October 11 Corner Bits

Posted by Ken Germain

Russian Meteorite

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We some times fail to appreciate the good news, perhaps because it is often buried beneath reports of crime, corruption and incompetence.

Here, for instance, are just a few positive headlines you may have missed over the last few months:

According to the World Health Organization, since 1990 average life expectancy has gone up six years in the developed world and nine years in the developing world.
The National Center for Health Statistics announced this week that teen births are at the lowest ever reported in the U.S. (And pessimists should note this is not due to an increase in abortions.) The abortion rate just hit the lowest point since 1973, the year when the Supreme Court legalized the procedure in all 50 states.
Around the world, the overall state of humanity is rapidly improving. Infant mortality is down. Poverty is declining. Rich countries are polluting less. The risk of dying from violent crime has never been lower.