Why I don't like Mississippi (to buy, schools, taxes)

[SpaceShip]

RANDY,

My point remains....WHY is this the only thing in life you can talk about?

It gets quite monotonous that you have nothing else to share as a human being
but a garbage pale full of whining.

It's like you have a personality disorder. The word "nag" ring a bell? You don't
sound like a soldier, you sound like a beyotch.

Haha! I love you kid, but really do wonder...

On the rag much?

BTW, Rudy. I'm a national bestselling author who has been in the process
of re-locating to Hinds County for the past 3 years. I live in California and
NY 6 months out of the year and spend 6 months building my home in
Mississippi. I LOVE it here. It's a good quiet place to write and fish.

I used to post here using a Man's name, but since I'm a woman, have
now taken "Spaceship" as my moniker.

Hope you stop being so glum and talk about something else.

[randy8876]

Originally Posted by SpaceShip

RANDY,

My point remains....WHY is this the only thing in life you can talk about?

It gets quite monotonous that you have nothing else to share as a human being but a garbage pale full of whining.

It's like you have a personality disorder. The word "nag" ring a bell? You don't sound like a soldier, you sound like a beyotch.

This isn't, but the thread topic is specifically about why I think MS and the South in general is the worst part of America. Yes, I find it difficult to say anything positive about this region. Initially I was told the it's just Meridian, but when I looked deeper into it pretty much all the cities in the South have excessive problems.

The last place I lived I couldn't find anything bad to say about. And when I discuss scuba, Hawaii, Washington, fishing, mountain biking, cars and various other topics it's almost all positive.

The rally cry here is MS is a great place to live if you want a peaceful laid back small town of under 5,000 people. But I bet 99% of towns under 5,000 people in America meet that criteria, and most of the others won't be 2-3 hours away from something nice, severely lacking in values and still have lower crime.

[Listener2307]

Hey Space...

I think this quote exposes the heart of Randy's problem:

I was completely caught off guard by the amount of crime and severely rundown appearance of the cities. I've visited Jackson, New Orleans, Birmingham, Atlanta, Memphis and Meridian and all the cities are in rough shape. Bad enough so that I find them embarassing to show to my friends from out of country. While many Southerners are proud of the ability to have a nice town of 5,000 people or less, I don't see the shame in having every big city in the South look like a failure. The only place I've seen that had worse conditions were the favelas of Brazil and the shanty towns of the Philippines.

Evidently, he thinks he is the only one around here who has been to Brazil or The Philippines, and he wants everyone to know it. But I, too, have been all over the world, and will advise Randy to take a trip to Detroit or maybe Gary, Indiana if he would like to see true failure in action. Even they cannot compare to the Philippine Shanty towns or the slums next to the Airport in Caracas. (See? Told ya I'd been around.)

I've lived in Seattle, too. Cold and wet for 3 years.... Philadelphia.....San Diego...Chicago...San Francisco...Atlanta.....Dallas...Huntsville, AL...Auburn, AL.....lived just about everywhere I'm ever going to live since our home and rental properties -which did NOT depreciate during the housing bubble implosion, BTW - are all paid for.

So quitchyerwhinning, Randy. I don't think anyone around here is impressed. Besides, if you had bought a home in any of those fine places your heart yearns for, you'da lost your shirt by now.

[randy8876]

Originally Posted by Listener2307

....take a trip to Detroit or maybe Gary, Indiana if he would like to see true failure in action......

Another fine example of "well Billy did it".
I'd say Gary and Detroit are the future of Jackson, Birmingham, Meridian and nearly every city of 10k+ in the South. Especially since the standard in MS is "as long as there's some place worse, it means MS is fine". You think it's arrogant for me to use examples of places I've seen that are worse, while I think that's an ignorant way to think.
BTW... Look at the crime rates of these three:
8405/100k Jackson
7785/100k Detroit
5264/100k Gary


To put simply I can understand why a person that has never been to a 3rd world country would use the South as a comparison. The South is the closest America has to 3rd world standards as far as trashed housing and values.

Originally Posted by Listener2307

......if you had bought a home in any of those fine places your heart yearns for, you'da lost your shirt by now.

First off I did buy, and I didn't lose my shirt.

Second, are we to assume that MS was untouched by the real estate bubble? MS is ranked near the bottom for foreclosures, as I would expect. But no place is untouched. I spoke with an agent about buying when I first arrived and viewed numerous foreclosed homes. I can't imagine people are rushing here to make investments as the state doesn't have much to offer.

[MrBeluksee]

"Be grateful, in 5 years I retire and move to earn a new residency in another country. The US loses a piece of tax base, $20k a year in the economy and a law abiding intelligent individual. But you can rest easy knowing that you won't have to hear me talk about all the things screwed up about your state."[/quote]


You are certainly a "scary individual"; I would be hard pressed to say intelligent (moving to another country), and what makes you even creepier is that you are in OUR armed services. I have always had the utmost respect for our service people, and thank them whenever I can for their service...You are one individual that I can honestly say good ridance to and the sooner you are out of our country...the better. Maybe society will get lucky and you will have to go to Iraq, and never have to return anywhere...except six feet under. You definetly have a chip on your shoulder...and it isnt Mississippi either.

[randy8876]

Originally Posted by MrBeluksee

You are certainly a "scary individual"; I would be hard pressed to say intelligent (moving to another country), and what makes you even creepier is that you are in OUR armed services.

Wow, a new sign of stupidity.
It's scary to recognize problems, and it's ignorant to want to avoid them.

Since I've been in I've known a lot of guys that decided on the ex-pat way of life. Too many people see the future of America looking too much like MS. Crime in small towns, lack of values, run down housing and schools that forget to educate students.

[jhadorn]

Originally Posted by randy8876

Wow, a new sign of stupidity.
It's scary to recognize problems, and it's ignorant to want to avoid them.

Since I've been in I've known a lot of guys that decided on the ex-pat way of life. Too many people see the future of America looking too much like MS. Crime in small towns, lack of values, run down housing and schools that forget to educate students.

So are you advocating the same mindset that you chastize Mississippians for? You have said that you are moving out of the United States, and that you know many people who have because of the rampant problems here. Isn't that avoiding the problem?

[Listener2307]

Originally Posted by jhadorn

So are you advocating the same mindset that you chastize Mississippians for? You have said that you are moving out of the United States, and that you know many people who have because of the rampant problems here. Isn't that avoiding the problem?

Randy will run to a 3rd world country because he can feel superior there.
He is the antithesis of the man hiking across the desert into the U.S because he might be able to get a job here.
Randy will leave because he might not have to work and improve things.

[R.A.P]

Why is the OP hating on Mississippi? I live in Missouri, and I love Missouri, but when your were talking about lynching Missouri was 2nd only to Virginia. Also if you were talking about poverty look at Missouri, Missouri has a lot of counties that are below poverty level. We are also the nations number producer of meth. Even though we have our problems doesn't mean I hate Missouri. So next time you go harshing on a state be careful of what you say because I bet no state has all of their problems worked out. Sure Mississippi might have some problems, but that doesn't mean that it's not a great state that's a part of the even greater U.S.A.

[jhadorn]

Originally Posted by R.A.P

Why is the OP hating on Mississippi? I live in Missouri, and I love Missouri, but when your were talking about lynching Missouri was 2nd only to Virginia. Also if you were talking about poverty look at Missouri, Missouri has a lot of counties that are below poverty level. We are also the nations number producer of meth. Even though we have our problems doesn't mean I hate Missouri. So next time you go harshing on a state be careful of what you say because I bet no state has all of their problems worked out. Sure Mississippi might have some problems, but that doesn't mean that it's not a great state that's a part of the even greater U.S.A.

R.A.P, it sounds as if Randy may have trouble finding happiness anywhere. He relies too heavily on statistics, and judges an entire state based on little experience. While it is true, Mississippi has problems, nobody is denying that, every state has problems. Mississippi has tried hard to overcome it's past, and improve its future, but we can't fix it overnight.

Randy expanded his disdain for Mississippi to include the entire south, as well as reveal his intentions to move outside the United States, and that he has known lots of guys who have become ex-pats because of "Crime in small towns, lack of values, run down housing and schools that forget to educate students".

I can find the good in wherever I go, because I realize there will be problems in any place, but you can't let that spoil the entire experience.

My first trip to Belize was very different from Mississippi, but I enjoyed it very much because I didn't go with a superiority complex, or preconceived expectations. It's the only 3rd world country I have been to, but I took it for what it was, found the good things and enjoyed them. I could live there and be happy if I needed to. I didn't experience Belize as a typical tourist, I went with my wife to visit family, and experienced life as a typical Belizean would, ate the foods, experienced many different cultures, and had a great time. Belize City, Ladyville, Big Creek, Dangriga, Belmopan, Placencia, Independence, and many places in between, and thouroughly enjoyed it, problems and all.

Randy, some things you just can't control, no matter how much you want to. You're only in the world for a short time, so if you aren't happy in Mississippi then find somewhere you are happy, just don't let problems ruin things for you. I "ain't" mad at ya.

Speaking of Missouri, it's a great state, and I have had great experiences there in the Ozarks, St. Louis, and Kansas City. You can't let the negatives control you wherever you are.