Whose Smart? We Is!

A Kansas-based group recently gave its Smartest State Award for 2002 to Connecticut, ranking Hawaii a dismal 45th out of 50. Of course, these guys seem most interested in selling their state-ranking books. Then again, more credible outfits have also found the quality of our education lacking.

Rankings are funny things, though. Are we a healthy state? A safe state? Yes and no (see inside). So need we worry? Or is it "lies, damn lies, and statistics"?

On Health: Well, a local study proclaimed us the healthiest in the nation in 1999. But just this week the headlines said that we dropped to 14th place (according to these guys) from 9th place in 1990. Our friends in Kansas generously placed us at sixth... then ranked us the 43rd Most Livable State.

On Safety: Well, there's crime stats. And yet, the same numbers can be good news or bad news, depending on who you ask. The Kansas booksellers named Amherst, New York, the Nation's Safest City. Honolulu was ranked 99th out of 327.