Poor - there is many who live below the poverty line and many others, who are above. I'm assuming the cost of living, is different in many metropolitan areas, since a wide variety of jobs exist.

 

I've been to Paintsville, Pikeville and other parts of the region and see plenty of folks who have loads of cash/assets. My point is that, based off of data, the area as a whole lags behind the rest of the state.

 

Not Many Jobs - There are many, related coal, schools, some industry, convenient/fast food, but not many large employers with the exception of some large towns.

 

I should have been more clear: not enough well-paying jobs.

 

Education - Often secondary education, is not affordable to many and/or, the resources to obtain loans, grants and other resources, is not readily known, how to obtain by many.

 

If kids are not going to community college or to a university, its not because there are not options to do so. Heck, Berea College EXISTS for people in this situation. So, its more of a matter of either "know how" or "want to."

 

Poverty - Without question, some families and areas, are born into poverty, as that is standard of living. Many times large families, will need/rely on welfare and assistance, without a means or knowledge, how to break free.

 

Agreed. Education improvement is key to stopping the ugly cycle.

 

Waiting - This is very accurate, as many and I mean many, don't have the means to pursue different methods of financial stability. Others, are content to have assistance and most, are hard working for hourly/salary positions.

 

 

 

Beauty - Without question. The color of fall, spring, shade of summer heat, trails and scenic by-ways. I've been to many places in the US and none, seem as friendly as EKY.

 

Nothing better than a fall drive down the Mt Parkway in October.

This is an excerpt from a CJ article on the poor state of health in KY:

 

In the impoverished eastern portion of Kentucky, some counties have cancer death rates more than 30 percent above the national average, and one group of counties has 74 percent more adult cases of diabetes than the national average.

 

The poorest county in the state, Owsley, has a death rate 80 percent above the national average.

 

Within the Appalachian Mountains are steep, winding back roads that connect a patchwork of small communities dotting hillsides and hollows. Coal still courses through the area, making its way out of the heavily mined hills.

 

But the economy stagnates, with many residents living in trailers or tiny homes, unable to find jobs or too sick or disabled to work -- which can leave them without health insurance, reliable transportation or other keys to good health.

 

In these mountains are many places like the remote, woodsy hollow in Knott County where Odis and Betty Holland live in a dilapidated home. Odis, who has a long white beard he's been growing for 40 years, never goes to doctors and won't take medicine. But the 72-year-old cares for his wife and two siblings, all of whom have diabetes. Betty Holland, a former smoker, spends much of her days in bed.

 

"It's rough on you," Odis said. "Ain't nothing you can do about it."

This is an excerpt from a CJ article on the poor state of health in KY:

 

In the impoverished eastern portion of Kentucky, some counties have cancer death rates more than 30 percent above the national average, and one group of counties has 74 percent more adult cases of diabetes than the national average.

 

The poorest county in the state, Owsley, has a death rate 80 percent above the national average.

 

Within the Appalachian Mountains are steep, winding back roads that connect a patchwork of small communities dotting hillsides and hollows. Coal still courses through the area, making its way out of the heavily mined hills.

 

But the economy stagnates, with many residents living in trailers or tiny homes, unable to find jobs or too sick or disabled to work -- which can leave them without health insurance, reliable transportation or other keys to good health.

 

In these mountains are many places like the remote, woodsy hollow in Knott County where Odis and Betty Holland live in a dilapidated home. Odis, who has a long white beard he's been growing for 40 years, never goes to doctors and won't take medicine. But the 72-year-old cares for his wife and two siblings, all of whom have diabetes. Betty Holland, a former smoker, spends much of her days in bed.

 

"It's rough on you," Odis said. "Ain't nothing you can do about it."

 

There are people in the town I grew up in in Boone County that this could be said for.

 

How does this apply? Is the part about the higher rates of illness?

As I said earlier I just dont have the time this afternoon to devote to this thread that it deserves, but I must clear up some misunderstandings with cshs81 before this thing gets out of hand and closed before something constructive happens.

 

First education. I am not downplaying the need for education whatsoever. You read that into my post where I took exception to stating that it was the means to improvement. It is, but what I'm saying is there must be a way to apply that knowledge. Education is a key element of the solution but is not the solution itself. Think of it this way. I could learn to be a topnotch watch builder or repairer, but if no one wants or owns a watch it serves no purpose.

 

Secondly, the land issue of 100 years ago was not intended as an excuse as you immediately assumed. It was posted as an explanation, a root cause, and will be part of my recommended solution.

 

Oh, and I'm really impressed that you didn't get upset over being called ignorant. You ok with arrogant?

 

Note to mods. Please dont close it yet, I needed to get that one off my chest. I'll try to be good.

How does this apply? Is the part about the higher rates of illness?

Mainly, this part:

 

But the economy stagnates, with many residents living in trailers or tiny homes, unable to find jobs or too sick or disabled to work -- which can leave them without health insurance, reliable transportation or other keys to good health.

 

In these mountains are many places like the remote, woodsy hollow in Knott County where Odis and Betty Holland live in a dilapidated home.

I don't bring ignorant stereotypes.

 

I'll ask anyone , since Billybob is no longer participating, which of the following perceptions are untrue of the EKY region AS A WHOLE?

 

Poor

Not many jobs

Lower priority on education than other areas (as a whole - not individually)

Generations after generations of poverty

Waiting for someone to figure out how to fix the problem

Beautiful area of the state

 

The "AS A WHOLE" is key since there are obvious exceptions to all of the above.

 

Yes, you do.

1.) Poor - FALSE - more poor people per capita, but also a lot more rich people per capita. A minority of the residents are poor. Most are not. So obviously you can't call the "AREA AS A WHOLE" poor.

2.) Not many jobs - FALSE - Anyone who wants a job can get one in Eastern Kentucky. Anyone who doesn't work just doesn't want to or need to.

3.) Lower priority on education than other areas (as a whole - not individually) - FALSE, and preposterous. Check Pikeville Independent, Paintsville Independent, Hazard Independent (among others) test scores against schools in your area, you will be shocked, and not in a good way.

4.) Generations after generations of poverty - FALSE - sure it happens, but again, VERY small percentage, certainly nowhere close to resembling the region "AS A WHOLE."

5.) Waiting for someone to figure out how to fix the problem - FALSE, and preposterous, and not worthy of a response. Returning all the coal severance tax money that goes to Northern Kentucky would be one of my "fixes" though.

6.) Beautiful area of the state. Welllllll, you got one.:ylsuper:

Returning all the coal severance tax money that goes to Northern Kentucky would be one of my "fixes" though.

I wasn't going to comment on any of the other comments (that were also preposterously wrong); but this one is just funny it's so slanted. :lol: That area up there is an economic engine for the state. If anything, the northern Kentucky area has been supporting YOU.

I wasn't going to comment on any of the other comments (that were also preposterously wrong); but this one is just funny it's so slanted. :lol: That area up there is an economic engine for the state. If anything, the northern Kentucky area has been supporting YOU.

 

Riiiiigggghttt.....:lol: :sssh:

1.) Poor - FALSE - more poor people per capita, but also a lot more rich people per capita. A minority of the residents are poor. Most are not. So obviously you can't call the "AREA AS A WHOLE" poor.

For the record, this statement makes no sense. "Per capita" means "per head" or "per person." So you can't have more poor or rich people per person.

Riiiiigggghttt.....:lol: :sssh:

Hmm, I thought De Nile ran through Egypt. :confused:

For the record, this statement makes no sense. "Per capita" means "per head" or "per person." So you can't have more poor or rich people per person.

 

:lol: And would you like the poor, dumb hillbilly to give you a link to a dictionary???

:lol: And would you like the poor, dumb hillbilly to give you a link to a dictionary???

I'm not going to bother reasoning with you. You've proven that to be an ineffective approach. I will let you know that your use of "per capita" in the above context was improper.

So far rockmom is the only person to use any sort of statistical evidence to back anything up. It has all been a lot of hearsay.

 

I will say this, I've been from Jackson County to Pike County and it ain't pretty (economically speaking).

I'm not going to bother reasoning with you. You've proved that to be an ineffective approach. I will let you know that your use of "per capita" in the above context was improper.

 

Perfectly proper. You are making it painfully clear you don't know what "per capita" means.

Perfectly proper. You are making it painfully clear you don't know what "per capita" means.

per cap·i·ta Pronunciation[per kap-i-tuh]

–noun 1. by or for each individual person: income per capita.

 

Okay, now let's plug the official definition into your sentence and see what we have:

 

Poor - FALSE - more poor people (by or for each individual person) but also a lot more rich people (by or for each individual person). A minority of the residents are poor.

 

 

Game - set - match. :lol: