The World is Not as Bad as You Might Think
#1
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I thought I'd try to offer a balance to the normal posts in this subsection which tend to focus on the negative aspects of the world.
Five year old kidnapping victim rescued by two teenage boys
Five year old kidnapping victim rescued by two teenage boys
Two teenage boys are being hailed as heroes after they chased a car carrying a kidnapped girl -- on their bicycles.
Five-year-old Jocelyn Rojas was playing in her front yard in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, when she vanished Thursday afternoon.
Five-year-old Jocelyn Rojas was playing in her front yard in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, when she vanished Thursday afternoon.
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After clashes with military in Egypt's Tahrir Square, citizens took the initiative to clean up:
![](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/current-events-news-politics-77/82829-world-not-bad-you-might-think-clean-egypt1-599x421-custom.jpg?dateline=1374157200)
![](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/current-events-news-politics-77/82830-world-not-bad-you-might-think-egypt%252b15%252btahrir%252bsquare%252bcleanup.jpg?dateline=1374157200)
During the original Arab Spring in Egypt, others linked arms to stand together in an attempt to protect the national museum which holds some of the world's rarest antiquities.
![](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/current-events-news-politics-77/82829-world-not-bad-you-might-think-clean-egypt1-599x421-custom.jpg?dateline=1374157200)
![](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/current-events-news-politics-77/82830-world-not-bad-you-might-think-egypt%252b15%252btahrir%252bsquare%252bcleanup.jpg?dateline=1374157200)
During the original Arab Spring in Egypt, others linked arms to stand together in an attempt to protect the national museum which holds some of the world's rarest antiquities.
![](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/current-events-news-politics-77/82831-world-not-bad-you-might-think-29lede_chain-blog480.jpg?dateline=1374157200)
#5
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At Estonia's Bank Of Happiness, Kindness Is The Currency : Parallels : NPR
Some Estonians setup a site where people can offer and ask for help with services.
Some Estonians setup a site where people can offer and ask for help with services.
The site has many more offers of help than requests for it. That's as it should be, Kivi says, adding that the bigger reward comes from giving.
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The incidences of cancer in the USA, adjusted for age and across all races and both sexes, is about flat to slightly down over the past ~20 years.
Cancer.gov statistics site
Cancer.gov statistics site
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An employee of a financial firm - inspired by that firm's philanthropic and relatively frugal CEO - lived a thrifty life, saved seriously, invested well, and left the largest donation to her local United Way's endowment from an individual donor as her legacy.
And she made sure to take care of her two cats:
"She was so humble," Blain said. "She didn't get it unless she could pay for it. She saved and saved and saved because she never wanted to be a burden," contributing the maximum amounts allowed every year into her 401(k) and Roth IRA accounts. "She never got to spend one penny on herself."
Thrifty woman leaves $2 million to United Way | Tampa Bay TimesAnd she made sure to take care of her two cats:
Ms. Kinnicutt also made provisions in her estate plan for Lady and Sammy, the mixed-breed rescue felines that survive her and now live with DuFaux.
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That's pretty much the opposite of what she did.
She barely spent anything on her self - what she did spend in her lifetime was primarily on gifts to others. She saved and saved and saved to make sure that she would not be a burden on anyone in her retirement and then, when she passed away earlier than expected, she left all of the money she had accumulated over her lifetime to charity.
It's okay to just accept some good news once in a while, Braineack. There's plenty of bad stuff to keep you occupied in the rest of this subforum.
![](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/smilies/smile.gif)
She barely spent anything on her self - what she did spend in her lifetime was primarily on gifts to others. She saved and saved and saved to make sure that she would not be a burden on anyone in her retirement and then, when she passed away earlier than expected, she left all of the money she had accumulated over her lifetime to charity.
It's okay to just accept some good news once in a while, Braineack. There's plenty of bad stuff to keep you occupied in the rest of this subforum.
![group hug](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/smilies/ughug.gif)
#12
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There is no "Great Stagnation" in real income:
What Great Stagnation? - Coordination Problem
What Great Stagnation? - Coordination Problem
In last week's Washington Post, Robert Samuelson reported on the results of the Pew Mobility Project, looking at the income and wealth mobility of Americans over the last several decades. Although not all the news is good, most of it is. A couple of highlights:
● Most Americans (84 percent) exceed their parents’ income at a similar stage. Income gains were sizable across the economic spectrum. For the richest fifth, median income grew 126 percent from the late 1960s to the early 2000s, from $49,075 to $111,115. Among the poorest fifth, the median rose 74 percent, from $11,064 to $19,202. (All figures are in inflation-adjusted 2008 dollars.)
● Among sons, 59 percent had higher inflation-adjusted wages and salaries than their fathers. For the poorest fifth, 85 percent exceeded their fathers’ earnings. Higher family incomes also reflect more women with paid jobs. (From 1970 to 2000, the labor force participation rate of women 16 and over went from 43 percent to 60 percent.) Men’s earnings represent 61 percent of family income, down from 75 percent in the late 1960s.
● Along with higher incomes, there was much movement across class lines. Fully 60 percent of children born to the richest fifth of Americans in the late 1960s fell out of that category — 23 percent to the second-richest fifth and the rest scattered; 8 percent landed in the poorest fifth. As for upward mobility, about 57 percent of children born to the poorest fifth of Americans in the late 1960s moved up — 27 percent into the second-poorest fifth and 4 percent into the richest fifth.
Bottom line? Whatever is true of the comparative statics of quintiles, there remains significant inter-generational mobility and starting off poor does not prevent you from getting out of poverty. Even if you remained in one of the lower quintiles, your absolute standard of living improved. This is not the vision of an America being pulled apart by rigid economic classes.
● Most Americans (84 percent) exceed their parents’ income at a similar stage. Income gains were sizable across the economic spectrum. For the richest fifth, median income grew 126 percent from the late 1960s to the early 2000s, from $49,075 to $111,115. Among the poorest fifth, the median rose 74 percent, from $11,064 to $19,202. (All figures are in inflation-adjusted 2008 dollars.)
● Among sons, 59 percent had higher inflation-adjusted wages and salaries than their fathers. For the poorest fifth, 85 percent exceeded their fathers’ earnings. Higher family incomes also reflect more women with paid jobs. (From 1970 to 2000, the labor force participation rate of women 16 and over went from 43 percent to 60 percent.) Men’s earnings represent 61 percent of family income, down from 75 percent in the late 1960s.
● Along with higher incomes, there was much movement across class lines. Fully 60 percent of children born to the richest fifth of Americans in the late 1960s fell out of that category — 23 percent to the second-richest fifth and the rest scattered; 8 percent landed in the poorest fifth. As for upward mobility, about 57 percent of children born to the poorest fifth of Americans in the late 1960s moved up — 27 percent into the second-poorest fifth and 4 percent into the richest fifth.
Bottom line? Whatever is true of the comparative statics of quintiles, there remains significant inter-generational mobility and starting off poor does not prevent you from getting out of poverty. Even if you remained in one of the lower quintiles, your absolute standard of living improved. This is not the vision of an America being pulled apart by rigid economic classes.
#15
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Global poverty declines significantly over two decades | World Vision News
World poverty is shrinking rapidly, new index reveals
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/20...-acute-poverty
World poverty is shrinking rapidly, new index reveals
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/20...-acute-poverty
#16
Slowest Progress Ever
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I love statistics like this. We had a meeting at work the other day about how the job related injury percentage went down from what it was in like 2002 or something. I was like, "really, no ****...that's cause 3,000 more people are employed here since 2002, obviously the percentage would go down. If it went up, then there's a huge problem."
Propaganda, gotta love it.
Propaganda, gotta love it.
#17
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Violent crime rates continuously dropping since the 80s. Possibly due to removal of lead from gasoline:
America's Real Criminal Element: Lead | Mother Jones
America's Real Criminal Element: Lead | Mother Jones
#18
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In 2012 US CO2 emissions are down:
Thanks to fracking, U.S. carbon emissions are at the lowest levels in 20 years. - Slate Magazine
Thanks to fracking, U.S. carbon emissions are at the lowest levels in 20 years. - Slate Magazine
#20
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Japan Train Rescue
Train passengers and railway staff push a train car in their effort to rescue a woman who fell and got stuck between the car and the platform while getting off at Japan Railway Minami Urawa Station in Saitama, near Tokyo, Monday morning, July 22, 2013. A Yomiuri Shimbun photographer who happened to be there said there was a big applause when the woman in her mid-30s, who fell to her waist, was safely rescued without any serious injuries. About 40 people helped the staff who were pushing the car upon hearing an announcement that a passenger has been trapped.
Train passengers and railway staff push a train car in their effort to rescue a woman who fell and got stuck between the car and the platform while getting off at Japan Railway Minami Urawa Station in Saitama, near Tokyo, Monday morning, July 22, 2013. A Yomiuri Shimbun photographer who happened to be there said there was a big applause when the woman in her mid-30s, who fell to her waist, was safely rescued without any serious injuries. About 40 people helped the staff who were pushing the car upon hearing an announcement that a passenger has been trapped.
![](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/current-events-news-politics-77/83235-world-not-bad-you-might-think-512x.jpg?dateline=1374504433)