Study finds Louisiana residents happiest in US

[Louisiana1976]

WASHINGTON (AP) — People in sunny, outdoorsy states — Louisiana, Hawaii, Florida — say they're the happiest Americans, and researchers think they know why.

A new study comparing self-described pleasant feelings with objective measures of good living found these folks generally have reason to feel fine.

snip

Ranking No. 1 in happiness was Louisiana, home of Dixieland music and Cajun/Creole cooking.

Oswald urged a bit of caution in that ranking, however, noting that part of the happiness survey occurred before Hurricane Katrina struck the state, and part of it took place later. Nevertheless, he said, "We have no explicit reason to think there is a problem" with the ranking.

Rounding out the happy five were Hawaii, Florida, Tennessee and Arizona.

At the other end of the scale, last in happiness — is New York state.

snip

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/79560632.html

[Redstone]

1. Why not? Great food, Cajun music, what else do you need to be happy?

Redstone

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. I'm happy when I go into a pothole and don't come out for

a day or so... it seems that many of the highways are nothing more than a series of patches joined by potholes dressed up with some mediocre pavement in between. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[HereSince1628]

3. Yes that's true Katrina put smiles on everyone's face down in the 9th ward.

What kind of DR Feel Good is getting put in these bottles?

[Shell Beau]

9. Well New Orleans is a big city, but it is only one city. Louisiana consists

of much much more than NO.

[mix]

4. blame France nt

[Fumesucker]

5. Eh, they're #3 in Federal dollars collected per capita..

$3,036

And #45 in people with a bachelor's degree or better..

[mix]

8. but

Connecticut is among the states with the lowest poverty and child poverty rates in the USA, yet according to this listing, CT is among the unhappiest.

[maxsolomon]

12. See Annie Hall

Alvy: You look like a really happy couple? Are you?
Woman: Yeah.
Alvy: Yeah? So how to you count for it?
Woman: I am very shallow and empty, and I have no ideas and nothing interesting to say.
Man: And I'm exactly the same way.
Alvy: I see. That's very interesting. So you managed to work out something?
Man: Right!

[mix]

13. .

[KamaAina]

6. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

:yourock:

[Libertas1776]

7. New York State is last?

Well, I can't disagree with that.

[comrade snarky]

10. Louisiana? I can believe that.

If you have a house, crayfish and music most of the Cajuns in my family are good. OK, Tabasco too. Gotta have the Tabasco.

But Florida? Really? I mean I've spent time in Orlando and Jacksonville. Are the people in Miami and the Keys actually happy enough to counteract those depressed crapvilles?

Orlando is right up there with Philly in the list of towns whose motto should be "You wanna fight about it?".

:hide:

[Shell Beau]

14. Except no one I know in the south calls them crayfish!!!!!

They are crawfish or mudbugs!!!!! :P

[comrade snarky]

17. Firefox spellcheck changed it

And I didn't bother to change it back.

Technically crawfish is correct. :7

[HopeHoops]

11. That data was collected BEFORE KATRINA hit.

I doubt it is still the case.

[tammywammy]

15. It's the boudain.

;)

[Shell Beau]

16. Or the gumbo or ettouffee!!

:9