It's freaking cold

[Fau Teixeira]

Winter so far has been incredibly mild here (SE CT) but today those chickens are coming home to roost. It's currently 15 with a wind chill of -1 and tonight it's projected to be -3 with a wind chill of -20. I was just outside walking the dog and holy crap was my face cold.

[CF DolFan]

Crazy .... Why did you ever leave the great state of Florida?

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

When I was a kid we would get 5 to 15 days like this per winter.

[Fau Teixeira]

Crazy .... Why did you ever leave the great state of Florida?

A variety of reasons, better school systems, lower cost of living, affordable real estate options, closer to extended family, solid Democratic government. All the while we're smack in the middle of the NE corridor. I'm about 9 miles from I-95, I can get to any metro area quickly enough. (even DC is only about 6 hours away) And my company is nationwide and encourages remote work.

The drawback is that last night it got down to -9 with a wind-chill of -27. My car this morning felt sluggish just trying to turn the wheel.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

A variety of reasons, better school systems,

School systems in blue states is vastly superior to red states.  The only question is which is the cause and which is the effect.

[masterfins]

School systems in blue states is vastly superior to red states.  The only question is which is the cause and which is the effect.

I think it comes downs to teacher pay.  I think teacher pay, and benefits, is pretty good where I live (upstate NY), but the teachers don't think so.  They argue that they have to have masters degrees, so maybe they have a point.  But teachers down south don't make half of what teachers in some blue states make.

[Dave Gray]

I come from a long, long line of teachers.  Both of my parents and my wife.

It's a weird situation where both the red state and blue state models are kinda screwy.

So, my wife is a good teacher.  She has good scores, she has good training.  In short, everyone wants her.  But because it isn't capitalism, nobody can give her what actually matters: money.  They can give her a more favorable schedule, leniency and freedom, a shorter drive, easier to deal with kids (basically affluent neighborhoods), or easier parents.  If it were a regular business, she'd get head-hunted for more money.  Instead, she has to choose for other reasons.

[dolphins4life]

Mild today.

I HAVE MY FREAKING AIR CONDITIONING ON IN THE CAR IN FEBRUARY

[DenverFinFan]

It’s been lovely here recently, mid 60s and clear. Almost felt like spring.

It’s why I live here summers and winters are typically mild with great transition seasons. Sadly I can see the changes from being a kid here.

[Fau Teixeira]

School systems in blue states is vastly superior to red states.  The only question is which is the cause and which is the effect.

Sure, teacher pay is a thing, I'm of the opinion that teacher pay should be doubled across the board.
The other is government funding of education. In Florida, before the school year we were routinely asked to buy 4-500 worth of materials for the year. Here in CT, we were asked to provide a backpack and a water bottle. Everything else is provided by the school from pencils to a chromebook and everything in between.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Sure, teacher pay is a thing, I'm of the opinion that teacher pay should be doubled across the board.
The other is government funding of education. In Florida, before the school year we were routinely asked to buy 4-500 worth of materials for the year. Here in CT, we were asked to provide a backpack and a water bottle. Everything else is provided by the school from pencils to a chromebook and everything in between.

I think it goes beyond pay.  In some states the teaching of actual US history is illegal, rather teachers are mandated to teach a version of methodology in which the US is always the good guy.

[Fau Teixeira]

I think it goes beyond pay.  In some states the teaching of actual US history is illegal, rather teachers are mandated to teach a version of methodology in which the US is always the good guy.

Ah yes, my kid's school library has a banned books display right at the entrance with all the books that were banned in the Y'all-queda states