Posted on 11/30/2018 6:49:41 AM PST by SeekAndFind
It's been a given since America began industrializing in the mid-1800s that each generation would live longer than the one that came before. Since 2014, however, an alarming reversal has taken place, with life expectancy slipping each year. How can that be?
The release of the U.S. mortality data has typically been a humdrum affair, with little notice by the major media. Not now. On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released their data for 2017. The average American can expect to live to 78.6 years, the CDC said, down from 78.7 years in 2016.
But that small drop is deceptive, since the decline is centered mainly in men. Women's life expectancy has remained unchanged since 2014, while men have seen their lifespans fall from 76.5 in 2014 to 76.1 this year.
The last time such a drop happened was from 1915 to 1918. That period coincided with World War I and the deadly Spanish flu epidemic, which together claimed 792,000 American lives.
What's happening?
Shocking Trends
While some of it is conjecture, a number of shocking trends have plainly emerged.
For one, suicide rates have soared by 33% from 1999 to 2017, data show. Suicide rates are at their highest in 50 years. Suicide is now the second-leading cause of death for ages 10 to 34, and the fourth leading cause for 35 to 54.
And the opioid epidemic is taking a toll, as well. Deaths due to drug overdose have surged 10% in the last year alone, from 63,632 in 2016 to 70,237 in 2017. Since 1999, the drug overdose rate is up 255%.
Interestingly, as one might expect, the biggest increase in death rates came among the older millennial cohort, from 25 to 34.
(Excerpt) Read more at investors.com ...
I suspect the real reason for the decline in Life Expectancy is the importation of millions of people from hell-hole countries who grew up underfed and over-diseased.
I also read an article he other day about the on-going obesity epidemic in the US. Fat women, especially those who are here by way of our southern borders have more children. So it’s a vicious cycle.
Make that “Some young americans”.
“Americans have always been do-ers.”
There’s Trump’s beef with General Motors: it ceased to be a do-er.
Democrats subsidize bad conduct...not working, single mothers, etc. No discipline or values. We have brought this on ourselves.
“Suicide and drugs shouldn’t be counted under life expectancy stats. Separate category just like accidents”
Good idea.
The “gig economy” is hell on workers — and getting worse.
More unintended consequences of all the crazy government rules that have been piled on hiring and firing regular employees.
So we lost a month, BFD:-)
“...And we grew up dreaming of driving at 16....”
And were able to buy used muscle cars for less than a grand, that you could drive the Hell out of and LOVE it...
Both it and the Camaro were almost identical .... both too light in the rear end for dragging.
My first was a 69 drop top Malibu SS 396. Second car was a 67 fastback ‘Stang with a 390.
One was 350 bucks, the other was 325 bucks. Drove the living hell out of them.
In the Mustang, I put sandbags in the rear wheel wells for traction. It got REAL interesting trying to corner in that thing... and with drum brakes all around, it got even MORE interesting trying to stop it, haha!
The Malibu was heavier, so it handled a little better (not much...)
But they were fun, for sure. Better than the personality-less uni-blobs from Toyotuburundaikia that we have now.
Life is the same now as it ever was. The rules that govern us and this earth have not changed, so this is all predictable.
We prodigals just think we know best, so we go our own way, as though things would be as they really should be if only we remade the world in our own image.
However, we would do much better if only we would compare our understanding to the OEM's standards and re-calibrate where necessary.
Sadly, that isn't likely to happen without an Intervention or before more destructive corrections, because of what we are in these times.
An unspiritual person is one who does not accept anything of the Spirit of God: he sees it all as nonsense; it is beyond his understanding because it can only be understood by means of the Spirit; 1 Cor 2:14
I don’t believe many Millinials can see the future at all.
They can’t even see past.
They will accept that the elite class live and the NPCs die.
My first car was not exactly a muscle car (’71 Pontiac Ventura). But I paid $550.00 cash. It had a V-8 307 and I could access and change pretty much every part in it. Drove it for six years, and likely would have driven it longer were it not for Pennsylvania state inspection.
“...’71 Pontiac Ventura). ... had a V-8 307....”
That’s kind of the point though... even though it’s not off-the-assembly-line as a “muscle car”, it still WAS a muscle car in waiting.
With a quick trip to Bash Speed Shops, a couple bucks in your wallet, a couple Saturdays with wrenches and a socket set and a willingness to crawl around and get greasy, boom - you’ve got a street machine.
The 307 was a great small block V8, and Pontiac was HUGE in the muscle car era. GTO... LeMans... Bonneville ... Firebird and Trans Am...
The Ventura was Pontiac’s version of the Chevy Nova. Great body style.
What a great time to be a kid, it was. I miss it.
My father’s ‘58 Biscayne rolled down that line at some point....
General DeGaul of France once said something I have always remembered. “The French only feel good if they are doing something great.” I think its the same with American. We have no purpose. We need new goals, new drive—like the winning of the west, the end of slavery, saving the world for democracy, Stopping Nazi Germany and ending Godless Communism. Americans hate wars—but we love a crusade! Trump needs to rally this inner American need. What new goals? I could give you a list: 1. Free Cuba! 2. New canals to bring water to the west. 3. Rebuild the Merchant Marine in US. 4. Finish the Crazy Horse Monument. 5. Build new transcontinetal Rail Roads. 6 Rebuild Washington DC as a city of Monuments. 7. Go to Mars! 8. Build a starship! 9. A new mount Rushmore to feature JFK, Reagan Truman and Trump. 10.We need a Tall Ship for the Navy Midshipmen (Uss United States?) and 11. a Presidential Yaucht for Trump.etc...
The Ventura had a very light unibody construction. With that V8 in there it could really motor.
Pontiac made it with a 350. I can only imagine.
Pontiac was a great company.
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