The U.S. ranks 16th in manufacturing compensation costs
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2011 the total hourly compensation costs in American manufacturing was $35.53 per hour, which makes the United States rank sixteenth out of thirty-four countries ranked in that category. Norway ranks first, with a compensation cost of $64.15 per hour.
The U.S. ranks 9th in retirement security
According to the Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index, the United States ranks ninth out of eighteen countries ranked according to financial security in retirement, with a score of 59.0. Denmark ranks first, with a score of 82.9. The top ten countries (and their scores) are:
The U.S. ranks 22nd in deaths by ultraviolet radiation
According to the World Health Organization, in 2002 the United States had deaths attributable to ultraviolet (UV) radiation at a rate of 2.93 per 100,000 population. That is enough to make the United States rank twenty-second out of one hundred ninety countries ranked in that category. Niue ranked first, with a UV attributable death rate of 2481.51 per 100,000 population.
The U.S. ranks 15th in perceived press freedom
According to Gallup, 87% of Americans believe that the United States has a free media. That is enough to make the United States tied for fifteenth with Senegal out of one hundred thirty-three countries ranked in that category. Finland ranks first, with 97% of Finns believing that their country has a free media.
The U.S. ranks 1st in wine consumption
According to the Wine Institute, 12.54% of the wine consumed in the world in 2010 was consumed in the United States. That is enough to make the United States rank first in that category. Five countries–the United States, France, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom–accounted for just under half of all the wine consumed in the world in that year.
Where Ranking America’s readers are found…
The Need for Common Frames of Reference
This is my latest piece for Huffington Post.