Ebert commenting on "blue" vs. "red" states

Roger Ebert's Journal ^ | December 17 or 18, 2009 | Roger Ebert

[ctdonath2]

Ebert: Blue States have fewer murders; this is even more true in densely-populated areas. Red states have significantly more rapes. Blue states, led by Massachusetts, have a lower divorce rate than do red states. Blue states are much safer places to drive - the difference is stunning. Blue states have substantially less infant mortality - however, there are a few surprises, such as Utah. Blue state infant mortality rates are similar to those found in the rest of the developed world. Folks in blue states live longer than folks in red states. The states with the least poverty are blue, and the states with the most poverty are red.

Those statements are all cut-and-pasted from the web, here: http://j.mp/6Pk2n9

And check this out: http://j.mp/7dmY31

Out of curiosity, where did you pick up your notions about red and blue states? Happen to hear that somewhere?

[beethovenfan]

I think his balcony is closed.

[BohDaThone]

well, you can check that the number of states won by Mccain and Obama is obviously wrong (and adds up to only 48). Also, the entry from Snopes shows that the e-mail has been around since 2000 (and I rememeebr it from then), so it obviously isn't about McCain and Obama. And the murder rate is suspiciously wildly disproportionate, even by counties -- the snopes data correctly shows a disparity (higher murder rate in Gore counties), but only by roughly 3-2, not 6-1.

I'm sure Ebert's data has similar flaws or qualifications, but, always, verify before trusting!