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Author Topic:   Home State.
Son Goku
Inactive Member


Message 31 of 42 (510303)
05-29-2009 6:34 PM


Great responses!
Thanks for the responses so far. A conversation today with some Americans brought my mind back to this thread.
If people don't mind I would like to ask the following:
What's the joke with Ohio? A lot of Americans I've talked to and some of the responses seem to indicate there is something funny about this state.
In Ireland we have two counties Leitrim and Roscommon. Leitrim gets laughed at for being super rural, Roscommon for being a nowhere land disconnected from the rest of the universe. Is Ohio laughed at for being the former or the latter?
Finally I'd love to hear people's thoughts on some of the states we don't really hear about over here. Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho or Iowa.

Replies to this message:
 Message 32 by anglagard, posted 05-29-2009 9:37 PM Son Goku has not replied
 Message 33 by Theodoric, posted 05-30-2009 12:46 AM Son Goku has not replied

  
anglagard
Member (Idle past 836 days)
Posts: 2339
From: Socorro, New Mexico USA
Joined: 03-18-2006


Message 32 of 42 (510311)
05-29-2009 9:37 PM
Reply to: Message 31 by Son Goku
05-29-2009 6:34 PM


My wife is from Iowa as she did her first 32 years there. From the way she talks, one would think it is paradise.
However after having been dragged over there due to her brothers who never left town, I can say it is just a typical farming state which has the usual assortment of people.
Some coastal provincials like to think it is somehow backward, but like the rest of the US since the invention of radio, television and the internet, it is no more backward than NYC or San Francisco. In fact the people are far more sophisticated, on average, than they are here in West Texas.
Considering that in most every metric such as education, quality of life, low crime, happiness, etc. it usually comes out far ahead of most other states, in the same range as Vermont or New Hampshire.
To me however, it lacks mountains and is somewhat monotonous. Worse, the first winter I visited it was 25 below zero Fahrenheit for a week, a definite drawback for an old desert rat like me.

Read not to contradict and confute, not to believe and take for granted, not to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider - Francis Bacon
The more we understand particular things, the more we understand God - Spinoza

This message is a reply to:
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Replies to this message:
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Theodoric
Member
Posts: 9076
From: Northwest, WI, USA
Joined: 08-15-2005
Member Rating: 3.7


Message 33 of 42 (510321)
05-30-2009 12:46 AM
Reply to: Message 31 by Son Goku
05-29-2009 6:34 PM


Re: Great responses!
I was born in Massachusetts, grew up in Pennsylvania, finished high school in Ohio, went to college in Minnesota, lived 6 years in North Carolina, back in Minnesota for 16 years and now because of my lovely wife am a Wisconsinite. What do you want to know? I can tell you a little about a lot of stuff.

Facts don't lie or have an agenda. Facts are just facts

This message is a reply to:
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roxrkool
Member (Idle past 988 days)
Posts: 1497
From: Nevada
Joined: 03-23-2003


Message 34 of 42 (510450)
05-31-2009 10:41 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by Son Goku
11-12-2008 6:54 PM


Since birth, I've lived in Texas, Oregon, Washington, California, Nevada, Mexico, and presently, Colorado. I've lived the longest in Nevada (~20 years) and Colorado (10 years) and consider myself mainly Nevadan, but now leaning towards Coloradan. I expect that the longer I live here, I will feel more comfortable calling myself a Coloradan. However, since I have lived in so many states, I seem to identify more with being from the Western U.S.
A Westerner, I suppose. Though we really don't use such a term on this side of the States.

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Blue Jay
Member (Idle past 2697 days)
Posts: 2843
From: You couldn't pronounce it with your mouthparts
Joined: 02-04-2008


Message 35 of 42 (510520)
06-01-2009 12:04 AM
Reply to: Message 32 by anglagard
05-29-2009 9:37 PM


Iowa
I was born in Missouri, but I spent my first half of my life (13 years) in Iowa. I don't remember it all that well, except that it was pretty much one big cornfield with some soybeans and pig farms mixed in. And, the winters were cold.
I spent my teenage years in Tennessee, so I sometimes consider myself a Southerner when it suits me, like when I went to college in Utah and had to explain why I sometimes say "y'all" and "might could," despite not having a Southern accent. But, before Utah and after Tennessee, I lived in Taiwan for two years as a missionary.
Now, I'm in grad school in Kentucky (close to home), so now, to most people, I'm a Westerner who lives in the South, despite being from Tennessee. And, my parents just moved to Michigan, so I don't have the direct ties to Tennessee anymore.
I think I'm more likely to identify myself with Mormon culture than with any regional culture (as creepy as they may seem).

-Bluejay (a.k.a. Mantis, Thylacosmilus)
Darwin loves you.

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Perdition
Member (Idle past 3237 days)
Posts: 1593
From: Wisconsin
Joined: 05-15-2003


Message 36 of 42 (510560)
06-01-2009 12:25 PM
Reply to: Message 9 by FliesOnly
11-13-2008 7:56 AM


At the same time, however, I do consider myself a part of the upper mid-west and do not mind being associated with Wisconsin, Minnesota, and/or to some extent...even Ontario.
But do they want to be associated with you?
I can tell you that I consider myself a Wisconsinite more than a "midwesterner" or "great lake stater" and sports is a big thing in my state, especially football where I'm from (just south of Green Bay) so we have a big rivalry with Minnesota (both collegiate and professional) and to a lesser extent, Michigan (when Detroit wins the NFC North division, I will eat whatever type of vehicle is still being produced there).
My parents are both from Michigan, one from the UP, one from the lower peninsula, and I was technically born in Texas, but anything that even mentions Wisconsin makes me listen harder than mention of any other state or region does.
Edited by Perdition, : made better indication of humor in first line...

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Perdition
Member (Idle past 3237 days)
Posts: 1593
From: Wisconsin
Joined: 05-15-2003


Message 37 of 42 (510561)
06-01-2009 12:31 PM
Reply to: Message 17 by RAZD
11-13-2008 9:00 PM


Re: middle muddle
Michigan, btw, is the state that Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox come from (some other states try to lay claim, but it's really Michigan).
Then why is it that when the Badgers and the Gophers play, they're competeing for Paul Bunyan's axe?

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Perdition
Member (Idle past 3237 days)
Posts: 1593
From: Wisconsin
Joined: 05-15-2003


Message 38 of 42 (510562)
06-01-2009 12:33 PM
Reply to: Message 20 by cavediver
11-14-2008 3:35 AM


Re: middle muddle
KSR's Mars Trilogy (Red, Green, Blue Mars)
Off topic, but since you brought it up...I really liked those books. I'm a big fan of Mars, even going so far as to get into Ben Bova's Grand Tour series because I read his books Mars and Return to Mars, two of the best stories relating to the exploration of Mars I've ever read.

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Theodoric
Member
Posts: 9076
From: Northwest, WI, USA
Joined: 08-15-2005
Member Rating: 3.7


Message 39 of 42 (510565)
06-01-2009 12:42 PM
Reply to: Message 17 by RAZD
11-13-2008 9:00 PM


Re: middle muddle
Michigan, btw, is the state that Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox come from (some other states try to lay claim, but it's really Michigan).
You better not say that in Bemidji or Brainerd,MN.
The statue in Bemidji is pretty creepy looking though. Looks like grade schoolers did it.
Edited by Adminnemooseus, : Thumbnail the photo.

Facts don't lie or have an agenda. Facts are just facts

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Hyroglyphx
Inactive Member


Message 40 of 42 (511127)
06-06-2009 10:58 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by Son Goku
11-12-2008 6:54 PM


State pride
This is something I've been wondering and hopefully the people of this forum will help answer my questions.
The basic question is:
How much does one's State (e.g., Alabama) define one's identity?
Do people associate themselves more with a region, such as seeing themselves as a Southerner or a New Englander or is it common to identify with their state?
I know people from Texas and other such large states identify with their state, but I'm not sure about smaller states.
If so what does being a Nebraskan, e.t.c. mean to you?
Finally I am aware that there are many who do not identify with such things.
Yes, to some degree that happens in the States, but doesn't that happen everywhere with cities? I imagine it's like this: Manchester and London have tongue-in-cheek rivalries with each other... that is, until an outsider of their country, like Berlin, comes storming in. All of a sudden the fact that Manchester and London are in the same country is grounds for unifying against the Berliner.
Texans see themselves as Texans before they see themselves as Americans. They're Texans first, Americans second. Most other states don't really think this way. It is definitely a strange thing going on with Texas. This, of course, does not encompass all Texans. I have an uncle who's a Texan and he doesn't give a crap about all of that.
New Yorkers are really prone to it too. Some places in the US are just really prideful about their city or state. There does not seem to be much rhyme or reason to it.
In some cases it's regional, as inquired about. Southerns might be hostile to Northerners and West Coasters hostile to East Coasters and vice versa. All in all I don't think most people care, especially when a common goal unites them in perfect harmony... Like September 11th. Boston and New York may have a sports rivalry, but you know that Boston put aside the trivial rivalry and grieved with New York on a day like that.
I guess it's kind of like that Son Goku. Hope that helps.
Edited by Hyroglyphx, : Spelling errors

"An idealist believes the short run doesn't count. A cynic believes the long run doesn't matter. A realist believes that what is done or left undone in the short run determines the long run." --Sydney J. Harris--

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by Son Goku, posted 11-12-2008 6:54 PM Son Goku has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 41 by lyx2no, posted 06-06-2009 12:12 PM Hyroglyphx has replied

  
lyx2no
Member (Idle past 4716 days)
Posts: 1277
From: A vast, undifferentiated plane.
Joined: 02-28-2008


Message 41 of 42 (511134)
06-06-2009 12:12 PM
Reply to: Message 40 by Hyroglyphx
06-06-2009 10:58 AM


State Name Pride
There does not seem to be much rhyme or reason to it.
Ya' got to admit the name has a bit to do with it. Being a Texan sounds cool; being a Mainard is pretty lame.

Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions. Ideas must be distinct before reason can act upon them.
Thomas Jefferson

This message is a reply to:
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Hyroglyphx
Inactive Member


Message 42 of 42 (511139)
06-06-2009 12:32 PM
Reply to: Message 41 by lyx2no
06-06-2009 12:12 PM


Re: State Name Pride
Ya' got to admit the name has a bit to do with it. Being a Texan sounds cool
It does have a nice ring to it.
Maybe it is because Texas seceded from the nation and was sovereign for like two years.

"An idealist believes the short run doesn't count. A cynic believes the long run doesn't matter. A realist believes that what is done or left undone in the short run determines the long run." --Sydney J. Harris--

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