# Things you thought were unique and local, but really aren't **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 9, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330 "2010-02-09T20:59:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330/21 "2010-02-11T16:28:05Z")
> [@Oredigger77](#): > > There is a nice burrito shop in Isla Vista, Ca that makes one of the best burritos that I have ever had. Every time I’m down in Santa Barbara I swing buy to pick one up. For the locals on the board I’m talking about Freebird’s any how I was talking to a buddy of mine about how great these burritos were and he disagreed and said there was a chain in Lubbock, Tx that was the best in the world which by a weird coincidence was also called Freebird’s. > > We did a little googleing and discovered that the original shop was in Isla Vista and the owners split with one taking all of the naming rights with him to Texas. He’s started a chain of them in Lubbock. So what I grew up thinking was a local burrito shop was actually a chain. Had this exact same thing happen to me, only it was “La Bamba’s”. On the other hand, I was REALLY tickled when I found the one in Bloomington, IL. Damn good burritos. > [@Haunted Pasta](#): > > Back in the late '80s, before the collapse of the USSR and the end of the Cold War, a friend of mine humorously observed that everybody everywhere believed that the place they lived was one of the top five priority targets in the U.S. if nuclear war broke out. I used to know a guy who was an international relations major specializing in some of this stuff, had an entire grad level class on nuclear weapons. I’ll have to see if there’s a known actual list. Gut feeling is that everyone who was a target at all would be in the top four anyway (“First strike” against missile fields/bomber bases/etc, secondary (non-nuclear) military targets, primary civilian targets, secondary civilian targets)–why would there be more than four waves of an ICBM attack? ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330/22 "2010-02-12T06:18:14Z")
> [@Oredigger77](#): > > There is a nice burrito shop in Isla Vista, Ca that makes one of the best burritos that I have ever had. Every time I’m down in Santa Barbara I swing buy to pick one up. For the locals on the board I’m talking about Freebird’s any how I was talking to a buddy of mine about how great these burritos were and he disagreed and said there was a chain in Lubbock, Tx that was the best in the world which by a weird coincidence was also called Freebird’s. > > We did a little googleing and discovered that the original shop was in Isla Vista and the owners split with one taking all of the naming rights with him to Texas. He’s started a chain of them in Lubbock. So what I grew up thinking was a local burrito shop was actually a chain. Freeb!rds is a chain? I had no idea. Good burritos though. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330/23 "2010-02-12T09:03:15Z")
I once got some email glurge listing things that were supposedly unique to the Chicago area, including the “jeetjet” contraction, the junk drawer in the kitchen, and the Empire Carpet commercials that I still see to this day in Los Angeles. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330/24 "2010-02-12T15:16:46Z")
> [@hellpaso](#): > > I’ve noticed a lot of places brag about the size of their-----mosquitoes. As in, “the mosquito is our state bird!”. Oh God, yes. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen T-shirts hailing the mosquito as the state bird of all 50 states. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330/25 "2010-02-12T16:18:07Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > And over on the Northern Spanish Coast, it’s “hope you like wet weather, cos that’s all we’ve got.” The coast, eh? I was led to believe that the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain. (Thanks for tuning in to this week’s installment of Randy’s Groaners!) ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330/26 "2010-02-12T16:21:03Z")
> [@Haunted\_Pasta](#): > > Back in the late '80s, before the collapse of the USSR and the end of the Cold War, a friend of mine humorously observed that everybody everywhere believed that the place they lived was one of the top five priority targets in the U.S. if nuclear war broke out. Schoolyard scuttlebutt in my hometown was that we were number 22. Nobody seemed to know which twenty-one cities were above us, but us kids were sure we were number 22! ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330/27 "2010-02-12T16:41:17Z")
I lived in a small community (40 houses on a long street) that had a special Halloween tradition. Every house took a small white paper sandwich bag, and put about 2 inches of sand in the bottom. Then, put a candle in the middle. The bags were place about 2 feet apart along the curb. Each house had about 40 bags with candles. The display got so popular that they needed a cop to direct traffic from visitors wanting to see the display. This 1968- ?? maybe 1980. I’m not sure when they stopped. I’ve always assumed this was a unique idea to our tiny community. It could only work if every house on the street did it. Otherwise, the effect would be spoiled. Now that I’m older, I realize somebody must have thought of the same thing. But, I’ve never known for sure. ---
**Author:** ![filling\_pages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@filling\_pages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filling_pages)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330/28 "2010-02-12T19:44:47Z")
aceplace57, I’ve seen that done in Tallahassee, FL for many years in certain neighborhoods. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330/29 "2010-02-12T20:08:38Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I lived in a small community (40 houses on a long street) that had a special Halloween tradition. Every house took a small white paper sandwich bag, and put about 2 inches of sand in the bottom. Then, put a candle in the middle. The bags were place about 2 feet apart along the curb. Each house had about 40 bags with candles. > > The display got so popular that they needed a cop to direct traffic from visitors wanting to see the display. This 1968- ?? maybe 1980. I’m not sure when they stopped. > > I’ve always assumed this was a unique idea to our tiny community. It could only work if every house on the street did it. Otherwise, the effect would be spoiled. > > Now that I’m older, I realize somebody must have thought of the same thing. But, I’ve never known for sure. People drove out of their way to see luminaries? Not a whole lot going on in your town, was there? ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330/30 "2010-02-12T20:23:59Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Next time, direct them this way: [100 Drunkest Cities.](http://www.menshealth.com/men/health/metrogrades/the-sobbering-truth/article/3383937f92516110VgnVCM10000013281eac) Just don’t try this in Fresno. Appearently, they know what they are talking about. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330/31 "2010-02-12T20:34:40Z")
Sadly no. 🙂 Watching cows fart was the other entertainment option. > [@Zsofia](#): > > People drove out of their way to see luminaries? Not a whole lot going on in your town, was there? ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330/32 "2010-02-12T20:35:52Z")
And no one thought to combine the two, **aceplace57**? You get your cow farts, your luminaries and a fireworks show all in one! It a three-fer! ---
**Author:** ![Basandre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@Basandre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Basandre)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330/33 "2010-02-15T04:35:10Z")
They are actually [farolitos](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farolito), but are rarely called anything but luminarias (not luminaries). ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330/34 "2010-02-15T04:49:27Z")
> [@RadicalPi](#): > > Freeb!rds is a chain? I had no idea. Good burritos though. Thirded. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330/35 "2010-02-15T04:49:31Z")
> [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](#): > > I once got some email glurge listing things that were supposedly unique to the Chicago area, including the “jeetjet” contraction, the junk drawer in the kitchen, and the Empire Carpet commercials that I still see to this day in Los Angeles. Empire did originate in the Chicago area. > **[Empire Today](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_Today)** > > Empire Plastic Covers Home Services Carpet Today, is an American home improvement and home furnishing company based in Chicago, Illinois, specializing in installed carpet and flooring. The company operates in more than 75 metropolitan areas within the United States, and is most well-known for TV ads featuring a distinctive jingle that recites the company's phone number and name. The company's name comes from the slogan on some of its commercials, "Empire today, carpet tomorrow". Empire Today c... ---
**Author:** ![Elysian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@Elysian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elysian)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330/36 "2010-02-15T08:29:14Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > The phrase “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes, it’ll change.” Usually preceeded by “We have a saying around here…” Around here, and over there, and that other place, too. They say this _everywhere_. > They probably say it in Phoenix and San Diego. I have first hand experience that they do in fact say that in those two places. I always felt like looking up at the blazing blue sky and making some sarcastic comment, but politeness held me back. They also say this in all parts of Great Britain. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330/37 "2010-02-15T18:17:40Z")
What’s weird is that a couple of the things stated here are oddly semi-accurate in the Knoxville area. (Seriously, hear me out). For example, we live in one of two temperate rainforests in North America. And believe me, we get a LOT of rain. It can go months without more than a glimmer of sunlight. While for some reason, people do say the “Wait five minutes” line, here it’s more because people have moved in from damn near everywhere in the country rather than the weather really being that changeable. Our seasons are simply Rainy, Muggy, Chilly, and Bitterly Frozen. Very nearby is Oak Ridge, one of the early nuclear project sites and still a major nuclear center in the country. It was indeed a high priority for any possible Russian nuclear attack. Now, I don’t know if it was on their official Top Five hitlist, assuming they even had such a silly thing. For a while UT wanted to be in the top partying schools, but we got pwned so hard by Lousisiana that we immediately stopped “competing” and never went back. Now we party for fun! ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330/38 "2010-02-15T18:46:14Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > Do college rumors belong here? Like the guy who complained of ass pain, and the doctor told him his roommate had been knocking him out with ether and anally raping him all semester? And the girl who got automatic A’s because her roommate committed suicide in the room? > > Both of those really happened at my college. Dude, seriously. I was told and believed the “sinking library” story in my freshman year before I saw it on Snopes a couple of years later. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330/39 "2010-02-15T19:01:04Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > People drove out of their way to see luminaries? Not a whole lot going on in your town, was there? You obviously haven’t seen the suburban Christmas-light contests that take place around Toronto. I think they have to issue special notices to air crews so that 747s don’t get guided into landing in Oakville. ---
**Author:** ![jlpaul89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3da27b/32.png) [@jlpaul89](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jlpaul89)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330/40 "2010-02-15T20:09:12Z")
I always thought Mellow Mushroom was a local pizza place. The decor looks kind of hand-made to me, which it may be- according to their websites all the Mellow Mushrooms have a “different vibe”, so maybe they get stuff made differently for each one? I felt kind of stupid when I saw another one in a different state. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-thought-were-unique-and-local-but-really-arent/528330.md?page=3)