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I haven't had time to go through the whole thread yet so forgive me if someone already explained this, but some farmers are actually paid to NOT farm their land and leave it untouched. My family is from Iowa and this was true in their area. The reason for this is to keep the prices of crops high because if every farmer farmed their land there'd be a glut of crops and the price would go down because there would be too much corn, soybeans, ect so the farmers are paid to not farm that land so the prices of crops especially internationally, will be much higher and generate more revenue.
Location: The Chatterdome in La La Land, CaliFUNia
39,031 posts, read 23,018,776 times
Reputation: 36027
Quote:
Originally Posted by Repubocrat
I guess, my point was, I don't understand why people pay so much money to live in places like CA, NY, NJ, where life can be totally chaotic, high crime, failing schools, crazy traffic, ghettos, racial tension, etc. The quality of life here in Heartland is pretty good and people still talk to each other, wave at each other. When I lived in NJ, people were so rude, always angry, my apt was a dump and I paid over $1000/month for it, not to mention you could not find a home for less than 400K, property taxes in NJ were the highest in the country, it did not make a lot of sense!
I'm glad you love where you live but I, personally, would not be happy in rural America as I feel safer in dense cities with viable public transit systems as I do not drive. I also enjoy the rich cultural diversity of Southern California and the million of places I can visit in my own backyard. I cannot stand the small town mentalities that are often present in rural areas and generally find more acceptance in larger metropolitan areas. I'm just as real American as you are.
I'm glad you love where you live but I, personally, would not be happy in rural America as I feel safer in dense cities with viable public transit systems as I do not drive. I also enjoy the rich cultural diversity of Southern California and the million of places I can visit in my own backyard. I cannot stand the small town mentalities that are often present in rural areas and generally find more acceptance in larger metropolitan areas. I'm just as real American as you are.
Whatever works for you is great.
I found it interesting in talking with friends who live in large metro areas about all we are "missing" in Iowa.
1. One, who lived in Manhatten, said the Broadway plays are great. She saw none last year and I saw three on touring companies and one on Broadway. I have been to the Met many, many times and have been to the Chicago Art Institute hundreds of times. How many times have you been to the Louvre?
2. Diversity sounds great, until one realizes that diversity means high crime. One very liberal town in Iowa, Iowa City, was preoccupied with "diversity" . They sought to bring in a more "diverse" population and be like the rest of the country. Now a nice university town has a very high crime rate and kids don't feel safe walking around alone in the late hours downtown. "Diversity" is bad, unless the diversity happens with citizens of equal morality, work ethic and relative income. Bringing a bunch of poor, uneducated citizens to your city will make it poor and uneducated. So much for "diversity".
3. Education level is much higher in Iowa than it is in California. One can pull off the roadside at the most remote area in northwest Iowa, go into a cafe, and converse with anyone there on an intelligent basis about current politics, economics, or even mathmatics if you wish. I have found other places of the country, particularly in the more remote areas, to be completely uneducated and ignorant. This has been quite true of even large metro areas like LA and NYC. The low education level in those areas is clearly reflected in the citizens who live there.
4. Traffic sucks in big towns. Having lived adjacent to NYC while working briefly in the pharm industry, I was shocked at the hour and half commutes that everyone has. What a waste of time! I live in a beautiful gated community with woods, but can be to work in six minutes driving on open roads. Think of what you could do with that extra 3 hours every day. The only time it "works" is with the train system in the northeast, where you can read and work while traveling.
5. Housing sucks in large metro areas. It is too expensive and cramped, unless you want to pay over $2 million for a place to live. People who I know living in San Fran, LA, Boston, and NYC live in dumps so that they can "enjoy" the bigger towns. I live in a mansion and like my big house. I have woods in my backyard and have a herd of deer that live there, as well as many other critters, such as fox, bobcats, eagles, and a variety of others.
6. There is limited outdoor recreation in large towns. I can walk across the street and play golf. We shot long range rifles at a great range five minutes from my house. We can reach the woods by throwing a rock into it. I can hunt deer, turkey, and pheasant within 10 minutes of my house. Sometimes just getting out in the open spaces can clear your head. You have to drive a long way for recreation in larger metro areas.
If we want mountains and oceans, we hop in a plane and fly there. The airport is only ten minutes away and we can afford to go anywhere in the world whenever we want by the savings we have from a cheaper cost of living here. We were in Arizona last week. Last month we were in Pebble Beach. The month before that in Florida. Over the Christmas break- Arizona. Last fall- Hawaii. We will go to Charleston next month for our ocean fix.
7. Restaurants are about the only area where big towns excel. However, for me chow is chow and I am not so interested in calories and shooting the breeze over vittels. I am more interested in doing things and wasting a couple of hours in a restaurant is a waste of valuable time for me.
Whatever works is good for you. However, I would prefer that "diversity" and "culture" stay outside of our state, as they are usually false catch phrases for crime and indecency.
Since SOME don't believe in reading back a few pages.....I'll say again....I LOVE where I live ..but ALL of America is the "REAL" America..... I don't claim others aren't living in "real" America....how devisive!
AND this is hardly the only country where you speak out about loving your home...for Pete's sake!!!
And that is the point. We all should love where we live if we are lucky. Why argue about what is the best?
Ask the OP, that's his premise.
He's arguing that where he lives is best.
I found it interesting in talking with friends who live in large metro areas about all we are "missing" in Iowa.
1. One, who lived in Manhatten, said the Broadway plays are great. She saw none last year and I saw three on touring companies and one on Broadway. I have been to the Met many, many times and have been to the Chicago Art Institute hundreds of times. How many times have you been to the Louvre?
2. Diversity sounds great, until one realizes that diversity means high crime. One very liberal town in Iowa, Iowa City, was preoccupied with "diversity" . They sought to bring in a more "diverse" population and be like the rest of the country. Now a nice university town has a very high crime rate and kids don't feel safe walking around alone in the late hours downtown. "Diversity" is bad, unless the diversity happens with citizens of equal morality, work ethic and relative income. Bringing a bunch of poor, uneducated citizens to your city will make it poor and uneducated. So much for "diversity".
3. Education level is much higher in Iowa than it is in California. One can pull off the roadside at the most remote area in northwest Iowa, go into a cafe, and converse with anyone there on an intelligent basis about current politics, economics, or even mathmatics if you wish. I have found other places of the country, particularly in the more remote areas, to be completely uneducated and ignorant. This has been quite true of even large metro areas like LA and NYC. The low education level in those areas is clearly reflected in the citizens who live there.
4. Traffic sucks in big towns. Having lived adjacent to NYC while working briefly in the pharm industry, I was shocked at the hour and half commutes that everyone has. What a waste of time! I live in a beautiful gated community with woods, but can be to work in six minutes driving on open roads. Think of what you could do with that extra 3 hours every day. The only time it "works" is with the train system in the northeast, where you can read and work while traveling.
5. Housing sucks in large metro areas. It is too expensive and cramped, unless you want to pay over $2 million for a place to live. People who I know living in San Fran, LA, Boston, and NYC live in dumps so that they can "enjoy" the bigger towns. I live in a mansion and like my big house. I have woods in my backyard and have a herd of deer that live there, as well as many other critters, such as fox, bobcats, eagles, and a variety of others.
6. There is limited outdoor recreation in large towns. I can walk across the street and play golf. We shot long range rifles at a great range five minutes from my house. We can reach the woods by throwing a rock into it. I can hunt deer, turkey, and pheasant within 10 minutes of my house. Sometimes just getting out in the open spaces can clear your head. You have to drive a long way for recreation in larger metro areas.
If we want mountains and oceans, we hop in a plane and fly there. The airport is only ten minutes away and we can afford to go anywhere in the world whenever we want by the savings we have from a cheaper cost of living here. We were in Arizona last week. Last month we were in Pebble Beach. The month before that in Florida. Over the Christmas break- Arizona. Last fall- Hawaii. We will go to Charleston next month for our ocean fix.
7. Restaurants are about the only area where big towns excel. However, for me chow is chow and I am not so interested in calories and shooting the breeze over vittels. I am more interested in doing things and wasting a couple of hours in a restaurant is a waste of valuable time for me.
Whatever works is good for you. However, I would prefer that "diversity" and "culture" stay outside of our state, as they are usually false catch phrases for crime and indecency.
Some people enjoy living in the stix. And that works out for everybody, because we need people to make our corn for us.
Just don't start with the "We are the Real America" talk. There is a reason Iowans spend their money visiting other states, but conversely there are not a whole lot of people lining up to go to Iowa.
Ask the OP, that's his premise.
He's arguing that where he lives is best.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cunucu Beach
I would never argue that where I live is "the best". I don't want the secret to get out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ray1945
Wherever you are the happiest - that's the "best" place for you to live.
YOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
the words
BEST
and
REAL
are different words....spelled differently
AND they have DIFFERENT meanings!!!!!!!
The OP said "REAL".....that is DIFFERENT from BEST.....
FIND A DICTIONARY....: rolleyes:
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