Happy State–Sad State / Result State–Waiting State / Red State–Blue State

[Alaskan in Exile]

The Journal Science yesterday released a ranking of the 50 Happiest States in America. You can find that ranking and commentary all over the internet today. Interestingly the first state to report results (Louisiana) was also listed as the Happiest State (gee, I wonder why).

Many of the commentators have noted that the states at the top of the list were predominantly red states (i.e., voted for McCain) and those at the bottom were predominantly blue states (i.e., voted for Obama). Some suggest that conservative pundits will interpret the results as proof that residents are happiest in locations with a limited government/red state philosophy whereas liberal pundits will view the results as the reason citizens in blue states are the ones most clamoring for and in need of “change”. I think they’re both wrong – I think the states at the top are happiest because, as first observed by Chade Sullivan at Post #101 on the **OFFICIAL OCT 2009 RESULT DATE THREAD**, the red states are getting their Exam results the earliest.

“This is a red state landslide!

AL, 12/18/09, Letter AR, 12/17/09, Website AZ, 12/15/09, Email

DE, 12/17/2009, Mail FL, 12/15/09, Email GA, 12/17/09, Website

IL, 12/17/09, Website IN, 12/15/09, Email LA, 12/15/09, Email

MI, 12/15/09, Email MO, 12/16/09, Email MS, 12/16/09, Letter

MT, 12/16/09, Email NH, 12/15/09, Email NM, 12/17/09, Email

OH, 12/16/09, Email SC, 12/16/09, Email TX, 12/18/09, Website

UT, 12/16/09, Email VT, 12/16/09, Email WA, 12/16/09, E-mail”

Anyway here’s the top 25 on Science’s list of happiest states; 56% of these states have already received exam results compared to less than 27% of the states (plus D.C.) at the bottom half of the list.

1. Louisiana – McCain ↔ LA, 12/15/09, Email

2. Hawaii – Obama

3. Florida – Obama ↔ FL, 12/15/09, Email

4. Tennessee – McCain

5. Arizona – McCain ↔ AZ, 12/15/09, Email

6. Mississippi – McCain ↔ MS, 12/16/09, Letter

7. Montana – McCain ↔ MT, 12/16/09, Email

8. South Carolina – McCain ↔ SC, 12/16/09, Email

9. Alabama – McCain ↔ AL, 12/18/09, Letter

10. Maine – Obama

11. Alaska – McCain

12. North Carolina – Obama

13. Wyoming – McCain

14. Idaho – McCain

15. South Dakota – McCain

16. Texas – McCain ↔ TX, 12/18/09, Website

17. Arkansas – McCain ↔ AR, 12/17/09, Website

18. Vermont -Obama ↔ VT, 12/16/09, Email

19. Georgia – McCain ↔ GA, 12/17/09, Website

20. Oklahoma – McCain

21. Colorado – Obama

22. Delaware – Obama ↔ DE, 12/17/2009, Mail

23. Utah – McCain ↔ UT, 12/16/09, Email

24. New Mexico – Obama ↔ NM, 12/17/09, Email

25. North Dakota – McCain

 

[EM_PS]

where exactly are you exiled to?

 

[Road Guy]

:appl: :appl:

Pretty interesting but it should seem obvious that red states would have less buerocracy and get the results out faster. While the blue states would need to do a study on who might be offended by posting the passing / failing results.

 

[Alaskan in Exile]

where exactly are you exiled to?

Spent 10.5 months in Alaska in 2005 and fell in love with the place - felt like a kid again (I was 54 at the time). Am now back in the Lower 48 (or 'Outside' as Alaskans refer to it), more specifically in the midwest at present, although I'm a resident of NH. After 2005 any place that's not Alaska is 'exile'.

Earned a PE in 1980 in Environmental, but Alaska doesn't offer registration in that discipline, so for me the only way to become licensed there was by examination. Since my B.S. (1973 - before many of you were born) was Manufacturing Engineering and M.S. (1976) was Environmental Engineering, this 58-year old has spent most of the past 24 months studying transportation, structural, and geotechnical in order to sit for (and hopefully pass) the Civil exam and earn registration in Alaska. Then the really tough part begins (particularly at my age and in this economy) - finding a job in The Great Land. But at least if I'm registered in Alaska I'll know I've done all I can to make that happen. Thanks for asking.

 

[EM_PS]

awesome! I wish you luck as you wait for the results! Here's hoping a piss poor economy doesn't beat up on the old timers too bad (i was 6 when you got your BS )

 

[wvgirl14]

awesome! I wish you luck as you wait for the results! Here's hoping a piss poor economy doesn't beat up on the old timers too bad (i was 6 when you got your BS )

:wv: received letters the 18th.

 

[Chucktown PE]

Welcome to the board AIE. Cool story. That's pretty impressive perisistence to make a dream come true. Good luck. I was -6 when you received your B.S..

 

[J_S]

California would most definitely be the last on the list then. I just cannot understand why NCEES takes so long (applicable to all states, with Cali being the worst of course) scanning the Scantrons. I believe that's the reason why US is lagging behind the developing nations now. I cannot imagine what will happen if NCEES is given the control to conduct the entrance examinations to medical & engineering undergraduate programs in India. Approximately 4,00,000 students sit for each exam, Scantron based, and the results come out in approximately 10 days. If NCEES is in control Indian undergraduate curriculum would come to a standstill.

 

[benbo]

California would most definitely be the last on the list then. I just cannot understand why NCEES takes so long (applicable to all states, with Cali being the worst of course) scanning the Scantrons. I believe that's the reason why US is lagging behind the developing nations now. I cannot imagine what will happen if NCEES is given the control to conduct the entrance examinations to medical & engineering undergraduate programs in India. Approximately 4,00,000 students sit for each exam, Scantron based, and the results come out in approximately 10 days. If NCEES is in control Indian undergraduate curriculum would come to a standstill.

It is the California board that holds the results, not NCEES.

And as has been posted on here and the NCEES website a million times, it is not just a matter of scanning scantrons.

Plus, trying to link this exam grading process to why the US is lagging developing nations is a bit of a stretch.

 

[J_S]

California would most definitely be the last on the list then. I just cannot understand why NCEES takes so long (applicable to all states, with Cali being the worst of course) scanning the Scantrons. I believe that's the reason why US is lagging behind the developing nations now. I cannot imagine what will happen if NCEES is given the control to conduct the entrance examinations to medical & engineering undergraduate programs in India. Approximately 4,00,000 students sit for each exam, Scantron based, and the results come out in approximately 10 days. If NCEES is in control Indian undergraduate curriculum would come to a standstill.

It is the California board that holds the results, not NCEES.

And as has been posted on here and the NCEES website a million times, it is not just a matter of scanning scantrons.

Plus, trying to link this exam grading process to why the US is lagging developing nations is a bit of a stretch.

Agreed. Just trying to make a point. But you must admit that US was the leader for others to follow earlier, and now the work culture elsewhere is far better and states here just want to keep doing what they were 50 years back. Wake up NCEES and state boards..

 

[benbo]

Agreed. Just trying to make a point. But you must admit that US was the leader for others to follow earlier, and now the work culture elsewhere is far better and states here just want to keep doing what they were 50 years back. Wake up NCEES and state boards..

That may be true, but just a question - where is it you want to get licensed and work exactly? The US or some developing nation?

It is always possible to get licensed and set up shop in one of those wonderful places that turn the exams around in 10 days.

 

[jbs_pe]

I would put it back on the state boards. Oklahoma wants the results to go to them, so they can distribute an ethics test with your passing letter. Why isn't the ethics test a prerequisite to the PE exam? Then they could have NCEES send the results to us in an e-mail!

 

[FEfall09EE]

Well TN and AL where the only two states to vote for mccain by a bigger margin then Bush over Kerry, so by the logic used by the OP they are obiviously the "red-est"....

well im still waiting here in TN.... We are on average one of the longest waits...

 

[Alaskan in Exile]

Welcome to the board AIE. Cool story. That's pretty impressive perisistence to make a dream come true. Good luck. I was -6 when you received your B.S..

Thank you Chucktown for your kind thoughts. Have a joyous Christmas.

 

[goofychallenge]

Well TN and AL where the only two states to vote for mccain by a bigger margin then Bush over Kerry, so by the logic used by the OP they are obiviously the "red-est"....
well im still waiting here in TN.... We are on average one of the longest waits...

Oklahoma was the only state that had every county vote for McCain. We're redder than the soviet union (was). And yet no test results.

 

[z06dustin]

This is an interesting theory.

But remember correlation != causation.

My theory? The blue states are just crappy places with dumb statist trying to cannibalize society. No wonder they're sad.

 

[wilheldp_PE]

But remember correlation != causation.

Post hoc ergo propter hoc.

 

[Alaskan in Exile]

QUOTE (chadesullivan @ Dec 21 2009, 02:18 PM)

QUOTE (brymaiguy @ Dec 21 2009, 02:08 PM)

Half way there. 25 states to go including MARYLAND!

Yeah, the first 25 horses were pretty quick out of the gate. Something tells me that the other 25 are lagging far behind. The RHODE ISLAND horse, which won't be reporting in until after January 20th, is off grazing somewhere on the island of misfits!

MD horse is giving company to Rhode Island horse...

No surprises there - both are in the saddest (least happy) 25% of states; interestingly all of these bottom states (39th and lower) are blue states, and less than 1/3 of these states have received results yet.

 

[vhmehta]

QUOTE (chadesullivan @ Dec 21 2009, 02:18 PM) QUOTE (brymaiguy @ Dec 21 2009, 02:08 PM)

Half way there. 25 states to go including MARYLAND!

Yeah, the first 25 horses were pretty quick out of the gate. Something tells me that the other 25 are lagging far behind. The RHODE ISLAND horse, which won't be reporting in until after January 20th, is off grazing somewhere on the island of misfits!

MD horse is giving company to Rhode Island horse...

No surprises there - both are in the saddest (least happy) 25% of states; interestingly all of these bottom states (39th and lower) are blue states, and less than 1/4 of these states have received results yet.

MD have always given out results after new year.... I don't see any change anytime soon... MD is saddest state because people spent half of there day stuck in traffic! I do not even want to go into political impact on results!

 

[ECRalovo]

My question would be, if they can standardize EVERYTHING ELSE about the exam, why can't they standardize how the results are released??? Let EVERYONE access their results through the internet on the SAME DAY and then let each state send out their licensing information at their own pace. At least then you wouldn't have some people left hanging for WEEKS after others have already gotten their results.