[foxxtrot]

Originally Posted by RunawayJim

I drive a Subaru. Can't afford a Land Rover, wouldn't get one if I could.

I like the mountains and lakes and I ski. I also love how the people of Vermont support local goods. I've never been to a state with so much self pride. It's truly awesome.

Most of the locals can't afford the high cost of local goods...they shop at Price Chopper and most people are broke up here unless they are a transplant with job inbound. Otherwise not many people jump on the BUY VERMONT bandwagon as the cost of Vermont cheese, maple syrup, and furniture is not affordable for most VTers.

[tdna]

Originally Posted by foxxtrot

Most of the locals can't afford the high cost of local goods...they shop at Price Chopper and most people are broke up here unless they are a transplant with job inbound. Otherwise not many people jump on the BUY VERMONT bandwagon as the cost of Vermont cheese, maple syrup, and furniture is not affordable for most VTers.

I wonder what you mean by most VTers are broke and can't afford to buy local? I was born in Vermont and lived there for 34 years. I was not rich, nor were my friends. I would say that at least 75-80% of the people I knew bought local on a regular basis. It always made me wonder when the people who did complain about not being able to afford local goods were the same people who would sit in front of their 60" television, watching one of their 250 satellite channels, while eating an entire bag of Doritos because they were buy one-get one free at Price Chopper, which made them a good deal. No matter where you live, it's about choices.

[RunawayJim]

Originally Posted by tdna

Ummm...is this really an example of how the state is failing? I'm 35-years old and I have never, ever eaten at McDonald's. Burlington has so many better, healthier (and quite affordable) options. Maybe that's why McDonald's closed in the first place.

People said the same thing about downtown Providence because McDonald's (and pretty much any fast food chain, Subway and Dunkin Donuts excepted) couldn't make it downtown. The truth is, though, that the vast majority of the people downtown didn't want McDonald's. It wasn't any indication of the health of downtown.

[BickleTravis]

Originally Posted by tdna

Ummm...is this really an example of how the state is failing? I'm 35-years old and I have never, ever eaten at McDonald's. Burlington has so many better, healthier (and quite affordable) options. Maybe that's why McDonald's closed in the first place.

No, its an example of the "organic" crowd's total ignorance of the rest of the population. Walk down North St, Allen St., Peru St., and find me some City Market/ Penny Cluse customers.
There is a group of people here trying to create a hippie/yuppie utopia, and getting rid of McDonald's is part of that.
I don't eat at McDonald's. The meat is truly nasty. But I don't have some ideological problem with McDonald's that leads me to try to prevent other people from eating there.

[RunawayJim]

Originally Posted by BickleTravis

No, its an example of the "organic" crowd's total ignorance of the rest of the population. Walk down North St, Allen St., Peru St., and find me some City Market/ Penny Cluse customers.
There is a group of people here trying to create a hippie/yuppie utopia, and getting rid of McDonald's is part of that.
I don't eat at McDonald's. The meat is truly nasty. But I don't have some ideological problem with McDonald's that leads me to try to prevent other people from eating there.

The ideological problem with McDonald's is that it's unhealthy and causes more problems than it solves. If there are other options that are just as affordable, but far healthier (and I'm not talking necessarily about "health food" or organic food), why is there a need for a McDonald's?

[Dusty Rhodes]

If yall would be so kind as to indulge a southern boy with a question......Exactly, what is this "phish" that yall have been talkin' about? And....... as for Mc dougal burgers..... I may actually eat about one a year, but, when I have the taste for a one hundred percent guaranteed artery clogger, their double cheeseburger w/onion,pickle,mustard, lettuce...well, almost lettuce, and something that could almost pass as a tomato w/ the flavor removed and a large order of fries with about a cup and a half of salt, Mcdougal's fits the bill.
As a child I was a Dupont brat, grew up all over the U.S., North, South, East, and West, with a bit of central thrown in for grins and giggles, I missed making it to Maine by about ten miles. I always felt at home in New England, friendly people w/senses of humor, slow talkin', it was the closest we got to being in the south when our travels deposited us on strange soils, New England never felt strange, it was good, comfortable.

[RunawayJim]

Originally Posted by Dusty Rhodes

If yall would be so kind as to indulge a southern boy with a question......Exactly, what is this "phish" that yall have been talkin' about? And....... as for Mc dougal burgers..... I may actually eat about one a year, but, when I have the taste for a one hundred percent guaranteed artery clogger, their double cheeseburger w/onion,pickle,mustard, lettuce...well, almost lettuce, and something that could almost pass as a tomato w/ the flavor removed and a large order of fries with about a cup and a half of salt, Mcdougal's fits the bill.
As a child I was a Dupont brat, grew up all over the U.S., North, South, East, and West, with a bit of central thrown in for grins and giggles, I missed making it to Maine by about ten miles. I always felt at home in New England, friendly people w/senses of humor, slow talkin', it was the closest we got to being in the south when our travels deposited us on strange soils, New England never felt strange, it was good, comfortable.

Phish is a jamband that started in Vermont in the mid-80s. They're pretty good if you like that sort of thing. Real Vermonters hate them because they brought all the hippie types to VT.

[Sherylcatmom]

Originally Posted by RunawayJim

Phish is a jamband that started in Vermont in the mid-80s. They're pretty good if you like that sort of thing. Real Vermonters hate them because they brought all the hippie types to VT.

Maybe if we're rewriting history. People seeking alternative living began moving to Vermont many years before Phish got together. Phish formed in 1983 and it wasn't until several years later that people outside Vermont started to notice them.

[RunawayJim]

Originally Posted by Sherylcatmom

Maybe if we're rewriting history. People seeking alternative living began moving to Vermont many years before Phish got together. Phish formed in 1983 and it wasn't until several years later that people outside Vermont started to notice them.

Just re-writing what I've seen on the forums. I like Phish. I know their history. One of the first reactions I got when I mentioned I wanted to move there was something about liking Phish and turning it into a hippie utopia or something silly like that. My response above was mostly tongue in cheek.

[Sherylcatmom]

Originally Posted by RunawayJim

My response above was mostly tongue in cheek.

My bad. Maybe a facial expression or tone of voice would have tipped me off.