Posted: 3/25/2009 9:32:35 AM EDT
|
I'm looking at applying for a job with a defense company in TX and have a few questions:
1. Just how hot year round is it? 2. How common are snakes, big bugs, and other nasty shit? 3. How are taxes compared to a place like NY? |
|
1. We have four seasons just like everyone else only there not quite the same seasons, we have: Almost summer, Summer, Still Summer and Christmas. (not that bad really and greatly depends on what part of TX. It's a big state and Amarillo ain't nothing like Houston) Can you narrow it down a little for us?????
2. We got all kinds of critters but not really a problem that I've ever seen 3.Property taxes are up there but there is no TX State income tax.... and sorry to tell you but this is all for nothing because.................... TEXAS IS FULL...................... no more room for you French Canadian type's j/k, well maybe 
|
|
1. depends on how far south you go. (Houston here) Summers are around 90 to 100 deg. temps ETA winters as low as the high 20's
2. poisonous snakes are Cottonmouths, Copperheads, Rattlesnakes, and Coral Snakes. Plenty of mosquitoes and spiders and bugs. 3. I think the taxes you'll find much lower. We dont pay a state income tax here. |
|
You have to realize.
TEXAS IS BIG You have all different climates available depending on where you are at. All it is hot. Presidio, Laredo, & El Paso are too hot for normal people. Austin north isn't near as bad. Winters are fairly mild. Dallas up gets snow. San Antonio doesn't see much. Houston/Beaumont area can be a humid sticky mess. Austin is the temperate zone. Never to cold or unbearably hot. It is rarely over a hundred. Snake and bugs everywhere. You leave the snakes alone , they leave you alone. Bugs eat all they can.
|
|
As said above:
1. Amarillo has winters like the great plains. Brownsville is tropical, south of 1/4 of Mexico with very hot steamy summers. El Paso to Presidio are pure desert dry climate 2. All the above are snake friendly outside areas of dense population so just be careful. Lived here 40+ years. No snake incidents yet. I leave them alone they return the favor 3. No sales tax (for now) Property tax in Houston, where I currently live, borders on a mafia "shake down". Local politicians with their hands in your pocket are far more dangerous than the snakes |
|
Quoted:
Heven on Earth
I'm looking at applying for a job with a defense company in TX and have a few questions: 1. Just how hot year round is it? When the black top on the roads melt, welcome to summer. The very next day it will snow. 2. How common are snakes, big bugs, and other nasty shit? Yes, EVERYTHING in Texas is trying to hurt or kill you. Our land, our snakes, our scorpions, our bees /wasps, coyotes. Hell even our plants want a turn. 3. How are taxes compared to a place like NY? Welcome to Texas |
Hey cut the yankee a little slack for not being acquainted with the vastness of the greatest country...er.... I mean greatest state in the union
I have a friend from college that moved here from Australia and was quite surprised we he got here to find out that Texas ain't all arid desert, horses and cowboys. He's was duly impressed by the amount of rivers and lakes as well. ETA: " That ain't Pace Picante! Where's that stuff from? New York City!?!?!" 
|
|
Quoted:
Hey cut the yankee a little slack for not being acquainted with the vastness of the greatest country...er.... I mean greatest state in the union
I have a friend from college that moved here from Australia and was quite surprised we he got here to find out that Texas ain't all arid desert, horses and cowboys. He's was duly impressed by the amount of rivers and lakes as well. ETA: " That ain't Pace Picante! Where's that stuff from? New York City!?!?!" get a rope 
|
|
Quoted:
we have counties larger than some of yall's "states" up there, so you'll need to be a bit more specific about location.... +1 I think it's supposed to snow tomorrow up north (above Dallas)....it was 80 or so yesterday in Houston. Critters are critters.....again depends on in town or out. Property tax / HOA tax can be high - but no state income tax. |
|
Quoted: I'm looking at applying for a job with a defense company in TX and have a few questions: 1. Just how hot year round is it? 2. How common are snakes, big bugs, and other nasty shit? 3. How are taxes compared to a place like NY? New Yorkers? Not that common.  As far as taxes, I'd think that just about anywhere would compare favorably "to a place like NY". No state income tax, and local sales taxes tend to be reasonable (relatively speaking). Property taxes can be a little on the high side depending on where you end up, but probably still quite low compared to most comparable locales in NY. |
| Bad scorpion problem throughout the state - so thick you can't see your lawn some evenings. Spiders so big that you have to get a special rider on your auto insurance in case you hit one. I am waiting on the pool man to fish the big gator out of my swimming pool as we speak. |
|
Quoted:
As said above: 1. Amarillo has winters like the great plains. Brownsville is tropical, south of 1/4 of Mexico with very hot steamy summers. El Paso to Presidio are pure desert dry climate 2. All the above are snake friendly outside areas of dense population so just be careful. Lived here 40+ years. No snake incidents yet. I leave them alone they return the favor 3. No sales tax (for now) Property tax in Houston, where I currently live, borders on a mafia "shake down". Local politicians with their hands in your pocket are far more dangerous than the snakes Since when? 
What kind of nasty shit are you talking about? Things like Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer? No, we don't have that kind of nasty shit. |
|
Quoted:
I'm looking at applying for a job with a defense company in TX and have a few questions: 1. Just how hot year round is it? That depends. Really. Obviously it gets pretty warm in the summer. Out in West Texas its a dry heat, in the Eastern part, it is nice and humid. In East Texas an afternoon thunder shower is common during the summer. It still gets cold in the winter (mid 20s at night is typical), but with much less of the snow and ice that you get in NY. Beware though that when it DOES snow or ice up, everybody freaks out and no one knows how to drive 2. How common are snakes, big bugs, and other nasty shit? once again, that depends. If you live in a rural area, you are much more likely to see snakes and other creatures. In East Texas, Cottonmouths and Copperheads are the most common poisonous ones, you'll see a coral snake now and then. Lots of grass and king snakes. Out West, rattlers are more common. We get our fair share of bugs, especially junebugs, mosquitoes, and cockroaches. 3. How are taxes compared to a place like NY? Texas has no income tax, only sales and property taxes. State sales tax is 6.25%, with most cities adding 2% or so. Property taxes vary wildly |
|
I was in Port Arthur once, had some sort of big swamp fly buzzing around my head trying to bite me. I swatted at the thing and it got really pissed, came back with a vengeance. I couldn't get it to leave me alone. I finally took off and ran about a 100 yards figuring it would leave me alone, no way. I had to get in the truck and roll up the windows before it gave up.
Killer bees down here act about the same, but only a few thousand come at you once. Air conditioning is a way of life. You can live without it, but life is really going to suck for you. West of I-35, it's all dust. Every time I go out that way and work outside, I'm covered in dust. |
|
I grew up here, and I don't need no stinkin' air-conditioning. I still drive with the windows down on my truck.
My friends and I were dove hunting in Dilly and there wasn't many doves flying around. All of a sudden, my friend swings his gun to put a bead on a bird passing his field of view..... only to find out it was a huge mosquito! |
|
Quoted:
Hey cut the yankee a little slack for not being acquainted with the vastness of the greatest country...er.... I mean greatest state in the union
I have a friend from college that moved here from Australia and was quite surprised we he got here to find out that Texas ain't all arid desert, horses and cowboys. He's was duly impressed by the amount of rivers and lakes as well. ETA: " That ain't Pace Picante! Where's that stuff from? New York City!?!?!"[img]http://www.ar15.com/images/smilies/smiley_abused.gif[/img] Boys...get a rope! 
|
|
Quoted:
I'm looking at applying for a job with a defense company in TX and have a few questions: 1. Just how hot year round is it? In my opinion, we have two seasons..hot and not hot. Not hot starts about October until March and Hot begins in March and goes until October :-) If you live south or southeast like San Antonio or Houston you can factor in the humidity too, which usually sucks. 2. How common are snakes, big bugs, and other nasty shit?
Very common depending on what part of the state you live in. As long as you live in a house you should be ok. 3. How are taxes compared to a place like NY?
No state income tax, but theres sales taxes on pretty much everything as you might expect. Usually in the 8% range. Cost of living here is way, way lower than NY. |
|
Just to clarify my earlier post, when we say "hot" summer (which starts in April and ends in November) we are not kidding. Wait until you you have to park your black car out in the sun a few hours in August. You come out and by the time you reach your ride your nice new suit and slacks are soaked. Your wingtips are filling up with sweat. You try to open the door of the car and the handle nearly brands you. When the door opens you are hit with a blast of hot air like a furnace. Stand there two minutes or so, sweating like a pig, with the windows open to let the thing "cool" down inside. Yeah right! Sit in the drivers seat and you are glued to it. Put your hands on the wheel which is the temperature of a lit road flare. Close the door and notice the interior temperature of your car is about right to cook an eye of round roast. Turn on the A/C. Good joke. It takes a long time for the A/C compressor, condensor and ducts etc. to go from red hot to nice and cool. So you head down the street soaking wet with sweat, buttons on your shirt melting, hot air blowing while you wait for the A/C. Try looking good as you walk into a restaurant soaked like an NBA guard after four quarters of play.
We have a death penalty in Texas and we use it more than any other state. We are really quite proud of that. I'm in favor of a law to allow capital punishment in cases where our "Katrina guests", still around after five years, steal the tubing from your home air conditioning compressor. Of course it's perfectly legal to be armed here and our new residents from New Orleans are frequently on the receiving end of Texas justice; at the hand of a private citizen or in the state's death chamber. It seems like that's the only way we are going to get rid of them, one at a time. Texas residents are actually very nice people. At least they are until they get behind the wheel of a car (which is absolutely necessary in a state this size) and turn into demented serial killers posessed by Satan. Actually you will find that as you get away from big cities the people become nicer for some strange reason. Finally there is the border where I have lived, both sides, a good part of my adult life. There is a no shit shooting war going on in northern Mexico and since border residents see the Rio Grande as an artificial line our southern neighbors are simply moving the fighting across to our side. You can't tell the criminals from the police or government in this war since they are usually the same person. The only way to sort out who is "law and order" is that they are usually photographed bleeding out in the street with a blanket thrown over them or their head delivered in a styrofoam Igloo cooler. Living in Ft. Worth you will be almost a time zone away from this particular problem but keep your eyes open and get a Concealed Handgun License. Truth be told I wouldn't want to live anywhere but here. And by the way, Texans tend to have a sense of humor about their unique situation. Hope that helps! Welcome, Jim |
|
Quoted:
Just to clarify my earlier post, when we say "hot" summer (which starts in April and ends in November) we are not kidding. Wait until you you have to park your black car out in the sun a few hours in August. You come out and by the time you reach your ride your nice new suit and slacks are soaked. Your wingtips are filling up with sweat. You try to open the door of the car and the handle nearly brands you. When the door opens you are hit with a blast of hot air like a furnace. Stand there two minutes or so, sweating like a pig, with the windows open to let the thing "cool" down inside. Yeah right! Sit in the drivers seat and you are glued to it. Put your hands on the wheel which is the temperature of a lit road flare. Close the door and notice the interior temperature of your car is about right to cook an eye of round roast. Turn on the A/C. Good joke. It takes a long time for the A/C compressor, condensor and ducts etc. to go from red hot to nice and cool. So you head down the street soaking wet with sweat, buttons on your shirt melting, hot air blowing while you wait for the A/C. Try looking good as you walk into a restaurant soaked like an NBA guard after four quarters of play. We have a death penalty in Texas and we use it more than any other state. We are really quite proud of that. I'm in favor of a law to allow capital punishment in cases where our "Katrina guests", still around after five years, steal the tubing from your home air conditioning compressor. Of course it's perfectly legal to be armed here and our new residents from New Orleans are frequently on the receiving end of Texas justice; at the hand of a private citizen or in the state's death chamber. It seems like that's the only way we are going to get rid of them, one at a time. Texas residents are actually very nice people. At least they are until they get behind the wheel of a car (which is absolutely necessary in a state this size) and turn into demented serial killers posessed by Satan. Actually you will find that as you get away from big cities the people become nicer for some strange reason. Finally there is the border where I have lived, both sides, a good part of my adult life. There is a no shit shooting war going on in northern Mexico and since border residents see the Rio Grande as an artificial line our southern neighbors are simply moving the fighting across to our side. You can't tell the criminals from the police or government in this war since they are usually the same person. The only way to sort out who is "law and order" is that they are usually photographed bleeding out in the street with a blanket thrown over them or their head delivered in a styrofoam Igloo cooler. Living in Ft. Worth you will be almost a time zone away from this particular problem but keep your eyes open and get a Concealed Handgun License. Truth be told I wouldn't want to live anywhere but here. And by the way, Texans tend to have a sense of humor about their unique situation. Hope that helps! Welcome, Jim Thanks for the info. I'm not even sure if I'll get the job but I wanted to get some info on the state before I submitted my resume. I told myself that I won't get stuck in a state like NY again where I'm lived for 23 years and still can't own a handgun. |
|
Quoted:
I'm looking at applying for a job with a defense company in TX and have a few questions: 1. Just how hot year round is it? 2. How common are snakes, big bugs, and other nasty shit? 3. How are taxes compared to a place like NY? 1. It's hotter than the bowels of hell here, like mentioned above when the asphalt melts, and it will, it's summer! Try 105F w/70% humidity and you'll get an idea. 2. Fire Ants, Killer Bees, Scorpions, Texas Red Ants, ever seen a "Cow Killer Ant"(Velvet Ant)? Big and called cow killers cuz their sting is so painful it will bring a full grown cow to it's knees. Rattle snakes, Water Mocassins, Copper heads and Coral snakes(venom more potent than a King Cobras!). 3. Well taxes are probably better here but they do charge New Yorkers more. Oh, try and hide your accent, Texans don't take to kindly to that accent.
Best of luck!! |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
I'm looking at applying for a job with a defense company in TX and have a few questions: 1. Just how hot year round is it? 2. How common are snakes, big bugs, and other nasty shit? 3. How are taxes compared to a place like NY? 1. It's hotter than the bowels of hell here, like mentioned above when the asphalt melts, and it will, it's summer! Try 105F w/70% humidity and you'll get an idea. 2. Fire Ants, Killer Bees, Scorpions, Texas Red Ants, ever seen a "Cow Killer Ant"(Velvet Ant)? Big and called cow killers cuz their sting is so painful it will bring a full grown cow to it's knees. Rattle snakes, Water Mocassins, Copper heads and Coral snakes(venom more potent than a King Cobras!). 3. Well taxes are probably better here but they do charge New Yorkers more. Oh, try and hide your accent, Texans don't take to kindly to that accent.
Best of luck!! Don't worry if I do end up w/ a job in TX I'm going to get myself some Levi's, a cowboy hat, and a pair of cowboy boots w/ spurs to fit in with y'all.
|
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
I'm looking at applying for a job with a defense company in TX and have a few questions: 1. Just how hot year round is it? 2. How common are snakes, big bugs, and other nasty shit? 3. How are taxes compared to a place like NY? 1. It's hotter than the bowels of hell here, like mentioned above when the asphalt melts, and it will, it's summer! Try 105F w/70% humidity and you'll get an idea. 2. Fire Ants, Killer Bees, Scorpions, Texas Red Ants, ever seen a "Cow Killer Ant"(Velvet Ant)? Big and called cow killers cuz their sting is so painful it will bring a full grown cow to it's knees. Rattle snakes, Water Mocassins, Copper heads and Coral snakes(venom more potent than a King Cobras!). 3. Well taxes are probably better here but they do charge New Yorkers more. Oh, try and hide your accent, Texans don't take to kindly to that accent.
Best of luck!! Again, part of the charm of this state is that Texans do not take themselves too seriously. What has been said about size is true. My place (recently sold) was in Terrell County, near the Big Bend in west Texas. The county is the size of Delaware with a population of around 500, depending on how you count. When you pass another person on the road they not only do the "country people wave" over the stearing wheel. Usually they stop, say hi, ask if you (a complete stranger) have been hunting or fishing. There is not one single traffic light in the county. There is not an incorporated town, which would include the County Seat Sanderson. It was recently the backdrop for Tommy Lee Jone's movie No Country For Old Men . Carrying a gun is virtually universal there. Carrying in cities like Houston is limited to concealed carry which may change. I hope so. I would carry my Ruger 30 carbine cal. 7 inch Blackhawk single action when I walk the dog, use a big gunbelt with loops for extra cartridges etc. Seriously, nowhere else in the states I would live. It is hotter than hell though. |
|
As a product of the great city of Fort Worth, I can tell you first hand that it gets 110 in the summer. That's before you get in your car, that's easily another 30 degrees hotter. Thankfully Fort Worth gets a nice breeze, so even if it's hot, a nice breeze will be along shortly to refresh you. Hell, I even wore jeans during the summer, mostly to avoid heat stroke or too much sun exposure. Seems counter-intuative, but there is a reason you always see cowboys in long-sleved shirts, hats, and jeans.
The fireants are a pain. They float on water, so if you get rain (unlikely, I think Fort Worth has been in a drought every summer for most of this century) just watch out for floating globs of ants. My Dad is from New York and loves it here. Good luck on the job. We hope you come and see what this great state has to offer! |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Cool, I thought about applying there myself. Right now I'm in Houston. Lockheed should have plenty of job security. Really? For what position? Entry Level Engineer (Mechanical preferably). The place you're lookin' at is in a good spot. Pretty close to the Stock yards if I remember correctly. We go every November to the Texas Motor Speedway to see Nascar, and also hit up Billy Bob's dance hall and Cattleman's Steakhouse there at the Stock Yards. ETA: +1 on 50 degree temperature swings. I always keep a spare coat in my truck from Septemberish through January. In "fall" it's common to drop 40F at sundown, and rise 40F by brunch time. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Cool, I thought about applying there myself. Right now I'm in Houston. Lockheed should have plenty of job security. Really? For what position? Entry Level Engineer (Mechanical preferably). The place you're lookin' at is in a good spot. Pretty close to the Stock yards if I remember correctly. We go every November to the Texas Motor Speedway to see Nascar, and also hit up Billy Bob's dance hall and Cattleman's Steakhouse there at the Stock Yards. ETA: +1 on 50 degree temperature swings. I always keep a spare coat in my truck from Septemberish through January. In "fall" it's common to drop 40F at sundown, and rise 40F by brunch time. Spare coat for 40 degree weather, haha. I wear shorts if its above 32. What are the stockyards? |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Cool, I thought about applying there myself. Right now I'm in Houston. Lockheed should have plenty of job security. Really? For what position? Entry Level Engineer (Mechanical preferably). The place you're lookin' at is in a good spot. Pretty close to the Stock yards if I remember correctly. We go every November to the Texas Motor Speedway to see Nascar, and also hit up Billy Bob's dance hall and Cattleman's Steakhouse there at the Stock Yards. ETA: +1 on 50 degree temperature swings. I always keep a spare coat in my truck from Septemberish through January. In "fall" it's common to drop 40F at sundown, and rise 40F by brunch time. Spare coat for 40 degree weather, haha. I wear shorts if its above 32. What are the stockyards? The Stockyards is an area on the North side of Fort Worth. There are a lot of country bars, including Billy Bob's there along with some other stuff. You will like Fort Worth. We are a lot more laid back than Dallas. You will be close enough to go to Dallas to visit but you can get back right quick across the Trinity. You don't even need to go to Dallas anymore to watch the Cowboys. We have a "minor league" baseball team, The Fort Worth cats, then there are the Rangers which ain't much different. We do have a lot of country bars here but we also have the Bass Performance hall, the Kimball Art Museum and downtown fort Worth has really come back alive. In fact if you want to live downtown there are some very nice apartments within walking distance of all downtown. The suburbs around Fort Worth vary but most are great. You will also be withing driving distance of Cabela's, Bass Pro Shop, Texas Motor Speedway, Six Flags, Texas Rangers and Dallas Cowboys. You should really come visit but don't be surprised if you don't want to leave. Do a search and you can find most of that stuff I mentioned listed on some website, and more that I forgot to mention. Can't own a gun up there? If you move here you will be issued one when you complete your Texas residency. You can get your own if you don't want to wait. You can get a CHL, and you can carry concealed in your vehicle legally. You can carry a longgun anytime. The bigger cities don't like it much but out in the country noone looks twice except to see what you are using on dove or deer. Jim |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Cool, I thought about applying there myself. Right now I'm in Houston. Lockheed should have plenty of job security. Really? For what position? Entry Level Engineer (Mechanical preferably). The place you're lookin' at is in a good spot. Pretty close to the Stock yards if I remember correctly. We go every November to the Texas Motor Speedway to see Nascar, and also hit up Billy Bob's dance hall and Cattleman's Steakhouse there at the Stock Yards. ETA: +1 on 50 degree temperature swings. I always keep a spare coat in my truck from Septemberish through January. In "fall" it's common to drop 40F at sundown, and rise 40F by brunch time. Spare coat for 40 degree weather, haha. I wear shorts if its above 32. What are the stockyards? The Stockyards is an area on the North side of Fort Worth. There are a lot of country bars, including Billy Bob's there along with some other stuff. You will like Fort Worth. We are a lot more laid back than Dallas. You will be close enough to go to Dallas to visit but you can get back right quick across the Trinity. You don't even need to go to Dallas anymore to watch the Cowboys. We have a "minor league" baseball team, The Fort Worth cats, then there are the Rangers which ain't much different. We do have a lot of country bars here but we also have the Bass Performance hall, the Kimball Art Museum and downtown fort Worth has really come back alive. In fact if you want to live downtown there are some very nice apartments within walking distance of all downtown. The suburbs around Fort Worth vary but most are great. You will also be withing driving distance of Cabela's, Bass Pro Shop, Texas Motor Speedway, Six Flags, Texas Rangers and Dallas Cowboys. You should really come visit but don't be surprised if you don't want to leave. Do a search and you can find most of that stuff I mentioned listed on some website, and more that I forgot to mention. Can't own a gun up there? If you move here you will be issued one when you complete your Texas residency. You can get your own if you don't want to wait. You can get a CHL, and you can carry concealed in your vehicle legally. You can carry a longgun anytime. The bigger cities don't like it much but out in the country noone looks twice except to see what you are using on dove or deer. Jim Thanks for the info. I'd definitely come to check the area out before I committed to moving there for the next few years. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Heven on Earth
I'm looking at applying for a job with a defense company in TX and have a few questions: 1. Just how hot year round is it? When the black top on the roads melt, welcome to summer. The very next day it will snow. 2. How common are snakes, big bugs, and other nasty shit? Yes, EVERYTHING in Texas is trying to hurt or kill you. Our land, our snakes, our scorpions, our bees /wasps, coyotes. Hell even our plants want a turn. 3. How are taxes compared to a place like NY? Welcome to Texas Case in point, today in Amarillo we had a red flag warning and almost 70 degrees and at the same time were under a blizzard warning, expecting over a foot of snow tomorrow and by Sunday it will be back into the 70s |
| Forecasted High for Houston today is 80 degrees with a 30% chance of thunderstorms. Amarillo is under a blizzard watch |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I'm looking at applying for a job with a defense company in TX and have a few questions: 1. Just how hot year round is it? 2. How common are snakes, big bugs, and other nasty shit? 3. How are taxes compared to a place like NY? 1. It's hotter than the bowels of hell here, like mentioned above when the asphalt melts, and it will, it's summer! Try 105F w/70% humidity and you'll get an idea. 2. Fire Ants, Killer Bees, Scorpions, Texas Red Ants, ever seen a "Cow Killer Ant"(Velvet Ant)? Big and called cow killers cuz their sting is so painful it will bring a full grown cow to it's knees. Rattle snakes, Water Mocassins, Copper heads and Coral snakes(venom more potent than a King Cobras!). 3. Well taxes are probably better here but they do charge New Yorkers more. Oh, try and hide your accent, Texans don't take to kindly to that accent.
Best of luck!! Don't worry if I do end up w/ a job in TX I'm going to get myself some Levi's, a cowboy hat, and a pair of cowboy boots w/ spurs to fit in with y'all. Well then you should fit right in, Welcome to Texas! Quoted:
Got room for a retired (next year) Marine? Hell yeah, Texas will always have room for a retire Marine!! Hurry up and get here.
|