mmm, i went to tops today and found out they had golden neck clams on sale for 96 cents a dozen. i bought eight dozen and steamed them with garlic, leeks, dill, onions, chicken broth, olive oil and salt and pepper.
they were so super duper fantastic that i will go tomorrow and buy a ton more and eat clams all week long. i had maybe a total 15 clams while my family and friends gobbled the rest down. wow, 84 clams for under 8 bucks.
my flower pot bussines is coming along very nicely. i have tons of orders to fill. one woman at work ordered a dozen when i gave her one as a gift. they make great gifts as you can stuff them with all sorts of things and wrap them in celophane and a bow. planning on making haloween, christmas, valentines and easter themed ones.
i will post pics of my newest creations soon. and if any one needs some pots as gifts or for your porch, let me know.
Imk2's Journal
My Podcast Link
06/19/2006 00:22 #23063
yummmmm06/11/2006 19:32 #23062
brrrrr!it was so cold this weekend that i stayed in and had my own art festival. painted two ugly green tables for my mom and some flower pots that i will give to my coworker as a gift for giving me the BPO tickets.
here are the two tables, wish i had before and after pics.
and the flower pots.
and here are the baby birds that are nesting on our patio. you have no idea how much they eat!
and here is where we will be having a pool party in august.
here are the two tables, wish i had before and after pics.
and the flower pots.
and here are the baby birds that are nesting on our patio. you have no idea how much they eat!
and here is where we will be having a pool party in august.
mrmike - 06/11/06 21:16
The tables look great and I foresee some floating peeps in the future
The tables look great and I foresee some floating peeps in the future
jenks - 06/11/06 21:01
awesome tables/ awesome pots/ awesome baby birds/ awesome pool. Can't wait! yay!! (seriously, your stuff looks really nice! better than 90% of the crap I saw in allentown.)
awesome tables/ awesome pots/ awesome baby birds/ awesome pool. Can't wait! yay!! (seriously, your stuff looks really nice! better than 90% of the crap I saw in allentown.)
libertad - 06/11/06 20:53
much better than the stuff i saw at the festival.
much better than the stuff i saw at the festival.
lilho - 06/11/06 20:21
i wanna jump in!
i wanna jump in!
ladycroft - 06/11/06 20:10
those turned out really nice!
those turned out really nice!
06/09/2006 14:46 #23061
bpowent to the BPO yesterday. it was phenomenal!
i never knew that joanne falletta was one of only two female orchestral conductors in the world!!
more stories of my crazy kid.
couple of days ago i get a call from her social studies teacher saying that faben recorded her lecture on some kind of recording device and that she did not appreciate being recorded in any way, shape or form.
when faben gets home i ask her what she was doing and she proceeds to tell me that the class was misbehaving and the teacher yelled at them asking why can't they just behave themselves.
so faben took it upon herself to tell the teacher that if her class wasnt so boring, maybe they would behave better. she says to the teacher that maybe if she gave them projects to do instead of worksheets and constant lectures then theyd be more interested in the class.
the teacher then started to cry! (this is the second time this year she cried in front of the class)
so when she had her break down, faben recorded her on her mp3 player and played it to other kids after class ended.
evil little monster. gotta give her credit for at least telling the truth.
my fucking headaches are killing me.
i never knew that joanne falletta was one of only two female orchestral conductors in the world!!
more stories of my crazy kid.
couple of days ago i get a call from her social studies teacher saying that faben recorded her lecture on some kind of recording device and that she did not appreciate being recorded in any way, shape or form.
when faben gets home i ask her what she was doing and she proceeds to tell me that the class was misbehaving and the teacher yelled at them asking why can't they just behave themselves.
so faben took it upon herself to tell the teacher that if her class wasnt so boring, maybe they would behave better. she says to the teacher that maybe if she gave them projects to do instead of worksheets and constant lectures then theyd be more interested in the class.
the teacher then started to cry! (this is the second time this year she cried in front of the class)
so when she had her break down, faben recorded her on her mp3 player and played it to other kids after class ended.
evil little monster. gotta give her credit for at least telling the truth.
my fucking headaches are killing me.
mrmike - 06/10/06 09:09
Sorry about bailing on you last night -- MIA is on Franklin near Allen - literally right next to Allentown
Sorry about bailing on you last night -- MIA is on Franklin near Allen - literally right next to Allentown
twisted - 06/09/06 22:24
You did already mention that, and I only meant to reiterate it here. Although as the "Mom" you will probably always be in the position of having to explain, again and again. I agree, that is ironic. Although, I personally can't order only 1/4 lb of sliced cheese from the deli (because I live alone) since it seems like such an inconvenience to the slicer. So I have no room to judge. But at least my Mom doesn't have to answer for me anymore.
You did already mention that, and I only meant to reiterate it here. Although as the "Mom" you will probably always be in the position of having to explain, again and again. I agree, that is ironic. Although, I personally can't order only 1/4 lb of sliced cheese from the deli (because I live alone) since it seems like such an inconvenience to the slicer. So I have no room to judge. But at least my Mom doesn't have to answer for me anymore.
mrmike - 06/09/06 22:21
Never a dull moment, that's for sure. Teacher's a bit of a basket case to be going to pieces like that.
Never a dull moment, that's for sure. Teacher's a bit of a basket case to be going to pieces like that.
imk2 - 06/09/06 22:07
i think i forgot to mention in a post yet (might soon) that she has been diagnosed with asperger syndrome. so the things that you and i would assume civil and normal are not to her. she cannot buy a candy bar at a store because she is too afraid, but can tell a teacher her teaching sucks. go figure.
i think i forgot to mention in a post yet (might soon) that she has been diagnosed with asperger syndrome. so the things that you and i would assume civil and normal are not to her. she cannot buy a candy bar at a store because she is too afraid, but can tell a teacher her teaching sucks. go figure.
twisted - 06/09/06 21:34
Whoa! She calls 'em as she sees them. And then she documents what she sees and broadcasts it to the public! Gotta give that kid credit. At the same time, there's this little thing called civility - highly overrated in some cases - although it can take you far in this world. But damn, I've gotta side with her on this one. I remember the days before political correctness, and they were WAY better than today. More power to her! (Although I do sympathize with the headaches from bucking civility.)
Whoa! She calls 'em as she sees them. And then she documents what she sees and broadcasts it to the public! Gotta give that kid credit. At the same time, there's this little thing called civility - highly overrated in some cases - although it can take you far in this world. But damn, I've gotta side with her on this one. I remember the days before political correctness, and they were WAY better than today. More power to her! (Although I do sympathize with the headaches from bucking civility.)
imk2 - 06/09/06 20:08
yeah, i know that fabens actions (the recording, especially) were inappropriate, but so were the teacher's. you cannot show that kind of voulnerability in fornt of a class of 12 year olds and not expect for the dynamics of the relationship to change. and yeah i know that faben was mean to her, but i know where she's coming from. when i hate or dislike someone, i hate them immensly. i have not spoken to my grandmother in over 10 years even when she comes to visit my mohter. i hate that bitch and will not even go to her funeral.
i'm not a cruel person, but intense, and faben is the same. she's not a bully, but can be nasty when she dislikes someone.
yeah, i know that fabens actions (the recording, especially) were inappropriate, but so were the teacher's. you cannot show that kind of voulnerability in fornt of a class of 12 year olds and not expect for the dynamics of the relationship to change. and yeah i know that faben was mean to her, but i know where she's coming from. when i hate or dislike someone, i hate them immensly. i have not spoken to my grandmother in over 10 years even when she comes to visit my mohter. i hate that bitch and will not even go to her funeral.
i'm not a cruel person, but intense, and faben is the same. she's not a bully, but can be nasty when she dislikes someone.
chico - 06/09/06 19:44
Wow, that's one clever kid! And one emotionally unstable teacher, from the sound of it.
Wow, that's one clever kid! And one emotionally unstable teacher, from the sound of it.
metalpeter - 06/09/06 19:42
I know it is wrong to say that, but that is so fucking funny that she told that to a teacher. The recording the crying and playing it for the other kids is mean but the first part was funny.
I know it is wrong to say that, but that is so fucking funny that she told that to a teacher. The recording the crying and playing it for the other kids is mean but the first part was funny.
des - 06/09/06 18:52
wow shes just getting cooler and cooler the longer I know her. :)
wow shes just getting cooler and cooler the longer I know her. :)
06/03/2006 14:12 #23060
Nordic Paradise?So if capitalism and communisim are both proving usuccessful, maybe we should look at our friends in Northern Europe, i.e. Nordic countries such as Sweden, Denmark, Norway, etc.
The Nordic model
by Stein Kuhnle
In comparison with the rest of Europe, the Nordic general welfare states share twelve fairly distinct characteristics which, taken together, may be regarded as a specifically Nordic "model". Those characteristics are:
1. A greater degree of active state involvement than in other countries. For example, the state guarantees basic pensions and free or heavily subsidised health services for all residents, although the delivery of such services is usually administered by provincial or local governments.
2. By international standards, the greatest proportion of the labour force employed in the social, health and educational sectors-- roughly thirty percent.
3. Heavy reliance on the public sector for the provision of social and educational services; roughly ninety percent of all personnel in those sectors are public employees. The corresponding figures for other European countries range from 40-80 percent; in the U.S., the figure is 45 percent.
4. The organization of social insurance within co-ordinated national systems which have overall responsibility for basic pensions, sick-leave benefits, child allowances and health services.
5. A comparatively high level of trust between citizens and governments. Nordic societies are more "state-friendly" than other European societies.
6. Comprehensive, or universal, social insurance systems which cover entire populations or sub-groups. For example: every resident is entitled to a basic old-age pension upon attaining retirement age, even in the absence of any history of gainful employment; child allowances are allocated to all families with children, regardless of income level; all residents are entitled to the best available medical services, irrespective of income, social status or other personal characteristics. This contrasts with most other European countries, where entitlement is conditional on successful participation in the labour market.
7. An advanced level of gender equality, especially as a result of legislation since the 1970s; essentially all benefits are "gender-neutral", in that women are treated as individuals with needs and rights of their own, rather than as merely wives and mothers. Nordic labour markets are characterised by high rates of female employment, nearly-equal incomes for men and women in comparable occupations, and a well-developed support system for working mothers.
8. Social insurance systems free of class or occupational bias. Those with high incomes are included in the same system as those with low or no incomes.
9. General taxation as the principal means of financing, which has the effect of redistributing income. As a result of the Nordic countries' universal, redistributive social insurance systems, their poverty rates are among the lowest in the world. Minimum pensions are not especially high, but generous in comparison with those of most other countries.
10. A greater emphasis on providing services, as opposed to direct income transfers, than in other European countries. Those services include an extensive network of child-care centres, old-age homes, and in-home assistance for the severely ill and the elderly.
11. A traditionally strong emphasis on full employment as a goal in itself, and as a prerequisite for generating the necessary economic resources for the general welfare state.
12. Strong popular support. Such issues as children's well-being, public health, old-age care, etc., are consistently accorded the highest priority in opinion surveys and during elections. No political party seeking broad support can afford to ignore them.
I have taken the liberty to compile a few statistics comparing the United States with some of the Nordic states. The results are quite interesting.
All stats are from NationMaster, World Statistics Country Comparison, who compile stats from various sources such as The United Nations, WHO, and other governmenal organizations.
Total taxation as % of GDP by country
Sweden 54.2 % of GDP
Denmark 48.8 % of GDP
Finland 46.9 % of GDP
Norway 40.3 % of GDP
United States 29.6 % of GDP
Personal income tax by country
Denmark 53.2%
United States 37.7%
Finland 31.2%
Sweden 30.4%
Norway 24.8%
Personal income tax by country
DEFINITION: Property tax as a percentage of total tax collected by the country. Data is for 2000.
United States 10.1%
Sweden 3.4%
Denmark 3.3%
Finland 2.5%
Norway 2.4%
Taxation Statistics >Contribution by middle 40% by country
DEFINITION: Proportion of taxes paid by the broad income group - middle class 40% (Data is for mid-1990s). Taxes include all direct income taxes, including employee social security contributions. Income groups were built on the basis of final disposable adjusted income.
Denmark 37.2%
Norway 36.1%
Sweden 35.8%
Finland 33.4%
United States 28.4%
Social security >Employees contribution by country
DEFINITION: Tax on employee's contribution of social security as a percentage of total tax collected by the country. Data is for 2002.
United States 11.7%
Norway 7.7%
Sweden 5.8%
Finland 4.7%
Denmark 2.7%
Social security > Contribution by employer by country
DEFINITION: Tax on employer's contribution of social security as a percentage of total tax collected by the country. Data is for 2002.
Sweden 24.3%
Finland 20.0%
Norway 13.7%
United States 13.0%
Denmark 0.7%
Church attendance by country
United States 44%
Norway 5%
Denmark 5%
Finland 4%
Sweden 4%
Disabled persons employment by country
Norway 72%
Sweden 69%
Denmark 61%
Finland 59%
United States 58%
Disbility benefit recipients by country
Norway 9.2%
Sweden 8.2%
Denmark 7.7%
United States 4.7%
Obesity by country
United States 30.6%
Finland 12.8%
Sweden 9.7%
Denmark 9.5%
Norway 8.3%
McDonalds restaurants (per capita) by country
United States 0.433 per 10,000 population
Sweden 0.252 per 10,000 population
Denmark 0.182 per 10,000 population
Finland 0.178 per 10,000 population
Norway 0.12 per 10,000 population
Military Statistics > Expenditures > Dollar figure (per $ GDP) by country
United States $0.24 per $10 of GDP
Sweden $0.13 per $10 of GDP
Norway $0.12 per $10 of GDP
Denmark $0.10 per $10 of GDP
Finland $0.10 per $10 of GDP
Lifestyle Statistics > Happiness level > Not very or not at all happy by country
United States 8%
Finland 8%
Norway 6%
Denmark 5%
Sweden 4%
Lifestyle Statistics > Very proud of their nationality by country
United States 77%
Norway 48%
Finland 44%
Sweden 43%
Denmark 42%
Lifestyle Statistics > Will fight for country by country
Norway 90%
Sweden 90%
Denmark 89%
Finland 86%
United States 78%
Labor Statistics > Employment rate of highly educated women by country
Denmark 88.7%
Sweden 87.8%
Norway 87.3%
Finland 84.8%
United States 81.9%
Labor Statistics > Female doctors by country
Finland 50.7%
Sweden 39.2%
Norway 37.2%
Denmark 27.0%
United States 23.1%
Labor Statistics > Unemployment by country
Finland 9.5%
United States 5.0%
Denmark 4.8%
Sweden 4.4%
Norway 3.5%
Labor Statistics > Unemployment benefit as % of GDP by country
Denmark 3.4 % of GDP
Finland 2.6 % of GDP
Sweden 1.9 % of GDP
Norway 0.5 % of GDP
United States 0.2 % of GDP
Labor Statistics > Working mothers by country
Sweden 76
Denmark 74
Norway 73
United States 61
Finland 59
Health Statistics > Births by caesarean section by country
United States 211 live births per 1,000 pe
Finland 157 live births per 1,000 pe
Denmark 145 live births per 1,000 pe
Sweden 144 live births per 1,000 pe
Norway 137 live births per 1,000 pe
Health Statistics > Child maltreatment deaths by country
United States 2.2 per 100,000 children
Finland 0.7 per 100,000 children
Denmark 0.7 per 100,000 children
Sweden 0.5 per 100,000 children
Norway 0.3 per 100,000 children
Health Statistics > Out-of-pocket expenditure as % of private
health expenditure by country
Sweden 100%
Norway 97.2%
Denmark 89.8%
Finland 82.2%
United States 25.4%
Literacy > Adults at high literacy level by country
Sweden 35.5%
Norway 29.4%
Denmark 25.4%
Finland 25.1%
United States 19.0%
Proportion of primary education time spent learning foreign languages by country
Denmark 10
Finland 9
Norway 16
Sweden 12
United States 7
Public spending per student > Tertiary level by country
Denmark 65.1
Sweden 53.5
Norway 46.5
Finland 39.7
United States 23.9
Child poverty by country
United States 22.4
Denmark 5.1
Finland 4.3
Norway 3.9
Sweden 2.6
Distribution of family income > Gini index by country
DEFINITION: This index measures the degree of inequality in the distribution of family income in a country. The index is calculated from the Lorenz curve, in which cumulative family income is plotted against the number of families arranged from the poorest to the rich
United States 45.0
Norway 25.8
Finland 25.6
Sweden 25.0
Denmark 24.7
Income distribution > Poorest 10% by country
DEFINITION: Share of income or consumption (%). The distribution of income is typically more unequal than the distribution of consumption.
Finland 4.2%
Norway 4.1%
Sweden 3.7%
Denmark 3.6%
United States 1.8%
Income distribution > Richest 10% by country
DEFINITION: Share of income or consumption (%). The distribution of income is typically more unequal than the distribution of consumption.
United States 30.5%
Norway 21.8%
Finland 21.6%
Denmark 20.5%
Sweden 20.1%
Population below median income by country
DEFINITION: Population living below 50% of median income (%)
United States 17.0
Denmark 9.2
Norway 6.9
Sweden 6.6
Finland 5.4
Aid to Afghanistan > Total development aid, estimates (per $ GDP) by country
Norway $457.44 per $10,000 of GDP
Denmark $284.43 per $10,000 of GDP
Sweden $229.73 per $10,000 of GDP
Finland $160.62 per $10,000 of GDP
United States $71.51 per $10,000 of GDP
Funds committed to Tsunami aid (per $ GDP) by country
Norway 0.076 per $100
Sweden 0.034 per $100
Finland 0.029 per $100
Denmark 0.024 per $100
United States 0.007 per $100
Funds pledged by NGOs and public (per $ GDP) by country (Tsunami)
Norway $490,710.00 per $1 billion
Sweden $282,694.00 per $1 billion
Denmark $206,422.00 per $1 billion
Finland $151,455.00 per $1 billion
United States $55,574.50 per $1 billion
Parliamentary seats > Female by country
Sweden 43%
Finland 37%
Norway 36%
United States 13%
Parliamentary elections > Registered voter turnout by country
DEFINITION: The proportion of registered voters who actually voted.
Denmark 87.1%
Sweden 80.1%
Norway 75.1%
Finland 65.3%
United States 63.8%
Assaults (per capita) by country
United States 7.56923 per 1,000 people
Finland 5.32644 per 1,000 people
Norway 3.2064 per 1,000 people
Denmark 1.80339 per 1,000 people
Rapes (per capita) by country
United States 0.301318 per 1,000 people
Norway 0.120836 per 1,000 people
Finland 0.110856 per 1,000 people
Denmark 0.0914948 per 1,000 people
Murders (per capita) by country
United States 0.042802 per 1,000 people
Finland 0.0283362 per 1,000 people
Denmark 0.0106775 per 1,000 people
Norway 0.0106684 per 1,000 people
The Nordic model
by Stein Kuhnle
In comparison with the rest of Europe, the Nordic general welfare states share twelve fairly distinct characteristics which, taken together, may be regarded as a specifically Nordic "model". Those characteristics are:
1. A greater degree of active state involvement than in other countries. For example, the state guarantees basic pensions and free or heavily subsidised health services for all residents, although the delivery of such services is usually administered by provincial or local governments.
2. By international standards, the greatest proportion of the labour force employed in the social, health and educational sectors-- roughly thirty percent.
3. Heavy reliance on the public sector for the provision of social and educational services; roughly ninety percent of all personnel in those sectors are public employees. The corresponding figures for other European countries range from 40-80 percent; in the U.S., the figure is 45 percent.
4. The organization of social insurance within co-ordinated national systems which have overall responsibility for basic pensions, sick-leave benefits, child allowances and health services.
5. A comparatively high level of trust between citizens and governments. Nordic societies are more "state-friendly" than other European societies.
6. Comprehensive, or universal, social insurance systems which cover entire populations or sub-groups. For example: every resident is entitled to a basic old-age pension upon attaining retirement age, even in the absence of any history of gainful employment; child allowances are allocated to all families with children, regardless of income level; all residents are entitled to the best available medical services, irrespective of income, social status or other personal characteristics. This contrasts with most other European countries, where entitlement is conditional on successful participation in the labour market.
7. An advanced level of gender equality, especially as a result of legislation since the 1970s; essentially all benefits are "gender-neutral", in that women are treated as individuals with needs and rights of their own, rather than as merely wives and mothers. Nordic labour markets are characterised by high rates of female employment, nearly-equal incomes for men and women in comparable occupations, and a well-developed support system for working mothers.
8. Social insurance systems free of class or occupational bias. Those with high incomes are included in the same system as those with low or no incomes.
9. General taxation as the principal means of financing, which has the effect of redistributing income. As a result of the Nordic countries' universal, redistributive social insurance systems, their poverty rates are among the lowest in the world. Minimum pensions are not especially high, but generous in comparison with those of most other countries.
10. A greater emphasis on providing services, as opposed to direct income transfers, than in other European countries. Those services include an extensive network of child-care centres, old-age homes, and in-home assistance for the severely ill and the elderly.
11. A traditionally strong emphasis on full employment as a goal in itself, and as a prerequisite for generating the necessary economic resources for the general welfare state.
12. Strong popular support. Such issues as children's well-being, public health, old-age care, etc., are consistently accorded the highest priority in opinion surveys and during elections. No political party seeking broad support can afford to ignore them.
I have taken the liberty to compile a few statistics comparing the United States with some of the Nordic states. The results are quite interesting.
All stats are from NationMaster, World Statistics Country Comparison, who compile stats from various sources such as The United Nations, WHO, and other governmenal organizations.
Total taxation as % of GDP by country
Sweden 54.2 % of GDP
Denmark 48.8 % of GDP
Finland 46.9 % of GDP
Norway 40.3 % of GDP
United States 29.6 % of GDP
Personal income tax by country
Denmark 53.2%
United States 37.7%
Finland 31.2%
Sweden 30.4%
Norway 24.8%
Personal income tax by country
DEFINITION: Property tax as a percentage of total tax collected by the country. Data is for 2000.
United States 10.1%
Sweden 3.4%
Denmark 3.3%
Finland 2.5%
Norway 2.4%
Taxation Statistics >Contribution by middle 40% by country
DEFINITION: Proportion of taxes paid by the broad income group - middle class 40% (Data is for mid-1990s). Taxes include all direct income taxes, including employee social security contributions. Income groups were built on the basis of final disposable adjusted income.
Denmark 37.2%
Norway 36.1%
Sweden 35.8%
Finland 33.4%
United States 28.4%
Social security >Employees contribution by country
DEFINITION: Tax on employee's contribution of social security as a percentage of total tax collected by the country. Data is for 2002.
United States 11.7%
Norway 7.7%
Sweden 5.8%
Finland 4.7%
Denmark 2.7%
Social security > Contribution by employer by country
DEFINITION: Tax on employer's contribution of social security as a percentage of total tax collected by the country. Data is for 2002.
Sweden 24.3%
Finland 20.0%
Norway 13.7%
United States 13.0%
Denmark 0.7%
Church attendance by country
United States 44%
Norway 5%
Denmark 5%
Finland 4%
Sweden 4%
Disabled persons employment by country
Norway 72%
Sweden 69%
Denmark 61%
Finland 59%
United States 58%
Disbility benefit recipients by country
Norway 9.2%
Sweden 8.2%
Denmark 7.7%
United States 4.7%
Obesity by country
United States 30.6%
Finland 12.8%
Sweden 9.7%
Denmark 9.5%
Norway 8.3%
McDonalds restaurants (per capita) by country
United States 0.433 per 10,000 population
Sweden 0.252 per 10,000 population
Denmark 0.182 per 10,000 population
Finland 0.178 per 10,000 population
Norway 0.12 per 10,000 population
Military Statistics > Expenditures > Dollar figure (per $ GDP) by country
United States $0.24 per $10 of GDP
Sweden $0.13 per $10 of GDP
Norway $0.12 per $10 of GDP
Denmark $0.10 per $10 of GDP
Finland $0.10 per $10 of GDP
Lifestyle Statistics > Happiness level > Not very or not at all happy by country
United States 8%
Finland 8%
Norway 6%
Denmark 5%
Sweden 4%
Lifestyle Statistics > Very proud of their nationality by country
United States 77%
Norway 48%
Finland 44%
Sweden 43%
Denmark 42%
Lifestyle Statistics > Will fight for country by country
Norway 90%
Sweden 90%
Denmark 89%
Finland 86%
United States 78%
Labor Statistics > Employment rate of highly educated women by country
Denmark 88.7%
Sweden 87.8%
Norway 87.3%
Finland 84.8%
United States 81.9%
Labor Statistics > Female doctors by country
Finland 50.7%
Sweden 39.2%
Norway 37.2%
Denmark 27.0%
United States 23.1%
Labor Statistics > Unemployment by country
Finland 9.5%
United States 5.0%
Denmark 4.8%
Sweden 4.4%
Norway 3.5%
Labor Statistics > Unemployment benefit as % of GDP by country
Denmark 3.4 % of GDP
Finland 2.6 % of GDP
Sweden 1.9 % of GDP
Norway 0.5 % of GDP
United States 0.2 % of GDP
Labor Statistics > Working mothers by country
Sweden 76
Denmark 74
Norway 73
United States 61
Finland 59
Health Statistics > Births by caesarean section by country
United States 211 live births per 1,000 pe
Finland 157 live births per 1,000 pe
Denmark 145 live births per 1,000 pe
Sweden 144 live births per 1,000 pe
Norway 137 live births per 1,000 pe
Health Statistics > Child maltreatment deaths by country
United States 2.2 per 100,000 children
Finland 0.7 per 100,000 children
Denmark 0.7 per 100,000 children
Sweden 0.5 per 100,000 children
Norway 0.3 per 100,000 children
Health Statistics > Out-of-pocket expenditure as % of private
health expenditure by country
Sweden 100%
Norway 97.2%
Denmark 89.8%
Finland 82.2%
United States 25.4%
Literacy > Adults at high literacy level by country
Sweden 35.5%
Norway 29.4%
Denmark 25.4%
Finland 25.1%
United States 19.0%
Proportion of primary education time spent learning foreign languages by country
Denmark 10
Finland 9
Norway 16
Sweden 12
United States 7
Public spending per student > Tertiary level by country
Denmark 65.1
Sweden 53.5
Norway 46.5
Finland 39.7
United States 23.9
Child poverty by country
United States 22.4
Denmark 5.1
Finland 4.3
Norway 3.9
Sweden 2.6
Distribution of family income > Gini index by country
DEFINITION: This index measures the degree of inequality in the distribution of family income in a country. The index is calculated from the Lorenz curve, in which cumulative family income is plotted against the number of families arranged from the poorest to the rich
United States 45.0
Norway 25.8
Finland 25.6
Sweden 25.0
Denmark 24.7
Income distribution > Poorest 10% by country
DEFINITION: Share of income or consumption (%). The distribution of income is typically more unequal than the distribution of consumption.
Finland 4.2%
Norway 4.1%
Sweden 3.7%
Denmark 3.6%
United States 1.8%
Income distribution > Richest 10% by country
DEFINITION: Share of income or consumption (%). The distribution of income is typically more unequal than the distribution of consumption.
United States 30.5%
Norway 21.8%
Finland 21.6%
Denmark 20.5%
Sweden 20.1%
Population below median income by country
DEFINITION: Population living below 50% of median income (%)
United States 17.0
Denmark 9.2
Norway 6.9
Sweden 6.6
Finland 5.4
Aid to Afghanistan > Total development aid, estimates (per $ GDP) by country
Norway $457.44 per $10,000 of GDP
Denmark $284.43 per $10,000 of GDP
Sweden $229.73 per $10,000 of GDP
Finland $160.62 per $10,000 of GDP
United States $71.51 per $10,000 of GDP
Funds committed to Tsunami aid (per $ GDP) by country
Norway 0.076 per $100
Sweden 0.034 per $100
Finland 0.029 per $100
Denmark 0.024 per $100
United States 0.007 per $100
Funds pledged by NGOs and public (per $ GDP) by country (Tsunami)
Norway $490,710.00 per $1 billion
Sweden $282,694.00 per $1 billion
Denmark $206,422.00 per $1 billion
Finland $151,455.00 per $1 billion
United States $55,574.50 per $1 billion
Parliamentary seats > Female by country
Sweden 43%
Finland 37%
Norway 36%
United States 13%
Parliamentary elections > Registered voter turnout by country
DEFINITION: The proportion of registered voters who actually voted.
Denmark 87.1%
Sweden 80.1%
Norway 75.1%
Finland 65.3%
United States 63.8%
Assaults (per capita) by country
United States 7.56923 per 1,000 people
Finland 5.32644 per 1,000 people
Norway 3.2064 per 1,000 people
Denmark 1.80339 per 1,000 people
Rapes (per capita) by country
United States 0.301318 per 1,000 people
Norway 0.120836 per 1,000 people
Finland 0.110856 per 1,000 people
Denmark 0.0914948 per 1,000 people
Murders (per capita) by country
United States 0.042802 per 1,000 people
Finland 0.0283362 per 1,000 people
Denmark 0.0106775 per 1,000 people
Norway 0.0106684 per 1,000 people
libertad - 06/04/06 09:35
Cool, I like statistics...sometimes. It certainly does suggest that we can and should do better. I haven't finished that article. Hope to get to it later.
Cool, I like statistics...sometimes. It certainly does suggest that we can and should do better. I haven't finished that article. Hope to get to it later.
kookcity2000 - 06/04/06 02:58
wait, isn't this because these countries are populated with nordic supermen?
OK, you have some inneresting points beside that though
wait, isn't this because these countries are populated with nordic supermen?
OK, you have some inneresting points beside that though
zobar - 06/03/06 22:51
Oops!! I forgot to log (e:zobar) out. This is (e:dragonlady7), posting the above comment from (e:zobar)'s shiny computer while he's out with the Boys. That's what I get for unsupervised computer usage.
Oops!! I forgot to log (e:zobar) out. This is (e:dragonlady7), posting the above comment from (e:zobar)'s shiny computer while he's out with the Boys. That's what I get for unsupervised computer usage.
zobar - 06/03/06 22:49
Huh. Fascinating.
My aunt moved to Norway when she was about 21. She's been there at least thirty years. She married a Norwegian man, had three sons, and is now the director of foreign-student admissions at the university of Bergen. Her three sons have all, I believe, done their compulsive military service. The oldest, Andreas, is less than a week older than me, and we email somewhat frequently.
I've only been to Norway once, and I was dreadfully ill at the time. They are an odd people, and it is a strange place; fierce and yet withdrawn, they seemed to me. Cold and hard to get to know, wonderfully moody, but capable of great passion on short notice.
At the moment things are slightly dire, however, as my uncle killed himself last month with absolutely no warning. So I could not offer any reasoned opinion on any of it. Are Norwegians happier? Tough to say.
Huh. Fascinating.
My aunt moved to Norway when she was about 21. She's been there at least thirty years. She married a Norwegian man, had three sons, and is now the director of foreign-student admissions at the university of Bergen. Her three sons have all, I believe, done their compulsive military service. The oldest, Andreas, is less than a week older than me, and we email somewhat frequently.
I've only been to Norway once, and I was dreadfully ill at the time. They are an odd people, and it is a strange place; fierce and yet withdrawn, they seemed to me. Cold and hard to get to know, wonderfully moody, but capable of great passion on short notice.
At the moment things are slightly dire, however, as my uncle killed himself last month with absolutely no warning. So I could not offer any reasoned opinion on any of it. Are Norwegians happier? Tough to say.
06/01/2006 19:05 #23059
successok
finally
it's done
we were able to get it on VHS and send it off overnight. $42 for fedex!
keep your toes crossed for us!
finally
it's done
we were able to get it on VHS and send it off overnight. $42 for fedex!
keep your toes crossed for us!
des - 06/05/06 22:08
Kickass you finnaly got it out. I glad its done and I know you'll be picked fo sho. Boy I sure could go for a nice home cooked meal ;)
Kickass you finnaly got it out. I glad its done and I know you'll be picked fo sho. Boy I sure could go for a nice home cooked meal ;)
theecarey - 06/01/06 20:47
score!
score!
kookcity2000 - 06/01/06 19:51
you know that fat bartender at Merlin's? Tommy.
He tried to get onto 'The Biggest Loser'
I hope all you guys make it.
you know that fat bartender at Merlin's? Tommy.
He tried to get onto 'The Biggest Loser'
I hope all you guys make it.
metalpeter - 06/01/06 19:26
Glad everything worked out for you both. I knew overnight was expensive but I had no idea a video tape would cost that much. I have used UPS Next Day Air at work but never fedex and once it is sent overnight the price shoots way up. I wish you two the best of luck.
Glad everything worked out for you both. I knew overnight was expensive but I had no idea a video tape would cost that much. I have used UPS Next Day Air at work but never fedex and once it is sent overnight the price shoots way up. I wish you two the best of luck.
mrmike - 06/01/06 19:23
Congrats!! That must be a big weight off your shoulders. Good Luck!!
Congrats!! That must be a big weight off your shoulders. Good Luck!!
the clams sound really good except from the clam part. but I think you know my policy on that. I think the highlight of the afternoon was seeing your alter ego Cruelella ;)
I hope that special order pot gets its finishing touches soon (hint hint)
you should put a couple on ebay just to see how it goes. If it takes off I could finagle some good hosting for you on my server for your Pot store.
that's so great! i wanna come paint with you soon. and yes, once this ass monkey painter gets our porch done, we'd love some pretty pots!
Hmm. Your flower pot business. I have to say that I am super impressed! Go you! I don't have any plants, and I don't have any money, but both of those things will be changing, hopefully sooner than later, and I would commission a pot.