Comments on: The History of Beer, Politics and Other Things http://pdberger.com/526/ The blog of a British freelance writer living in New York Wed, 20 Aug 2008 02:35:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: Englishman in New York » The Fantastic Four http://pdberger.com/526/#comment-7912 Sat, 10 Dec 2005 17:09:12 +0000 http://pdberger.com/526/#comment-7912 [...] By now they should need no introduction, except to say that like the Fantastic Four each has his own special powers: Simon’s Brain has the power to mesmerize with photographs of baby Billy, if that doesn’t work then The Old Brain Pan uses his power of argument to convince the bad guys to change their minds, and if all else fails Lowercase L uses his powers of dysgraphia to prevent the baddies from ever writing signage coherently again. [...] […] By now they should need no introduction, except to say that like the Fantastic Four each has his own special powers: Simon’s Brain has the power to mesmerize with photographs of baby Billy, if that doesn’t work then The Old Brain Pan uses his power of argument to convince the bad guys to change their minds, and if all else fails Lowercase L uses his powers of dysgraphia to prevent the baddies from ever writing signage coherently again. […]

]]> by: Englishman in New York » Party of the people http://pdberger.com/526/#comment-5020 Thu, 01 Sep 2005 14:15:22 +0000 http://pdberger.com/526/#comment-5020 [...] Englishman in New York01 Sep 2005 10:13 am Party of the people In reference to my blog entry yesterday, this editorial in the New York Times explains succinctly why the people currently in charge of thi [...] […] Englishman in New York01 Sep 2005 10:13 am
Party of the people

In reference to my blog entry yesterday, this editorial in the New York Times explains succinctly why the people currently in charge of thi […]

]]> by: Nick http://pdberger.com/526/#comment-4975 Wed, 31 Aug 2005 19:05:22 +0000 http://pdberger.com/526/#comment-4975 Thank you - I'm new to this game. I agree about statistics being tricky, slippery things but I think this one is a reasonably good indicator of the amount of money a nation spends on the health of its citizens. The USA is ranked 4th in the world for average annual income per head and I think such a large discrepancy between that figure and the infant mortality rate ranking is worrying, albeit in very broad, hand waving terms. Thank you - I’m new to this game. I agree about statistics being tricky, slippery things but I think this one is a reasonably good indicator of the amount of money a nation spends on the health of its citizens. The USA is ranked 4th in the world for average annual income per head and I think such a large discrepancy between that figure and the infant mortality rate ranking is worrying, albeit in very broad, hand waving terms.

]]> by: Simon http://pdberger.com/526/#comment-4974 Wed, 31 Aug 2005 17:58:31 +0000 http://pdberger.com/526/#comment-4974 After our experience having a child here and the chronic lack of aftercare (unless you are rich), I wonder how many of these deaths are the result of infanticide? After our experience having a child here and the chronic lack of aftercare (unless you are rich), I wonder how many of these deaths are the result of infanticide?

]]> by: bea http://pdberger.com/526/#comment-4973 Wed, 31 Aug 2005 17:54:03 +0000 http://pdberger.com/526/#comment-4973 Statistics are so tricky - that's why I prefer to focus on issues such as gay marriage which are so cut and dry - I mean, after all, who doesn't love a wedding? At any rate, I'm still questioning that statistic for reason said above, and I wonder how the ranking would actually change with this info considered. Still, even if the US is only pushed up a few places, say behind Britain, I'd like more info as to why that is. A classist health system? The popularity of having a first child well into the thirties and forties? Our propensity for eating the most artificial of foods and watching an abundance of television? BTW, great blog! Statistics are so tricky - that’s why I prefer to focus on issues such as gay marriage which are so cut and dry - I mean, after all, who doesn’t love a wedding?

At any rate, I’m still questioning that statistic for reason said above, and I wonder how the ranking would actually change with this info considered. Still, even if the US is only pushed up a few places, say behind Britain, I’d like more info as to why that is. A classist health system? The popularity of having a first child well into the thirties and forties? Our propensity for eating the most artificial of foods and watching an abundance of television?

BTW, great blog!

]]> by: Nick http://pdberger.com/526/#comment-4950 Wed, 31 Aug 2005 15:23:32 +0000 http://pdberger.com/526/#comment-4950 That may be true and might push the US up a few places, probably above Cuba, but it would still place the richest country on the planet around the 30 mark. That may be true and might push the US up a few places, probably above Cuba, but it would still place the richest country on the planet around the 30 mark.

]]> by: bea http://pdberger.com/526/#comment-4949 Wed, 31 Aug 2005 15:14:05 +0000 http://pdberger.com/526/#comment-4949 I think the statistics ranking the U.S. so low in infant mortality may be a bit skewed due to the fact that the U.S. has exceptional care for the premature and low birth weight infants. Thus, statistics of live births include those infants who would have died in the fetus and would never have been born alive if it were not for this care. I think the statistics ranking the U.S. so low in infant mortality may be a bit skewed due to the fact that the U.S. has exceptional care for the premature and low birth weight infants. Thus, statistics of live births include those infants who would have died in the fetus and would never have been born alive if it were not for this care.

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