How's that trickle down thing working out for ya?

When I first moved here I used, half ironically, describe America to my British mates as a First World country and a Third World country sharing the same geography. Well I think this story goes a long way towards proving that if you wait long enough reality has a way of killing off all irony. American cities in particular are hotbeds of inequality on a par with such notable "cities on hills" as Abidjan and Nairobi and the life expectancy of black Americans is roughly the same as the life expectancy in China and parts of India.

The most egalitarian city in the world? (Prepare for wingnut heads exploding!)

Beijing. Thank heavens that communism has turned out to be such a failure and the unbridled free market such a success story, eh?

Do you want the less bad news or the bad news?

The less bad news, according to data released by the US Census Bureau yesterday, indicates that the gender pay gap in the US is at its lowest level ever, largely because women are making modest gains in income whilst men are making no gains at all. The bad news, as spun by the absolutely unbiased Wall Street Journal, is that the number of those lacking health insurance in 2007, before the economy went down the sub-prime hopper, declined marginally and that median incomes were also up marginally. The WSJ goes on to claim that the increase in those living in poverty in the GREATEST NATION IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE was statistically insignificant.

I didn't mean to be right!

I have long semi-jokingly described America as a first world nation and a third world nation sharing the same geography. It seems that I may have been right at we all should be shamed by the 30 year gap in life expectancy between the states of Mississippi and Connecticut.

Now pay attention

I am not sure what it means to "be proud of one's country" and therefore I was not outraged by Michelle Obama's statement the other day*. However, after watching this 60 Minutes piece I do know what it means to be ashamed of one's country. The unfortunate woman who "doesn't like to ask" for charity in order to have basic medical needs met I can only say - you shouldn't have to!

Welcome to the Third World America. I hope you enjoy your stay.

*It should be noted that there was nothing in Ms. Obama's statement that could outrage someone who does understand what it means to "be proud of one's country" but that is another matter.

Jews fare better under socialism

A new study reveals that Jews are more likely to be poor in the United States operated under free market principles than in Israel where they are protected (and oppressed) by the socialist nanny state.

Surely this is just some silly statistical anomaly.

Most children left behind

As of 2006 the public schools in most southern US states had a majority of poor pupils. In 2000 only 4 states had such a majority. Yet another brilliant success story for Captain Codpiece and his minions.

Yeah but can you make a FlufferPlumpynutter (PlumpyFlutternutter?) with it?

Médecins sans frontières has come up with a new food mixture called Plumpynut, containing peanut butter, powdered milk, powdered sugar, and enriched with vitamins and minerals, that is can feed to malnourished children and reverse their condition in a matter of weeks. The food requires no refrigeration and therefore is suitable for use in the most remote and deprived areas of the globe where electricity is not even a dream.

It's nice that there is good news ever now and then.

Patience my arse - I'm going to steal something

It's legal. It makes money. It must be good.

Today the Guardian reports on the so called Vulture Funds that buy up commercial and/or sovereign debt from poor countries on the cheap and then sue in American and British courts, often with the assistance of major British firms, to recover the debt plus costs. So far these brave capitalists have targeted nearly have of the countries whose debt has been cancelled and have already won nearly one billion USD from these countries; money that could have been spent on schools, health care or advanced American weaponry.

The market has decided.

How much time would Jesus do?

While Philadelphia is worrying about the negative impacts of its trans-fat ban on producers of the city's pastries the city of Orlando FL is using police stakeouts to nab people in the act of feeding the homeless. Apparently Eric Montanez doesn't understand that the homeless, unlike children, should neither be seen nor heard nor fed.

Yep. The good old US of A is a Christian nation indeed!