Does Education Make You Happy?

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This study cited by the New York Times suggests that locations with a high percentage of the population having a bachelor degree or higher (their definition of "human capital") have higher "happiness" scores. Of course, we always need to be careful in assuming that correlation proves causation, as there may be a third factor that drives both scores higher simultaneously (or, the direction of causation may be reversed; perhaps people who are naturally happy have a higher tendency to seek a bachelor's degree). But there is at least some logic in the thought that education makes you happier, plus a positive message.

Filed under  //  education   happiness   statistics  
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The State of Unemployment in the US. Figures Still Very Grim

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This chart summarizes a lot of statistics regarding US unemployment (but it still understates true unemployment as it doesn't count discouraged job seekers who have stopped looking for a job or those who are underemployed. It is going to be a long road back to more reasonable unemployment levels or even (don't say it too loudly) *full employment*.

Filed under  //  economics   employment   infographic   statistics  
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Why it's not really US consumers who are the most "addicted to oil".

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The most telling graphic on this chart is a comparison of US government (state and federal) tax revenues from gasoline versus oil industry profits. So, who is really the glutton in this equation?

That being said, and with me being a believer in the power of low tax rates, if you really want to reduce consumers' cravings for oil, it should be taxed even more (and such taxes should replace other, more anti-growth, taxes such as the extremely progressive income tax).

Filed under  //  economics   government   statistics  
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Youtube : "Simultaneously the greatest triumph and most abyssmal failure of the First Amendment to date"

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I'm not sure that the statistics shown are "official", but the seem pretty close to the mark. Fact #3 also seems spot-on - "The comments section on YouTube is generally regarded as a black hole of intelligence in the space-time continuum of the Internet." Though I think Yahoo Answers can sometimes contend for that title.

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Good news American men - turkeys have gotten fatter faster than we have. We're still pretty fat though.

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Average weight for American males is up 28 lbs. (or an entire turkey) since 1960. Maybe we should cut back on the turkey.

Filed under  //  health   statistics  
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