Dec 27 2007
A useless fact
Have you ever wondered how many people die on average every single day on this planet? I hadn’t really, until yesterday that is, so I googled it. It turns out that this figure seems quite high, well in my opinion it seems high, but when you think about it as a percentage of the total human population of this planet (6.2 billion) I guess it sounds about right.
I enjoy reading foreign newspapers (ahh the beauty of the internet) to see how certain news events are reported (portrayed) in other countries. I spent a bunch of time last night review many foreign papers to see if there were any mention of the 3rd anniversary of the Asian tsunami where some 170,000 people lost their lives. I was unable to find any real mention of it other than in some Australia online news papers (I didn’t check any Asian papers for language reasons).
When September 11 rolls around all we hear about for 2 days before this date is the tragic events of that fateful day in 2001 where 3,000 people lost there lives. I agree 9-11 was tragic. But in my opinion this day, as tragic as it was, pales in significance to the events of December 26th 2004. Yet the media barley mentions it. I guess I just don’t understand why one event is so news worthy and the other one isn’t.
By the way, an average of 155,000 people leave us each and every day. A little less than the 170,000 that left us in the tsunami. Don’t worry, birth rates nearly double the death rate so we are in no real trouble…….
Here is a deathclock that shows you the number of deaths since you open the page by specific disease….
http://www.hereinreality.com/deathclock.html
You are right – 3,000 US deaths appear to be more important (news worthy) than 170,000 Asian deaths, perhaps because one was man-made and the other was an act of god?
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Thanks Marteen. I wonder if all those figures are acurate? The number of war deaths seems lower than I would have guessed, compared to everything else that is. Interesting anyway.
SJ
It really makes you think but as you say as a percentage of 6.2 billion its not that many. The september 11 thing was so graphic I think that is why its seems to have more importance.
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I agree about the graphic nature of 911 causing more interest. Though getting drowned by a huge wave is hardly a peaceful death.
SJ
Why are all the adds next to the posts about hangovers……..you only gte then when you STOP drinking……..
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To true Tiger, but I think we all need to stop drinking at some point…. unfortunatley.
SJ
now they have changed to middle eastern politics/philosphy………i have been drinking but this is freakin me out
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Deep breaths, calm down, do you want me to get the brown paper bag?
SJ
I agree with you SJ but the aftermath of 9/11 is still with us as the US continues to fight it’s war. 9/11 will make US papers for years to come….will it still make a headline in our papers next year??
Merry Christmas all you NASM readers
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A lot of these Asian countries are still trying to recover from the tsunami too, it is still with us.
You also mean, Happy Festivus me thinks.
SJ
While I’m at it…
Happy Birthday Craigy J
and Happy New Year too
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I can’t acknowledge the birthday of minor contributors to this blog. He needs to up his comments to achieve recognition.
SJ
Shirvo, you are the king. I recall a recent conversation that I had with you where you said that Steve Irwin was buried in mysterious circumstances. Can you tell us more?
they turned him into marble and stuck him on the Caloundra esplanade with the rest of his family!
Thats got to be one of the worst statues i’ve seen
Who cares, its a numbers game and if that rate is male well, you know the selfishness in me is surfacing. It all equals less Siddlers and opposition or dobbers. Its all good.