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more tornadoes yes, but many not at all. We have lived here now for 10 years, have yet to see anything resembling one. The closest was sever wind damage from the Joplin tornado about 7 years ago. There have been a few in the state since we moved here that have caused some damage but not many. this isn't OK or Northern Texas.
I was partially responding to omallynoshow's cultural comments with my "many" remark. Arkansas has some serious widespread problems in that regard that often gets glossed over on these forums.
As for tornadoes, I was trying to counter with something about weather because people will complain about weather no matter what. I could have said heat, humidity, floods, droughts, and ice storms, but you probably would have still countered with "Texas is worse". Maybe, but Texas is worse than Michigan also, so Texas should not be used as a standard-bearer for much of anything, weather-related or otherwise.
I was partially responding to omallynoshow's cultural comments with my "many" remark. Arkansas has some serious widespread problems in that regard that often gets glossed over on these forums.
As for tornadoes, I was trying to counter with something about weather because people will complain about weather no matter what. I could have said heat, humidity, floods, droughts, and ice storms, but you probably would have still countered with "Texas is worse". Maybe, but Texas is worse than Michigan also, so Texas should not be used as a standard-bearer for much of anything, weather-related or otherwise.
I'm unsure of the cultural problems you are referring to. Living in Illinois, the biggest cultural problem I see is the prionic brain infected state leadership which has the state of Illinois on a downward economic death spiral. If you came from the Detroit area, you know of what I am speaking. We lived in the Chicago burbs before moving to central Illinois 10 years ago. I'll take country folk any day to cultural elites. Unfortunately, central Illinois is still under the same leadership and that leadership just keeps raising taxes to meet their spending addiction. Illinois has been at the top of the list for population outflow for the past 3-4 years now. I will be joining the outflow in 2020.
Give me hillbilly's, rednecks, country bumpkins or any other derogatory name for "plain ole folk" and I will gladly prefer to live with them after my time with cultural elites. The difference being the plain ole folk tend to focus on trying to run their own lives rather than running and ruining everyone else's life.
Biggest issue I see in smaller towns and cities is the drug epidemic which is more visible in small urban and rural areas than in major population centers (not more prevalent, just more visible). Look at the city data crime statistics for small town USA and you will see the explosion of petty crimes such as break-ins. I believe the national drug epidemic fuels these crime statistics. The drug epidemic is inescapable no matter where you choose to live. Again, I'd rather live in areas with this issue than in the hood where murder is not even newsworthy anymore as it has become so common.
From my visits to north AR, as far as I can tell, AR does not have a cultural elitist epidemic. I would have been able to smell their repulsive odor in the air. It's akin to the smell of death.
I'm unsure of the cultural problems you are referring to. Living in Illinois, the biggest cultural problem I see is the prionic brain infected state leadership which has the state of Illinois on a downward economic death spiral. If you came from the Detroit area, you know of what I am speaking. We lived in the Chicago burbs before moving to central Illinois 10 years ago. I'll take country folk any day to cultural elites. Unfortunately, central Illinois is still under the same leadership and that leadership just keeps raising taxes to meet their spending addiction. Illinois has been at the top of the list for population outflow for the past 3-4 years now. I will be joining the outflow in 2020.
Give me hillbilly's, rednecks, country bumpkins or any other derogatory name for "plain ole folk" and I will gladly prefer to live with them after my time with cultural elites. The difference being the plain ole folk tend to focus on trying to run their own lives rather than running and ruining everyone else's life.
Biggest issue I see in smaller towns and cities is the drug epidemic which is more visible in small urban and rural areas than in major population centers (not more prevalent, just more visible). Look at the city data crime statistics for small town USA and you will see the explosion of petty crimes such as break-ins. I believe the national drug epidemic fuels these crime statistics. The drug epidemic is inescapable no matter where you choose to live. Again, I'd rather live in areas with this issue than in the hood where murder is not even newsworthy anymore as it has become so common.
From my visits to north AR, as far as I can tell, AR does not have a cultural elitist epidemic. I would have been able to smell their repulsive odor in the air. It's akin to the smell of death.
small town living even in towns like Little Rock certainly isn't for everyone, but like you, I will take Ar over elitist life any day. Certainly we have lived both, from spending 1/2 our life in CA, 8 years almost in the DC area and 13 in Dallas. Other than the sad poverty in most of the AR delta, I too, wonder what he/she is referring to. As for poverty, that is everywhere, it is just approached in a different way. Yes, like you mentioned there is a meth concern here, but again, it is more visible because of the many small towns. And as I have mentioned many times, how many places can you life where in one direction you go 5 miles to see the country side, true rural life and can feel like you are part of it. Then go 5 miles the other direction and get all the culture and urban life experience you need or want.
I'm unsure of the cultural problems you are referring to. Living in Illinois, the biggest cultural problem I see is the prionic brain infected state leadership which has the state of Illinois on a downward economic death spiral. If you came from the Detroit area, you know of what I am speaking. We lived in the Chicago burbs before moving to central Illinois 10 years ago. I'll take country folk any day to cultural elites. Unfortunately, central Illinois is still under the same leadership and that leadership just keeps raising taxes to meet their spending addiction. Illinois has been at the top of the list for population outflow for the past 3-4 years now. I will be joining the outflow in 2020.
Give me hillbilly's, rednecks, country bumpkins or any other derogatory name for "plain ole folk" and I will gladly prefer to live with them after my time with cultural elites. The difference being the plain ole folk tend to focus on trying to run their own lives rather than running and ruining everyone else's life.
Biggest issue I see in smaller towns and cities is the drug epidemic which is more visible in small urban and rural areas than in major population centers (not more prevalent, just more visible). Look at the city data crime statistics for small town USA and you will see the explosion of petty crimes such as break-ins. I believe the national drug epidemic fuels these crime statistics. The drug epidemic is inescapable no matter where you choose to live. Again, I'd rather live in areas with this issue than in the hood where murder is not even newsworthy anymore as it has become so common.
From my visits to north AR, as far as I can tell, AR does not have a cultural elitist epidemic. I would have been able to smell their repulsive odor in the air. It's akin to the smell of death.
Re the bolded.....great, succinct point that helps illustrate the appeal of states that hard core progressives like to deride as 'low service states' that they feel don't pass muster statistically.
Re the bolded.....great, succinct point that helps illustrate the appeal of states that hard core progressives like to deride as 'low service states' that they feel don't pass muster statistically.
Your point is spot on and a serious factor for livability in my opinion. I want to live away from Progressives (another term that has been perverted and redefined). I long for a simpler life which requires neighbors with traditional values. It also takes a government of the people, and for the people. I can't have that in Illinois.
I also prefer down-to-earth over elitist.
It's hard to explain how I feel about Arkansas and it's culture. I won't go into detail here. Trying to describe anything too much will just lead to misunderstandings and 10-page arguments.
It simply isn't the nicest, most pleasant place I've found, not by any measure. It has problems symptomatic of a depressed culture that is a result of decades of being one of the more impoverished states in the country. All the negative data isn't driven by biased elitists trying to keep Arkansas down as some on here seem to suggest, nor is it driven by a couple towns in the Delta.
If you move to Arkansas for a cheaper life, it is more affordable than a lot of places. As for improvement in other areas of life, results may vary.
Please spare me plain, simple life talk. It's not that at all. I personally could go off-grid and live in a beat-up RV in a slightly different universe.
I personally don't expect too much from government, by the way, I just expect what I entrust them to do to be done well.
I also prefer down-to-earth over elitist.
It's hard to explain how I feel about Arkansas and it's culture. I won't go into detail here. Trying to describe anything too much will just lead to misunderstandings and 10-page arguments.
It simply isn't the nicest, most pleasant place I've found, not by any measure. It has problems symptomatic of a depressed culture that is a result of decades of being one of the more impoverished states in the country. All the negative data isn't driven by biased elitists trying to keep Arkansas down as some on here seem to suggest, nor is it driven by a couple towns in the Delta.
If you move to Arkansas for a cheaper life, it is more affordable than a lot of places. As for improvement in other areas of life, results may vary.
Please spare me plain, simple life talk. It's not that at all. I personally could go off-grid and live in a beat-up RV in a slightly different universe.
I personally don't expect too much from government, by the way, I just expect what I entrust them to do to be done well.
what you seem to miss and it is very important: yes, there is poverty, show me a rural state that doesn't suffer from poverty. We live in NM for 7 years: talk about poverty. But, for the most part the poverty in AR is centered in one location. Because it isn't t huge state, area wise of population wise it doesn't take much to bring the entire state down. You talk about a not very nice place to live, how about you spend some time in NM or maybe Mississippi.
what you seem to miss and it is very important: yes, there is poverty, show me a rural state that doesn't suffer from poverty. We live in NM for 7 years: talk about poverty. But, for the most part the poverty in AR is centered in one location. Because it isn't t huge state, area wise of population wise it doesn't take much to bring the entire state down. You talk about a not very nice place to live, how about you spend some time in NM or maybe Mississippi.
LOL. I've lived in New Mexico. It's not better, but no worse, than Arkansas. I liked the scenery and weather much better out there if nothing else.
I go to various parts of Mississippi 4-5 times a year. Alabama. West Virginia. Tennessee. Kentucky.
Believe me, I get around. I'd almost prefer Mississippi to Arkansas, but really they are very very similar. The Ozarks are kind of like Tennessee and Kentucky, which may or may not be a compliment depending on your point of view. I personally don't care for the hilly areas, and their culture is too.... incompatible.
LOL. I've lived in New Mexico. It's not better, but no worse, than Arkansas. I liked the scenery and weather much better out there if nothing else.
I go to various parts of Mississippi 4-5 times a year. Alabama. West Virginia. Tennessee. Kentucky.
Believe me, I get around. I'd almost prefer Mississippi to Arkansas, but really they are very very similar. The Ozarks are kind of like Tennessee and Kentucky, which may or may not be a compliment depending on your point of view. I personally don't care for the hilly areas, and their culture is too.... incompatible.
Your opinion is your own, but I had to ask, incompatible with what? You?
Funny thing is, if you take the time to look at the demographic data for northern AR, it has been heavily infiltrated by folks from outside the Natural State. Much more so than Ky. While I wondered what the cultural differences might be, I found there to be real nice folks in both AR and KY. Perhaps my perspective is tainted as I prepare to abandon ship from Illinois.
I guess what I am trying to say is that I expect the culture to be different in a new location. In fact, I am counting on it to be different. If I want the same as where I am at, there is little point in leaving. Part of the new adventure is a new culture to adapt to.
I understand what you are saying though. As and example, I would never consider moving to CA as the culture is counter intuitive to economic reality and my own personal reality. I would never, ever live in CA.
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