Wirt recounts:
> Those rankings have to be taken in context -- and "smartness" of the
> students has very little to do with them. The publishers' primary
> considerations concern themselves with the dollar value spent per
> student. In that form of metric, the northeastern states will always
> come out on top, simply in part because those states also have the
> very highest per capita incomes and spending per student tends to be
> based on the available tax base.

Of course Wirt uncovers the mystery immediately.  This is the same company
that does the "Safest Cities" rankings.  I really don't know how scientific
these rankings are (you have to buy the book for $50.00 to get the details)
but one press release and things like this get picked up and strewn around
like real facts.  I think Denys alone can give us proof that people in
Massachusetts are not really that smart.  ;-)

Mark "Dusty Baker is looking pretty smart right now" W.

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