only 643 Billion Dollars is setting China's Economy apart from overtaking the US now

[LeveragedBuyout]

well do most people drink tap or bottled water?

I am unable to find reliable data on exclusive consumption of bottled water, but given that about a quarter of bottled water is literally unprocessed tap water in a bottle, I am going to say it is probable that the majority drinks tap water. By the way, if you get ice water in a restaurant, that is tap water unless otherwise specified.

 

[qamar1990]

I am unable to find reliable data on exclusive consumption of bottled water, but given that about a quarter of bottled water is literally unprocessed tap water in a bottle, I am going to say it is probable that the majority drinks tap water. By the way, if you get ice water Ina restaurant, that is tap water unless otherwise specified.

well yeah since you put it that way lol, even dasani and aquafina is tap water.

 

[OCguy]

Much of the country is on private wells in their yard. Like China, the US is a spiderweb of population centers, connected by sparcely inhabited rural expanses, where there is no public-run water source.

The well water at my family ranch in Montana is absolutely amazing...I look forward to finding my way to the sink for an ice-cold drink in the middle of the night

 

[LeveragedBuyout]

i remember watching on cnn that even our tap water has chemicals and even drugs in it, but at a very very low level.
Drugs in Drinking Water: A New EPA Study Finds More Than We Knew | New Republic
don't forget our healthcare system also is the biggest fraud in the world.
saying that america has the best standards is false, we are behind on many things. we are so powerful because of our huge population and resources.

No doubt, our drinking water is not pure, but if the external elements are below dangerous thresholds, that means it's safe. If it's good enough for the CDC, it's good enough for me.

I agree that we don't have the best system, but for our peculiar population and needs, it's sufficient, if expensive. Thanks to Obama, it will be expensive and insufficient.

 

[Jlaw]

Quality of life for the lower to upper-middle class will be the next marker for Chinese, once the GDP metric of choice is achieved. It will come with time, but GDP is never an indicator. The countries that enjoy the highest quality of life ratings are not the economic or military giants.

The lives of the middle class are improving but still have work to do. GDP is the best indicator because you cannot achieve a higher living standard without a country becoming wealthier.

 

[OCguy]

No doubt, our drinking water is not pure, but if the external elements are below dangerous thresholds, that means it's safe. If it's good enough for the CDC, it's good enough for me.

I agree that we don't have the best system, but for our peculiar population and needs, it's sufficient, if expensive. Thanks to Obama, it will be expensive and insufficient.

Yep!

We also have to remember that because our government is held relatively accountable, there is more data to pick apart. There is no reason to believe that any country with a public water source, and the access to modern pharmaceuticals, would be experiencing the exact same thing.

As China becomes more accepting of Western medicines, their kidneys will be excreting the same chemicals via urine in the same proportions.

The lives of the middle class are improving but still have work to do. GDP is the best indicator because you cannot achieve a higher living standard without a country becoming wealthier.

Oh I know like everyone else does that things are improving in a dramatic and historically quick fashion. But the allocation of wealth, as well as several other factors, are far more important than GDP alone. The "per capita" is more useful, since it acknowledges the distribution of the GDP. But now I am probably speaking in an area that LeveragedBuyout is a far more reliable source, so I will go make dinner.

 

[Chronos]

so new zealand has good tap water?
i lived in america for over 16 years and i probably drank tap water probably less then 5 gallons total.

I drink tap water everyday since I arrived here.

It's all good

 

[Desert Fox]

I drink tap water everyday since I arrived here.

It's all good

In fact, tap water is my favorite soft drink. That chlorine and fluoride adds a tasty flavor to the water, not to mention a foggy look. Makes me go Mmmmmmm just thinking about it.

 

[Chronos]

In fact, tap water is my favorite soft drink. That chlorine and fluoride adds a tasty flavor to the water, not to mention a foggy look. Makes me go Mmmmmmm just thinking about it.

I was a lost cause before the fluoride and chlorine :p

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

You just described Canada and the US, well not so much on the food part, but that depends on your definition of fast "food." As well as non organic and those nasty junk food. Also the air is way better, in most of US and Canada.

That picture I was drawing could apply anywhere. Mostly how things were going for the US around 1970 and the legacy of industrialization without much oversight for the sake of "progress" and being "developed".
hey @Edison Chen you should watch the video on this page and you can see how history may be repeating itself.
WGBH News: 25 Years Later, A Poisoned Town Can't Come Clean

As to water, you need to boil or buy anyways, I have never drank tap, neither has anyone I know, most people I know or at least call close friends don't go near McDs or the like, and paying the bills? I been to college and work odd jobs before, they have trouble paying bills.
.

Much of the country doesn't have to boil their water anymore due to water pollution laws passed in the 1970's.
Pretty much all the water is safe now. As for the people here who don't drink tap and drink bottled..well anytime you go out to eat don't expect them to be cooking with bottled water. As people have mentioned the water here can be fluoridated and mixed with some pathogen neutralizers so depending upon where you are it may not taste "natural".

Just in case you were trying to describe China, you don't know much about China, I mean all of the US people that visit China were surprised at how different the things on the ground is compared to what they thought China was. But that's natural, same deal goes the other way.

I wasn't describing China. I could if I wanted to. My wife lived in China for 30+ years and she has lived here for the last 10+.

 

[Genesis]

I wasn't describing China. I could if I wanted to. My wife lived in China for 30+ years and she has lived here for the last 10+.

I can see how you might say that and that's why just in case you were. This is a thread about China, so it's the logical assumption no?

As to your wife living in China? So..? Many people live in China, how many can make sense of China or how many can make sense of America living in America?

China had the most change in the last 10+ years, so she missed it. Since you said 40+ it's also an age where she would have experienced the harsh realities of a yesteryear, thus she maybe biased and probably is.


Either way, it is what it is.

 

[StarCraft_ZT]

China need to add more quality to the economy by big reforms.

 

[Raphael]

china has a long way to go, they have to raise their GDP per capita which will be difficult because of such large population
Here is the spot, with rise in GDP/PPP, China's manufacturing sector would slow down as cost of production would rise as labor costs would increase ... the good old middle income honey trap

Being a number one economy by exchange rates would require massive liberalization of banking, financing and mortgages
These sectors are still taking baby steps in china. It would take atleast 15-20 years to reach it optimum

Are you saying it will take 15-20 for China to surpass the USA's economy, or it will take 15-20 years for liberalize the financial sector? The former is palpably wrong - China is expected to surpass the USA's economy in the early 2020's. It's not that long away now. However, because we have 4x the population, we will still have a middle income economy by then. As for the financial reforms - the government could implement tomorrow if they want, or it could delay them indefinitely. But the recent Shanghai reforms are promising.

 

[Mr.S.Singh]

Are you saying it will take 15-20 for China to surpass the USA's economy, or it will take 15-20 years for liberalize the financial sector?

I am not talking about overtaking US economy, i mean development of private financial sector in China

However, because we have 4x the population, we will still have a middle income economy by then.

That is the trap, how would slow effect the chinese Yuan and inflation rate impact the economy is a mistery

As for the financial reforms - the government could implement tomorrow if they want, or it could delay them indefinitely. But the recent Shanghai reforms are promising.

not so easy, chinese govt is vary how free hand to financial industry can bring economy too its knee's recent crises serve as a example

 

[somsak]

China will get old before she get rich. One child policy screw up.