainly due to where the heaviest concentration of black, gay, and Leftist residents live. Cobb, Gwinnett, Douglas, Cherokee, Forsyth, Paulding, Henry, Fayette, Rockdale, and Coweta counties voted in a Conservative majority. Furthermore, even Bob Barr, one of our area representatives, is a Yankee. He moved from Iowa many years ago.
And gas is $1.30+ a gallon.
Nothing to see here...move along.
Got them too, plus Gila monsters, armadillos, havenlas,scorpions,tarantulas,and bats.
We are in the middle of a twenty or more year drought, no trees, no green grass, and mucho "wetbacks".
West Texas is not the end of the earth as some claim, but it is only a short walk away.
What do I win? ?
I will settle for a weedend with Ann Coulter or some other Freeper Babe.
Here's a better example of an Illinois incident: Husband shoots home invader to death Good Timing also, needed that! :^)
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