What are major differences between the North and South?|123048

I_m very different in the North, which means I_ll be crazily different in the South. I_m moving from MA to FL. I know that the heat is a major difference, but are there any other differences I should know about?

Many New Englanders retire in FL, so it won_t be very different. Depending on the city. I_ve lived in RI. ME and FL. There are more bugs in FL, watch out for the fire ants. Oh, and no snow!

When I went from the midwest to college in MA, I found the local accents and different vocabulary fascinating. FL has a much older population and southern FL is almost entirely occupied by people from other states so it has more more neutral American except that in the major cities there is a huge Cuban population that does not match any Spanish speaking portion of the population in MA. The Panhandle region is much more southern than the remainder of the state.

other than hurricanes its ****** nice and in fl it is either beautiful or raining its *** of but if your the type that likes dancing in the rain or kissing in the rain you will love it.even though its raining it still feels good ive only been there like 4 or 5 times but the people are nicer in the south.i know thats a stereotype but its true.southern hospitality is real.you will still run into *** holes but not as many as up north

the accent

the slow rate sutheners speak will drive you batty.

the food is good.

florida is a bit of a northern retirement melting pot, so you will fit right in.

You will be surrounded by old people moving very slowly and eating the early bird special. And they have a lot of intestinal gas problems, so try not to breathe.

Latitude? Coastline? Geography? Culture? Taxes? Have a great move and let everyone know what these differences are when you get settled in. See _ya...

Where in FL? East coast? West coast? Southern FL? Answer will depend upon where you_ll be.

A few words from a Yankee who_s been to the South a fair bit:

Like anywhere else, there are positives and negatives.

Large parts of the South are heavily Fundamentalist and very culturally and politically conservative. It can be difficult for a Northerner, especially a liberal and/or openly non-religious one to fit in.

We visited a friend in San Antonio a couple years ago and when she met us at the airport she said _Welcome to Texas. Set your watch back 150 years._ It wasn_t as bad as all that but it IS a very different society. You_ll see more guns, gun shops and heavily armed pickup trucks in the South in one hour than you_ll see in a lifetime in Massachusetts. And, in my not-so-humble opinion, they elect absolutely the craziest people in the world to public office, folks who, up here, would be under long-term intensive psychiatric care (think Tom DeLay, or Senator Coburn. Or George W. Bush).

In many places, the first question asked of a newcomer is _What church y_all go to?_, something unimaginable up here as hardly anybody goes to church. Religion is taken VERY seriously and its easy to give offense by unthinking remarks or random swearing.

On a more positive note, most people are pretty friendly (stay away from politics and religion _til you know folks better, which is good advice anywhere) and _Southern Hospitality_ really exists and is fairly well ingrained in the culture. Even if you look and sound different from the locals, you_ll probably find out all about _Southern Hospitality_ for yourself.

Southerners do talk more slowly, which drives some people nuts but I actually like. The whole culture seems to move more slowly, which I see as a good thing. They take more time to actually TALK to and communicate with others. It_s not uncommon for a business phone call to begin _How_s your Mama? And your Daddy?_ etc. and asked in a manner that implies actual interest in the answer. Slow yourself down, listen up and enjoy the difference.

Southerners use the language very differently, and frequently a lot more expressively than we do. Sometimes it takes a bit of listening to catch on.

The South seems to take a fair bit of (very justifiable) pride in food, its preparation and presentation. Southern cooking ROCKS.

The heat in Florida ranges from unbearable to clinically insane. The climate has been accurately described as _boiled Ireland_. No air conditioning = no life.

Fire ants truly suck and are widespread, ever since they were accidentally introduced from Hell.

Many of the retirees from up here now live in the South, especially in Florida. Their driving skills have NOT been improved by the relocation. Driving in parts of Florida can be interesting, to put it mildly. If you think driving in Boston is a horror story, wait _til you get near an area with a high concentration of senior drivers.

Florida has alligators. Don_t let your pets run loose or they could wind up as Gator Chow. Or Senior Driver Hood Ornaments.

Where is a good furniture store in the Kissimmee area?|119604

We just purchased a vacation home in the Kissimmee area that needs to be furnished. Since we will only be there a couple times a year, I do not need anything top of line like solid wood, but not something that is going to fall apart either. I would like a mid-range furniture store. I will need to furnish three bedrooms, a living room, and dining room.

Super Target has some things there is one on 192 in Kiss

We have Ikea but about a 30 min drive from the Kiss area.

Ashley Furniture. 34741 on Ocesola Pkwy

http://www.ashleyfurniturehomestore.com/��

What is the easiest way to get to the Hoover Dam?|101270

I am staying at Bally_s hotel on the Vegas Strip and I will not have a rental car. Any bus tours / taxi servies?

The hotel people will know what to do ask them, they might have information....

There_s a number of inexpensive bus tours. It only take about an hour and a half to get there. Try one of our local websites like Vegas.com or lasvegas.com. They have a bunch of different tours to the dam.

It_s actually fun to go out there.

try walking, it a nice day

It_s too far to walk. There are plenty of bus tours. Check with the hotel concierge.

What are the pros and cons of living in los angeles?|198009

Im thinking about going to college in LA but im curious about how its like to life there. I_ve visited there alot but mostly long beach area.

For a number of reasons, we get a bunch of questions asking what it��s really like in SoCal.

First of all, I_ll tell you what it_s NOT like: It_s not like anything on TV. People watch shows on TV and think that��s what it��s like out here. The ��Real OC��, Newport Beach, The Hills, etc. Ever wonder why people in those shows never have to pay bills, do laundry, and are NEVER stuck in traffic? Because it��s FAKE. And the news doesn��t help either, since they know that sex and sensationalism sells. News flash: There aren��t running gun battles in the street. There aren��t shootouts every day. Also, you don��t see celebrities just walking down the street, all glammed up, or sipping a cappuccino at Starbucks waiting to sign autographs. We don_t go surfing during lunch hour.

Some sections are REALLY nice, others are ��ghetto��. Too many people have this vision in their head that LA and Orange County are one or the other (either Beverly Hills or Compton). They either think it is a fairy tale fantasy or an apocalyptic ghetto. In fact, most of it is working class and middle class stiffs working to pay the bills. Like me.

The variety of food here is incredible. New Yorkers come here and complain that the pizza is terrible (it��s not as good as NY Pizza), but the Mexican food is GREAT here. That more than makes up for it.

The weather here is incredible. 340+ days of sunshine makes up for a lot of traffic.

You NEED a car to live in Southern California. We don��t have an effective public transportation like New York or San Francisco. One reason is that LA is larger in area than either of those, without a central hub. Hollywood is 8 miles north of downtown, and 38 miles north of Disneyland. Average commute is 20-30 miles..

The freeway traffic is probably the worst thing about living here. The 405 is the worst. Know why they call it the 405? Because you go 4 o_ 5 miles per hour, and it takes 4 o_ 5 hours to get where you_re going. Freeway Traffic is bad from 6-10 AM and bad from 3-7 PM. I don_t know why they call it rush hour. It_s more than an hour, and nobody_s rushing, that_s for sure.

The gangs are the cause of many rumors. Keep in mind that there are gangs in any large town, in every part of the country. In LA, the gangs aren_t really downtown, they are in South LA, East LA, and north Long Beach. And here_s the deal: Mostly, they just kill each other.

Gas is expensive in California. It��s about 20-30 cents above the national average.

Yes, gas and real estate are very expensive in SoCal. However, this would be the best time to BUY a house because it_s a buyer_s market right now. There are a lot of foreclosures, and too many houses on the market. If you want to rent, figure on $1200 per month for a 1BR in a decent neighborhood. You need to make about $30,000 per year in order to do that. You can_t do it on minimum wage.

Yep, freeways are a drag, it_s smoggy in summer, and expensive to live here. Yet, if it_s so bad, why do we have thousands and thousands of people moving here? Weather, year-round activities, jobs, beaches, mountains, and deserts all within driving distance, and plenty of opportunity for those who have the skills and tenacity.

However, it is not for everyone. Every time someone posts this question, you get the LA haters who post their bile and venom. A lot of them don��t know what they are talking about. Some people never even visit, and hate it on principle and stereotypes. Some actually visited once, and found out it wasn��t like it was on TV, and it certainly wasn��t Mayberry. And some actually lived here, and couldn��t deal with the expense, the traffic, or the somewhat impersonal nature of living in a large metropolis. It��s just the lifestyle here: People want their own private space. It��s sort of ��you do your thing, I��ll do mine��. To those hateful souls I would say ��good luck�� to you wherever you are, but please don��t spew your hatred in this forum.

To summarize, it��s a HUGE metropolis that really defies easy description. I live in one of the nicer suburbs, but the commute is no fun, often 1-2 hours each way each day. However, 340+ days of sunshine really helps. Yeah, it_s expensive. Mrs. Obviousman and I both have to work to pay the mortgage. But is it worth it? Absolutely!

for one thing LA is massive! You have to get around with cars because everything is usually more than a quarter of a mile from your house if your are living in the suburbs thats why its always busy with cars everywhere. I remember the smog getting REALLY bad during the late 80_s and early 90_s. It has improved now, but its still pretty polluted. There are many (more than other cities i have visited) attractions but you have to look for them (they are scattered everywhere) Pasadena, Santa Monica, the Hollywood area, I remember the great beach at Laguna!

Basically everything is spread out, and there are a little hints of pollution and ghettos (just stay away), but living here pretty good

pros: diversity, if you like it. beautiful people, friendly people, many nice places to live. just about every race, ethnicity, and religion is there and is reflected on certain parts of the area. great weather year round we don_t have a cold winter like most of the nation. many beaches, many entertainment areas like hollywood and theme parks near by. a few good colleges like ucla, usc, cal tech, and some others.

cons: traffic, congestion, air quality, snobby people, very expensive to live in a safe area, some bad places with lots of crime.

the pros outweigh the cons for most people

Is there a church of cantheism in southern california?|198490

Im trying to find cantheism churches (marijuana church) in southern california with little success. If you know where I may find said church please post a comment. Many thanks and canni-bless you.

You know, I can-not find any Cantheistic churches in SoCal. Despite the fact that this is supposedly the weed capital of the Universe, I_m guessing that such churches are underground. Federal law enforcement is vigorously prosecuting many so-called marijuana clinics, as well as people who grow it for medical reasons, even though it_s supposedly legal. I_ve heard of many people being drug (or is it drugged?) through the courts just to prove their innocence.

My advice is to look along Venice Beach. You canni-find many true believers there.

Is it cannibalism if you bake marijuana into brownies, then eat it?

How much did you spend on your Mickey Mouse ears at Disney World? And do you know a site with a list of hats?|111489

Hello!

We are planning our first trip to Disney World this fall!!

One of the most important items we all want is of course a Mickey Mouse Ear hat!

Does anyone know a website that has all the different styles?

And how much did you spend on your hat?

What was your style?

And if you have any other tips send them my way!

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

The last pair I bought was actually at Disneyland in CA three years ago. I paid about $12 for them.

At Walt Disney World, you can buy them right on Main St. USA at The Chapeau shop. They will embroider your hat right there for you as well. If you buy your hat at another store, you can still bring it to The Chapeau for embroidery. Keep in mind, in most cases they will not apply a nickname, only a real name.

Here is a link from The Disney Store Theme Park Merchandise page with different styles of the hats.


http://www.disneystore.com/disney-parks/��

Get the ears no matter what the price! The hat shop on Main Street has the best selection and they embroider there.
Another tip -if you are traveling with small children go get their hair cut at the barber shop. They will even paint Mickey_s ears on the back of your head if you want.
Go to allears.net for anything Disney World related and get a copy of Birnbaum_s guide to Walt Disney World - it is bible like- i get it every year even if i am not going just to keep up with things. His new ones come out usually in September or October so i am not sure what month you are going.
Have a great time

My son_s were Free. Ok...that may be cheating, he actually got a free pair of Mickey Ears with his first haircut at the Main Street Barber, embroidered with _First Haircut_. I think you can order them at www.DisneyStore.com, or at least check out the pricing.

You can get them at downtown Disney and most hotels

$30 last year

How old do you have to be to get a hotel again?|148458

How old do you have to be to make reservations, check in, and stay at a hotel?

It depends on the hotel. More than likely you have to have a credit card or debit card to make a reservation. You must be 18 in order to get a credit card.

But.... I am sure if you book a room with a debit card... (which you don_t have to be 18 to have, you just have to have a checking account or one of those prepaid ones)

Then.... and have a valid ID such as drivers license.... then you would probably be able to get a room.

Many times they don_t ask your age when booking a room, they just want your credit card number.

You should be able to do just about anything being 18.

It depends on the hotel, but most are either 18 or 21 years old, and you must have a credit card. However, if you have a credit card - in your name - and you_re too young, you can talk to the person taking the reservation and see if just the credit card is enough.

Basically, the best way to handle this is to call the place you want to stay and talk directly to them about it. If you don_t have some sort of credit card, though, you_ll likely have some problems.

wdf if your old enough to pick up the money and hand it to the clerk then you can get a room.

Ask your parents.

21

18/with id,

ive done it

prob 18 you need i.d. and stuf