Reputations of States - Some fun maps

[Rain Man]

As a market researcher, I'll preface this by saying that it's a panel from one of the worst businesses in our industry and so it's not really generalizable, but nonetheless it's kind of fun.

I suspect that there's a bit of a problem in that people may vote for their own states, which probably should be taken out of the data. As such, I figure that bigger states are amplified. I suspect that it wouldn't change the conclusions, though.

http://www.businessinsider.com/poll-...-states-2013-8

[kcchiefsus]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I suspect that a lot of states suffer because people haven't been there to see them. Montana's not a huge tourist draw. I wonder what percent of Americans have ever set foot in the state.

That's probably the way to improve this panel (aside from doing it as a real survey). You should ask people what states they've been to, and adjust the figures to account for visitation.

I bet 75 percent of Americans have been to California, and I bet 1 percent have been to North Dakota.

I get your point, but I doubt 75 percent of Americans have been to California. Your average American is an untraveled person who doesn't know anything beyond their own backyard.

[kcchiefsus]

Originally Posted by Predarat

Maybe it was Texas people voting they wanted to be kicked out of America. Texas is one of the best states in the entire USA.

Texas would be great if it wasn't for Texans

[nychief]

Originally Posted by kcchiefsus

I get your point, but I doubt 75 percent of Americans have been to California. Your average American is an untraveled person who doesn't know anything beyond their own backyard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHJbSvidohg

[TEX]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

Any poll that has people voting that NY has hotter residents than Texas is immediately invalidated. NYers are troglodytes in comparison. NYers are freaking troglodytes compared to MISSOURI for ****s sake.

troglodytes

[blaise]

People from other states say they hate Texas but most of the people I know here came here from other places.

[rockymtnchief]

I lived in eastern Colorado for two years (Joes). It's nothing to see...at least in that area.

[DMAC]

I love how Arkansas seemed to get votes for worst scenery.

Good, stay away.

[Frosty]

The people voting for Idaho in this thing either haven't been there or think it's all like the SE corner. Pretty much everything north of Boise is pretty nice. The drive from Boise to Lewiston along the Salmon River is cool.



You also have Hell's Canyon along the Snake River



In the north panhandle, you also have places like Pend Oreille Lake and the Selkirk Mountains.



Also, they haven't heard of Sun Valley?




Also, Nevada is pretty dark in the "Worst Scenery" poll. last April, we drove straight north from Las Vegas to Twin Falls, ID and I was very surprised at the scenery. I was expecting flat desert and it wasn't like that at all (only around Vegas). The northeast is pretty mountainous.

[splatbass]

Originally Posted by kcchiefsus

I get your point, but I doubt 75 percent of Americans have been to California. Your average American is an untraveled person who doesn't know anything beyond their own backyard.

There is some truth to that. I've lived around the country (Missouri, California, Virginia, Hawaii) and I find that people have a lot of misconceptions about places they haven't been. California seems to be the most misunderstood.

I hear a lot of people - and see people here - running down California all the time, and you can tell they have never even been there. Part of it is political. There is a belief, pushed by radio and TV pundits, that it is all liberal hippies, weirdos, socialists and gays. Of course that is far from the truth. The liberals are mostly in the big cities, with 90% of the state being red as can be. It is actually a very nice place, with beautiful mountains, beaches, deserts, etc. I lived there for 6 years and loved it.

It is all about perceptions, not reality.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by rockymtnchief

I lived in eastern Colorado for two years (Joes). It's nothing to see...at least in that area.

You lived in Joes? It must have devastated the local economy when you moved, given that you were a significant portion of the total population.

[Ace Gunner]

I could live on alaskan king crab. actually, I lived in alaska for a year and the food was not great. Hawaii has the best food imo.

[Frosty]

Washington isn't shaded real dark in the "Best Food" but it's shaded darker than it should, imo. Salmon, apples and cherries are good but that's about all there is. It's tough to get decent produce here, especially on the east side.

[AndChiefs]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

As a market researcher, I'll preface this by saying that it's a panel from one of the worst businesses in our industry and so it's not really generalizable, but nonetheless it's kind of fun.

I suspect that there's a bit of a problem in that people may vote for their own states, which probably should be taken out of the data. As such, I figure that bigger states are amplified. I suspect that it wouldn't change the conclusions, though.

http://www.businessinsider.com/poll-...-states-2013-8

*coughs*

We asked respondents — 1603 of them — to answer each question with a state that wasn't their own. The poll was carried out using SurveyMonkey's Audience feature, which was more accurate predicting the 2012 election than numerous traditional pollsters.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by AndChiefs

*coughs*

* Looks stonily, clears throat, changes subject *

Thanks. I didn't notice that.

[bevischief]

Originally Posted by DaFace

As someone who has made that drive no fewer than 30 times in the past decade (and will be doing so this weekend), I can confirm that that drive is absolutely soul devouring.

Going to the game?