Forgive the Mini Ditka thread here. Was reading the story about the murderer who died in custody in today's Tribune:

Robert J. Turner, 32, who was serving time at the downstate Dixon Correctional Center at 2600 Brinton Ave., suffered multiple medical problems including cirrhosis of the liver and a flesh-eating disorder, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.


Dixon is due west of us. In my poor excuse of a geographic mind this does not constitute downstate. To me, downstate is Chambana or Blono south. What's your definition of downstate?

Probably anything south of 80

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

Traditionally, "downstate" refers to anything beyond the Chicago suburbs regardless of what direction, thus a place like Mendota would be "downstate."

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Right, but I wouldn't refer to Rockford as "downstate." Rockford is its own little thing, whatever that thing is.

Same with DeKalb, come to think of it.

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Are you a big fan of the Corn fest out there JORR?

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Yeah I've heard people refer to it as "Down in Rockford".


I consider anything south of Joliet as downstate.

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Speaking of corn - drove to Danville a few weeks ago and passed through Hoopeston. The welcome sign was, well, probably inappropriate for today's society:

I consider Canaryville part of Wisconsin.

Backwards

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Was there a cornjerking scandal in the headlines recently that I wasn't made aware of?

Optional teeth....check.
Inappropriate relationships between relatives....check.
Inferiority complex with it's neighbor....check.

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Schaumburg is the center of the state. Geographically and culturally, duh. Everything south is downstate obviously.

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Don just pm'd me that whatever you deduct he's giving back double for sticking up for him.

Your move.

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anything south of 103rd street

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"It's not exactly a rocket surgery." D.J.

And anything west of Pulaski.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

You're downstate when you start to see the racists. Bridgeport sounds about right.

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I wanna punch you right in the gall bladder.

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once you go south of i80 people start having funny accents. i think thats a good marker

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the world will always the world. your entire existence is defined by your response.

I've been there a few times myself and have always found the locals to be the most intelligent and attractive people I've come across in all my travels.

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You know me like that.

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But 80 jogs northeast out of Joliet. The imu-maginary line thus grants cracker amnesty to New Lenox, Mokena, Glenwood, and the home of the highest caliber of man, Olympia Fields.

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I'd go with an imaginary line from Manhattan (where the Southwest Line ends) to Balmoral Park (where the Southeast Line is supposed to end if they ever get it built).

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HOOTERVILLE!!! Them and their damned WCUB buses.

Next time you go, go to Main Street Station and tell them Mouse's friend Dr. Ken sent you.

Odds are good they'll have no idea what you're talking about. But it's worth a shot.

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You know me like that.

South of 63rd.