Daily chart: global abortion rates. Having fallen precipitously during the 1990s, the global abortion rate has now stalled, according to a new paper. In some parts of the world, the number of abortions termed as “unsafe” is on the rise. Laws that restrict abortion did not seem to lower the number of procedures—on the contrary, restrictive laws were associated with higher abortion rates.
Daily chart: fastest growing nations. Global economic growth is originating almost exclusively from the emerging world, according to a new forecast from the International Monetary Fund.
Africa raising
The shops are stacked six feet high with goods, the streets outside are jammed with customers and salespeople are sweating profusely under the onslaught. But this is not a high street during the Christmas-shopping season in the rich world. It is the Onitsha market in southern Nigeria, every day of the year. Many call it the world’s biggest. Up to 3m people go there daily to buy rice and soap, computers and construction equipment. It is a hub for traders from the Gulf of Guinea, a region blighted by corruption, piracy, poverty and disease but also home to millions of highly motivated entrepreneurs and increasingly prosperous consumers.
Over the past decade six of the world’s ten fastest-growing countries were African. In eight of the past ten years, Africa has grown faster than East Asia, including Japan. Even allowing for the knock-on effect of the northern hemisphere’s slowdown, the IMF expects Africa to grow by 6% this year and nearly 6% in 2012, about the same as Asia. (via shippingandlogistics)
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I cant thank God enough for all that happened last year 2011. both good and bad. as a matter of fact it was a good year. i hope for a better year this year. thankful for good health, thankful for every single day i could wake up and breathe easy. thankful for all my friends and evey single person…
VAN GOGH
I would bet money this is what Vincent saw while painting “Starry Night.” He just didn’t have animation tools then.
Murakami in Versailles by Cedric Delsaux:
“Eleven site-specific pieces have been installed throughout the royal palace and the exhibit has been met with as much controversy as accolade as the two styles have come together fusing modern and 17th century opulence.”
