More data on the US standard of living vs. the rest of the world

We Americans have been pretty well trained, thought to believe "We're number one!" in all things, I think it's safe to say. Of course, what we're finding out is that it's not really true, especially when you consider things like our mortality rates, the cost of our health care, etc.

Another place where, we find, we really aren't "number one!" is in pay.

Did you know there are plenty of other countries where the minimum wage is higher--in some cases, far higher--than ours?  Check it out (click on picture for easy reading):

Data:

Among OECD nations, every single country that pays a higher minimum wage than the U.S. pays upwards of $9.00 U.S. dollars per hour.

Australia, the nation with the best minimum compensation on the list, has a minimum wage equivalent to $15.75 in U.S. dollars.

Japan, which is the lowest paying country to beat the U.S. pays U.S. $9.16 per hour.

All told, the U.S. falls toward the bottom of the pack near Greece, Spain and Israel.

Nice, huh?

Makes a guy proud.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-united-states-is-very-different-from-its-neighbors-when-it-come-to-minimum-wage-2013-2#ixzz2PiANuHwm

9 Countries With A Higher Minimum Wage Than The U.S.

Arthur Bryant's at the top: as it should be

Arthur Bryant's got a top national rating from Zagat's this week, as I said, as it should be. They are rated as one of the "10 US Barbecue Meccas". It's the one barbecue joint in town that doesn't taste like all the rest. And then there's the smoked meats. Yow. Good on you, Arthur. Links: http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/blog/2011/09/arthur-bryants-makes-list-of.html?ana=RSS&s=article_search&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bizj_kansascity+%28Kansas+City+Business+Journal%29; http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zagat/best-barbecue-restaurants_b_935111.html#s340250&title=4_Arthur_Bryants

KC No. 25 (of 26) of cities with most same-sex couples

News out today tells of the Williams Institute's ranking of the cities in America with the most same-sex couples and, as said above, Kansas City ranks 25th out of 26. St. Louis is number 11 and Minneapolis is number 4. Just sayin', as the saying goes. You can probably guess who's in the number one spot. Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/26/same-sex-couples-williams-institute-national-data_n_938166.html#s340532&title=Minneapolis_MN

Big Oil: Big profits and tax cuts from us, to boot

How much is enough? The top five oil companies in the country raked in $70 billion--that's billion--in profits the first HALF of this year. These are some of the most profitable companies in the nation and so, the world. But here's a dirty little secret they don't want us to emphasize--they get tax subsidies. Here's another not-so-secret secret--the Republicans and Right Wingers have been fighting in the last few months to have these same wealthy companies KEEP those tax subsidies--tax breaks. "Big Oil" is sqealing like a stuck pig, too, over the mere POSSIBILITY that they might lose $400 million in subsidies. It's time to stand up, folks. It's time we speak out. This is insanity. We're being gouged at the pump and then giving them tax breaks, to boot. Sound sensible to you? Links: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/29/big-oil-profits_n_913452.html; http://consumerist.com/2011/04/big-oil-companies-sucked-up-much-higher-profits-than-they-did-a-year-ago.html; http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/04/28/207983/big-oil-profits/

Good news out of Iraq

From online news today: Alleged Al Qaeda Members Sentenced To Death BAGHDAD -- An Iraqi court on Thursday sentenced 15 alleged al-Qaida members to death for their role in the 2006 wedding party massacre of 70 people, considered one of the most horrific attacks carried out by Sunni-led militants during the insurgency. Thank goodness. Maybe more countries can see Al Qaeda is no good way to go. Link to original story: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/16/alleged-al-qaeda-members-sentenced-iraq-massacre_n_878144.html

Quote of the day--on our interminable war(s)

"The LA Times offers an eye-opening example of just how far our mission in Afghanistan has "creeped," describing the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff telling an Afghan leader that the goals of the upcoming surge in Kandahar include "providing jobs." Is that really why we are still fighting a war there nine years later, spending American blood and treasure? The Bush-era rationale for these overseas misadventures was always: We'll fight 'em over there, so we don't have to fight 'em over here. Today, it seems, we're fighting to create jobs for 'em over there, while we don't have enough jobs for our people over here. At a time when so many hardworking middle class families are reeling from the economic crisis that seems like the most perverted of priorities."

--Ariana Huffington
The Huffington Post

Link to original post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/guns-vs-butter-2010_b_548620.html