Obesity rates in the USA ... and dollar stores

Here's an interesting juxtaposition: This link shows the rates of obesity and income level, while this one talks about the prevalence of dollar stores:

Justified captured rural America better than many people recognized

This is probably one of my favorite scenes of a TV show of all time. Mags was the drug-dealing villain of the show, but, wow, did she tell it like it is.

I'm not the only one who thought so, either.

What much of America doesn't know about Trump's appeal to poor, white people

This is a thoughtful read about why many people in rural America, particularly the poor ones, are so enamored with Donald Trump. It also looks like a good read to pick up.

The record store always disappears

This is a long, but very interesting read about a guy from Manhattan who returned to his rural hometown of Napoleon, North Dakota. Note: The highlighted line is his emphasis, though I heartily concur.

Long-ago Nazi hamlet on Long Island still limits residents to those of German descent

Fascinating story in the New York Times about a rural community on Long Island that once was home to Nazi sympathizers, and still limits residents to those of German descent.

Jobs in the USA...in other words, watch farming disappear

NPR has an interesting item that includes an interactive link that shows how farming has dwindled in the United States since 1978.

New farmers: Hipsters and an ex-NFL player

Two stories about the future of farming. One comes from Pew Charitable Trusts, headlined, "Are Hipster Farmers the Future of Farming?" Meanwhile, here's one of a handful of reports about former NFL center Jason Brown, who left his lucrative football career to begin farming.