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MCOSaint
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| Number of Posts: | 6 |
| Registered on: | 8/20/2022 |
| Online Status: | Not Online |
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re: Would you rather live in North Carolina or Tennessee
Posted by MCOSaint on 8/22/22 at 6:12 pm to WhereisAtlanta
My heart would say North Carolina. Better mountains and for National Parks I prefer the Blue Ridge Parkway over the Great Smoky Mountains. Easier to get away from the crowds. Plus you are closer to the coast.
Tennessee really is more hilly than mountainous until you get within 50 miles of North Carolina. Heck even the main exit for Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg/Sevierville off I-40 and around Knoxville is more hilly than mountainous and most of Sevierville and Pigeon Forge are flat with the mountains in the background.
The North Carolina side of the Great Smoky Mountains is the better side with better white water rafting and towns that aren't as overrun.
With that said, North Carolina scares me. The politics are all controlled by Raleigh and Charlotte just like the politics in Virginia are all controlled by Richmond and DC/NOVA. The whole Triangle area as well as Charlotte are going more and more Democrat with more people moving in from the Northeast. That means higher taxes, higher fees and greater regulations. Tennessee has no threat of going Democrat and has no state income tax which isn't insignificant. Home values are higher in North Carolina which means higher property taxes. That's fine but I'm looking at it as home, not just some investment property to flip.
I just worry that North Carolina is very close to becoming just like Virginia. Maybe I shouldn't but I do.
If I could find a great place right near or on the Tennessee/North Carolina line I would probably live in Tennessee. You would get the benefits of both. The tri-cities area (Bristol, Kingsport, Johnson City) is an area I could definitely see settling down in.
Tennessee really is more hilly than mountainous until you get within 50 miles of North Carolina. Heck even the main exit for Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg/Sevierville off I-40 and around Knoxville is more hilly than mountainous and most of Sevierville and Pigeon Forge are flat with the mountains in the background.
The North Carolina side of the Great Smoky Mountains is the better side with better white water rafting and towns that aren't as overrun.
With that said, North Carolina scares me. The politics are all controlled by Raleigh and Charlotte just like the politics in Virginia are all controlled by Richmond and DC/NOVA. The whole Triangle area as well as Charlotte are going more and more Democrat with more people moving in from the Northeast. That means higher taxes, higher fees and greater regulations. Tennessee has no threat of going Democrat and has no state income tax which isn't insignificant. Home values are higher in North Carolina which means higher property taxes. That's fine but I'm looking at it as home, not just some investment property to flip.
I just worry that North Carolina is very close to becoming just like Virginia. Maybe I shouldn't but I do.
If I could find a great place right near or on the Tennessee/North Carolina line I would probably live in Tennessee. You would get the benefits of both. The tri-cities area (Bristol, Kingsport, Johnson City) is an area I could definitely see settling down in.
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re: Have you had (or are planning to have) your last trip to New Orleans?
Posted by MCOSaint on 8/20/22 at 8:25 pm to East Coast Band
quote:
Unless I have to go to one of my wife's relatives' funerals, I doubt I'll ever go to New Orleans again.
But an important note, I've lost interest in bigger cities anyway
I enjoy big cities but yes it's not just a New Orleans problem. I was in NYC in 2019 and it's pretty night and day now. Doubt I would go back to NYC right now in its current state. Sadly I think the cities will get a lot worse before they get better. Would like to get up to Boston just once to see the history there.
quote:
The French Quarter is almost 300 years old. You want new go visit Dallas.
Never said I wanted new but at least maintained. Go to Savannah or Charleston, their historic districts are well maintained. There are FQ buildings that look like they could legitimately fall down at any time. Heck there have been FQ buildings in the last few years that have collapsed. Old doesn't have to mean in disrepair. So much of New Orleans is in utter disrepair and it wasn't nearly as bad even 5 years ago.
Watched this thread closely. One thing I think our country gets wrong. It essentially forces a lot of people (if not most) to work for the corporations (which the government can control through regulations/taxes) even if they aren't happy and would be happier and more productive owning their own business.
The insurance aspect is why this country doesn't have the entrepreneurial spirit it used to have.
I absolutely would have the opportunity to be self employed if it wasn't for health insurance. I could easily do contract work and would have several clients that would use me regularly. I would make more doing that than in my corporate job but not enough to account for the higher taxes and having to pay for insurance through the ACA marketplace.
I have a Cadillac plan through my main employer with no deductible, $20 copay for office visits, $40 for specialists visits and only a $3,000 out of pocket max for $136/month. I could get a low deductible plan through UnitedHealth on the ACA for $200/month and it has a decent out of pocket max and a pretty low deductible but it doesn't cover anything diagnostic. Having several minor (but still there) medical conditions I genuinely feel trapped in soulless corporate America which is what they want.
The insurance aspect is why this country doesn't have the entrepreneurial spirit it used to have.
I absolutely would have the opportunity to be self employed if it wasn't for health insurance. I could easily do contract work and would have several clients that would use me regularly. I would make more doing that than in my corporate job but not enough to account for the higher taxes and having to pay for insurance through the ACA marketplace.
I have a Cadillac plan through my main employer with no deductible, $20 copay for office visits, $40 for specialists visits and only a $3,000 out of pocket max for $136/month. I could get a low deductible plan through UnitedHealth on the ACA for $200/month and it has a decent out of pocket max and a pretty low deductible but it doesn't cover anything diagnostic. Having several minor (but still there) medical conditions I genuinely feel trapped in soulless corporate America which is what they want.
re: "They" want us in electric cars so they can turn them off at any time.
Posted by MCOSaint on 8/20/22 at 8:11 pm to nola tiger lsu
This is something I don't worry about as much as they can shut down ICE cars as well if they really wanted to. Just force the gas stations to close or shut off electricity to gas stations. Can't buy gas if the gas station pumps have no electricity.
Have you had (or are planning to have) your last trip to New Orleans?
Posted by MCOSaint on 8/20/22 at 8:06 pm
With the out of control crime and general decay of the city it's just really sad to see. New Orleans had a chance at a rebound post Katrina and just blew it. I have no doubt if that happens again people won't be so quick to help New Orleans rebuild. At this point maybe New Orleans needs to fail.
With that said, it's sad as New Orleans really is a unique city with a lot of potential. Sure you can go to other Southern cities but it's not quite the same.
Charleston - Has the drinks, food and architectural charm of New Orleans but doesn't have the music aspect or party atmosphere.
Savannah - Probably the closet to New Orleans. Has the party atmosphere, drinks, food and architectural charm of New Orleans but doesn't have the music aspect.
Nashville - Has the party atmosphere, drinks and music aspect of New Orleans but doesn't have the food or architectural charm.
Austin - Has the party atmosphere, drinks and music aspect of New Orleans but doesn't have the food or architectural charm.
Asheville - Has the music aspect of New Orleans but nothing else.
With that said they are close enough. My parents used to love New Orleans but with the crime now and them being in their early 70s no way would I take them there. I typically take them to Savannah or Charleston now (mostly Savannah) and they haven't been to New Orleans in 7 years.
I was in New Orleans back in June. Even my previous trips in 2021 you could just see all the trash (both people and actual trash) just taking over. My June trip the city just flat out didn't feel safe and you could really start to see the decay, even in the French Quarter.
Being a Saints fan I love going to home games but this year will be my last home game. Going to the Saints-Bucs home opener. Flying in Saturday night, staying out by the airport, going to the game and then maybe one of my favorite food places afterwards on Sunday and then heading out in the afternoon on Monday. Staying in the FQ Sunday night but will absolutely be back in the hotel by 8 p.m.
After that maybe a final trip for Mardi Gras next year if LaToya doesn't cancel it. A friend of mine has never been and desperately wants to go. But even if that trip happens it'll be it for me.
What about you all? Have you already stopped visiting NOLA due to the crime, decay and general feel and politics of the city? If you are still visiting are you planning to stop visiting due to these factors?
With that said, it's sad as New Orleans really is a unique city with a lot of potential. Sure you can go to other Southern cities but it's not quite the same.
Charleston - Has the drinks, food and architectural charm of New Orleans but doesn't have the music aspect or party atmosphere.
Savannah - Probably the closet to New Orleans. Has the party atmosphere, drinks, food and architectural charm of New Orleans but doesn't have the music aspect.
Nashville - Has the party atmosphere, drinks and music aspect of New Orleans but doesn't have the food or architectural charm.
Austin - Has the party atmosphere, drinks and music aspect of New Orleans but doesn't have the food or architectural charm.
Asheville - Has the music aspect of New Orleans but nothing else.
With that said they are close enough. My parents used to love New Orleans but with the crime now and them being in their early 70s no way would I take them there. I typically take them to Savannah or Charleston now (mostly Savannah) and they haven't been to New Orleans in 7 years.
I was in New Orleans back in June. Even my previous trips in 2021 you could just see all the trash (both people and actual trash) just taking over. My June trip the city just flat out didn't feel safe and you could really start to see the decay, even in the French Quarter.
Being a Saints fan I love going to home games but this year will be my last home game. Going to the Saints-Bucs home opener. Flying in Saturday night, staying out by the airport, going to the game and then maybe one of my favorite food places afterwards on Sunday and then heading out in the afternoon on Monday. Staying in the FQ Sunday night but will absolutely be back in the hotel by 8 p.m.
After that maybe a final trip for Mardi Gras next year if LaToya doesn't cancel it. A friend of mine has never been and desperately wants to go. But even if that trip happens it'll be it for me.
What about you all? Have you already stopped visiting NOLA due to the crime, decay and general feel and politics of the city? If you are still visiting are you planning to stop visiting due to these factors?
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