Okay, admittedly I didn't look it up before typing, as we're practically al= ways on top along with the two other Scandinavian countries (as you can see= they're still in 1st and 4th places). Now that I see your mail I remember = reading something in the news about slipping lower as our life expectancy i= s lower than Norway and Sweden due to more smokers... Never mind, that part= really wasn't the core issue of my mail... Would be more than happy to check out your weather and beaches. Noting that= you work for Qantas, should I just send you the personal details of my fam= ily and you'll send us some tickets (preferably C- class)??? ;-) Rgds Jan Broe EKCH ATC Grant McKenzie <grantmckenzie@optushome.com.au> wrote: > Jan Broe wrote: >=20 > > David Ross wrote: > > > >>One last word on this then I'll leave it, too. > >>Australia banned guns, crime shot up (no pun intended). > >> > > > > The nice thing about statistics is that you can always > find something that > > will prove your point... > > > > Here in Denmark guns have been banned ever since they were > invented (or some > > time just about then), and I'm sorry to report that in > this well-developed > > country (our standard of living is higher than both > Australia and the United > > States by all accepted international ways of measurement) > we have very > > little crime compared to these two countries, and of a > much 'milder' nature. >=20 >=20 >=20 > The Human Development Index (HDI), arguably the most > authoritative of > living standards measurements, is published annually by the > UN. It > ranks nations according to their citizens' quality of life > rather than > strictly by a nation's traditional economic figures. The > criteria for > calculating rankings include life expectancy, adult > literacy, school > enrollment, educational attainment, and per capita GDP. The > latest > rankings (for 2001) are as follows: >=20 > 1. Norway > 2. Australia > 3. Canada > 4. Sweden > 5. Belgium > 6. USA > 7. Iceland > 8. Netherlands > 9. Japan > 10. Finland >=20 > Denmark came in at 15. Sorry Jan, but we've got more > sunshine and better > beaches too ;-) Come down under and see for yourself. >=20 > Grant > SYD > QF