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NORTHERN NASTY AND NICE (United Way ranks quality of life: Southern states are the worst)
Providence Journal ^ | 11/22/01 | Robert Whitcomb

Posted on 11/23/2001 5:25:09 AM PST by LarryLied

Despite the "friendly" Sunbelt's purported ease and opportunity, the "unfriendly" North continues by far to have the best quality of life.

The United Way now reports that Minnesota (of which I am genetically half a native, which may undermine the good data here) is the best state, in economic well-being, education, health, civic engagement, safety and the environment. Having visited this Midwest Finland, I am not surprised. And I find New Hampshire's Number 2 rating apt, too, having inhabited that rocky realm of rectitude, responsibility and (usually) reasonableness for four years.

Ditto the others in the top 10: Connecticut (even with Hartford!); Massachusetts; Vermont; Maine; Wisconsin; Iowa; New Jersey, and, yes, even Rhode Island, hardly a state at all!

Meanwhile, the bottom 10 are all in the Sunbelt, the worst New Mexico, and then Louisiana.

Maybe it's mostly the weather. The North's bracing and wildly variable climate energizes people and encourages planning and careful citizenship. And it's probably better for you, because cold is bad for bugs. Even the post-war wave of air-conditioning hasn't let previously soporific Southern schools, offices and factories overcome the North's paradoxical climatic advantage.

And Northerners tend to be less mobile, and so less likely to slide into that appalling anomie in which the American Dream is pursued by folks wandering the roads in search of pots of gold that turn out to be tin, and leaving no forwarding address. But then, it is easier to wander about where the weather is warm. Thus the pervasive trailer parks in the Sunbelt, and enough social problems to make you ask if the Sunbelt's growing national power is a good thing. (Don't show this to my Tennessee relatives.)



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To: FITZ
I want to help get the word out about New Mexico being the worst state. No one should move to New Mexico so it can stay the way it is, ... Don't anyone go there.

Especially Liberals. We could box 'em out of here by the crateload and never run shy...

181 posted on 11/23/2001 8:24:51 AM PST by Tornado
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To: viligantcitizen
There are good and bad people everywhere,of all races and religions, and as soon as people figure that out the world will be a better place.

Amen.

182 posted on 11/23/2001 8:25:00 AM PST by JD86
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To: Phantom Lord
If the guy doesn't want neighbors he needs to move to the country, buy at least ten acres and put his house right in the middle of it.
183 posted on 11/23/2001 8:25:16 AM PST by #3Fan
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To: ofMagog; COB1; Fred Mertz; michigander; Scuttlebutt; beowolf; Snow Bunny; FallGuy; Carolinamom...
"I won't even mention the drooling rabid naugas that lurk at every turn."

Perhaps, oMmi, you meant to say:
"I won't even mention the drooling rabid naugas that lurk HIDE at every turn?"

Those are the worst ones!

184 posted on 11/23/2001 8:25:43 AM PST by LadyX
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To: Phantom Lord
The major differences between people is clearly more along big city/small town lines than North/South.

A point on which we agree.

185 posted on 11/23/2001 8:27:03 AM PST by JD86
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To: #3Fan
Only because of 600 "miracle" votes in Dona Ana county.
Close enough to call it "Gore country".

The miracle was that the tally sheet had 100 changed to 600.

186 posted on 11/23/2001 8:27:39 AM PST by Tijeras_Slim
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To: #3Fan
"There's more to Michigan than Detroit."

You're telling Me!

Hey everybody! Talk about fabulous places! Ever seen those suburbs north of Detroit!?!! What about the Upper Peninsula!?!! Wow!

One of the most beautiful places in the world is the northern shore of Lake Michigan. I have never recovered! Gorgeous! And nice, friendly people--everywhere.

187 posted on 11/23/2001 8:27:43 AM PST by Savage Beast
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To: viligantcitizen
There are good and bad people everywhere,of all races and religions, and as soon as people figure that out the world will be a better place.

I disagree. IMHO big cities have a majority of bad people. Rural areas have a majority of good people. Suburbs are a toss-up but lean towards a bad majority. Election results back my opinion.

188 posted on 11/23/2001 8:28:34 AM PST by StockAyatollah
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Comment #189 Removed by Moderator

Comment #190 Removed by Moderator

To: Savage Beast
As I chatted with the waiter, in a soft voice--in French--with a good accent, if I do say so myself--we agreed that the Americans who stand out are the only ones you notice. Everybody else just blends in, and you don't know they're there. Everybody thinks that the loud, obnoxious Americans are the only Americans, because the others are invisible.

Outstanding point. It sounds like you represented your country well. Thank you. It makes life easier for those who follow you.

191 posted on 11/23/2001 8:30:16 AM PST by JD86
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To: JD86
Are you and the guy from Illinois playing tag team? He responds to my posts to you and you respond to my posts to him? No matter, okay I take note that you didn't bring up slavery...it is usually people in the border states that do that...and then they accuse us of still fighting the war. They keep wanting us to admit they were "right" ...fat chance.

I don't care what you think. But if you sore Confederate losermen say that the South had a better economy than the North and that you were the one that was right in the Civil War, there's going to be a response. If you don't like it and don't want refutations, send e-mails.

Also, the reason I tried to make a point to you about the different areas of the country is because I have found in my travels that the country is not divided by regions as much as it is divided by big city, small town, and rural. Small town people seem to be the same all over, north, south and west.

So why do you guys constantly make bigoted comments about the North?

192 posted on 11/23/2001 8:30:36 AM PST by #3Fan
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To: FITZ
I was referring to what you said about the illegal aliens in NM. You also have them there.

True, but not where I live. I should have been more specific.

193 posted on 11/23/2001 8:32:23 AM PST by #3Fan
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To: viligantcitizen
Yes and the Tuskeegee Experiment was not discontinued until the 1970's--and that was the U.S. government.
194 posted on 11/23/2001 8:32:32 AM PST by Savage Beast
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To: #3Fan
Because we're tired of bigoted comments about people from dixie.
195 posted on 11/23/2001 8:32:38 AM PST by Vigilantcitizen
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Comment #196 Removed by Moderator

To: JD86
It's also easier to be wealthy if you free all the slaves in the South and don't free the ones in the North, as your Mr. Lincoln did. Anyone can win a historical argument if they omit facts.

Lincoln had more power in the South due to the rebellion. We ended slavery up here soon after. If the North wasn't moving away from slavery prior to the Civil War as you seem to think, why did South Carolina's Declaration of Secession say that they were seceding to preserve slavery?

197 posted on 11/23/2001 8:35:46 AM PST by #3Fan
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To: Phantom Lord
'"Yankees" being at fault is highly unlikely."

Do you see anywhere in my statement that the "Yankees" are at "fault"?
Fault for what?

198 posted on 11/23/2001 8:36:18 AM PST by COB1
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To: LadyX
We've seriously tried to eridicate naugas here, but those @$#% nuts at PETA have stuck their three cents in. It's their latest challenge. See their signs all over the place: SAVE THE NAUGA! Really sad.
199 posted on 11/23/2001 8:36:48 AM PST by ofMagog
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To: LarryLied
This is from the United Way, the same people who insist we send our children into the woods with homosexuals. It figures.
200 posted on 11/23/2001 8:37:37 AM PST by aomagrat
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