Comments on: The function of the US military. https://habitablezone.com/2012/06/12/the-function-of-the-us-military/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:18:10 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: VelociraptorBlade https://habitablezone.com/2012/06/12/the-function-of-the-us-military/#comment-15804 VelociraptorBlade Fri, 15 Jun 2012 05:18:39 +0000 http://www.habitablezone.com/?p=16419#comment-15804 At the very least, you'll probably see me at mid-age. At the very least, you’ll probably see me at mid-age.

]]> By: Robert https://habitablezone.com/2012/06/12/the-function-of-the-us-military/#comment-15799 Robert Thu, 14 Jun 2012 22:25:17 +0000 http://www.habitablezone.com/?p=16419#comment-15799 I was also struck by the way the US was stuck at the top of all the charts. I'm very familiar with the source data, and I know full well that the US ranks embarrassingly low in some of the things they measure. One that's always been controversial, and even more so in a US election year, is "GINI", which is the distribution of wealth. According to the <a href="http://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=INEQUALITY#bPopular" rel="nofollow">latest stats</a>, the US has the sixth worst distribution of wealth in the OECD, behind only Israel, Turkey, Korea, Chile, and Mexico. That's just the "developed" world. In a table of all countries, the US ranks right alongside Panama and El Salvador and other banana republics in having a wealth distribution following the plantation model. Back at that fancy visualization widget, I tracked back their "Income" category, and found a strange thing: In the section on each individual country they <i>mention</i> inequality of wealth, but it looks like the number was left out of the calculation of the country ranking for the income category. Knowing the numbers, I'm sure that if GINI weren't being left out you wouldn't be seeing the US floating on the ceiling like a helium balloon. Either the fix is in, or somebody at OECD is afraid of stirring the pot. I was also struck by the way the US was stuck at the top of all the charts. I’m very familiar with the source data, and I know full well that the US ranks embarrassingly low in some of the things they measure.

One that’s always been controversial, and even more so in a US election year, is “GINI”, which is the distribution of wealth. According to the latest stats, the US has the sixth worst distribution of wealth in the OECD, behind only Israel, Turkey, Korea, Chile, and Mexico. That’s just the “developed” world. In a table of all countries, the US ranks right alongside Panama and El Salvador and other banana republics in having a wealth distribution following the plantation model.

Back at that fancy visualization widget, I tracked back their “Income” category, and found a strange thing: In the section on each individual country they mention inequality of wealth, but it looks like the number was left out of the calculation of the country ranking for the income category.

Knowing the numbers, I’m sure that if GINI weren’t being left out you wouldn’t be seeing the US floating on the ceiling like a helium balloon. Either the fix is in, or somebody at OECD is afraid of stirring the pot.

]]> By: FrankC https://habitablezone.com/2012/06/12/the-function-of-the-us-military/#comment-15792 FrankC Thu, 14 Jun 2012 19:01:14 +0000 http://www.habitablezone.com/?p=16419#comment-15792 The inability to know VB in 30-40 years. :) The inability to know VB in 30-40 years. :)

]]> By: FrankC https://habitablezone.com/2012/06/12/the-function-of-the-us-military/#comment-15791 FrankC Thu, 14 Jun 2012 18:47:52 +0000 http://www.habitablezone.com/?p=16419#comment-15791 You could build a fantastic futuristic submarine and cruise the oceans of the world preying on warmongers and Imperialists. :) You could build a fantastic futuristic submarine and cruise the oceans of the world preying on warmongers and Imperialists. :)

]]> By: FrankC https://habitablezone.com/2012/06/12/the-function-of-the-us-military/#comment-15790 FrankC Thu, 14 Jun 2012 18:43:05 +0000 http://www.habitablezone.com/?p=16419#comment-15790 USA is highly rated regardless of choices. Seriously though the Scandinavians would seem to be attractive to VB but then Sweden has a pretty sporty arms industry. USA is highly rated regardless of choices.

Seriously though the Scandinavians would seem to be attractive to VB but then Sweden has a pretty sporty arms industry.

]]> By: VelociraptorBlade https://habitablezone.com/2012/06/12/the-function-of-the-us-military/#comment-15779 VelociraptorBlade Thu, 14 Jun 2012 04:22:21 +0000 http://www.habitablezone.com/?p=16419#comment-15779 But it keeps saying Australia is the best place for me. >_< But it keeps saying Australia is the best place for me. >_<

]]> By: VelociraptorBlade https://habitablezone.com/2012/06/12/the-function-of-the-us-military/#comment-15778 VelociraptorBlade Thu, 14 Jun 2012 04:18:42 +0000 http://www.habitablezone.com/?p=16419#comment-15778 It'd be stupid and rather pompous to move somewhere and not know the local languages beforehand. Living anywhere in Europe pretty much requires knowledge of 2 or 3 languages at the very least. It’d be stupid and rather pompous to move somewhere and not know the local languages beforehand. Living anywhere in Europe pretty much requires knowledge of 2 or 3 languages at the very least.

]]> By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2012/06/12/the-function-of-the-us-military/#comment-15777 TB Thu, 14 Jun 2012 03:32:25 +0000 http://www.habitablezone.com/?p=16419#comment-15777 Play around with <a href="http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/" rel="nofollow">this</a> for a while. Play around with this for a while.

]]> By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2012/06/12/the-function-of-the-us-military/#comment-15776 TB Thu, 14 Jun 2012 02:34:49 +0000 http://www.habitablezone.com/?p=16419#comment-15776 <p>You'll need to know German to emigrate to Liechtenstein.</p> A requirement. The country has no military, because the friendly countries around them do. Good news: Not a EU member, so might still have an economy in ten years. You’ll need to know German to emigrate to Liechtenstein.

A requirement.

The country has no military, because the friendly countries around them do.

Good news: Not a EU member, so might still have an economy in ten years.

]]> By: VelociraptorBlade https://habitablezone.com/2012/06/12/the-function-of-the-us-military/#comment-15775 VelociraptorBlade Thu, 14 Jun 2012 01:39:36 +0000 http://www.habitablezone.com/?p=16419#comment-15775 Leichenstein is definitely on the list. They have no military, their crime rate is SUPER low (Last homicide was in the <strike>'80s</strike>*'90's MY BAD*), their national police force is much, much less scary than it sounds, and while their new constitution is a tad suspicious, it seems to have been passed with the consent of it's people. Also, their <u><a href="http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/IOR41/044/2008/en/0f32bb60-bfbd-11dd-9f1c-69adff6d2171/ior410442008en.pdf" rel="nofollow">Amnesty International report</a></u> is a page and a half long. That's gotta count for something. Scotland (technically a nation-ish, <u><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_independence_referendum,_2014" rel="nofollow">could become fully independent in a few years</a></u>), is there as well. It's past is a little sketchy, and they still has some work to do in some areas, but they take human right seriously there(more so than most countries), and crime there is low (<u><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Crime-Justice/TrendHom" rel="nofollow">homicides are on the decrease</a></u>). However, they do need to crack down on gang violence there (especially in the Glasgow Area), so it ranks no. 2 on the list. I'll keep looking for more. Leichenstein is definitely on the list. They have no military, their crime rate is SUPER low (Last homicide was in the ’80s*’90′s MY BAD*), their national police force is much, much less scary than it sounds, and while their new constitution is a tad suspicious, it seems to have been passed with the consent of it’s people. Also, their Amnesty International report is a page and a half long. That’s gotta count for something.

Scotland (technically a nation-ish, could become fully independent in a few years), is there as well. It’s past is a little sketchy, and they still has some work to do in some areas, but they take human right seriously there(more so than most countries), and crime there is low (homicides are on the decrease). However, they do need to crack down on gang violence there (especially in the Glasgow Area), so it ranks no. 2 on the list.

I’ll keep looking for more.

]]>