Sweden v Mississippi, Round III

Very Smart Reader Floyd McWilliams sends in this nugget:

Here’s a factoid I saw posted on Usenet by James Donald: Sweden’s population has fewer major appliances on average than America’s poor people. (I think this originally appeared in the Wall Street Journal.)

Average Swede   *  Poorest fifth of Americans  * owns
48%             *  60%                         * VCR
37%             *  60%                         * Microwave
31%             *  20%                         * Dishwasher
18%             *  50%                         * Dryer

Source US. Bureau of census, 1992, Euromonitor, 1991)
(US figures rounded to nearest 10% because of lack of accuracy)

Admittedly, those figures are a decade old. But I seem to recall something or other about how the US economy did that whole big giant growth thing the last ten years, while Sweden’s sucked herring.

Alterman might complain that the US figures aren’t for Mississippi. What his (so far, imaginary) complaint leaves out is that a disproportionate number of our poorest fifth do live in Mississippi. Since it’s, you know, the poorest state and all.

Think Alterman is ready to drop that bone yet? Methinks the Prof gave up a wee bit too soon, and certainly all too graciously.

UPDATE: People in Mississippi are even getting more action. I demand a rebate on all those Seka tapes I purchased back in ’89.