November 2005 Pot Poury
Mirth and Murder
Sometimes a phrase will pop into my mind that I haven't used in years. The following are soft signs. They are not proof, or even firm evidence; more on the order of a positive correlation coefficient. This particular palingenesis seems to have been prompted by two events with no apparent connection other than they both occurred on the same day. I almost never take part in online forums, and don't even lurk regularly, but I happened on the scene as the participants were discussing Halloween, so I posted this link
[Prudish folks should take note that the naked in the url does not refer to the pumpkins.]
(thanks Louis) to illustrate the heart and soul of my real hometown, Boulder.
The first comment I got was "that's disgusting" followed by "that's silly". I was genuinely surprised at the reaction because I thought it was hilarious and would love to have been there. The only favorable reaction I got was this "That's great, Thanks! They would never do that in the south, so I love seeing this type of thing". If my hometown is good at anything it is frivolity, and I am rather proud of that.
But then I heard something on the local news that I found so shocking I thought it had to be a typo, so I checked. Horry County, (local linguistic law requires that the name of the county must be accompanied by a notice that the county name is pronounced O- 'Ree), population 196,000, has had 14 (count 'em, Fourteen) murders attributed to domestic violence so far this year. I had already noticed that even though Myrtle Beach is wall to wall entertainment, nobody but the kids on the beach seems to be really having fun. I gathered several local bits of data and while I didn't verify it all I did get the information from public sources. Myrtle Beach has 397 Churches; 18 Strip Clubs; the Yellow Pages list 66 Escort Services (most seem to offer "full service"); there is a law against thongs on the beach; another cruise through the Yellow Pages yielded a total of 1 (One) lawyer advertising civil rights related services (civil rights, employment discrimination, sexual harassment); enough golf courses, miniature golf courses and family related entertainment businesses to infuse most of western civilization with civility. Walking on the beach is free but public access is very limited , and free amenities (like parking) are almost nonexistent. And 14 domestic murders.
Boulder County, with I believe at least 100,000 more residents, is also adequately blessed with churches (202). To stem the tide of godliness influence Boulder has a single strip club north of town, but I don't remember the name. At one time Boulder even had a Hooter's, but it closed down from lack of business. I don't have any idea about the number of hookers operating out of Boulder, the Chamber of Commerce site is silent on the subject. The number of naked people running amok are too many to count, and there are 28 lawyers advertising civil rights related services (civil rights, employment discrimination, sexual harassment). Boulder has miles and miles and miles of open space and maintained public trails. So far this year Boulder has had 3 murders, none of them domestic violence related.
The reader is asked to bear in mind that I am writing under the protection of soft signs while I rant for a while. Myrtle Beach has little or no tolerance for local citizen frivolity, which is to say that individuality is not respected. It is not that big time frivolity is nonexistent here, there are after all two huge biker rallies, but walking on the wild side in public is reserved for the tourists. Their behavior is grudgingly permitted not because we want them to have fun, but because we tolerate their frivolity for their cash. All of local existence seems to be programmed, and the local citizenry reminds one of sheep more so than people. No rules lap dances take place behind the neon facades of the "gentlemen's clubs", but don't even think of having belly dancers booty shaking on the sidewalks while 50,000 runners including families with children trot by.
Issues like causality, relatedness and pattern recognition are properly explored on the other side of my web page, but am I saying that if Myrtle Beach had 28 civil rights attorneys, half the churches, one tenth of the strip clubs, miles and miles of free open space, and an annual necked run on the beach and oyster shucking contest to celebrate the end of tourist season, that Myrtle Beach would not have had 14 murders as the result of domestic violence?
"You betchum, Red Ryder".
Mirth and Murder
Sometimes a phrase will pop into my mind that I haven't used in years. The following are soft signs. They are not proof, or even firm evidence; more on the order of a positive correlation coefficient. This particular palingenesis seems to have been prompted by two events with no apparent connection other than they both occurred on the same day. I almost never take part in online forums, and don't even lurk regularly, but I happened on the scene as the participants were discussing Halloween, so I posted this link
[Prudish folks should take note that the naked in the url does not refer to the pumpkins.]
(thanks Louis) to illustrate the heart and soul of my real hometown, Boulder.
The first comment I got was "that's disgusting" followed by "that's silly". I was genuinely surprised at the reaction because I thought it was hilarious and would love to have been there. The only favorable reaction I got was this "That's great, Thanks! They would never do that in the south, so I love seeing this type of thing". If my hometown is good at anything it is frivolity, and I am rather proud of that.
But then I heard something on the local news that I found so shocking I thought it had to be a typo, so I checked. Horry County, (local linguistic law requires that the name of the county must be accompanied by a notice that the county name is pronounced O- 'Ree), population 196,000, has had 14 (count 'em, Fourteen) murders attributed to domestic violence so far this year. I had already noticed that even though Myrtle Beach is wall to wall entertainment, nobody but the kids on the beach seems to be really having fun. I gathered several local bits of data and while I didn't verify it all I did get the information from public sources. Myrtle Beach has 397 Churches; 18 Strip Clubs; the Yellow Pages list 66 Escort Services (most seem to offer "full service"); there is a law against thongs on the beach; another cruise through the Yellow Pages yielded a total of 1 (One) lawyer advertising civil rights related services (civil rights, employment discrimination, sexual harassment); enough golf courses, miniature golf courses and family related entertainment businesses to infuse most of western civilization with civility. Walking on the beach is free but public access is very limited , and free amenities (like parking) are almost nonexistent. And 14 domestic murders.
Boulder County, with I believe at least 100,000 more residents, is also adequately blessed with churches (202). To stem the tide of godliness influence Boulder has a single strip club north of town, but I don't remember the name. At one time Boulder even had a Hooter's, but it closed down from lack of business. I don't have any idea about the number of hookers operating out of Boulder, the Chamber of Commerce site is silent on the subject. The number of naked people running amok are too many to count, and there are 28 lawyers advertising civil rights related services (civil rights, employment discrimination, sexual harassment). Boulder has miles and miles and miles of open space and maintained public trails. So far this year Boulder has had 3 murders, none of them domestic violence related.
The reader is asked to bear in mind that I am writing under the protection of soft signs while I rant for a while. Myrtle Beach has little or no tolerance for local citizen frivolity, which is to say that individuality is not respected. It is not that big time frivolity is nonexistent here, there are after all two huge biker rallies, but walking on the wild side in public is reserved for the tourists. Their behavior is grudgingly permitted not because we want them to have fun, but because we tolerate their frivolity for their cash. All of local existence seems to be programmed, and the local citizenry reminds one of sheep more so than people. No rules lap dances take place behind the neon facades of the "gentlemen's clubs", but don't even think of having belly dancers booty shaking on the sidewalks while 50,000 runners including families with children trot by.
Issues like causality, relatedness and pattern recognition are properly explored on the other side of my web page, but am I saying that if Myrtle Beach had 28 civil rights attorneys, half the churches, one tenth of the strip clubs, miles and miles of free open space, and an annual necked run on the beach and oyster shucking contest to celebrate the end of tourist season, that Myrtle Beach would not have had 14 murders as the result of domestic violence?
"You betchum, Red Ryder".
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