At your service, a poll for determining the approximate location of voting TalkClassical members.:

The poll is anonymous- please don't be shy about responding!

All categories should be self-explanatory- except that 'Eastern Europe' refers to the countries east of the former Iron Curtain- and Western Europe refers to the countries west of the former Iron curtain, plus all of Germany & Austria- except the U.K. & Ireland (which is a separate category- see above).

It's interesting that you separated the US by the Appalachians- it implies that the former frontier areas are still culturally different than the east coast urban belt. Of course, they are: anyone can feel the division and the change in atmosphere. But the western lands aren't inhabited by risk-taking, quick-shooting bandits anymore, so what is the modern difference? Even with globalization, maybe some lines are never redrawn.

I'd be interested to know the reasons behind your choice of that picturesque range, Chi.

__________________
Take a look at the Bandit's blog, Americana Avenue.

I would have divided it by the Mississippi River. I am west of of the Appalachians by a couple hundred miles, but scarcely feel pioneering.

Ho Ho have we got divisions in the American ranks?? And why put NZ with the Aussies we are 2000 miles away and are entirely different

Thanks - this was the type of poll I had in mind in my original thread, I didn't have the patience to create all the options again once it was rejected! Though I wanted to make the vote public so we can see who is where ... but no big deal.

Living now in Prague, originally from the UK, I had to vote for Eastern Europe, though the Czechs now much prefer the category of CENTRAL Europe. Any other members here or in neighbouring countries?

This morning, before I logged on, I thought 'should have divided it at the Mississippi River.'(d'oh)

As for why I chose the Appalachians, I had the general perception that America's titans among Classical Music institutions divide roughly at that point. Three of America's traditionally-considered [albeit perhaps an obsolete distinction] 'Big-5' orchestras are east of the Appalachians (Boston Symphony, New York Philharmonic, and Philadelphia Orchestra) as well as the 800-pound gorilla of opera companies, the Metropolitan Opera of New York.

As I've belatedly discovered, even though I could make a case for being where the renowned ensembles divide evenly, it's obvious now that it's not where the enthusiasts divide evenly.

__________________
The hardest knife ill us'd doth lose his edge. Shakespeare- Sonnet 95

Hmm, I think that's because USA has 300 million inhabitants, and Aussies and Kiwis together have 25, about the population of Texas.

*raises hand*

I always wanted to visit Prague, it's a beautiful city.

Africa (the second most-populous continent on this planet according to wiki) has 922 million inhabitants and is not in the poll. The entirety of Asia with her billions of people gets lumped in one...

No, it's not a poll that takes # of inhabitants into account very much.

Eastern Europe, close to the eastern borders of Poland, with Lithuania and Belarus.

Here comes the map:

Well, this is an English-speaking forum, obviously it should have a bias to English-speaking countries. Or countries which have a large English-speaking base like the Netherlands.

So what? Get over it. It's just a poll. It's not meant to degrade anyone or make anyone feel left out. You only have so many rows you can put down when you're creating a poll here on TC.

At the risk of 'piling on'...You're absolutely right- it's not a poll that takes number of inhabitants into account very much. I was trying to take into account expected values for TalkClassical participants. Except for probably misdrawing the USA dividing line, there's nothing I'd really change. I'll even stick by a separate category for Canada. With that land, we have Scott Good, rojo and Chamber Nut (who still swings by here in lurk now and again). (Doubtless, there are others that I'm too forgetful to mention.)

Kentucky for me. Though you'd be hard-pressed to believe it if you think in terms of stereotypes in any way.

So??? I don't follow your reasoning! btw quality over quantity any day

I live in a house with trees around me in a neighborhood surrounded by more tree. The End.