So trivial, yet it really ticks you off.

[2jakes]

A little-known fact is that more domestic violence occurs in Maine in January and February than at any other times of the year.

I wonder if also, the birth rate increases because of January and February in Maine than at any other times of the year ?

 

[HudsonHawk]

I wonder if also, the birth rate increases around January and February in Maine than at any other times of the year ?

I would suspect the birthrate increases in September and October.

 

[LizzieMaine]

When most of the state lost power for several days during the Great Ice Storm of January 1998 there was a noted uptick on births that September. Got to do something when the electric blankets don't work.

 

[sheeplady]

Having lived in Boston for eight years, the "rivalry" between the New England states always felt good natured to me, like friends making fun of each other. It did not have a underlying harshness, in my experience. Living in NYC, you definitely get the feeling that some part of the non-NYC country truly doesn't like NYC. But, equally, many non-NYC residents seem to love that NYC exists and are proud it is part of the USA. The New England thing seemed lighthearted, the NYC thing has an edge. Again, all just my humble opinion based on my personal experiences and observations - no studies, etc., to back any of this up.

You should move upstate* if you would like to see vitriol against "downstate." And by downstate, they mean just below Albany. But we'll let you have Albany if you take all the politicians. ALL OF THEM.

Conversely, I've heard that to people from NYC, Upstate is anything outside of the 5 boroughs.

*If you live in or are from what is commonly referred to upstate you tend to refer to all of NY state that is not below Albany as "upstate." If you live in Central NY, the Southern Tier, or Western NY, you find this amusing, as you see upstate as referring to mainly the area surrounding Albany and above Central NY. However, you still believe downstate can have the politicians.

 

[Zombie_61]

That explains the single star on the flag...

Yeah, those Texans are an arrogant bunch of...uhhh...I mean, Texans are great people who obviously have a great deal of pride in their state.

I keed, I keed. Seriously, we know three people who relocated from California to Texas for various reasons, and not one of them is eager to return. I've never been to Texas myself, but I'd really like to visit one day to see what I'm missing.

...A thing that annoys me, and it goes back to the topic of supermarkets, is when you're in the queue and somebody in front of you says to the cashier that they forgot something. They then run back off into the store, while you have to wait exchanging awkward looks with said cashier until they get back. I actually feel now I think about it, like this isn't trivial at all, and I have a rational reason to be annoyed.

Especially when the shopper in front doesn't apologise for holding you up.

Bad form.

At most of the local stores I frequent, if this happens the cashier will inform the rude customer that there are other customers waiting, that he or she will have to cancel whatever has already been rung up and will have to start over when the rude customer returns, and that when the rude customer does return that he or she will have to take their place at the end of the line. More often than not this results in the rude customer suddenly not needing whatever was so important only moments before. Yes, it's a passive/aggressive way of informing the customer that they're being inconsiderate to everyone in line behind them, but it usually eliminates the problem without the rude customer or any of the customers behind him or her putting up a fuss.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Is the term "Oakie" still around? I read it on informing myself about the history of J.J. Cale.

 

[2jakes]

Is the term "Oakie" still around? I read it on informing myself about the history of J.J. Cale.

It's not as prevalent as it once was.
I heard it mostly in an old country or western song by Merle Haggerd.
"Okie from Muskogee".

 

[GHT]

A great magazine for browsing in the can.

You have such a way with words, Lizzie.

I wonder if also, the birth rate increases because of January and February in Maine than at any other times of the year ?

Sex or shiver?

Is the term "Oakie" still around? I read it on informing myself about the history of J.J. Cale.

Was it Larry La Prise who coined the expression Oakie?
You put your right foot in
your right foot out,
in out, in out,
you shake it all about!
You do the Oakie Coakie
and you turn around,
That's what it's all about.
Oh we all Oakie Oakie Coakie!
(I really do have too much time on my hands.)

 

[HudsonHawk]

Conversely, I've heard that to people from NYC, Upstate is anything outside of the 5 boroughs.

I've heard "Upstate" described as anything north of 181st St.

 

[LizzieMaine]

"Okie" was intended as a rather poisonous slur during the Depression, thrown by Californians, egged on by the Hearst and Chandler press, in the direction of migrant farmers displaced by the Dust Bowl. "Those filthy Okies are coming to take our jobs, and besides they're all nothing but communists, a lot of stinking reds! OKIES KEEP MOVING! YOU ARE NOT WANTED HERE!"

It was in no way intended to be affectionate. There have been efforts to reclaim the word since then, to the point where the edge of xenophobia in its original usage has largely been forgotten. But if you said it to an Oklahoman in 1939, you'd probably get your teeth knocked down your throat.

 

[HudsonHawk]

Yeah, those Texans are an arrogant bunch of...uhhh...I mean, Texans are great people who obviously have a great deal of pride in their state.

I keed, I keed. Seriously, we know three people who relocated from California to Texas for various reasons, and not one of them is eager to return. I've never been to Texas myself, but I'd really like to visit one day to see what I'm missing.

They're most likely enjoying the extra paycheck due to lower taxes and cost of living, though it could be the freedom to carry a gun to church and the inability to buy liquor on the way home.

 

[HudsonHawk]

"Okie" was intended as a rather poisonous slur during the Depression, thrown by Californians, egged on by the Hearst and Chandler press, in the direction of migrant farmers displaced by the Dust Bowl. "Those filthy Okies are coming to take our jobs, and besides they're all nothing but communists, a lot of stinking reds! OKIES KEEP MOVING! YOU ARE NOT WANTED HERE!"

It was in no way intended to be affectionate. There have been efforts to reclaim the word since then, to the point where the edge of xenophobia in its original usage has largely been forgotten. But if you said it to an Oklahoman in 1939, you'd probably get your teeth knocked down your throat.

Here in Texas, we use the term "Okie" and even "Okie City" all the time in an affectionate manner, as in "I never met an Okie I didn't like".

 

[ChiTownScion]

Yeah, those Texans are an arrogant bunch of...uhhh...I mean, Texans are great people who obviously have a great deal of pride in their state.

I keed, I keed. Seriously, we know three people who relocated from California to Texas for various reasons, and not one of them is eager to return. I've never been to Texas myself, but I'd really like to visit one day to see what I'm missing.

I married an Army brat whose family is from the state. Spent more than my fair share of Christmas holidays there. Adhering to the admonishment that, "... if you can't say something nice, don't say anything," I'll proffer, "Willie Nelson and all- you- can- eat steakhouses," and leave it at that.

 

[LizzieMaine]

My only visits to Texas came as part of cross-country Greyhound bus trips. I remember the Greyhound station in Amarillo as particularly feculent, but the wedge-shaped vending-machine sandwiches weren't too stale.

 

[HudsonHawk]

We naturalized Texans also have a saying "I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could."

 

[Mr. Pickett]

We naturalized Texans also have a saying "I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could."

 

[Edward]

I'm certain I don't fully understand it either, except for what I've read about it online. You good folks need to sort out a way to simplify that mess.

Entire wars have been fought over it.

 

[2jakes]

My only visits to Texas came as part of cross-country Greyhound bus trips. I remember the Greyhound station in Amarillo as particularly feculent, but the wedge-shaped vending-machine sandwiches weren't too stale.

Aww....Lizzie, you should know that those wedgies are for tourists only.
Just like the “Tourists That Meet The Sea” & what they eat.

 

[LizzieMaine]

You're only a tourist if you leave the bus station and start wandering around staring and pointing. Besides, I wasn't about to eat one of those pushcart tamales -- after two days on the bus I was nauseous enough already.

 

[2jakes]

You're only a tourist if you leave the bus station and start wandering around staring and pointing. Besides, I wasn't about to eat one of those pushcart tamales -- after two days on the bus I was nauseous enough already.

The Art of Eating “Push-Cart Tamales” !

As far as getting nauseous...
You are lucky.
It takes me only a few minutes on a bus, train, boat or airplane
& I get sick.