[melkat]

Originally Posted by Highpointer

What is wrong with chain ice cream places? Perhaps the reason why these chains are successful is that they provide better products and services than independent operations. Remember, most chains started out as indepedent operations that were owned by entrepreneurial people who had a vision of growth and who provided products and services that were better than their competitors.

I haven't been to North Carolina much, but I expect that in the large, growing metropolitan areas like Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham, most of the ice cream establishments are chains, like they are in the Phoenix metropolitan area, where I live. However, if you traveled to the small rural communities in North Carolina, I expect that you would likely find some independent ice cream places.

Ken Akerman
Tempe, AZ

agree with JViello..it is like comparing store bought cookies to homemade..eating the store bought ones in the store vs eating the ones you made on your front porch on a cool summer night...can't even compare!!

Do you know how far I would have to drive to find a small rural community where I live in lake norman? (outside of charlotte) It is all VERY developed here. On the way to Concord is pretty rural right now but they are building develpments like crazy..I saw 3 new ones last week (and each of these developments has hundreds of houses)! Oh and I haven't seen any ice cream places there either I would literally have to drive over a half an hour for a rural community and *maybe* there would be more than a DQ there (but I doubt it) by that time I should have just made it myself in my ice cream maker.

Salatheel..yes we have all that in NC but it isn't anywhere near Charlotte..where as you can drive around the state of CT in a day and see many different things (the 4 corners are completely different) The outer banks is over 7 hours from here, Wrightsville is over 4 as is Charleston..great for weekend get aways but not every day living...within that kind of drive from CT you have many awesome things too..Nantucket, Marthas Vineyard, Block Island, Newport RI..you can say the same things about those areas

CTLanded..my husband was in Arkansas last week for a Walmart meeting and he said that the area around there (not where you are from but that area ) is turning into what Charlotte is..has has gone there on business for the last 6 years or so and has seen the changes..it is sad that so many of our communities are getting so over developed..that is what I miss about Cheshire

[salatheel]

I have found Connecticut to be very boring. Sure New York can be fun. As can Boston. But Connecticut itself? Uh, nope. Would I rather be on the Cape,Marthas Vineyard,Nantucket,or Newport?None of which are in Ct. by the way. Or would I rather be on Wrightsville Beach or the outer banks? Give me Wrightsville Beach and the outer Banks anyday! I went over 10 years in a row to the Cape with family growing up and many times it took 5-6-7 hours because we were stuck in traffic. To freeze my buns in water only in the 50's in the summer! I have been all over New England and I can't say anything here has really thrilled me. Besides my wife! I love the beaches and scenery in Florida,California,the Caribbean, and North Carolina far better than anything here in N.E. Have you looked at Long Island sound? How about the Ct. highways. I95 is a joke! It takes forever for them to fix the roads around here. If Ct. and N.E. were so great people wouldn't be leaving them in such great numbers to go south and west. You don't see large numbers of people moving from the south and west to get here!

[JViello]

Originally Posted by salatheel

Somehow I don't think you have driven all over the countryside in NC.

I have and then some. Believe it. Everything from repelling at Crowders mountain State park, walking Assvil...er Ashville, the outer banks, discovering "Chaple Hill", walking around Greensboro, attending an "old school bbq" in High Point, spending a day in a Burlington church, to mowing a relatives lawn in Elon College, ...oh yea and actually LIVING in Charlotte for a couple years.

I've been there, done that in NC. I'm a New Englander, and we wander and explore by nature.

Have you been out to the outer banks? Have you been to Grandfather mountain? There is so much incredible beauty there. Have you strolled the streets of Charleston on a summer night? Have you seen the crystal clear turquoise water of Wrightsville beach? Have you watched the dolphins jump and play in the ocean as the sun sets on a Carolina day. Granted I love VErmont and New Hampshire. Their just too cold for me!

Yes, I have. (And just in case you missed it Charleston is in SC and WAY WAY WAY further South and out of the way from just about anywhere in NC) But your delusion is based in the marketing material sent out to the clueless snowbirds that "all this and more is in NC."

The reality is you end up living in suburban sprawl hell on some .3 acre lot with nothing but light after light after light blvd to get some box store strip mall for everything you need, and the places they show you on the DVD like Blowing Rock and the outer banks are 6+ hours apart. I can drive PAST DC in 6 hours from my location in CT, nevermind what's inbetween the two locations like NYC, Philly and Baltimore.

If you don't like it here...fine. Just stop trying to get everyone to drink the same coolaid you did. I've actually lived in the South for a total of 7 years. You? Thought so.

Enjoy your Duke Power sponsored marketing material...when you get there and go into shock - don't say a sensible, honest thinking Yankee didn't warn you.

Good day, sir.

[Golden1]

Jviello, I gotta disagree with your assessment of New Englanders being natural wanderers and explorers. I moved up to the Hartford area from NYC about 18 years ago and know quite a few people who never go beyond their little bubble. A yearly trip to a beach in RI or the Cape or maybe Maine is as wild as they get. NYC is less than 2 hours South and you'd be surprised how many adults haven't been there or went once back in the day. I've traveled all over CT and not being a native I seem to be the only one that knows a couple of places in each direction.

Maybe people in Fairfield county travel a bit but up in the Northern region people act like NYC is as far as Florida. BUT...

Ignorance is bliss because when I first moved to Northern CT, people in NYC were like "you only live about thirty minutes away." Their preconcieved notion of CT goes as far as Greenwich and Stamford. They forget there is a state beyond that and I live an hour and a half further. There is also a preconceived notion that all people in Connecticut are wealthy (this coming from people where I used to live in NYC). Outside of Fairfield County, patches of shoreline such as Madison/Guilford and patches of Litchfield County, there's a lot of middle class and outright poor areas. So I guess people all over have their own opinions based on ignorant info or television.

The best thing about CT is it's diversity. It's a small state. One end looks different from the other. You can feel the whaling history in some coastal towns near RI. The forests and towns around Litchfield is beautiful. You want culture... we're right inbetween Boston and NYC.

The bad thing is the taxes are everything you've heard and worse. Businesses are leaving. There aren't a lot of jobs beyond Fairfield unless you want to be in retail or restaurants. Many companies are heading South. CT government nickels and dimes the middle class. Look out our gas prices compared to neighboring Mass.

I like CT but I think people are correct and being reasonable to "explore" other alternatives like moving to another area. Who knows what the cost of living will be like in 5 to 10 years. The middle class is getting squeezed. It's happening in 6 to 7 other states as well (ie California). There's no shame in seeking out a possible solution to your shrinking dollar. I know of 5 people whom I worked with over the years that left CT with extreme prejudice. 2 came back within a year or so and claimed the grass is not greener and that they welcome CT with all it's charm and faults. 3, however, appear to be happy and enjoying their decision. 1 went to Florida and came back saying Florida was a pit. Another thinks and still stands by it being a Utopia.

Just my two cents. I chimed in really just to say that one thing I noticed about Northern CT Natives is their lack of desire to explore. I can't speak for people in Boston or Vermont, but Northern CT I know very well and they do not get around at all. Maybe there are a few exceptions such as myself.

[salatheel]

It's great your proud to be a New Englander. I am tired of it. More people are leaving than are coming and there are obvious reasons for it. Between my wife and myself we know probably close to a dozen people that have moved to the Carolinas and Georgia and love it. None of the ones we know are coming back. Off the top of my head they live in; Monroe,Stanley,Fuquay,Conway,Lugoff,Summerville,Hi lton Head, Wilmington,Apex,Weddington,Atlanta,and Suwanee. We do have cousins that moved to Florida and came back. But that's it. All the rest are happier than a pig in.....you know. Oh, I forgot Southern Pines. My buddy from Fuquay says he can't take more than a few days here in Ct. anymore when he visits. The weather and everything depresses him. He has more friends and fun now than ever in Ct. So in my expierience people are far more happier when they move down there. Maybe not everyone. But more are than not. Or else there wouldn't be this big migration.

[skytrekker]

I do not do RED STATES

Regressive socially- the new future is progressives- is that North Carolina? NO

Right Wing Xenophobes

[JViello]

Originally Posted by salatheel

Or else there wouldn't be this big migration.

Okay enough is enough. The state has not, and is NOT losing population.

We have a net gain and have had a net gain consistently.

There is not this "huge" migration of "out to the South" only. Are people moving out? Yes. Are people moving in? Yes.

If 32,000 people moved away (That's a lot right?) it's just 1% of the population. Again, the reality is we have not had a net loss. There is a reoganization going on for New England and the Northeast as a whole.

That is the fact. Please stick to it.

Good luck to you.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by Golden1

Jviello, I gotta disagree with your assessment of New Englanders being natural wanderers and explorers...There aren't a lot of jobs beyond Fairfield unless you want to be in retail or restaurants.

While I respect and appreciate your view, I do have to disagree a bit. There is a stagnant percentage of deer path people for sure...but compared to the people I know in the Midwest and South I see more New England people out snowmobiling, snow shoeing, at the ocean, Skiiing in VT, hiking, cycling etc.

Perhaps it's the people we know personally?

I do have to strongly disagree with the "no jobs outside of FFC except Restaurants and Retail". Hartford area has a very very large percentage of large companies - especially for a city it's size. Aetna, Travelers, Phoenix, Steam Boiler, United Health Care, The Hartford, Cigna, ING, Metlife, Pratt, Otis, Carrier, Hamilton Sunstrand, Loctite, Gerber, Stanley to name a few "biggies" nevermind the medium sized companies here.

The job market here is actually pretty good if you are looking and hard if you need someone. Salary is above the national average as well.

Other than that, I hear what you are saying about the black marks...we have them for sure, but for me it's something I'm willing to deal with after living abroad for a decent spell and traveling around the country etc.

It's my home...I'm comfortable with that - black marks and all.

[salatheel]

From US CENSUS.GOV website.

Florida experienced the largest numerical population increase between 2004 and 2005, as its population rose by 404,000 people. Texas was not far behind, gaining 388,000.


The five states with the largest numerical growth (Florida, Texas, California, Arizona and Georgia) accounted for more than one-half (52 percent) of the nation’s population growth from 2004 to 2005.


The South recorded both the largest numerical population increase (1.5 million) and the fastest rate of growth (1.4 percent) among regions between 2004 and 2005.


I rest my case. Bookit Danno.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by salatheel

From US CENSUS.GOV website.

Florida experienced the largest numerical population increase between 2004 and 2005, as its population rose by 404,000 people. Texas was not far behind, gaining 388,000.


The five states with the largest numerical growth (Florida, Texas, California, Arizona and Georgia) accounted for more than one-half (52 percent) of the nation’s population growth from 2004 to 2005.


The South recorded both the largest numerical population increase (1.5 million) and the fastest rate of growth (1.4 percent) among regions between 2004 and 2005.


I rest my case. Bookit Danno.

Rest what? Who is Danno? What year is this? Do you have a problem with comprehension and context? CT has NOT HAD A NET LOSS. What part of that do you not understand?

The South is cheap...people (some of them lemmings) want cheap so they move there for "cheap". Some come to their senses and freak out at the lie they have been sold and move back. Why do you think Walmart has done so well? It's CHEAP throw away CRAP. Just like "Old Town" FL...it's new, recreated to look old. Yea that's the same. Holy crap...

I'll pay more for quality and that's why I'm back...blame my Italian born heritage for that, there is no "other" Ferrari.

Move to the South...please for the love of God, just move. PLEASE.