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Alabama as a "State"
Posted on 10/25/16 at 8:41 am
Posted on 10/25/16 at 8:41 am
This is definitely more of an off-season topic, but I would like to gather up some serious responses from Alabama and Auburn fans (or people that live or have lived in Alabama).
Unfortunately, I really don't know too much about the state of Alabama and its people. For example, the low country area of South Carolina is very different than the upstate areas. They view the Charleston area as aristocratic and pompous. Some view upstate as backwards, hillbilly, and agrarian. Columbia is smacked in the middle. Other than the capital of South Carolina, it is generally forgotten about and is "just there".
The state of Louisiana has endless examples. From South Louisiana to North Louisiana, New Orleanx > all, Lafayette and "Cajun country", Houma Thibodaux and Shreveport, to the middle portion which no one really knows what it is....
So, what's up with the state of Alabama? Birmingham, Montgomery, Huntsville, Mobile? Where do the kids eventually go to school? What's the makeup of these cities and such?
Unfortunately, I really don't know too much about the state of Alabama and its people. For example, the low country area of South Carolina is very different than the upstate areas. They view the Charleston area as aristocratic and pompous. Some view upstate as backwards, hillbilly, and agrarian. Columbia is smacked in the middle. Other than the capital of South Carolina, it is generally forgotten about and is "just there".
The state of Louisiana has endless examples. From South Louisiana to North Louisiana, New Orleanx > all, Lafayette and "Cajun country", Houma Thibodaux and Shreveport, to the middle portion which no one really knows what it is....
So, what's up with the state of Alabama? Birmingham, Montgomery, Huntsville, Mobile? Where do the kids eventually go to school? What's the makeup of these cities and such?
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Posted on 10/25/16 at 8:43 am to LSUbase13
I always thought birmingham had the culture feel of a northern city in the South hence the rest of the state hates it.
Posted on 10/25/16 at 8:43 am to LSUbase13
The Gulf Coast is the only area worth talking about
Posted on 10/25/16 at 8:47 am to AU_251
quote:
The Gulf Coast is the only area worth talking about
I have been told that Huntsville and Birmingham were real nice areas?
Posted on 10/25/16 at 8:56 am to LSUbase13
Newborns in this State are given to two different priests at their particular time of birth.
They say magical prayers and light up bon-fires in the delivery room and fill the whole room full of smoke before drawing a vertical line with deer blood straight through the delivery room.
No one can see shite.
They then drop the newborn baby on the floor and everyone just waits for about 30 minutes until the smoke clears.
If the newborn baby somehow has made it to the left in this vertical scenario...then they are an Alabama fan for LIFE.
If they have made it to the right...then they will worship the War Eagle for life.
If they are caught in-between for whatever the reason........
...then they are probably going to end up at UAB.
After which no one would really give a shite about them.
Hope this "clears" things up.
They say magical prayers and light up bon-fires in the delivery room and fill the whole room full of smoke before drawing a vertical line with deer blood straight through the delivery room.
No one can see shite.
They then drop the newborn baby on the floor and everyone just waits for about 30 minutes until the smoke clears.
If the newborn baby somehow has made it to the left in this vertical scenario...then they are an Alabama fan for LIFE.
If they have made it to the right...then they will worship the War Eagle for life.
If they are caught in-between for whatever the reason........
...then they are probably going to end up at UAB.
After which no one would really give a shite about them.
Hope this "clears" things up.
Posted on 10/25/16 at 8:57 am to LSUbase13
quote:
I have been told that Huntsville and Birmingham were real nice areas?
I'm not a fan of Birmingham. I'm not trashing it, they've got a good urban revival underway, but that's simply not my thing.
Huntsville area is excellent. From a jobs standpoint, high tech industry abounds. If outdoors is your thing, you're right there on the Tennessee river with instant access to Appalachians.
Posted on 10/25/16 at 8:59 am to LSUbase13
Birmingham is becoming a really nice place to live. The south Alabama/Mobile area is pretty different from Birmingham and Huntsville. I currently live in Birmingham and really enjoy it, but I wouldn't have a problem moving to the Fairhope area.
Posted on 10/25/16 at 9:12 am to LSUbase13
Alabama doesn't areas as distinct culturallyrics speaking as either South Carolina and especially Louisiana. Alabama's somewhat like South Carolina are more geographical. From North to South you have about 6 or 7 geographic regions. First, The Mountainous areas of Northeast AL - some really pretty places although it's your typical Appalachian hillbilly culture. Next the Tennessee Valley - includes the high tech Huntsville area. This is a unique part of the state with a high number of Midwest and West Coast transplants working in the high tech economy. Next the Ridges and Valleys area south of the Tennessee Valley. This includes the Bham area. Some super nice areas around parts of Bham. Very pretty area topographically. Even mix of educated people and rednecks. Just south of there you have the Fall line hills/Piedmont area. Characterized by some really nice lake areas (Lake Martin, Lake Mitchell, Lake Tuscaloosa). Area includes both Tuscaloosa and Auburn. South of there is the Black Belt...a transition from the hiller north and the Gulf Coastal plain to the south. Named for the rich farming soil in the area. Includes Montgomery, Selma, Tuskegee, and Demopolis...basically the entire Highway 80 corridor. Gulf Coastal plain south of there. Then you have the Mobile/Baldwin County area. Completely different vibe than the rest of the state. In fact, I think you could draw a line from Baton Rouge/Nola up to the MS/LA line over to the AL/FL line down to and including the Destin/Sandestin area and it be it's own state. That outlined area has more in common with each other than the rest of Mississippi and Alabama above it.
Posted on 10/25/16 at 9:44 am to Govt Tide
what........... in the hell...........
Posted on 10/25/16 at 9:54 am to LSUbase13
Lived in Alabama most of my life, and honestly not sure I could live anywhere in this state except Birmingham(where I currently live), Huntsville, or the Florence area. There's just a close-mindedness towards opposing thoughts/views around most of this state that I just can't deal with. I worked briefly in a small, rural town about 30 minutes outside of Birmingham and witnessed it every day, and the oddest thing to me is a lot of them are proud of their close-mindedness.
I don't think that attitude is unique to Alabama though, or even the South. My relatives in rural Indiana and Ohio are the same way.
I don't think that attitude is unique to Alabama though, or even the South. My relatives in rural Indiana and Ohio are the same way.
Posted on 10/25/16 at 10:01 am to The Spleen
quote:
Lived in Alabama most of my life, and honestly not sure I could live anywhere in this state except Birmingham(where I currently live),
I've lived in Alabama all my life (currently in Montgomery). The only place in Alabama I would want to live in is Birmingham. I really just want to get out of the South as fast as possible.
Posted on 10/25/16 at 10:06 am to LSUbase13
Culturally there are really only two types of people in Alabama.
The city folk, who for the most part look down their noses at the rest of the state. They basically view anyone who isn't from their social, political and economic worldview as hicks and rubes.
The country folk, who look down their noses at the city people. They view anyone who isn't from their social, political and economic worldview as dumbasses.
In the fall both groups gather together in football stadiums and cheer on their favorite football teams and pretend the other half doesn't exisit.
The city folk, who for the most part look down their noses at the rest of the state. They basically view anyone who isn't from their social, political and economic worldview as hicks and rubes.
The country folk, who look down their noses at the city people. They view anyone who isn't from their social, political and economic worldview as dumbasses.
In the fall both groups gather together in football stadiums and cheer on their favorite football teams and pretend the other half doesn't exisit.
Posted on 10/25/16 at 10:19 am to LSUbase13
Huntsville, as a whole has been labeled as "The Silicone Valley of the South" due to the large amount of military contractors, NASA and Redstone Arsenal.
To the west is Madison where the majority of residence work in the AeroSpace/Military field. Very nice area and good schools.
To the north you have Meridianville/Hazel Green, to the east you have New Market. Mainly farming areas with a lot of blue collar workers and some Military/NASA workers sprinkled in.
South Huntsville is where the old money is as well as a lot of Military/NASA people who work on the arsenal or for contractors with ties to aerospace and/or military.
To the west is Madison where the majority of residence work in the AeroSpace/Military field. Very nice area and good schools.
To the north you have Meridianville/Hazel Green, to the east you have New Market. Mainly farming areas with a lot of blue collar workers and some Military/NASA workers sprinkled in.
South Huntsville is where the old money is as well as a lot of Military/NASA people who work on the arsenal or for contractors with ties to aerospace and/or military.
This post was edited on 10/25/16 at 10:23 am
Posted on 10/25/16 at 11:00 am to LSUbase13
quote:
Columbia is smacked in the middle. Other than the capital of South Carolina, it is generally forgotten about and is "just there".
So true.
Posted on 10/25/16 at 11:00 am to LSUbase13
quote:
Columbia is smacked in the middle. Other than the capital of South Carolina, it is generally forgotten about and is "just there".
So true.
Posted on 10/25/16 at 11:00 am to partsman103
quote:
Silicone
Miss this in your edit?
Posted on 10/25/16 at 11:43 am to LSUbase13
Rockets in Huntsville and leprechauns in Mobile.
Posted on 10/25/16 at 11:50 am to LSUbase13
I don't know too much about BHam even though I've been in North AL for the vast majority of my life. What I do know is it has a lot of improvement to do. Nice areas and definitely bad areas.
Huntsville, as another poster pointed out, is a hotspot for anything technology related. UAH (University of Alabama in Huntsville) is where I'm currently attending. It's one of the most prestigious universities on the planet regarding engineering, and the results are easy to see with the plethora of big name of companies in the area hiring UAH grads right out the gate. Most companies also take on a large number of co-ops and interns through UAH.
Thank God I now have the opportunity to co-op with ADTRAN (networking company)
Montgomery is the capital. Moving along.
Mobile is similar in a way to BHam in that it has its nice areas, and it has very shitty areas as well. Not that surprising of course. It does benefit being along the coast. Easy trip to the beach, NOLA, etc.
As far as school, this is a very watered down way to put it but I'll give it a go:
(These are sorted by what they're considered "good" at.)
Engineering - UAH, AU
Law - UA
Medical - UAB, USA, UA(?)
Agriculture - AU
I didn't list some schools by certain fields because even though they may offer that field of study, that university isn't considered very good, or there is simply a ludicrously better option.
Anything outside those general fields are a toss up. Bama fans would have to chime in regarding their programs because I'm just not sure what they have going for them.
Huntsville, as another poster pointed out, is a hotspot for anything technology related. UAH (University of Alabama in Huntsville) is where I'm currently attending. It's one of the most prestigious universities on the planet regarding engineering, and the results are easy to see with the plethora of big name of companies in the area hiring UAH grads right out the gate. Most companies also take on a large number of co-ops and interns through UAH.
Thank God I now have the opportunity to co-op with ADTRAN (networking company)
Montgomery is the capital. Moving along.
Mobile is similar in a way to BHam in that it has its nice areas, and it has very shitty areas as well. Not that surprising of course. It does benefit being along the coast. Easy trip to the beach, NOLA, etc.
As far as school, this is a very watered down way to put it but I'll give it a go:
(These are sorted by what they're considered "good" at.)
Engineering - UAH, AU
Law - UA
Medical - UAB, USA, UA(?)
Agriculture - AU
I didn't list some schools by certain fields because even though they may offer that field of study, that university isn't considered very good, or there is simply a ludicrously better option.
Anything outside those general fields are a toss up. Bama fans would have to chime in regarding their programs because I'm just not sure what they have going for them.
This post was edited on 10/25/16 at 11:52 am
Posted on 10/25/16 at 11:56 am to Kodar
dont know what the national rankings are but UA business school gets a lot of attention.
Posted on 10/25/16 at 12:03 pm to parrothead
quote:I'm not sure, but that sounds pretty accurate. Like I said, I don't know much about UA's programs, so I'll let y'all lead the way on that one.
dont know what the national rankings are but UA business school gets a lot of attention.
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