Charlotte Off Topic

[CLT2014]

24 minutes ago, Madison Parkitect said:

Yes? Brisbane has 2,560,700 and Charlotte has about 900k. That's 2.845 times, so I rounded to 3.

Municipality structure in Australia is a little different than the USA. The 2.6 million population figure is more like Australia's equivalent to a metropolitan statistical area in the USA. Charlotte's metro area is roughly the same exact population at 2.6 million. 

Brisbane's greater region though (sort of like a Combined Statistical Area in the USA) includes Gold Coast, which boosts the population to 3.8 million people. That makes Brisbane's peer cities in the USA places like Minneapolis and Denver. 

Edited August 2, 2021 by CLT2014

[SouthEndCLT811]

Semantics but according to the all knowing Wiki that 2.56M for Brisbane would be like comparing to the Charlotte metropolitan statistics.  It's 2.56M over 6,116 square miles whereas our metro area is 2.63M across 3,198 square miles.

Either way congrats for Brisbane!  Outside of a city like LA where most facilities are already built across pro/college teams I don't find the thought of plunging billions into hosting very appealing but that's just me

Edited August 2, 2021 by SouthEndCLT811

[elrodvt]

Sure doesnt feel that way. Plus Brisbane is a destination.

[Temeteron]

2 hours ago, Madison Parkitect said:

Yes? Brisbane has 2,560,700 and Charlotte has about 900k. That's 2.845 times, so I rounded to 3.

Is that Brisbane’s metro numbers or city numbers? Edit** Nevermind just read CLT2014’s comment 

Edited August 2, 2021 by Temeteron

[videtur quam contuor]

Out for a day trip to day to (raises arms and hands and shouts) VAL-DEEZ. I have been in Charlotte and North Carolina for fifty years and never been in Valdese. I decided to remedy that and am so glad I did. Valdese was settled by the Waldensians in 1893. There is an unimaginable story about the faithful and their tribulations over 850 years. Too much to recount here. Valdese means "people of the valley" or "valley of God" depending on the source.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldensians

After centuries of massacres, attempted annihilation, excommunication, loss of civil rights they eventually prospered sufficiently in the late 1800's to be able to send a ship of several hundred believers from their village of Rodoretto, Italy to Western North Carolina to land purchased for this purpose by church scouts. There is a small amphitheater on Main Street with explanatory posts and a mural. 

 

.

This is just a few of them. They were contemporaries of the Cathars of Southwestern France in 1100's and 1200's and the Cathars were eventually annihilated in the Albigensian Crusade. Somehow the Waldensians survived by moving at a moment's notice, living in isolated mountain redoubts and trusting their faith as the first protestants 250 years before Luther.

The mother church: Romanesque style which is the style of the churches of 1000-1200 C.E. 

At the church office Rita the church secretary, gave me a key and said to look around as much as I wish. The interior is a recognizable Protestant design except for the windows. They display the nations where the Waldensians have dispersed: Korea, Brazil, and numerous European countries. Each with the Valdese crest or symbol in the language native to that country.

The church narthex had a supply of hymnals with French language hymns which refers to the origin of the Waldensians in a valley of northwest Italy close to the French Border.

The town is as clean as possible. No litter, no graffiti, no smokers seen anywhere, more mask wearing than in Charlotte. Three blocks of Main Street with fine buildings all occupied and presentable. None of the 1950's and 60's façades hung on the front to obscure the honest and attractive styles. Pleasing brick and stonework here.

The elementary and upper school on Main Street on the top of the ridge of town. As in many towns the future of the people was invested in the school, literally. They paid for this for years and wished it to be inspiring. The steps communicate that an education requires effort. It is still inspiring. Now a Visitors Center, Art Gallery, performance space and other municipal purposes.

"A light shines in the darkness" A people who were distinguished by their faith, industry, and persistence.

Turn off 40-W and spend an hour. Talk to some natives in shops, on the street, at the Center. Step into the church and thank Rita. I left a bit prouder of my fellow humans, a feeling always welcome, especially in these days.

Coming to America

Edited August 7, 2021 by tarhoosier

[KJHburg]

Mistakes that were found in movies and tv shows supposedly filmed in NC some were some were not.  Outer Banks the teen Netflix drama is filmed in the Charleston area and famously said something about the ferry from the OBX to Raleigh!   (and the writer or producer is from NC!)

Mistakes were made, North Carolina - by Jeremy Markovich - North Carolina Rabbit Hole (substack.com)

[videtur quam contuor]

Too much sensory excitement in Valdese to be contained in one post so I expand a bit here. Most Carolinians who were around through the 70's to the 90's may know of Valdese because of the Waldensian Bakery. It made Sunbeam Bread and other branded products and was a major employer in the East Burke area. The Waldensian connection was stressed in their advertising. Two Waldensians came to Valdese in 1915 to start a bakery and it grew from there. There were other important local and regional bakeries in the Charlotte region including Merita (Ma-REE-ta) and Bost. The consolidation of these businesses now has Waldensian as part of Bimbo Bakers, a Mexican company and the largest bakery company in the world (according to them). Bimbo bought Waldensian in 1994.

I open with this because the bakery is still just off the center of downtown Valdese and walking Main street we encountered the scent of fresh baked bread, the yeast and flour mixing to one of the most satisfying of smells. Is it possible that the appearance, feel and experience of Valdese can be better? How about adding the scent of fresh bread to the perfect summer afternoon. It was my own Truman Show, everything to enhance my personal experience. The warm feelings just kept coming.

[Nick2]

[KJHburg]

Yet another way the  Triangle is ahead of Charlotte (LOL)   a large nudist camp has opened north of the Raleigh Durham Cary metro area

A Nude Attitude: An Inside Look at the Triangle’s Naturist Community - WALTER Magazine

 

[grodney]

There's a youtuber/twitcher that plays Geoguessr and is very good at the USA map.  Somebody challenged him to the sporcle(?) challenge of "how many US cities can you name in 1 hour"?  

Spoiler......he names 917(!) cities.......including 32 of the 33 most populous.  Guess which one he didn't get.

In the comments: “The largest city you forgot was Charlotte, but that’s okay, I’d forget Charlotte, too.” —Raleigh

Watching him rip through the Chicago suburbs (like 80 of them?!) is amazing.

 

[Temeteron]

2 hours ago, grodney said:

There's a youtuber/twitcher that plays Geoguessr and is very good at the USA map.  Somebody challenged him to the sporcle(?) challenge of "how many US cities can you name in 1 hour"?  

Spoiler......he names 917(!) cities.......including 32 of the 33 most populous.  Guess which one he didn't get.

In the comments: “The largest city you forgot was Charlotte, but that’s okay, I’d forget Charlotte, too.” —Raleigh

Watching him rip through the Chicago suburbs (like 80 of them?!) is amazing.

 

How is it possible he gets all these small towns and places I’ve never heard of but misses Charlotte?!?!?!

[CLT2014]

1 hour ago, Temeteron said:

How is it possible he gets all these small towns and places I’ve never heard of but misses Charlotte?!?!?!

The guy clearly has a good memory and a lot of the small towns are along major interstates. It looks like he may take a lot of road trips originating from his home city of Chicago. Hence many of the small towns he got are along routes that would radiate out from Chicago. For North Carolina, it looks like his road trips have not involved taking I-77 for trips to the beach. He had good knowledge of the Low Country, which makes sense as a popular vacation destination, but you wouldn't take I-77 from Chicago. He really didn't get many I-77 corridor cities. 

He's possibly been to the Outer Banks, as his NC city knowledge followed I-74, to I-40, NC-70 out to the coast. 

[SouthEndCLT811]

Seeing this tweet seems fitting to discussion around that video

https://twitter.com/TheMattComer/status/1430176612113322000

 

BTW the embed feature seems to be disabled/broken.  Anyone else notice?

Edited August 24, 2021 by SouthEndCLT811

[kermit]

5 minutes ago, SouthEndCLT811 said:

BTW the embed feature seems to be disabled/broken.  Anyone else notice?

Yup, been gone since the last board software update for me.

[Skyybutter]

I detest summer's in the Piedmont more and more as they come and go. Does anyone know if the South Mountains are noticeably cooler in the summer? If not so much the day, does the higher elevation lend to cooler nights and breezes? Not trying to be too far from Charlotte, but it just seems hotter each year! Not to mention the heavy stagnant air. Ugghh...  thx for a place to vent. 

[CLT2014]

4 hours ago, Skyybutter said:

I detest summer's in the Piedmont more and more as they come and go. Does anyone know if the South Mountains are noticeably cooler in the summer? If not so much the day, does the higher elevation lend to cooler nights and breezes? Not trying to be too far from Charlotte, but it just seems hotter each year! Not to mention the heavy stagnant air. Ugghh...  thx for a place to vent. 

Do you mean living in South Mountain or just camping?

The rural area immediately around the state park runs about 1 - 3 degrees cooler than Charlotte for day and night, but it is still very humid. The elevation gain isn't very dramatic to escape the swamp.

Edited August 25, 2021 by CLT2014

[midtownclt]

Not even Hickory (~1 hour away) is much cooler - though 3-4 degrees can make a difference for some.

I prefer the 5,500 ft. elevation of Beech Mountain (~2.5 hours away) where it is in the low - mid 70's for highs

this week and mid -upper 50's at night.  Rarely gets to 79 and almost never over 80.   But it makes for one hell

of a  commute to Charlotte unfortunately.    

[KJHburg]

this eagle can not fly hit by a car in Wisconsin.  He currently lives at the NC Aquarium in Fort Fisher south of Wilmington.  On a day like this here is one of our American symbols still standing strong when he faced impossible odds.  The eagle is one magnificent bird! God Bless America.   UP meet Maverick formerly of Wisconsin now a NC resident. 

Edited August 27, 2021 by KJHburg

[rancenc]

Looks like Disney is closing up their stores in the Charlotte area.

https://www.charlottestories.com/disney-is-about-to-close-their-2-charlotte-area-stores-the-last-remaining-locations-in-nc/?fbclid=IwAR3lnjjG38G2QRrwnU5nDVCVW3L4Cs_C_Ct2bO3hkPpcD8LRa2_1rvxwPHs

[DH17]

On 8/24/2021 at 6:52 AM, grodney said:

There's a youtuber/twitcher that plays Geoguessr and is very good at the USA map.  Somebody challenged him to the sporcle(?) challenge of "how many US cities can you name in 1 hour"?  

Spoiler......he names 917(!) cities.......including 32 of the 33 most populous.  Guess which one he didn't get.

In the comments: “The largest city you forgot was Charlotte, but that’s okay, I’d forget Charlotte, too.” —Raleigh

Watching him rip through the Chicago suburbs (like 80 of them?!) is amazing

 

Honestly a lot of fun: https://iafisher.com/projects/cities/usa

I was proud of getting over 400!

 

[slipperypete]

21 hours ago, DH17 said:

Honestly a lot of fun: https://iafisher.com/projects/cities/usa

I was proud of getting over 400!

Great link!

Just tried it and I did similarly - I stopped at 444 and ~69m. It's amazing how much one can blank on even pretty familiar cities and famous places when it's time to take a quiz.  I named 90 in NC though! Pretty proud of that even if I did miss some dumb ones in other states.  The smallest "city" I named was in NC, and has a population of 228 (half of that is probably potters).  

[go_vertical]

Glad to see we're finally getting traffic lane and crosswalk markings on Kings. That only took like, what, four to six weeks after final asphalt went down? SMH

[Skyybutter]

On 8/25/2021 at 7:43 AM, CLT2014 said:

Do you mean living in South Mountain or just camping?

The rural area immediately around the state park runs about 1 - 3 degrees cooler than Charlotte for day and night, but it is still very humid. The elevation gain isn't very dramatic to escape the swamp.

Living. Your insight is appreciated and definitely takes the South Mountains out of play. I want 85 at MOST in summer and I want my windows open at night. Lows 60-65 or less.

[DownEast]

A little background. This was fun as hell. I grew up moving around taking road trips all over. Learned the state capitals at 8. The entire interstate system (2di and 3di) by 10. Super nerd stuff. I still gaze into Google maps for an hour a day. Early 40's. Spent all but 10 years of my life in eastern NC. I went for a challenge. Did this in ~50min from memory.  Open it up nationwide and I smash 900. I'll attempt when I have time. Lol. 

[nicholas]

Not sure if this is the best thread to post in, but I am looking at moving to Charlotte (from the Raleigh area).  If anyone is looking/knows someone who is looking for a roommate, or knows of any decent apartments/houses for rent, please shoot me a message.  I am a guy in my mid 20s, recently graduated from UNC Charlotte, don't smoke/do drugs, drama free and easy to live with.