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You say we are reducing crime with harsher sentences, but we have the highest number of prisoners per capita in the world. What should we make of the fact that we have 80% more people in jail than the global average (and leading Canada by 84%)? Are just better at catching people? Then there is the fact that yearly prisoner intake is increasing steadily. Of course, that said, I am not sure how to interpret that the incarceration rate has slowed. I would also like to point out that just because violent crime is going down (as your data demonstrate), it does not indicate that crime as a whole is decreasing. Case in point: we have more and more white collar crime that (largely) goes unpunnished. Your assumption, by the way, that harsher sentencing is a direct contributor is likely erroneous. Take Finland’s admirably low crime rates and note their justice system utilizes lighter sentences which focus on rehabilitation (I will cite a source after I get to work ;).

Oddly enough carbon dioxide emissions are not directly proportional to how economically developed you are.

I think the effect you are seeing is the industrial-age core of Russia (an old development from USSR days) and of China (a new development since 1970's).

Countries become more CO2 emitting as they develop from farming to industry, then they have the opportunity to become more efficient and less CO2 emitting as they become more information-age oriented.

Bangladesh has 144 million people, but is so underdeveloped that it contributes to only 0.14% of GDP and also 0.14% of global CO2 emissions.

Another good way to look at things is CO2 emissions per capita. Towards the bottom of the list are many very populous but incredibly poor African countries.

Heck, if you kept a journal, I'd friend you just because you know how to debate, and would probably have some interesting things to say.

People resort to violence when they're desperate. Hard times make people desperate. If we really wanted to fix the violent crime problem, we'd do a few things:

1. decriminalize a lot of the "social crimes" - the war on drugs is lost - the only ones benefiting from it are ogranized crime and crooked cops; these are social and health issues
2. improve funding for education, instead of reducing it, as has been done under the "No Child Left Behind" scheme
3. realize that the general populace is more in need of tax relief than multi-millionaires
4. get out of Iraq. and don't try a strategy of replacing ground troops with more air power. It's going to take 20 years minimum for that particular wound to heal, why keep picking at it?
5. fix the health system so that people don't go broke when they get sick, or put off treatment fo so long that what was a minor problem becomes catastrophic
6. get some sort of hand-gun control. Canada has more guns per capita than the US, but 1/3 the murder rate per capita http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_mur_cap

Mixing violent TV shows with a culture of guns is dangerous. The stats show it - 3x the murder rate.

The NRA has made a big thing about it being a constitutional right - nowhere in the constitution does it mention handguns, and thats what is doing most of the killing. Guns don't kill people - gun nuts with handguns kill people.

The rape rate in Canada is more than twice of the US. Property crimes are on the rise. Violent crime is on the rise. All crimes are higher than in all of the concealed-carry states. All thanks to our government's idea of gun control and the left-socialists who are in power. Sure, downtown Toronto is different from downtown Detroit, but the difference is disappearing. Don't come to Canada because it is safer than US, because it isn't. Come to Canada to help us take back our freedom.

And no, I'm not an angry old xenophobic white man. I'm a young immigrant from Eastern Europe hoping Canada doesn't turn in into one.

the United States ranks 8th in the world in the number of murders committed with firearms per capita.

it's not exactly running with blood, but speaking as an american, it's not a statistic i'm particularly proud of either.

And why there are so many more burglaries and car thefts in the UK per capita, criminals have less fear that their victims are armed.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_bur_cap

And why in the US we feel 10% safer walking in the dark, second only to sweden in a survey of 15 nations

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_per_of_saf _wal_in_dar

And why there are so many more burglaries and car thefts in the UK per capita, criminals have less fear that their victims are armed.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_bur_cap

And why in the US we feel 10% safer walking in the dark, second only to sweden in a survey of 15 nations

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_per_of_saf _wal_in_dar

Of course, then there's the other piece of information I know... a girl who was offered free Platinum(? whatever the highest level of membership), in perpuity, for a regular but occasional stream of profiles created. She didn't even have to respond to anything... just create the profiles.

"Widespread lawbreaking indicates a problem with the laws, and not with the crime."

Do you really think that argument holds water? Would you consider the 12,000 murders each year in the United States widespread? If that number isn't high enough, what about the 90,000 rapes? Still not high enough, what about 1.1 million car thefts? Suddenly the numbers are looking pretty widespread and yet I don't think anyone would argue there's a problem with laws against murder, rape or car theft. Want to get even higher? How about the 2.1 million burglaries and 2.2 million assaults?

At what point does a crime start becoming widespread? If murder were at the same rate as copyright infringement, would you argue that both were bad laws, neither were bad laws, or only one?

Oh, stats from here by the way.

Since Wal*Mart is the largest company ever, in the history of the world...I thought that maybe you knew a little bit about it.

In fact, Wal*Mart's revenue last year was $288 billion (dollars, U.S.).

As a comparison, take a look at this chart.

If Walmart were a country, it would rank 14th in terms of size of economy. In fact, financially it is over 5 times larger than the economy of the entire country of New Zealand (which judging from your link, is where you live.)

So I just assume that someone who reads up on current issues, and is even just slightly aware of world politics and/or economy would know something about Wal*Mart.

If you don't know anything about Wal*Mart, you might want to look into it. It *will* be affecting your life soon, because the world is getting smaller, and they are the biggest global powerhouse company.

Whether it be a store opening near you- or the price of wool dropping because of the price pressures Wal*Mart puts on manufacturers, very few people are NOT affected.

Or, you can just stick your head in the sand.

Much more relevant than the battery is the fact that electricity is only cleaner if you use clean resources to produce it. In the United States, where something like 50 percent of all electricity consumed is generated by burning coal (a substantially dirtier energy source that gas, although gas itself accounts for 10 percent), hybrid cars are still more experiemtn/novelty than solution.

Russia 0.8
China 1.4
US 1.7
India 2.4
Germany 2.5
Norway 3.8
Sweden 4.4
There are *more* cars pro capita in the USA than in most any other country, including those where there's no logical reason cars are "less needed" (your "norway is compact" claim ain't gonna fly)

US building-standards prescribe *significantly* less heat-insulation than what is common in large parts of Europe, which adds to cost for AC and heating alike.

Well, guess that does explain it.

Russia 0.8
China 1.4
US 1.7
India 2.4
Germany 2.5
Norway 3.8
Sweden 4.4
There are *more* cars pro capita in the USA than in most any other country, including those where there's no logical reason cars are "less needed" (your "norway is compact" claim ain't gonna fly)

US building-standards prescribe *significantly* less heat-insulation than what is common in large parts of Europe, which adds to cost for AC and heating alike.

Well, guess that does explain it.

Obviously these rankings will bear out your statements - http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-B/lab_une_rat

If you want to see truly speech oppressive societies, just look at Europe and their numerous speech codes/laws.

My brother in law is 16. He wakes-up at 6.45 and leaves home at 7.15 to get to school by 8AM. He studies until 6PM then goes to after-school class until 8PM then has another 3 hours of after-class to do his homework (supervised). He comes back at quater to midnight (thankfully his school is only 45 minutes away from home). He sleeps 5-6 hours a night. How long could you go on like this? To me, that would amount to mental torture. I can't go without sleep for very long... or I'd just walk around like a zombie for the rest of the day, being rubbish at my job.
Let's go back to my brother: If he didn't study like that in middle school, he wouldn't have gotten in a good high-school. If he doesn't study now, he won't get into a good university. If he doesn't get good university grades, he won't get into Samsung (or whatever it is he wants to become... Samsung is every Korean's dream of a good job).

You know where it all stops: When (if) you get a good job, then you can breath. If you don't get a good job, there's always suicide.
When does it start,though? How hard is it to get into a good middle school or primary school? or a good kinder garden?

Pre-natal english lessons with speakers against the mother's belly aren't unheard of. That cruel operation supposed to give kids a more agile tongue so necessary to speak english is also something practised in Korea. Peer-pressure leading to stupid diets and crave for plastic surgery or women injecting engine oil in their face or intentional self-mutilation... Yes, it is all happening in Korea. The whole society is going out of control. I'm telling you, parents don't understand what their kids are becoming. How could they when they only see their kids for 1 or 2 hours a day? But somehow, they know it's for their own good and that things will turn-out ok... or not.

If you've never been immersed in the Korean society, you won't get what's happening. Let's just say... it's not about the kids being a bit overworked and needing some Prozac and Councelling help, it goes much deeper than that.

Want something to chill out and help you sleep?

In April 2000, a victim of habitual wife-beating shared her story and photos through the Internet, shedding light on the severity of inhumane violence in Korean homes. The perpetrator, who suffered from the delusion that his wife was unfaithful to him, had been torturing her in the most despicable way. He tied her up and thrashed her, poured boiling water on her body, disfigured her face with a knife, tortured her with electric shocks, pulled out her teeth with pliers, and stabbed her in the abdomen with a butcher knife. The Inchon branch of Korea Women's Hotline took charge of the case and launched an on-line signature collecting campaign. It collected a daily average of 1,000 signatures, succeeding in putting the eradication of domestic violence on the social agenda. Women groups had demanded that the perpetrator be charged with attempted murder, but the Inchon District Court sentenced the man to 15 years imprisonment for violence. This is the highest sentence that can be given for domestic violence that does not result in death.

If you consider "America" to mean the collective economic endeavors of the Establishment, then invading parts of Southwest Asia is *precisely* "protecting America". When you say that phrase is being perverted, you're really just feeling the fact that they deleted a very crucial letter of "protecting Americans". Another way they could have described what they're doing is to say "protecting very very very wicked rich Americans" but that's nowhere as effective propaganda because the bumper stickers would have to be like six feet wide. See also: "Support the election-year campaigns of the people who deploy the troops because these people are takign a REALLY HARD LINE on mega-criminals!"

Invading Korea - totally different, in that there's no considerable natural resources to pillage, and certainly minimal petroreserves. I guess you gotta keep the industry in South Korea predictable? The fact that there's not a obvious thing to buy from the people there is probably why this is pretty low on the war.radar. And make no mistake, if you were using a billion of something a day and there was a lot of it in the backyard of a obvious motherfucker who has been a true dick on the world stage, and you had 300 million people whose lives you were responsible and you had any balls at all, you would pretty much have to go over there and relieve that dude of his post. The choice to

It's this pussyfooting and lying and dishonesty about "yellowcake uranium" and "aluminum tubes" and "oh yeah that's fake but all these WMDs! this is an obvious bunker here here and these guys are holding a bucket of "liquid death" they could put this in the water folks! and then we're all well and truly fucked aren't we??? oh well we found some stuff they could have used to make hydrogen gas, who knows right? and the terrists used a binary chemical shell in a IED anyway, right?" And "freedom". If you want to call the freedom to buy anything you want from any corporation that you want, yes, we are giving the Iraqis freedom and thats *terrific* but why can't the government figure out a way to just break it down and convince people of something by explaining it using logic and science?

"The world is going down. We wan't to be on top at the end. We're pretty well positioned but we've got a lot of work to do and the clock is ticking."

Anyone who can't explain this without resorting to lies about nukes and Islam and Saddam's war crimes and Freedom is not very convincing, http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/ene_oil_con_th o_bar_dai_sha_of_tot&int=-1 and, say, http://physics.wwu.edu:8082/jstewart/physics101/wo rldconsumption.pdf just make it seem so obvious: we're going to be at a turning point soon. Is there more that our society be doing to prepare for this, or should we let the boys in tan & brown & green & black try and fight our way into the future all by themselves?

vvj

Meanwhile, most of our crime rates are lower than those in Europe

I'd like to know where you get that information, 'cause mine contradicts it.

Murder: 0.04 per 1000 capita for the US, most European countries sitting around 0.01.
Total prosecutions: 48 per 1000 capita US, highest in Europe around 30 per 1000
Total crimes: 80 per 1000 capita US, some European countries have higher, but average is around 60 per 1000

Meanwhile, most of our crime rates are lower than those in Europe

I'd like to know where you get that information, 'cause mine contradicts it.

Murder: 0.04 per 1000 capita for the US, most European countries sitting around 0.01.
Total prosecutions: 48 per 1000 capita US, highest in Europe around 30 per 1000
Total crimes: 80 per 1000 capita US, some European countries have higher, but average is around 60 per 1000

Meanwhile, most of our crime rates are lower than those in Europe

I'd like to know where you get that information, 'cause mine contradicts it.

Murder: 0.04 per 1000 capita for the US, most European countries sitting around 0.01.
Total prosecutions: 48 per 1000 capita US, highest in Europe around 30 per 1000
Total crimes: 80 per 1000 capita US, some European countries have higher, but average is around 60 per 1000

Actually, we spend the most money on education.

What do you mean by this? Surely not that most of our tax money goes to education.

Do you mean that we spend the most money on education of any country? Per student, I assume you mean (only meaningful measurement)?

If so, I find that hard to believe.

In fact, This chart says otherwise. According to it, we're 36th. *Nicaragua* beats us. The one for education spending by % of GDP was even worse--we're 46th.

Now, if you ask scientists (which pretty much includes anyone with a higher degree in science, but presumably people of intelligence and education)

Ah, those people. Too bad they are in the minority. Check out these numbers:

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/edu_gra_12_adv _stu_sci

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/edu_pro_of_20_ yea_old_in_ter_edu

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/edu_stu_att_fi n_sch_bor

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/edu_tea_as_per _of_lab_for

The US hovers around 15 in the world for all categories except for being number 2 in thinking school is boring. The other anomaly is the proportion of 20 year olds in higher education at 38%. That number is pretty misleading and I didn't know it was that high. However, a majority of students in average colleges are simply there because they are told to for whatever reason. They are not there to learn or do science. Maybe the nebulous "get a good job", and there a majority of college majors are in business. I personally believe that college has become something to keep the labor force low and tricking people into working harder so they can pay off their loans. But I could be wrong.

Now, if you ask scientists (which pretty much includes anyone with a higher degree in science, but presumably people of intelligence and education)

Ah, those people. Too bad they are in the minority. Check out these numbers:

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/edu_gra_12_adv _stu_sci

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/edu_pro_of_20_ yea_old_in_ter_edu

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/edu_stu_att_fi n_sch_bor

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/edu_tea_as_per _of_lab_for

The US hovers around 15 in the world for all categories except for being number 2 in thinking school is boring. The other anomaly is the proportion of 20 year olds in higher education at 38%. That number is pretty misleading and I didn't know it was that high. However, a majority of students in average colleges are simply there because they are told to for whatever reason. They are not there to learn or do science. Maybe the nebulous "get a good job", and there a majority of college majors are in business. I personally believe that college has become something to keep the labor force low and tricking people into working harder so they can pay off their loans. But I could be wrong.

Now, if you ask scientists (which pretty much includes anyone with a higher degree in science, but presumably people of intelligence and education)

Ah, those people. Too bad they are in the minority. Check out these numbers:

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/edu_gra_12_adv _stu_sci

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/edu_pro_of_20_ yea_old_in_ter_edu

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/edu_stu_att_fi n_sch_bor

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/edu_tea_as_per _of_lab_for

The US hovers around 15 in the world for all categories except for being number 2 in thinking school is boring. The other anomaly is the proportion of 20 year olds in higher education at 38%. That number is pretty misleading and I didn't know it was that high. However, a majority of students in average colleges are simply there because they are told to for whatever reason. They are not there to learn or do science. Maybe the nebulous "get a good job", and there a majority of college majors are in business. I personally believe that college has become something to keep the labor force low and tricking people into working harder so they can pay off their loans. But I could be wrong.

Now, if you ask scientists (which pretty much includes anyone with a higher degree in science, but presumably people of intelligence and education)

Ah, those people. Too bad they are in the minority. Check out these numbers:

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/edu_gra_12_adv _stu_sci

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/edu_pro_of_20_ yea_old_in_ter_edu

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/edu_stu_att_fi n_sch_bor

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/edu_tea_as_per _of_lab_for

The US hovers around 15 in the world for all categories except for being number 2 in thinking school is boring. The other anomaly is the proportion of 20 year olds in higher education at 38%. That number is pretty misleading and I didn't know it was that high. However, a majority of students in average colleges are simply there because they are told to for whatever reason. They are not there to learn or do science. Maybe the nebulous "get a good job", and there a majority of college majors are in business. I personally believe that college has become something to keep the labor force low and tricking people into working harder so they can pay off their loans. But I could be wrong.

Linky:

http://www.nationmaster.com/cat/Internet

Click away...

I thought our government was gathering more useful statistics, but I guess not.

http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/compu ter.html

I really like reading the census data. Sometimes the numbers do not at all meet perception, so I try to calibrate my perception from time to time.

Also, another excellent data site for raw data is http://www.nationmaster.com/ and another is http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index .html.

Its like saying that in 1905 only 7% of people used cars and now in 2005 99% of people use them, so cars play a big role in people's lives.

Yes, I agree. I would assume that almost 100% of the US white collar population use the internet almost daily at home and at work. I would also assume that the deviants from that don't use a computer at home because they use it at work and want to escape from them. Its surprising the number of lower income blue collar people that have home computers and pretty much know how to use them. Its basically a TV alternative for those types.

...

You clearly have little time to inform yourself. Tell us something that we don't know and yet is also true. Your fear of the UN is noted but not justified.

Personally, I abhore torture, execution, and the death penalty, but I still feel that I need to say the following.

Statistics paint a neat picture. The United States is the 3rd most populous country (out of 275 listed nations), and still supports the death penalty in most of the country. It only makes sense that the number of "executions" are going to be higher than the 104th (out of 275 listed nations) most populous country.

So, these statistics make much more sense when the numbers are actually calculated against something else, such as total population.

While it's true that the United States has the highest number of Prisoners per capita (out of 164 listed nations), it's ranked 20 for Executions per capita (out of the 33 listed nations) and 28 for Executions per $ GDP (out of the 33 listed nations). I have no statistics on torture.

I would compare executions between Libya and the USA... except that there seems to be 131 countries listed from those charts! I could understand the countries that have outlawed the death penalty not being listed, but there's a number of other countries that haven't that aren't listed either that should be, including Libya.

...

You clearly have little time to inform yourself. Tell us something that we don't know and yet is also true. Your fear of the UN is noted but not justified.

Personally, I abhore torture, execution, and the death penalty, but I still feel that I need to say the following.

Statistics paint a neat picture. The United States is the 3rd most populous country (out of 275 listed nations), and still supports the death penalty in most of the country. It only makes sense that the number of "executions" are going to be higher than the 104th (out of 275 listed nations) most populous country.

So, these statistics make much more sense when the numbers are actually calculated against something else, such as total population.

While it's true that the United States has the highest number of Prisoners per capita (out of 164 listed nations), it's ranked 20 for Executions per capita (out of the 33 listed nations) and 28 for Executions per $ GDP (out of the 33 listed nations). I have no statistics on torture.

I would compare executions between Libya and the USA... except that there seems to be 131 countries listed from those charts! I could understand the countries that have outlawed the death penalty not being listed, but there's a number of other countries that haven't that aren't listed either that should be, including Libya.

...

You clearly have little time to inform yourself. Tell us something that we don't know and yet is also true. Your fear of the UN is noted but not justified.

Personally, I abhore torture, execution, and the death penalty, but I still feel that I need to say the following.

Statistics paint a neat picture. The United States is the 3rd most populous country (out of 275 listed nations), and still supports the death penalty in most of the country. It only makes sense that the number of "executions" are going to be higher than the 104th (out of 275 listed nations) most populous country.

So, these statistics make much more sense when the numbers are actually calculated against something else, such as total population.

While it's true that the United States has the highest number of Prisoners per capita (out of 164 listed nations), it's ranked 20 for Executions per capita (out of the 33 listed nations) and 28 for Executions per $ GDP (out of the 33 listed nations). I have no statistics on torture.

I would compare executions between Libya and the USA... except that there seems to be 131 countries listed from those charts! I could understand the countries that have outlawed the death penalty not being listed, but there's a number of other countries that haven't that aren't listed either that should be, including Libya.

...

You clearly have little time to inform yourself. Tell us something that we don't know and yet is also true. Your fear of the UN is noted but not justified.

Personally, I abhore torture, execution, and the death penalty, but I still feel that I need to say the following.

Statistics paint a neat picture. The United States is the 3rd most populous country (out of 275 listed nations), and still supports the death penalty in most of the country. It only makes sense that the number of "executions" are going to be higher than the 104th (out of 275 listed nations) most populous country.

So, these statistics make much more sense when the numbers are actually calculated against something else, such as total population.

While it's true that the United States has the highest number of Prisoners per capita (out of 164 listed nations), it's ranked 20 for Executions per capita (out of the 33 listed nations) and 28 for Executions per $ GDP (out of the 33 listed nations). I have no statistics on torture.

I would compare executions between Libya and the USA... except that there seems to be 131 countries listed from those charts! I could understand the countries that have outlawed the death penalty not being listed, but there's a number of other countries that haven't that aren't listed either that should be, including Libya.

National Prisoners Per Capita.

National Executiions Per Capita. Notice where U.S. allies rank on that chart.

Now, you were saying something about black-and-white? Or was that pot-kettle-black?

-

National Prisoners Per Capita.

National Executiions Per Capita. Notice where U.S. allies rank on that chart.

Now, you were saying something about black-and-white? Or was that pot-kettle-black?

-

Hmmm... interesting link on global military spending. I noticed that if you take the same stat as a fraction of GDP the United States is 27th at less than 2.4% behind some real winners such as Libya, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and North Korea which spends more than 13% of it's GDP on it's military. http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/mil_exp_dol_fi g_gdp

Global military spending. You also started an unwise war of agression on an oil rich country. And as the grand parent poster said, you have been undermining democracy in South America for decades. No one trusts you any more.

The US has a long history of setting up democratic free nation after they defeat them.

That "history" only exists in Hollywood. Go get a history book.

They look and see how much power the US has and know how they would abuse it in the US's place.

That was the UN, and a VERY long time ago. For example, Germany was split into several zones. Conflict between the US and Russia later led to the creation of the Berlin Wall. The UK and US regions merged and became West Germany, in fact it was the "closness" of these two zones that led to most of the conflict.

The USA that helped rebuild Japan and Germany is long gone. We miss her. Since the sixties, your country has behaved vastly differently. It still amazes me how the US population is still under the impression that your persuits abroad are part of some sort of idealistic crusade. The facts suggest that it's 100% self-interest. Seriously, put down the Brukheimer DVDs and pick up a book.

Just because your country was started on admirable beliefs, it doesn't mean that there is some sort of genetic safeguard ensuring that dishonest and greedy men cannot take control of the system.

If you look through the data, you will often find poor countries having the most crime while rich countries have little. Keep in mind though, crime statistics are gathered through the local enforcement agencies. So for all we know, areas with the least amount of police may actually have much higher crime rates then what gets reported.

I personally don't base the idea of crime rate to inequality. I base it on culture and local ethical values. Also with lack of money to spend on law enforcement by any given poor country, a higher crime rate is to be expected.

Interestingly, the US does have the highest reported crime rate (based on raw numbers, NOT percentage). Germany, UK, and France follow. You could say that other three countries are very much based on a platform of democratic socialism.

Check out this website http://www.nationmaster.com/

Note that most of the crime in the US is based on auto-theft, assult, and rape. Yet it's the poor countries that lead the way in murder.

And anyway, ten thousand?! Ten measly fscking thousand? Take a look at this, even Canada uses 1.7 MILLION barrels a day. For some reason the US isn't on there, but I bet it uses significantly more. 10,000 a day is chickenfeed. Is that worth the hassle and lost productivity in the economy that DST causes?

* Population densities
US = 31
Sweden = 20
Norway = 14
Canada = 3

Source : http://july.fixedreference.org/en/20040724/wikiped ia/Population_density%5D

* Area to cover
2nd Canada 9,984,670
3rd United States 9,631,418

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_ area%5D

* Income levels & cost of living differences
4. Norway $35,053.30 per person
5. United States $33,070.30 per person
8. Sweden $25,105.50 per person

Source : http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/eco_gro_nat_in c_cap%5D

But to my understanding (and I may be wrong), we put out a lot less pollution than China or India.

Hmm, perhaps you knew you were wrong in the first place, but besided to say it anyway? Well, yes you are wrong. The US is by far the worst polluter (OVERALL, not Per Capita) in the world. The difference is that they don't pollute into the heart of their urban areas, so it's not visible to the average citizen. Some statistics to back this up:

Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Energy consumption

The central argument of your whole post is destroyed when you discover that your basic premise is wrong. Everyone in the world agrees that there is man-made global warming. Only in the US has the propaganda been strong enough to still sustain a debate, no matter how senseless. EVEN BUSH finally admitted that humans are causing global warming. Perhaps you need to admit to yourself that it's possible you could be wrong, and that the attachment to your lifestyle and your nationalism is what makes you so apprehensive of seeing the truth.

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"This is not correct. The crime rate in the U.S. has been declining since 1993:"
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So what? You seem to forget what happened after Katrina and Rodney King trial. Your massaging of the data also neglects to mention by what standard your judging and why crime is decreasing. Pay close attention what countries resemble your murder rate, rapes, drug use and assults. Nothing remotely like a fully developed first world nation. (per capita)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_mur_cap (
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_rap
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_dru_off
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_ass_cap

Not that you not trying to arrest people. For a "free" nation you seem to have BY FAR the highest incarceration rate in the world despite all the high crime stats.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_pri_per_ca p&int=50

For the real badasses there is always enlightened execution to "fix" the problem. (Right up the their with China, The Republic of Congo and Iran.)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_exe

"That's an interesting theory, but not proven by sources. A typical Chinese citizen lives just under 71 years, but a typical US citizen lives just under 78 years."

Hmmmm... I did read this somewhere however the balance of sources makes me think I have been misinformed on China's status.

HOWEVER----- it really doesn't dismiss the general point I was making as you seem to rank 48th in the world right below Puerto Rico (this despite massive technological leaps in the 20th century and supposedly the best medicine money can buy)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/hea_lif_exp_at _bir_tot_pop&int=50

Furthermore the point also made on the comment on the possibility of decreasing lifespans in the short term. This is only a theory but pay close attention to which "journal" this was published in.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/352/11/1 138

Of course there are plenty of things nice about America. Unfortunately your adversion to violence, greed and pollution are not among them.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/mil_exp_dol_fi g&int=-1

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/env_co2_emi&in t=50

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/eco_eco_aid_do n_cap

Cold war is over. No reason to not join the human race now-- that is unless you have something else in mind? Let's see what the extreme right wing in the US has to say on this?

http://groups.google.ca/group/humanities.philosoph y.objectivism?lnk=sg&hl=en
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoconservatism_in_th e_United_States
http://www.weeklystandard.com/

So in the end the world is protecting it's interests. Maybe they'll stockpile a new collection WMDs as large as your own eventually. Congrats on the new philsophy that everybody take whatever you can get and don't give

-----
"This is not correct. The crime rate in the U.S. has been declining since 1993:"
-----

So what? You seem to forget what happened after Katrina and Rodney King trial. Your massaging of the data also neglects to mention by what standard your judging and why crime is decreasing. Pay close attention what countries resemble your murder rate, rapes, drug use and assults. Nothing remotely like a fully developed first world nation. (per capita)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_mur_cap (
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_rap
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_dru_off
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_ass_cap

Not that you not trying to arrest people. For a "free" nation you seem to have BY FAR the highest incarceration rate in the world despite all the high crime stats.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_pri_per_ca p&int=50

For the real badasses there is always enlightened execution to "fix" the problem. (Right up the their with China, The Republic of Congo and Iran.)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_exe

"That's an interesting theory, but not proven by sources. A typical Chinese citizen lives just under 71 years, but a typical US citizen lives just under 78 years."

Hmmmm... I did read this somewhere however the balance of sources makes me think I have been misinformed on China's status.

HOWEVER----- it really doesn't dismiss the general point I was making as you seem to rank 48th in the world right below Puerto Rico (this despite massive technological leaps in the 20th century and supposedly the best medicine money can buy)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/hea_lif_exp_at _bir_tot_pop&int=50

Furthermore the point also made on the comment on the possibility of decreasing lifespans in the short term. This is only a theory but pay close attention to which "journal" this was published in.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/352/11/1 138

Of course there are plenty of things nice about America. Unfortunately your adversion to violence, greed and pollution are not among them.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/mil_exp_dol_fi g&int=-1

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/env_co2_emi&in t=50

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/eco_eco_aid_do n_cap

Cold war is over. No reason to not join the human race now-- that is unless you have something else in mind? Let's see what the extreme right wing in the US has to say on this?

http://groups.google.ca/group/humanities.philosoph y.objectivism?lnk=sg&hl=en
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoconservatism_in_th e_United_States
http://www.weeklystandard.com/

So in the end the world is protecting it's interests. Maybe they'll stockpile a new collection WMDs as large as your own eventually. Congrats on the new philsophy that everybody take whatever you can get and don't give

-----
"This is not correct. The crime rate in the U.S. has been declining since 1993:"
-----

So what? You seem to forget what happened after Katrina and Rodney King trial. Your massaging of the data also neglects to mention by what standard your judging and why crime is decreasing. Pay close attention what countries resemble your murder rate, rapes, drug use and assults. Nothing remotely like a fully developed first world nation. (per capita)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_mur_cap (
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_rap
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_dru_off
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_ass_cap

Not that you not trying to arrest people. For a "free" nation you seem to have BY FAR the highest incarceration rate in the world despite all the high crime stats.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_pri_per_ca p&int=50

For the real badasses there is always enlightened execution to "fix" the problem. (Right up the their with China, The Republic of Congo and Iran.)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_exe

"That's an interesting theory, but not proven by sources. A typical Chinese citizen lives just under 71 years, but a typical US citizen lives just under 78 years."

Hmmmm... I did read this somewhere however the balance of sources makes me think I have been misinformed on China's status.

HOWEVER----- it really doesn't dismiss the general point I was making as you seem to rank 48th in the world right below Puerto Rico (this despite massive technological leaps in the 20th century and supposedly the best medicine money can buy)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/hea_lif_exp_at _bir_tot_pop&int=50

Furthermore the point also made on the comment on the possibility of decreasing lifespans in the short term. This is only a theory but pay close attention to which "journal" this was published in.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/352/11/1 138

Of course there are plenty of things nice about America. Unfortunately your adversion to violence, greed and pollution are not among them.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/mil_exp_dol_fi g&int=-1

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/env_co2_emi&in t=50

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/eco_eco_aid_do n_cap

Cold war is over. No reason to not join the human race now-- that is unless you have something else in mind? Let's see what the extreme right wing in the US has to say on this?

http://groups.google.ca/group/humanities.philosoph y.objectivism?lnk=sg&hl=en
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoconservatism_in_th e_United_States
http://www.weeklystandard.com/

So in the end the world is protecting it's interests. Maybe they'll stockpile a new collection WMDs as large as your own eventually. Congrats on the new philsophy that everybody take whatever you can get and don't give

-----
"This is not correct. The crime rate in the U.S. has been declining since 1993:"
-----

So what? You seem to forget what happened after Katrina and Rodney King trial. Your massaging of the data also neglects to mention by what standard your judging and why crime is decreasing. Pay close attention what countries resemble your murder rate, rapes, drug use and assults. Nothing remotely like a fully developed first world nation. (per capita)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_mur_cap (
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_rap
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_dru_off
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_ass_cap

Not that you not trying to arrest people. For a "free" nation you seem to have BY FAR the highest incarceration rate in the world despite all the high crime stats.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_pri_per_ca p&int=50

For the real badasses there is always enlightened execution to "fix" the problem. (Right up the their with China, The Republic of Congo and Iran.)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_exe

"That's an interesting theory, but not proven by sources. A typical Chinese citizen lives just under 71 years, but a typical US citizen lives just under 78 years."

Hmmmm... I did read this somewhere however the balance of sources makes me think I have been misinformed on China's status.

HOWEVER----- it really doesn't dismiss the general point I was making as you seem to rank 48th in the world right below Puerto Rico (this despite massive technological leaps in the 20th century and supposedly the best medicine money can buy)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/hea_lif_exp_at _bir_tot_pop&int=50

Furthermore the point also made on the comment on the possibility of decreasing lifespans in the short term. This is only a theory but pay close attention to which "journal" this was published in.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/352/11/1 138

Of course there are plenty of things nice about America. Unfortunately your adversion to violence, greed and pollution are not among them.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/mil_exp_dol_fi g&int=-1

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/env_co2_emi&in t=50

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/eco_eco_aid_do n_cap

Cold war is over. No reason to not join the human race now-- that is unless you have something else in mind? Let's see what the extreme right wing in the US has to say on this?

http://groups.google.ca/group/humanities.philosoph y.objectivism?lnk=sg&hl=en
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoconservatism_in_th e_United_States
http://www.weeklystandard.com/

So in the end the world is protecting it's interests. Maybe they'll stockpile a new collection WMDs as large as your own eventually. Congrats on the new philsophy that everybody take whatever you can get and don't give

-----
"This is not correct. The crime rate in the U.S. has been declining since 1993:"
-----

So what? You seem to forget what happened after Katrina and Rodney King trial. Your massaging of the data also neglects to mention by what standard your judging and why crime is decreasing. Pay close attention what countries resemble your murder rate, rapes, drug use and assults. Nothing remotely like a fully developed first world nation. (per capita)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_mur_cap (
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_rap
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_dru_off
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_ass_cap

Not that you not trying to arrest people. For a "free" nation you seem to have BY FAR the highest incarceration rate in the world despite all the high crime stats.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_pri_per_ca p&int=50

For the real badasses there is always enlightened execution to "fix" the problem. (Right up the their with China, The Republic of Congo and Iran.)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_exe

"That's an interesting theory, but not proven by sources. A typical Chinese citizen lives just under 71 years, but a typical US citizen lives just under 78 years."

Hmmmm... I did read this somewhere however the balance of sources makes me think I have been misinformed on China's status.

HOWEVER----- it really doesn't dismiss the general point I was making as you seem to rank 48th in the world right below Puerto Rico (this despite massive technological leaps in the 20th century and supposedly the best medicine money can buy)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/hea_lif_exp_at _bir_tot_pop&int=50

Furthermore the point also made on the comment on the possibility of decreasing lifespans in the short term. This is only a theory but pay close attention to which "journal" this was published in.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/352/11/1 138

Of course there are plenty of things nice about America. Unfortunately your adversion to violence, greed and pollution are not among them.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/mil_exp_dol_fi g&int=-1

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/env_co2_emi&in t=50

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/eco_eco_aid_do n_cap

Cold war is over. No reason to not join the human race now-- that is unless you have something else in mind? Let's see what the extreme right wing in the US has to say on this?

http://groups.google.ca/group/humanities.philosoph y.objectivism?lnk=sg&hl=en
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoconservatism_in_th e_United_States
http://www.weeklystandard.com/

So in the end the world is protecting it's interests. Maybe they'll stockpile a new collection WMDs as large as your own eventually. Congrats on the new philsophy that everybody take whatever you can get and don't give

-----
"This is not correct. The crime rate in the U.S. has been declining since 1993:"
-----

So what? You seem to forget what happened after Katrina and Rodney King trial. Your massaging of the data also neglects to mention by what standard your judging and why crime is decreasing. Pay close attention what countries resemble your murder rate, rapes, drug use and assults. Nothing remotely like a fully developed first world nation. (per capita)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_mur_cap (
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_rap
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_dru_off
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_ass_cap

Not that you not trying to arrest people. For a "free" nation you seem to have BY FAR the highest incarceration rate in the world despite all the high crime stats.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_pri_per_ca p&int=50

For the real badasses there is always enlightened execution to "fix" the problem. (Right up the their with China, The Republic of Congo and Iran.)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_exe

"That's an interesting theory, but not proven by sources. A typical Chinese citizen lives just under 71 years, but a typical US citizen lives just under 78 years."

Hmmmm... I did read this somewhere however the balance of sources makes me think I have been misinformed on China's status.

HOWEVER----- it really doesn't dismiss the general point I was making as you seem to rank 48th in the world right below Puerto Rico (this despite massive technological leaps in the 20th century and supposedly the best medicine money can buy)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/hea_lif_exp_at _bir_tot_pop&int=50

Furthermore the point also made on the comment on the possibility of decreasing lifespans in the short term. This is only a theory but pay close attention to which "journal" this was published in.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/352/11/1 138

Of course there are plenty of things nice about America. Unfortunately your adversion to violence, greed and pollution are not among them.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/mil_exp_dol_fi g&int=-1

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/env_co2_emi&in t=50

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/eco_eco_aid_do n_cap

Cold war is over. No reason to not join the human race now-- that is unless you have something else in mind? Let's see what the extreme right wing in the US has to say on this?

http://groups.google.ca/group/humanities.philosoph y.objectivism?lnk=sg&hl=en
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoconservatism_in_th e_United_States
http://www.weeklystandard.com/

So in the end the world is protecting it's interests. Maybe they'll stockpile a new collection WMDs as large as your own eventually. Congrats on the new philsophy that everybody take whatever you can get and don't give

-----
"This is not correct. The crime rate in the U.S. has been declining since 1993:"
-----

So what? You seem to forget what happened after Katrina and Rodney King trial. Your massaging of the data also neglects to mention by what standard your judging and why crime is decreasing. Pay close attention what countries resemble your murder rate, rapes, drug use and assults. Nothing remotely like a fully developed first world nation. (per capita)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_mur_cap (
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_rap
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_dru_off
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_ass_cap

Not that you not trying to arrest people. For a "free" nation you seem to have BY FAR the highest incarceration rate in the world despite all the high crime stats.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_pri_per_ca p&int=50

For the real badasses there is always enlightened execution to "fix" the problem. (Right up the their with China, The Republic of Congo and Iran.)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_exe

"That's an interesting theory, but not proven by sources. A typical Chinese citizen lives just under 71 years, but a typical US citizen lives just under 78 years."

Hmmmm... I did read this somewhere however the balance of sources makes me think I have been misinformed on China's status.

HOWEVER----- it really doesn't dismiss the general point I was making as you seem to rank 48th in the world right below Puerto Rico (this despite massive technological leaps in the 20th century and supposedly the best medicine money can buy)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/hea_lif_exp_at _bir_tot_pop&int=50

Furthermore the point also made on the comment on the possibility of decreasing lifespans in the short term. This is only a theory but pay close attention to which "journal" this was published in.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/352/11/1 138

Of course there are plenty of things nice about America. Unfortunately your adversion to violence, greed and pollution are not among them.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/mil_exp_dol_fi g&int=-1

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/env_co2_emi&in t=50

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/eco_eco_aid_do n_cap

Cold war is over. No reason to not join the human race now-- that is unless you have something else in mind? Let's see what the extreme right wing in the US has to say on this?

http://groups.google.ca/group/humanities.philosoph y.objectivism?lnk=sg&hl=en
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoconservatism_in_th e_United_States
http://www.weeklystandard.com/

So in the end the world is protecting it's interests. Maybe they'll stockpile a new collection WMDs as large as your own eventually. Congrats on the new philsophy that everybody take whatever you can get and don't give

-----
"This is not correct. The crime rate in the U.S. has been declining since 1993:"
-----

So what? You seem to forget what happened after Katrina and Rodney King trial. Your massaging of the data also neglects to mention by what standard your judging and why crime is decreasing. Pay close attention what countries resemble your murder rate, rapes, drug use and assults. Nothing remotely like a fully developed first world nation. (per capita)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_mur_cap (
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_rap
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_dru_off
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_ass_cap

Not that you not trying to arrest people. For a "free" nation you seem to have BY FAR the highest incarceration rate in the world despite all the high crime stats.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_pri_per_ca p&int=50

For the real badasses there is always enlightened execution to "fix" the problem. (Right up the their with China, The Republic of Congo and Iran.)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_exe

"That's an interesting theory, but not proven by sources. A typical Chinese citizen lives just under 71 years, but a typical US citizen lives just under 78 years."

Hmmmm... I did read this somewhere however the balance of sources makes me think I have been misinformed on China's status.

HOWEVER----- it really doesn't dismiss the general point I was making as you seem to rank 48th in the world right below Puerto Rico (this despite massive technological leaps in the 20th century and supposedly the best medicine money can buy)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/hea_lif_exp_at _bir_tot_pop&int=50

Furthermore the point also made on the comment on the possibility of decreasing lifespans in the short term. This is only a theory but pay close attention to which "journal" this was published in.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/352/11/1 138

Of course there are plenty of things nice about America. Unfortunately your adversion to violence, greed and pollution are not among them.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/mil_exp_dol_fi g&int=-1

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/env_co2_emi&in t=50

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/eco_eco_aid_do n_cap

Cold war is over. No reason to not join the human race now-- that is unless you have something else in mind? Let's see what the extreme right wing in the US has to say on this?

http://groups.google.ca/group/humanities.philosoph y.objectivism?lnk=sg&hl=en
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoconservatism_in_th e_United_States
http://www.weeklystandard.com/

So in the end the world is protecting it's interests. Maybe they'll stockpile a new collection WMDs as large as your own eventually. Congrats on the new philsophy that everybody take whatever you can get and don't give

-----
"This is not correct. The crime rate in the U.S. has been declining since 1993:"
-----

So what? You seem to forget what happened after Katrina and Rodney King trial. Your massaging of the data also neglects to mention by what standard your judging and why crime is decreasing. Pay close attention what countries resemble your murder rate, rapes, drug use and assults. Nothing remotely like a fully developed first world nation. (per capita)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_mur_cap (
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_rap
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_dru_off
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_ass_cap

Not that you not trying to arrest people. For a "free" nation you seem to have BY FAR the highest incarceration rate in the world despite all the high crime stats.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_pri_per_ca p&int=50

For the real badasses there is always enlightened execution to "fix" the problem. (Right up the their with China, The Republic of Congo and Iran.)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_exe

"That's an interesting theory, but not proven by sources. A typical Chinese citizen lives just under 71 years, but a typical US citizen lives just under 78 years."

Hmmmm... I did read this somewhere however the balance of sources makes me think I have been misinformed on China's status.

HOWEVER----- it really doesn't dismiss the general point I was making as you seem to rank 48th in the world right below Puerto Rico (this despite massive technological leaps in the 20th century and supposedly the best medicine money can buy)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/hea_lif_exp_at _bir_tot_pop&int=50

Furthermore the point also made on the comment on the possibility of decreasing lifespans in the short term. This is only a theory but pay close attention to which "journal" this was published in.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/352/11/1 138

Of course there are plenty of things nice about America. Unfortunately your adversion to violence, greed and pollution are not among them.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/mil_exp_dol_fi g&int=-1

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/env_co2_emi&in t=50

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/eco_eco_aid_do n_cap

Cold war is over. No reason to not join the human race now-- that is unless you have something else in mind? Let's see what the extreme right wing in the US has to say on this?

http://groups.google.ca/group/humanities.philosoph y.objectivism?lnk=sg&hl=en
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoconservatism_in_th e_United_States
http://www.weeklystandard.com/

So in the end the world is protecting it's interests. Maybe they'll stockpile a new collection WMDs as large as your own eventually. Congrats on the new philsophy that everybody take whatever you can get and don't give

-----
"This is not correct. The crime rate in the U.S. has been declining since 1993:"
-----

So what? You seem to forget what happened after Katrina and Rodney King trial. Your massaging of the data also neglects to mention by what standard your judging and why crime is decreasing. Pay close attention what countries resemble your murder rate, rapes, drug use and assults. Nothing remotely like a fully developed first world nation. (per capita)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_mur_cap (
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_rap
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_dru_off
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_ass_cap

Not that you not trying to arrest people. For a "free" nation you seem to have BY FAR the highest incarceration rate in the world despite all the high crime stats.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_pri_per_ca p&int=50

For the real badasses there is always enlightened execution to "fix" the problem. (Right up the their with China, The Republic of Congo and Iran.)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_exe

"That's an interesting theory, but not proven by sources. A typical Chinese citizen lives just under 71 years, but a typical US citizen lives just under 78 years."

Hmmmm... I did read this somewhere however the balance of sources makes me think I have been misinformed on China's status.

HOWEVER----- it really doesn't dismiss the general point I was making as you seem to rank 48th in the world right below Puerto Rico (this despite massive technological leaps in the 20th century and supposedly the best medicine money can buy)

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/hea_lif_exp_at _bir_tot_pop&int=50

Furthermore the point also made on the comment on the possibility of decreasing lifespans in the short term. This is only a theory but pay close attention to which "journal" this was published in.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/352/11/1 138

Of course there are plenty of things nice about America. Unfortunately your adversion to violence, greed and pollution are not among them.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/mil_exp_dol_fi g&int=-1

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/env_co2_emi&in t=50

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/eco_eco_aid_do n_cap

Cold war is over. No reason to not join the human race now-- that is unless you have something else in mind? Let's see what the extreme right wing in the US has to say on this?

http://groups.google.ca/group/humanities.philosoph y.objectivism?lnk=sg&hl=en
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoconservatism_in_th e_United_States
http://www.weeklystandard.com/

So in the end the world is protecting it's interests. Maybe they'll stockpile a new collection WMDs as large as your own eventually. Congrats on the new philsophy that everybody take whatever you can get and don't give

My logic is both correlation and induction:
Nearly 3 TVs per 4 people in the US.

The correlation; both TVs and automobiles are mature markets. I'm predicting when the MP3 market becomes a mature market. The induction is if luxury (TV) and necessity (cars) mature to 3/4 per capita, then so will MP3 players.

Oh, and your post brings up an EXCELLENT corollary; commuting (by car or by train) becomes more bearable with an mp3 player such as an iPod :)