Democracy Index The Economist Intelligence Unit Democracy index map for 2012. Greener colours represent more democratic countries. Insufficient information, not rated The Democracy Index is an index compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit, that measures the state of democracy in 167 countries, of which 166 are sovereign states and 165 are United Nations member states. The index is based on 60 indicators grouped in five different categories: electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, functioning of government, political participation, and political culture. In addition to a numeric score and a ranking, the index categorizes countries as one of four regime types full democracies, flawed democracies, hybrid regimes and authoritarian regimes. Methodology[edit] As described in the report,[1] the democracy index is a weighted average based on the answers of 60 questions, each one with either two or three permitted alternative answers. Changes from 2010 to 2011 and 2012[edit] See also[edit]
American Psychosis The United States, locked in the kind of twilight disconnect that grips dying empires, is a country entranced by illusions. It spends its emotional and intellectual energy on the trivial and the absurd. It is captivated by the hollow stagecraft of celebrity culture as the walls crumble. The virtues that sustain a nation-state and build community, from honesty to self-sacrifice to transparency to sharing, are ridiculed each night on television as rubes stupid enough to cling to this antiquated behavior are voted off reality shows. Our culture of flagrant self-exaltation, hardwired in the American character, permits the humiliation of all those who oppose us. It is the cult of self that is killing the United States. We have a right, in the cult of the self, to get whatever we desire. The tantalizing illusions offered by our consumer culture, however, are vanishing for most citizens as we head toward collapse.
Money in Politics -- See Who's Giving & Who's Getting List of countries by GDP (nominal) per capita Countries by 2013 GDP (nominal) per capita.[1] This is a list of countries sorted by their gross domestic product per capita at nominal values. This is the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year, converted at market exchange rates to current U.S. dollars, divided by the average (or mid-year) population for the same year. These figures should be used with caution. Non-sovereign entities (the world, the European Union, and some dependent territories) are included in the list because they appear in the sources. All data are in current United States dollars. Jump up ^ Based on the IMF figures. Apply
Jack Abramoff: The lobbyist's playbook (CBS News) Jack Abramoff, the notorious former lobbyist at the center of Washington's biggest corruption scandal in decades, spent more than three years in prison for his crimes. Now a free man, he reveals how he was able to influence politicians and their staffers through generous gifts and job offers. He tells Lesley Stahl the reforms instituted in the wake of his scandal have had little effect. The following is a script of "The Lobbyist's Playbook" which originally aired on Nov. 6, 2011 and was rebroadcast on July 8, 2012. Jack Abramoff may be the most notorious and crooked lobbyist of our time. As we first reported last November, it all came crashing down six years ago when Jack Abramoff pled guilty to corrupting public officials, tax evasion, and fraud; and served three and a half years in prison. Jack Abramoff: I was so far into it that I couldn't figure out where right and wrong was. Abramoff: As I look back it was effective. Abramoff: Yes. Stahl: Rationalize. Abramoff: Ya.
List of countries by GDP (nominal) This article includes a list of countries in the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP), the market value of all final goods and services from a nation in a given year. The GDP dollar estimates presented here are calculated at market or government official exchange rates. Several economies which are not considered to be countries (world, the EU, and some dependent territories) are included in the lists because they appear in the sources. These economies are not ranked in the charts here, but are listed where applicable. The figures presented here do not take into account differences in the cost of living in different countries, and the results can vary greatly from one year to another based on fluctuations in the exchange rates of the country's currency. Some countries/regions may have citizens which are on average wealthy. The first list includes data compiled by the United Nations Statistics Division for 2012. History charts of GDP in current US$ by Google, World Bank data.
Cinnamon Roll Pancakes Updated 9/22/11 to Add: If you’re coming here to sample these delicious Cinnamon Roll Pancakes, you just might like the latest recipe that I’ve posted for Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes too. And Gingerbread- Cinnamon Roll Pancakes too. Enjoy! Here’s a short video sharing how to make these delicious pancakes: If you’ve ever thought you needed a reason to eat pancakes, today is the day: National Pancake Day! How do you like your pancakes? But recently I started dreaming about mixing cinnamon rolls and pancakes together… and this is what I came up with- my new favorite pancake: Cinnamon Roll Pancakes. I have a wonderfully fluffy pancake batter that I like to use (recipe below) so I swirled a bit of cinnamon roll filling into the pancake. And they cooked up just like a pancake- fluffy, but with craters of crusty, sugary cinnamon swirled within. You might find three of these stacked in a fancy breakfast restaurant, but I’m gonna tell you that one pancake is all you need. Oh yeah. Ingredients:
The Fast Rise and Steep Fall of Jack Abramoff Jack Abramoff liked to slip into dialogue from "The Godfather" as he led his lobbying colleagues in planning their next conquest on Capitol Hill. In a favorite bit, he would mimic an ice-cold Michael Corleone facing down a crooked politician's demand for a cut of Mafia gambling profits: "Senator, you can have my answer now if you like. My offer is this: nothing." The playacting provided a clue to how Abramoff saw himself -- the power behind the scenes who directed millions of dollars in Indian gambling proceeds to favored lawmakers, the puppet master who pulled the strings of officials in key places, the businessman who was building an international casino empire. Abramoff is the central figure in what could become the biggest congressional corruption scandal in generations. Justice Department prosecutors are pressing him and his lawyers to settle fraud and bribery allegations by the end of this week, sources knowledgeable about the case said. Abramoff, now 47, had mammoth ambitions.
Human Development Index World map indicating the category of Human Development Index by country (based on 2013 data; published July 24, 2014). The 2010 Human Development Report introduced an Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI). While the simple HDI remains useful, it stated that "the IHDI is the actual level of human development (accounting for inequality)" and "the HDI can be viewed as an index of 'potential' human development (or the maximum IHDI that could be achieved if there were no inequality)".[3] Origins[edit] Dimensions and calculation[edit] New method (2010 Report onwards)[6][edit] Published on 4 November 2010 (and updated on 10 June 2011), starting with the 2010 Human Development Report the HDI combines three dimensions: A long and healthy life: Life expectancy at birthEducation index: Mean years of schooling and Expected years of schoolingA decent standard of living: GNI per capita (PPP US$) In its 2010 Human Development Report, the UNDP began using a new method of calculating the HDI. 1.