Half of the 3.3 million newborn deaths yearly occur in 5 countries: Pakistan, China, Democratic Republic of Congo, India and Nigeria. However, the U.S. ranked 41st out of 45 industrialized countries. According to a 20-year study published in PLoS Medicine, that ranked the U.S. with Qatar and Croatia. Twelve percent of U.S. babies are born premature; and in spite of a 26reduction in newborn deaths since 1990, 50 countries had reductions of more than 50 Infants dying before being 4 weeks old accounts for 41of child deaths worldwide. Education is needed – and not in 'baby' steps.

People live longest in the tiny European principality of Monaco, where the average life expectancy was 89.73. According to the CIA World Factbook/2011, that\'s 5 years more than Macau, which was 2nd at 84.41 and 11 years more than the U.S., which was 49th at 78.37. Twenty-nine countries had average life expectancies over 80 and 8 countries had average life expectancies under 50. Angola had the shortest average life expectancy – 38.76 years. Worldwide the average was 60.07 years. Undoubtedly, the U.S. would be more than 18.30 years above average if we lowered the average amount of food we eat.

The country with the smallest gender gap is Iceland – followed closely by Norway, Finland and Sweden. According to the 2010 Global Gender Gap Index, those 4 countries had the smallest gap between men and women in 4 areas: economic participation/opportunity, education attainment, health/survival and political empowerment. Out of 134 countries the U.S. ranked 19th overall. It tied for 1st with 21 other countries in education attainment and ranked 6th in economic participation/opportunity. Unfortunately, the U.S. ranked 38th in health/survival and 40th in political empowerment. Yemen ranked last in gender equality. Perhaps changing the country\'s name to 'Yewomen' would help.

Chinese workers may be taking more U.S. jobs, but they\'re also taking more sick days. According to a 2011 Harris Interactive survey, 71of Chinese workers admitted calling in sick when they weren\'t. The U.S. percentage was about 50- about the same as in Canada and Australia. However, in France supposedly only 16of workers had faked sick days. Stress was the most popular explanation, although 33of U.S. workers who had faked said they had needed to take care of a child. Nevertheless, nearly 50of Chinese workers and 33of U.S. workers said more paid time off would 'cure' this sickness.

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