It measures more then just, say economic development. It measures other things like, medical care, freedom of the press, etc. Basically an overall indicator of how good it is to live in one country versus another.
I think I saw the same list in passing on the evening news last night. It said Canada was third, Sweden second, and Norway first. Belgium was fourth, then it was Australia and at sixth place, America.
I don't have any interest in living someplace so cold, though I'm willing to visit there. Looks like if I relocate to another country, Australia will be at the top of the list. I have a place to stay in New Zealand, though, if I ever need one.
I find lists like this funny, when you consider that from a very early age there are a huge number of people who will tell you that America is the absolute *best* country on earth and to think you are lucky. After I left the US for the first time and lived overseas for a while, I came back and asked them the question: "Best for what?". It seemed to confuse them, though...
as other people have said, we've got a better health care (although, thanks to little johnny, this is degrading rapidly) system, better education system (higher literacy levels per age group, etc), less crazy judicial system... :-)
Given the current crap going on in his country and our government, I am not surprised. Though from what I've read, Australia's government is becoming just as totalitarian anymore.
What? The USA political system in corrupt? Our corporations lie? *No, really?* Holy sufferin' catfish, wait until I tell Mr. Science!:D
If you really wanna add to knowledge about disinformation or just read a bunch of high weirdness in general and draw your own conclusions, I highly reccomend the following three books.
1. You Are Being Lied To: The Disinformation Guide to Media Distortion, Historical Whitewashes and Cultural Myths Edited by Russ Kick
2. Apocalypse Culture 2 Has a scary article in it by Mr. Harris about the entire Anthrax/ Osama situation circa 1996. He claims he tried to inform the CIA about what he found and they just shrugged. Then again he got busted for benign anthrax possession. Be your own judge:).
3. Cult Rapture by Adam Parfrey (more scaryfun weirdness than conspiracy theory.) If the people in it don't squick you on some level at some point you're either a Monarch Slave or beyond the pale. don't say you weren't warned:D. The Carolyn Keene scandal is a great story about those big-eyed whatever paintings people collect.
No, it doesn't explain why our country is what it is, but it makes damn good work in the excuse depratment.
NEWS FLASH: U.S. Declares War On Norway, Sweden, Canada, Belgium, and Australia
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In a move widely praised by U.S. cultural critics, President Bush today declared war on the five countries that beat it in the quality of life ranking of the U.N.'s recent 12th Annual Human Development Report.
"The war on terrorism is about keeping America great," Bush said in a prepared speech, as American flags waved throughout the audience. "Anyone trying to stunt the greatness of America is a terrorist. By unfairly keeping the United States of America from its God-given #1 position, these countries are giving aid and support to the enemy."
Amid the loud roaring of a standing ovation, Bush shouted defiantly, "We won't rest until we're the best!"
Meanwhile, both houses of Congress finally passed the nation's long-overdue 2002 budget, in which education spending was slashed by 33 percent and Medicaid funding by 11 percent, in anticipation of upcoming deficits and of Bush's executive order authorizing emergency military spending of $234 billion.
Vice President Dick Cheney defended the cuts in a pre-recorded message issued from his underground bunker. "Spending money does not make America great," he said. "It is the spirit of the American people that makes America great. Spending less money on our citizens will just prove our greatness even more. Well, that and turning Norway into a slab of glass. What's up with that International Criminal Court anyway?"
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I don't have any interest in living someplace so cold, though I'm willing to visit there. Looks like if I relocate to another country, Australia will be at the top of the list. I have a place to stay in New Zealand, though, if I ever need one.
I find lists like this funny, when you consider that from a very early age there are a huge number of people who will tell you that America is the absolute *best* country on earth and to think you are lucky. After I left the US for the first time and lived overseas for a while, I came back and asked them the question: "Best for what?". It seemed to confuse them, though...
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Read the group sos_usa for a bit.
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Mr. Science!:D
If you really wanna add to knowledge about disinformation or
just read a bunch of high weirdness in general
and draw your own conclusions, I highly reccomend the following three books.
1. You Are Being Lied To: The Disinformation Guide to Media
Distortion, Historical Whitewashes and Cultural Myths Edited
by Russ Kick
2. Apocalypse Culture 2
Has a scary article in it by Mr. Harris about the entire
Anthrax/ Osama situation circa 1996. He claims he tried to
inform the CIA about what he found and they just shrugged.
Then again he got busted for benign anthrax possession.
Be your own judge:).
3. Cult Rapture by Adam Parfrey (more scaryfun weirdness
than conspiracy theory.) If the people in it don't squick
you on some level at some point you're either a Monarch
Slave or beyond the pale. don't say you weren't warned:D.
The Carolyn Keene scandal is a great story about those
big-eyed whatever paintings people collect.
No, it doesn't explain why our country is what it is, but
it makes damn good work in the excuse depratment.
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I also don't quite believe that we have a 99% literacy rate.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In a move widely praised by U.S. cultural critics, President Bush today declared war on the five countries that beat it in the quality of life ranking of the U.N.'s recent 12th Annual Human Development Report.
"The war on terrorism is about keeping America great," Bush said in a prepared speech, as American flags waved throughout the audience. "Anyone trying to stunt the greatness of America is a terrorist. By unfairly keeping the United States of America from its God-given #1 position, these countries are giving aid and support to the enemy."
Amid the loud roaring of a standing ovation, Bush shouted defiantly, "We won't rest until we're the best!"
Meanwhile, both houses of Congress finally passed the nation's long-overdue 2002 budget, in which education spending was slashed by 33 percent and Medicaid funding by 11 percent, in anticipation of upcoming deficits and of Bush's executive order authorizing emergency military spending of $234 billion.
Vice President Dick Cheney defended the cuts in a pre-recorded message issued from his underground bunker. "Spending money does not make America great," he said. "It is the spirit of the American people that makes America great. Spending less money on our citizens will just prove our greatness even more. Well, that and turning Norway into a slab of glass. What's up with that International Criminal Court anyway?"
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