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.)

[ghostrider]

Keep telling folks how much better it is to live up North. Maybe you will convence them to stay up there. Hehe!

[Vigilantcitizen]

I live 32 miles west of Atlanta on 10 acres with a 6 year old manufactured home.I have a well with fresh,clean,water. I grow delicious,pesticide-free vegetables.I by fresh meat from people who raise their own pigs,cows, and chickens. Most of the time, I forget to lock my front door at night. Yet, I can drive 30 minutes and be in the city if I so choose.Another plus is I live in Bob Barr's district,with very liberal gun carry laws.(As long as it is not concealed and you notify any police that pull you over.)

[Gil4]

I've spent 20 years in CT, 7 in NM. If I had to chose between the two, I'd take NM in a heartbeat. No 3-hr traffic jams (I HATE I-95!) and no snow to shovel (I was in southern NM). I guess the things the list thought were important didn't weight too heavily on MY list.

[Vigilantcitizen]

Good one.oops, shoudn't be telling everybody what it's like down here.Life really sucks,no jobs,etc.(sarcasm).

[cynicom]

Trailer parks???? This gentleman should take a spin around the far reaches of NY and PA. Those states are loaded with zillions of trailer parks, zillions more trailers on single plots. Drive from the far reaches of New York south to the Mason Dixon line if you want to see trailers and poverty.

Gentlemen such as this see not with their eyes that which is within their own backyard, rather they view the world from the narrow confines of their mind.

[wwjdn]

Who listens to the United Way anyway?

[glc1173@aol.com]

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

Yankee, eat your heart out.

[Vigilantcitizen]

Oh yeah,I forgot sum other things about life in good ole'Gawga. $.75 a gal gas, cheapest power rates in the nation,Hope grant(lottery money that pays for college and adult education,paid my way through electronics school).

[Vigilantcitizen]

I repeat, 75 cent per gallon.

[Savage Beast]

Do you think maybe you would prefer Iowa to New Mexico?

[Centurion2000]

Perhaps United Way is weighting their data with fascist state governments ranking near the top ?

[Exeter]

You ever hear of anyone retiring and going North?

P.S. Gas is presently $.97/gallon in my home town...

[Savage Beast]

The people of Bolinas, California, have been known to take down traffic signs leading to the town. They don't want anyone to know it's there--let alone visit it. Too bad Florida people weren't clever enough to do that.

[glc1173@aol.com]

"You ever hear of anyone retiring and going North?"

The "quality" of life up north is so crappy that Pennsylvania's population - relative to the other states - has actually fallen so much as to cost it congressional representation as a result of the last Census.

[Savage Beast]

Or Georgia people.

[Vigilantcitizen]

"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."Sorry about format but WHAT CLIMATE ADVANTAGE?!?

[Savage Beast]

"Oh yeah, I forgot sum other things about life in..." Would you shut up!

[LarryLied]

The people of Bolinas, California, have been known to take down traffic signs leading to the town. They don't want anyone to know it's there--let alone visit it. Too bad Florida people weren't clever enough to do that.

We did something better: renamed the Florida Turnpike the Ronald Reagan Turnpike. Liberals from the Northeast driving down to retire have been known to have strokes when they see the signs.

[Lessismore]

You ever hear of anyone retiring and going North?

Californians from LA?