Sometimes reading the news makes me crazy.
Take yesterday’s report that a “personal finance website” ranked Hawaii as “the third worst state for retirees, just above the District of Columbia and Rhode Island.”
First, of course, there’s the question of the source. What is WalletHub and why are we listening to them? That’s never explained.
Second, there are the criteria. I have to scratch my head. If Hawaii is so bad for retirees, why is it that those retirees can look forward to living longer in Hawaii than any place else in the country? Isn’t staying alive the most important thing, not something to be mentioned in an aside?
And what about weather? Somehow Hawaii wasn’t ranked among the cities with the best “mild weather” rankings. Instead, the top spots went to Glendale, Riverside, and Bakersfield, all in California; Scottsdale, Arizona; and Henderson, Nevada. Summer temperature in Scottsdale are over 100 degrees. I don’t think Honolulu has ever reached 100. And exactly who would rather live in Bakersfield than Honolulu?
And my cousin, who is a professor at Boise State, must be rolling her eyes at the idea that Boise is a more attractive spot than Honolulu. I guess if you don’t mind a really crazy state legislature, low pay, poor health insurance, guns at every turn (including in classrooms), miserable summer and winter weather….then maybe Boise is your place!
Okay. I can see Hawaii, and many other favorite destinations, getting high marks with an asterisk (* “if you can afford it”). But a flat out low rank? That raises a long list of immediate questions and red flags.
It looks like Wallethub put out a news release which was pick up and uncritically reported by local media, including KHON and the Star-Advertiser, as well as media across the country.
Okay, report this as “entertainment,” like comic strips. But if you’re reporting it as news, shouldn’t there be at least some semblance of critical thinking?
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“Okay, report this as “entertainment,” like comic strips. But if you’re reporting it as news, shouldn’t there be at least some semblance of critical thinking?”
Well, how about a “news report” where the focus is a total falsehood reported as true, and the newspaper refuses to publish a correction even after top editors and publisher were given proof that it was false? Since Ian’s blogsite no longer allows comments containing URL links, here’s the workaround: Go to Google and drop in the following 4 words all at once:
goebbels award star bulletin
And let’s not forget the favorable tax treatment of pensions (although that’ll be less of a benefit as fewer retirees have pensions that qualify).
Perhaps one’s expectations of “news” needs to change since much of what’s in print, radio, TV, web is actually a tiny smattering of facts along with commentary and unchallenged opinion. Very few people bother to say something when a story that appears on a news platform contains conjecture about an unknown future based on dubious facts.
I’m thinking of specific instances and issues (e.g., GMOs, big-ag, rail), but almost anything that has a bit of controversy receives this treatment b/c sound bites are easy sells for the pop culture audience of today.
Really sick and tired of sound bites. Listen for an upcoming report that interests me and it lasts about 30 seconds, if that long, and gives no information at all.
Think of today’s news stories as a series of horoscopes. Fun to read, they must be right if they agree with you, but do not use them for any important decisions.
Hawaii has perhaps the world’s best weather, but the cost of living, especially housing, must earn it a low rank for retirees, except rich one or retired military who have the stores on base.
I seriously considered returning to Washington state in the SW portion.
I did a complete evaluation( Excel spread sheets) of my monthly costs in both states. I even included the costs of using the dump
( in WA you pay by the pound).
I’m a pensioner and own my home outright.
All things being equal property size, house, shop space et al,
It would cost upwards of $900 more to live in WA
than where I live, here, until age 65 then the difference,
drops to $400 .
The big loss for staying in Hawaii is personal rights and
liberties. WA state is much more free than Hawaii in
many ways.
I’ll stay here and tilt at Liberal Democrat windmills.
It is warm and I only have to chop wood when I want to.