Bill, always the charmer

[NowhereInTime]

Please, the only thing a craven regional bigot like you would know about Arkansas is, well, nothing.

"Regional bigot"? A stretch (as usual for you), but yeah. When it comes to dickey-doo Suthin' boys and their prideful ignorance, yeah, I'll own it.
Bubba Clinton, aside from impregnating some fuggo dixie gals, diddling his intern, and exporting jobs through NAFTA was the signatory of DOMA and the Great Moral Equivocator of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
He's got that suthin' boy jellyfish spine.
Everything I need to know about Arkansas I learned in Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee.

[Little Hater]

Don't forget South Carolina:

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/04/01/little-girls-quest-to-make-a-mammoth-her-states-official-fossil-stalls-amid-bible-verse-debate/

[West of the Rockies]

Well, I do know that the toothbrush was invented in Arkansas...  anywhere else, they would have called it a teethbrush!

Thank you!  I'm here all week... try the veal....

[bigchucka]

Everything I need to know about Tennessee I learned from Stephen Lynch.


http://youtu.be/_Nl3iT_lRjw

[Catsmile]

What do you get when 32 women from Tennessee get together?



A full set of teeth!!   

[West of the Rockies]

Honestly, I have a soft spot for Tennessee.  The first time I fell hopelessly in love (at all of 14) was with a young lady from Pulaski, Tennessee (birthplace of the Klan, btw--though my southern belle did not appear to be prejudiced).  That golden hair, that musical voice...  my heart still skips a beat!

[Catsmile]

What do you get when 32 women from Tennessee get together?



A full set of teeth!!   

Yeah, I was just joking, going along with the flow of the thread.
Everybody knows you only need 4 women from Tennessee to equal a full set of teeth.

Really though, Tennessee is okay in my book. They can make some good moonshine. Bought many a gallon there many moons ago.

[Foodlion]

Tennessee being my home state I can say that it's nothing as it once was. For those of us smart staters, we took advantage of cheap mountain land, and built our homesteads. I made the move years ago and own everything I have now. I have a large garden, 20+ fruit trees, and about 30 chickens that give me 17-20 eggs a day on the warmer seasons. I managed to do this all for the price of a 1 years cost of living in a bigger city.

If anyone wants to live the continental American dream, this is one of the last states to do so. I've seen good quality land for sale $800 per acre in remote areas. Land taxes are so low it's unreal. For me this is living life at it's best.

Also moonshine is 100% legal to make here. 250 gallons a year as long as you don't sell it. I have a half built Distiller that I've been working on slowly. Just missing the time to get around it.

Down side is the job selection isn't all that great. That's why I've started getting into the field of programming.

[Catsmile]

Tennessee being my home state I can say that it's nothing as it once was. For those of us smart staters, we took advantage of cheap mountain land, and built our homesteads. I made the move years ago and own everything I have now. I have a large garden, 20+ fruit trees, and about 30 chickens that give me 17-20 eggs a day on the warmer seasons. I managed to do this all for the price of a 1 years cost of living in a bigger city.

If anyone wants to live the continental American dream, this is one of the last states to do so. I've seen good quality land for sale $800 per acre in remote areas. Land taxes are so low it's unreal. For me this is living life at it's best.

Also moonshine is 100% legal to make here. 250 gallons a year as long as you don't sell it. I have a half built Distiller that I've been working on slowly. Just missing the time to get around it.

Down side is the job selection isn't all that great. That's why I've started getting into the field of programming.

Without a doubt all you say is true. Many years ago, I've thought of doing what you proposed above. Alas, as you say the job market is weak. And where people don't have jobs they will turn to crime in various forms to get by. Stealing vehicles was a big problem in East Tennessee, at the time my friend lived there 2 decades ago. And I can't stand a thief.

The lack of a good job near where I would liked to reside. Stealing of anything not nailed down, and zero ties to the state killed your idea for me.  Maybe one day though...

[West of the Rockies]

I think we all knew you were just joking, Catsmile (as was I about the toothbrush and Arkansas).  FoodLion, I am quite envious.  Shit, in California, you can't drive past an acre of land for under ten grand! 

[Foodlion]

I think we all knew you were just joking, Catsmile (as was I about the toothbrush and Arkansas).  FoodLion, I am quite envious.  Shit, in California, you can't drive past an acre of land for under ten grand!

The locals know that joke well. Even I've said it to them. It's not taken serious. I mention the Toothbrush was invented in Tennessee, else it would've been named a Teethbrush.

I used to live in Socal, east of San Diego. I liked it there but yes the dang cost of living was making it very difficult to enjoy. I miss the California desert, but I've been making plans to walk the CDT for years now. Maybe that will get me enough desert scenery to last a life time.

I can't stand a thief.

Same. I haven't had any thing stole from me except a few free ranging chickens. Anything else they have of mine is an indefinite borrowed item like a tool that they might think I don't remember they still have.
They ate the chickens so I decided to give them some of my new hatchlings the following year. Now they've got their own flocks and I don't have to worry about them messing with mine.
The neighbor girl used to steal eggs and tomatoes as well, but they were pretty low income people so I didn't mind as much knowing they ate them. I've seen learned to adapt to the ways of the country, and everyone respects me just as if I've always lived here.

Some times when I'm out hiking I come across a pot farm. At first I was thinking city like and was going to report them. Now I could care less lol. They smoke around me and I don't even think twice about it. It's a part of their culture just as coffee shops are in the city.

[West of the Rockies]

I grew up in So Cal... if I never return, that would be just fine. I know it's a dream destination for some people, but having lived there for some years, I can't say I miss it.  The damn traffic, the sameness of so much of it... blech.  Tract home hell.

[Foodlion]

I grew up in So Cal... if I never return, that would be just fine. I know it's a dream destination for some people, but having lived there for some years, I can't say I miss it.  The damn traffic, the sameness of so much of it... blech.  Tract home hell.

Tract home suburbs make me visually sick.
I've traveled all over the US, and a few places over seas. It's sad to see that other developing countries are resorting to the same style of living.
I need the wilderness around me to interact. Even last week, I was thrilled to finally put on my 40lb backpack break in my new boots. I literally walk across the street and there's just miles and miles of untouched mountain terrain to hike/camp/explore.

After myself and my girlfriend walk the AT in 2016-17, we plan on returning to the west desert to do the CDT
DIVIDE BY ONE - Ã,© William Martin (Full Movie), and have no interest to enter the city limits during the course.

[West of the Rockies]

I'd love to walk some of the Pacific Coast Trail... what is the CDT?  I know the AT (if only because of South Carolina gov Sanford)... 

I love living near nature, even if it means that raccoons regularly eat the catfood left outside.

[Foodlion]

I'd love to walk some of the Pacific Coast Trail... what is the CDT?  I know the AT (if only because of South Carolina gov Sanford)... 

I love living near nature, even if it means that raccoons regularly eat the catfood left outside.

The CDT or Continental Divide Trail (Some call it Central divide trail) is basicly the King of trails at 3,100 miles. It really puts the AT and PCT to shame. I don't plan on taking the PCT because of a good portion of the trail I feel is not worthy of being called a trail, but rather a hiking tourist trap. The CDT on the other hand is really untame in comparison to the two.
I am only taking the AT trail first because my girlfriend is not a seasoned hiker, and so before we do the CDT I need her to get the experience under her belt. We both promised not to have kids until we finish both trails, so I don't think we will hold it off any longer than we have to. 

[bigchucka]

Great, now I have to recind my Stephen Lynch comment.....

Yeah, it was the cheap land and taxes comment that caused that.

How's the marijuana laws there?  Some places a small bit is automatic felony.

[Foodlion]

Great, now I have to recind my Stephen Lynch comment.....

Yeah, it was the cheap land and taxes comment that caused that.

How's the marijuana laws there?  Some places a small bit is automatic felony.

It's just one of those things where if you don't piss off the wrong person, you can probably get a blind eye to it. These local cops just want their paycheck and hate confrontations. Can't say I blame them.

If you sit down and talk to a local cop, they are cool as silk. On the weekends you can run into them going hunting or fishing. It's really laid back lifestyle. Something you might see on the Andy Griffith show lol.

[bigchucka]

It's just one of those things where if you don't piss off the wrong person, you can probably get a blind eye to it. These local cops just want their paycheck and hate confrontations. Can't say I blame them.

If you sit down and talk to a local cop, they are cool as silk. On the weekends you can run into them going hunting or fishing. It's really laid back lifestyle. Something you might see on the Andy Griffith show lol.

Or a Big Smo song


http://youtu.be/DbfOXrQ0N84

[bigchucka]

More accurately....


http://youtu.be/WDxSgq88Clw

[NowhereInTime]

Wow, did this thread take a 90 degree turn!   

I have to bring this back to its adversarial edge!  Can't...abide... love-in...

Hey Juan! You're a pee drinker and you court your sister!

That oughta do it! 

[Foodlion]

More accurately....


http://youtu.be/WDxSgq88Clw

Thank god we don't have it that bad. We had some very poor and some middle income families mixed into one, but the poor families are fairly hard workers, and only lack wealth because they live off the land, or lack a good education. I'm locally considered wealthy by their means, but there's some very big houses in the area that are shy of being mansions. I know some areas not even 5 miles from my house that 500k estates sitting on mountain overlooks. Consider that 500k here can buy you a equivalent of 5 million dollar home in California. It's much cheaper per say.
On the other hand 5 miles in the other direction you'll see the good ole boy outposts, where a video like that one was filmed. I guess it's the trash that comes with the territory.
Plus you've got small communities that keep to themselves, and are really dug in deep.

[Catsmile]

(SNIP)...
They ate the chickens so I decided to give them some of my new hatchlings the following year. Now they've got their own flocks and I don't have to worry about them messing with mine.
The neighbor girl used to steal eggs and tomatoes as well, but they were pretty low income people so I didn't mind as much knowing they ate them. I've seen learned to adapt to the ways of the country, and everyone respects me just as if I've always lived here.

Some times when I'm out hiking I come across a pot farm. At first I was thinking city like and was going to report them. Now I could care less lol. They smoke around me and I don't even think twice about it. It's a part of their culture just as coffee shops are in the city.

Amen, teach a man to "fish", so he doesn't steal yours another day.
Taking a little of my excess renewables wouldn't bother me that much, knowing they were in need. I would even give the excess away.

You seem to be adapting well there, and have a good handle on life in the sticks.
Others wanting to do what you have done could learn from your example.
Know you'll be called the new neighbours, even after 20+ years. Maybe not to your face though.

Moonshining and growing grass is part of rural southern folkways for many centuries now, as a means of income and recreation. Urban folks love to indulge also, and will gladly pay to imbibe. Hence hillbillies earn enough to care for the family, and pay the property taxes for the year, maybe. Everyone knows everyone else's business in such small circles. Not narcing on them is very wise indeed, no good would come of it. Being the new people in the sticks, all eyes would be looking at you.
Sometimes poor folks got poor ways.

[West of the Rockies]

Wow, did this thread take a 90 degree turn!   

I have to bring this back to its adversarial edge!  Can't...abide... love-in...

Hey Juan! You're a pee drinker and you court your sister!

That oughta do it! 

Oops, my bad...  Damn hippie libtards!  Friggin' conservatards!  Get off my lawn! 

[Catsmile]

I grew up in So Cal... if I never return, that would be just fine. I know it's a dream destination for some people, but having lived there for some years, I can't say I miss it.  The damn traffic, the sameness of so much of it... blech.  Tract home hell.

It is sad to see all the tract home hells abound.

http://youtu.be/HlSpc87Jfr0

[West of the Rockies]

I think it was Tom Wolfe who said Little Boxes was the most sanctimonious of songs, but I think it's actually pretty on-target in some ways as an indictment of society.  I don't care for the Seeger version with its laughing audience.  Maybe I'm a misanthropic rat, but laughter seems a curious reaction to the song.  Maybe it's nervous laughter?

[Catsmile]

  Maybe it's nervous laughter?

Bingo!
You gotta laugh or cry.

[albrecht]

I think it was Tom Wolfe who said Little Boxes was the most sanctimonious of songs, but I think it's actually pretty on-target in some ways as an indictment of society.  I don't care for the Seeger version with its laughing audience.  Maybe I'm a misanthropic rat, but laughter seems a curious reaction to the song.  Maybe it's nervous laughter?

I think the laughter was of the nervous type. But I think Wolfe was a least a little right. To a person in an urban area, or coming from some place with no water, or a place living on a company's store suburbia was a great boon (even if many of them were build specifically to cater to a specific employer.) More conveniences (to those who criticize convenience there is a difference between not being able to get WiFi and having to haul water or go to on outhouse in winter) and opportunity for actual ownership. Of course, they cause a lot of problems, especially later on (housing bubbles, "white flight" from cities, spoiled kids, more pollution, less social cohesion as they expanded, expanded to take over small towns, etc).

[West of the Rockies]

I agree, Albrecht... Suburbia is not a soulless existence necessarily.   I think that tends to happen when a HOA crops up.

You are right, Cat... Laugh or cry.  I prefer the rendition used on Weeds--it's pretty biting.

[Catsmile]

I agree, Albrecht... Suburbia is not a soulless existence necessarily.   I think that tends to happen when a HOA crops up.

You are right, Cat... Laugh or cry.  I prefer the rendition used on Weeds--it's pretty biting.

Agreed, Weeds version was better.
Non-adversarial politics thread is rare.
Treading softly trying not to spook this unicorn.

[bigchucka]

Thank god we don't have it that bad. We had some very poor and some middle income families mixed into one, but the poor families are fairly hard workers, and only lack wealth because they live off the land, or lack a good education. I'm locally considered wealthy by their means, but there's some very big houses in the area that are shy of being mansions. I know some areas not even 5 miles from my house that 500k estates sitting on mountain overlooks. Consider that 500k here can buy you a equivalent of 5 million dollar home in California. It's much cheaper per say.
On the other hand 5 miles in the other direction you'll see the good ole boy outposts, where a video like that one was filmed. I guess it's the trash that comes with the territory.
Plus you've got small communities that keep to themselves, and are really dug in deep.

Yeah, a buddy of mine is a little closer to living life like in the videos than I am.  That's how I heard the first song... I'm okay with burning one, but not into a bunch of drunk fuckers partying down at my house anymore since I quit drinking. and really wasn't into it much when I was.

I think I remember seeing ads for like a "resort" area there around a giant lake.  Selling plots of land to build giant fancy houses like they have in some areas around Lake Erie.