So, Jimmy Pasta and others have a low opinion of Northwest Indiana. I live there because the housing is cheaper, property taxes are cheaper, gas is cheaper and it is set just far enough from Chicago to be considered in the Chicago market. It's close to Chicago, yet it's also close to some nice beaches on Lake Michigan like West Beach and Mount Baldi State Park. That being said, there are a number of strange things that I see in NWI on a daily basis. This past Sunday while heading North on Calumet Avenue, I saw an interesting pick-up truck in front of me.

So, You Know You're in NWI if.....
You see a pick-up truck in front of you that has a poster board duct taped to the back window that reads:

Wanted- War Relics, Helmuts, Flags, Daggers, Guns & Ammo, etc... Call 219-xxx-xxxx

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-"God is great. Beer is good. And People are crazy!"

You are a two car family. The car in the garage is used for driving and the car on the blocks in the front lawn is used for parts.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

EJ - this is the same guy that will set up camp on Central Ave and Willowcreek in Portage and have a megaphone and shout out insane comments about war atrocities. We should have Da Ma Ne get him on the new show!

I get a bit tired of NWI getting a bad rap, but then I have to agree with most of the negative comments that occur every time I go into a Walmart and see the white trashiest looking hillbillys dressed in stained wife beaters and cut off blue jean shorts with their 4 kids screaming at the top of their lungs.

It's hard to shake the stereotype with the lowest end of the gene pool contributing to the stereotype on a daily basis. Drive through Lake Station or Cedar Lake one day.... yeeeesh.

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Does your cat make too much noise? Try KITTEN MITTENS!


Charlie: Oh shit. Look at that door dude. See that door right there? That door marked 'Pirate'? You think a pirate lives in there?
Dennis: I see a door marked 'Private.'

As much as I joke, most of the NWI suburbs are not bad. They have no character or identity...kind of like a never ending Elk Grove Village. You could pick up the cities, plop them down in suburban anywhere and they would fit in. That does not make them bad, just not for me.

I was pleasantly suprised this winter to find an enclave of old homes in Hammond with beauty and distinction. I could be talked into moving into on of those. They probably are reasonably priced, but they also would take a lot of upkeep. Also, it is never a good idea to live in the most expensive homes in a city. You depend on others to maintain their property to keep your value stable.

Could you imagine Mac and dolphin commuting to work together each morning?

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

"You could pick up the cities, plop them down in suburban anywhere and they would fit in. That does not make them bad, just not for me."
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Just for curiosity's sake... what's the opposite? And what does an opposite city have that these do not?

There are some really nice areas in Munster also, but unfortunately, when most people think of NWI, they think Gary (murder capital of the US) or Hammond (white trash-y).

My dad worked at US Steel at South Works in East Chicago and was transferred to Gary Works when South Works closed down - we almost moved to Hobart when he was transferred, but stayed in Chicago (Beverly) for numerous reasons. Met a bunch of NWIers during this period (I was in HS) and they were nothing like the stereotype that is floated out there.

Won't you be doing that starting Monday?

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There are lots of nice areas in NWI,and it is a shame that it gets judged by Gary/Hammond/Lake Station.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I agree - St. John, parts of Dyer, Munster, parts of Valpo and the new subdivisions in Winfield where hopefully I will not detract from the beauty of beginning in April of next year.

I blame Walmart and their 24 hour openness for bringing out the white trasheyness and sterotypes that abound.

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Does your cat make too much noise? Try KITTEN MITTENS!


Charlie: Oh shit. Look at that door dude. See that door right there? That door marked 'Pirate'? You think a pirate lives in there?
Dennis: I see a door marked 'Private.'

I blame Indiana.

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BOOOOO

- 1 !

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Does your cat make too much noise? Try KITTEN MITTENS!


Charlie: Oh shit. Look at that door dude. See that door right there? That door marked 'Pirate'? You think a pirate lives in there?
Dennis: I see a door marked 'Private.'

You see stores that just sell cigarettes, you think Teibel's is fine dining and you think the snow crab legs at the Friday Night Fish fry at Briar Ridge Country Club are Good!

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

Anyone recognize a a famous NWI sign that reads: "This IS it".

Yep. I see it on my one of my various routes home from work every week. Haven't been there in about 4 years though. Beardown would like it.
NSFW- http://industrialstrip.com/

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-"God is great. Beer is good. And People are crazy!"

....you hear somebody say "Da Region".

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-"God is great. Beer is good. And People are crazy!"

I'd use Evanston as an example.

I guess there are many things that would go into it. Start with some defining feature, whether architectural, social, whatever.

A diverse (in many aspects) building stock.

A strong commercial district preferably easily accessed by pedestrian traffic and public transportation.

These are just a few points off the top of my head.

A lot of the old ideas planning ideas about suburbia that made them so bland after WWII are being thrown out the window with ideas about smart growth and new urbanism.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Why do supporters of NWI sound like White Sox fans defending their fandom? (for the record, I'm a Sox fan)

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“Mr. Trump is unfit for our nation’s highest office.”- JD Vance
“My god, what an !diot.”- JD Vance tweet on Trump
“I’m a ‘Never Trump’ guy”- JD Vance

ouch - talk about adding insult to injury.

Being called a corn farming hillbilly is one thing, but being called a White Sox fan? Sir, those are fighting words...

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Does your cat make too much noise? Try KITTEN MITTENS!


Charlie: Oh shit. Look at that door dude. See that door right there? That door marked 'Pirate'? You think a pirate lives in there?
Dennis: I see a door marked 'Private.'

Because we're grindy & scrappy. Get 'R Done!!!

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-"God is great. Beer is good. And People are crazy!"

We defend because we're not ashamed of being from here.... just as Sox fans aren't afraid of their Soxness. There are nice places here.... there are ghettos. There are urban problems in some places... there are hillbilly problems in some. GD described it pretty well.... many of these towns here are no different than those across the line. And I would love to get a place with the good dolphin just off Hohman Avenue where Hammond borders Cal City. Huge, old, brick homes... and some of 'em in pristine condition.

I'm from the south side of East Chicago. We get a bad rap. Sometimes deservedly so. But I like it here. The city is not to far away and things are less expensive here. Anyway, you know you're in NWI when it smells outside and you know the stink is coming from Whiting (refineries).

We could start a frat like in Old School. I promise our frat house would not be shut down for the same reasons.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

The Crown is much nicer than more northern parts of Lake County. Cedar Lake = Kentucky.

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You can't see me because of internet.

The landowner effectively owns part shares in millions of part-time slaves called, "taxpayers." -Roy L
A Personal Relationship with Jesus?

Hey, their lake perch is awesome.

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You can't see me because of internet.

The landowner effectively owns part shares in millions of part-time slaves called, "taxpayers." -Roy L
A Personal Relationship with Jesus?

Too many Allen Brother wrappers strewn over the hiways.

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

+1

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-"God is great. Beer is good. And People are crazy!"

i always thought of indiana as new jersey of the midwest, but...it's kind of a careless dig since i haven't spent too much time in indiana...but when i have, haven't really seen anything that great.

Ohhhhhh!!!!! Zack!!!!
You mean you've never seen the giant doppleganger of DaMaNee on the Borman?

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-"God is great. Beer is good. And People are crazy!"

There isn't anything here. That's why I'm glad I work in Chicago and my family still lives there...gives me an excuse to leave.

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Kid Cairo's Boers & Bernstein YouTube Channel

Kid Cairo: 2013 March Madness Tournament Winner!

"Cowabunga? Cowa fucking piece of dog shit! This game is diarrhea coming out of my dick!"

Indiana, home to Harry's Chocolate Shop - a place where I spent many great nights, and four great years, will always have a special place in my heart. Not much tops the feeling I get driving down 43 along the mighty wabash.