An interesting thing I didn't know until today

[Patrick Thistle]

There's an obsolete English word "swasivious" that means agreeably persuasive.

[Hot Pepsi]

Hah!

Has there ever been a thread here on the best and worst US States to live in? The criteria would be very wide-ranging and extremely subjective but as always the posts would be more interesting than the results.

It all depends on how much money you have, what climate you prefer, and your gender identity, ethnicity and/or religion. And there’s huge variations in many key, um, variables within each state.

Except maybe Rhode Island. I’m not sure if any part of Rhode Island is rural.

[ursus arctos]

Cranberry bogs

Otherwise no

[ursus arctos]

And yes, it isn't a question that can be answered

[WOM]

Except maybe Rhode Island. I’m not sure if any part of Rhode Island is rural.

It's also the smallest state and has the longest name.

[ad hoc]

It [...] has the longest name.

Massachusetts is longer, even if you count the space as a character

(or is this a reference I'm not getting?)

[ursus arctos]

He missed the memo

It had been officially named the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations since the colonial era, but came to be commonly known as "Rhode Island". In November 2020, the state's voters approved an amendment to the state constitution.]

[Sits]

It's funny, the name Rbode Island conjures up quite idyllic imaginings. As do Vermont and Maine.

To be clear, the closest I've been is Cape Cod.

[Sporting]

And yes, it isn't a question that can be answered

I partially disagree, in that I'm pretty sure that I'd rather live, say, in New Mexico than in Alabama.

[3 Colours Red]

Do New Yorkers really travel to Rhode Island to see the leaves on the trees change colour in autumn or is that something Family Guy made up?

Wait... I've just Googled it... IT'S REAL!

[ad hoc]

Leaf peepers

That's what they're called. Not sure they'd go to Rhode Island much though. They definitely go to Vermont

[DCI Harry Batt]

Do they not have any trees in New York? I thought I remembered seeing some.

[Sam]

It's New England as a whole as the autumn destination to see all the colours on the trees, I think. My parents having once been to New England in the autumn.

[ad hoc]

It's not really about individual trees, it's about forests all of different colours. I guess they have that in upstate new york, but it's probably just as easy to get to Vermont as it is to Albany or wherever from NYC.

It is fucking spectacular to be fair.

[San Bernardhinault]

Yeah. I don’t know why they go leaf peeping in Vermont rather than the finger lakes or Adirondacks, but it seems to be the thing. And is spectacular across New England. I laughed at the leaf condition forecast the first time I saw it, but concede it’s actually meaningful now.

Last year I had a lovely meal in a farm in rural Rhode Island. It’s not that small and there’s space between the towns once you’re off the interstate.

Obviously you all know which I think the overall best (and most varied) state is. But most of them have lovely bits and shit bits and their own redeeming features one way or another.

[Lymeswold Snork]

I like that the last of those reasons basically boils down to 'lots of Ohioans have served in the US Senate because lots of Ohioans have been elected to the US Senate.'

Well, yes, but I think the point is that Ohio is more likely than other states to prefer senators who were born there, while other less fussy states end up with a sprinkling of Ohio natives. Don't any states have rules that senators have to be natives?

[WOM]

He missed the memo

That's disappointing. Perfectly good bit of trivia, shot to hell.

[Nocturnal Submission]

That's disappointing. Perfectly good bit of trivia, shot to hell.

You've just provided the first entry for the new An Interesting Thing I Didn't Know I'd Got Wrong Until Today thread.

[ursus arctos]

I partially disagree, in that I'm pretty sure that I'd rather live, say, in New Mexico than in Alabama.

That is a very different question

[ursus arctos]

Well, yes, but I think the point is that Ohio is more likely than other states to prefer senators who were born there, while other less fussy states end up with a sprinkling of Ohio natives. Don't any states have rules that senators have to be natives?

No

Nor are the residence requirements very taxing, as illustrated by New York's long history of carpetbagging senators (Bobby Kennedy, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Hillary Clinton, etc).

[Hot Pepsi]

I learned that this museum exists in Rochester and now I think I need to go to Rochester.

https://www.museumofplay.org/

[Hot Pepsi]

Yeah. I don’t know why they go leaf peeping in Vermont rather than the finger lakes or Adirondacks, but it seems to be the thing. And is spectacular across New England. I laughed at the leaf condition forecast the first time I saw it, but concede it’s actually meaningful now.

Last year I had a lovely meal in a farm in rural Rhode Island. It’s not that small and there’s space between the towns once you’re off the interstate.

Obviously you all know which I think the overall best (and most varied) state is. But most of them have lovely bits and shit bits and their own redeeming features one way or another.

Vermont has a strong brand.

[ursus arctos]

There are other things to do in Rochester as well.

[WOM]

Rochester holds the distinction of the being the 'destination' for the short-lived Toronto / Rochester high speed ferry; a wildly expensive proposition that connected two cities with absolutely no other relationship that anyone could fathom. A Lyle Lanley-esque idea if there ever was one.

[ursus arctos]

They both have AHL and pro Lacrosse teams now

The bigger issue is that Rochester isn't really on the lake, and there are actual falls between it and downtown