Atlanta's size compared to Houston (Decatur: buy, place, Hispanic)

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

Gosh, if West Cobb is redneck, what is Paulding?

And what is even more funny, most the Sprayberry Area is East Cobb.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

Gosh, if West Cobb is redneck, what is Paulding?

Oh, the factor goes up the further west you go, for sure.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by aries4118

And what is even more funny, most of the Sprayberry Area is East Cobb.

.....

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

From 3 years in the 80s and my current ten years here in the DFW area, it is the south, especially everything west of I-35 and north of 1-10. Carry that on up through Oklahoma as well. The main reason I balk at the notion of Texans who don't think they are southern is the Texan pride thing... taken that they are better than the rest of the south. Well they aren't dang it.

There is the Mexican influence that you don't find in the rest of the south but that is because it is the "Western South" as Texas Reb calls it. But here are the reasons Texas is the south through and through:

Accent: Definitely southern. It has its own Texas twist, but there is as much of a variation within the rest of the south on the southern accent. There is more of a difference in Georgia Mountain southern and coastal Georgia southern accents as there is between Texas and the rest of the south.

Settlement: Texas was primarily settled be southerners from eastern states. Tennesseans were here in huge numbers. My anecdotal research (me asking where Texans where there ancestors came to Texas from) would show Tennessee in the top spot.

Religion: The preponderance of conservative evangelicals led by the Southern Baptist Convention is huge in Texas. The south is considered the bible belt. Texas is the buckle.

History: Texas was a member of the confederacy, a slave state and has an agricultural history totally in line with the rest of the south. It does add the ranching part of agriculture, but that is because it is the "western" south. That fact doesnt make it NOT the south.

Politics: Texas is a red state, as red as any in the south and redder than some.

Cuisine: Again, there is a Texas twist, but each state has its own twist on the southern diet. Less dependence on veggies and more on beef and there is the Tex-Mex thing happening because of the nearness to Mexico. Grits and Sweet Tea are found most places.

Texas has more in common with the rest of the south than Louisiana IMHO. The French Cajun influence there makes it much more different than the rest of the south, but no one would argue that Louisiana isn't southern. It is unique for sure, it is Texas, but it is still solidly the south.

Again, Brother Marks, I do not deny that Texas has many Southern elements, even significant Southern elements.

The "Southerness" of Texas is a major part of the whole that makes Texas what it is--a unique and beautiful culture and country.


But--

The people in Texas are not Southerners--they are Texans.

Texas is not in the American South--it is in...well, Texas.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by aries4118

Indeed--very true.

The saying is...

"East Cobb Snobs and West CornCobbs"


Harrison is, like, a wannabe Walton/Pope/Lassiter.

Wannabe or not, my nephews did alright for themselves there, graduating from UGA, Cornell and GT respectively. So Harrison must be doing something right...at least my sister, who is an educator in Cobb, thinks so.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

Wannabe or not, my nephews did alright for themselves there, graduating from UGA, Cornell and GT respectively. So Harrison must be doing something right...at least my sister, who is an educator in Cobb, thinks so.

Haha...it was in jest, Lady Lovin.


Harrison is a fine school...an excellent school. And West Cobb is a beautiful area.

Moreover--Harrison is the "The Walton of West Cobb."


As someone that grew up in tony East Cobb, it is just fun to poke fun at West (corn)Cobb.


And--as you know from my posts, I am fairly equitable in my promotion of areas/school districts in all parts of Metro Atlanta.

[geoking66]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

i don't think ant is saying we should raze it all (if so i have greatly underestimated his potential for sherman-ism).

it is true that in general single family home dominated neighbourhoods, there is nothing for people to do, whereas denser development can provide mixed uses and more street activity.

now, obviously, there are exceptions to this rule. obviously, the word "apartment" for many conjurs up mixed emotions, seeing as how apartments were built in the 60s through the early 2000s— as single use, project-style apartments that were accessible only by car, meaning only those that were poor would want to live in an apartment. so in that case, denser doesn't equal better street life.

the other exception is found in many atlanta neighbourhoods, such as virginia-highland, old fourth ward, and many neighbourhoods that have not seen restoration yet, such as pittsburgh and english avenue— and that is the omnipresence of retail on street corners, much of it in a very unique atlanta style that is somewhere between art deco and spanish revival:

these retail areas are found at regular frequencies throughout the older single-family neighbourhoods in atlanta, especially those dating from the 1900-1940 period. what makes this unique is that it allows for the existance of single-family homes while maintaining a walkable community and an urban fabric.

^ This. While Atlanta's coheisve urban fabric is somewhat spotty and limited, it sure beats Houston, where it's almost non-existant. Outside of Downtown (which probably has more surface parking in a CBD than anywhere else), it's just a drop-off to very low density sprawl. It's just not dense at all. Atlanta's got a serious problem with sprawl, but there's more of a taper with CBD > Intown > sprawl.

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by aries4118

The people in Texas are not Southerners--they are Texans.

Well, you certainly don't have the authority or knowledge to tell me what I am.

Hell, my grandmother picked cotton. Did yours? My southern upbringing and heritage would make you look like you grew up in Cleveland.

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

Well, you certainly don't have the authority or knowledge to tell me what I am.

Hell, my grandmother picked cotton. Did yours? My southern upbringing and heritage would make you look like you grew up in Cleveland.

Perhaps Texans are the only one to answer this question. My Texan wife says she is Texan, not Southern. I tend to understand that.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

Well, you certainly don't have the authority or knowledge to tell me what I am.

Hell, my grandmother picked cotton. Did yours? My southern upbringing and heritage would make you look like you grew up in Cleveland.

You caint get more Southern than me brother/sister--don't even try it. And yes--I do have the authority, plus the knowledge.

Moreover--I'm (along with my deep roots) from the core of the American South...not the Southwestern/Mexican/Western/Southern/Midwestern/Spanish-influenced region/country known as Texas.