How Mississippi got it's ugly reputation (Jackson, Biloxi: home, neighborhood, to buy)

[poptones]

We jsut need to get a "community" nested somewhere. Greeks, Mexicans, Chinese, Musicians, Painters - it doesn't matter. We just need some deep seated weirdness.

[Tiger Beer]

Poptones - great post!!

I'm a complete outsider here. I've driven through Mississippi once, and I had a flat tire. I pulled off the side of the road next to an off-ramp. I kid you not, I practically had a line of people pull off after me offering 'assistance'. I don't know if it was my Michigan license plate that did that, I have no idea.

I had people offer to change my tire for me, I had one person tell me that northerners have a bad impression of them, but they are really good people. (I never said anything about any of that whatsoever, I guess he felt compelled to say that because of my license plate). I was also brought to a gas station by an older white woman and her teenage black friend (big age discrepancy) - but they appeared to be two people who knew each other from going to the same church.

Anyways, in short, up north you seldom ever see any of that - none of it. You'd be flagging people down left and right, and few would stop, and if they did, they'd be a bit distrustful of you. I also found it interesting the black/white friends in the car...as that would appear odd or unusual up north.

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Okay, next part of my post.

MISSISSIPPI's reputation. Honestly, most places have bad reputations...but once they 'offer' something...i.e., jobs, quality of life, etc...people flock to them. People WANT to move places, they want to go somewhere new or different. Many southern states are attracting an immense amount of people from all over the country and world - i.e. North Carolina, Georgia, and Texas.

There is nothing about the name 'Mississippi' that stops a person from moving there. I think if it offered something, people would go.

From my research though, it seems to be mostly small little rural towns. Generally speaking, and I'm from a small little rural town in Michigan, people in small towns have a lot of family and relatives in their little towns. They are little self-sufficient farmers/teachers/small business owners/etc. People don't generally move to small little towns, and if they did, then they wouldn't be so small anymore either. They are also pretty much common and very similar regardless of which state, so to choose a small town in MS over a small town in whatever state a person is from, seems odd.

So, I think it leaves Mississippi with really only one possible destination place - Jackson, MS. I just looked up the population it's at 170,000 people. That seems like a small city to me. Personally, I long ago left Michigan, but if I were still living in Michigan, and I wanted to find a nice 170,000 person city to live in, I'd probably opt for something still in Michigan or nearby.

I think a city really has to be much bigger with a lot more to offer for a person to move from far away to a new place. So, maybe it really has a lot more to do with Mississippi's rural-ness more than anything, and I think most people are looking for either urban or suburban (around an urban environment that they like).

All that being said, I think BILOXI and the coastal area COULD really attract a lot of people, if it wanted. I have looked into it myself, but Katrina kind of ruined that. Plus, obviously the ocean would be the major attraction. But from everything I've read, the coastline gets better in the Florida direction..and Biloxi doesn't seem to offer anything more than I've read about the Florida panhandle, etc.

Anyways, just free thinking on the question of Mississippi...carry on

[poptones]

My house insurance is over 2 grand a year. The city assesses it at 70K, but the insurance company won't insure it for less than $250K. And that's of the companies that will even discuss it - most won't even talk about insuring it. And I'm in Winona, like 150 miles from the coast.

Katrina really screwed things up for us in that respect. Mississippi is cheaper in many ways, but insurance costs here are ridiculous. I drive a 2005 Magnum V6 and I'm paying like $1900 a year for coverage with an absolutely ridiculous $2500 deductible - and I'm 47 with an otherwise good record!

That said, I'm still in love with Winona. I was in love with LA for a while too and I still would love to see just a little more LA come to the area, but I so love not having to spend 45 minutes in traffic just to go five miles up the road.

Mexicans. We need more Mexicans. I miss the music, the taquerias, and the colorful architecture. I miss Echo Park.

[OneJackson]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

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There is nothing about the name 'Mississippi' that stops a person from moving there. I think if it offered something, people would go.

.

this is what I've been working for years to do. trying ot attract businesses to Mississippi so people would visit and hopefully stay. it ain't easy. too many cornfields and not enough PF Changs.

[OneJackson]

Originally Posted by poptones

We jsut need to get a "community" nested somewhere. Greeks, Mexicans, Chinese, Musicians, Painters - it doesn't matter. We just need some deep seated weirdness.

Now THAT'S a stretch. can't see it happening anytime soon.

[poptones]

Dont bet against it. It's almost happened here around starkville a couple of times almost entirely because of the music scene. Didnt take off entirely, but things were getting interesting around here for a while about a decade back...

[OneJackson]

Originally Posted by poptones

Dont bet against it. It's almost happened here around starkville a couple of times almost entirely because of the music scene. Didnt take off entirely, but things were getting interesting around here for a while about a decade back...

Anywhere outside of Jackson I can see it happening. but the stiff-shirts bumper sticker Bible thumpers in Jackson already rallied behind Cowboy Frank to shut down a popular "weird" bookstore in Jackson. Hypocrites. they sell liquor into the wee hours of the morning but an Adult bookstore is blasphemy?

Jackson, poor Jackson. when will you learn?

[poptones]

I'm no puritan but we don't need adult bookstores. I'm pretty doggone liberal but I've lived in lots of places and have never seen an adult book store improve an area. Never. Not in Ypsilanti, not in Wayne, not in Dearborn, not in Los Angeles, not in Jackson, not in Starkville, not in Cleveland, not in Toledo, not in Knoxville, not anywhere. People don't want to be near them, which means the entire area suffers. Would you want one moving in around the corner from you?

I totally disagree with laws limiting sellers to certain materials. So why do we need "adult bookstores" anyway? Maybe because no one wants to SELL said material in any other type of store?

Why do we need adult bookstores these days anyway? That's what the internet is for.

[Scotslass]

Originally Posted by poptones

I'm no puritan but we don't need adult bookstores. I'm pretty doggone liberal but I've lived in lots of places and have never seen an adult book store improve an area. Never. Not in Ypsilanti, not in Wayne, not in Dearborn, not in Los Angeles, not in Jackson, not in Starkville, not in Cleveland, not in Toledo, not in Knoxville, not anywhere. People don't want to be near them, which means the entire area suffers. Would you want one moving in around the corner from you?

I totally disagree with laws limiting sellers to certain materials. So why do we need "adult bookstores" anyway? Maybe because no one wants to SELL said material in any other type of store?

Why do we need adult bookstores these days anyway? That's what the internet is for.

I feel the same too, don't want these kinda places in my town.

[OneJackson]

Originally Posted by poptones

I'm no puritan but we don't need adult bookstores. I'm pretty doggone liberal but I've lived in lots of places and have never seen an adult book store improve an area. Never. Not in Ypsilanti, not in Wayne, not in Dearborn, not in Los Angeles, not in Jackson, not in Starkville, not in Cleveland, not in Toledo, not in Knoxville, not anywhere. People don't want to be near them, which means the entire area suffers. Would you want one moving in around the corner from you?

blah..that bookstore has been there since I was a kid almost 40 years and nobody complained until some two-faced clown named Frank Melton became mayor, moved in and decided it was "undesirable". HELLO, I used to attend a KIDS Sports Camp that set up shop every year at Battlefield park RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET. no complaints. the bookstore never had bums hanging out around it. no criminals either. various car lots and shops littered the street and no compliants. then that jerk(Frank) flexing power got them shut down.

You wanted some deep seeded weirdness. that's it. Jackson used to be weird but those days are long gone..these days Jackson is not ready for that type of crowd, or the Goth crowd, or the saggy jeans crowd, tattoo crowd, gay couples kissing in public crowd, and all the other "weirdos" you get when you have a weird town. and they're still giving the strip clubs hell to stay open. Jackson's not that. Jackson(for better or worse) has become a family oriented, slow living college town that's only "Alive" when schools in session. otherwise forget it. So be careful what you ask for on the weird tip.

That's why I say a 6 Flags or theme park because that's more Jackson's speed.

Jackson is a bland version of Atlanta. time for a facelift