Upstate?!? What?!?

[MarleysGh0st]

I am sticking with my previous view. Downstate would be anything south and east of NYC.

And Pea, I am sorry your butt is burning. I am glad that you can see it as silly, but if it bugs you it bugs you.

Regional names are flexible and there can be several that apply. I'm in Upstate NY, but I'm also in Central NY. And in the Finger Lakes region of NY. Depending on the context.

What makes cases like this really annoying is when the media substitutes that generic "Upstate" name for an actual town name, as if viewers would be entirely befuddled if they actually said "Scarsdale".

Which, given the geographic expertise of the average person these days--and the details listed on that infamous New Yorker map--may be true.

[peacock2121]

It burns my butt that if you don't live in NYC, you are upstate. That is such nonsense. Who decided that NYC was the center of NY State? Who decided that they are the measure by which the rest of the state compares.

Freakin' eco-centric idiots.

did I spell that right?

[ulysses5019]

And Pea, I am sorry your butt is burning. I am glad that you can see it as silly, but if it bugs you it bugs you.

Well.......if you wouldn't expose your derriere with that cheeky message it might not be overexposed to the sun.

[themanintheseersuckersuit]

I am sticking with my previous view. Downstate would be anything south and east of NYC.

And Pea, I am sorry your butt is burning. I am glad that you can see it as silly, but if it bugs you it bugs you.

Regional names are flexible and there can be several that apply. I'm in Upstate NY, but I'm also in Central NY. And in the Finger Lakes region of NY. Depending on the context.

What makes cases like this really annoying is when the media substitutes that generic "Upstate" name for an actual town name, as if viewers would be entirely befuddled if they actually said "Scarsdale".

Which, given the geographic expertise of the average person these days--and the details listed on that infamous New Yorker map--may be true.

It could be worse,the area I live in is known as "The Pee Dee" which of course amuses some.

[silvercamaro]

I think that a state cannot be classified as Southern unless it seceded from the Union.

I get Southern Living magazine. Often times they will do little features in the travel section on spots in Maryland, Oklahoma, or Missouri. Usually when I see these little features I will roll my eyes in mild disgust.

I know...I know...

It would have been difficult for Oklahoma to meet the "secession test" for being Southern, since at the time it was pretty much an unorganized and largely ungoverned expanse of dirt known as Indian Territory. That said, I don't think most Oklahomans consider themselves Southern. To me, the state is Southwestern, having more in common with Texas, New Mexico and Arizona than the classic Old South.

Oklahoma entered the pages of Southern Living in large part because of an Oklahoman, now deceased, who was the editor for that publication for 25 years or more. In addition, occasional mentions of places and events in states adjacent to the former Confederacy provided opportunities to sell subscriptions over a wider area, enlarging the magazine's circulation and advertising reach.

Thus, Toque, despite your "mild disgust," I suggest that without Oklahoma, Southern Living would have ceased to exist long ago.

[tanstaafl2]

So, this morning, I hear this thing on TV about Beyonce and some rapper dude getting a marriage license in "upstate New York".

I just heard on the 12:00 news - they got it in freakin' Scarsdale!

Upstate?!?!

You have got to be kidding me.

Allow me to get in trouble. I would say anything north and west of NYC is upstate. My view from here anyway.

I suspect that the snobbier of Manhattanites would consider the Bronx upstate and Brooklyn and Queens to merely be part of the great unwashed of rural suburbia that is Long Island (the Hamptons excluded of course, at least parts of it).



As for the South it is truly more of a state of mind although geography plays a part. Kentucky is in but West Virginia and Maryland at best are a mixed bag. Nothing north of the Ohio river is part of the true South even if the people on the other side have the good sense to be more like southerners.

Texas, Arkansas and especially Louisiana are their own separate subsections of the south and whilst North Florida is part of the South, South Florida is about as yankee as can be, at least the parts that aren't Cuban and/or South American.

[earendel]

I think that a state cannot be classified as Southern unless it seceded from the Union.

I get Southern Living magazine. Often times they will do little features in the travel section on spots in Maryland, Oklahoma, or Missouri. Usually when I see these little features I will roll my eyes in mild disgust.

I know...I know...

It would have been difficult for Oklahoma to meet the "secession test" for being Southern, since at the time it was pretty much an unorganized and largely ungoverned expanse of dirt known as Indian Territory. That said, I don't think most Oklahomans consider themselves Southern. To me, the state is Southwestern, having more in common with Texas, New Mexico and Arizona than the classic Old South.

I agree. However there were two native American representatives to the Confederate congress and one general (Watie).

[ulysses5019]

All this "southern" talk reminded me of the Bo Diddley song "Say Man":

Look-a here!
What's that?
Where are you from?
South America,
What's that?
South America,
You don't look like no South American to me,
I'm still from South America,
What part?
South Texas!

[traininvain]

It burns my butt that if you don't live in NYC, you are upstate. That is such nonsense. Who decided that NYC was the center of NY State? Who decided that they are the measure by which the rest of the state compares.

Freakin' eco-centric idiots.

did I spell that right?

I would consider Scarsdale to be "north" of NYC, at least that's how I describe it. Upstate would be anything 2-hours out of NYC, so you're about on the "upstate" line there.

[Beebs52]

We used to live in Fairport, outside of Rochester. That's upstate. Certainly ain't Scarsdale.

[MarleysGh0st]

We used to live in Fairport, outside of Rochester. That's upstate. Certainly ain't Scarsdale.

Ah, but did you consider that Western NY or Central NY? Seems like it's right on the line, to me.

[SportsFan68]

It would have been difficult for Oklahoma to meet the "secession test" for being Southern, since at the time it was pretty much an unorganized and largely ungoverned expanse of dirt known as Indian Territory. That said, I don't think most Oklahomans consider themselves Southern. To me, the state is Southwestern, having more in common with Texas, New Mexico and Arizona than the classic Old South.

I agree that OK is southwestern, right along with us.

[gotribego26]

We used to live in Fairport, outside of Rochester. That's upstate. Certainly ain't Scarsdale.

Ah, but did you consider that Western NY or Central NY? Seems like it's right on the line, to me.

I grew up in Schenectady - Rochester was western - the line between Western and Central was about exit 42.

Once you are north of the Bronx - Westchester, Putnam, Rockland and Orange Counties are definitely not upstate - Duchess, Sullivan and Ulster Counties are in limbo - all others are up state.

[MarleysGh0st]

I grew up in Schenectady - Rochester was western - the line between Western and Central was about exit 42.

Exit 42? We don't define geographical location by exits!

This isn't New Jersey!

[Beebs52]

We used to live in Fairport, outside of Rochester. That's upstate. Certainly ain't Scarsdale.

Ah, but did you consider that Western NY or Central NY? Seems like it's right on the line, to me.

I grew up in Schenectady - Rochester was western - the line between Western and Central was about exit 42.

Once you are north of the Bronx - Westchester, Putnam, Rockland and Orange Counties are definitely not upstate - Duchess, Sullivan and Ulster Counties are in limbo - all others are up state.

I just considered it in the middle of New York. I had no idea.
Plus, drum roll...........I've never been to NYC.

[gotribego26]

I grew up in Schenectady - Rochester was western - the line between Western and Central was about exit 42.

Exit 42? We don't define geographical location by exits!

This isn't New Jersey!

I've found that anyone I've met that has roots within 10 miles of the Thruway uses exits - it's not as prevalent as NJ - but when I mweet a person from the Capital District, Utica/Rome, Syracuse, Rochester or Buffalo the exit always works. I've been gone from NY for 30 years now - but I was an exit 25er when I was growing up.

It don't work for Binghampton, Watertown, Johnstown, Elmira or many other places.

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

Beyonce and Jay-Z got married on Friday in Tribeca.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... eheadlines

[ulysses5019]

Heck, Tribeca is not even uptown. But the article mentioned that the couple got their wedding license in Scarsdale. No mention whether it was upstate or even uptown let alone in the middle 48 or lower 48.

[littlebeast13]

The North/South thing is not my concern.

This Upstate thing burns my butt.

Silly, I know.

If Scarsdale is upstate - where the heck is downstate?

I was in Chicago once and someone brought up a concert that was supposed to be "downstate" somewhere. Another person chimed in that it was in Rockford. To which the first person replied," Right, I knew it was downstate somewhere". And the rest of the Chicago crowd all nodded in agreement.

If you don't know, Rockford, IL is northwest of Chicago but still "downstate" to Chicagoans. As far as I could tell "downstate" means "not in Chicago".

Everyone knows there are only two parts to the state of Illinois.

Anyplace that has a view of the Sears Tower is called Chicago.

Every place else is considered downstate....

And I am in the perfect area for second bananaism... not only downstate to Chicago, but part of "East County" in St. Louis....

lb13

[geoffil]

People in Chicago refer to anything south of Joliet as the south. I still don't see how Indiana is the mid-west or even Illinois. It is the frozen north period.

[marrymeflyfree]

I think I can make a strong case that there is not much difference between southern Indiana and Tennessee so I'd lump them in there as well.

Nooooo......!

Tennessee is most definitely 'The South'. Indiana most definitely is not!

It always burned me up when Texans referred to themselves as Southerners when I lived there. They are not.

[SportsFan68]

I think I can make a strong case that there is not much difference between southern Indiana and Tennessee so I'd lump them in there as well.

Nooooo......!

Tennessee is most definitely 'The South'. Indiana most definitely is not!

It always burned me up when Texans referred to themselves as Southerners when I lived there. They are not.

JMHO, the Houstoners I've met definitely qualify as southern. The Dallasers do not.

Every East Texan I've ever met clearly qualifies as Southwest. Texas really is like a whole nother country.

[marrymeflyfree]

JMHO, the Houstoners I've met definitely qualify as southern. The Dallasers do not.

I'll give you that...Houston is more Southern than Dallas, but I still think Houston is more Southwestern than Southern. But maybe that's my G.R.I.T.S. speaking.

Texas really is like a whole nother country.

Don't forget the "y'all!" on the end of that!

[SportsFan68]

JMHO, the Houstoners I've met definitely qualify as southern. The Dallasers do not.

I'll give you that...Houston is more Southern than Dallas, but I still think Houston is more Southwestern than Southern. But maybe that's my G.R.I.T.S. speaking.

Texas really is like a whole nother country.

Don't forget the "y'all!" on the end of that!

Texas really is like a whole nother country, y'all.

[SportsFan68]

Actually, when I was down to West Texas last weekend for opening weekend of Spring Turkey season, I said y'all more than my hosts did. I think most of the Texan visitors I grew up around were from the Houston area.