DO YOU WANT TO BE HAPPY OR DRUNK?

Continuing with my report of yesterday, do you want to be happy, drink a lot, are you smart or dumb, depressed, religious or have new business ideas? Where would you want to live, based on the following information?

Remember the TV show, Dumber Than A 5th Grader with Jeff Foxworthy? These states are rated on their educational systems and overall performance:

DUMBEST STATES:
10-New Mexico
9-Louisiana
8-Alabama
7-Mississippi
6-Georgia
5-Alaska
4-Hawaii
3-California
2-Arizona (was McCain born there?)
1-Nevada (all you can do is gamble?)

SMARTEST STATES:
10-Virginia
9-Minnesota
8-Nebraska
7-New Jersey
6-Montana
5-Connecticut
4-Iowa
3-Massachusetts
2-Wisconsin
1-Vermont (if some New Englanders are so smart, why can't they manage money?)

If you like to drink, the most (drunk) or the least (sober) alcohol is sold, per person, in these states:

TO BE DRUNK:
10-Colorado
9-Alaska
8-Wyoming
7-Delaware
6-North Dakota
5-Wisconsin
4-Montana
3-Washington D.C. (politicians party!)
2-Nevada (drink while gambling?)
1-New Hampshire

TO BE SOBER:
10-Ohio (we do celebrate the Buckeyes sometimes)
9-Alabama
8-West Virginia
7-North Carolina
6-Oklahoma
5-Kansas
4-Tennessee (see, a good state)
3-Arkansas
2-Kentucky (even though lots are made there)
1-Utah

BEST STATES TO START NEW BUSINESS:
10-Virginia
9-Alabama
8-Colorado
7-South Carolina
6-Florida
5-Washington
4-Wyoming
3-Texas
2-Nevada
1-South Dakota

WORST STATES TO START NEW BUSINESS:
10-Hawaii
9-Minnesota
8-Massachusetts
7-Rhode Island
6-Maine
5-Vermont
4-New York
3-California
2-New Jersey
1-Washington D.C. (definitely NOT going to New England or near politics)
In this study, it was also listed that New York(4) and South Dakota(1) have the lowest crime rate associated with this topic.

MOST TRIGGER-HAPPY STATES FOR GUN SALES:
10-Idaho
9-Arkansas
8-North Dakota
7-South Dakota
6-Alaska (remember, she shoots those moose)
5-Utah
4-Montana
3-West Virginia
2-Wyoming
1-Kentucky (many guns sold are used in IL,IN,MI,OH,TN, so the state is working to strengthen gun sales laws)

LEAST GUN SALES STATES:
10-Florida (retirees don't want to shoot each other)
9-Wisconsin
8-Delaware
7-California
6-Maryland
5-Massachusetts (at least it's safe -
4-Rhode Island { in this area)
3-New York
2-New Jersey
1-Washington D.C. (politicians don't want to shoot each other, just fight with words and NO votes)

MOST RELIGIOUS STATES:
10-Oklahoma
9-North Carolina
8-Utah
7-Kentucky (makes booze/sells guns, but church-goers)
6-Arkansas
5-Tennessee
4-Louisiana
3-South Carolina
2-Alabama
1-Mississippi

LEAST RELIGIOUS STATES:
10-Wisconsin
9-California
8-New York
7-Oregon
6-Colorado
5-Connecticut/Rhode Island
4-Massachusetts
3-Maine
2-Alaska
1-New Hampshire/Vermont (maybe New England needs more churches)

MOST DEPRESSED STATES (bad winters, fewer jobs, healthcare problems):
10-Indiana, jobs
9-California, high foreclosure rates
8-Washington, bad weather
7-Connecticut, jobs, healthcare
6-Michigan, poor auto industry
5-Utah, poor mental health, high suicide rate-youth to middle-age
4-Missouri, bad school system, high homicide rate
3-Rhode Island, high manufacturing area with few jobs
2-Ohio, weak financially, few jobs, farmers hit with bad weather
1-Nevada, highest suicide rate for seniors, casino revenues down

HAPPY STATES:
10-South Carolina, nice beaches, religious area
9-Minnesota, federal funds created jobs, auto/home sales up
8-North Dakota, less stressed, better physical/mental health
7-Texas, strong economy, good education
6-Iowa, good healthcare, expanding businesses, safe neighborhoods
5-Tennessee, nice parks, good weather, low cost of living, a 'happy state'
4-Florida, retirement destination, good weather, beaches, seniors still happy in tough times and high foreclosures
3-South Dakota, new jobs, tourism, good quality of life
2-Hawaii, high cost of living, but good weather, air quality, and fresh fruits
1-Louisiana, despite Katrina, good mental health, residents still optimistic, got millions in federal funds

If you need recession relief, move to Texas or Alabama. Austin, Texas is the home of Dell Computers and good jobs; Huntsville, Alabama is the home of Walmart (need I say more?). Avoid moving to Michigan (Flint or Detroit especially, because of the poor auto industry right now), or California (especially Los Angeles, Fresno, or Bakersfield) where the economy is much worse there.

Stay tuned, I have one more list to share and my final analysis tomorrow.