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Comment by mikestew | Hacker News Reader

Out of all the companies that I've worked in the midwest, I've ever had a co-worker that was a black software engineer.

The only black software engineer I’ve worked with (as in, on my team and writes code) since moving was the guy I hired. And I live in Seattle and I’ve worked at Microsoft. It’s a big shock moving from Indiana, where I’d had several black coworkers over the years. So I’ll see your Midwestern Rednecks anecdote, and raise you a Coastal Snobs Shocked That Midwest Has Internet.

i've had more arguments in the midwest with people that think tesla is a POS company for not following the rules.

Buncha rubes, not going gaga over an unprofitable company getting Federal subsidies so that rich people can buy new toys. So you’re saying you absolutley lack the ability to fathom why someone might not share your enthusiasm?

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Why'd you move out of Indiana my friend?

|So you’re saying you absolutley lack the ability to fathom why someone might not share your enthusiasm?

Also I can empathize why people are against Tesla, it's just the general mindset in the midwest when it comes to new technologies. There's no wrong or right it's just the way life is out there.

One -27F January day, I looked at my wife and said, “this is America, and we don’t have to live like this.” So we moved to North Carolina, then eventually got a gig with Microsoft. Haven’t worked at Microsoft in twelve years, but Seattle area suits us so we never left.

Also I can empathize why people are against Tesla, it's just the general mindset in the midwest when it comes to new technologies.

More than just the politics are conservative. :-)

They also tend to ignore that Tesla payed back their subsidies with interest.

Not the $7500/car tax credit, they didn't.

Chicago politics are not conservative; it is one of the country's most stalwart Democratic bastions. (Politics here are problematic for other reasons).

Chicago politics are dominated by Democrats, but it's far more conservative than some of the crazy granola stuff on the West Coast. Rahm Emanuel would be considered a right wing demagogue in San Francisco.

Rahm Emanuel is considered a right wing demagogue by a pretty sizable chunk of Chicagoans.

When it is -27F outside, what do you do? Do you go to work? Do you crank up the furnace and huddle under an electric blanket and wait for it to get above 0F again?

You do the midwest thing: just go about your business and pretend everything is fine.

You warm up your car 20 minutes before leaving. You throw on your layers that are reserved for the negative double digits (flannel jeans, extra thick wool socks, fur hats, massive scarf, thick mittens), check that the emergency kit and blankets are still in the back seat, and head out into the world and go about your day. In the city it isn't all that big of a deal, but it could mean danger if you get stranded in the countryside.

One of my favorite things about the super cold is how warm the house parties and social gatherings can get. It's so cold that you can't be outside for more than a few minutes at a time, so it really feels like an accomplishment when you make it to a friends house or a blizzard happy hour (that is, if it isnt too cold for snow).

Also the blue skies are amazing. The sundogs can be downright surreal. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_dog

At the time I got on the internet and gave this new website called monster.com (stupid name for a job board, it’ll never last) a shot, narrowing my search parameters to “charlotte, nc”. True story.

But seriously, you stay inside if at all possible. Cars often don’t start, and as a consequence businesses don’t open. If you must go somewhere in the car, dress like you’ll be walking. If you don’t, and your breaks, you can die. OTOH, that’s Indiana. Whitehorse, Yukon, they probably shrug their shoulders with a “feels like it might be warming up, eh?” And sub-zero F temps didn’t stop from playing outside as kids. We just didn’t stay out long. Cover every exposed body part, layer on the insulation, won’t kill you right away. Hell, I’ve gone on a nice, brisk training run when it’s -10F. Again, don’t skimp on the clothing, file a flight plan with the spouse/SO/roommate (these days I just carry a phone), tell your friends later about your epic run this morning.

Though extreme cold can probably kill you faster than extreme heat, like anything else if you just use some sense and respect the fact that you can die in such conditions, you’ll be fine.

> That Midwest Has Internet.

I'm pretty sure Hacker News has a rule about lying.

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