Rediculous post. From a "think-tank" with an obvious agenda. Of course who couldn't see that people in Indonesia, China, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan would be happier that people in the US, esp. women. This "think-tank" is a group of dunces
Looks like a meeting of the "shoot the messenger club" LOL... Oh man, this is so predictably: <img src=http://cafewhither.bluenest.net/image/Dog.gif>
I wouldn't want to live in a 3rd world country, but in my experience, small, sunny, unpolluted cities usually have lots of stupid but nice people: happy people? I haven't seen a correlation b/w income and "niceness", in my experience. My theory is that rude, mean a-holes are usually that way because they are unhappy and bitter. I personally measure happiness by observing if people are nice or mean.
The key was environmental footprint I am sure. I have been to the Island of Dominca, scuba diving and I have surfed for Costa Rica for a few weeks If you do not need much and I mean much at all, dominca is interesting for a while. But it is very isolated. Costa Rica is also nice near the beaches. Actually very nice. But San Jose where many live, sort of sucks. The study is very flawed. Now that I read the post Dominca did have some very nice locals but they also had some thieves in the harbor that were quite dangerous.
This is why most Westerners would be very unhappy in Vanuatu. And transplant a Vanuatan to NYC without any money and see how happy he/she would be...
I'm a rude mean ahole and I am happy with it. I tell people that I am going to get rich trading stocks and if you think I am an asshole now, wait until I have some $. BTW I am not rude and mean due to resent, it is due entirely to the fact that I can get away with it. Now, in one of those happy places, they would probably off me in a week. That is the real answer to their happiness: no statistcs regarding mortality.
.... go back to where ever the hell you came from. ....do us all a favor. ....do you have the slightest f*cking idea about the history of this country? ....do you have the slightest f*cking idea about the cultural history of the groups that FOUNDED IT?! ... do us a BIG FAVOR, go back to where-ever the fuck you came from, you are no longer welcome