We Should Have This National Conversation For and About Women, Equality and Our Nation

I proposed/asked this earlier tonight out on Facebonkers:

Can you imagine how different, how likely radically different our country would be, our legislation, our laws, if 50 percent of our government legislators were women?

Honestly, we should have this conversation. A national conversation.

I'd love to hear it, first of all, and then I'd like to hear it at least locally and then go nationally.

On the issues of health care and child care and schools and, heck, war and our war machine?

And then there's equal pay for equal work, along with really an untold list of what would be different and changed.

Can you imagine how different even the legislative conversations would be, let alone the results of their legislation

I'm no fool on this. I don't for a minute think we'd hit some Nirvana.

I just think we would be a radically different society and nation. Our government would be radically different and so, our nation would, as well.

Scotland is ahead of us on this. They even have an organized group, pushing for 50% of their representatives to be female.

Women 50:50

There are more  people out there in the world, proposing this idea, this framework and working on and for and toward it than I knew, before today. Here's another example.

Can We Create Planet 50-50 by 2030? 

The UN is in on it, too.

Get involved: Step It Up for gender equality: 

About Step It Up

Think about it.

How insane is it that we're still so horribly unequal, that there is still so much gross inequality, not just in the world but here in the US in the 21st Century? We agreed the part about "All men...created equal" meant men and women long ago, I think most of us agree.

Imagine.

I'd love to hear at least one show, one full hour out on KCUR, maybe on Steve Kraske's show.

It would be perfect for that station, him and his program.

Those 60s and 70s We Had In February?

This article came out today based on a report just released:

Yes, February was too warm. Global climate is in ‘uncharted territory,’ group says

A little from it, some highlights:

More than 11,700 daily temperature records across the U.S. were broken in February, with the average temperature 7.3 degrees warmer than normal for the last full month of winter. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Arctic “witnessed the polar equivalent of a heatwave.” This spurred dangerous sea ice melting.

“Even without a strong El Nino in 2017, we are seeing other remarkable changes across the planet that are challenging the limits of our understanding of the climate system. We are now in truly uncharted territory,” World Climate Research Program Director David Carlson said.

Out of the 17 hottest years ever recorded, 16 occurred since 2000.

Prof Sir Robert Watson, a distinguished climate scientist at the UK’s University of East Anglia and a former head of the UN’s climate science panel.

“Our children and grandchildren will look back on the climate deniers and ask how they could have sacrificed the planet for the sake of cheap fossil fuel energy, when the cost of inaction exceeds the cost of a transition to a low-carbon economy,” Watson said.

“Arctic ice conditions have been tracking at record low conditions since October, persisting for six consecutive months, something not seen before in the [four-decade] satellite data record,” said Prof Julienne Stroeve, at University College London in the UK. “Over in the southern hemisphere, the sea ice also broke new record lows in the seasonal maximum and minimum extents, leading to the least amount of global sea ice ever recorded.”

Food for thought, for sure.

At what point do we humans do something, do more, about this?

Here's hoping we don't have Summers of 100 degrees and more and for long stretches of time.

Additional links:

Record-breaking climate change pushes world into 'uncharted territory

Nasa: Earth is warming at a pace 'unprecedented in 1,000 years

Some Takeaways On the World's Happiest Nations Report

The world's happiest nations were announced today by the by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network for the United Nations.

World's happiest countries named

Takeaways?

--The US isn't the happiest

--The US isn't in the top 3

--The US isn't in the top 5

--The US isn't even in the top 10

--The US is in the 13th position

Here's what I love.

The top ten "happiest nations"?

Socialist.

All Socialist.

Every one.

Here's another kicker. Another takeaway. Frankly, it's one more slam on us, the US.

Israel ranks higher in happiness than the US.

Israel.

Surrounded by their enemies. Set upon and attacked, not infrequently, by Palestinians yet they have a higher happiness rating than we do here in the United States.


So, America.  Could we learn some things here?

Please?

Soon as possible?

Here's one:  The lady was right.

We are #Strongertogether.

Links:

World Happiness Report Update 2016

World Happiness Report - Wikipedia

America Has the Worst Vacation Policies 

Of Any Developed Country

Once again, U.S. has most expensive, least effective health care

Americans are much, much more likely to be killed by guns than  people in other countries

Americans are paying more for slower Internet 

And So It Begins

The 115th Congressional session, this very Republican Party, Right Wing, ultra-Conservative Congress has begun...   And with a vengeance.  See for yourself. Here was their first move, famously, infamously, just before the session began.

With No Warning, House Republicans Vote to Gut Independent Ethics Office

Fortunately, the American people rose up, thanks to social media, raised hell and this was squashed. The cowards wisely backed off.

That's not to say they're done, however. Far from it. This is what they started two days ago, God help us.

Senate Republicans Pass Resolution That Begins ObamacareRepeal Process

And now, this. A pièce de résistance, really.

Republicans prepare legislation to 

defund United Nations

It's lead by that political and governmental rocket scientist Rep. Louie Gohmert, no surprise.

Our political world is coming apart with these chuckleheads. This is terrific. Just when nationalism is spreading around the world, nation by nation, these idiots want to tear down the one place we try to all get together, as a world, and solve international problems. 

Fantastic.

These banana-brains just want to get and stay more and more parochial, more and more, "me, first!" and "Leave us alone!"

Honestly, it really does seem like we're going to Hell in a nearly non-proverbial handbasket.

And The Donald isn't even inaugurated yet.

God help us. God save us from ourselves.

Link:  Republicans call Obamacare a 'failure.' 

These 7 charts show they couldn't be more wrong

After deriding it for weeks, Trump now claims to be a ‘big fan’ of the intelligence community

Trump's EPA pick sided with polluters – who gave millions

 to his political agenda

Trump's EPA pick rejects climate science, fights for fossil fuels

Paul Ryan: GOP will defund Planned Parenthood

House GOP rules change will make it easier to sell off federal land 

Senate Republicans introduce bill to slash security at US embassies

National and International Human Rights Day!

Yes sir! Today is National Human Rights Day! Celebrate! Get and be aware! Spread the information!

Human Rights Day - Official Site

Human Rights Day was established in 1948, and ever since that auspicious day it has stood as the first major stride forward in ensuring that the rights of every human across the globe are protected. From the most basic human needs such as food, shelter, and water, all the way up to access to free and uncensored information, such has been the goals and ambitions laid out that day.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was a shout across the world by the leading countries in the world, stating loud and clear that no matter where we live, what we believe, or how we love, we are each individually deserving of the most basic fundaments of human needs. Every year Human Rights Day marks conferences around the world dedicated to ensuring that these ideals are pursued, and that the basic Human Rights of every person is made a priority in the global theater.

Human Rights Day - Wikipedia

Human Rights Day – Dec. 10 – It’s Everyone’s Day

Human Rights Day and Threats to Your Rights around the WorldToday

Human rights under increasing attack worldwide

Human Rights Day: Four Freedoms for Children

The Problems of the World Today

Human Rights Issues | Amnesty International USA

Human Rights Day Facts 2016: How To Donate To Refugees And Others In Need

How to Celebrate Human Rights Day

The first and foremost way to celebrate Human Rights Day is to take some time to appreciate the effect that this resolution has had on your world and life. Look around your neighborhood and see the effects on a local scale, the charitable works being done to promote the health and well-being of those who are less fortunate.

The next step is to get out there and make a difference, whether it’s simply making a donation to one of the dozens of organizations that work towards this global purpose, or organizing a donation drive of your own to help out those organizations fighting the good fight.

It's Not Too Late!

An hour to go, I'm going to sneak this in yet. It's too important to not.

Happy International Day of Peace!

The International Day of Peace, sometimes unofficially known as World Peace Day, is observed annually on 21 September. It is dedicated to world peace, and specifically the absence of war and violence, such as might be occasioned by a temporary ceasefire in a combat zone for humanitarian aid access. The day was first celebrated in 1982, and is kept by many nations, political groups, military groups, and peoples. In 2013, for the first time, the Day was dedicated by the Secretary-General of the United Nations to peace education, the key preventive means to reduce war sustainably.

To inaugurate the day, the United Nations Peace Bell is rung at UN Headquarters (in New York City). The bell is cast from coins donated by children from all continents except Africa, and was a gift from the United Nations Association of Japan, as "a reminder of the human cost of war"; the inscription on its side reads, "Long live absolute world peace".

Imagine.

Imagine there's no countries

It isn't hard to do

Nothing to kill or die for

And no religion too

Imagine all the people

Living life in peace...

Quote of the day -- On Our Modern World

And our screwed-up distribution and priorities

Is America turning into a Third World "banana republic"?

Since the 2008 financial near-collapse in America and for the last 30 years, there's been an attack on the middle class in this country:

The Attack on America's Middle Class

7 Things the Middle Class Can’t Afford Anymore

Then, more recently, the UN says Detroit is violating human rights there by cutting off water to the poor:

UN Reps ‘Deeply Disturbed’ That Detroit Is Shutting Off Water To People Who Don’t Pay Their Bills

Now Amnesty International weighs in on the Ferguson, Missouri debacle:

Amnesty International: Ferguson Cops Committed Human Rights Abuses

Take this into consideration:

America Has The Worst Wealth Inequality Of All Developed Nations

What's become of us, America?

What's becoming of us?

And maybe most importantly:

What are we going to do about it?

Question of the day -- for America

I don't think most Americans know this.

Like

"The world is over-armed and peace is under-funded"

To prove UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon's statement, check out the world's spending.
(click on picture for easier viewing)

Over-armed and underfunded

As UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon so rightly and simply said:

The World is Over-Armed and Peace is Underfunded

And the US, sadly, far and away, leads the world in this.

Quote of the day

"Every woman should be able to decide when and whether to have children.

This is true whether she is HIV positive or not...There should be no controversy about this, none at all." --Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, spoken this past Monday in New York at the International AIDS Conference

Bin Laden chutzpah

In a second tape of, by and from one Osama bin Laden this week, he went on urging his Muslim brothers--and countries--to donate, contribute and help Pakistan, what with their flooding and all.  Hmmm.  So here he is, going "hat in hand" to fellow Muslims, chiding them, too, to help victims of Pakistan's horrific flooding.  He pleads with them, apparently, and exhorts them to help, at the same time.  One thing that was great was that he pointed out how "the U.N. chief did more than them to help Pakistan.

'The (U.N.'s) secretary-general came to witness the catastrophe for himself, and yet no Arab leaders came to witness the disaster despite the short distances and claims of brotherhood,' he said."
Chalk one up for the West, huh?  Good for us.  Say, Osama, you know who one of the biggest contributors to the UN is, don't you?  That would be the United States, your professed enemy.  Suck on that for a while.  And while you're at it, don't ask us for any help, okay, palzy?  We'll help the Pakistani people all we can but don't ask us for any assistance, thanks very much.  Not that even you would, I'd hope.  Surely you're that bright.  And not that big a hypocrite.

In the tape, he also accused the media of failing to cover the flooding tragedy effectively or provide "the real picture" of natural disasters in the Muslim world.

Then, get this--he wants to get people to believe in--well, check this out:  He said Journalists should also increase coverage of climate change, he said.  That's rich.  The Republicans, Conservatives, lots of business people and deniers will love that little jewel, eh? 

Speaking of "rich", as in ironic:  International donors have pledged more than $800 million for flood relief in Pakistan, the bulk of it coming from the United States which has donated nearly $350 million.  To repeat--"the bulk of it coming from the United States..."  So how's that whole "the US is our enemy" thing going, Osama, you hypocrite, if not idiot.



Finally this also apparently proves that OBL is still alive, dang it, if we can believe what was released:  The recording was aired along with a still photograph of a smiling bin Laden superimposed over pictures of flood victims.  So darn.  We, again, apparently haven't gotten him yet.  There's always hope.  Have a great weekend, y'all.

Link to original story:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101002/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_bin_laden_tape