What's up with this...? (high school, income, quality of life)

[Alanboy395]

Originally Posted by DerbyCityDiva

Alanboy395,
Just want you to know, most residents of southwest Louisville are tickled to death y'all are coming. We're all pretty proud of Ft. Knox, and I would be really surprised if you are met with anything but the respect you deserve.
This restructuring influx of people and money into Knox is going to be great for my little part of Kentucky.
And, here's another thing. This end of town has been listening to window-rattling booms from the heavy stuff out there for years. We've tolerated it, because it was Knox. But, with the switch to less artillery and more individual stuff, it's going to be soooooooo much quieter...shoot, we love ya!...
You are warmly welcomed Sir!

It is great to hear that our arrival is going to mean big things for KY.

Actually, my family is looking at buying in Hardin County (Elizabethtown, Vine Grove) to start. Maybe after a year (or I get tired of the commute to Louisville) I plan to rent an apartment for the first time ever and I can only dream of this in Virginia.

The noise wont bother me. We've lived next to Langley AFB (home of the F-16s) and are very familar with Virginia Beach (jet noise galore) and currently live next to a major interstate. Trust me, it wont bother me.

May 15th can't get here fast enough!!!

[goobersmoochers]

Originally Posted by EclecticEars

Let's just say that I'm an eighth-generation Kentuckian and I'm ashamed to be from here at times. I have a slight Southern accent, conservative values, deep Kentucky blood, and a Kentucky education from preschool through college, but the way this state is ran and the behaviors of its people cause me to plainly "bite the hand that feeds me" regularly. I don't see Kentucky's problems of high taxation, poor economic productivity (even during good economic times,) unintelligent and corrupt politicians, poorly operated government, terrible public schools (and their obvious byproducts), and drug and spousal abuse epidemics (and yes, they are epidemics) going away any time soon.

But those are NEW MEXICO problems! They can't be your problems too! How can that be?

[Off Topic]

Yikes -- 49th out of 50 states in a ranking of happiness and well-being.

The Well-Being of 50 U.S. States | LiveScience

The happiest states apparently tend to be the more wealthy and tolerant states. We certainly don't fit the former and unfortunately, not the latter in most cases.

Honestly, a little more realistic soul-searching and a little less cheerleading may be in order. I love this state, but we put way too much emphasis on unimportant things and way too little emphasis on important ones, imo. I swear if Kentuckians were given the choice between having the perpetual #1 basketball team instead of the #1 educational ranking, I really worry we'd select the #1 basketball team.

[dixiegirl7]

Worrying about some silly poll and where your state ranks is silly in and of itself. Anyone knows that polls can be manipulated to get the result you are looking for. Happiness is not a statewide sort of achievement, it can only be reached from within. My advice, if someone is not happy, is to change whatever is making you unhappy and learn to accept the things you cannot change. For example, if you think Kentucky is not the state for you...move. It is really that simple, but probably is not the problem.

[Alanboy395]

Originally Posted by dixiegirl7

Worrying about some silly poll and where your state ranks is silly in and of itself. Anyone knows that polls can be manipulated to get the result you are looking for. Happiness is not a statewide sort of achievement, it can only be reached from within. My advice, if someone is not happy, is to change whatever is making you unhappy and learn to accept the things you cannot change. For example, if you think Kentucky is not the state for you...move. It is really that simple, but probably is not the problem.

Case in point, I live in a metro area with more financial, employment, and educational opportunties than nearly any other place in the country and I flat out HATE it here.

Kentucky could stand to improve some things no doubt but your happiness depends upon you and can't be measured in a poll.

[Off Topic]

Originally Posted by dixiegirl7

Worrying about some silly poll and where your state ranks is silly in and of itself...For example, if you think Kentucky is not the state for you...move.

I'd agree with you if it was just one poll. But it's not. We're consistently ranked near the bottom of almost every poll that measures well-being, health, and education. I mean almost every single one.

So again, cheerleading has it's place and Kentucky certainly has a lot going for it. But if we want to improve Kentucky (and not just give up and move away) then we have to face our problems head on. And we have a lot of problems we need to face, imo.

[dixiegirl7]

Originally Posted by Off Topic

I'd agree with you if it was just one poll. But it's not. We're consistently ranked near the bottom of almost every poll that measures well-being, health, and education. I mean almost every single one.

So again, cheerleading has it's place and Kentucky certainly has a lot going for it. But if we want to improve Kentucky (and not just give up and move away) then we have to face our problems head on. And we have a lot of problems we need to face, imo.

Every state has problems, name one that doesn't. Actually, I can name several with far worse problems than Kentucky as a whole. I agree that they should be addressed, no one is putting their head in the sand here, but my happiness is not based on what a poll tells me about the state I live in.

[goobersmoochers]

AND one of the things an article pointed out about that poll was that it needed to be noted that ALL U.S. States were within a few points of each other...compared to, say, places in Africa which scored like 10 or 20 on the 100 point scale, vs. all U.S. States which all scored around 60-70. Perspective, perspective....

[Off Topic]

Originally Posted by goobersmoochers

AND one of the things an article pointed out about that poll was that it needed to be noted that ALL U.S. States were within a few points of each other...compared to, say, places in Africa which scored like 10 or 20 on the 100 point scale, vs. all U.S. States which all scored around 60-70. Perspective, perspective....

A valid point, no question. And again, if this were the only poll putting us near the bottom, I wouldn't have even mentioned it. But it's not. I'm just sick to death of Kentucky being near the bottom of almost every ranking when it comes to the education or health of our citizens. I think we can and should do better.

[Kentucky Crimson]

I don't worry much about what other people think of Kentucky. I've lived in several different areas of the US (DC/NoVA, FL, UT, WA, SoCal, Nashville, Houston, Indianapolis) and I'm very happy to return home after 34 years away. All of those areas have strenghts and weaknesses.

I totally agree with Sundance.

BTW in the photo, "banjo boy" from "Deliverance" is Anderson Cooper, who is on CNN.