Least and most educated states

[Tom]

http://247wallst.com/special-report/2015/09/23/the-most-and-least-educated-states/

Of note the least educated state also has the most paid per high school student.

[Lannis]

In our state, for the first time, the annual number of people dying from heroin overdoses exceeded the number of people killed in highway crashes.

But I don't know what to do with that information any more than I know what to do with the education one ..... ?

Lannis

[LowRyter]

Lannis, The Mrs and I lived in Virginia for a couple of years.  My wife is a teacher and went for the certification.  She asked why she didn't have to take Virginia History?  They said that she has already taken US History and that US History WAS Virginia History.

She enjoyed a year's teaching there.  In the Commonwealth. 

[wymple]

About the only time I've ever seen that Mississippi didn't finish at the bottom of a study. 49th.

[Triple Jim]

In our state, for the first time, the annual number of people dying from heroin overdoses exceeded the number of people killed in highway crashes.

"Heroine overdoses" is a misnomer.  As described in the Consumer's Union book "Licit and Illicit Drugs" (1972), there is evidence that nearly all "heroine overdoses" are really caused by first getting drunk, and then injesting heroine.  A person can take several times his usual dose without adverse effects, but his usual dose while drunk is often deadly.  It seems that the syndrome might better be called "Alcohol-Heroine Death".  Of course the politically correct thing to do is blame the opiate.

[Rough Edge racing]

 Useless information ..

[Lannis]

It seems that the syndrome might better be called "Alcohol-Heroine Death". 

OK, then ...

[Lannis]

Useless information ..

... supposed to fire my imagination.   I don't get no satisfaction ...

[nunzio]

"Heroine overdoses" is a misnomer.  As described in the Consumer's Union book "Licit and Illicit Drugs" (1972), there is evidence that nearly all "heroine overdoses" are really caused by first getting drunk, and then injesting heroine.  A person can take several times his usual dose without adverse effects, but his usual dose while drunk is often deadly.  It seems that the syndrome might better be called "Alcohol-Heroine Death".  Of course the politically correct thing to do is blame the opiate.

We need to start a "Don't drink and Shoot Up"  campaign ....Non-profit ,of course,...I volunteer to be CEO with an annual pay of $680,000 a year.....Alan

[sib]

"Heroine overdoses"....

It's what happens when you watch too many Shakespeare plays.

[nunzio]

Most Educated...What a joke!!!

List the 10 most influential people of the last 100 years..
How many had college degrees?

Bill Gates....NO
Steve Jobs....NO
Mark Zuckerburg.....NO


Starbucks Barista in Seattle  Yes....Women Studies

[segesta]

I watched The Hunger Games movies for 37 hours straight and suffered a Heroine overdose.

Ba dum BUM. I oughta play the big rooms, I tell ya.

But to the original post, there is a Laffer curve reference in here somewhere. For example, East St. Louis has the highest property taxes in Illinois, and the lowest tax base. And the worst schools.

[not-fishing]

Most Educated...What a joke!!!

List the 10 most influential people of the last 100 years..
How many had college degrees?

Bill Gates....NO
Steve Jobs....NO
Mark Zuckerburg.....NO


Starbucks Barista in Seattle  Yes....Women Studies

A couple of decades+ ago when my oldest was in Junior High I told him to realize that school was a lot like prison and you just have to "do the chores and do the time".  Once in a while you'll have a good class and good instructor.  The rest of your schooling you just have to "do the time" and it doesn't matter if it's Jr. High or UC Berkeley.

[sib]

Most Educated...What a joke!!!

List the 10 most influential people of the last 100 years..
How many had college degrees?

Bill Gates....NO
Steve Jobs....NO
Mark Zuckerburg.....NO


Starbucks Barista in Seattle  Yes....Women Studies

Not sure what you're trying to say.  The three examples you gave didn't formally get college degrees, but it would be a stretch to conclude that they aren't/weren't educated.  And they are/were exceptions, anyway.  Let's use more typical examples, women who get pregnant at 16, drop out of school, and will never be able to make a decent living because they have no marketable skills.  Or men who have to leave school to "help out the family", slave away at one dead-end job after another, always behind the economic curve, bitter at the "system", physically unable to work after 50, having to rely for years on the pitiful amount social security provides.

[oldbike54]

 Let's be careful here fellas .

  Dusty

[blackcat]

"Heroine overdoses" is a misnomer.  As described in the Consumer's Union book "Licit and Illicit Drugs" (1972), there is evidence that nearly all "heroine overdoses" are really caused by first getting drunk, and then injesting heroine.  A person can take several times his usual dose without adverse effects, but his usual dose while drunk is often deadly.  It seems that the syndrome might better be called "Alcohol-Heroine Death".  Of course the politically correct thing to do is blame the opiate.

Yes, but this has evolved:

"In the 1960s, New York City Medical Examiners Drs. Milton Helpern and Michael Baden studied heroin addict deaths. Heroin found near dead addicts was not unusually pure and their body tissues did not show especially high concentrations of the drug. Although the addicts typically shot up in groups, only one addict at a time died. Furthermore, the dead addicts were experienced rather than novice users and therefore should have built up tolerance to large doses of heroin.

The best guess as to what was killing these addicts (aside from general infection, illness, and malnutrition) were the impurities in the drug, such as quinine, which produced adverse reactions in some injectors. A related likelihood which is more evident today is the mixture of drugs, or of drugs and alcohol."
http://www.peele.net/lib/heroinoverdose.html

[pyoungbl]

Lannis got the headline correct but might have missed an important point:
"Deaths from heroin and opiate use outnumbered highway fatalities in Virginia for the first time last year..."
quote from the Virginia-Pilot newspaper, today.  It's not just heroin but also the overuse of opioid prescription drugs.  The point is that it's not just those needle using junkies one might picture but also a huge number of prescription drug users.  Dead is still dead so I guess it really does not matter.

Peter Y.

[canuguzzi]

Most Educated...What a joke!!!

List the 10 most influential people of the last 100 years..
How many had college degrees?

Bill Gates....NO
Steve Jobs....NO
Mark Zuckerburg.....NO


Starbucks Barista in Seattle  Yes....Women Studies

Well, Steve Jobs died because he was stupid.

[oldbike54]

Well, Steve Jobs died because he was stupid.

 How so , pancreatic cancer doesn't recognize intelligence , and is really hard to treat even with conventional methods .

  Dusty

[Triple Jim]

Useless information ..

I guess it could be if that sort of thing isn't relevant to you, and I don't blame you if it isn't.  But it is to me, not because I use heroine, but because I prefer to place blame where it belongs in this case.

[Lannis]

Lannis got the headline correct but might have missed an important point:
"Deaths from heroin and opiate use outnumbered highway fatalities in Virginia for the first time last year..."
quote from the Virginia-Pilot newspaper, today.  It's not just heroin but also the overuse of opioid prescription drugs.  The point is that it's not just those needle using junkies one might picture but also a huge number of prescription drug users.  Dead is still dead so I guess it really does not matter.

Peter Y.

I agree.   I was just trying to keep it simple.    Heroin with other opiates, Heroin after ethanol poisoning, Opiates by mouth/needle .... the point is still the same, nobody has to be doing that shyte,  and dead is still dead.

Geez, I know we want to be accurate, but it's like we're afraid of giving heroin a bad name ....

Lannis

[canuguzzi]

How so , pancreatic cancer doesn't recognize intelligence , and is really hard to treat even with conventional methods .

  Dusty

He had a very high probability of being cured but instead sought homeopathic solutions. He was diagnosed early when the chance of success was highest. He acted stupidly.

[charlie b]

Dumb set of statistics as it relates to education systems.  Good data if you are looking for a job.

This area of NM has a very high percentage of advanced degrees.  Why?  Sandia National Lab, Los Alamos National Lab, Air Force Research Lab.  Then add all the contractors in the area that support those three (like me :)  ).  A VERY small percentage of people working at those places got their degrees in this state.  NM has one of the worst education records in the country, usually ranked in the bottom 10.

[lucian]

I alwise touht Mane twas sposed ta haf da bestas edjumacasion. Wiked smaat teechass.

[canuguzzi]

I alwise touht Mane twas sposed ta haf da bestas edjumacasion. Wiked smaat teechass.

They also have the evlyn woodhead sped redin course there.

[stormshearon]

So the gist of the article seems to be, the more 'college educated' people in a state, the 'smarter' the whole state is? I know a lot of folks with college degrees that are not smart enough to come in out of the rain - I don't think the attainment of a college degree means what it used to mean. I think all it means today is that you got the degree - that and 10 bucks will get you coffee at a Starbucks.

[Lannis]

So the gist of the article seems to be, the more 'college educated' people in a state, the 'smarter' the whole state is?

No, I don't think that's the gist, especially since the article never uses the word "smarter".   Just Most Educated and Least Educated.    Someone can be "educated" and be really stupid, and the article doesn't address that ....

Lannis

[cj750]

I'm reminded of the words of the great philosopher, Paul Simon:

...my lack of education hasn’t hurt me none.
 I can read the writing on the wall.

[rocker59]

Which came first?  The chicken or the egg?

West Virginia is last.  Why?  Massachusetts is first.  Why?

Could it be because people who get college degrees gravitate to places with jobs which require them?

How many native West Virginians who have college degrees have moved to Massachusetts for job opportunities?

The only way this "report" would mean anything would be if they surveyed you by State of Birth, rather than State of Residence.

Charlie had a very good example with Los Alamos.  An island of education in a desert mostly devoid of it.  The only reason there are a lot of residents in Santa Fe / Los Alamos with advanced degrees is because they support the government operations there.

The two county metro area where I live is benefitting from the emigration of many out of Staters with advanced degrees.  That's because Wal-Mart and Tyson general offices, and all the vendors who support them, are hiring people with specific management, marketing, and transportation degrees.  Those people aren't from around here, and for the most part didn't go to school here.  But, as residents they would push up the numbers in a survey like this...

[Lannis]

Which came first?  The chicken or the egg?

West Virginia is last.  Why?  Massachusetts is first.  Why?

Could it be because people who get college degrees gravitate to places with jobs which require them?

How many native West Virginians who have college degrees have moved to Massachusetts for job opportunities?

The only way this "report" would mean anything would be if they surveyed you by State of Birth, rather than State of Residence.

Charlie had a very good example with Los Alamos.  An island of education in a desert mostly devoid of it.  The only reason there are a lot of residents in Santa Fe / Los Alamos with advanced degrees is because they support the government operations there.

The two county metro area where I live is benefitting from the emigration of many out of Staters with advanced degrees.  That's because Wal-Mart and Tyson general offices, and all the vendors who support them, are hiring people with specific management, marketing, and transportation degrees.  Those people aren't from around here, and for the most part didn't go to school here.  But, as residents they would push up the numbers in a survey like this...

Whoever put this useless survey together (which, as we've concluded means absolutely nothing), probably has a Harvard MBA and is very proud of how smart and educated he is .....

Lannis