Southern vs. Southwestern (Houston, Round Rock, Cedar Park: 2013, mobile home, university)

[cBach]

Originally Posted by delongchampsnoir

Houston replaced New Orleans as the oil capital of America by promising no zoning & a laissez faire business environment some 70-90 years ago. Oil companies were happy to get out of New Orleans and move west to Texas.

New Orleans old boy network, corruption and greasy politicians aren't good for business.

And that no zoning culture caused HOAs like Cinco Ranch which mean all homes are uniform. Ironically, you actually have more freedom in New Orleans than in Houston about what kind of home to own, etc... Yes there are restrictions but the stock is so varied that you can find a home to fit your personality.

Anybody that has lived in New Orleans can tell you the culture there is unmatched by anything in Houston. So you either sell out to money or you live in a corrupt but culturally rich city.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

So we're clear, none of that negates anything I've said, gentlemen.

It does actually. Just as NYC is nothing like parts of Sicily, yet there are thousands of immigrants in NYC from Sicily, the same applies to Houston. Yes there are thousands of Louisiana transplants to Houston, but that doesn't make Houston like New Orleans anymore than NYC is like Palermo.

[cocoeubanks]

Speaking of Houston, are we supposed to pull for the Texans or the Cowboys?

[centralaustinite]

Originally Posted by cocoeubanks

Speaking of Houston, are we supposed to pull for the Texans or the Cowboys?

Neither! LONGHORNS, baby!

I grew up hating the Cowboys and 20 years in Texas hasn't changed that. I'll quietly root for the Texans if I have to but I'm more likely to root for the Saints!

[scm53]

Originally Posted by cBach

And also, if you think there's no old money in Texas, look at Highland Park in Dallas or Rice University area in Houston or Tarrytown in Austin. It's just not as pervasive as in the South.

The other point is that in the South, besides the Uptown elite types, socioeconomic status is not as important as in Texas and I believe it has to do with lack of zoning, which ironically creates extreme zoning because of HOAs.

Actually, in Houston, it is more River Oaks than West U. And your underlying premise about zoning applies to just one city, and therefore is invalid for the entire state.

But at a deeper level, you are missing something entirely. That is, that Texans have very little respect for family money. Your measure is what YOU did, not what you inherited. That's why GWB was so driven to make his mark, ultimately with the Rangers, not merely to run Zapata, GHWB's company. Children definitely inherit family businesses, but don't have status of their own until they grow it into something markedly superior.

Compare that to a guy I know in Nola. Family are members of the Boston Club and the Krewe of Comus, so he is also. He is an insurance agent, who makes a living from selling to members of both. In Nola, he has status. Here, he would be a ne'er do well, barley able to hold his head up in polite company. Fundamental difference between the two cultures.

[mark311]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

Neither! LONGHORNS, baby!

I grew up hating the Cowboys and 20 years in Texas hasn't changed that. I'll quietly root for the Texans if I have to but I'm more likely to root for the Saints!

Yes, the Longhorns.

But, there are a lot of Cowboys fans here just like there were a lot of Cowboys fans in California when I lived there (bandwagoners, America's team, etc.)

I suspect that there will be a lot more Texans gear around if they make it to the Superbowl this year. There are a lot of Saints fans around here. Drew Brees went to Westlake High.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by cocoeubanks

You just described Charleston so perfectly if I didn't know any better I'd say you were Pat Conroy.

Probably because we both wear The Ring. And had the same professors as English majors.

[cocoeubanks]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

Neither! LONGHORNS, baby!

I grew up hating the Cowboys and 20 years in Texas hasn't changed that. I'll quietly root for the Texans if I have to but I'm more likely to root for the Saints!

You mean I don't have to know as soon as I hit the border? I had to declare my allegiance to the Broncos before they'd even let me cross the state line in CO. Seeing as how we came from the Panthers, it wasn't that difficult.

I will embrace Hook Em' Horns because I don't want to be a social pariah, and that shade of orange isn't nearly as offensive as Clemson's (shudder), but we'll probably pull for A&M behind closed doors out of SEC loyalty. But I don't think I'll ever get used to UT being Texas and not Tennessee (another school with an offensive shade of orange).

[cocoeubanks]

Originally Posted by scm53

Probably because we both wear The Ring. And had the same professors as English majors.

It's a Citadel thing. My brother-in-law writes the same way. I love it.

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by cocoeubanks

You mean I don't have to know as soon as I hit the border? I had to declare my allegiance to the Broncos before they'd even let me cross the state line in CO. Seeing as how we came from the Panthers, it wasn't that difficult.

I will embrace Hook Em' Horns because I don't want to be a social pariah, and that shade of orange isn't nearly as offensive as Clemson's (shudder), but we'll probably pull for A&M behind closed doors out of SEC loyalty. But I don't think I'll ever get used to UT being Texas and not Tennessee (another school with an offensive shade of orange).

No. You do NOT have to embrace the biggest professional college sports program in the country (the Longhorns). They know how to make money, win or lose, just like Jerry Jones.

I do however agree with your SEC perspective. Don't have to be in the closet about it either.