Who IS the "best" Country on Earth?

My beautiful wife, Paula, reads my previous post about the best country on earth.  I purposely wrote it vaguely and ambiguously because my point was not about who is or is not the best country.  I was simply making the point that, by definition, the term “Best” is a matter of opinion.  Just like I say about wine, the best wine is the wine you like best.  It doesn't matter what the price is or whether some wine snob critic gave it 80 points or 99 points.

That being said…

Her comment has compelled me to drill down on the statistics.  So now it has become an exercise in determining “who is the BEST country”.  First thing I had to do is determine which categories I would use to score each country.  In her comment she proposed using the items in the “not #1” column.  So I selected the majority of those and a couple from the other columns.  Then I researched the latest statistics and listed the top 10 countries in each category. Finally I assigned a grading system giving first place 100 points, second place 90 points and so on down to tenth place getting 10 points.

 
So the Categories;

Obesity

Crime
Debt
Reading
Math
Science
College graduation rate
Infrastructure condition
Quality of Life
Life Expectancy
Diabetes
Infant Mortality
Healthcare
Leisure time
Workers rights
Happiness
Fewest overtime hours
Income equality
Lowest Child poverty

 And the Gold Medal goes too… With 760 total points, we have a tie!

 #1) NORWAY AND JAPAN

 The Silver goes too… With 720 total points;

 #2) FINLAND

 The Bronze… With 680 points

 #3) UNITED KINGDOM  ( yeah, I was suprised too)

 The remaining top scores go too;

 #4) South Korea and Switzerland… both with 470 points

#5) France…………………………………….420 points
#6) New Zealand……………………………...390 points
#7) Netherlands……..………………………...370 points
#8) Australia…………………………………..340 points
#9) Belgium…………………………………...330 points
#8) Denmark and Sweden …………both with 320 points
#9) Canada…………………………………….300 points
#10) Iceland…………………………..……….270 points
#11) Germany…………………………..……..250 points

 Again, this is based on the latest statistical data I could find online.  I’m just say’in.

 So how many points did the great ol’ USA get?  Well we weren’t skunked.  We scored a whopping

60 points! 

Maybe these issues should be the talking points in the upcoming elections. 

I’m just say’in.

Best Country in the World

THE USA IS THE BEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD

Is it... really?

This last weekend we had family and friends over for to celebrate our son's 7th birthday. Towards the wee hours of the evening and as the kids were engrossed in his new video game, we adults sat out on the patio and enjoyed the last of many bottles of wine. The conversation turned to politics as it usually seems to do about this point in the party. This is always the most interesting part of the evening as we seem to have a very dynamic group of friends and family. From the sister-in-law, (the far right religious "Limbaugh" Republican) to the brother-in-law, (left-leaning spiritualist "eastern philosophy" chiropractor, musician). Then of course we have a few Green Party people and a Labor Union organizer and Occupier for good measure.

Well, as the friendly debate got heated, and the neighbors had to turn their television volume's up. The right winger decided she had said all there is to say and closed with "...the US is the best country in the world."

Having just poured the last of the wine into my glass and not ready for the fun to end, my fuzzy brain came up with the perfect rebuttal to instigate another debate. Having remained silent and observing up to this point, I blurt out "no it's not".

This brought a moment of stunned silence to the table. I believe it was partly because, not only I am the only Veteran sitting at the table, but the only "white American" whose family has been in this country for more than one generation... many many more.

The silence is finally broken by the right side of the table, challenging "where else" [the American] has lived. I defended myself by pointing out my overseas deployments in the military as well as the many countries I stayed in as I cruised around in my sailboat. The "right" seemed unconvinced as they quickly pointed out that "traveling" is not the same as "living" in another country.

And we were off on another debate.

So the following day I got to thinking. Where does the United States Rank in comparison the "rest of the world"? Well thanks the the marvels of the Internet, which by the way, the US military invented, I could get my answers in just a few clicks.

So here is what I found out. I broke it down into three categories;

Not #1
Almost #1
and finally... #1

I'm not going to bother with explanations as you have a computer right in front of you so you can look it up for yourself.

NOT #1                                                     

Students Reading 15th/31                    
Students Science 17th/31                    
Students Math 25th/31                    
College Grad. 12th                                                                            
Elementary enrollment 79th                                                                        
infrastructure 23rd                                                                          
Life expectancy 49th/227                                                                   
Diabetes 18th                                                                         
Infant Mortality 46th
Health care 7th/7 (last)
income equality 43rd                                                                         
unemployment 104th/199                                                                
GDP 13th/220
population 3/238
poverty 131/153
cannabis use 3/26
Happiness 7/50                                                                         
trusting 8/17
Satisfaction 11/69                                                                         
economic freedom 6/156                                                                         
income distribution 54/114
death from cancer 9/16
doctors per capita 52/200

Almost #1

Coal consumption 2nd
Ecological footprint 2nd
Abortions 2nd 

        
 #1 (BEST)


Obesity
Crime
Debt
Most Guns       
Military Expenditures
Co2 Pollution
Nuclear Waste
Prisoners per capita
Oil consumption
 Divorce
Pride
Most McDonald's
Health care cost
Teen pregnancy
 Broadband Access
 Pornography
Arms Production
Arms Exports
Motor vehicles
Auto thefts

So, I guess we were both correct. The only difference is a matter of opinion. We are certainly the best, but is it in the areas we want to be the best.

Personally, I think we need to work on our priorities.


I'm Just Say'in