50% of All Workers Made Less than $26,000 in 2010

Re:50% of All Workers Made Less than $26,000 in 2010 by thret on Thursday October 20, 2011 @05:00PM (#3136972)

The legal minimum wage in Australia is $15.51, about $16 USD. I realise Americans are poor, but I had no idea it was so bad.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:50% of All Workers Made Less than $26,000 in 2010 by yummyfajitas on Thursday October 20, 2011 @05:17PM (#3137068)

Don't feel bad for us, there are lots of places where things are worse. Australia, for example.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)_...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Median_household_income

Adjusting for PPP, your $16 USD is only about $11.40. Australia is considerably more expensive than the US.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:50% of All Workers Made Less than $26,000 in 2010 by thret on Friday October 21, 2011 @07:41PM (#3142220)

Actually Australia has the highest median wealth in the world.

http://au.ibtimes.com/news/234393/20111020/forex/australia-d...

Not sure why you think Australia is more expensive than the US. I visit the US every year and do not find this to be the case at all.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:50% of All Workers Made Less than $26,000 in 2010 by getsat on Thursday October 20, 2011 @05:04PM (#3136986)

Minimum wages vary per state in the USA. States with higher cost of living (e.g., California) typically have higher minimum wages.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:50% of All Workers Made Less than $26,000 in 2010 by tsotha on Friday October 21, 2011 @12:09AM (#3138368)

$16 USD in the US goes a lot further than $16 in Oz. From what I can tell Aussies pay anywhere from 20% to 100% more than Americans for the same products if you do the currency conversion.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:50% of All Workers Made Less than $26,000 in 2010 by stonemetal on Thursday October 20, 2011 @05:35PM (#3137172)

Sorry for being off topic I always find it weird when people use $ for non US currency. After all $ is a U superimposed on an S. Is it a common thing to use that symbol for other currencies, or is it a just easier to type thing.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:50% of All Workers Made Less than $26,000 in 2010 by jholman on Thursday October 20, 2011 @07:36PM (#3137639)

Ten seconds on wikipedia would have shown you that the use of this symbol to denote dollars and pesos predates (if just barely) the founding of the United States.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dollar_sign

So, barring time travel, I suggest that your theory about a U superimposed on an S must be wrong (at least as a causal story).

I've got to learn to stop caring about the rampant America-centrism on H.N.

[ Parent | on HN ]