We know Consumerist readers love to trade advice (and insults) on personal debts and savings, so here are some fun facts from Friday's financial disclosure statements of Barak Obama and John McCain:

The crazy difference between Senator Obama's and Senator McCain's earned income comes from Obama's $4 million in book royalties for 2007, compared to McCain's meager $176,488. However, McCain has far deeper pockets ultimately, because his wife is loaded—she earned over $6 million in 2006 alone.

We're less than impressed that American Express is letting the McCains carry hundreds of thousands of dollars in zero-interest loans, but before you get all political about it, consider that "Sen. Barack Obama's first choice to head up his vice presidential search committee resigned this week" after it was discovered that he was one of the recipients of Countrywide's VIP treatment we posted about last week.

What surprises us most of all, ultimately, is that the McCains would carry any debt on that 25.99% rate card.

"Summaries of Senate financial disclosure forms" [Associated Press]
"Disclosures Give Look at Candidates’ Personal Finances" [New York Times]
"Ready To Laugh At McCain Family Debt? Not So Fast ..." [Huffington Post]

Maryland's median household income rose 2.2% to top New Jersey's at $65,144. Good old NJ is still second with $64,470. Filling out the top five were richy-richertons Connecticut, $63,422; Hawaii, $61,160, and New Hampshire, $59,683.

All things considered we'd rather be in... well, Hawaii would do nicely.

New Jersey Loses Top Wealth Rank to Maryland, Census Data Shows [Bloomberg]
(Photo:phil g)

A recent United Nations study on personal wealth found that having just $2,200 per adult puts a household in the top 50% of the world's richest.

However, thanks to large amounts of consumer debt, "many people in high-income countries have negative net worth and—somewhat paradoxically—are among the poorest people in the world in terms of household wealth."

Live debt free and you too could be the ruler of a small eastern bloc country! — BEN POPKEN

Got $2,200? In this world, you're rich [MarketWatch via Consumerism Commentary]

It turns out that (gasp!) money does indeed buy happiness. But not too much money. New research, to be published in the Journal of Health Economics, suggests that there is a sweet spot: "Medium-sized lottery wins ranging from about $2,000 to $225,000 had a long-term sustained impact in the overall happiness of the winners."

That's a rather wide range to consider "medium." I guess my credit card bill qualifies as Chase's moderate windfall.

But getting the ginormous checks apparently don't boost happiness. Nonetheless, I wouldn't mind giving it a spin.

How big a lottery prize returns happiness? [UPI]

New research shows that drinkers earn more than non-drinkers, and that visiting a bar correlates with even higher pay. Sweet success comes at the bottom of a dirty glass.

And all along I thought that alcohol only improved your looks, smarts, and sexual prowess. Who knew the fiduciary benefits could be this tangible?

Time to start getting receipts from the bartender, and writing off the night as job training related expenses.