Beer Affordability Index

Analysts at UBS bank in Sweden, probably while they were waiting for happy hour to start, calculated how long people around the world must work to earn enough money to buy a beer. Of the 28 countries they studied, using the national median wage and the local prices of beer, India was revealed to be the big loser, where it takes the average worker about 54 minutes to earn enough to buy half a liter of beer.

And the winner? The United States! According to the study, a worker here can buy a beer after working only about 6 minutes.

Is this a great country or what?

A writer for Reason.com, Tim Cavenaugh, disputes that figure for the United States as being too high. His research determined that he can buy a 24-pack of Miller High Life in his neighborhood for $15.99, which works out to somewhere between a minute and a half and three minutes of labor to purchase half a liter.

And speaking of beer, other researchers think they can predict what kind of beer you drink by your voting record. They claim that Samuel Adams drinkers vote often and are most likely to be Republicans. On the other hand, a person who favors Corona beer votes infrequently and is probably a Democrat. (Click on either of these charts to see larger versions.)