Best country in the world?

[EiZei 0]

I havent excatly toured spain thoroughly but if it's better place to live than Finland ill be damned..

[Albert Schweitzer 10]

Seriously, such a bullshit. Why should it be nicer to live in Ireland than to live in Italy....what is .. their... goddamn problem?  

Fucking scientists!

Well, why would it be nicer to live in Germany than in Congo?

Econonomy, crime rates, public service, et cetera all contribute to making the peoples life standards better. Of course, only statistically - I am sure Ireland has alot of problems aswell. Then it's hard putting the finger on what is "good quality of life" but the scientists have done so, apparently.

GooB, Ireland is depressing!    I lived there for more than 15 months and I suffered only seeing sheep, pubs and farms. Of course a lot has changed since I lived there but it simply isnt the best country to live in if you wish to get through life without a depression and only sarcasm left.

(whoever is irish here, trust me there was a reason why I went there and I loved it very much. For the people especially. And I never ate so well and felt so warmly welcome than at my irish guest family)

[EiZei 0]

On somewhat same topic..

(requires watching a big ad)

http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2004/11/15/europe/index_np.html

Quote[/b] ]

Much of American "productivity," Rifkin suggests, is accounted for by economic activity that might be better described as wasteful: military spending; the endlessly expanding police and prison bureaucracies; the spiraling cost of healthcare; suburban sprawl; the fast-food industry and its inevitable corollary, the weight-loss craze. Meaningful comparisons of living standards, he says, consistently favor the Europeans. In France, for instance, the work week is 35 hours and most employees take 10 to 12 weeks off every year, factors that clearly depress GDP. Yet it takes a John Locke heart of stone to say that France is worse off as a nation for all that time people spend in the countryside downing du vin rouge et du Camembert with friends and family [...]

European children are consistently better educated; the United States would rank ninth in the EU in reading, ninth in scientific literacy, and 13th in math. Twenty-two percent of American children grow up in poverty, which means that our country ranks 22nd out of the 23 industrialized nations, ahead of only Mexico and behind all 15 of the pre-2004 EU countries. What's more horrifying: the statistic itself or the fact that no American politician to the right of Dennis Kucinich would ever address it?

Perhaps more surprisingly, European business has not been strangled by the EU welfare state; in fact, quite the opposite is true. Europe has surpassed the United States in several high-tech and financial sectors, including wireless technology, grid computing and the insurance industry. The EU has a higher proportion of small businesses than the U.S., and their success rate is higher. American capitalists have begun to pay attention to all this. In Reid's book, Ford Motor Co. chairman Bill Ford explains that the company's Volvo subsidiary is more profitable than its U.S. manufacturing operation, even though wages and benefits are significantly higher in Sweden. Government-subsidized healthcare, child care, pensions and other social supports, Ford says, more than make up for the difference.

The new EU constitution, currently being considered by the member states, is an unwieldy, jargon-laden document that runs to 265 pages in English (and even more in Spanish and French). It should also serve as an inspiration to progressives around the world. It bars capital punishment in all 25 nations and defines such things as universal healthcare, child care, paid annual leave, parental leave, housing for the poor, and equal treatment for gays and lesbians as fundamental human rights. Most of these are still hotly contested questions in the United States; as Rifkin says, this document all by itself makes the European Union the world leader in the human rights debate. It is the first governing document that aspires to universality, "with rights and responsibilities that encompass the totality of human existence on Earth."

[ozanzac 0]

What got me scratching my head is why Iceland is on the list!

What would be so good about living there? The cold, and isolation?!

And Luxembourg....c'mon! That's barely a the size of a county, let alone a country...so that's hardly fair! I wonder where San Marino, The Vatican, and Monaco came in?

[GoOB 0]

Seriously, such a bullshit. Why should it be nicer to live in Ireland than to live in Italy....what is .. their... goddamn problem?

Fucking scientists!

Well, why would it be nicer to live in Germany than in Congo?

Econonomy, crime rates, public service, et cetera all contribute to making the peoples life standards better. Of course, only statistically - I am sure Ireland has alot of problems aswell. Then it's hard putting the finger on what is "good quality of life" but the scientists have done so, apparently.

GooB, Ireland is depressing! I lived there for more than 15 months and I suffered only seeing sheep, pubs and farms. Of course a lot has changed since I lived there but it simply isnt the best country to live in if you wish to get through life without a depression and only sarcasm left.

(whoever is irish here, trust me there was a reason why I went there and I loved it very much. For the people especially. And I never ate so well and felt so warmly welcome than at my irish guest family)

Sure it is, but the scientists only care about the more non-humaniora-related factors I suppose

[Acecombat 0]

How come ireland is on top

I wonder where Iraq is on that list

[Winters 1]

Maybe its time to get back to my roots!

Ireland here I come!

I agree with you, oh wait.... i AM going there in the summer to trace my family history

[Albert Schweitzer 10]

I wonder where Iraq is on that list  

Right on top of Saud Arabia, didnt you see!

[Winters 1]

What got me scratching my head is why Iceland is on the list!

What would be so good about living there? The cold, and isolation?!

And Luxembourg....c'mon! That's barely a the size of a county, let alone a country...so that's hardly fair! I wonder where San Marino, The Vatican, and Monaco came in?

Iceland does have Bjork

[Acecombat 0]

I wonder where Iraq is on that list  

Right on top of Saud Arabia, didnt you see!    

Haha

This list is crap anyway , i mean ireland coming on topof so many other deserving candidates is beyond me , whats the health care and other services like down there?

Over here is SA we do have quite a lot spent on healthcare weve got the best Hcare services in ME maybe Israel can compete dont know much about their stuff. Food is pretty cheap here too , education might be a let down but other then that the countrys infrastructure is here good meaning roads and buildings and their standards are maintained usually.

I think they gave the award away to Ireland just because of the good envoirnment? It does look very good the blue sky and green hills the terrain is nice but if it rains all the time then it sucks.

[theavonlady 2]

Over here is SA we do have quite a lot spent on healthcare weve got the best Hcare services in ME maybe Israel can compete dont know much about their stuff.

Quote[/b] ]Health Care in Israel Costs Less Than Most of Western World

00:24 Jul 14, '04 / 25 Tammuz 5764

The cost of health care in Israel is one of the lowest in the western world, according to statistics released today (Tuesday) by the Central Bureau of Statistics.

Israel's per capita spending on healthcare in terms of purchasing power parity (ppp) is just $1,814 -- 66% below the United States, 47% below Switzerland, and 41% below Norway. The Jewish State also bested Japan, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Ireland, Italy, Finland and Austria.

The United States, on the other hand, spends the most on healthcare: a whopping $5,267 per capita. Canada, which boasts a socialized health care system like Israel’s, still had a ppp of $2,931.

According to a report in Globes, total spending on healthcare in Israel last year amounted to 8.8% of the GDP, or 46 billion shekels. This calculation includes total spending on services by clinics, hospitals, private healthcare services; the costs of medication, and the purchase of medical devices

Moreover, the figures include R&D (research and development), which Israel spends the most on proportionately of any country in the world. According to the 2004 IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook, Israel’s ratio between R&D spending and its GDP is unmatched.

Some in the government were unimpressed by the figures. Minister of Health Danny Naveh said that “each year we pay more and receive less healthcare coverage,†referring to the government “healthcare basket†of goods and services covered by the nation’s socialized medical program.

The last paragraph is important. There's plenty of gray medicine here, i.e., if you want and can afford your own private doctor or surgeon for something, and not whoever is on-call at the time the wheel you into the OR, you'll have to pay for it.

But overall, the system is good, works and is comprehensive.

[Postduifje 0]

I just like to point out how for instance Ireland and Spain have improved greatly since their EU entrance. They were the poor countries at start, but managed to get on track with some help of EU funding. EU rocks!

[bn880 5]

I have to say, the more I visit these forums the more I start to plan of moving back to EU, not sure if i will do it of course. I am grateful for this place of discussion, as it brings perspective from so many nations... anyway I guess thanks BIS for this.

The caption by EiZei, I think it captures the reality of the US compared to EU very well. America is the land of the survival of the fittest, US and Canada lack many very un-obvious rules and institutions which people in England, or Sweden may not even notice. You won't find _everything_ out by reading newspapers and so on, it takes almost a lifetime of experience to find out just what kind of holes there are in living here, and especially in the US. Slowly Canada is catching up to EU I believe, but very slowly. While we have progress in one place, we have setbacks in others. And it seems that setbacks always come with right wing political actions.

If you want to hear of just one small setback: in our province "Ontario" the government used to pay for an eye exam every 2 years. This was the status-quo, then, without notice on any major news sources, this was cancelled. ;p Nice quiet change, and most people found out about it in such a way that it cost them extra. Yet we have a multi billion dollar surplus... what's the point? remember also that in Canada you do not get your eyes checked when you renew your driving license, and on a standard license you can drive moving trucks of many tons, or 2.5 ton SUV's. Do you see the general step back? hehe Okay I won't bore you more with the stupidity that drives me slowly out of here.

Change is slow, that is why it helps to live in a nation which has been around for 800 or 1000+ years.

[Acecombat 0]

Quote[/b] ]Change is slow, that is why it helps to live in a nation which has been around for 800 or 1000+ years.

Yeah just look here its slowwwwwwww ....

@Avon:

Thats nice stats there , whats Israels population by the way compared to ours , is it less or more? Ours seems to be climbing plus the immigrant community is growing and that has somewhat dented the image and standards here.

[bn880 5]

Quote[/b] ]Change is slow, that is why it helps to live in a nation which has been around for 800 or 1000+ years.

Yeah just look here its slowwwwwwww ....

Indeed, isn't change slow where you live due to religion? Or are people just happy with everything?

[theavonlady 2]

Thats nice stats there , whats Israels population by the way compared to ours , is it less or more? Ours seems to be climbing plus the immigrant community is growing and that has somewhat dented the image and standards here.

It's all at CBS - Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics!

Well, not all. 98.73482%, I suppose.

[hellfish6 7]

Where is Canada (my future home?!) on that list? I honestly would've thought it would be on the top ten.

[void_false 1]

Where's Israel? It's supposed to be on 27th or something like that.

[Metalmalte 0]

well, sweden is the best for me...

[IsthatyouJohnWayne 0]

Hooray for Ireland

But I think in general these lists are a bit silly. Useful to some extent certainly but what gets measured is likely to totally skew the results one direction or another.

Albert Schweizer-

Quote[/b] ]what do the brits know? living on a rainy island and eating toast with peanut butter

Euugh!- Peanut butter on toast is not very British, maybe some if youde said marmalade (or marmite) or something.. Anyway what are you criticizing the British for? I suspect Guiness sponsorship has something to do with this...

Acecombat-

Quote[/b] ], i mean ireland coming on topof so many other deserving candidates is beyond me , whats the health care and other services like down there?

Actually the health care is very good. My parents just came back from a holiday in Ireland, my father was hospitalised for a time and the (national) health care was apparently first rate.

I think Economically and in the infrastructure Irelands place is justified. But really, i dont know if the 'traditional' way of life is something that should take a country up the list. And 'climate' ? Maybe dangerous industrial emissions are low, but the weather is terrible! Worse than in the UK!

Who would choose such a place over sunny Italy or a Greek island? ahhh the blue skies, the warm sea, the topless wome...anyway.

Quote[/b] ]Ireland wins because it successfully combines the most desirable elements of the new, such as low unemployment and political liberties, with the preservation of certain cosy elements of the old, such as stable family and community life."

It strikes me that success may well start to erode just such 'cosy elements' ,especially if Ireland becomes more urbanised and the cities subsequently more cosmopolitan and multicultural. This article linked from the first seems to point to such tensions emerging..-Ireland struggles with immigration issue-

I hope not, maybe ill have to visit (never having been), but it might be wise to wait for summer i think.

Quote[/b] ]Commentators say it is widely admired by the EU's newest members, and has become a model for what they hope to achieve. Although European nations generally do well in the survey, the continent's major industrial powers of France, Germany and Britain finish 25th, 26th and 29th respectively.

The researchers said although the UK achieved high income per head, it had high levels of social and family breakdown.

Its telling that all the industrial powers come quite low.

I agree that the UK does have such problems, i couldnt really say for sure whether it is worse than in France or Germany but it strikes me that they are problems that may unfortunately tend to develop in all mature industrialised and vibrant economies.

[IsthatyouJohnWayne 0]

Oh yes, if we're really doing so badly in the UK (worse than anywhere else in the EU) where are the gigantic EU grants to lift us out of our misery?

That'de be a surefire way of making the EU more popular in this country!

[llauma 0]

Oh yes, if we're really doing so badly in the UK (worse than anywhere else in the EU) where are the gigantic EU grants to lift us out of our misery?

That'de be a surefire way of making the EU more popular in this country!

To start with you need to accept that you got a problem. Currently UK seems to think they can handle things by themselves like they used to with lots of colonies financing the mainland.

[IsthatyouJohnWayne 0]

If you read the post before that, i already did.

Llauma-

Quote[/b] ]Currently UK seems to think they can handle things by themselves like they used to with lots of colonies financing the mainland.

What exactly is that opinion based on? The economy is handling itself at the moment, but as Denoir is so fond of stressing, money isnt everything so perhaps we really do need EU aid to get our country in a happier state. There are certainly lots of underpriveliged areas with rampant teenage pregnancy, drug abuse, crime, broken homes etc etc. I dont know what that has to do with colonies. Or lack of.

Whereas Ireland may come across as some gloomy, sexually repressed priest worshipping land of alcoholism. But thats doubtless just another useless stereotype as this list may be an indication of.

[stevevcb 3]

I've wanted to move to Ireland for years, but my reasons all boiled down to the fact that I love girls with Irish accents.

Hardly enough to justify country-hopping on, is it?

[hellfish6 7]

I'd move to Ireland. Too bad none of my relatives are Irish.