Escape speculations

[L Verge]

Sorry Laurie, next time I go way out on a speculating tangent I'll try to include a link for discount coupons on dramamine and barf bags.

http://www.dramamine.com/coupons/

I see Maryland is right up there in tobacco production, slightly behind the top eight on the list, while my home state of Kentucky is only ranked 2nd. I do live in a slightly rural area of the state where agriculture is a key part of the local economy. http://www.statista.com/statistics/19202...us-states/

Regarding the condition of Garrett's barn, I never was impressed with the condition of the Garrett's house based upon the photo's I've seen. Not sure the barns would have been in better condition.

I'll pass on commenting on corpses.

Other than that, I'm on the same page as you.

Maryland used to be in the top 5 or 6, I believe, but it has always been hampered because about one-third of the state is rocky and mountainous - and cold. The Eastern Shore had to share with seafood production and truck farming (especially tomatoes - lots of canning factories over there) and huge chicken farms. On the Western Shore, St. Mary's, Charles, Calvert, Prince George's, Anne Arundel and the southern part of Montgomery Counties were the tobacco producers for generations. Points any farther north were too rocky, mountainous, and cold for good tobacco production. That's one of the reasons that Maryland was a divided state. The northwestern portions didn't need slave labor for the most part.

On your chart, I was surprised to see Pennsylvania and Ohio in the top eight. Then I thought that their climate levels might be the same as Maryland's. I also realized that both of those states probably have a fairly good amount of Amish and Mennonites? Those religious groups are still the main tobacco producers in Maryland because they refused the government buy-out - based on their belief that they should not accept subsidies from the government in order to survive. My kind of people.

One last thought: I have never considered the production in North Carolina and Kentucky, but I bet that the farmers there can't be bought either since most of the tobacco manufacturers are concentrated in that area. Don't bite the hands that are feeding the state's economy. I wonder how fast Cuban cigars are wending their way to America now that our ban has been lifted?