Every two years, the Mercatus Center at George Mason University publishes their “Freedom in the 50 States” index.
This year’s most free state? It’s a virtual tie…between New Hampshire and South Dakota. And the least free state?
New York
Lady Liberty, look the other way. (Oh good, she is.)
Turns out my beloved Empire State got dinged for our particularly high taxes, health insurance regulations, anti-smoking laws, lack of medical marijuana and no same-sex marriage (only one vote away!).
Oh…that.
Jason Sorens, co-author of the study and assistant professor at CUNY Buffalo — who (ahem) lives in New York — admits the state has other benefits.
“New York City has a lot going for it…if you like culture, the arts, music, having lots of things to do, nightlife — you’re going to value having more things to do even if you feel more impinged upon.”
Exactly, Jason. And the things that may make other people feel ‘impinged upon’ — not being able to smoke in Central Park, for example — don’t make me feel any less free.
That’s the beauty of the USA. There are 50 different states. If you don’t like the one you’re in, you can move to one you like better.
Like I did.
Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose…” Me & Bobby McGee, Janis Joplin
Lovely litter
I’ve often heard people say Manhattan is a ‘filthy city,’ but I just don’t see it.
Maybe that’s because Justin Gignac is selling all our garbage.
Justin is an artist based in Soho. When a colleague poo-poo’ed the importance of package design, Justin took it as a professional challenge. He grabbed the one thing no one would ever want to buy and packaged it in such a way that they would.
It’s real trash from the streets of Manhattan, although Justin swears it’s odor-free. Each cube is dated and signed by the artist.
His first cube came from Times Square, where I’m sure you can collect some seriously gross garbage, iffin you’re of a mind.
He’s also made special edition cubes — at equally special prices — for such righteous refuse as Obama’s Inauguration and the Yankees Victory Parade.
Who would buy garbage, you ask? Some 1,300 folks from over 29 different countries to date. And really, isn’t it a far more artistic way to recycle than rinsing out milk cartons?
So, during your next family vacation or theatre weekend in New York City, be better than souvenir t-shirts or a miniature Statue of Liberty. Demand clear cubes of certified New York City waste products — your friends will love ‘em!
And my neighborhood will stay minty fresh…
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Posted in Advertising, Art, Business, Commentary, Crafts, Design, Family, Friends, Humor, Shopping, Travel
Tagged advertising, art, artist, Business, commentary, design, family, family vacation, friends, garbage, Garbage of New York City, Humor, Justin Gignac, life, Manhattan, New York City, New York theatre weekend, Obama Inauguration, package design, recycling, refuse, shopping, Soho, souvenirs, statue of liberty, t-shirts, Times Square, trash, Travel, waste products, Yankees victory parade