I cannot believe the ignorance of Ycombinator at times.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)
http://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_&#...
Keep calm. Carry on.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)_...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_between_U.S._states_...
In regards to GDP by PPP:
"Comparisons of national wealth are also frequently made on the basis of nominal GDP, which does not reflect differences in the cost of living in different countries (See List of countries by GDP (nominal) per capita). Using a PPP basis is arguably more useful when comparing generalized differences in living standards on the whole between nations because PPP takes into account the relative cost of living and the inflation rates of the countries, rather than using just exchange rates which may distort the real differences in income."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)_...
But in all of Stupidtown, PPP is the village idiot. First, which basket of goods do you choose? Whatever you select will favor some cultures over others. Second, what about the quality of goods? Butter might be cost the same in terms of hours worked, but for that same amount, the Swiss get pure, mountain-made butter, whereas in LA they get corn-oil margarine. Then there's the flattened world. It used to be that you would earn more in Switzerland, but a couch, for example, would cost more. But now, both go to IKEA and the costs are nearly identical. A tablet computer? Flat-screen TV? Car? Those things essentially cost the same everywhere. When the Swiss go on vacation, their better income means they get a lot more and they go to much nicer places. Then there's taxes. The Swiss pay about the same percentage as in LA, but for that they get amazing things: free university, guaranteed health care, etc.
Finally, there's the wet-finger test. If the weather models show that it should be sunny and you step outside and it's wet, please consider that despite what you read: it's raining. I'm American but I've lived in Switzerland, and I must humbly admit that there's nowhere in America that comes close to being as wealthy as Switzerland.
Visit Baton Rouge and then visit Zurich. You will laugh your ass off at the notion that LA is 10% off of Switzerland's wealth. You will then laugh at economists themselves as the poorest of weather scientists who simply don't know how to walk outside.