States ranked from happiest to least cheerful

[scandal 951]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...;type=printable

A new study found that people who report more satisfaction with their lives live in states that score well on things like good schools, low crime and short commuting time, perhaps a first objective look at why some states are happier than others.

The state-by-state list, from happiest to least cheery:

1. Louisiana

48. Indiana

Well of course Louisiana is on top ... the Saints are 13-0, and set to clobber Dallas on Saturday night!

The only question is what the hell is Indiana doing way down at 48? The Colts are now 14-0 after beating Jacksonville tonight.

After all --- it is all about football.....

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Australia is #1.

[MrsCat 6]

Are red states the happiest?!

We're #2 because we consume so much pakalolo.

[William33 110]

A study conducted by who? Yeah, that was my thought also...

[MrsCat 6]

A study conducted by who? Yeah, that was my thought also...

. . . . .

The researchers, led by professor Andrew Oswald from the University of Warwick, examined data from a random sample of 1.3 million U.S. citizens on life satisfaction. They compared those findings to a 2003 study that considered objective indicators for each individual state, such as weather, coastal land, public land, parks, hazardous waste sites, commute time, crime, air quality, teacher-student ratios, local taxes, cost of living and other factors. When comparing the two tables, they found a very close match between how happy people say they are and the estimated quality-of-life in their state.

"The beauty of our statistical method is that we are able to look below the surface of American life -- to identify the deep patterns in people's underlying happiness from Alabama to Wyoming," Oswald said in a news release.

Of Louisiana's top ranking, he noted that some of the data collection preceded Hurricane Katrina in 2005. But Oswald stills believes the state is happy because of, well, low expectations. "Bargains in life are usually found outside the spotlight," he noted.

. . . . .

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_sh...lityoflife.html

[Niels Bohr 72]

1. Louisiana

I think this stats is lying. LA suffered from Katrina. They're not at all happy.

[Dave and Helena 0]

After all --- it is all about football.....

Yup. At least in our house. And, by the look of it, in NO.

. . . . .

The day of a big Saints game in New Orleans often feels like a holiday, with barely any work getting done.

On Monday, with the Saints' biggest game in three seasons on deck, the city essentially made the holiday official.

The City Hall and other city offices located on Poydras St. near the Superdome will close early at 3 P.M. because of pregame preparations and anticipated traffic. Emergency services will continue to be provided.

There are plenty of great football towns, but the celebratory buildup to a big Saints game that envelops the entire city is unique. And a lot of fun. (Green Bay has to be the most similar.)

If the Saints make the Super Bowl, City Hall may have to shut down for a week.

. . . . .

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/...or-saints-game/

Edited December 18, 2009 by Dave and Helena

[thongd4me 69]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...;type=printable

A new study found that people who report more satisfaction with their lives live in states that score well on things like good schools, low crime and short commuting time, perhaps a first objective look at why some states are happier than others.

The state-by-state list, from happiest to least cheery:

1. Louisiana

2. Hawaii

3. Florida

4. Tennessee

5. Arizona

6. South Carolina

7. Mississippi

8. Montana

9. Alabama

10. Maine

11. Wyoming

12. Alaska

13. North Carolina

14. South Dakota

15. Texas

16. Idaho

17. Vermont

18. Arkansas

19. Georgia

20. Utah

21. Oklahoma

22. Delaware

23. Colorado

24. New Mexico

25. North Dakota

26. Minnesota

27. Virginia

28. New Hampshire

29. Wisconsin

30. Oregon

31. Iowa

32. Kansas

33. Nebraska

34. West Virginia

35. Kentucky

36. Washington

37. District of Columbia

38. Missouri

39. Nevada

40. Maryland

41. Pennsylvania

42. Rhode Island

43. Ohio

44. Massachusetts

45. Illinois

46. California

47. New Jersey

48. Indiana

49. Michigan

50. Connecticut

51. New York

From RI on down I can easily see how and why this was the result.

People in the richest states (maybe with the exception of Ohio & Michigan) seem never to be happy enough.

I'm trying to be happy more than rich, even if I'm from New York.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Seems about right. Lived in TN (#4) for a decade, moved to OH (#43), hated it and left it after a year to live in FL (#3). B)

[SMR 368]

I'm living in New York and loving it. But I'm upstate, and NYC pretty much dominates any statistics about the state.

How did they measure happiness anyways?

[Jenn! 918]

ignorance is bliss?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

#47 ftw!

[Chica Yeyé 41]

#47 ftw!

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

ignorance is bliss?

In UN happiness surveys, Nigeria always comes out #1.

Happiness isn't everything, money is.

[Ban Hammer 13,346]

ignorance is bliss?

In UN happiness surveys, Nigeria always comes out #1.

Happiness isn't everything, money is.

are you channeling mawilson today?