Liberty, Equality, and the Pursuit of Happiness

Now Président Sarkozy wants to measure France's success by its happiness, not its production.

One country already does:

So far, Bhutan is the only country to put happiness at the heart of policy. The government of the remote Himalayan kingdom must consider every policy for its impact on “Gross National Happiness.” This has led to a ban on ads, wrestling channels, plastic bags and traffic lights.

Things that would make me happier by disappearing:

• spam
• lame legacy comic strips
• school-issued combination locks that kids can't figure out (let alone parents)
  
• the becoming-an-annual-tradition confidence vote in the Canadian Parliament
• the use of the word "inappropriate" as a substitute for "wrong"
• fluoride rinses after teeth cleaning

This is only the beginning.