u CAN Rd Ths!

Congratulations. If you are reading this, then:

1. You are literate.

Okay, it's quiz time.

Which country has the highest literacy rate?

Cuba, with 99.8%.

What place on the list does the United States occupy?

Tied for 19th, with 99.0%.

Statistics per United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report 2009.

2. You probably live near America's Most Literate City: Seattle!

That's right. Seattle has just been named #1 on the 2009 list of America's Most Literate Cities, by Dr John W. Miller, President of Central Connecticut State University. The annual study, which originated in 2003, "focuses on 6 key indicators of literacy: newspaper circulation, number of bookstores, library resources, periodical publishing resources, educational attainment, and internet resources," according to the AMLC webpage at http://www.ccsu.edu/page.cfm?p=5390

So rejoice. High literacy rates correlate with lower crime rates, better health, and higher productivity. And early literacy programs, according to the Economic Policy Institute, "contribute to long-term economic benefits for the community and the nation".

We have much to be thankful for.
We are among the lucky ones.
We can read.