NationStates Jolt Archive

Because of misunderstandings that frequently develop when Easterners and Californians cross state lines such as Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, their Tourism Councils have adopted a set of information guidelines. In an effort to help outsiders understand the Midwest, the following list will be handed to each driver entering the state:

1. That farm boy standing next to the feed bin did more work before breakfast than you do all week at the gym.

2. It's called a 'gravel road' No matter how slow you drive, you're going to get dust on your car.

3. We all started hunting and fishing when we were seven years old. Yeah, we saw Bambi. We got over it.

4. Any references to "corn fed" when talking about our women will get you whipped... by our women.

5. Go ahead and bring your $600 Orvis Fly Rod. Don't cry to us if a flathead catfish breaks it off at the handle. We have a name for those little trout you fish for...bait.

6. Pull your pants up. You look like an idiot.

7. If that cell phone rings while a bunch of mallards are making their final approach, we will shoot it! You might hope you don't have it up to your ear at the time.

8. That's right. Whiskey is only two bucks. We can buy a fifth for what you paid in the airport for one drink.

9. No, there's no "Vegetarian Special" on the menu. Order steak. Order it rare. Or, you can order the Chef's Salad and pick off the two pounds of ham and turkey.

10. You bring Coke into my house, it better be brown, wet, and served over ice.

11. So you have a sixty-thousand dollar car you drive on weekends. We're real impressed. We have a quarter of a million dollar combine that we use two weeks a year.

12. Let's get this straight. We have one stoplight in town. We stop when it's red. We may even stop when it's yellow.

13. Our women hunt, fish, and drive trucks--because they want to. So, you're a feminist. Isn't that cute. :D

14. Yeah, we eat catfish. Carp, too--and turtle. You really want sushi and caviar? It's available at the bait shop.

15. They are pigs. That's what they smell like. Get over it. Don't like it? Interstates 70, 80, & 90 go two ways--Interstates 29, 35, & 69 go the other two. Pick one and use it accordingly.

16. The "Opener" refers to the first day of deer season. It's a religious holiday. You can get breakfast at the church.

17. So every person in every pickup waves. It's called being friendly. Understand the concept?

18. Yeah, we have golf courses. Just don't hit in the water hazard. It spooks our fish.

19. That Highway Patrol Officer that just pulled you over for driving like an idiot...his name is "Sir"...no matter how old he is.

Now, enjoy your visit!

Having moved from Urban areas to the country, I find most of that eerily accurate. And yes, I've started waving to other drivers. My wife is most proud.

If I waved to everyone on the NJ Turnpike I'd die in a fiery crash.

The list just sounds dismal.

If I waved to everyone on the NJ Turnpike I'd die in a fiery crash.

The list just sounds dismal.

Why?

If I waved to everyone on the NJ Turnpike I'd die in a fiery crash.

The list just sounds dismal.

We have a different sort of waving that we all do on the road in Massachusetts.

We have a different sort of waving that we all do on the road in Massachusetts.

"You're number 1!! You're number 1!! " :)

If I waved to everyone on the NJ Turnpike I'd die in a fiery crash.

The list just sounds dismal.
Maybe, but maybe the other drivers behind you with places to go and business to conduct would shoot you for slowing them down.

Country people don't understand. We're not rude, we just have alot of shit to do and can't waste time waving or exchanging small talk.

You don't think we have farms, rural areas and hunters in California? Talk about a disconnect...

"1. That farm boy standing next to the feed bin did more work before breakfast than you do all week at the gym."
He gets paid to do it.

We have a different sort of waving that we all do on the road in Massachusetts"You're number 1!! You're number 1!! " :)
*Waves like Sdaeriji*:upyours:

Why?

Smell of pigs

More work before I get up in the morning than a week at the gym

one stoplight

corn fed women who can kick my ass

hunting

fishing

A completely different world than I am used to is all.

Smell of pigs

More work before I get up in the morning than a week at the gym

one stoplight

corn fed women who can kick my ass

hunting

fishing

A completely different world than I am used to is all.

Different, but not dismall. I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, then went into the Navy (stationed in all urban areas). I went to college in a rural area of IL and worked on a historical farm for 5 years (1840's) now own a few acres of woodlands w/ a house on it in the middle of nowhere. Except for trying to get out of the driveway when it snows, I enjoy it.

You don't think we have farms, rural areas and hunters in California? Talk about a disconnect...

Yup. I guess I shouldn't talk about working on my grandfathers farm. ;)

19. That Highway Patrol Officer that just pulled you over for driving like an idiot...his name is "Sir"...no matter how old he is.

Thats a rural thing? I thought it was an officer-of-the-law thing. Can you really get away with not calling a cop "sir" in some places? Maybe its just the whole Chicago thing...being respectful is good for your health.

Thats a rural thing? I thought it was an officer-of-the-law thing. Can you really get away with not calling a cop "sir" in some places? Maybe its just the whole Chicago thing...being respectful is good for your health.
I always call cops "sir". It cuts down a little bit on tickets and arrests.

Nobody in a Blue State has to worry about whether or not Jeff Foxworthy is talking about his or her family during a routine.

Different, but not dismall. I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, then went into the Navy (stationed in all urban areas). I went to college in a rural area of IL and worked on a historical farm for 5 years (1840's) now own a few acres of woodlands w/ a house on it in the middle of nowhere. Except for trying to get out of the driveway when it snows, I enjoy it.

It just would be a major culture shock for me - I grew up in a city and live 8 minutes from NYC at the moment. Other than the smell of pigs and corn fed women who can kick my ass - perhaps dismal was the wrong word to use. No offense.

"1. That farm boy standing next to the feed bin did more work before breakfast than you do all week at the gym."
He gets paid to do it.
Um, no. Not unless you count not gettin a whoopin and bead and a big breakfast "pay"... (I don't count "industrial farms".

You don't think we have farms, rural areas and hunters in California? Talk about a disconnect...
Yah, and 'dey probably are part of the greater Red County conspiracy too ya betcha.

Then again, Napa Valley and Migrant Labor doesn't exactly equate to the Corn Belt either...

cross state lines such as Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota

People actually go to those places?

Wait, I thought Michigan was a blue state.........

*looks around*

Yeah, it's pretty blue. Not entirely blue, that's for sure, but even in rural areas there are a large number of Democrats here. However, our Democrats often put pictures of themselves in blaze orange on their campaign materials. At least they did last year :)

I think you may mean urban/rural disconnect, which is similar, but not quite the same.

People actually go to those places?

There is a world outside of LA and NYC, you know. You should check it out sometime. You may like it.

Yah, and 'dey probably are part of the greater Red County conspiracy too ya betcha.

Then again, Napa Valley and Migrant Labor doesn't exactly equate to the Corn Belt either...


Pssst. Napa isn't the only farming area......

There is a world outside of LA and NYC, you know. You should check it out sometime. You may like it.

Yeah there IS a world outside those two places. There's even a world outside the states mentioned! :eek:

good list, sounds about right for here.

:D


btw I had probably done more than a full weeks worth of work in the between 3am and 8am in the mornings some days on the farm. I didn't get paid at all. (unless you count, not getting thrown out on the streets as pay)

I think you may mean urban/rural disconnect, which is similar, but not quite the same.

Outside of places like Michigan and Wisconsin, most of the rural areas of the US, according to the county map of red and blue, are fairly red.

Because of misunderstandings that frequently develop when Easterners and Californians cross state lines such as Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, their Tourism Councils have adopted a set of information guidelines. In an effort to help outsiders understand the Midwest, the following list will be handed to each driver entering the state:

you are aware, of course, that not only are indiana, illinois, wisconsin, michigan, minnesota, and (to a slightly lesser extent) iowa urban states, but the whole list is also largely 'blue' in terms of who they vote for. currently, not a single one of those states has two republican senators and 4 of them have two dems. and that number was higher in the recent past. they are also evenly split on governors.

and the non-urban parts of these states (like everywhere else) are outright dying or being absorbed into the endlessly growing cities. the future lies with the urbanites.

"1. That farm boy standing next to the feed bin did more work before breakfast than you do all week at the gym."
He gets paid to do it.

I never did.......

Yeah there IS a world outside those two places. There's even a world outside the states mentioned!

Yes, there certainly is. I can't say I've been everywhere, but I've been around. I lived in Colorado Springs, Colorado and Frankfurt, Germany when I lived out of state. I've visited every country in western Europe (except Britain and Portugal) and most states between Colorado and Virginia. And with luck I'll be going to Angers, France my next fall semester to study.

Not all of us in the states mentioned are ignorant hicks who refuse to leave their states.

and the non-urban parts of these states (like everywhere else) are outright dying or being absorbed into the endlessly growing cities. the future lies with the urbanites.

I guess you never noticed the incredibly burgeoning suburbs, which are bleeding the cities of all of their jobs, wealth, tax revenue, and people who have money.

Detroit being the prime example of this.

I guess you never noticed the incredibly burgeoning suburbs, which are bleeding the cities of all of their jobs, wealth, tax revenue, and people who have money.

burbs are part of the cities. they are intimately tied to them culturally, economically, and politically. and as time progresses they become completely indistinguishable from the old city proper.

Not all of us in the states mentioned are ignorant hicks who refuse to leave their states.

And not all of us who make comments when some uppity internet jokes come about how all Californians and Easterners have cell phones, use coke, have 60,000 dollar cars etc.... are people who live in NYC or LA.

People actually go to those places?
They mostly fly over them or drive through on their way to real places, mostly.

I thought I'd give reductivness a try. Mostly because I'm suprised no ones done it yet....

1. That dirty hippie standing there sold his company for millions of dollars at 27 and now spends his days volunteering and working on art.

2. It's traffic. You might want to get a good stereo in that car and get comfortable, because no amount of bitching will make it go away. We already tried.

3. We've learned to go into the woods every once in a while without killing something. Turns out it's just as fun.

4. You can call them 'faggots,' just keep in mind that here you're outnumbered.

5. There are seatbelts on that fishing chair for a reason. We have a name for people yanked off the deck of the boat by a shark. Chum.

6. He thinks you're dressed like an idiot, too. Difference is he doesn't care.

7. We're on the phone 'cause we got shit to do. We'll point you to the Golden Gate bridge in a second.

8. It's a microbrew. Started by the dirty hippie you saw earlier with some of that money. If you want we can dump a bunch of water in it so it can taste more like what you're used to...

9. Yes, half the menu doesn't have meat on it. Turns out there are like three other food groups.

10. Yeah, that's weed we're smoking. It's really good here. If this offends you you're more than welcome to go get drunk, get in a brawl, smash your truck and go home and beat your wife. We're getting some snacks.

11. Our car isn't for you. It's for us. That's why we drive it instead of giving it to you when you got here.

12. It's an intersection. You're going to want to decide what you're going to do before you're in the middle of it.

13. Our women do whatever they want to do.

14. We live in a seaport. Great thing about that is we can try all kinds of foods instead of the same thing every night.

15. It's an ocean. Here's the thing-it's really big and the coast is long. You don't have to stop in the middle of the road every time you see it, it'll pop up again around the next corner.

16. Lots of people do lots of different things during the year. You'll have to be more specific when you ask, "What's goin' on this time of year?"

17. There are several million people here. It's going to take you a long ass time to wave at each one of them. You might want to just get moving...

18. Yeah, that's a golf course. You might recognize it from the PGA tour. The water trap is the ocean, so bring a spare ball.

19. We've video taped our police beating people with sticks and they got away with it. Keep that in mind.

Now, enjoy your visit!

Not that I really think people from land locked states are that incapable understanding thier surroundings our would need such a guide...just wanted to play along...

I always call cops "sir". It cuts down a little bit on tickets and arrests.

I used to be polite to cops when they pulled me over, but I never got a break, not once, ever.

Now I ask them how they feel about having eliminated all violent crime. When they get confused, I point out that there must be absolutely no rapes, murders or muggings going on if they have the time to spend sitting on a highway staking it out to look for me speeding.

Its all red-light overtime anyway, so fuck them, it's not like they are going to do anything but give me a ticket.

I wouldn't try this on in pigsknuckle or bumfuck in the south.

burbs are part of the cities. they are intimately tied to them culturally, economically, and politically. and as time progresses they become completely indistinguishable from the old city proper.

Well, that's the way it tends to work, unless you live in Metro Detroit. Then the city is utterly dependant on the suburbs because the administration of the city is utterly corrupt and inept. The result is a bankrupt city bilking money from successful suburbs. A lot of Detroit residents commute to work in the suburbs, and a lot of the suburban residents commute to other areas besides Detroit (I live in Romulus but work in Ann Arbor for instance.)

So the theory doesn't always hold.

Well, that's the way it tends to work, unless you live in Metro Detroit. Then the city is utterly dependant on the suburbs because the administration of the city is utterly corrupt and inept. The result is a bankrupt city bilking money from successful suburbs. A lot of Detroit residents commute to work in the suburbs, and a lot of the suburban residents commute to other areas besides Detroit (I live in Romulus but work in Ann Arbor for instance.)

So the theory doesn't always hold.

Sounds like Washington, D.C. The city is utterly dependent on the suburbs, which hold far, far more people, jobs, money, shopping centers, housing, etc, than the useless rotting city at the center.

I used to be polite to cops when they pulled me over, but I never got a break, not once, ever.

Now I ask them how they feel about having eliminated all violent crime. When they get confused, I point out that there must be absolutely no rapes, murders or muggings going on if they have the time to spend sitting on a highway staking it out to look for me speeding.

Its all red-light overtime anyway, so fuck them, it's not like they are going to do anything but give me a ticket.

I wouldn't try this on in pigsknuckle or bumfuck in the south.
Being polite to cops has made the difference between a concealed weapons charge or just confiscation of my knife.

Being polite to cops has made the difference between a concealed weapons charge or just confiscation of my knife.

I am a bit of a chronic speeder, so I long ago realized that I shouldn't drive unless everything else was completely above board.

Also, I only do this with guys on red light OT, they really don't want the hasslel of doing anything more than writing the ticket, so it's the price they pay for using the legal system as a community chest. It's not like they are going to do anything about it.

If I was stopped by an actual Cop on the street who was doing regular police work, I would probably be polite.

Because of misunderstandings that frequently develop when Easterners and Californians cross state lines such as Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, their Tourism Councils have adopted a set of information guidelines. In an effort to help outsiders understand the Midwest, the following list will be handed to each driver entering the state:

1. That farm boy standing next to the feed bin did more work before breakfast than you do all week at the gym.

2. It's called a 'gravel road' No matter how slow you drive, you're going to get dust on your car.

3. We all started hunting and fishing when we were seven years old. Yeah, we saw Bambi. We got over it.

4. Any references to "corn fed" when talking about our women will get you whipped... by our women.

5. Go ahead and bring your $600 Orvis Fly Rod. Don't cry to us if a flathead catfish breaks it off at the handle. We have a name for those little trout you fish for...bait.

6. Pull your pants up. You look like an idiot.

7. If that cell phone rings while a bunch of mallards are making their final approach, we will shoot it! You might hope you don't have it up to your ear at the time.

8. That's right. Whiskey is only two bucks. We can buy a fifth for what you paid in the airport for one drink.

9. No, there's no "Vegetarian Special" on the menu. Order steak. Order it rare. Or, you can order the Chef's Salad and pick off the two pounds of ham and turkey.

10. You bring Coke into my house, it better be brown, wet, and served over ice.

11. So you have a sixty-thousand dollar car you drive on weekends. We're real impressed. We have a quarter of a million dollar combine that we use two weeks a year.

12. Let's get this straight. We have one stoplight in town. We stop when it's red. We may even stop when it's yellow.

13. Our women hunt, fish, and drive trucks--because they want to. So, you're a feminist. Isn't that cute. :D

14. Yeah, we eat catfish. Carp, too--and turtle. You really want sushi and caviar? It's available at the bait shop.

15. They are pigs. That's what they smell like. Get over it. Don't like it? Interstates 70, 80, & 90 go two ways--Interstates 29, 35, & 69 go the other two. Pick one and use it accordingly.

16. The "Opener" refers to the first day of deer season. It's a religious holiday. You can get breakfast at the church.

17. So every person in every pickup waves. It's called being friendly. Understand the concept?

18. Yeah, we have golf courses. Just don't hit in the water hazard. It spooks our fish.

19. That Highway Patrol Officer that just pulled you over for driving like an idiot...his name is "Sir"...no matter how old he is.

Now, enjoy your visit!

Even though I live in Nevada now, I will gladly take you to a town in California that will easily disprove ALL of those generalities about California. One town not enough? Let's go for a very long drive!

That boy with his pants down? Sorry, it's my cousin and he was running through a cow field drunk off his ass on moonshine.

We know what venison (yummy) is. Heck, all I had to do was walk out my front door to know when hunting season began. I learned how to use a gun when I was four.

The smell of pigs? I know it well... too well.

The last California town I lived in only had one cop and we called her "Ma'am". She got pissed when we called her "Sir". :D

You made me laugh though. Thanks!

And not all of us who make comments when some uppity internet jokes come about how all Californians and Easterners have cell phones, use coke, have 60,000 dollar cars etc.... are people who live in NYC or LA.

Fair enough.

you are aware, of course, that not only are indiana, illinois, wisconsin, michigan, minnesota, and (to a slightly lesser extent) iowa urban states, but the whole list is also largely 'blue' in terms of who they vote for. currently, not a single one of those states has two republican senators and 4 of them have two dems. and that number was higher in the recent past. they are also evenly split on governors.

and the non-urban parts of these states (like everywhere else) are outright dying or being absorbed into the endlessly growing cities. the future lies with the urbanites.


I can't speak for the other states, but Illinois is only blue because of Chicago and the North Shore. Once you get outside of the Chicagoland area, Illinois is a pretty conservative state and the downstaters are ALWAYS feeling disenfranchised.

As for non-urban parts dying, thats not really the case in Illinois. They're just stagnant.

I guess you never noticed the incredibly burgeoning suburbs, which are bleeding the cities of all of their jobs, wealth, tax revenue, and people who have money.


Again, not the case in Chicago. All you have to do is take one look at property values. A good chunk of urban areas are starting to see the exact opposite of the 50's white flight. Sure, parts of the city are still shitholes, but I can think of some neighborhoods that I wouldn't walk through during the day a few years ago where a 2 bedroom condo goes for half a million.

[QUOTE=Lacadaemon]I used to be polite to cops when they pulled me over, but I never got a break, not once, ever.

Now I ask them how they feel about having eliminated all violent crime. When they get confused, I point out that there must be absolutely no rapes, murders or muggings going on if they have the time to spend sitting on a highway staking it out to look for me speeding. /QUOTE]

See, thats the kind of attitude that will get you what Chicago cops politely refer to as "a tune-up." Trust me, its more trouble than it's worth. When you get pulled over, apologize for making their day difficult, call them sir, treat them well, admit you made a mistake, and think of a good backstory to weave in. I've gotten two tickets in my life and I've been pulled over literally dozens of time. A little bit of courtesy and some social engineering can work wonders, especially if you're caught red hand blowing a stopsign at 45 mph on a curve where the limit is 15.

See, thats the kind of attitude that will get you what Chicago cops politely refer to as "a tune-up." Trust me, its more trouble than it's worth. When you get pulled over, apologize for making their day difficult, call them sir, treat them well, admit you made a mistake, and think of a good backstory to weave in. I've gotten two tickets in my life and I've been pulled over literally dozens of time. A little bit of courtesy and some social engineering can work wonders, especially if you're caught red hand blowing a stopsign at 45 mph on a curve where the limit is 15.
Wouldn't it just be simpler to not blow a stopsign at 45 mph on a curve where the limit is 15?

you are aware, of course, that not only are indiana, illinois, wisconsin, michigan, minnesota, and (to a slightly lesser extent) iowa urban states, but the whole list is also largely 'blue' in terms of who they vote for. currently, not a single one of those states has two republican senators and 4 of them have two dems. and that number was higher in the recent past. they are also evenly split on governors.
And Yet, had I titled the thread "Funny City/Rural Comparison" would it have gotten as many hits?

"Know Your Target" - Hack Nike's Marketing 101. :rolleyes:
and the non-urban parts of these states (like everywhere else) are outright dying or being absorbed into the endlessly growing cities. the future lies with the urbanites.Who don't know dick about what it takes to feed themselves, much less the US and a goodly part of the Third World (at least when the Dictators allow the food through...) :rolleyes:

But, if you don't want to believe me, go watch the Penn & Teller "Bullshit" episode on Food. Freaky Urban Rich people trying to tell Agroscientists, Farmers and Countries what and how they should eat. Peh.

People actually go to those places?

What can I say? Wisconsin isn't for the weak. :D

Because of misunderstandings that frequently develop when Easterners and Californians cross state lines such as Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, their Tourism Councils have adopted a set of information guidelines. In an effort to help outsiders understand the Midwest, the following list will be handed to each driver entering the state:

<snip>

Now, enjoy your visit!
Sounds a lot like heaven.*


* "Heaven" is North Carolina! :D


BTW ... this one is my favorite: "4. Any references to "corn fed" when talking about our women will get you whipped... by our women." :D

I went to college in a rural area of IL and worked on a historical farm for 5 years (1840's) now own a few acres of woodlands w/ a house on it in the middle of nowhere. Except for trying to get out of the driveway when it snows, I enjoy it.
I would too! SIGH! [ wistful look ]

btw I had probably done more than a full weeks worth of work in the between 3am and 8am in the mornings some days on the farm. I didn't get paid at all. (unless you count, not getting thrown out on the streets as pay)
Good for what ails ya! :D

Outside of places like Michigan and Wisconsin, most of the rural areas of the US, according to the county map of red and blue, are fairly red.
That's because actually having to work for a living, getting some of your own food, owning a gun and knowing how to use it, being around people who are relatively self-reliant and responsible, knowing that God's last name is not "damn," and that feedom isn't free ... will make you wise. :D

Good for what ails ya! :D
yeah, I only had to work during the summers (thank God) I had considered making my kids do it too, but with thier wheat problems and the fact that my uncle has since switched from cows to wheat and cows I think they might actually die if they had to :( I may have to buy my own farm so that I can make my kids hate me:p

yeah, I only had to work during the summers (thank God) I had considered making my kids do it too, but with thier wheat problems and the fact that my uncle has since switched from cows to wheat and cows I think they might actually die if they had to :( I may have to buy my own farm so that I can make my kids hate me:p
LOL! They may say that when having to get up at zero-dark-thirty at the age of six, but later they will rise up and call you blessed! :D

I thought I'd give reductivness a try. Mostly because I'm suprised no ones done it yet....<snip>
Not that I really think people from land locked states are that incapable understanding thier surroundings our would need such a guide...just wanted to play along...
Much Better! :D Crap, I was thinking that maybe I hit below the belt or somthing...

I currently live in Indiana and hate every minute of it.

I want to live in California or some place where the weather doesn't change every five seconds!

See, thats the kind of attitude that will get you what Chicago cops politely refer to as "a tune-up." Trust me, its more trouble than it's worth. When you get pulled over, apologize for making their day difficult, call them sir, treat them well, admit you made a mistake, and think of a good backstory to weave in. I've gotten two tickets in my life and I've been pulled over literally dozens of time. A little bit of courtesy and some social engineering can work wonders, especially if you're caught red hand blowing a stopsign at 45 mph on a curve where the limit is 15.

Bah! I am talking about the cock-knockers that are out doing their red light OT. They are not going to tune anyone up for any reason, they just want to write their tickets and be on their way.

I wouldn't be rude to a cop who is actually on duty doing his job.

Lived in a rural area most of my life. Feel closed in because I can stand on my front porch and see 3 other houses. I think the difference is that rural people have been in the city and know how to get around in the city. Most city people don't have a clue how to get along in a rural area.

The other problem is city people think their problems are geography--their problems are culture. So they move to a rural area thinking they are leaving the problems behinds. Instead they pollute the country by bringing their culture with them. All of a sudden our schools have "city" problems.

On the humor side, It just amazes me when I hear a city person talk about a 5 acre "farm" and a 10 acre "ranch". I'm sorry to disappoint you but a "farm" covers hundreds of acres, and a "ranch" covers tens (maybe hundreds) of sections (square miles). In ranch land your nearest neighbor is probably 10 miles away. But that doesn't mean you're isolated. It means you take your airplane to the city for diner on the week-ends.

The county in Nebraska I grew up in had 2,000 people. It wasn't a small county by Nebraska standards.

I wouldn't be rude to a cop who is actually on duty doing his job.

If you break the law and they write you a ticket for them, they are on duty doing thier job.

I have no patience for people who are rude to cops, at all.

99% of thier job is dealing with the crap we don't want to deal with only maybe 1% of the time do they ever get to deal with anyone but the scum of the earth.

I am always respectful to police officers, even when they write me a ticket. The world would be a crappy place if they didn't show up to work one day.

I could be biased though since my life has been saved by a police officer more than once. (or because one of my close friends is a cop, who tells me the stories of the disgusting people who cuss him out because they break the law and get caught.)

If you break the law and they write you a ticket for them, they are on duty doing thier job.

I have no patience for people who are rude to cops, at all.

99% of thier job is dealing with the crap we don't want to deal with only maybe 1% of the time do they ever get to deal with anyone but the scum of the earth.

I am always respectful to police officers, even when they write me a ticket. The world would be a crappy place if they didn't show up to work one day.

I could be biased though since my life has been saved by a police officer more than once. (or because one of my close friends is a cop, who tells me the stories of the disgusting people who cuss him out because they break the law and get caught.)

The NYPD spent most of the late eighties and early nineties not showing up to work in large parts of the city. And that is why cops hate Guliani.

When the NYPD and the police forces of the surrounding counties abandon red light overtime, the PBA card system, the hook system &c. I'll start being polite to them when I get pulled over for speeding on an empty road early on sunday morning.

But I refuse to be polite to someone who is handing out $200 tickets because he wants to make an extra days pay before christmas. If he wants more money, stop being a cop and get another job. There is simply no excuse for shaking people down, even if the state and city are in collusion with the scam.

I can't speak for the other states, but Illinois is only blue because of Chicago and the North Shore. Once you get outside of the Chicagoland area, Illinois is a pretty conservative state and the downstaters are ALWAYS feeling disenfranchised.

except for the other urbanized areas like the quad cities, peoria, champaign/urbana, and the st. louis burbs. which also happen to make up almost all of the rest of non-chicago illinois population.

As for non-urban parts dying, thats not really the case in Illinois. They're just stagnant.

actually, much of the state is experiencing negative population growth (including some of the lesser cities), except in the areas where urbanization is spreading outwards from earlier metropolitan and micropolitan centers. the same story applies pretty much everywhere - though much more dramatically out west, where most rural counties have experienced population losses between 5% and 40% in the past decade and none that i know of saw real increases unless they became filled with retirement and vacation houses for people from urban areas.

Outside of places like Michigan and Wisconsin, most of the rural areas of the US, according to the county map of red and blue, are fairly red.

and the reddest area of the country (that belt that runs up the middle from texas to montana) is also the part of the country that is absolutely hemorrhaging population at astronomical rates. i strongly suspect that that fact plays some role in the strange turn their politics has taken over the past couple decades.

and the reddest area of the country (that belt that runs up the middle from texas to montana) is also the part of the country that is absolutely hemorrhaging population at astronomical rates. i strongly suspect that that fact plays some role in the strange turn their politics has taken over the past couple decades.
I think the people who flee the suburbs and rural areas are those people who can't make it without help from the government. They tend to crowd into the urban areas.

I think, however, that the highest rate of growth is in the suburbs. They aren't completely red, but they aren't completely blue, either. Most people in the suburbs are getting the benefits of what might be considered Republican ideas - such as investment by the middle class in the stock market and real estate. They drive huge SUVs and want illegal aliens to do their landscaping and be their nannies. They have oversized houses on 1/4 acre lots. Their schools are new and modern, and the teachers in those schools have more than a bachelor's degree.

Meanwhile, in the center of the major urban areas, the rot is increasing at a greater and greater pace. Businesses are now fleeing the cities.

Even though I live in Nevada now
And sadly, Nevada is just weird enough to generate its own list, and fall well into both already stated. ;)

I think the people who flee the suburbs and rural areas are those people who can't make it without help from the government. They tend to crowd into the urban areas.
Hmm, no doubt why the rual red states get massive goverment help, far and above blue states. And don't forget the large hand outs to farms and the goverment buying crops.

Hmm, no doubt why the rual red states get massive goverment help, far and above blue states. And don't forget the large hand outs to farms and the goverment buying crops.
Most of the handouts to farms (and farm subsidies in general) are not going to farmers. They are going to corporate farms - to huge corporations that own most of the farmland in the US.

Outside of places like Michigan and Wisconsin, most of the rural areas of the US, according to the county map of red and blue, are fairly red.
That's because actually having to work for a living, getting some of your own food, owning a gun and knowing how to use it, being around people who are relatively self-reliant and responsible, knowing that God's last name is not "damn," and that feedom isn't free ... will make you wise. :D
Good grief, Eutrusca, you make it sound like farmers are never liberal.

The left of center party in Canada - the New Democrats - was started in part by prairie farmers, and it was in Saskatchewan (primarily farming province at the time) that started universal healthcare in Canada.

except for the other urbanized areas like the quad cities, peoria, champaign/urbana, and the st. louis burbs. which also happen to make up almost all of the rest of non-chicago illinois population.

Bah! They don't really count. Urbana is a college town and very few people from there actually vote in that district. The rest, well, they aren't really that populous. Going to Peoria or the Quad Cities is kind of like going to a ghost town. These aren't thriving communities, they're way stations for people who work somewhere else but want to be close to a mall.

And Peoria is the definition of sprawl. Blech.

Wouldn't it just be simpler to not blow a stopsign at 45 mph on a curve where the limit is 15?

Not if you know you have a better than even chance of getting away with it.

Most of the handouts to farms (and farm subsidies in general) are not going to farmers. They are going to corporate farms - to huge corporations that own most of the farmland in the US.

Subsidies are also destroying the economies of third-world nations by lowering farm prices so much that farmers in these countries are impoverished. This is especially true when first-world nations think they are helping them by giving them free food. Economic Idiocy!

Without farm subsidies much farmland would return to its natural state which is good for the environment, although the enivironmentalists never like to point this out because their political allies are the ones encoraging the subsidies.

I live in Wisconsin and I dislike hicks, any city in those states you mentioned with a population of more than 10,000 isn't anything like that. I really would like you to realize that you don't have to have a population of 500,000 to be a city, or have the culture of many people living in a city(or something resembling it). In the south and out west it might be a different story, but in the mid-west most people aren't hicks.

Farm subsidies, like all other government programs the last 25 years, go to the richest of the rich. 90% of the money goes to the richest 10%. The rest of the farmers get just enough to buy their votes to keep the money transfer going.

It does seem that certain areas of the country are very different, and many people are actually surprised...

Without the cities, farmers wouldn't have anybody to sell their crops to, no manufactured goods, and (without the port cities) no way to get their crops our or manufactured goods in.

Without the farms, inland cities would starve due to lack of cheap food, and coastal cities would be drastically smaller- seafood only supports so many people.

Each section is vital to the other, so rivalry is just sorta dumb.

Anyway, the area described in the OP sounds like my area. Admittedly, this part of California resembles West Virginia more than San Fransisco.

Interestingly, California went Republican in the 1980, 1984, and 1988 presidential elections. Whether the blue shift is caused by changing party stances, disillusionment after Bush I, or increased urbanization, I'm not sure.

Without the farms, inland cities would starve due to lack of cheap food, and coastal cities would be drastically smaller- seafood only supports so many people.

you'd be amazed what you can buy these days...

you'd be amazed what you can buy these days...

On overseas markets, aye. However, imports are, by their nature, more expensive than domestic-grown products. Plus, agriculture happens to be one of the US's big businesses- which is strange, since only around 3% is involved in it.

"1. That farm boy standing next to the feed bin did more work before breakfast than you do all week at the gym."
He gets paid to do it.
No. He doesn't. If he is a farmboy, he works for his family. FOR FREE.

If it wasn't for Milwaukee, Wisconsin would be a Republican stronghold of epic proportions.

It's getting better in terms of evening out the numbers though. Where I live (NE Wisconsin) is growing steadily, and Madison has always been a liberal area because of the University.

But the vast majority of local politicians are Republicans. We might have Democratic Senators, and be known as a "blue" state, but again, that's only because of Milwaukee.

I need to leave, it's bad enough that I live in a "red" area, but the weather sucks this time of year! :p

The NYPD spent most of the late eighties and early nineties not showing up to work in large parts of the city. And that is why cops hate Guliani.

When the NYPD and the police forces of the surrounding counties abandon red light overtime, the PBA card system, the hook system &c. I'll start being polite to them when I get pulled over for speeding on an empty road early on sunday morning.

But I refuse to be polite to someone who is handing out $200 tickets because he wants to make an extra days pay before christmas. If he wants more money, stop being a cop and get another job. There is simply no excuse for shaking people down, even if the state and city are in collusion with the scam.

Hey, if you did something to deserve that $200 ticket it's your fault not his that your getting it. I hate people like you who get mad at Cops for doing their jobs. Maybe next time you'll slow down or correct whatever it is you were doing. Laws are in place for a reason. So what if want's an extra day's pay before Christmas doesn't everybody? It all comes down to the fact that you are getting the ticket for a reason and you don't like you got caught no matter how you try and say it.

If it wasn't for Milwaukee, Wisconsin would be a Republican stronghold of epic proportions.

well, that and madison, eau claire, la crosse, stevens point, kenosha, racine, etc. the republicanness of green bay, appleton, oshkosh, and fond du lac confuses me. i blame the imagined historical ties to the founding of the republican party.

I need to leave, it's bad enough that I live in a "red" area, but the weather sucks this time of year! :p

scary thought - the winter weather is better in northern idaho than it is in wisconsin.

well, that and madison, eau claire, la crosse, stevens point, kenosha, racine, etc. the republicanness of green bay, appleton, oshkosh, and fond du lac confuses me. i blame the imagined historical ties to the founding of the republican party.

That might have a little to do with it...although I recently heard that the ORIGINAL Republican party headquarters has recently been turned into a Chinese restaurant. :p

The whole SE corner of the state (Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha) is pretty liberal. However, I don't know how often you've been to Eau Claire, or La Crosse, or Stevens Point, but their universities aren't anywhere near as large as Madison's, and the overall political atmosphere there still strikes me as fairly rightward leaning...

...Appleton actually isn't that bad, it's a fairly balanced city in terms of left/right politics...you're right though... GB, Fondy and Oshkosh are all conservative as hell.

I don't know how often you've been to Eau Claire, or La Crosse, or Stevens Point, but their universities aren't anywhere near as large as Madison's, and the overall political atmosphere there still strikes me as fairly rightward leaning...

i lived in point for 5 years - its uni and population are fairly small, but it's got a significant leftward tilt. the mayor's race a few years back was pretty much uncontested by the republicans, and was between the incumbent dem and the green, and there were two greens on the city council. i can't speak as much for eau claire or la crosse except indirectly and based on their votes for prez, senate, and the state assembly and senate (though those are pretty badly jerrymandered).

Hey, if you did something to deserve that $200 ticket it's your fault not his that your getting it. I hate people like you who get mad at Cops for doing their jobs. Maybe next time you'll slow down or correct whatever it is you were doing. Laws are in place for a reason. So what if want's an extra day's pay before Christmas doesn't everybody? It all comes down to the fact that you are getting the ticket for a reason and you don't like you got caught no matter how you try and say it.

He already pointed out that the "reason" is often that the state/city wants money and they're passing laws that no one will follow and then only punishing a relative handful of people for not following it. Therefore there will be no opposition to the law "hey! they're not enforcing it, so why should I care?"

This was virtually the explicitly given reason for Bloomberg's various "crackdowns" when he succeeded Guliani. Store owners were given $2,000 fines for having awnings that advertized more than just the store's name and phone number. The law against it was a blue law that hadn't been enforced in decades and practicly no one even knew about. They didn't announce, "hey, fix those awnings, they're too ugly." No, they sent swarms of cops around all at the same time so that as few people as possible would be able to comply with what was, in essence, a new law and collect money from them.

As the New York Post, the most pro-republican and pro-law enforcement paper in the country with the possible exception of Sun Myung Moon's Washington Times, put it, "it would have been simpler if they'd just walked in and robbed the place at gun point."

A couple of my friends are cops. I know for a fact that they are given a great deal of discretion in how they interpret and enforce the law. Things that are technically illegal are not supposed to be prevented all the time, even if the cop has nothing better to do. The police, as an institution, like to have an excuse to lock anyone up even if they can't find an actual reason.

The police, as an institution, like to have an excuse to lock anyone up even if they can't find an actual reason.

as the saying goes, "that's not a flaw, it's a feature"