Top 3: Best and Worst things about your state

[ET80]

19 minutes ago, Jimmy Austin said:

Can't think of anything good for OK. 

The bad is 
Stupid People
Jerry Springer People
Terrible Drivers 

Casinos... Those are cool, sometimes. I saw Ron White perform once at a Casino in OK, that was cool.

ConocoPhillips is "cool" too, IMO. They have a bowling alley down in the basement. Free bowling for all employees and contractors/vendors is a nice perk. 

I forget the name of the place, but there's a sushi place out in Bartlesville (or Tulsa, maybe?) that had the best sushi I've ever had - and I've had sushi just about everywhere in the US.

So, there's three.

[titansNvolsR#1]

Of the three places I've lived for more than 6 months:

Tennessee

Best: 
-Diverse cities that are great to spend time in between Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. 
-Most visited national park in the USA, Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
-Dolly Parton, part time saint, part time singer, full time national treasure.
-No income tax

Worst:
-Red. Too much red
-Some miserable summers with the most unpredictable weather
-Near 10% sales tax
 

Philippines

Best:
-Beaches
-Cost of living. I have a maid and a driver when I don't feel like driving myself and it costs me about 30 dollars a week. 
-Incredibly nice people 

Worst:
-Traffic (it shouldn't take 2 hours to travel 6 miles, but sometimes/often it does)
-The food. It's the worst food in Asia. 
-Hot and humid much of the year
 

Kuwait

Best:
-The food. That Lebanese food.... Indian food.... Thai food.... ugh. Almost enough to make me want to go back
-Travel opportunities. Few hundred dollars gets to anywhere in Asia or Europe. 500 dollars gets you to Johannesburg 
-Being paid in Kuwaiti Dinar 

Worst:
-The Kuwaitis. Truly awful group/culture of people for the most part. They have a terrible rep around the area and for good reason
-The heat. You aren't meant for 130 degrees. It's hard to fathom it unless you've been in it. Once had metal rimmed sunglasses that left blisters on my face when I was outside for 30 minutes
-The treatment of developing nation workers.

[BayRaider]

8 hours ago, titansNvolsR#1 said:

Of the three places I've lived for more than 6 months:

Tennessee

Best: 
-Diverse cities that are great to spend time in between Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. 
-Most visited national park in the USA, Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
-Dolly Parton, part time saint, part time singer, full time national treasure.
-No income tax

Worst:
-Red. Too much red
-Some miserable summers with the most unpredictable weather
-Near 10% sales tax
 

Philippines

Best:
-Beaches
-Cost of living. I have a maid and a driver when I don't feel like driving myself and it costs me about 30 dollars a week. 
-Incredibly nice people 

Worst:
-Traffic (it shouldn't take 2 hours to travel 6 miles, but sometimes/often it does)
-The food. It's the worst food in Asia. 
-Hot and humid much of the year
 

Kuwait

Best:
-The food. That Lebanese food.... Indian food.... Thai food.... ugh. Almost enough to make me want to go back
-Travel opportunities. Few hundred dollars gets to anywhere in Asia or Europe. 500 dollars gets you to Johannesburg 
-Being paid in Kuwaiti Dinar 

Worst:
-The Kuwaitis. Truly awful group/culture of people for the most part. They have a terrible rep around the area and for good reason
-The heat. You aren't meant for 130 degrees. It's hard to fathom it unless you've been in it. Once had metal rimmed sunglasses that left blisters on my face when I was outside for 30 minutes
-The treatment of developing nation workers.

Where did you live at in the Philippines? 

[TENINCH]

Minnesota

• Best: 
• The east coast side where the river is is absolutely gorgeous
• -Prince and his music
• -Great sports area. May not see a title but you'll have a great time at the games
• -Snowmobiling. Miles and miles of great snowmobiling trails.
•  
• Worst:
• Income tax
• -Terrible winter weather at times
• -Very high state taxes
   

Florida

• Best:
• The great beaches especially on the west coast of Florida
• All the great theme parks. A little crowded but a lot of fun
• Driving on A1A
• No state Taxes
•  
• Worst:
• Got some idiots in the state
• Gator fans- They dress stupid
• Lots of Gators and Snakes in the everglade areas.

Okinawa Japan

• Best
• Amazing Beaches
• Incredible Food
• Tons of History
•  
• Worst
• The Marines do their part to make Americans look bad
• It's an island so eventually that kinda wears on you
• Typhoons

 

 

[Hunter2_1]

On 21/11/2018 at 11:05 PM, Jimmy Austin said:

Can't think of anything good for OK. 

The bad is 
Stupid People
Jerry Springer People
Terrible Drivers 

Jerry Springer people, that's killed me haha

[Hunter2_1]

@Dome @animaltested 

Do you think this is accurate? (re: rain in Seattle)

 

"It really doesn't rain that much. Half the year it hardly rains at all. For most of the summer, say May through August, it sometimes does a not rain a single drop. The weather here is close to perfect for that half year. No rain, bright sun but moderate temperatures. The temperature won't often crack 80 degrees in the middle of summer and even then low humidity means it stays real comfortable. If you move here from most anywhere east of California you'll soon be climatically spoiled.

But not totally. The other half a year (roughly mid October to mid April) it's horrible. It still isn't SO rainy as much as it is just WET. WET and chilly. It doesn't downpour, but it drizzles all the time. Your face and neck get a rain sheen in them. Your shoes and the cuffs of your pants are constantly wet. And it is DARK! Man is it dark. Its dark when you wake up and barely gets light all day. The sky gets dim by early afternoon, clouds cover 98% of the sky and it's dark, nighttime long before you get home in your soggy shoes. It is depressing and turns your solar panels into pathetic shades of their summertime selves. It seems endless.

But the incessant spritzing and occasional blast of normal rain washes the whole world, flushing tons of gunk and detritus from loogies to litter right out to sea. Then it swells the rivers to welcome returning salmon to your plate. Then the sun comes back and shines Prozac directly into your brain.

Compare Seattle's annual rainfall with wherever you're from and you'll probably be surprised how un-rainy it is, even considering it's concentrated into about half the year.

I think the bit about “it rains all the time” may come from back when Washington state had a general policy of discouraging people from coming here even as tourists! That was awhile back and didn't continue much past the 70s and early 80s."

Sounds a lot like London, if so.

[Dome]

19 minutes ago, Hunter2_1 said:

@Dome @animaltested 

Do you think this is accurate? (re: rain in Seattle)

 

"It really doesn't rain that much. Half the year it hardly rains at all. For most of the summer, say May through August, it sometimes does a not rain a single drop. The weather here is close to perfect for that half year. No rain, bright sun but moderate temperatures. The temperature won't often crack 80 degrees in the middle of summer and even then low humidity means it stays real comfortable. If you move here from most anywhere east of California you'll soon be climatically spoiled.

But not totally. The other half a year (roughly mid October to mid April) it's horrible. It still isn't SO rainy as much as it is just WET. WET and chilly. It doesn't downpour, but it drizzles all the time. Your face and neck get a rain sheen in them. Your shoes and the cuffs of your pants are constantly wet. And it is DARK! Man is it dark. Its dark when you wake up and barely gets light all day. The sky gets dim by early afternoon, clouds cover 98% of the sky and it's dark, nighttime long before you get home in your soggy shoes. It is depressing and turns your solar panels into pathetic shades of their summertime selves. It seems endless.

But the incessant spritzing and occasional blast of normal rain washes the whole world, flushing tons of gunk and detritus from loogies to litter right out to sea. Then it swells the rivers to welcome returning salmon to your plate. Then the sun comes back and shines Prozac directly into your brain.

Compare Seattle's annual rainfall with wherever you're from and you'll probably be surprised how un-rainy it is, even considering it's concentrated into about half the year.

I think the bit about “it rains all the time” may come from back when Washington state had a general policy of discouraging people from coming here even as tourists! That was awhile back and didn't continue much past the 70s and early 80s."

Sounds a lot like London, if so.

The lows and highs may both be a little exaggerated, but it’s not egregious.

Other parts of the state get more rain than Seattle, like the Olympic Peninsula (a few forests and mountain valleys that get rainforest levels of rain up there) and SW Washington. Then you head east over the Cascade mountains and you’ll hit a desert that spans through Washington and Oregon, not rainy there at all.  

June-August is amazing though in the western half of the state. Highs in the 80s, generally little to no humidity, light breeze, light out until 9:30pm

Edited November 23, 2018 by Dome

[animaltested]

54 minutes ago, Hunter2_1 said:

@Dome @animaltested 

Do you think this is accurate? (re: rain in Seattle)

 

"It really doesn't rain that much. Half the year it hardly rains at all. For most of the summer, say May through August, it sometimes does a not rain a single drop. The weather here is close to perfect for that half year. No rain, bright sun but moderate temperatures. The temperature won't often crack 80 degrees in the middle of summer and even then low humidity means it stays real comfortable. If you move here from most anywhere east of California you'll soon be climatically spoiled.

But not totally. The other half a year (roughly mid October to mid April) it's horrible. It still isn't SO rainy as much as it is just WET. WET and chilly. It doesn't downpour, but it drizzles all the time. Your face and neck get a rain sheen in them. Your shoes and the cuffs of your pants are constantly wet. And it is DARK! Man is it dark. Its dark when you wake up and barely gets light all day. The sky gets dim by early afternoon, clouds cover 98% of the sky and it's dark, nighttime long before you get home in your soggy shoes. It is depressing and turns your solar panels into pathetic shades of their summertime selves. It seems endless.

But the incessant spritzing and occasional blast of normal rain washes the whole world, flushing tons of gunk and detritus from loogies to litter right out to sea. Then it swells the rivers to welcome returning salmon to your plate. Then the sun comes back and shines Prozac directly into your brain.

Compare Seattle's annual rainfall with wherever you're from and you'll probably be surprised how un-rainy it is, even considering it's concentrated into about half the year.

I think the bit about “it rains all the time” may come from back when Washington state had a general policy of discouraging people from coming here even as tourists! That was awhile back and didn't continue much past the 70s and early 80s."

Sounds a lot like London, if so.

Seems pretty spot on to me. Especially the "always wet" part. Always like to remind people, Western Washington is a TEMPERATE RAINFOREST, so everything being wet, and spongy makes sense.

People think grey clouds = rain. But it can be overcast and grey for weeks without any rain [other than occasional drizzles]. 

[titansNvolsR#1]

My in-laws live in King County about 40 minutes south of Seattle. I just remember the first time I visited in summer of 2014 and it was 100 degrees and nobody has AC. I wanted to die. 

On 11/23/2018 at 12:04 AM, BayRaider said:

Where did you live at in the Philippines? 

I currently live about 12km south of Manila in Biñan. 

[BayRaider]

3 minutes ago, titansNvolsR#1 said:

My in-laws live in King County about 40 minutes south of Seattle. I just remember the first time I visited in summer of 2014 and it was 100 degrees and nobody has AC. I wanted to die. 

I currently live about 12km south of Manila in Biñan. 

What made you move there?

[titansNvolsR#1]

1 hour ago, BayRaider said:

What made you move there?

I teach Biology at international schools.

[Hunter2_1]

Bump. I want to get more states in

[Tugboat]

I feel like anything i write is pretty true of the entirety of the Canadian prairies.

Good:

1.Nature is everywhere.  Wherever you go...you're never more than an hour's drive from true wilderness.  Like, actual wildlands for hundreds or thousands of miles in every direction (bonus if you're in Alberta and you've got the Rockies just hangin' out right there).

2.Probably some of the most self-sustainable places on earth.  There's nothing you can't grow, make, or produce really.

3.Every community is a small community basically and that can be awesome.

 

Bad:

1.Sometimes it's --40 and you die.

2.Other times it's on fire.

3.There are an insane amount of ignorant dickheads everywhere you go.

Edited September 12, 2019 by Tugboat

[Tugboat]

On 15/11/2018 at 12:54 PM, Hunter2_1 said:

 

Worst 3 things about Maine:

1. Weather. Summer is two weeks, and I like hot and sunny weather. Bummer.

2. Lack of opportunity. There isn't a diverse industry here, no mega-city or commercials ops. It's a lot of local government, services or trade stuff.

3. It's too quiet. If you're a young adult, you want a bit more nightlife and perhaps some lively bars and neighbourhoods etc. It's ok for a quiet night on the local craft beers, but...meh.

 

Your turn

#1. Doesn't check out for me.  Nova Scotia, which is basically Maine...the summers are barely survivable for me.  I wouldn't want many more than a couple weeks of that.  Spring and Fall in Maine/NS are pretty darn perfect.  I'd put that in the "best things" category tbh.  Half the year is basically light sweater weather and that's the best imo.  Wouldn't want more of northeast sweaty *** summer.

 

#3 though, can definitely be rectified by jumping the border.  Nova Scotia nightlife is the best tbh.  In the "big centers" like Halifax and Sydney at least.  It's basically Maine...but with Wisconsin/Scotland (obvs) drinking culture and entertainment.

 

On 16/11/2018 at 11:32 AM, animaltested said:

I know jack about the state, other than everything outside of Sea-Tac Metro might as well be Idaho. So here is Seattle...

Idaho is pretty dope.  The rest of Washington being like that seems like it probably falls under a lot of the "3 best things" category.

[MKnight82]

I'll do my hometown instead of the whole state, Richmond VA:

Pros

1. We're one of the oldest cities in the country so we have a lot of cool old architecture (sure some of it was burned in the Civil War but a lot of it survived).  

2. It has a great central (east coast) location.  A two hour drive to the west and you're in the Appalachian mountains, two hours east you're at Virginia beach.  I can drive to NYC in 5 hours.  I can drive to Atlanta in 8 hours.  

3. Lots and lots of local breweries.  We have over 100 breweries in the city.  The beer culture is great.  

4. The James River goes right through the city which provides some cool amenities like white water rapids, cool islands and fishing spots.  

5. Its a pretty great city to use a bicycle in.  In 2015 Richmond hosted the 2015 UCI Road World Championship (a cycling race) and the city installed a bunch of great cycling trails and designated lanes leading up to the race.  

Cons

1. There are a lot of hipsters.

2.  The inner city schools need a lot of work. 

3.  The diversity has a long way to go.  

4. Our airport doesn't have a lot of direct flights.

5. Public transportation is quite poor.  They just opened a new "Pulse" bus system but it isn't great as its limited where it takes you.