If you had a choice of living in rural Tennesee or suburban California, where would you choose to live? Why?

Lisa K

-- Lisa K (chosun@iname.com), May 06, 1999

Answers

Easy one!!

Rural Tenn. It's a status thing, ya know?

-- R. Wright (blaklodg@aol.com), May 06, 1999.

You've got to be kidding!? Rural Tennesee is the place to be. See, it rhymes, that means it must be correct. Considering that the only freely admitted thing seems to be the major question about the water supply, California is a bad place to be. Too much salt water, too many canals. I guess it depends on where in CA you live. Heck, move to Minnesota, we've got a Professional Wrestler for Governor and it's too cold for drive by's.

-- d (d@dgi.old), May 06, 1999.

I hear Puerto Rico is nicer...

-- Anyone but Dorothy! (Wannabe@somewhere.else), May 06, 1999.

Thanks for your inputs everyone... As you can see, I currently reside in California. I live in the Central Valley where it's pretty much agriculture based. Our water sources are from underground. About 10 years ago, my grandmother bought a house in Tennesee with a 10 acre land. Pop. there is less than 1000. This does sound like a Y2K haven but what's hard for me is: I'm a college student and if I move to Tennesee, I won't be able to recieve the scholarships I've been anticipating for. I won't be able to go to the graduate school I've been planning for. (California has special programs for its residents... one of the benefits include cheaper tution for UC schools.)If the Y2K impact came on with full force, then non of that would matter. But if things are okay enough for schools to continue, then I will lose so much. (I guess I shouldn't complain since there are people who had to give up more than I.) But still, it hurts to think I have to give up my dreams. I haven't signed up for next summer/fall semester's classes yet because I don't know what to do or what will happen. I wonder what other Y2K GI college students are doing.

Lisa K

-- Lisa K (chosun@iname.com), May 06, 1999.

Well now-I think CA is a fine place to be. Check out the mother lode area on the map-central CA in the Sierra Nevada. Rural, running water if you are lucky enough to have a place on the creek, lots of firewood, capable of supporting some mighty fine gardens with a long growing season, but still cold enough to have apples and pears. It's close to the rich agriculture of San Joaquin valley, and there are lots of produce stands in the area for acquiring produce to can, dry, etc. Now, if someone just doesn't nuke us, I guess we'll be doing OK.

The weather's not so good in Tennesee. I wouldn't care to experience a Tornado coming straight at my house with the kind of winds they deliver. But as you know, California is positioned over a number of serious faults, and we have earthquakes out here. Here's a link to look at where the activity occurs so you can find a more stable area if you are considering moving out here.

http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/recenteqs/index.html

As you look at all the activity on this link, consider that an earthquake usually has to be over a 3 on the richter scale before you even notice it. Between 3 and 5, you are apt to ask "did we just have an earthquake?". 5+ and you're going to know it. I was in downtown San Francisco during Loma Prieta and in Palm Springs during the Northridge quake (talk about bad timing!), and there was no question that I felt the ground move under my feet! But living here in the foothills for the past fifty years, I can honestly say that in this area, we have been able to feel only a handful of minor shakes, Loma Prieta being one of them from all reports of the people smarter than me that stayed home that day instead of taking a little trip to the bay area. Another fear we have living in the dry climate here in the mountains with all the thick underbrush is forest fires. My advice here is to keep the brush cut away from your house and use fire-resistant building materials. Shake roofs are not the "in thing" here in the mother lode. I believe that current building codes prohibit the use of wood shakes.

I guess there is no perfect place here on earth. Good luck with your decision.

-- Sharon L (sharonl@volcano.net), May 06, 1999.

You could "do" Chico or Humboldt State or Santa Cruz and still be near the rural mountains in case you need to bug out. Trouble is finding a school with that offers your graduate program.

-- marsh (armstrng@sisqtel.net), May 06, 1999.

Go stay with grandma over the holidays...extended...and see what happens. Pre-ship or take with you anything you have in the way of preps. Here in TX college semesters usually begin around Jan. 14th... you should have a clear indication of where infrastructure is at by then.

-- Shelia (Shelia@active-stream.com), May 06, 1999.

Lisa, if earthquakes factor into your equation, look up "New Madrid Fault" on the Net. I believe it runs through Memphis and is expected to blow in the not too distant. Last time it blew, sometime in the late 1800s, I think, it caused the Mighty Mississippi to change course and church bells to ring in Washington, DC.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), May 06, 1999.

Lisa, I live in Florida now, but was raised in California. I have traveled this whole county many times. You can't get more rural than Northern California. I can't think of a better place to be. And if you aren't among tall buildings, an earthquake is not going to "get you". Northern California has the climate, fire wood, water and also the beauty of Paradise. Just about anywhere north of Sac'to and Davis is great. Davis has a great school and the coastal Mtns are within easy commute distance. If you don't mind the rain and maritime climate, Humbolt is a good school. My favorite place on earth is Blocksburg, just north east of Garberville. Stick with California, honey. You will have culture shock when you go to Tenn. That does not mean I am putting those people down, but there is a great philosophical gap between Californios and Tennasseans. Its just two different worlds. Right now you don't need to contend with that too. If you have graduate school on the brain, you need to stay in California. Just remember....the bottom line is that NO ONE KNOWS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH Y2K. Prepare yes....burn bridges, NO! Just my two cents worth.

Taz

-- Taz (Tassie @aol.com), May 06, 1999.

This is a no-brainer. Is your TN place in East TN? Turns out that tornadoes are extremely rare in East Tennessee. And I just love that old ancient geologically stable Ordovician limestone! Consider that in TN it rains on average 3-5 inches per month, year around. That there are many rural areas that will make it. My favorite story is about the Walker sisters. They lived inside the Great Smoky Mt National Park for more than 30 years after the park was formed (grandfathered for the rest of their lives). Had no running water, no electricity. But lived OK with what they could grow and barter. One may still visit their cabin in the Greenbriar section of the park, only a few miles from my place. They had a spring house, a barn, an orchard, a garden. Move to TN, you will never regret it. An Appalachian Spring is a miracle!

-- Tennessean (holladayl@aol.com), May 06, 1999.

I have lived in Tn and Ky my entire life and have never been in a tornado- knock on wood! No matter where you move in this country there is always something that you may not like. If you don't move to the house in Tn is it for sell?

-- Johnny (jljtm@bellsouth.net), May 06, 1999.

Info on the New Madrid Fault that Old Git referred to:

http://www.ceri.memphis.edu/www/public_info/faultfacts.html

The great New Madrid earthquake of 1811-12 was a series of quakes that happened over a three-month period. The main shocks, the three largest earthquakes, were estimated to be greater than magnitude 8.0 Aftershocks included two events around magnitude 8.0, five magnitude 7.7, ten magnitude 5.3, and eighty-nine estimated at magnitude 4.3. The entire fault system is believed to have ruptured in this series of earthquakes. Aftershocks were felt in the region for more than a year. This was the largest release of seismic energy in the continental United States. The only other larger event was the Great Alaska Earthquake, in 1964.

The possibility of a great earthquake happening soon in the New Madrid seismic zone is small. Scientists believe that catastrophic events like those of the 1811-12 happen in the New Madrid region every 550-1200 years. THis means there is roughly a 0.3-1.0% probability of an event greater than magnitude 8.0 within the next 15 years, and a 2.7-4.0% probability within 50 years. Even though the probabilities are small, there is no reason to be complacent, for there have been other damaging earthquakes in the region since 1811 and 1812.

-- winna (??@??.com), May 06, 1999.

If you go to this site, they have a little different view on the near future.

http://www.hsv.com/genlintr/newmadrd/

-- winna (??@??.com), May 06, 1999.