this post was submitted on 18 Mar 2024
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Like, can you name just a few large cities in certain regions, none at all, wtf is the USA, etc.

The USA is geopolitically isolated in a rather unique way on the global stage where this is an interesting perspective.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago

Ablaquerqueueue?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Uhh, without looking anything up, Nome, Alaska? In the lower 48, maybe Butte, Montana. Oh wait, how big is Roswell?

I know a fair bit. I could probably label most of the states on a map. Canada is very, very close culturally and obviously geographically, and we pay attention to you the way a flea pays attention to dogs.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Yeah yeah, y'all are like Texas talking about independence but from the other side of the boarder. You're practically States already; one major oil strike away from a WMD Bushwanking invasion.

...if only we could afford your Megaflea market - Vancouver.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Yeah, but we have a functioning democracy. That's pretty cool, if you want to fling mud.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

I don't think any of us really have a choice in the matter of our governments any more than a sand grain has a choice of beach or sea bed, right?

I'm not flinging mud friend. I think all philosophical government speak must come with a ribald pall. I am flinging a beer at a new friend in a digital bar for a few empty words. Sorry if my ebullience tints florid or dare I say turgid.

I've fallen through the social safety net of my respective government with an insuperable future. My sardonic outlook colors my words.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Wayland, Texas. According to wikipedia it had a population of 100 people in the year 2000. AFAIK it's a ghost town now.

I know that town because I once read a "fun fact" about the Wayland Protocol that said its name was chosen for being the name of an actual town, which (supposedly) cannot be copyrighted.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I stopped for gas in London, Texas recently. My wife looked it up, and it had a population of 188 about 20 years ago, and nobody has counted since.

The lady behind the counter at the gas station was ancient. She had a handwritten β€œno loitering” sign on the door that seemed ironic.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

Naw that sign was there to chase off Steve. Sumbitch always hanging around harassing the womenfolk what come in to buy their sundries, never buying anything.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I know you have KrakΓ³w spelled basically the same, in Illinois iirc. Which is nice πŸ™‚

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

There's an incorrectly spelled Krakow, Wisconsin as well.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

i've been to the USA once so this might not count... but i think i knew "Salem" before visiting the US (but did not visit Salem though) so it might as well count.

However very long after knowing Salem exists i saw a documentation about something in the area that possibly caused halluzinations in the peoples minds, the documentation suggested this was a likely cause for the cities history, but those effects were why i knew about Salem in the first place. i don't remember what it was, think some plant, but don't remember exactly.

however this is the smallest city i could name in the reagion you asked for.

well, but: I don't see a geopolitical isolation there, they even want to build walls to start isolating themselves. and i don't see anything unique in that situation either. newzealand, iceland, madagasca just to name a few are more isolated geopolitically and much more unique in so many ways too.

could you help me to see the geopolicically isolation and uniqueness you are talking about?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

It is the distance and lack of opposition that create the geopolitical isolation. Canada and Mexico are both irrelevant on their own as rivals. The USA is the primary trade partner of both and hold major sway over both. No other power in all of history has had this level of isolation.

The lack of significant boarders and tensions means people have a very different outlook about traveling and foreigners. I've moved over 2k miles twice in my life, and I have been to most of the USA; all but 3 States. I have never been to Europe, and things like foreign languages have no real appeal because they lack application and practical use.

The boarder bullshit in the USA is a distraction tactics to suck in the imbeciles for populist nonsense. There is no actual boarder issue other than the complete lack of reasonable laws protections and reforms that would be enacted if Congress actually did their jobs. The USA has a tenth the laws and protections of Western European countries and Japan. This is why the billionaire oligarchy exists; loophole exploitation. These then fund the populists to squawk their bullshit distractions. None of their message has any relevance. It is the rallying call of convenient idiots and the ultra wealthy.

This place is unique in the way we face inward. It is really because the average person just can't afford to escape, and it is a long way to get there. We have an enormous range of diverse regions within the USA.

I don't know any small towns or cities in Europe, but my personality type is no one to remember names like this. I'm more curious about other's perspectives. I can never leave where I am now, as I am disabled. I'm exploring my own way instead.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

Truth or Consequences, NM

Heard it on a true crime podcast once and obviously I had to look up how it got its name and now it's just stuck.

EDIT: Missed the never travelled to qualifier. I've been to California twice and NYC once. Only heard of Truth or Consequences after my travels.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

I'm from the US and I only know about Truth or Consequences from Doctor Who.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Saganough, Michigan, for the sono. Not sure how small it is.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago

Saganough, Michigan, for the sono. Not sure how small it is.

Saginaw, Michigan had a population of 44,202 in the 2020 census.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

I thought that one is a national park?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 7 months ago

I'll be honest with ya, no fucking clue which of them is smaller or not.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Nantucket (pop 14,255 according to Wikipedia) and Los Alamos (13,179)

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I once knew a man from Nantucket...

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago

Did you, by any chance, call him Ishmael?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Paris, Texas. Yeah, from the movie.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

Huh. Didn't know that was in a movie.

That is a small town though. If you like corn, oil and wild hogs you would be a good fit down there.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

Bluff, Utah. Met a bloke online who told a joke off it, which only made sense after searching for "A bland bluff in Utah." Which brought up another town.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago

Rachel, Nevada, because of Area51 and Penn and Teller’s Bullshit.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago

Hell is always a good answer.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 7 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

It's weird that 60 years ago Gary would not be considered a small city. Went to shit real fast.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

Tbh I don't even remember why I know the name.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago (9 children)

Ask it the other way, too. What's the smallest European city Americans can name?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

Vatican City.

I've likely seen some smaller ones in places like Tom Scott videos, but can't name any offhand.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago

Muff, Ireland. They have a fantastic diving club.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

It would have been Fucking, Austria. But it finally broke under the pressure and was renamed. I have not dedicated any brain cells to remembering what exactly its new name is, which I guess is the intended effect.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago

Well, as a consolation there is Rottenegg in Germany. Not nearly as catchy though.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

Hell Norway population: 1589

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

Does Avdiikva count?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

Probably the smallest that could be called a city is Dieppe, because a Huguenot ancestor of mine was from there. The smallest municipality that I can think of easily is John o' Groats, which is reasonably well-known for its location.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

Amalfi, Italy. My great grandpa was born there, though he immigrated with his family to the US pretty young.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Gimmelwald Switzerland, but I've been there a few times and the pretense was never being there lol

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

Best town in the world.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Stratford-upon-Avon ~100k (had to look up the population)
Or if England no longer counts for European, Corniglia, Italy (part of Cinque de Terra)

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