Idaho slams Mississippi? (ski resorts, live, restaurants)

[Wareagleolemiss]

Read this article

Idaho looking up at (gulp) Mississippi



What do you think? Unfair? Valid points?

I for one, believe it is a little unfair how this man portrays our state. I mean, Idaho? C'mon...
I had no idea Idaho was threatened by lil' ole Mississippi. The stupidity of this author amazes me.


Idaho?? Really???

[Wareagleolemiss]

Just FYI,

Heres the Mississippi Business Journal's rebuttal to opinion editor Steve Crump of Times-News in Twin Falls, Idaho.


Editor’s Notebook » Idaho writer needs a Mississippi education

[GrandviewGloria]

Well, let's start with that cookbook. Surely, this is a humor article out of Idaho....at least in part. But just in case the Writer or his Readers missed that; Crayfish, Rabbit, and Dove are perfectly legitimate ingredients. You can order them, I'm sure, in very fine restaurants (as a longtime Vegetarian, I'm fairly oblivious to what's on menus) Some of the other recipes, particularly the Possum, were inserted as humor, of course. If, however, the author does not grasp the humor in the cookbook, then I really don't think he should be running around loose without supervision.

More distressing to me, was a pamphlet from the Mississippi Department of Somethingorother, that was handed to me, once, when I bought a whole flat of Blueberries (In season, I have a box of berries with a diced Bananna and Soymilk, for Breakfast). The pamphlet was showing people how to use Blueberries (like they were something alien and threatening). All the recipes were loaded with heavy Dairy Products, and mountains of Sugar...or Pork Sausage. In not one recipe were Blueberries the main ingredient. And I don't remember any salads, or other ways of eating them raw. What a pity. A miraculously health-giving food (and a delicious one), and the Department of Whatever is treating that food as if it has Cooties.

I'm curious about how having more people who check their Blood Pressure is a good thing. Wouldn't that indicate having more people with health issues? The article is rather inept to me: but does seem to look at the subjects under discussion, awkwardly, from both sides.

And spending more per student is generally a symptom of having dumb students, at whom 'educators' are desperately throwing money. Idaho probably has smarter kids, on whom money does not need to be lavished. I mean, during WWII, Poles and Jews managed to educate their children quite well...in secret...with ZERO Government money being spent on them: so Expenditure Per Pupil does not really count for much at all. BTW, I'd imagine that a far higher percentage of Idahoans take the SAT than do Mississippians. If you don't take the thing, then you can't do badly on it.

Mississippi has had a huge permanent (and permanently ineducable) underclass, for well over a century. Idaho is on the verge of being flooded with something similar. Mississippi has the heat and humidity. Idaho has the cold. Which is better is entirely subjective. Mississippi's problems are its low average IQ, and its long, hot summers. Neither will ever get any better. In the meantime, with the importation of low-IQ people, Idaho's problems (as with the rest of America) will get progressively worse.

The real news is that the rest of America is starting to be as wretched as Mississippi. Low IQ is the root of Mississippi's problems, and Low IQ is spreading like wildfire, these days. California, once the closest thing to Heaven on Earth, is on the verge of becoming worse than Mississippi.

In the meantime, I'd suggest calming down on a nice big Mississippi screened porch, over a Hearts of Lettuce Salad, heaped with Homemade Mayo, Steamed Crawfish, Marinated Asparagus, and Toasted Pecans. With a big glass of Iced Jasmine Tea...just listening to the Mockingbirds up in the Cherokee Roses.

[Listener2307]

Want to see some blank expressions?

Just announce to your kids that they'll be going to Idaho for vacation this year.

[Tama]

Originally Posted by Listener2307

Want to see some blank expressions?

Just announce to your kids that they'll be going to Idaho for vacation this year.

That's kind of the same attitude that the Idaho writer has, isn't it? Idaho is all snow---
Mississippi has something to prove because it does have a lot of provincialism, some pretty bad dietary habits among some, hillbilly ways, and not a lot of positive PR--but it also has come a long way and has much to offer--so rather than being defensive just work to get that message out. The sooner Ms owns up to its faults the faster it can move on up in the rankings in various categories. That alone will change perceptions.

[Listener2307]

Originally Posted by Tama

That's kind of the same attitude that the Idaho writer has, isn't it? Idaho is all snow---
Mississippi has something to prove because it does have a lot of provincialism, some pretty bad dietary habits among some, hillbilly ways, and not a lot of positive PR--but it also has come a long way and has much to offer--so rather than being defensive just work to get that message out. The sooner Ms owns up to its faults the faster it can move on up in the rankings in various categories. That alone will change perceptions.

OK. So without looking it up, name a vacation destination in Idaho. How about the capitol?
That's the point, of course. Idaho is one of the places that is fairly unknown to most citizens.
But most people have some sort of feel for what might go on in Mississippi.
That, of course, was my point.
Mississippi has nothing to prove. We invite all to come see for themselves.

[Tama]

Originally Posted by Listener2307

OK. So without looking it up, name a vacation destination in Idaho. How about the capitol?
That's the point, of course. Idaho is one of the places that is fairly unknown to most citizens.
But most people have some sort of feel for what might go on in Mississippi.
That, of course, was my point.
Mississippi has nothing to prove. We invite all to come see for themselves.

Listener I don't mean to argue with you. But Sun Valley comes to mind. I didn't look it up, so I could be mistaken. When I think of Idaho I think of beautiful montains, ski resorts, and the outdoors. Clean air, healthy active lifestyles and lovely small cities like Boise come to mind. When I first knew I was coming to MS years ago, I had horrible things in mind, I can tell you.
I am still chagrined at the lack of sophisticated thinking and the "We are just fine and don't tell us what to do" attitude that keeps us backward in many ways.

[Listener2307]

Originally Posted by Tama

Listener I don't mean to argue with you. But Sun Valley comes to mind. I didn't look it up, so I could be mistaken. When I think of Idaho I think of beautiful montains, ski resorts, and the outdoors. Clean air, healthy active lifestyles and lovely small cities like Boise come to mind. When I first knew I was coming to MS years ago, I had horrible things in mind, I can tell you.
I am still chagrined at the lack of sophisticated thinking and the "We are just fine and don't tell us what to do" attitude that keeps us backward in many ways.

Point is, Idaho doesn't have much of a reputation one way or the other.
California?.......People think this or that.
Florida?.......something else.
New York?...........OK, I've got an idea.
Texas?...........cowboys, etc.
Mississippi?...........almost everyone has an opinion. Most of them are wrong one way or the other, but you sure wouldn't get those blank looks you got when you announced Idaho as a destination.

"Backward in many ways"? Shame on you.
And what would be the alternative to "We are just fine and don't tell us what to do"? Should be turn to Idaho for leadership? Thank them for pointing out that they are, by the author's estimation, not any better than us?

He's just having fun. In the process he's chastising Idaho for not showing more progress than they have. I'd guess most Idahoans are pretty happy with where they live, and, like most Mississippians, agree they could do better.

Have you ever eaten Squirrel Cacciatore, Rabbit Ravioli in Basil Cream Sauce, Crawfish Fettuccine, Tiggy’s Favorite Baked Doves or Coon a la Delta? That's not how we eat. And he knows that. We do the same thing to Louisiana when we get a chance.

If any part of his message is to be taken seriously, it should be the part the implies Mississippi has taken flight, if only just a little, and has passed a few folks in the quest for honest progress.

Let's keep flappin'. The sky has no limit.

[Tama]

Originally Posted by Listener2307

Let's keep flappin'. The sky has no limit.

Absolutely--but being aware of others' perceptions and evaluating them not just dismissing them could help. I am not necessarily referring to this Idaho writer at all--just in general--more of a listening attitude as opposed to a defensive one. Sure, he is having fun but he chose MS to "make fun of"--not Ny or Florida or Minnesota and that says something.

I disagree as I said before that Idaho gets a blank stare. I don't think that is true at all. Idaho may have a "smaller" reputation than Ms but it has a positive one. Lots of people love to go to Idaho to ski, hike, ride, and camp. Unfortunately, Ms's "larger" reputation is because of so much negative publicity and perception. That has to be overcome with hard work.

[Vorpal]

Great, now I'm hungry for Crawfish Fetuccini.

Haters gonna hate....