Fort Meade, Maryland? -

Hey, JJ- grow a pair of balls.This is a grown up question that isn t about video games.

I was stationed at Fort Meade years ago. It was always a decent base, as it wasn t overly huge and was fairly easy to maneuver around. It also had a very nice weather climate in that the winters never were brutally cold compared to the Midwest and the summers were...well hot and humid, but definitely tolerable.The other thing that I really enjoyed about Ft. Meade was it s location. It has good access to BWI airport in Baltimore and it is located right along the Baltimore Washington Parkway, for easy access to both cities. We also were able to venture as to the Maryland seaboard, Philadelphia and as far south as Richmond. It really was a nice location.As to your thoughts about Baltimore and DC, they are like most other cities. They are meant to be explored and can be fun. I fell in love with DC though. I love the history in the city, the monuments, Capitol, museums. It is really a great place to visit. A couple of my favorites to do there are the Cherry Blossoms in the spring...simply gorgeous. In the summer, it s the Fourth of July concert fireworks on the National Mall the evening of July 4th. Amazing place to spend that holiday. A nice parade..lots of people. It also has a very friendly Metro Rail transit which can be accessed from the collar communities and taken directly into DC, thus avoiding traffic, driving and parking hassles.I think you ll enjoy the time spent there...and don t miss the opportunity to explore the surrounding areas.

I m not familiar with Fort Meade, but I ve lived near or around DC most of my life, and I really urge you to give the cities a chance. Maybe you ve heard that Baltimore and DC are crime filled and dirty, and that s true in the sense that you can find dirty and crime filled neighborhoods if you look for them. But the cities are mostly great places, especially the downtowns. DC has not only the National Mall and the museums and monuments, which you should definitely visit, but nice neighborhoods too. In mine, just a 10 minute walk from the Capitol, you ll find parks filled with kids playing and dogs running. I go to Baltimore occasionally and enjoy the inner harbor and the various neighborhoods. You ll also be near Annapolis, which is a nice little historic port town.Also, you re luck to get here in April. Spring in DC is absolutely spectacular - make sure to come and see the cherry blossoms!Go to the library or bookstore and get a guidebook to DC and one for Maryland. If you are going to be here for even a few months, they will be a valuable resource. I like Frommers guides, but there are a lot of good ones. They will give you ideas of what to see, where to eat, how to get there, how to stay safe, etc. You can browse them here: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/was�� and http://www.frommers.com/destinations/mar��Welcome to our neighborhood; I hope to make it to Texas soon! Yes, there are lots of differences, but there are lots of good people all over the country!

Poll: What Boston neighborhoods have the friendliest people? -

I moved here from Tennesee two months ago. I really love the city and there are tons of things to do here. I just took the LSAT and I am hoping to start law school Fall 2010. I know this is not supposed to be the friendliest city in the world, but are there some neighborhoods where people are nicer than others? I ask because:I ve lived in Brighton for five weeks now. I stayed in Cambridge for two weeks but it was a little pricey for me right now. I did get a Cambridge parking sticker (because the hosts lost their visitor sticker and I got two tickets and I considered staying) but didn t take it off when I moved to Brighton, even though I haven t used it since. There was a note left on my car today in Brighton saying, If you don t live here, don t park here, I live right on the same street that the person put the flyer! Now, I love it here in general so don t get me wrong, but are there some neighborhoods that are just better than others in terms of not having crazy/rude people who will just leave stupid flyers on my car assuming I don t live here? I left a note back for them pointing out that there is NO requirement to get a Brighton/Allston parking permit on my street.

Parking is deadly serious in Boston. The nicest little old lady who will bake you cookies and watch your cat for you will turn into raging demons if you park in her spot. (It s hers because she shoveled in out in the winter of 1945, and everyone knows it belongs to her.) God forbid you move a beat-up plastic cooler after a snow storm to get into a clean street spot. When your tires are slashed and your windows are bashed in, the cops will say it s your own fault for moving the cooler in the first place. People won t give you advice on good spots for fear you will tell others, and their secret spots will forever be lost to them. Get the Allston/Brighton sticker or sell the car. Don t get me wrong -- people in Boston are wonderful once you get to know them. Brighton is one of many areas where long-time residents vie with students for parking. Don t take the flyer personally, they don t know how wonderful you are. They just know you have a Cambridge sticker and you should park in Cambridge.

North and South Carolina? -

Why are North Carolina and South Carolina separate states if they were liberated from the British together?They were also, if I recall my history correctly, both on the Confederate side during the US Civil War so the separation seem quite odd. Is there an actual reason?

North Carolina and South Carolina were actually separated by Queen Anne when Carolina was still a British colony. By 1776, they both had a history of being independent colonies.All the colonies were treated as equals during the Revolution. So they remained separate and equal.

way back when SC and NC were just colonies, all of these rich folks decided to go to America. Rather than taking slaves with them, they took indentured servants (po folk who couldn t afford to go to America on their own ticket). So, the indentured servants worked off their debt and moved to NC while the rich folk stayed in SC. The ex-indentured servants didn t want to have anything more to do with the rich folk so they made their own colony. However, they were proud enough of their roots that they named it after the rich folks colony.

they was separated because the south wanted slavery the north didn t

What are great places to travel in the united states? -

Check out the National Park Service s website at www.nps.gov. You can get a NP Passport for about 8 bucks and collect stamps with the date that you were at each park. They re relatively inexpensive (sometimes free) and it s a good way to see a whole variety of things. Some of my favorites have been Mammoth Caves (KY), Golden Spike (UT), Dry Tortugas (FL), Gettysburg (PA), and Lincoln s Home (IL). Of course the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Cape Hatteras, and Grand Teton were pretty cool too.

The best way to start is the National Parks, for $80 you get a year pass to any park as often as you like. It s a great deal! Here s a link:http://www.nps.gov/index.htm

Las Vegas.... you can find something for everybody there gambling,food,pools,shopping,events....i�� the best place on earth!

wyoming its buitiful there. yellowstone national park is amazing

Southern California. Anything you want can be done or bought in So Cal.

chicago.....alot kush here 2 smoke...

When does the fountains of bellagio go off? -

at the bellagio, in vegas,on the Strip? i think it goes off every hour but im not sure

Here is the schedule.Monday - Friday 3:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.; show every 30 minutes8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.; show every 15 minutesSaturdays, Sundays and Holidaysnoon. - 8:00 p.m. show every 30 minutes8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.; show every 15 minutes

it goes off every half hour for regular days it starts around 7 or 8 and ends at 12but i think on weekends its every 15 minutes and the same time too

Yep, every half hour from around dusk til late at night. If you want a great view show up early and there is a different show every time.

like midnight. it is really nice to see and enjoycold now at night. bring some extra stuff to wear.