Why do Wisconsin folks dislike us? (Chicago, Springfield: gated, home, invest)

[Pegib]

GOOD LORD,
I was born and raised in Wisconsin, because of the FREEZING weather and the allergies, we moved to Pulaski, CO. Illinois in "LIttle Egypt" area and it is a great place with the land and the hills between the Missippii and the Ohio rivers.
Jobs are available if you know where to look and the cost of living there is great!
BUT unless you are willing to go to College and work hard you will get not get nowhere!!!!
Life is all about choices and that IS A FACT.

[M TYPE X]

All the Midwestern states should get along (and cooperate politically; I wrote a policy paper on this in regards to international trade) ... except that your state's mascot sucks. Your state flower is a pansy. The state bird is known for pooping all over and making a racket. I could go on...

[Pegib]

I would like to make a comment. I moved from Wisconsin to SOUTHERN, Illinois to the Ohio river near Metropolis in 1978.

I would like to know WHY Northern Illinioians do not even acknowlege the southern counties between the Mississippi and the Ohio rivers which is the home of the Shawnee Forest and the most beautiful part of the state.

In 1825 the bank of Shawneetown, Illinois refused to loan the small (then) Chicago community $25,000 because "They would never amount to anything"

Illinois does NOT end at Highway 13 (Carbondale and Marion) the people of Southern Illinois are frendly down home folks and the people of Wisconsin are also friendly.

The joking between the two states has gone on for years and the Bear - Packer competition is a fun thing just as the Packer - Vikings rivalry is. Todays society is very different in their philosophy and happiness is seems to be lost in such foolish bickering.

[Pegib]

Dolly,

Where do you live in Illinois?
I moved to Wyoming last summer and it is not the Great Place that my late husband and I visited through the years.
Wisconsin and Illinois are "Heaven" compared to this "God forsaken" country.

And this is where people are hateful and do not want newcomers, just the TOURISTS to leave after spending money here.

I hope to be back to Karnak, Illinois by fall and then will visit in Watertown, WI. In the country on a "Dutch Haven" farm belonging to my fantastic cousin and her husband who is from Amsterdam and a very humorous friendly guy.
Also wanted to share this great link and hope that it works.

Boogie Through Life ~ Grandma Faith's Website
If it does not work then GOOGLE it.

[Frank the Tank]

Originally Posted by Pegib

I would like to make a comment. I moved from Wisconsin to SOUTHERN, Illinois to the Ohio river near Metropolis in 1978.

I would like to know WHY Northern Illinioians do not even acknowlege the southern counties between the Mississippi and the Ohio rivers which is the home of the Shawnee Forest and the most beautiful part of the state.

In 1825 the bank of Shawneetown, Illinois refused to loan the small (then) Chicago community $25,000 because "They would never amount to anything"

Illinois does NOT end at Highway 13 (Carbondale and Marion) the people of Southern Illinois are frendly down home folks and the people of Wisconsin are also friendly.

The joking between the two states has gone on for years and the Bear - Packer competition is a fun thing just as the Packer - Vikings rivalry is. Todays society is very different in their philosophy and happiness is seems to be lost in such foolish bickering.

I don't think there's a lack of acknowledgment of the existence of the southern portions of Illinois - I just think that most people from the Chicago area think of "Downstate Illinois" (defined as anything outside of Chicagoland and I know is a term that a number of people on this board don't like) as a completely different world in every way, whether it's the economy (corporate vs. agriculture), lifestyle (urban/suburban vs. rural), or politics (liberal/libertarian vs. conservative/populist). Most people from Chicago would have an easier time adjusting to living in New York or San Francisco since those cities have more in common with Chicago in terms of lifestyle than going to another part of Illinois. Also, when people want to make a short weekend trip outside of the Chicago area, they do tend to go to places such as Wisconsin and southwestern Michigan as opposed to central or southern Illinois (partly just because those areas are physically closer and another part is that being by the water is a big deal i.e. Lake Michigan and Lake Geneva).

[j33]

Frank has several good points. I've never really been to southern Illinois (except for one trip to Springfield which is more central Illinois) despite having lived in and around Chicago my whole life (except for a couple of years in Bloomington, Indiana). Quite frankly, I don’t really feel like I can relate a lot to the rural Midwest (as I discovered when I moved to Bloomington, Indiana), it is a whole different world to me, a world I don’t understand. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t want to visit it or that I think it is a bad thing, but given that I come from a long line of suburban and urban sorts (I mean c’mon, my grandfather was born and raised in the Bronx) and none of my family have Midwestern roots beyond when my parents moved here has teenagers from the east coast the allure of southern Illinois just isn’t there, it is just part of the large swathes of the US that are ‘the country’ to me. I don’t think it is an animosity thing at all, it is just a difference in culture between the two regions.

As far as Frank's comment about new york. You certainly do have a point there as well, I didn't find adjusting to that place difficult at all when I visited, hell, I pretty much did the same there there that I do here everyday (except go to work) ... straight down to the sort of places I hang out at with friends (restaurants, pubs, going to see a play) to how I get there (subway). When I moved to Bloomington, I had to face the prospect of driving somewhere to get my lunch during my lunch break for the first time in my adult life, and I found it weird

[mdz]

PegiB--I don't acknowledge anything south of Comiskey Park...

Just kidding.

In all seriousness, my wife and I are big outdoors people, and would probably love the hiking down in Shawnee. The only reason we haven't done much of anything in your neck of the woods is that it's too darn far. We're a couple hour drive from a lot of beautiful places in WI and MI. Shawnee is about 6.

Hope to make it down someday.

[Dolly]

I heard yesterday that an area in southern Illinois is getting a "Branson style" theme park and resort area that will be built in a state park. (Equal land has been purchased by the developers to move the state park.) It will provide at least 2500 jobs to an area that has been hard hit with numerous factory closings. Since families are seeking vacation spots closer to home, with the high cost of gasoline, the timing is perfect. There may be hope for Illinois after all!

[Drover]

Comiskey Park? Where's that? Must be south of Lake Street because I've never heard of it....

[deegers]

Originally Posted by Switch625

Illinois has the worst drivers in the country? You've obviously never been to Boston, Washington DC, Atlanta, New York City, or Tampa. I'd rather drive in Chicago than in any of those places. Boston was actually the worst. Those people are truly nuts.

Ok,WI and Chicago, enjoy my post....lived in Chicago for 26 years. Know we speed and I know the Chicago traits well. Some not so pretty, this is true. However, I moved to Las Vegas, NV....rate bad drivers???? hehe, why don't you come to Vegas...no, no, don't just come to the strip (like everyone outside the valley who thinks all residents live next to the big casino hotels...), but if you are couragous enough to rent a car, drive the highways or side road for a while. Let's put it more simply, we don't have enough police staff, firfighters, and paramedics to cover the amount of automotive accidents that happen in Vegas...in a course of a day. It's rated we have an auto accident every 15 minutes, people! Hmm, you want rude, transulcent communities...rude-est in the nation. Wanna rate of friendliness and hospitality OUTSIDE your Mandalay Bay hotel room? Try the lowest... Trust me here, they make Chicago look like saints.

Want to talk about crime? Vegas is known for all the criminals that come to live or hide; gangs get their new recruits, whatever you can think of. example: when professional fighting comes into town, the news media encourages residents to stay off the roads due to the fact that the events attract all the big LA gang members. Yes, it's true that big cities and congested areas all have their problems with crime and gangs. But, here it's so normal to hear about it here, it's just like talking about the weather.

The one good thing here is if you run into ANY midwestern native that lives in the Vegas valley...we can almost pinpoint each other instantly. There's a difference in the way we talk and act. We are known to be far more friendly than any other transplant. Ask any native Vegan. We midwesterners, especially chicagobred, gravitate to each other and instantly become bonded like we had known each other for years! So, the earlier comment about midwesterners need to get along better, give it to Vegas to unit us together!

P.S. disclaimer: good central place for some outdoorsy stuff, close to CA, AZ, if you are into the club scene (not me), really REALLy dry weather(dryest in the nation), lower desert environment and very hot climates, you might love it. But, since we are talking about Chicago's bad characteristics, I wanted to put a few things in perspective.

Ok, I'm off my Las Vegas rant. Thanks for letting me vent...