Gallup Releases Latest National Wellbeing Poll Results

Gallup's deserted front desk. Apparently everyone
was out doing surveys. From The Woodlands Texas.

The Atlantic reports that Gallup, one of the world's leading statistical organizations, has released its 2010 list of countries ranked by wellbeing. Here are the top five, along with how many of its citizens are "thriving" by their own admission:

1. Denmark:  72% thriving
2. Sweden:  69% thriving
3. Canada:  69% thriving
4. Australia:  65% thriving
5. Finland:  64% thriving

Some other interesting factoids:  the U.S. ranks 12th with 59%, which is between Panama and Austria. Also, the United Kingdom ranks 17th with 54%, which is just ahead of Qatar, but just below the United Arab Emirates. It'll be interesting to see if the U.K.'s rank improves once its Gross National Happiness measures kick into gear. As far as I know, none of the countries in the top five has official measures like that (except possibly Canada in the future).

Like the gap between the rich and the poor, there is also a huge gap in wellbeing. In 19 countries, the majority of citizens consider themselves to be thriving, yet in a whopping 67 countries, that percentage falls below 25. Russia is one of these, with 24% of its population thriving. So is China with 12%, which is even lower than Iraq, Libya, and Tunisia. The Chinese government apparently has a long way to go if they're serious about focusing on happiness (which they probably aren't).

The African nation of Chad comes in at the bottom of the list with only 1% of its population thriving. Of course, there may be worse countries out there, but those aren't even well enough to report statistics.

china aster

The term "aster" comes from the Greek word for star and refers to the shape of the flower's head. The Callistephus chinensis or China aster is so called because it was imported from its native China. The first China asters were violet with yellow centers and primarily used for garden ornamentation. Breeding has since produced numerous colors and China asters are now very popular cut flowers.

China asters are great bed and border plants and enjoy a cool, moist summer — their blooming season. Asters are susceptible to mildew and rust diseases, but new annual locations will reduce vulnerability. Aster sites should feature full sun and light shade. Well drained soil and sandy loam are best for China asters.

Plant China asters in spring with at least 12 inches between plants. Puddle roots if planting in dry weather. Dig 12 to 15 inches and add a 3-inch layer of compost. Planting holes should be twice the diameter of the pot. The root ball should be level with the soil surface. Gently fill in with soil and keep well watered.

China asters can be difficult to grow. Maintain them by providing a 2-inch layer of mulch each spring above a thin layer of compost. Water China asters during summer if weekly rainfall drops below 1 inch. After the year's first frost, cut stems down to 2 inches above the soil. Every few years, divide plants in the spring as new growth begins, providing each cluster with three to five shoots.

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china animals

A lion forced to ride a terrified horse at an "animal park" at Xiamen in Fujian, southeast China
Photo found uncredited at The Daily Mail

What a perfect way to follow the last blog - good news!

China has now banned animal circuses, and warned all of its zoos that they must stop abusing animals or will be shut down. Read the full story here: China bans animal circuses, by Malcolm Moore on The Telegraph. This is fantastic news! Animals in these zoos are suffering severe abuse and hopefully this will make life at least a little better for them while they're forced to live in captivity. Among the practices banned are the removal of baby tigers' teeth so that guests can hold the tigers, selling of rare and endangered animal meat in zoo restaurants, and feeding of live animals (such as chickens, goats, cows and horses) to big cats while zoo guests watch.

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china airlines crew

AOYUAN, Taiwan -- Over 20 people were injured following a freeway collision involving a China Airlines (CAL) company coach and a Taipei Customs Office (TCO) bus near Taoyuan International Airport yesterday.

The accident occurred at around 8:00 a.m. in the 3.6-kilometer mark on the westbound lane of National Freeway No. 2.

None of the 23 injured people were in critical condition. Those who required medical attention were sent to nearby hospitals with minor lesions and scratches, reported the United Evening News.

National Freeway police said the CAL bus was carrying some 30 flight attendants and crew members to the airport. In addition to the main vehicles, two other vehicles were also involved in the accident.

Police said the vehicles did not maintain a safe distance.

The accident caused delays of about 30 to 40 minutes to two flights, one to Sapporo, Japan, and the other to Shanghai.

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china airlines

We called it, and now it's happening: as of this week, there are regular, direct flights between Taiwan and China.

Yep, instead of having to fly through Hong Kong airspace (and usually change planes), travelers will be able to make the short hop from China to nearby, related-in-a-complicated-way Taiwan. In Taiwan they're expecting a massive wave of Chinese tourists and the Chinese seem to think this is a clever way to get Taiwan politically closer.

Far be it from us to figure out how to say anything diplomatically about the power struggle going on there. We're just pleased we won't need to go to all the trouble of sailing a paper boat across the Taiwan Strait. Even a dodgy China Airlines flight would be better than that.

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great wall of china

Malcolm Moore in Shanghai 11:34AM BST 20 Apr 2009

Previous estimates, based mainly on historical records, put the monument at 3,106 miles long. But a survey using GPS and infra-red technology found it stretched for 5,488 miles. Researchers discovered unknown parts of the wall by trekking through the mountains and deserts of northern China.

Chinese state media said 70 per cent of the monument was a wall, while the rest was a combination of trenches and natural barriers such as hills and rivers. The wall roughly traces a line that separated China from Inner Mongolia.

The first sections are more than 2,000 years old but were rebuilt and extended during the Ming Dynasty, from the 14th to 17th centuries.

Shan Jixiang, the director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, said the wall, a World Heritage site, was in danger of falling into ruin in several places. Less than 10 per cent was in good condition, the department said, with only a further 20 per cent in “average” condition.

“The Great Wall is under great threat — climate change and the country’s massive infrastructure building being the biggest two,” Mr Shan told the China Daily newspaper.

He said the wall “would not lose even one metre more” to lack of maintenance.

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China's Prime Minister Orders Officials to Make People Happy

Prime Minister Wen Jiabao. From The Telegraph.

Continuing last week's China coverage, today The Telegraph reports that Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao plans to judge officials on how effectively they make people happy. He says that citizen happiness in each official's province is more important than "how many high-rise buildings and projects [the official] had been involved in." These statements are a prelude to China's version of parliament, the National People's Congress, which convenes this weekend.

However, before you start thinking that China is sincere in turning a new leaf with Bhutan-like Gross National Happiness measures, consider that this new "focus on happiness" is largely a cynical reaction to the current protests in the Middle East; a tactic meant to stop the protests from spreading. In fact, China has actually ramped up its online censorship and harassment of the foreign press, recently arresting around 100 protesters.

But that doesn't stop Chinese officials from ACTING like they care. As one official put it, "It's all about making people happy these days. Happy, happy, happy, that's the only word that counts at the moment." Communist newspaper The People's Daily also gets in on the act, writing, "Let happiness take off among the masses." The Communist Party has repeated "happiness" so often that it has replaced their previous favorite buzzword, "harmony."

So we'll have to keep an eye on China and see whether these new policies have any effect. Chinese citizens can usually see through propaganda campaigns, so Chinese officials may want to start delivering on their promises.

China May Start Caring About Happiness

Well, that was easy! Everyone in China is already happy,
if this 100%-accurate portrait is any indication.
From Cultural Revolution Artifacts.

Here in America, today is Presidents Day, but for our Chinese friends on the other side of the world, it is the start of a new five-year plan. According to this story from China.org.cn, Chinese leaders may start prioritizing the happiness of its citizens. However, before you start thinking this will turn into a Bhutan-like Gross National Happiness program, it seems that the Chinese system will be much more focused on economic measures.

For instance, instead of emphasizing the measurement of happiness, Beijing plans to lower its GDP by one percent and raise income for its residents by two percent. Other cities will go through similar adjustments, and social security programs will also be revamped. Shanxi Province in northern China plans to add freelance, migrant workers, and farmers to its social security network, and Shandong Province will aid disadvantaged residents when prices rise. Other provinces also want to improve their social services while lowering GDP.

These policies act as a response to survey results that show citizens believe economic issues to be most important. Out of 11,519 respondents, around 30% believe "economic status," "quality of life," and "public services" are the three primary factors in their happiness.

(Remember to click my Gross National Happiness tag to read what other countries are doing with regards to happiness.)