[thewizard16]

Originally Posted by txdave35

The kicker is I moved here with the feeling that Arkansans were nice good country folk. My perceptions came from my visits to Eureka Springs, and meeting the pleasant locals there.

But even my very first trip to LR brought a slap of negativity. For Halloween fun, I had painted my fingernails black and just decided to let it wear off naturally. I arrived to check into my hotel, and was taken aback when the service desk clerk had the gall to ask me,

"Hey, let me ask ya something, why do you paint your fingernails like that?"

To me, such a question is incredibly rude and arrogant. A person in customer service is here basically stating that they think a mode of decoration is weird, and they want to know why. I can't imagine such a question would fly easily in liberal places like CA. At the very least, a person with some decent CS skills should know not to ask personal questions that make the customer feel uncomfortable.

Stereotypes or not, I have merely reported my frequent negative experiences, nothing manufactured. Want another example? On Saturday, the internet guy was scheduled to come out. They never showed. I suspect it was another outage in the area, and I didn't even get a courtesy phone call. Just another headache living in wonderful AR.

Bad customer service, which both of the examples here are indicative of, has very little to do with where you live. I used to work as a customer service manager for a company that's pretty widespread, and unfortunately bad customer service, in all shapes and forms, exists everywhere.
My issue with you is you don't "report" your experiences, you go off on tirades about them and insult the state at every possible opportunity. You've complained about dozens of subjects, from people speeding, to shameful pride that a small town was no longer on a "Best Places to Live" list, to extrapolating your bad experience with a doctor to all doctors in an area, to insisting that everyone in Central AR is rude and uncaring. You like to complain, whine, and use what you tell us are your experiences to defend your continuous insulting nature about the entire state. You have even told us that "Even if a single person agrees with me, that is proof enough that the problem is NOT me", which is a huge logical fallacy as has been proven throughout history repeatedly (not to mention more than a little egotistical). Millions of people thought the earth was flat, believed in spontaneous generation, and cults pop up all the time.
Anyone can find things to complain about, and yes, there are always problems with an area. Some people are just negative people and won't be happy no matter what, which is how you come off on here. I don't think anyone has made claims that the state is perfect or some sort of utopia (nowhere I've been is), but it's a far cry better than any one of your posts would have us believe.

[BacktoBlue]

Originally Posted by DC at the Ridge

I don't think the question was rude or arrogant. They were curious, they didn't intimate any judgment except that black fingernails are unusual. I'm sure the question would have been taken as a simple question in many other locales. I think it's odd that you take offense so easily.

that does come off as judemental and rude. It would be ike if I talked to someone from the deep south and asked

"Why do you wear overalls?" or "Why do you have buck teeth?" or how about "Why do you talk like that?" That wouldn't be very nice

[thewizard16]

Originally Posted by Footballfreak

that does come off as judemental and rude. It would be ike if I talked to someone from the deep south and asked

"Why do you wear overalls?" or "Why do you have buck teeth?" or how about "Why do you talk like that?" That wouldn't be very nice

I think it's an inappropriate question for a person working in C.S. to ask, but it's nowhere near as stereotypically insulting or rude as the questions you suggest. This has nothing to do with the area though. Most customer service jobs don't pay particularly well, and as a result end up with a mixed bag of employees. I've had amazing CS experiences at mediocre hotels or stores, and horrible ones at expensive ones, all over the place. It's not localized to one area or socioeconomic bracket.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by DC at the Ridge

I don't think the question was rude or arrogant. They were curious, they didn't intimate any judgment except that black fingernails are unusual. I'm sure the question would have been taken as a simple question in many other locales. I think it's odd that you take offense so easily.

As for utility servicemen not making an appointment. Welcome to the real world. It's not an ARKANSAS thing. People all over the country have problems with utility and other service workers not keeping appointments, and failing to call to let people know.

I would be ticked if someone did not show, but like you said, this happens. Total disrespect for people happens too much throughout the whole world probably.

And yes, I too might have questioned or certainly wondered why some guy had black fingernails?

Nita

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Footballfreak

that does come off as judemental and rude. It would be ike if I talked to someone from the deep south and asked

"Why do you wear overalls?" or "Why do you have buck teeth?" or how about "Why do you talk like that?" That wouldn't be very nice

Beleive me, asking someone why they have an accent isn't unusual at all. I wouldn't find that insulting for one second. Asking someone about buck teeth is certainly not the same as asking someone why their fingernails are black...You are being a little rediculous as a comparison of the two.

Nita

[DC at the Ridge]

Originally Posted by Footballfreak

that does come off as judemental and rude. It would be ike if I talked to someone from the deep south and asked

"Why do you wear overalls?" or "Why do you have buck teeth?" or how about "Why do you talk like that?" That wouldn't be very nice

I'm sorry. Do you think people from the Deep South all wear overalls and have buck teeth? Really?

Men wearing black nail polish is unusual anywhere. It's unusual in Texas, and it's unusual in Arkansas and it's unusual in California. The question wasn't posed in a negative fashion. It was a simple expression of curiosity.

[CptnRn]

I have family in Arkansas, and have enjoyed visiting there and liked the natives that I meet. Things like this recent news article certainly do not help the states reputation.

Anti-Gay Ark. School Board Member Stepping Down :: EDGE Boston

Anti-Gay Ark. School Board Member Stepping Down

A member of a northern Arkansas school board who posted controversial anti-gay remarks at Facebook has announced that he will step down. Clint McCane, a member of the Midland school board in northern Arkansas, responded to a Facebook campaign encouraging GLBT people and allies to wear purple in memory of gay teens who killed themselves after enduring anti-gay bullying, commenting that the only way he would wear purple is "if they all commit suicide."

McCance’s remarks created a backlash. He appeared on Anderson Cooper’s CNN news program on Oct. 28 to announce that he would be stepping down from the school board, the Associated Press reported Oct. 29.

In an exchange with a critic at his Facebook page, McCance reportedly wrote, "I would disown my kids they were gay. They will not be welcome at my home or in my vicinity. I will absolutely run them off."

On his own Facebook page, McCance wrote, "Seriously they want me to wear purple because five *****s killed themselves. The only way im wearin it for them is if they all commit suicide. I cant believe the people of this world have gotten this stupid. We are honoring the fact that they sinned and killed thereselves because of their sin. REALLY PEOPLE."

"If you get easily offended by being called a *** then dont tell anyone you are a ***," McCance’s posting continued. "Keep that **** to yourself. I dont care how people decide to live their lives. They dont bother me if they keep it to thereselves. It pisses me off though that we make a special purple *** day for them. I like that **** cant procreate. I also enjoy the fact that they often give each other aids and die. If you arent against it, you might as well be for it."

In response to another challenge, McCance replied, "I would disown my kids they were gay. They will not be welcome at my home or in my vicinity. I will absolutely run them off. Of course my kids will know better. My kids will have solid christian beliefs."

That is a pretty extreme amount of hate speech for a school board member to be expressing.

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by txdave35

On Saturday, the internet guy was scheduled to come out. They never showed. I suspect it was another outage in the area, and I didn't even get a courtesy phone call. Just another headache living in wonderful AR.

Excellent example of the headache that is life in Arkansas! Cable companies/internet guys never inconvenience customers in the other 49 states. Kudos to you, Dave! Bravo!

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

I have family in Arkansas, and have enjoyed visiting there and liked the natives that I meet. Things like this recent news article certainly do not help the states reputation. That is a pretty extreme amount of hate speech for a school board member to be expressing.

Old news. Please see thread in this same forum entitled "Another blackeye for Arkansas." The board member is a narrowminded, bigoted, insensitive jackass. He was forced to resign, as he certainly should have.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by Kimballette

Old news. Please see thread in this same forum entitled "Another blackeye for Arkansas." The board member is a narrowminded, bigoted, insensitive jackass. He was forced to resign, as he certainly should have.

Not all that old, it just appeared in the latest issue of "The Week". The web news article I referenced was dated Oct. 29, 2010.