List Any Cool/Unknown Facts About Your State/Province

[minnew 4]

I'm quite new to Illinois, moved here only last Oct.

I've since learned some interesting things though.

-The Chicago River was forced to flow backwards. It naturally flowed eastwards into Lake Michigan. But in the 19th century it was used as a sewer and all the waste would flow into the Lake. Drinking water was pumped from the lake. Not a good situation. So engineers actually reversed the flow of the river in reverse, so the Chicago river now flows westward and ultimately drains out to the Mississippi. Hence Chicago sewage flows to downstate Illinois and St Louis. Let them deal with our #######.

- We now have an unelected and unwanted junior Senator, Roland Burris, who did his darndest to buy the position, and got it anyway despite not having needed to pay up.

- The Worlds Fair in 1893 was Chicago's chance to prove to the world that it could rock with the best of them. The previous Worlds Fair in Paris introduced the world to the breathtaking Eiffel Tower. In an effort at one-upmanship Chicago introduced the world to a new invention called the Ferris wheel. It was a massive structure which towered over the city, with cars large enough to serve meals in.

- Mrs. O'Leary's cow did not kick over the lantern that started the Chicago fire. That's a myth. The city of Chicago formally apologized to the descendants of Mrs. O'Leary for the smear.

As to Ontario ,

- Highway markers were marked "The King's Highway" even during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. But last time I was driving there I think that logo has been removed from Highway markers.

- The license plate motto is "Yours To Discover". The old one I remember as a kid was "Keep it Beautiful". I prefer the old one!

- The Rideau Canal was built in the years after the War of 1812 when there were still strong fears of an American invasion. The ideas was to bypass the St. Lawrence River and have a shipping route further north that would connect to the Ottawa River.

- Laura Secord is not just a candy shop. She was a spy who crossed American lines without being inspected at the border. ICE agents then deported her back to Canada as an illegal (ok, just a little US immigration humor for VJ)

Well I don't think there is that much to say about Saskatchewan...nothing too cool about us...everybody usually forgets or skims over our part of the country in Canada...

Saskatchewan did give Canada Tommy Douglas, and universal health care

A lesson Americans still haven't been able to learn from decades later.

Ah yes...Tommy Douglas! Thanks uscandual...I haven't had my 2 cups of coffee yet this morning! We have a building in Regina called the T.C Douglas building named after him.

[The_Dude 1,142]

I think the state tax burden is hard to calculate for a lot of reasons.

See these three links that all say different things:

http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/tax...2005/index.html

http://www.census.gov/govs/statetax/05staxrank.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_tax_lev...e_United_States

The CNN money link has Maine as the highest state tax levels in the country. There is just NO way that's true.

Facts about Jersey?

We have the cleanest beaches in the US and yet it also stinks very badly in other areas.

And, as I always mention, we are the most densely populated state in the United States. The town I used to live in, Hillside, was about 2 square miles and the population is about 30,000.

But you're completely discounting the infection of guidos on the Jersey shore Thats a polluted beach if i've ever seen one.

[SomberCat 0]

1. Indiana is known as the Hoosier State. There's a lot of debate about what that actually means and no one knows for sure. My husband jokes that he's going from being a Hoser to a Hoosier.

2. We live and breathe basketball and if you don't like that sport, don't move here. I just made my husband, who knows nothing about basketball, watch the movie Hoosiers. It's a classic and he has to start somewhere.

3. Until 2006, we were one of only two states in the continental US that did not change time. Unfortunately, our governor decided he wanted to change that (and seriously piss a lot of people off), so now, three years later, I'm still getting used to the "spring forward"/"fall back" thing. I know, I have a bad learning curve.

4. This is not so much an Indiana thing as a Fort Wayne thing, but supposedly Johnny Appleseed is buried here. I think someday they'll dig up where his supposed grave is and run DNA tests or something. Due to this, much of Fort Wayne has apple related themes and festivals and such. My favorite - we have a minor league baseball team called the Fort Wayne Tin Caps. Tin Caps? Yeah, that's a reference to the pot Johnny Appleseed wore on his head. Are we dorks or what? You should see the team logo - it's an angry apple with a pot on it's head. You should Google it as it's good for a giggle.

[scandal 951]

I think the state tax burden is hard to calculate for a lot of reasons.

See these three links that all say different things:

http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/tax...2005/index.html

http://www.census.gov/govs/statetax/05staxrank.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_tax_lev...e_United_States

The CNN money link has Maine as the highest state tax levels in the country. There is just NO way that's true.

Facts about Jersey?

We have the cleanest beaches in the US and yet it also stinks very badly in other areas.

And, as I always mention, we are the most densely populated state in the United States. The town I used to live in, Hillside, was about 2 square miles and the population is about 30,000.

But you're completely discounting the infection of guidos on the Jersey shore Thats a polluted beach if i've ever seen one.

I thought Jersey is most famous for hosting the Sopranos, and for having Jimmy Hoffa buried under Meadowlands?

[jundp 191]

You guys probably know most of this about Washington:

Home of Microsoft (and the US's wealthiest man, Bill Gates), Starbucks, Amazon.com, classmates.com, and Netflix.com.

Home of the first revolving restaurant (atop the Space Needle...built in 1961)

The northwestern most point in the contiguous US is on the Wa. Olympic Peninsula.

Birthplace of Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, and Bing Crosby.

There are a LOT of serial killers from Washington or who committed their crimes in Washington, including the Green River Killer, the Hillside Strangler, and Ted Bundy (thank you UW for producing him).

And, of course, Len and I live here

[Udella&Wiz 325]

You know - haven't thought a whole lot about the state of Virginia. Just don't have a major interest in history ...but of course there's the Jamestown settlement, Pocahontas and John Smith - thank gawd for Disney movies. just kidding i know a little mroe then that

We were below the Mason-Dixon line which equals a confederate state way back of course - plenty of historic battlegrounds in northern Virginia since we were the border bewteen north and south.

Sorry - wish I could offer more.

[thetreble 19]

I think the state tax burden is hard to calculate for a lot of reasons.

See these three links that all say different things:

http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/tax...2005/index.html

http://www.census.gov/govs/statetax/05staxrank.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_tax_lev...e_United_States

The CNN money link has Maine as the highest state tax levels in the country. There is just NO way that's true.

Facts about Jersey?

We have the cleanest beaches in the US and yet it also stinks very badly in other areas.

And, as I always mention, we are the most densely populated state in the United States. The town I used to live in, Hillside, was about 2 square miles and the population is about 30,000.

But you're completely discounting the infection of guidos on the Jersey shore Thats a polluted beach if i've ever seen one.

I thought Jersey is most famous for hosting the Sopranos, and for having Jimmy Hoffa buried under Meadowlands?

1. Yes, people often refer to us now as "the soprano state" because we are SO corrupt it's ridiculous.

2. Jimmy Hoffa is NOT buried under the Meadowland, which is no longer the Meadowlands it's the Izod Center. If he was, his body will never be found due to contaminant waste being found under the arena last year when they were going to make renovations.

3. While we do have the "guido" phenomenon, I try to keep as FAR away from it as possible. They don't go to all beaches either, thank god.

E- I'd rather pay 750.00 on my car each year than pay my current $6,000.00 in property taxes a year, $305.00 in condo fees/month and $200.00/quaterly for sewage collection. I thought I lived in a townhouse with no property but I was obviously very mistaken.

[Peachey 10]

PA is known as the Keystone State, and where the declaration of independence was signed! But I think most people know that We also have the liberty bell here too.

PA is not actually a state, but a commonwealth. There are 3 other commonwealth states: Virginia, Massachusetts and Kentucky.

[Emancipation 2]

E- I'd rather pay 750.00 on my car each year than pay my current $6,000.00 in property taxes a year, $305.00 in condo fees/month and $200.00/quaterly for sewage collection. I thought I lived in a townhouse with no property but I was obviously very mistaken.

Gal there are reasons we'll never own property or a townhouse here in this state.. We know someone who pays 14K a year on property tax.. no thank you!

[scandal 951]

PA is known as the Keystone State, and where the declaration of independence was signed! But I think most people know that We also have the liberty bell here too.

PA is not actually a state, but a commonwealth. There are 3 other commonwealth states: Virginia, Massachusetts and Kentucky.

Interesting point. I've never understood that - what's the distinction? What makes it a 'commonwealth'? I know it goes back to colonial times. Also, isn't Rhode Island a commonwealth? I thought it has some fancy formal name like "Commonwealth of Rhode island and Providence Plantations". Quite a pretentious mouthful of a name for such a tiny little state.

[Danu 19]

Other Ontario facts

In the Iroquois language "Kanadario" means "sparkling water " or "beautiful lake".

More people live in Ontario than in any other province and 90% of that population is in the southern part.

Water covers about one-sixth of the province.

Dr Banting, one of the 2 gentleman who discovered Insulin, was born in Alliston, ON - the same town my little sister was born in!

[thetreble 19]

E- I'd rather pay 750.00 on my car each year than pay my current $6,000.00 in property taxes a year, $305.00 in condo fees/month and $200.00/quaterly for sewage collection. I thought I lived in a townhouse with no property but I was obviously very mistaken.

Gal there are reasons we'll never own property or a townhouse here in this state.. We know someone who pays 14K a year on property tax.. no thank you!

It's ridiculous. It really is. And none of us get anything back from it, that's for sure.

[Peachey 10]

PA is known as the Keystone State, and where the declaration of independence was signed! But I think most people know that We also have the liberty bell here too.

PA is not actually a state, but a commonwealth. There are 3 other commonwealth states: Virginia, Massachusetts and Kentucky.

Interesting point. I've never understood that - what's the distinction? What makes it a 'commonwealth'? I know it goes back to colonial times. Also, isn't Rhode Island a commonwealth? I thought it has some fancy formal name like "Commonwealth of Rhode island and Providence Plantations". Quite a pretentious mouthful of a name for such a tiny little state.

\

I'm sure sure, but here's the wiki about it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_(U.S._state)

[bowflex 0]

Well I don't think there is that much to say about Saskatchewan...nothing too cool about us...everybody usually forgets or skims over our part of the country in Canada...

But we sure do like the spotlight when we get it!

In the midst of this economic recession though CNN calls SK "Jobs Hotspot"

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/03/...iref=newssearch

I think that can be said about midwestern states as well, it has not had a dire effect like other more populated states.

Where I am moving to in NE, if you are from NE you are known as a Cornhusker thanks to their football team. They are crazy about the Cornhuskers!! When I was looking at wedding venues that had F& B minimums, one of the ladies was telling us how the min and max dollar amount varies weekend to weekend and it all goes by the NE Cornhuskers football schedule! If there isn't a game then the F&B min is higher because then I guess couples will want to get married that weekend rather than on a game day! There was one venue that had installed TV's in it so that if couples do decide to get married on a game day that their guests can watch the game during the reception. It was a very nice modern looking place too!

So apparently I picked a popular weekend...no game...but I have no F&B minimum!

Haha I always heard that some "southern" Midwest states take college football very crazy, that's nuts

I do know that Barry Melrose is from good ol' Sask and Regina sounds like a naughty female place Haha.

[JillA 2]

PA is known as the Keystone State, and where the declaration of independence was signed! But I think most people know that We also have the liberty bell here too.

PA is not actually a state, but a commonwealth. There are 3 other commonwealth states: Virginia, Massachusetts and Kentucky.

Interesting point. I've never understood that - what's the distinction? What makes it a 'commonwealth'? I know it goes back to colonial times. Also, isn't Rhode Island a commonwealth? I thought it has some fancy formal name like "Commonwealth of Rhode island and Providence Plantations". Quite a pretentious mouthful of a name for such a tiny little state.

I never knew that! I am wondering what the distinction is as well. I've always wondered what the "district of Colombia" is. I know it's not a state, so what is it really? How do you explain the district of Colombia? So the people that live there don't live in one of the United States of America?

Other Ontario facts

In the Iroquois language "Kanadario" means "sparkling water " or "beautiful lake".

More people live in Ontario than in any other province and 90% of that population is in the southern part.

Water covers about one-sixth of the province.

Dr Banting, one of the 2 gentleman who discovered Insulin, was born in Alliston, ON - the same town my little sister was born in!

I went to high school with Dr. Bantings grandson, Colin Banting. When he told me his grandfather invented Insulin, I thought that was so cool!