it’s just Boris: Rifle cases, hard or soft, and why?

Holy crap, nice one. As usual, the answer depends on “tactics,” need and budget.  I don’t travel much with rifles, and whatever travel is to and forth range or buddy’s place not too far so the predilection is soft.

For my 10/22s I have a couple of cheap Walmart cases that have great padding.  I have some old weird “tactical” case for the AK which allows for a red dot (some wont, I found the hard way.) And for traveling and staying overnight at hotels, I have come to enjoy the NC Star Discreet Carbine Case because it does not give the “Tactical” vibe and I can carry an AR15 or my Ruger PC9 and enough mags. In fact, I need another one.

Jay Bee: Having now lived here for a large chunk of your life, do you consider where you grew up to still be “Back home?” If not, did you have a specific “This is home” moment while here in the states?

First question: No. I don’t know how quite to explain it, but it is like I belonged/ did not belong, but I did not know it till I came to the US in the 80s to go to college and went back. Then I saw the Chavez shitstorm about to happen, discussed with the missus about leaving before shit the fan. We agreed and I actually said without thinking “OK, let’s go home.”

AWA: The first time you got to the United States, what struck you as “I didn’t expect that” or “That isn’t what I was told it was going to be”

This is a good one. Remember what 99% of the World knows about the US comes from Hollywood, so imagine the shitload of misconceptions. Again referring to the time I came to College here in Tennessee which was not a tourist trip: Politeness, cleanliness and organization. And the sometimes, the overwhelming abundance of stuff we never saw back home.
This clip from Moscow in the Hudson? I laughed when I saw it. It was not Soviet Russia in Venezuela (yet) but it was kinda true.

CBMTTek: Belt and suspenders.  

Belt only. I tried suspenders, but they do a number to my injured back. Plus, you can’t get a decent holster for a suspender.

msdryley:I currently live in Connecticut. I first visited Tennessee 15 years ago. I absolutely loved the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg/ Great Smoky Mountains area and have often thought of moving to that state. I have started online realty searches and I have a few questions for your consideration : Is their a reason that the majority of houses do not have basements? 

You know the song Rocky Top? Well, the bottom is also rocky. In fact, you will find rock close to the surface like water in South Florida grounds. It is not unusual to have a demo to build a septic tank.

I have noted that the large land parcels typically have a house built close to the road and boast city water hook up. Is there a water quality problem or some other issue that makes city water more desirable than a well?

This is what I have seen: Wells might be unreliable. Water tables shift may shift and your well goes dry. It is one thing to dig a well on dirt and another more expensive to do through rock.

3 counties you would consider least desirable

Davidson (Nashville), Knox (Knoxville), Shelby (Memphis) and some add Hamilton (Chattanooga) to that mix.

I can’t say which are the three top good counties.