America 8 – Longevity 0
September 15th, 2006
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal… apart from their race, location of birth and lifetime income, according to a new study on longevity in the USA.
After dividing the country by income, ethnic group and location into eight ‘Americas’, researchers found a 30 year disparity in lifespan between America 1’s Asian population (see wise old Mr Wing, above) and America 8’s high-risk (1% cumulative chance of death by homicide!) urban Blacks. The 214 million ‘middle American’ majority occupies third spot with an average life expectancy of 77.9 years while black middle Americans can expect to draw 5 years less pension in America 6 [Chart (Washington Post)].
As I am hoping to move to the States in the next 12 months, it’s worth taking a look at the various places I could end up. Life expectancy by state is highest in Hawaii, where the Pacific breathes an average 80 years of life into islanders, but sadly I don’t have that option as yet, being in thrall to the twin evils of IT and Pharmaceuticals.
New York and New Jersey come in close together at 19th and 23rd place, residents living an average 77.7 and 77.5 years respectively. Moving south towards Virginia (and closer to my girlfriend), the life expectancy goes down by a year, until we reach the state where death will take you soonest… yes folks it’s Washington DC – home of the FDA, George W, some of the richest people in the country and a large proportion of America 8. So what’s bringing their average down? Executive stress, ghetto shootings or a combination of the two?
However, despite the alpine air and nuclear bunkers, according to experts I’m not that much better off staying where I am…