The Hēathernet 20oz. to Geekdom

Ponder This – Issue 4.0

GDP: Does Russia really have the same GDP as New Jersey?  Well, according to a map my good friend and roommate Daniel J. Pucci found, where each state is matched up with a nation who's GDP is similar to its own, Russia and New Jersey do have similar GDP's.  This got me thinking, is this a good thing? 

Gross Domestic Product is used as an indicator of the economic health of a country, and also gauges a country's standard of living.  GDP therefore examines a country's productivity.  It blows my mind that New Jersey and Russia have similar production.  Other comparisons include California matching GDP's with France, New York matching GDP's with Brazil, and Texas matching GDP's with Canada.

From just these three states alone it would appear that our economy is very healthy.  However, I just read this morning that we are in a recession, have been in one for a while, and will not get out of it for another year.  So that is just confusing!  This map shows how much of an emphasis the US puts on production and business.  I don't know how accurate this map is, nor do I have any kind of answer for anything that I am writing about, but this map's information sort of took me by surprise. All I know is that we spend a lot, as consumers, and in government and businesses.  As a country we have a lot of money, it seems like we could just throw it around and make piles of it like we do with leaves in the fall, and give it to less fortunate countries, who have nothing to rake up.  Take a look, and ponder if you will...