America's Five Most Miserable/Happy States

[Cap'n Cat]

http://t.money.msn.com/investing/americ ... est-states" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Happy: Two Dakotas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska

Miserable: Mississippi, Ohio, West Virginia, Alabama, Kentucky



Discuss.

[Ibanez]

http://t.money.msn.com/investing/americ ... est-states

Happy: Two Dakotas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska

Miserable: Mississippi, Ohio, West Virginia, Alabama, Kentucky



Discuss.

I'm sure this is based on what % of the population is not white.

[HI54UNI]

The majority of the people in Nebraska and the Dakotas never leave the state so they don't know how shitty they are.

[Grizalltheway]

We may be a cold, isolated, irrelevant flyover state, but at least we're happy.

[Grizalltheway]

The majority of the people in Nebraska and the Dakotas never leave the state so they don't know how shitty they are.

Said the guy from Iowa.

[HI54UNI]

The majority of the people in Nebraska and the Dakotas never leave the state so they don't know how shitty they are.

Said the guy from Iowa.

Hey, I'm not saying Iowa is the most wonderful happy place. But I've been to Nebraska and the Dakotas many many times. Other than Omaha Nebraska sucks. South Dakota has some nice places, like Sioux Falls and the Black Hills, but the rest of the state is nothing. Fargo is nice but the rest of North Dakota makes Iowa look like paradise.

Minnesota is nice except there are too many liberals. I didn't comment on Montana because I've never been there. Have you ever been to Iowa skippy?

[89Hen]

The majority of the people in Nebraska and the Dakotas never leave the state so they don't know how shitty they are.

[Grizalltheway]

Said the guy from Iowa.

Hey, I'm not saying Iowa is the most wonderful happy place. But I've been to Nebraska and the Dakotas many many times. Other than Omaha Nebraska sucks. South Dakota has some nice places, like Sioux Falls and the Black Hills, but the rest of the state is nothing. Fargo is nice but the rest of North Dakota makes Iowa look like paradise.

Minnesota is nice except there are too many liberals. I didn't comment on Montana because I've never been there. Have you ever been to Iowa skippy?

No, but other than having more corn and soy beans, how much different is it from the Dakotas? Specifics please.

I have been to quite a few places in the US and abroad so it's not like I don't have anything to compare to Montana.

[JohnStOnge]

I guess it's fun to look at such things but they're all over the place. For instance the CDC ranked Louisiana the "happiest" State in 2009 (http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009 ... st_st.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). That's four years ago but I doubt that things have changed enough so that it would now be the bottom 10 in this survey (http://www.gallup.com/poll/167435/north ... -last.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;).

Of course I guess "well being" and "happiness" aren't necessarily the same thing. But all these things are subjective.

[ASUG8]

Hey, I'm not saying Iowa is the most wonderful happy place. But I've been to Nebraska and the Dakotas many many times. Other than Omaha Nebraska sucks. South Dakota has some nice places, like Sioux Falls and the Black Hills, but the rest of the state is nothing. Fargo is nice but the rest of North Dakota makes Iowa look like paradise.

Minnesota is nice except there are too many liberals. I didn't comment on Montana because I've never been there. Have you ever been to Iowa skippy?

No, but other than having more corn and soy beans, how much different is it from the Dakotas? Specifics please.

I have been to quite a few places in the US and abroad so it's not like I don't have anything to compare to Montana.

You need to visit these places before passing judgement.

[Cap'n Cat]

Said the guy from Iowa.

Hey, I'm not saying Iowa is the most wonderful happy place. But I've been to Nebraska and the Dakotas many many times. Other than Omaha Nebraska sucks. South Dakota has some nice places, like Sioux Falls and the Black Hills, but the rest of the state is nothing. Fargo is nice but the rest of North Dakota makes Iowa look like paradise.

Minnesota is nice except there are too many liberals. I didn't comment on Montana because I've never been there. Have you ever been to Iowa skippy?

What a dolt. Dude's been on one interstate in these places and damns them to mediocrity. Get on the back roads, a-hole, the Dakotas and Nebraska are scenic as fuck and LOADED with history.



Hope you don't teach your kids to act like that.....

[clenz]

Hey, I'm not saying Iowa is the most wonderful happy place. But I've been to Nebraska and the Dakotas many many times. Other than Omaha Nebraska sucks. South Dakota has some nice places, like Sioux Falls and the Black Hills, but the rest of the state is nothing. Fargo is nice but the rest of North Dakota makes Iowa look like paradise.

Minnesota is nice except there are too many liberals. I didn't comment on Montana because I've never been there. Have you ever been to Iowa skippy?

What a dolt. Dude's been on one interstate in these places and damns them to mediocrity. Get on the back roads, a-hole, the Dakotas and Nebraska are scenic as fuck and LOADED with history.



Hope you don't teach your kids to act like that.....

SD is boring as fuck...no other way around it.

I've been all over that state because I have family there...

Other than the hills, which are nice but just a giant tourist trap, the flatness makes Iowa seem mountainous. 98 percent of the state looks like it hasn't been upkept since the civil war and/or so poverish the shit is falling down.

Sioux Falls is nice...also had about 80 percent plus of the state's population. The Hills are nice... after that...well...

[Cap'n Cat]

What a dolt. Dude's been on one interstate in these places and damns them to mediocrity. Get on the back roads, a-hole, the Dakotas and Nebraska are scenic as fuck and LOADED with history.



Hope you don't teach your kids to act like that.....

SD is boring as fuck...no other way around it.

I've been all over that state because I have family there...

Other than the hills, which are nice but just a giant tourist trap, the flatness makes Iowa seem mountainous. 98 percent of the state looks like it hasn't been upkept since the civil war and/or so poverish the shit is falling down.

Sioux Falls is nice...also had about 80 percent plus of the state's population. The Hills are nice... after that...well...

You're whacked, clenzy. Been to the Glacial Lakes region? Badlands? The grasslands? They have a sand hills area like Nebraska..... And what's wrong with flat? Tons of history in that "flatness". They have desert, rivers, the Coteau des Prairies, bluffs, buttes all over. Ever driven to Mobridge? Ever taken in the bluffs around Lake Oahe?

Next time, go as an adult, not a kid in the back of your dad's station wagon.

[AZGrizFan]

North Dakota is one of the prettier states in the union. No question about it.

[Gil Dobie]

The majority of the people in Nebraska and the Dakotas never leave the state so they don't know how shitty they are.

I've been to Iowa, and still happy in Minnesota

[Gil Dobie]

http://t.money.msn.com/investing/americ ... est-states

Happy: Two Dakotas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska

Miserable: Mississippi, Ohio, West Virginia, Alabama, Kentucky



Discuss.

The thing about the happy states is they all have relatively low unemployment and if you lose your job, there is always someone reaching out a hand to help, and it's not the government. People of the small towns take great pride in their schools and there is a good following of local sports teams and school activities and town activities. Almost every small town has a reunion or annual event that brings the community together. It's not all about have wonderful mountain views, ocean front property. Happiness is an inside job, not the external perception. I don't think Iowa is that much different, just didn't make the top 5 according to this list.

[kalm]

SD is boring as fuck...no other way around it.

I've been all over that state because I have family there...

Other than the hills, which are nice but just a giant tourist trap, the flatness makes Iowa seem mountainous. 98 percent of the state looks like it hasn't been upkept since the civil war and/or so poverish the shit is falling down.

Sioux Falls is nice...also had about 80 percent plus of the state's population. The Hills are nice... after that...well...

You're whacked, clenzy. Been to the Glacial Lakes region? Badlands? The grasslands? They have a sand hills area like Nebraska..... And what's wrong with flat? Tons of history in that "flatness". They have desert, rivers, the Coteau des Prairies, bluffs, buttes all over. Ever driven to Mobridge? Ever taken in the bluffs around Lake Oahe?

Next time, go as an adult, not a kid in the back of your dad's station wagon.

I've been to all of those states and not only is there natural beauty, there's also the bucolic scenery of the well kept farms, small towns, and horizons. Mountains and coasts are great but there's subtleness to the open spaces that is mesmerizing.

[HI54UNI]

I'll use the GATW picture drama method. South Dakota is great. Take out Sioux Falls and it is going to plummet in all the rankings.

[HI54UNI]

http://t.money.msn.com/investing/americ ... est-states

Happy: Two Dakotas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska

Miserable: Mississippi, Ohio, West Virginia, Alabama, Kentucky



Discuss.

The thing about the happy states is they all have relatively low unemployment and if you lose your job, there is always someone reaching out a hand to help, and it's not the government. People of the small towns take great pride in their schools and there is a good following of local sports teams and school activities and town activities. Almost every small town has a reunion or annual event that brings the community together. It's not all about have wonderful mountain views, ocean front property. Happiness is an inside job, not the external perception. I don't think Iowa is that much different, just didn't make the top 5 according to this list.

This is true. The people in the happy states have a simpler life which likely results in being more satisfied with what they have.

[FCS PATRIOTS]

If I drank as HALF as much as the citizens of Montana, I would be happy as well.

My liver is still recovering from drinking with the Griz at Chattanooga in 2008.

[Cap'n Cat]

I'll use the GATW picture drama method. South Dakota is great. Take out Sioux Falls and it is going to plummet in all the rankings.

Fiver,
Taking advantage of a shitty (white man created) situation to damn an entire state.......? You doing anything to help?

[clenz]

I'll use the GATW picture drama method. South Dakota is great. Take out Sioux Falls and it is going to plummet in all the rankings.

Fiver,
Taking advantage of a shitty (white man created) situation to damn an entire state.......? You doing anything to help?

Cap...outside of the tourist traps, and the Sioux Falls metro, that is what the state looks like. That's why I struggle to rank SD as a great state. That is exactly what almost all of my experiences in SD have been. My aunt has taught, and lived, in Lake Andes (the Yankton Indian Reservation) since the late 60s. She has taught at Lake Andes Community Schools, Marty Indian Schools, currently is a professor at Ihanktonwan Community College in Marty. She spent some time up in Mclaughlin at the Indian HS and Sitting Bull College up there.

I've spent a good amount of time out there and those pictures aren't exaggerating anything. Say what you want about the "white man" and whatever you want...the majority of SD (white or native) is extremely impoverished. While part of the state have gorgeous site seeing the rest of it is a dump. I've spent a decent amount of time over the summers growing up out there helping my aunt around the city doing whatever it was she was doing. Part of the problem at this point, and my aunt has completely bought into it, is that they realize they make more money by not doing anything and having the government do everything. Why go get a job and leave the res when they can play the race card/white guilt and have more income?

Does more need to be done to help these areas and people overcome the burden that was placed on them a long time ago? Yes. Do I also feel that they should work towards making the areas better rather than separating themselves even further from society while blaming societal lack of help? Yes. Neither of those situations is going to happen though, sadly. Both sides see how the other acts and goes "Well, if they aren't going to do anything to change it why should we?" and withdraw further from each other.


I spent 3 weeks in an extremely poor part of Matamoros, Tamaulipas helping with construction, homeless shelters, food banks, etc... and honestly the conditions they live in are very similar to what much of SD lives in.


What are you doing to help Cappy....other than playing the white shame card?

[Cap'n Cat]

What are you doing to help Cappy....other than playing the white shame card?

Ahem, I'm in SD six, seven times a year and one of the things I do to help is support Native businesses - gas stations, restaurants, bait shops, etc, etc, etc. You gotta branch out and see the overwhelming positive that exists all over.

White man shame card? What are you doing highlighting only the negative stuff about South Dakota? Same kinda shit exists in north Waterloo, IA, too, yet Iowa remains a wonderful state.... You ain't gonna get around that stuff wherever you are.

You and I are gonna make a trip there together some day, Bucky.

[clenz]

Ahem, I'm in SD six, seven times a year and one of the things I do to help is support Native businesses - gas stations, restaurants, bait shops, etc, etc, etc. You gotta branch out and see the overwhelming positive that exists all over.

White man shame card? What are you doing highlighting only the negative stuff about South Dakota? Same kinda shit exists in north Waterloo, IA, too, yet Iowa remains a wonderful state.... You ain't gonna get around that stuff wherever you are.

You and I are gonna make a trip there together some day, Bucky.

North Waterloo is a shit hole that the city has dumped so much money into to try to clean up. The entire Gates Park area has been redone, to some extent, over the last decade. The issues up there are a gang issue because black and Bosnian way more than anything else.

You give them money buy buying gas, bait, food? Holy shit....I'm not shocked a donk said that but....wow...

Had Z said that you would have spent the next 17 pages of this thread lambasting him for doing the bare minimum and not doing more.

So - other than putting gas in your car to get out of the area and food to keep you full - what have YOU done to help these areas?

I'm assuming you've lived in the conditions for a couple weeks at a time donating a hours a day helping out at shelters, helping people rebuild, helping people with chores on their farms, etc...? No?

Oh...here I thought a donk would do more for the people than some lowly white kid from Iowa who has no worldly experiences and doesn't know anything.


I'm game for doing a road trip...which one of my road trips would you like to recreate? My 3 weeks in Mexico? My 3 weeks in the ghetto of Vancouver? My hundreds of hours working at homeless shelters and food banks in Sioux Falls, Worthington, Sioux City, Waterloo, Vancouver, San Antonio, or Dallas? Any of the time I've spent at high risk school systems working with elementary students to try to help them find a different path in life? My time at a juvenile home working with adjudicated youth who come from homes where their parents spent all of their time high off there ass from some drug or beating them and their spouse? The time I spent going in home to those same situations working with the families to try to find them help to change their setting?


Which one would you like Cap? I'll make any of them happen for you.

[Cap'n Cat]

Um, no, clenzy, I wouldnta spent time lambasting Z. If he was supporting Native businesses even nominally, I would applaud him. YOU are in that business, I am NOT. You SHOULD be doing all that.

I do what I can, when I can. I'm doing SOMETHING and not avoiding. I make a CONSCIOUS effort to seek out Native enterprises when I'm there. I do the same thing in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Rather disingenuous to target someone who DOES make an effort.

Regarding your "experiences" with this poor group or that, this thread is not a dick-measuring contest. I'm just telling you to get out and see South Dakota because you've obviously missed major parts of it and perpetuate the myth that it's somehow Somalia-in-America.