The U.S. ranks 6th in living the good life

According to the OECD “Better Life Index,” the United States ranks sixth in terms of overall quality of life among thirty-six industrialized democracies. The top ten countries are:

1. Australia
2. Sweden
3. Canada
4. Norway
5. Switzerland
6. United States
7. Denmark
8. Netherlands
9. Iceland
10. United Kingdom

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 Need for Common Frames of Reference

This is my latest piece for Huffington Post.

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.