Best State of the Union? It's....
#1

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_a...he_union_.html
Massachusetts, apparently...
Not sure I entirely agree, but it does do well in a lot of the things that count...wonder how other states stack up though.
Massachusetts, apparently...
Not sure I entirely agree, but it does do well in a lot of the things that count...wonder how other states stack up though.

#2
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Joined: Mar 2012
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http://www.slate.com/articles/news_a...he_union_.html
Massachusetts, apparently...
Not sure I entirely agree, but it does do well in a lot of the things that count...wonder how other states stack up though.
Massachusetts, apparently...
Not sure I entirely agree, but it does do well in a lot of the things that count...wonder how other states stack up though.

#3

Basically who moves to MIT to study and then move back to podunk no where to try and attract top talent? They don't. They either stay here or head to California, possibly Austin, TX.

#4
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Joined: Mar 2012
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I'd agree to some extent, there are certainly much better tax breaks down there, but the number of science research and tech based start ups out here along with what comes out of MIT etc is pretty impressive...
Basically who moves to MIT to study and then move back to podunk no where to try and attract top talent? They don't. They either stay here or head to California, possibly Austin, TX.
Basically who moves to MIT to study and then move back to podunk no where to try and attract top talent? They don't. They either stay here or head to California, possibly Austin, TX.
Most of my friends who I graduated with (from a top 40 engineering school) moved to the midwest, or further South. Some biotech friends moved to New England - but very few.
Last edited by oxonlad; May 14th 2012 at 8:40 pm.

#5
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Isn't Massachusetts a Commonwealth? How does that work then ... ? 
The day Illinois ever wins that award will the exact day after the sun dies. Five billion years from now.

The day Illinois ever wins that award will the exact day after the sun dies. Five billion years from now.

#6

That sort of logic would have been 100% valid 10 years ago - but the location of where a couple of computer programmers are doing their thing, creating the next $billion company - is now irrelevant.
Most of my friends who I graduated with (from a top 40 engineering school) moved to the midwest, or further South. Some biotech friends moved to New England - but very few.
Most of my friends who I graduated with (from a top 40 engineering school) moved to the midwest, or further South. Some biotech friends moved to New England - but very few.
Family folks probably are more apt to move though as it's just so expensive getting decided sized housing here, but young folks don't want to move to boringsville.
And yes, Sultan is right, it's a Commonwealth, so nothing makes sense


#7
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I disagree it's irrelevant. "The next billion dollar software company" is located in... Silicon Valley. As have almost all of the last few big software IPOs. Of course, not all of their software developers work there though, so I'd agree location is less important than it once was.

#8

MA is far from perfect. There's too much corruption and I don't agree with the outlook of the many socially conservative democrats in the state, but for education, health care, wages, benefits and quality of life, MA is hard to beat. Also autumn is always spectacular and Fenway Park is the best ball park in the country.

#9

Well I never... and I opened this expecting to see Texas named the winner 
I'm curious - there is a hell of a lot of state pride here "Don't mess with Texas", "I wasn't born in Texas but I got here as fast as I could", Texas flags on everything from bikinis to deck chairs to farm gates, Texas/Lone Star/Longhorn edition trucks and so on. Is this the same in other states, or is it just the shy, retiring sorts around here that feel the need to try to reaffirm their allegiance at every opportunity?

I'm curious - there is a hell of a lot of state pride here "Don't mess with Texas", "I wasn't born in Texas but I got here as fast as I could", Texas flags on everything from bikinis to deck chairs to farm gates, Texas/Lone Star/Longhorn edition trucks and so on. Is this the same in other states, or is it just the shy, retiring sorts around here that feel the need to try to reaffirm their allegiance at every opportunity?

#10
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Well I never... and I opened this expecting to see Texas named the winner 
I'm curious - there is a hell of a lot of state pride here "Don't mess with Texas", "I wasn't born in Texas but I got here as fast as I could", Texas flags on everything from bikinis to deck chairs to farm gates, Texas/Lone Star/Longhorn edition trucks and so on. Is this the same in other states, or is it just the shy, retiring sorts around here that feel the need to try to reaffirm their allegiance at every opportunity?

I'm curious - there is a hell of a lot of state pride here "Don't mess with Texas", "I wasn't born in Texas but I got here as fast as I could", Texas flags on everything from bikinis to deck chairs to farm gates, Texas/Lone Star/Longhorn edition trucks and so on. Is this the same in other states, or is it just the shy, retiring sorts around here that feel the need to try to reaffirm their allegiance at every opportunity?


#11

I'm not vouching for the sanity of those from Texas either....especially the twats with the "not born/got here fast" type bumper stickers - and Brother in Law, if you're reading, yes I mean you!!!

#12
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I've certainly not seen an Illinois equivalent. A concerning amount of confederate flags, though ...

#13

Round here you don't actually see as many confederate flags - a few bumper stickers and some of the good ol' boys have the back window of their truck tricked out with it, but get out in the countryside north and west of us and they are everywhere. You also see quite a few homesteads with 3 flagpoles - one for the stars and stripes, one for the lone star, and one for the Marines flag. Interesting order of honor they are flying in sometimes...

#14
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Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598












Round here you don't actually see as many confederate flags - a few bumper stickers and some of the good ol' boys have the back window of their truck tricked out with it, but get out in the countryside north and west of us and they are everywhere. You also see quite a few homesteads with 3 flagpoles - one for the stars and stripes, one for the lone star, and one for the Marines flag. Interesting order of honor they are flying in sometimes...
