Which States Are: The Dumbest? The Poorest? The Fattest?

[kpete]

August 30, 2006
The Dumbest? The Poorest? The Fattest?

Everyone loves rankings, and yesterday we learned which states were the fattest, dumbest and poorest. So we crunched the numbers, and put together this chart that lists each state's ranks in mean SAT score, obesity rate, and poverty rate. Please note that with each rating, the lower means more obese, less smart, or more poor.

(Complete 50 State Chart Here: http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2006/08/the_dumbest_the_1.html )

So, in order, here are the states with the 5 best and 5 worst average rankings:

Best ---------- Worst
CO 40.67 --- SC 7.33
MN 40.00 --- TX 8.00
UT 39.67 --- WV 10.00
WI 39.33 --- GA 10.67
CT 38.67 --- MS 11.67

(An editorial note: we're not actually calling anyone anywhere dumb or fat; we are aware of the objections to the SAT and of the scientific debates about obesity. That said, it's August. Lighten up a little.)
http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2006/08/the_dumbest_the_1.html )

[depakid]

1. Raw SAT scores are misleading

Because in some states, A LOT fewer kids take the SAT.

You have to weight the data in order to account for that. A state where 60% of the students take the test will probably have a lower score than a state where only the top 25% take the test.

[likesmountains 52]

2. Ha! I live in Colorado...I'm rich, thin and smart ..

Or at least I'm not obese, poor and dumb. Thanks for making my day!

[BlooInBloo]

3. Sigh. I'm in Washington... I'm middle of the pack...

But at least I'm not as dumb, poor and obese as those South Carolinians! woohoo!

:rofl:

[depakid]

7. Actually, Washington has the highest SAT scores in the nation

when compared with states that have more than a certain percentage of high school seniors taking the test.

Oregon came in second (we used to beat you- but Republicans in our legislature have contually defunded education for 10 years)

State's SAT scores are the best ever

Washington state's class of 2005 performed better on the Scholastic Aptitude Test than any previous class in state history, according to results released Tuesday.

Of a possible 800 points in each section of the exam, public school seniors averaged 529 on the verbal section and 533 in math, each up three points from last year, the College Board said.

About 45 percent of the state's recent public high school graduates -- or about 28,800 students -- took the test.

The College Board, the non-profit organization that owns the SAT, cautioned against comparing scores by state because scores tend to fluctuate depending on what percentage of a state's students take the test.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/238720_washsat31.html

[maxsolomon]

4. hoo boy

:popcorn:

sure seems right, except Utah always seems dumb to me (GOP loving Mormons = 2 strikes).

[Lindacooks]

5. That sure does show that (generally) poverty and obesity go hand in hand.

Food is inexpensive comfort when your life is a living horror show, and cheap food is fattening, also easier to get and probably little to no preparation.

[InkAddict]

6. Poorest

http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/08/30/20060830-A1-02.html

"We have to get more knowledge jobs, such as informationtechnology jobs, which require additional education but also pay a little bit better and offer insurance benefits," she said.

HURRAY, we're #1 in the negative attention spotlight, even better than poor NOLA. Yay, we win! (First you: :cry: then :sarcasm: then :grr: then :blush: then comes the acceptance of successful readjustment: :patriot:

Maybe, if Ohio companies would hire and maintain employment of IT persons that are >40, Vietnam Era Vet ...Last gig--had health care for about 3 weeks after a 30 day waiting period and employment for only 7 weeks. YOU DECIDE if it's coincidence or "intelligent (sic-political) design."