Tuesday, April 3, 2007

"Good Job Tex"

Looking through a few statistical sites the other evening, I ran across some interesting facts on our beloved Texas. Isn’t it a joy to be from a state with such gleaming statistics?

Comparing Texas to the rest of the United States:
The lowest percentage of population over 25 with a high school degree or higher.
Lowest expenditure per capita on library operations.
Lowest number of paid librarians per capita.
Lowest percentage of children in excellent or very good health.
Lowest percent of occupied housing units with fuel oil, kerosene, as principle heating fuel.
Third lowest percentage of people over 25 years old who have completed high school (including equivalency).
Third lowest percentage of U.S. citizens (of those reporting) between 18 and 24 years old who voted in the 2004 election.
Third lowest percentage of eligible voters over 18 who voted in the 2004 election.
Fifth lowest percent of women 18 and older who report having had a pap smear within the last three years.
Forty-fifth (45th) health index by state. This rate states 1-50 on being the healthiest state in the U.S.
Forty-fifth ranking for best states to live in.

We also have:
Sixteen percent abortion rate.
15.6% binge drinkers
51.7% casual drinkers
5.2% heavy drinkers
Chlamydia rate is 317.7 per 100,000
24% obesity rate
Loss of natural teeth 16.6%
Prevalence of poor mental health 34.3%

Don’t fret. Texas has several top rankings.

Number one in the nation in:
Lethal Injections
Total executions 1977-2004
Total executions 2005
Total executions since 1930
Lynchings
Women under the jurisdiction of State or Federal correctional authorities
Coal consumption
Gasoline consumption
Oil consumption
Teen birth rate per 1000

Texas is number two (2) in:
Burglary
Forcible rape
Chlamydia rate
Gonorrhea rate
Suicides
Iraq war casualties
Estimated number of illegal immigrants
Population

Texas is number three (3) in:
Aggravated assault
Violent crime
Obesity rate
Exports to China

Texas in number four (4) in:
Sexual orientation hate crimes
Cumulative AIDS cases all ages
Deaths due to HIV

Texas has achieved the dubious distinction, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, of having the dirtiest air in America, of ranking 47th in water quality, and having the seventh-highest rate of release of toxic industrial byproducts onto its land.

A few more great facts about Texas.• Texas spends almost 3x the dollars per prisoner ($20,000/yr) as they do per school student ($7,100).
• #1 in pollution, 50th in open space protection.
• #2 in income inequality between the rich and poor.
• #48 in the amount of bank deposits that re-channel back into the community as business loans. (In other words, the banks rake it in but don't loan in the 'hood)
• 50th in residential electric bill affordability.
• 1st Percentage of Uninsured Children
• 2nd Income Inequality Between the Rich and the Poor
• 1st Percentage of Population without Health Insurance
• 47th Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) Scores
• 50th Percentage of Population over 25 with a High School Diploma
• 50th Percentage of Non-Elderly Women with Health Insurance
• 44th Rate of Women Aged 40+ Who Receive Mammograms
• 5th Cervical Cancer Rate
• 43rd Women's Voter Registration

Texas has the highest rates for home insurance,

Isn’t time that we, as Texans and neighbors to other states that care about the environment and health of others, to step up to the plate and change how we all alive? We should be trying to improve our State and the Earth and not have the belief that it is up to someone else to do it. Just because you are Texan doesn’t mean you should destroy lives and the environment without guilt. It is truly a disgrace to read the published statistics regarding our State and its citizens.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Sad, sad, sad. We were all set to leave in about six months before I lucked into this position with you. Man, I have been chewing at my foot to get outta here for so long it's become its own form of ennui.

The only, only thing this place has going for it is the number, variety, and quality of its privately owned restaurants. Ronnie's, Choo Chai, Home, Garcia's, Angela's...I could go on.

I read all your archives and found quite a lot to comment on...but they're archived.

God, those stats. Do you have a link? Anyway, remember when the Christofascists and their plutocratic enablers were toasting the current administration in 2000 and promising to remake the US in the image of Texas, their great success story? 'Member? Shudder.