More Statistics

“Not Quite the Best”, reported Aftenposten in an online English-language article. It’s all over for Norway and the annual human development index (pp229-232 of this long UNDP report). Iceland is now the best place in the world to be living in. Norway, which topped the index every year from 2001 to 2006, comes second.


Then there’s Australia 3rd, Canada 4th, my native Ireland 5th, and Sweden 6th. This human development thang is a strange concept to the Americans, who come 12th. You sad losers in the UK, while not writhing in your own shit (to my knowledge) [what say you, Mr “Brown”?], come in at a lowly 16th. Get out while you still can. But don’t go to Sierra Leone: it’s down the bottom of the list in 177th place.
As for me, I am packing my bags to move to Iceland, but wait, what’s this? Another article contains the boast that Norway “has the most millionaires in the world” per capita. Yes, 1 out of every 86 Norwegians has 1 million in US dollars, exclusive of any property assets. That comes from a study by CapGemini and Merrill Lynch.
As I know more than 86 Norwegians, I must know some millionaires! So I would like to announce that all of these millionaires are to report to me immediately, as I have urgent advice for them regarding the spending of their money. I’ll be staying right here.
Are you a glutton for statistics? The human development index received attention form me in a blog entry I wrote last year. Also read my recent report on GNP vs. life expectancy.

barry
Barry Kavanagh writes fiction, and has made music, formerly with Dacianos.

Contact him here.