Utopia take 2

[Alien]

I am actually a NZ citizen. I just happen to live in a much warmer place.

 

[Tomtint]

I've got to ask. You have no "locals" get busted for making meth?

Don't get me wrong, I consider our area a lot like your's with most of our neighbors and in general overal, but I've found that no matter where I've lived in the US, you have your fair share of pretty much every single type of person you can come across out there. I believe the reason why people think "country folk" are a lot like you described is only due to the fact that you have less people to deal with. Bottom line, it's easier to be nice and go out of your way to help others if you have less people to deal with.

Heck, when I take my vehicles in for service in my town, because the owners know me, they tell me not to worry about paying them if I have to pick up my vehicle after they close (this even happend when one of my mechanics told me where to get my muffler replaced on my truck, and the muffler guy didn't even know me and he told me the same thing). I worked in Charlotte for 2 years, I know this would never happen there

There was a time here in my town where I knew , or knew someone who knew almost everyone. I would say this was the mid to late 80s. Since then our town痴 population has exploded..and with it came the expected crooks, cooks ( meth ) and all the ancillary baggage that is always in tow. When I was a kid we would spend all Saturday and Sunday out riding our bicycles..probably 50 miles a day all over the town..Those days are gone for kids here today.

 

[Sigarms]

Something about moving from Berkeley to Sun Valley Idaho or Coeur d'alene.

First trip I ever took to Idaho in the 90's, I flew into Boise and took a bus to visit a good buddy to Ketchum, who was working as a ski instructor. I'll never forget while riding the bus, we were passing these "tree trucks" , each one carrying a decent size tree ready for planting. Sitting up front by the bus driver, I asked him what the deal was as I had never seen anything like it (there was like 20 trucks each carrying a tree). He told me it was for some movie stars house in Sun Valley, he figured it was about 100k worth of trees (with transportation) to be planted. Couldn't believe the amount of money brough into that place.

Hanging out in some mining / logging towns on that trip while kayaking, ironcially enough all the locals seem to think that California was ruining the state, and you better not be a tree hugger or you may not of made it out of the bars alive LOL

Thing is, a couple of trips later when now driving my truck out, we'd camp in some pretty remote spots off logging trails (my one buddy joked it was a good thing I had West Virginia plates and not California plates). I was still amazed to find trash and litter at some of those campsites, and I'm pretty certain the trash didn't come from tourists. We go back to both the good and bad of human nature in everyone IMO.

 

[newbury]

As far as the County Taxes go Smith County is pretty low:Although the Commissioners Court approved a slight tax increase, Smith County expects to remain the 12th lowest tax rate out of the 254 counties in Texas.

News List | Smith County, TX

But you are correct, it's all those other taxes school, Jr. College District, etc and the people who just refuse to say NO to a tax increase or bond. The tax ayer has all the power they need but they just refuse to utilize it by simply saying NO.


.

often the problem is that so few people vote.

My wife's co-worker who lives in Wilmington NC is selling her house (not too far from the shore line). She's moving about 15 miles more inland (she moved down to NC only a couple of years ago and had her house flooded out like very next year, and had to do major reconstruction to get it back to livable conditions).

Her house hasn't even been on the market for a full week and they are already getting full offers off the asking price. Her only problem now is she can't move into her new place for about 4 weeks.

I would just of thought with all the crap going on in our country at this moment, the real estate market would be dead...

Think it through -
1. Interest rates are LOW. When I bought my second house in Northern Virginia we paid about 11% for an adjustable rate loan and were laughed at when we asked about the MINIMUM rate it would adjust to. We laughed back at them and followed that same loan down to about 7%. Now we could get 3% or less.
2. Urban areas are packed with rich people also. With internet available nearly everywhere, work from home encouraged and schools allowing "distance learning" there's often no need to be packed in to condos. My little 1/4 acre lot in Alexandria has risen in value about 10% since the beginning of the year according to Zillow and local home sales. Lot's of people want to move out to more space.

 

[Sigarms]

There was a time here in my town where I knew , or knew someone who knew almost everyone. I would say this was the mid to late 80s. Since then our townç—´ population has exploded..and with it came the expected crooks, cooks ( meth ) and all the ancillary baggage that is always in tow. When I was a kid we would spend all Saturday and Sunday out riding our bicycles..probably 50 miles a day all over the town..Those days are gone for kids here today.

I can still remember when I helped a UPS man with his route when I was a young boy (in the mid 70's) making some deliveries because he was new in town and I knew who all the neighbors were (actually got to rode in a REAL UPS truck that was a big thrill for me at the time as a kid).

When I think about that now, so many things could of gone wrong, added that guy would of been terminated if anyone found out.

 

[Diggin It]

I wanted to buy a piece of salt waterfront acreage in Maine in 2005.
Prices were HIGH!
I bought a 34 acre salt waterfront piece in Nova Scotia instead.
Was a little less convenient for me, but about 10% the cost of the equivalent in Maine.

Yes, but that's in Canukida, the great frozen wasteland. Even their bowling alleys are on ice.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I kind of miss that area since I've been gone almost 60 years. All that is left are memories and tombstones.

We talking Odessa? I was there in 1958; I was working for Furr's Supermarkets and they opened a new store there. Not much of a social life that week, but I do remember they ran the street sweeper before dark and rolled up the sidewalks about six O'clock.

 

[Jstpssng]

Yes, but that's in Canukida, the great frozen wasteland. Even their bowling alleys are on ice.

Good stereotype. New Brunswick/Newfoundland/PEI are nice areas. Temps are more moderate than our southern states, and unlike Lower Uncton the sun even shines there.

 

[Sigarms]

Good stereotype. New Brunswick/Newfoundland/PEI are nice areas. Temps are more moderate than our southern states, and unlike Lower Uncton the sun even shines there.

I was born less than 20 miles from the New Brunswick border on the Maine side. Since I've lived in NC for some time now, could you please provide the data per your comment "temps are more moderate than our southern states"? (you living in Maine, assume you mean the US?)

By "southern states" do you mean New Hampshire and New York:laughing:

 

[Steppenwolfe]

I've got to ask. You have no "locals" get busted for making meth?

Don't get me wrong, I consider our area a lot like your's with most of our neighbors and in general overal, but I've found that no matter where I've lived in the US, you have your fair share of pretty much every single type of person you can come across out there. I believe the reason why people think "country folk" are a lot like you described is only due to the fact that you have less people to deal with. Bottom line, it's easier to be nice and go out of your way to help others if you have less people to deal with.

Heck, when I take my vehicles in for service in my town, because the owners know me, they tell me not to worry about paying them if I have to pick up my vehicle after they close (this even happend when one of my mechanics told me where to get my muffler replaced on my truck, and the muffler guy didn't even know me and he told me the same thing). I worked in Charlotte for 2 years, I know this would never happen there

I am sure there is some illicit activities that I don't know about. I do know our sheriff's dept is very well run, and they keep a tight ship in this county. My moonshine buddies are over in Franklin Co, and they keep a real low profile there, only selling outside their county.