Ireland named best country to live in!!!

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U2democrat

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How exciting!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6529893/

Ireland named best country to live in

Economist survey ranks U.S. 13th, U.K. 29th, Zimbabwe last
MSNBC
Updated: 10:28 a.m. ET Nov. 19, 2004
LONDON - Ireland is the best country to live in with Switzerland in second spot, according to a sweeping study of 111 nations aimed at comparing happiness around the world.

advertisementThe survey, produced by the Economist Intelligence Unit and released on Wednesday, showed the quality of life in Ireland well ahead of the United States, which was ranked 13th, and  neighboring Britain, which came in at 29th place.

Assuming that wealth is not a finite measure of human satisfaction, the survey is based on complex equations that give precedence to matters of health, well-being, political stability and security. Climate, job security, political freedom, gender equality, and “freedom, family, and community life” are also taken into account.

On a scale of one to 10, Ireland achieved 8.33 points, with Switzerland coming in at 8.07.

While the United States had the second-highest GDP after tiny Luxembourg, relatively small European countries, Sweden, Italy, Denmark, and Spain, placed higher, all appearing within the top 10.

Meantime, larger European Union members France and Germany, took 25th and 26th places respectively.

Social cohesion
The United Kingdom ranked the lowest out of the EU members, primarily due to the deterioration of traditional social and family values.

Ireland not only rated high on social cohesion, but beat the United Kingdom on GDP per person. Average yearly income is now $36,790 in Ireland, versus $31,150 in Britain. For a country that was losing much of its population right up to the early 1990s as emigrants searched for work abroad, the lifestyle victory shows how far Ireland has come since joining the European Union.

"Ireland wins because it successfully combines the most desirable elements of the new (the fourth highest gross domestic product per head in the world in 2005, low unemployment, political liberties) with the preservation of certain cozy elements of the old, such as stable family and community life,” the Economist survey revealed.

In the second-division, South Korea ranked just below the United Kingdom, at 30th place. And politically and economically insecure Zimbabwe came in last with in 3.89 points.

The survey, which will be published in “The World in 2005,” has been conducted annually for 17 years.
 
The United Kingdom ranked the lowest out of the EU members, primarily due to the deterioration of traditional social and family values.

I'd like to know what the hell this is supposed to mean. If this is just a thinly-veiled homophobic swipe, then these economists can fuck themselves.

And, as for Americans trying to go abroad, good luck: the EU is an organized lock box, unless you've got relatives or marry an EU citizen. So let's work at bringing America up to #1, although I think that's a crap shoot with this current political climate.

Melon
 
melon said:


And, as for Americans trying to go abroad, good luck: the EU is an organized lock box, unless you've got relatives or marry an EU citizen.

I have EU citizenship, but they've even tightened the rules for EU citizens who are only citizens by birth or ethnicity. For example, in the past, you could attend school in the EU for a domestic fee. Right now, even though you are a citizen of the EU, you have to pay outrageous international fees unless you can prove that you've been a resident of the EU for at least 2 years directly prior to enrolment. They're really cracking down.
 
melon said:



And, as for Americans trying to go abroad, good luck: the EU is an organized lock box, unless you've got relatives or marry an EU citizen.

It IS difficult, but they are ways of getting a foot in the door (as a student, temporary work visas, etc.). It was much easier for me to get married and stay in the UK than it would have been to bring my husband to the US.
 
saltwaterkiss26 said:

How often does it snow?

Snows here from November to April. :grumpy:

It usually snows around Christmas and maybe in Jan/ Feburary. We might get about 2 or 3 weeks of snow, it's never really that bad. Its bitterly cold this week and it has been mild up until now.

U2democrat, there are a lot of American students doing a years studying at our university. :up:
 
I'm glad that Ireland is number 1 - it really is a wonderful country :yes: , but...

...relatively small European countries, Sweden, Italy, Denmark, and Spain, placed higher, all appearing within the top 10.

:applaud: :D:up:
 
Lara Mullen said:


It usually snows around Christmas and maybe in Jan/ Feburary. We might get about 2 or 3 weeks of snow, it's never really that bad. Its bitterly cold this week and it has been mild up until now.

U2democrat, there are a lot of American students doing a years studying at our university. :up:

Which university is that?
 
Welcome. :) My Mum studied politics there. she said the political debates were "ferocious". Shewent to university with some of the politicians invovled in the peace process and worked with them during the elections one year.
 
Lara Mullen said:
Welcome. :) My Mum studied politics there. she said the political debates were "ferocious". Shewent to university with some of the politicians invovled in the peace process and worked with them during the elections one year.

:hyper: awesome!
 
With our history I couldn't really say studying politics here could be even slightly boring. My Mum loved it.
 
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