50 Things ALL the States Have in CommonThe purpose of this post is to dispel some misconceptions, or inferences about the two front-running states. However, the observations here also apply to ALL the states under consideration for the Free State Project.
I would like to say up front, that my family will be moving to the selected state, no matter which is selected. I certainly have my preferences, but we?re going!
I worry that some of the people may reject certain places out of hand - especially places they have not visited. Most particularly, places on the opposite coast from where they live.
The two leaders, currently, are Wyoming and New Hampshire. I have been to both states, and they
both have:
1) Reliable Electricity -- Don?t laugh, think about it!
2) Reliable Telephone Service
3) Internet Service providers
4) Satellite Television (200+ channels)
5) Water
6) Decent roads
7) Fast Food (local or national)
Grocery Stores
9) Hardware Stores
10) Walmarts
11) Target, Sears, Ace, etc. etc.
12) Quaint towns with long histories
13) Medium-sized cities with long histories (pop 50,000)
14) Fabulous recreation areas
15) Beautiful Fall Foliage
16) Snow in the Winter
17) Churches of All types
18) Home builders
19) Manufactured Housing dealers
20) Car dealers & repair
21) Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Systems
22) Buildings more than 3 stories tall
23) Tourist Attractions
24) Nearby Metropolitan Areas
25) Modern Medical Facilities
26) Colleges
27) RV Parks
28) Apartments
29) Republic form of government.
30) Sunshine (even Alaska, Jason!)
31) County Fairs, festivals, and parades
32) Kids to befriend your children
33) Taverns and bars
34) Mail Boxes Etc. (mail forwarding services)
35) Gas Stations
36) UPS, FedEx, and Airborne Express - even in VERY remote areas.
37) English as an official language
38) UHaul & Ryder Rentals
39) Regional symphony orchestras
40) Military bases (for veterans)
41) Newspapers, bookstores, and music stores
42) Computer stores
43) Public Television and NPR
44) Starbucks
45) Cell phones
46) Airports
47) Truck Stops
48) Radio Shack
49) Firewood
50)
Other PorcupinesSo, is your lifestyle really going to be diminished?
The point? Don?t opt-out of a state because you think it?s a ?back water?. I?ve lived in a couple of back waters. I live in one right now. I have internet service, electricity, phone, etc. And it?s considerably cheaper than living in a big metropolitan area.
For everybody on the East Coast - check out Wyoming?s information. Some of those town centers look like a guidebook for New Hampshire!
Westerners? Check out New Hampshire?s smaller towns and cities. Lots of room. You can get used to looking at the news at 11PM instead of 8, I guarantee it. You?ll be hard pressed to differentiate between LA & NYC, though.
You?ll still get Leno & ER; phone calls from Aunt Mildred; 140 Spams a day; and tax forms at the Post Office.
Your kids will have Little League, YMCA, dance and music classes, and public schools (if that?s what you want).
If you?re in high -tech, or a broker, you might be able to telecommute (I do). If you?re a doctor, you?ll be greeted with open arms. If you?re a lawyer, well, I dunno.
You might have to get a different kind of work - but you?re flexible, right? Adapt!
So porcupines, don?t relegate a far off state to ?back water? status - they actually have more in common than we have with most of the rest of the world.
'nuff said.
Eddie
