I am Happy!!

[canada-man]

The top 10 "happiest" countries:

1. Denmark
2. Switzerland
3. Austria
4. Iceland
5. The Bahamas
6. Finland
7. Sweden
8. Bhutan
9. Brunei
10. Canada

http://www.theroadtothehorizon.org/2009/01/worlds-most-happiest-countries-and.html

 

[onthebottom]

LOL

I guess it pays to be small.

OTB

 

[Malibook]

Costa Rica tops list of 'happiest' nations

Forget Disneyland! Costa Rica is the happiest place in the world, according to an independent research group in Britain with the goal of building a new economy, "centered on people and the environment."

In a report released Saturday, the group ranks nations using the "Happy Planet Index," which seeks countries with the most content people.

In addition to happiness, the index by the New Economics Foundation considers the ecological footprint and life expectancy of countries.

"Costa Ricans report the highest life satisfaction in the world and have the second-highest average life expectancy of the new world (second to Canada)," the organization said in a statement.

They "also have an ecological footprint that means that the country only narrowly fails to achieve the goal of ... consuming its fair share of the Earth's natural resources."

The Central American country, tucked between Nicaragua and Panama, touts its lush rain forests and pristine beaches. Its president, Oscar Arias Sanchez, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for trying to help end civil wars in several Central American countries.

This year's survey, which looked at 143 countries, featured Latin American nations in nine of the Top 10 spots.

The runner-up was the Dominican Republic, followed by Jamaica, Guatemala and Vietnam.

Most developed nations lagged in the study.

While Britain ranked 74th, the United States snagged the 114th spot, because of its hefty consumption and massive ecological footprint.

The United States was greener and happier 20 years ago than it is today, the report said.

Other populous nations, such as China and India, had a lower index brought on by their vigorous pursuit of growth-based models, the survey suggested.

"As the world faces the triple crunch of deep financial crisis, accelerating climate change and the looming peak in oil production, we desperately need a new compass to guide us," said Nic Marks, founder of the foundation's center for well-being.

Marks urged nations to make a collective global change before "our high-consuming lifestyles plunge us into the chaos of irreversible climate change."

The report, which was first conducted in 2006, covers 99 percent of the world population, the statement said.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/07/05/costa.rica.happy.nation/index.html

 

[ultraviolet]

This reminds me of a story...

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the
Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to
catch them.

"Not very long," answered the Mexican.

"But then, why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?" asked the American.

The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs
and those of his family.

The American asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

"I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my
wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few
drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. I have a full life."

The American interrupted, "I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You
should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you
catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat."

And after that?" asked the Mexican.

With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and
a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of
selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the
processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this
little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City!
From there you can direct your huge new enterprise."

"How long would that take?" asked the Mexican.

"Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years," replied the American.

"And after that?"

"Afterwards? Well my Friend, That's when it gets really interesting," answered
the American, laughing. "When your business gets really big, you can start
selling stocks and make millions!"

"Millions? Really? And after that?" said the Mexican.

"After that you'll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast,
sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your
wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends."


And the moral is: Know where you're going in life... you may already be there.

 

[lookingforitallthetime]

LOL

Who says Americans are unhappy?

 

[Rockslinger]

Doesn't Finland have the highest suicide rate in the world?

 

[onthebottom]

Doesn't Finland have the highest suicide rate in the world?

I thought Sweden had a very high alcohol consumption rate... perhaps they're correlated.

OTB

 

[onthebottom]

This reminds me of a story...

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the
Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to
catch them.

"Not very long," answered the Mexican.

"But then, why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?" asked the American.

The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs
and those of his family.

The American asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

"I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my
wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few
drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. I have a full life."

The American interrupted, "I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You
should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you
catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat."

And after that?" asked the Mexican.

With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and
a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of
selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the
processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this
little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City!
From there you can direct your huge new enterprise."

"How long would that take?" asked the Mexican.

"Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years," replied the American.

"And after that?"

"Afterwards? Well my Friend, That's when it gets really interesting," answered
the American, laughing. "When your business gets really big, you can start
selling stocks and make millions!"

"Millions? Really? And after that?" said the Mexican.

"After that you'll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast,
sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your
wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends."


And the moral is: Know where you're going in life... you may already be there.

LOL

Ever been to Mexico?

Care to guess which way the balance of migration is?

OTB

 

[Scarey]

America Sucks.....if you constantly think that that's what every article is saying, or every comment is alluding to,then i may as well have some fun with it.Yankees suck!!.....Apple pie sucks!!..mom sucks!!!...Sucks.



Toby says"They'll like us when we win"- West Wing ,Great fictional show

 

[Don]

Doesn't Finland have the highest suicide rate in the world?

It's the dark winters. Suicide rates spike up in Sweden, Finland and Norway in the winter

 

[CapitalGuy]

Doesn't Finland have the highest suicide rate in the world?

Ya stole my line. Makes me question the whole list's credibility.

 

[lookingforitallthetime]

Ya stole my line. Makes me question the whole list's credibility.

Those who are happy, are very very happy. Those who are sad, are very very sad.

 

[onthebottom]

The ice belt seems to be happy.....

OTB

 

[train]

The ice belt seems to be happy.....

OTB

You really seem put out that the US did not make some silly list put together by some British professor no one has ever heard of. Why so insecure ?

 

[onthebottom]

You really seem put out that the US did not make some silly list put together by some British professor no one has ever heard of. Why so insecure ?

Not at all, I just noticed a couple of obvious characteristics of the countries listed.... they are small, and many are cold....

OTB