......this INDEX has phony criteria.......

....most residents would LEAVE those top five countries if they could......

people ARE miserable in the u.s. - missionaries will tell you that in the poorest of nations, the people are more open to the Gospel of Christ - too bad america no longer hungers for THE WORD. God help u.s.

NANC, I am a firm believer in God and Jesus Christ but I have to think that the reason "in the poorest of nations, the people are more open to the Gospel of Christ" is because they hope there is an afterlife which will be better than their present condition.

They're so happy, we can't keep them out.

Well, ignorance IS bliss. Or was that Bush?

#5 | Posted by LetUsPrey

No, it is the present administration.

"The search for happiness is one of the chief sources of unhappiness." - Eric Hoffer

"You can never get enough of what you don't really need." - Eric Hoffer

#3 | Posted by chickenrancher

true enough - they don't have all the obstacles those of u.s. who have access to it all have - just imagine if everyone could find their joy in the Lord?

#7 | Posted by AndreaMackris

ecc.1:2: Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

nanc1:1: things don't CREATE happiness - they sometimes accompany happiness.

"You can never get enough of what you don't really need." - Eric Hoffer
....#7 | Posted by AndreaMackris

.....that defines my relationship with alcohol....

missionaries will tell you that in the poorest of nations, the people are more open to the Gospel of Christ -
.....#2 | Posted by nanc

.....that's because they are poorly educated and ignorant......

.........ignorance breeds religion..........

.......this is the same reason why Muslims are so fanatically certain of their beliefs.........the majority of them lack a proper education......

just imagine if everyone could find their joy in the Lord?
......#8 | Posted by nanc

.......it was called The Dark Ages.........

Everyone does find joy in the L-rd, but they tend to be offended by their neighbor's joy and decide they cannot both be joyous at the same time.

Everyone does find joy in the L-rd,
.....#13 | Posted by kanr

.....more than just joy.....

....some jihadists get a blast out of religion.....

...Good day to you Kanrei....welcome to the mudwrestling.....

...that was my point Skizz...
...you should have kept reading...

...=P...
...=D...

I only fake mud wrestle with plastic midget prostitutes for Monopoly money.

1. Costa Rica

2. Dominian Republic

3. Jamaica

4. Guetamala

5. Vietnam

6. Colombia

7. Cuba

8. El Salvador

9. Brazil

10. Honduras

.........this is supposed to be their TOP TEN.....

.....please give me a break......

....I personally know people who have ESCAPED from 1,2,3,5,7 & 9 and would never go back there unless they were DEPORTED........

....THIS SURVEY IS A CROCK......

I only fake mud wrestle with plastic midget prostitutes for Monopoly money.

#17 | Posted by kanrei

.......is that your short-coming ?.......

My best friend and his Canadian wife) have moved to Jaco Costa Rica this past year and love it. He works 3 weeks in Louisiana and flies home to CR for his 2 weeks off. They love it and my wife and I are planning to move to join them in a couple of years. A couple can live there comfortably for 800-1000 dollars a month.

Excellent climate, cheap health care (American med school trained doctors), inexpensive housing, great food and a life expectancy on par if not better than the US. Many American Expats reside there.

Actually, it is one of my "bragging points."

"I personally know people who have ESCAPED from 1

....THIS SURVEY IS A CROCK......

#18 | Posted by skizziks"

"Escaped" from Costa Rica? Why would someone have to do that? You are a crock.

You are a crock.
....#22 | Posted by mOntecOre

.....I know Costa Ricans who would not go back, Jamaicans who jumped visitors visas, Viet Namese literally escaped......sorry for not being specific enough.....

....but this list is a grossly inaccurate measurement of national contentment....I'm surprised they don't have Haiti and Cuba on there......

Selected life expectancies ...

Andorra 83.5
United States 77.1
Costa Rica 75.8
Zambia 37.2

Many American Expats reside there.
....#20 | Posted by MSgt

.....what is causing so many Costa Ricans to come here ??.....

......I'm not disputing your post, just wondering....

Many American Expats reside there.
....#20 | Posted by MSgt

.....what is causing so many Costa Ricans to come here ??.....

I think the answer was given before the question was asked.

So many Costa Ricans are coming here because many American Expats reside there =D

Brazil murder rate similar to war zone, data shows

Murders (per capita) (most recent) by country

# 1 Colombia: 0.617847 per 1,000 people
# 2 South Africa: 0.496008 per 1,000 people
# 3 Jamaica: 0.324196 per 1,000 people
# 4 Venezuela: 0.316138 per 1,000 people
# 5 Russia: 0.201534 per 1,000 people
# 6 Mexico: 0.130213 per 1,000 people
# 7 Estonia: 0.107277 per 1,000 people
# 8 Latvia: 0.10393 per 1,000 people
# 9 Lithuania: 0.102863 per 1,000 people
# 10 Belarus: 0.0983495 per 1,000 people
...

# 19 Costa Rica: 0.061006 per 1,000 people
# 20 Poland: 0.0562789 per 1,000 people
# 21 Georgia: 0.0511011 per 1,000 people
# 22 Uruguay: 0.045082 per 1,000 people
# 23 Bulgaria: 0.0445638 per 1,000 people
# 24 United States: 0.042802 per 1,000 people
# 25 Armenia: 0.0425746 per 1,000 people
# 26 India: 0.0344083 per 1,000 people
...

Reason the Americans go there like I'm going to is that our retirement dollars go so much farther, et just 2 1/2 hour flight to Miami to visit friends and family.

As for 'many"(?) Costa Ricans here, I do know that there are many. Maybe you are thinking of Puerto Ricans?

Found this on line, apparently not a lot of Costa Ricans in US:
COSTA RICANS IN THE UNITED STATES
Costa Ricans who have emigrated and settled in the United States do not exhibit the same characteristics as many other Hispanic groups. They have not had to flee their country as refugees from political oppression or from extreme economic circumstances. Consequently, there have never been waves of Costa Rican emigrants. U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service records show that very few Costa Ricans have tried to enter the country illegally.

Costa Ricans who have decided to immigrate to the United States include the following general categories: they have married Americans and raised their families in the United States; they have been hired to work in the United States after completing a degree in an American university; they have come seeking research opportunities which are not so readily available in their country; or they have come to various jobs and trades in the United States.

Only 57,661 Costa Ricans have immigrated to the United States since 1931. Hence, the number of Costa Rican emigrants has been increasing at an extremely slow rate, which is significantly different from the pattern of emigration from most other Central American countries. The other two countries in this region that show a continuously slow rate of emigration are Belize and Panama.

I found the above info at the following

As for 'many"(?) Costa Ricans here, I do know that there are many. Maybe you are thinking of Puerto Ricans?

#29 | Posted by MSgt

.....maybe.......

....which brings up another question...if Costa Rica is so happy....why don't the Peurto Ricans go to Costa Rica instead of the US ?.......

......you'd think it would be a shorter trip, they could still have good weather, and they could still be Rico's........or......as they could then call each other......Ricky Ricardo's.......

If I remember correctly, you have to have a certain amount of assets before Costa Rica will let you move there. I don't think the bar is that high, but it may be high enough to keep most Puerto Ricans out.

The other two countries in this region that show a continuously slow rate of emigration are Belize and Panama.
#30 | Posted by MSgt

My ex-brother-in-law is from Belize. Came here as a teenager, moved back after the divorce. He drives up twice a year to see his kids (yes, drives) He's the happiest person I know with a disturbingly positive outlook. My nephew just came back and is considering moving there. He didn't want to leave.

MONTECORE: Currently to become a 'Pensionado' in CR you need to have a minimum income/cash flow of $1,000 a month to qualify. We could live well on my pension (over twice their requirement) right now (not even counting our investments) but my wife (10 years younger) is not ready to retire yet:( Oh well, when she is ready in a few years we'll have my Social Security to kick in on top of my other income (I just turned 60 in June).

In the meantime we'll just do vacationa there to visit our friends till she is ready.

'vacations'

Sounds like a plan, MSGT. I love Costa Rica - the people there are unbelievably friendly (maybe because they've managed to avoid having a war?), the food is decent, and the rainforests are incredible. Not a bad place to retire, I would say.

Happy Planet Index: Poorer countries happier

well it wont be much longer now that we will be poor with them so I hope this is correct...

SURELY noone said that "money doesnt buy happiness"

No, money does not buy one happiness. BUT, lack of money surly 'buys' a lot of misery.

This is the pre Cap'n Crunch Trade bill softening up story. If you are poor, you are happy.

I've been to the Philippines more times than I know -- for family reasons and business.

Some areas are chock full of expats, who live quite well on their modest military and Social Security pensions. The fact of America's long relationship with the PI matters: food, music, entertainment, language.

But in all my travels I have met only a few Filipinos who DID NOT ask me how to get to the U.S. Same thing in most countries I visit -- even developed places like Japan, Korea and Hong Kong.

America is still seen as the only place on Earth where hard work and initiative can still make you a millionaire.

Here in Taiwan there are several English-language radio stations that have commercials for agents who assist with Canadian immigration. Many of them mention how Canuck residency is a stepping stone to the U.S.

This is the pre Cap'n Crunch Trade bill softening up story. If you are poor, you are happy.

#40 | Posted by Diablo

great point.
I wish I had thought of it...

HEY I can just STEAL it...
thanks