The Bests and Worsts of America

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Brad
Member Ascendant

since 1999-08-20

Posts 5705
Jejudo, South Korea

0 posted 2003-02-11 12:00 PM

It's hard to believe that I just stumbled on this, but here it is. If you want balance, here ya go:
http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2003/01/halstead.htm

quote:
The Two Faces of America

This list of "bests" and "worsts" is based on a variety of sources—including statistics from the United Nations, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and a number of other groups and experts—but the basic criteria are consistent. Among advanced democracies, America had to rank in the top three for a category to be listed under "bests" and in the bottom three for a category to be listed under "worsts." (Where applicable, all rankings were determined on a rate basis or as a percentage of population.)

Bests      Worsts
Gross domestic product     Poverty
Productivity     Economic inequality
Business start-ups     Carbon-dioxide emissions
Long-term unemployment     Life expectancy
Expenditure on education     Infant mortality
University graduates     Homicide
R&D expenditure     Health-care coverage
High-tech exports     HIV infection
Movies exported     Teen pregnancy
Breadth of stock ownership     Personal savings
Volunteerism     Voter participation
Charitable giving     Obesity

[This message has been edited by Brad (02-11-2003 12:04 AM).]

Cpat Hair

Member Patricius

since 2001-06-05

Posts 11793

1 posted 2003-02-11 09:00 AM

surprised?

Balladeer

Administrator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-06-05

Posts 25505
Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA

2 posted 2003-02-11 10:30 AM

Worst in voter participation?? Dang it! Iraq had a 99.9% turnout in the last ,er, election. Maybe we should learn from them! LOL!

Only kidding, Brad. Some of these are very interesting. I had little doubt obesity would be one!

Brad
Member Ascendant

since 1999-08-20

Posts 5705
Jejudo, South Korea

3 posted 2003-02-11 02:51 PM

Not surprised at the statistics, just surprised that I didn't have to do any real work to find them.

Mike,

I was going to say that. Actually, I was going to ask if there really was that much of a difference in an election between two candidates but nobody deems it necessary to make the choice and an election of one candidate where everybody has to vote.

But, given the atmosphere around here, I figured people would read that and ask if I was equating America with a police state? I want to point out discrepancies, nudge and tweak sensibilities toward a more productive direction, alert people to problems, and try to come up with solutions.

I really do think that American fatalism --"What can I do after all?" -- and American anti-Americanism go hand in hand. They both imply a kind of giving up. And then I think, yeah, but you left, Brad, what can you really say and should you be saying it? I think the answer is yes I should be saying it because any commitment to internationalism is still a commitment to my home country if I think it is the best thing to do for America and for the world with America in it.

Okay, I'm just blabbering now.

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