Democrats versus Republicans

[sailaway21]

Originally Posted by craigimass

Last time I looked, Texas was not leading the country in much except executions, chemicals and gun ownership. Well, that is besides the trailer trash and cheerleader-shooting moms, Janis Joplin, etc.

More thoughtful insight from the swamps of Jersey. New Jersey's economy is shrinking and the state has been bankrupt for what, forever? How's that auto insurance workin' out fer ya, everybody still in assigned risk? Hope you don't run out of water again this summer. Has anyone thought to call a welldriller or you just gonna blame greed again this year?

Texas? One of the fasted expanding economies in the nation. State has a balanced budget. And the people don't drive like the half-wits on the Jersey Pike. You'd think that anyone living in New Jersey just wouldn't bring up other states out of embarrassment. New Jersey, the punchline to every joke.

[craigimass]

craigimass.....

Craig In Mass.

Get it?

As in New England - a state with health insurance for all, low unemployment and now......marijuana which is not criminal. Oh, also gay marriage......

Oh, my auto insurance is very reasonable even though my son totaled two of my cars. I was amazed. You are right - in NJ that would have broken his back........but not here.

I'm from Philly, my man. As in neighbors with folks like Mohamed Ali (really), same high school as what's his name (the basketball star accused of rape), etc. etc. - Actually, wife went to same school as Wilt Chamberlain and Will Smith.

NJ was never bankrupt that I remember....though. In fact, it had one of the highest average incomes in the country. I lived in NJ a while ago in a 100 percent GOP suburban town. Whitman, Kean and other gop'ers were governor. I left before McGreevy.....

I will agree with you that the politics in NJ are horrible. The reason is simple - they have something called home rule. That means every little town and every school district and every county all are little kingdoms.....with the resulting cesspool of too many fingers in the pie. Goes for both parties there....again, I know that from the inside....too far inside for my comfort.

Anyway, if I was in Texas - the state that produced GW for gov. and then for Prez, I certainly would not be joking about anywhere else. Since imagining Easy Rider (actually, I do have hippie friends that were beat up traveling through texas), it's on my "no go" list.

Truth be told, though, I thought San Antonio and Austin were really nice. The coast probably is also.

[craigimass]

Hmm., texas rank in education
25 out of 50
NJ rank =5
Ma. rank = 2

I guess education ain't everything...or is it?

:child poverty level in Texas is 23 percent: worst in the country. Another bragging point.

In total health:
Ranking:
Texas is 46th this year; it was 37th in 2007.

Well, I guess health and child poverty don't mean everything.....

"In Texas today, the American dream is distant. Texas has the
highest percentage of uninsured children in the nation. Texas is dead last
in the percentage of residents with their high school diploma and near
last in SAT scores. Texas now has America’s dirtiest air. If we do not
change course, for the first time in our history, the Texas generation of
tomorrow will be less prosperous than the generation of today"

Hmmm......forget what I said. Texas is a great place - please stay there.

[sailaway21]

Muhammad Ali was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. He currently makes his home in Berrien Springs, Michigan and has for at least the last couple of decades. If he ever lived in Philadephia he obviously was guided by WC Fields advise and left.

Bankrupt is when the state has no money. NJ has no money; they're in debt up to their ears. And its not home rule that hurting them, its liberal democrats. You could look it up.

I'm sorry to hear about your relocation to the state of New England; I cannot even find it on my map. Poofter marriage and health insurance seem to go hand in hand. And the taxes are beautiful in the spring.

You have to imagine a forty year old film? You could probably catch it down at Blockbuster on dollar night. In any event, you're probably gearing up for bear season so I'll let you go.

[craigimass]

Originally Posted by sailaway21

Muhammad Ali was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. .

Don't show yourself to be a fool, my friend. His house was in walking distance near 59th and city line av in W. Philly on the philly side.

Philadelphia Reflections: Mohammed Ali, Cassius Clay
Mohamed Ali « John Lenahan’s Year of Gratuitous Socks

"Peronneau was given rare access to Ali’s private cabin retreat after the two became friends while the photographer was working as a photojournalist documenting the civil rights movement in Philadelphia, where Ali lived at the time."

http://www.professionalphotographer....med-ali-prints

You may not know me my man, but what I say is 100 percent true and from personal experience. To question it would seem foolish - because why the heck would I claim it if it was not true. Wilt Chamberlain and Will Smith went to Overbrook High, where my wifes mom was attendance lady.

Heck, if you want some better trivia, a good friend of mine had sex with Jim Morrisons wife after Jim died........does that make me more famous?

Hey, I just remembers, a drummer I know snorted coke with Buddy Guy.

[craigimass]

Damn I'm old. I could go on for hours with the trivia. How about my very good friend who got high with Janis Joplin and then pulled out his harmonica and, in the car driving around Philly, proceeded to have her sing along with him. This was at 2 in the morning after a Janis concert at the Electric Factory.

That is a trip, for sure....and my friend in question is still my buddy.

Wanna hear some Hendrix stories?

[craigimass]

Originally Posted by sailaway21

I'm sorry to hear about your relocation to the state of New England;

Out of staters usually don't know about our Nation - Red Sox Nation....unless they are from NY, then they learned the hard way.

For the more geo challenged, New England is very similar to many large states - pretty much can get anywhere in a few hours. Folks don't think twice about going to Fenway or Uconn from where I live......100+ miles from those places.

Tiny states like RI - really just a city and a bay. But, oh, what a bay!

[craigimass]

Went to military academy at Valley Forge too.
Does that give me philly cred.....?

Well, how about this......
Chuckwagon at Broad and Vine.
City Soft Pretzels at 8th and Washington.
Family from 2nd and Wilder (Rocky territory).
Girlfriends from the Great Northeast.
The Main Line - my stomping grounds.
ACME markets, of course.
Italian Water ice, cheesesteaks and John Wanamakers.
The Frankford El.
Frank Rizzo
MOVE
Hall and Oates (my friends hung with them).

Any other philly folks here?

We did go to the Jersey Shore, so you can accuse me of that.

[sck5]

"State has a balanced budget."

ALL states have to balance their budgets. Even California which is in a terrible condition thanks to Republican refusal to pay for services which cant be cut (e.g. police, courts, schools, motor vehicle department, etc.) has to balance its budget somehow every year. Thats why they are in such a tizzy right now - There are no more gimmicks to use to close the gap.

[PBzeer]

Of the 29 states with FY 2009 budget shortfalls New England is well represented. Maine, New Hampshire, New York Connecticut, and Massachusetts all make the list. As well as New Jersey and Delaware as we move on down the coast. That they are all, except NH, reliably blue states is probably only coincidental no doubt.

Oh, Texas didn't make the list, but Illinois did.