That's How It Goes...

... and everybody knows: In the words of Leonard Cohen, 'the poor get poor and the rich get rich.'

I forgot where I found this, but a series of fifteen charts highlights the growing gap between the rich and the poor in this country. It shows, among other things, that we are no better today than we were in 1972, and that our peers such as France are closing the gap as we are widening it.

And since a picture is worth a thousand words, here's a sample:

The Power of Comparison

Ever wonder which states give more than they get back from the Federal Government?

Wonder no longer (click for larger view):

As my source observes, it bears a striking resemblance to another map:

How Will You Die?

Well, as a white male in my twenties, I'm most likely to die of suicide. Then, my biggest foe for the rest of my life is heart disease, followed by cancer.

How will you die? Check it out. Or go to the source if you'd like to see a zoomable version.

(Found via BuzzFeed)

The World of Couch Potatoes

Ever wonder how much television people of different countries watch on average?

The Economist satisfies your curiosity.

Diabetes Across the Nation

A New York Times article gives 13.7% and 11.9% as the percentages for American men and women, respectively, who have diabetes, regardless of whether they have been diagnosed with it or not.

It also breaks down the data by state, resulting in the diagram below.

Facebook as an Index of Happiness

The New York Times has an article discussing Facebook's recently released Gross National Happiness. Facebook compiled data over two years from people's Facebook statuses and based the analysis on the use of 'happy' and 'sad' words. Christmas reigns supreme, though the days that precede it seem to be the opposite. Other holidays coincide with peaks, too.

Here's a quick snapshot, though if you go on the image source page, you can play around with it and see it more clearly.

Immigrants & National Pride

The chart below, taken from The Economist, shows pride in one's country. Australia and Canada top the list. (Flip of the middle finger to you Canada scorners!)

This second chart taken from Think Progress shows the percentage of foreign-born individuals in the top three countries with foreign-born population. Australia and Canada once again top the list—and in that order, too!

Whaddya know?! Immigrants are not detrimental to 'trust, admiration, respect and pride in [one's] country,' to use the language of The Economist.

Suck it, Xenophobia!

The Workings of a Brain in Argument

A funny flowchart found through BuzzFeed diagramming how a man's brain and how a woman's brain works during an argument. Click the image for a larger view.

Image Source

Professions in America

A graphic called Job Voyager shows the evolution of professions in America from the 1850s until today.

Behold, the bartender:

(Via Matthew Yglesias)

Congress and Lobbyists

Ever wonder why there are Democrats (assuming it makes sense that Republicans act this way) that so staunchly oppose healthcare reform? Look no further. They are fattened up by money from health insurance corporations and seem intent on voting against reform, despite support for it among their constituents, and, if you ask me, not because of ideology.

Here are the shares they get from the healthcare industry:

And why would health insurance companies do this, you ask? Because without any limits on premiums and conditions for their coverage, they can do this: increase premiums by 29% just like that.

On more positive related news, lobbyists are feeling the pinch of the economy on their derrières and no longer have the clout to which they had been accustomed until now (via Huffington Post). Nevertheless, lobbyists have been unleashed on congressmen and congresswomen and are pulling strings left and right to influence their votes.

Meanwhile, Rep. Henry Waxman of California is tightening the purse strings for money going to drug companies in trying to cut a deal with the industry in question, which aims to save billions of dollars in the future.

In remembrance of Sen. Ted Kennedy and his incorruptible struggle for healthcare reform:

Image Source

Religion in France

A recent poll conducted by the Institut Français d'Opinion Publique (IFOP) and released as a .pdf document shows that Catholicism is an aging and decaying breed in France. More than a quarter of the population identify as 'non-religious', while those who identify as 'Catholic' have declined since the end of the Second World War.

The graph below shows not only a decrease in people who identify as 'Catholic,' but also a decrease in church-going Catholics that is disproportionately greater than the overall decline.

The study also found that a majority of Catholics in France tend to vote for the UMP, the center-right party currently in power.

Healthcare Flowchart

I found this link via Paul Krugman's blog on The New York Times. It has a chart (below) illustrating what the proposed healthcare bill would do. Take a look. Click on image for larger view.

Americans and Abortion

This blog posting compares Americans' view on abortion between May and August of this year. Back in May, there was a 'Pro-life' majority of 51-42% across the nation.

In a new poll that came out last week, that majority has been whittled down to a virtual tie of 47-46% with the 'Pro-life' still on top.

Honestly, it matters little what the majority of the population thinks. The decision belongs to the individuals involved directly in the situation and, ultimately, to the pregnant woman. The law is right to allow her a choice and say over her body and reproductive rights.

Southern Discomfort

I don't know what's more surprising about this report: the fact that corporal punishment is still allowed, or the fact that disabled students are the more likely victims of it.

The graphic below illustrates the chilling data. The southern states seem to be especially more inclined toward corporal punishment. Aren't those states also part of the bible belt? I guess the religion they purport to uphold does not really dictate how they live their lives and comport themselves... damned sadists!

Birth Rates

According to The Economist, a new study in Nature contradicts the popular belief that the rich have fewer children. With a rise in the Human Development Index (indicator of better life), populations in those countries began to have fewer children. As the HDI increased further, however, those same populations began to have more children, as indicated by the graph below. Many factors are suspected to be behind this trend.

On related news, Europe is showing an overall increase in its birth rate. Certainly good news for those xenophobic nativists who fear that the increases occur only within muslim immigrant populations.

Obama and Tax Cuts

This is for the Obama skeptics out there.

Between this, saving our economy from total disaster, and the 'cash for clunkers' program, I think he has reached the general populace more closely than his predecessor.

Next: Healthcare.

On Sotomayor

I have not really written about Sotomayor or her hearing and confirmation because because it's been talked about ad nauseum in the media. I was, however, taken aback by the inverse correlation between the percentage of the Latino population in certain states and the 'Nay' vote on Sotomayor of the senators representing those states.

This is made especially striking by the different polls showing that Latinos overwhelmingly approve of Sotomayor. Apparently, they are not getting good representation from their senators in Congress.

Why Healthcare Bills Are Hard to Pass

This blog post illustrates why healthcare always has titanic hurdles to overcome and why it might even fail in the final vote this time around.

Is money the only force that drives policies in Washington?

Geography Matters

The so-called 'birthers'—those who doubt that Pres. Obama is a natural-born citizen of the United States—find greater backing in the South, according to this poll. Surprise, surprise!

Torture Around the World

The Economist published results from a poll on torture today. Apparently, almost half of Americans think that some degree of abuse should be allowed, bringing its acceptance slightly higher than in Russia. Meanwhile, only about 10-15% of Spaniards, Brits and French seem to want it.