[Slings and Arrows]

The magic number there is “First in Purchasing Power.” Raw GDP is meaningless; the question is what you can buy with it.

External debt - w.r.t. quality of life, who cares?

46th in life expectancy? Factor out the underclass (who can afford to be so due to generous welfare benefits) and “uninvited guest workers,” and that goes up a lot. Furthermore, some of that is a result of prosperity - you don’t see too many famine victims dying of heart attacks. Furthermore, there are numerous ways to cook life expectancy statistics - and the worse the country, the more likely they are to do so.

[Slings and Arrows]

Ping to #118.

[schlockandflaws]

No, the magic number is 10—per capita GDP.

Still waiting for sources, especially for this gem:
“Furthermore, there are numerous ways to cook life expectancy statistics - and the worse the country, the more likely they are to do so.”

You jumped on someone for spouting an unsubstantiated opinion, yet you continue to do the same. Odd....