What is the New England problem? Hard to google for this.

It's from the article. Some of the New England states get flipped around relative to their actual geographic positions:

> New England is where it should be, but Vermont should be switched with Connecticut and Rhode Island.

It's funny that he would notice that but not notice that RI and CT are reversed in his graph. E.g.,

  NY -- PA, RI, VT

New York borders Connecticut, but not Rhode Island.

New York borders Rhode Island in the water.

Google maps shows a border.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Long+Island+Sound/@41.3418...

There is a water border between long island and Rhode Island.