This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Another state ranking list has popped up on the Internet. Depending on your point of view, Utah didn't fare so well. Again.
Unlike other lists that have specifically referenced prescription drug abuse, depression, happiness, quality of life, income, ACT scores and suicide rates, this one appears to be wide open.
In a post on the food/travel website Thrillest that later showed up on MSN, list authors Kevin Alexander and Matt Lynch described their research this way:
"It's time to use the perfectly American cliché 'go big or go home' and rank the states based on everything. More specifically, their contributions to America, so think inventions, food/drink, somewhat productive famous people, unique physical beauty, etc."
I'll cut right to the chase. In order of "going biggest," Michigan was on top, followed by Maine, Kentucky, Wisconsin and Louisiana.
Utah, not so well. We ranked 46th — five places from rock bottom, a place occupied by Florida. Arizona came in directly below us, followed by Ohio and Delaware.
Here's the complete explanation offered for the reason Utah was ranked 46th: "To this day Utah is still amazed it managed to host the Olympics."
That's it. We got the Olympics. And we're amazed. Not a thing about horrible air quality, crime, drug abuse, traffic, too many Mormons, crime, etc.
There are lots of reasons why Utah isn't a great place to live, but they tend to vary from person to person. Almost all of them are arbitrarily based on individual personalities. You'd rather be somewhere else. We get it.
I certainly understand. I hated Utah when my family moved here in 1970. I left everything I liked — warm weather, friends, love, the ocean, and familiarity — back in Southern California.
Had there been a permanent "Delete by Horrible Radiation" button for Utah, I would have pushed it. Hell, I would have jumped up and down on it.
That was 45 years ago. A lot has changed since then, including the fact that I wouldn't live in Southern California again on a lucrative dare. California doesn't miss me, so we're even.
I like Utah now. This is where my grandkids live. It's where my closest friends live, including the ones who get me into trouble. I love Tavaputs Plateau, Desolation Canyon, the Uinta Mountains, and Red Rock country.
That said, there are a lot of things I still don't like about Utah, including the fact that there are too many Mormons. I say this even though I am one (debatable in some circles), and because I believe that too much of anything or anyone anywhere is a bad idea.
I also don't like the Wasatch Front. It's crowded, narrow, polluted and full of people whining about how Utah is the worst place they've ever lived. So, go already. Give Islamabad or Sudan a try. We promise not to miss you.
What else? Oh, I hate Utah politics, especially Republicans. There are times when, for a dollar and a pre-approved pardon, I'd glue the entire state legislative GOP — including my friend Rep. Lee Perry — to their chairs and set the %#@* place on fire.
I'm willing to cope with — and even ignore — what I don't like in order to be near what I love. I'm pretty sure that's everyone's definition of home.
Robert Kirby can be reached at rkirby@sltrib.com or facebook.com/stillnotpatbagley.