Comment by ProllyInfamous | Hacker News Reader

Comment by ProllyInfamous | Hacker News Reader

I live in Chattanooga, Tennessee, overlooking "The Split" [I-75/I-24]. From my balcony, I am able to observe the traffic (some five or so miles away, using binoculars for details). This location's primary unique employer are transportation logistics companies.

One of my neighbors works for one of the tech back-end logistics companies, a subsidiary of UPS and HQ'd here in town; he has pointed out that when the semi-trailer traffic goes *up* the economy is doing *well* (... and vice-versa).

Right now, as I sit here typing this from my home office, overlooking the Interstates... the amount of semi-trailer traffic has been reduced. I'm starting to notice empty areas of my local Wal-Mart again, too (e.g. Yogurts / dairy, recently).

Sorry to derail your comment, but how do you like living in Chattanooga, both from tech and quality of life perspectives?

I absolutely adore Chattanooga. I'm a 2nd-generation Austinite (and had only ever lived outside of Texas for about six years... Oakland & Nashville), and moved to SE Tennessee, sight-unseen, six years ago, to help Twin build his home in the National Forest. I now live in a 100-year-old cabin inholding, just minutes from downtown.

Cost of living is very low; internet has so many gigabits [optical, up to synchronus 10GB+ direct to home] you won't even believe it — and the local ISP is one of best-rated in country. Electricity is VERY INEXPENSIVE, traffic is minimal for a city of this size (so many interstates / highways).

My mother, living in Austin, just died... and honestly I really don't see any reason to return to my hometown (having found Chattanooga) except for the rare wedding/funeral. When I do return to either ATX or SFbay, my anxiety and distaste(s) for the world return.

This is still a homely town, with homely people, and simple good times. For the wrong person, this place can become a self-inflicted hellhole (e.g. Meth, prostitution, trafficking... all very high here). With the highest per-capita of churches of any US city, it's interesting how questionable some of the morals are around these parts (Good Ole Peoples' Clubs).

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