22 replies to this topic

[Wino]

PARIS (AFP) – Norway takes the number one spot in the annual United Nations human development index released Monday but China has made the biggest strides in improving the well-being of its citizens.

The index compiled by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) ranks 182 countries based on such criteria as life expectancy, literacy, school enrolment and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita.

Norway, Australia and Iceland took the first three spots while Niger ranks at the very bottom, just below Afghanistan.

China moved up seven places on the list to rank as the 92nd most developed country due to improvements in education as well as income levels and life expectancy.

Colombia and Peru rose five spaces to rank 77th and 78th while France -- which was not part of the top 10 last year -- returns to the upper echelons by moving up three places to number 8.

The UNDP said the index highlights the grave disparities between rich and poor countries.

A child born in Niger can expect to live to just over 50, which is 30 years less than a child born in Norway. For every dollar a person earns in Niger, 85 dollars are earned in Norway.

This year's index was based on data from 2007 and does not take into account the impact of the global economic crisis.

"Many countries have experienced setbacks over recent decades, in the face of economic downturns, conflict-related crises and the HIV and AIDS epidemic," said the UN development report's author Jeni Klugman.

"And this was even before the impact of the current global financial crisis was felt."

Afghanistan, which returns to the list for the first time since 1996, is the only Asian country among the bottom ten which also include Sierra Leone in the 180th spot, just below the Central African Republic.

The top ten countries listed on the index are: Norway, Australia, Iceland, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Switzerland and Japan.

The United States ranks 13th, down one spot from last year.

From: http://news.yahoo.co...elopmentpoverty

[lvdkeyes]

Too bad Norway is so cold in the winter with long nights.

[Wino]

lvdkeyes, on 07 October 2009 - 03:39 AM, said:

Too bad Norway is so cold in the winter with long nights.

It is too bad the winters are long and cold because the people are very friendly. The countryside is beautiful, especially the fjords.

[Beer Chang]

Maybe quality of life should be measured by how much people smile?

[Wino]

Beer Chang, on 07 October 2009 - 07:36 PM, said:

Maybe quality of life should be measured by how much people smile?

How much people smile would be good. How about measuring it by the cost of beer? I couldn't believe how much they wanted for a little glass of beer in most of the Scandinavian countries. Ridiculous.

[lvdkeyes]

Thailand is the Land of Smiles, but I hardly think the millions of poor people here would say Thailand has a high quality of life. I will hasten to say that I love Thailand with all of its foibles.

[Beer Chang]

lvdkeyes, on 08 October 2009 - 02:06 AM, said:

Thailand is the Land of Smiles, but I hardly think the millions of poor people here would say Thailand has a high quality of life. I will hasten to say that I love Thailand with all of its foibles.

I've been to shacks in Issan and the people seem happy.

Poor people in the slums of America seem bitter.

But I get what you're saying Lvd.

[Beer Chang]

lvdkeyes, on 08 October 2009 - 02:06 AM, said:

Thailand is the Land of Smiles, but I hardly think the millions of poor people here would say Thailand has a high quality of life. I will hasten to say that I love Thailand with all of its foibles.

I've been to shacks in Issan and the people seem happy.

Poor people in the slums of America seem bitter.

But I get what you're saying Lvd.

[Wino]

Beer Chang, on 08 October 2009 - 06:37 AM, said:

I've been to shacks in Issan and the people seem happy.

Happiness comes from within. Money cannot buy happiness....although you might be able to rent a few happy moments.

[lvdkeyes]

Smiling and being happy are not what the UNDP's criteria was regarding quality of life.

[WannaGo]

For what it's worth, men commit suicide in Norway at more than three times the rate of those in Thailand (19.5 to 5.6). The rate's also a little more than 10% higher than that for men in the US. Got to be all that damn cold weather and snow.

[lvdkeyes]

Probably the long dark winters cause depression. Prolonged "cabin fever" can get to you.

[Wino]

lvdkeyes, on 09 October 2009 - 06:24 AM, said:

Probably the long dark winters cause depression. Prolonged "cabin fever" can get to you.

I hear the same goes for Seattle. All the dark gloomy days increases depression, thus a higher suicide rate.

[lvdkeyes]

I thought the coffee in Seattle kept everyone euphoric.

[WannaGo]

OK, this seems counter-intuitive, but suicide rates seem to peak when it is warm, not during the gloom of winter. That's been the case with studies in the UK, Taiwan and Greenland.

The BBC interviewed a researcher in the UK study and she offered some plausible explanations:

She said: "We felt overall that the most likely explanation was probably a psychological one where for some people you have an unusually high degree of irritability, aggression and impulsivity."

She said it was possible that the effect was linked to levels of the mood-controlling chemical serotonin in the brain, which have been shown to dip in the summer months.

Alternatively, the suicide rate may be linked to the tendency to consume higher levels of alcohol in hot weather.

However, she said the finding was unlikely to be down to people being made miserable by seeing others enjoying the good weather, as the effect was specific to unusually hot days, rather than summer days in general.

[Wino]

This website mentions trends in seasonal suicides dating back to the 1880's. http://www.marginalr...-in-winter.html
Seems suicide is a complex subject. Perhaps the winter blues are not as bad as they once were? Maybe it was an urban myth about Seattle being high on the suicide list? I guess the rainy, gloomy days of winter and cabin fever are not as bad these days with all our modern communication gadgets. Although in the vast majority of cases, suicide is a result of mental illness. Major depression is usually the cause and depression can be brought on by a number of reasons.

[lvdkeyes]

The top 7 countries with the highest suicide rate are eastern European countries, according to Wikipedia.

[Wino]

With all the suicide bombers in the middle east, I would have thought one of those countries would make the list.

[lvdkeyes]

Not according to Wikipedia.

[Wino]

lvdkeyes, on 12 October 2009 - 04:06 PM, said:

Not according to Wikipedia.

How up to date is Wikipedia? Seems like the news is filled with guys wanting to meet Alla.