The "well, duh" research of the week:
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - A statewide survey suggests that Indiana's rural residents are more likely than their urban counterparts to be prepared for a disaster.
Researchers at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis surveyed more than 2,000 Indiana residents in a joint project with Indiana Department of Homeland Security.
Rural residents are used to having to do things for themselves. City residents are used to having things done for them. So rural residents are more likely to think ahead to a time when an emergency might cause hardships.
I mean, really. During the mayoral campaign this year, Fort Wayne residents were apparently quaking in fear over the possibility that Republican Paula Hughes might take away leaf-removal service if she were elected. Rural Allen County residents would be like: Shoot, give me an ax, and I'll take care of those pesky leaves for you, now and forever.
Comments
I think we could extrapolate this a bit further. Those who live an independent life are more likely to be self providing, less dependent on government than those who like big government.
Leo:
I agree w/ Bill on this.
(and I'm a born & bred city boy)
People that don't wait upon government to pick their nose or scratch their butt are just a lot more self-sufficient.
That's the way we prefer to live.
I see other folks down on the SE side that can't even prepare their kids for SCHOOL..or prepare DINNER (without a phone to call a takeout joint or a McD's nearby)...but they sure are confrontational.
Not the best way to prepare for any disaster.
In case of an emergency, such people would gladly AVAIL THEMSELVES of YOUR items so they can "survive"...
That's called THEFT and ROBBERY.
(not gonna happen at our house - we take care of OUR own first)
Good post, Leo.
I wish I'd known about your offer before I paid to have my dead ash tree cut down last week. Of course, leaves had ceased to be a problem; it was the occasional falling branch I was worried about.
A couple of my neighbors had big branches fall down, causing significant damage, and I had a really old wild cherry tree that looked mighty threatening, so I hired a guy to cut it down. Instead of him hauling away all the wood, though, I simply had him turn it into cordwood, and it's now drying in my back yard.
It's a little tricky, burning wood instead of charcoal, but I figured that it would improve the flavor of my food, perfume the neighborhood when I have a cookout, and it'd save me some money while I did the "green" thing.
Or so I thought. The city's cited me, and wants $100 for having trash in my yard. I think we'll have a nice little discussion in court before I pay THAT ticket!
Harl, if you live in Fort Wayne, there are lots of yards with stacked wood. On south Hessen Cassel, east side of the road between Paulding and Tillman is a house with coords stacked all over. Then on Auburn road, east side between Dupont and Wallen is a house with lots of coords. Then there is my house where I have just a little stack as do most of my neighbors.
Good luck with your "discussion."
At one time, Mr. Larsen, I lived on Florida Drive, but I currently am in Pennsylvania. Thank you for the good wishes.
Fireplaces are rare here in Lancaster, and wood burning stoves expect pelletized sawdust (or corn), rather than cord wood. I probably ought to sell off the wood, given the high price firewood commands here, but I was being lazy when i decided to just burn it to cook food. You'd think that the Amish, at least, would burn wood, but land is so expensive, they farm it all and buy the fuel to heat their homes.