Coinkydink or...

...something else? Explain what you see.

I see a correlation between low life expectancy, low human development and being a bible thumper. :-)

That is some groundbreaking sociological theory.

fucking carpetbaggers fucked us during the reconstruction.

thanks lincoln.

Vikings fans are more developed and live longer than most folks.

I see something very obvious.

I see too much focus on the US in these forums.

It's an English speaking, US-centric site.

Although I wouldn't mind some more conversation on foreign governments and sociology. Whenever the topics come up either here or in the news I find the differences fascinating.

I'd have to agree, but then again this is a US forum and we don't want to upset the 'Muricans :P.

Even though this is an American forum, I agree.

Also hooray for the Twin Cities metro!

We're in the highest life expectancy and human development brackets!

w00t! :P

What do they mean by "human development"?

We already knew this:

@dylandr said:

We already knew this:

For starters, you are aware that at least 40% of that is pure fiction, right?

There are other issues, of course, but let's start with that.

@MrGeezer: We can all agree that if the dark ages wouldn't have existed the world would be in a better state :p

Hopefully we can all agree that...

1) You've provided no evidence that a Muslim dark age is going to leave a hole in scientific advancement that's going to last for a thousand years.

2) You have only accounted for one variable which contributed to "the christian dark ages", and then used that single incident of declining scientific advancement to project to the year 4000. All without accounting for any other environmental, social, or political factors which contributed to the dark ages.

@MrGeezer: Yeah that muslim dark age thing you need to ignore

and the 2nd part: Well if you get killed in the name of christ for being a scientist i think we can agree that it wasn't a good time

The idea of the time between the fall of the Roman Empire and the fall of Constantinople being known as the "Dark Ages" is an outdated concept in modern academia. With the vast knowledge and research we have accrued in the past two decades the early-mid Middle Ages aren't unknown to us anymore nor were they a time of backwardness in Europe. Would the world have been better if Rome never fell? That's tough to say but the reality we got wasn't any worse than what came before or after (the Renaissance).