NORTHERN NASTY AND NICE (United Way ranks quality of life: Southern states are the worst)

Providence Journal ^ | 11/22/01 | Robert Whitcomb

[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.)

[cynicom]

glc....re PA....

That is caused by people like me moving out of PA, south to NC. Before that I moved out of NYC.

As for the quality of life, those socialist people of the northeast can wallow in their own poverty that bedevils every city.

[Vigilantcitizen]

What do ya mean? Katie Scarlet,the black lab, and I quote Lewis Grizzard" If people think the quality of life is so bad here, why do they move here?".

[Vigilantcitizen]

No,I won't shut up.

[rebelyell]

I hope they listed South Carolina dead last and every yankee snowbird from NYC to Detroit reads it and takes it as gospel. We have enough of their kind here already and they are DEGRADING our quality of life.

[Exeter]

Climate advantage?

In the winter months, go to any golfcourse down here, close your eyes, spin around and throw a rock in any direction, and you'll probably hit some Yankee enjoying our "climate advantage" to get in a few rounds of golf...

[Cautor]

Keep telling folks how much better it is to live up North

Precisely! We have enough damn yankees already. It's hell down here in Dixie folks. Please stay in the wonderful paradise called New England with your friends like Teddy and Chris.

[Fraulein]

The North's bracing and wildly variable climate energizes people and encourages planning and careful citizenship.

Methinks that translates into the fact that there are more liberals in the Northeast.

[Vigilantcitizen]

I about spewed coffee all over the screen when I stepped in that big pile of bulls@#t about the north having a climate advantage.My soon to be wife works at a local golf course.As I enjoy my free playing privilges,I do happen to notice a lot of people with Northeastern accents.

[epow]

Please take SB's advice and shut up. I love it here in north GA, but if many more Florida yankees discover this area I'm gonna have to leave. 5 years ago I could build anything I wanted to without a building permit or without even telling the county what I was doing. Now, thanks to people coming here who want to make it just like the place they left, I have to get a permit to build a woodshed. And that's just one of the minor things, I could write a book about how things are changing here, all for the worse.

Why are yankees and city people so determined to run everybody else's lives for them? As soon as they get here they start trying to take over the county government so they can pass laws and regulations.

[Fraulein]

I agree. Let the yankees (and those god-awful accents) stay where they are. 3 million people have flocked to Atlanta since the Olympics at the expense of southern hospitality, among other things...

[cynicom]

ALL...

Geez, I feel like a fugitive or alien or sumpin. Hope you all not going to deport me back north????? Waaahhhhh

[Vigilantcitizen]

Ok, I'll shut-up now. You must live in Cobb co.Out here in good ole' Carrol Co.,I'm in the process of building a large(35x50) workshop complete with all the comforts(including satelite tv)with no interference from the county. Oh wait,I should't have told you that, you might move here.

[razorback-bert]

I understand why Damnyankees want to stay up North, nothing but rattlesnakes, skunks, coyotes,rednecks, mesquite and pump jacks out west. Nothing they would want to associate with or live near.

[lonestar]

The best part--you don't have to live among a bunch of damn yankees! :)

[Ole Okie]

Gasoline is now $1.049 a gallon a half-mile from me here in Burlington, North Carolina.

Well, gasoline is $0.859 a gallon out on Tara Blvd south of Atlanta (yeah, that Tara.)

So eat your heart out, North Carolina.

[FITZ]

Meanwhile, the bottom 10 are all in the Sunbelt, the worst New Mexico

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, very uncrowded, beautiful mountains and deserts and forests. Lots of camping and wide open spaces and near perfect weather, excellent food, and friendly people. Don't anyone go there.

[Savage Beast]

Re post #19. Hey, that was a good idea! Stroke 'em out! That's one way!

In western North Carolina, they call all transplants "Florida people". This is not meant to be flattering.

"Half-backs" are people who moved from the North to Florida, didn't like it, and moved half-way back. This is not meant to be flattering either.

The people of western North Carolina are truly nice--let me hasten to say. They could not be nicer or better people. They are open-minded and welcoming.

Well I guess I just did in western North Carolina. Property values will escalate. Make way for the freeways.

Sorry, Appalachia.

Why can't I learn to keep my big mouth shut!

[Vigilantcitizen]

LOL...especially when you were telling me to shut up.Oh,by the way, I respect your need to be a vegetarian.

[Fiddlstix]

Why are yankees and city people so determined to run everybody else's lives for them? As soon as they get here they start trying to take over the county government so they can pass laws and regulations.

Ain't It the Truth!