posted on November 8, 2007 07:01:13 AM new
and growing worse......America should be ashamed....aren't we the "World's Greatest Country " ???
Muslim Women Face Greater Inequality
Published: 11/8/07, 9:46 AM EDT
By FRANK JORDANS
GENEVA (AP) - Women in predominantly Muslim countries are struggling to compete for jobs, win equal pay and hold political office, falling behind the rest of the world in eliminating discrimination, a report said Thursday.
Nordic nations, by contrast, received the best overall grades for gender parity in education, employment, health and politics, according to the review of 128 countries compiled by the World Economic Forum.
The United States received mixed marks.
"The purpose of the rankings is to bring out where a country stands in terms of dividing the resources that are available between women and men," said Saadia Zahidi, one of the report's three co-authors.
Sweden, which has more women than men holding high political office, topped the list, followed by fellow Nordics Norway, Finland and Iceland. New Zealand, Philippines, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, and Spain round out the top 10.
Zahidi said religious and cultural reasons are important in understanding why men have economic, political, education and health advantages over women in much of the world.
Ex-Soviet nations with a Muslim majority, such as Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan, were in the middle of the field, but nearly all countries in the Middle East place in the bottom third. Pakistan, Chad and Yemen were at the bottom.
Women living on the Arabian peninsula receive nearly as much education and health benefits as men there, Zahidi said, "but they're held back on political participation and economic empowerment."
The annual study does not take into account a country's overall level of economic development: women in Sri Lanka, South Africa, Cuba and Lesotho all fared better - relatively speaking - than women in industrialized nations such as Japan, Switzerland and
the United States, which fell eight places from last year's study to 31st.
The U.S. scored lower because the percentage of female legislators, senior officials and managers fell in 2007, and the pay gap between women and men widened, the report said.
The world's most populous nations - China and India - were hurt in the study by the preference of many parents for boys, which has led to abortions and infanticide being directed primarily against girls.
Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed
posted on November 8, 2007 08:11:59 AM new
Sorry, your article doesn't set off any wild alarms in my head that the USA is going to hell in a hand basket. World's greatest country can mean a lot of different things to different people. To think that it means we top all countries in every good indicator is naive. Women had more professional opportunities in Scandinavian than in the US in 1970, when I lived there. If anything, we're catching up. More alarming is the fate of women in Muslim countries. A good friend of mine was a female physician in Iraq. Not a muslim, but she had the opportunity for a good education. She even founded a hospital there. She immigrated to the US some time ago. She has tried to bring her nieces over because they have little hope of a good education today
Nevertheless, I can't call any country without affordable health care and higher education for all citizens "great". There is something fundamentally wrong with a country whose President vetoes a bill to insure the health care of children.
posted on November 8, 2007 09:01:19 AM new
I totally agree on health care and education. Edited to add: in both of these categories we have grossly slid backwards. When I entered college, it was a fair statement that any kid who could make the grade and really wanted to, could attend college. Tuition at the U of M was around $500/quarter. Many of my friends were able to work their way through college. When I got out of college, it was common that your employer paid 100% of your family's health insurance (which was much more affordable). Fewer people fell through the cracks and the system seemed able to handle them.
[ edited by pixiamom on Nov 8, 2007 09:14 AM ]
Right, Coincoach...working your way through college is easier said than done. Now, undergraduate tuition at the University of Maryland is about 4,000 a semester for Maryland residents. And add a couple of thousand per semester to that for board.
And Johns Hopkins, another Maryland school charges undergraduates 35,900 per year.
Recently, my daughter took one computer course at UM and the cost was over a thousand.
posted on November 8, 2007 04:18:16 PM new
""Sorry, your article doesn't set off any wild alarms in my head that the USA is going to hell in a hand basket."""
No, by itself it doesn't (wasn't meant to)....but a list of what's wrong with America indicates hell is looming.
"""World's greatest country can mean a lot of different things to different people. To think that it means we top all countries in every good indicator is naive.""
I use and have used the term "World's Greatest Country" sarcastically....whenever a problem in the U.S. is pointed out some neocons chants that phrase... opium for righties).
""More alarming is the fate of women in Muslim countries.""
I don't think it's more alarming just more obvious....it's alarming that a so called enlightened country like the U.S. is sliding backwards.
How far back will we go before we should become alarmed?
posted on November 8, 2007 10:49:12 PM new
What I was trying to say is that if you must cut and paste, please pick articles that are relevant to the point you are trying to make. The main point of the article really didn't support "Ämerica should be ashamed". Edited to add, I think the fate of women in Iraq is VERY alarming. Talk about sliding backwards, they were a progressive (towards women) Muslim society that has slid back to keeping them uneducated and virtually captive.
[ edited by pixiamom on Nov 8, 2007 10:56 PM ]
posted on November 9, 2007 09:07:20 AM new
Mingo, you picked the article, but you don't address or even acknowledge the inequalities faced by Muslim women. If you want to address US health care or education, post relevant articles about them if you can't think up any new thoughts on your own. I don't see any announcements that now that Linda has left, Mingo may dominate the boards unchecked.
posted on November 9, 2007 02:11:37 PM new
pixi, """I don't see any announcements that now that Linda has left, Mingo may dominate the boards unchecked."""
So you think YOU should?????
Please show an example of how I dominate the boards "unchecked".
Do you feel dominated? Then that's in your own head...deal with it
I don't see any announcement making you board cop.
Linduh didn't "check" me (got "checked" herself though)...and YOU won't either.
posted on November 9, 2007 10:22:57 PM new
Mingo, I'm not here to make enemies. You have the right to post whatever and I have the right to critique it. (A right which you exercise frequently). Granted, I am more critical of copy and paste postings, regardless of political bent. They require so little thought and effort. The article you posted has some merit, but not in the context you presented it. If you feel you have appropriately presented the article then perhaps we can agree to disagree.
posted on November 10, 2007 05:13:56 AM new
pixiamom
posted on November 9, 2007 10:22:57 PM new
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mingo, I'm not here to make enemies. ""
No, you seem to be here to correct posting styles.
pixi, """You have the right to post whatever and I have the right to critique it. """
OH Thank You Oh Great One for that right and blessing !!!
Pixi, ""(A right which you exercise frequently). ""
Ya, so?
pixi, """Granted, I am more critical of copy and paste postings, regardless of political bent. They require so little thought and effort. The article you posted has some merit, but not in the context you presented it. If you feel you have appropriately presented the article then perhaps we can agree to disagree.""
The snotty "I'm so intellectual" attitude requires so little thought and effort.
I didn't post the article to see if you thought it had merit.
News stories and other articles are frequently posted in here. Since we have the freedom from jacka-s's who think they should dictate what we post, we post whatever we like....and I hereby give you the right to do the same...
.
Now maybe you'd like to address the issue instead of concentrating on me.....just can't answer questions, can ya??
How far back will we go before we should become alarmed? """
No answer???
OK, by now pixi you should be slowly getting the idea that I don't care what you think of my posts and posting style. Can you understand that?
posted on November 10, 2007 05:20:59 AM newIt's Still There???
Please excuse me for going off topic for a second....
Two posters on another board told me yesterday that this board had "disappeared". I checked the community link on the banner at the top of every page and found that now only three forums are shown..."Amazon Marketplace", The "Ebay Outlook" and "Other Online Marketplaces".
There is no longer a link or reference to "The Round Table".
posted on November 10, 2007 08:20:18 AM new
To get in here now you have to go to "Other Online Marketplaces" and there is a drop down box with all the other boards including the sales manager ones and this one.
I wonder why Vendio would hide everything away like that on their site? To me it seems like we're all going underground or something. If we're having trouble finding things after years of being here, how will it attract anyone new?
posted on November 10, 2007 08:39:47 AM new " If we're having trouble finding things after years of being here, how will it attract anyone new?"
That's a good question, Kiara. An outstanding poster was asking about the possibility of joining but said the board was "invisible". If she can't find it, nobody can.
posted on November 10, 2007 09:48:38 AM new
Helen, it would be great if some new posters joined in here on some of the discussions or started some new topics. It would be fun to see some of the old faces come back also but that may never happen - things change.
posted on November 10, 2007 10:33:35 AM new
Right, Kiara
The good times here appear to be over and Vendio apparently recognizes that fact. But wasn't it fun for a few years with good posters like you and Kraftdinner and especially Krs. ...too many others to name right now.
posted on November 11, 2007 05:15:44 AM new
This is the Vendio Roundtable: A place to kick back, relax, and have fun! Share a story, tell a joke, write a poem, make a friend.. I don't see politics or world issues mentioned.
posted on November 11, 2007 05:54:02 AM new
Maybe Little Ms. PixiAnal-I-Have-To-Have-Rules-Because-I-Can't-Think-For-Myself, you should go back to previous threads, back a few pages to see what was posted and how it was posted.
It was pretty free-wheeling. I liked that.
You don't.
As I said, to each his own.
"""A place to kick back, relax, and have fun! Share a story, tell a joke, write a poem, make a friend""
posted on November 11, 2007 06:15:44 AM new Mingo, you responded after my comment with this statement..."This is starting to look like the EO." "To each his own. I like politics and "News of the World" stuff."
While the board is in hidden status I doubt that anyone with Linda's outlook will find their way here, a circumstance that only you seem to find unfortunate. Personally, I find it boring to spend time addressing a cut and paste from a rag of misinformation by a winger who can only respond with personal insults. In fact, I find the Ebay Outlook that you mentioned more interesting than drivel from those wingers who can be so easily vanquished.
If you enjoy attacking wingers you may find the freeper forum challenging. If you need a link, let me know.
Now, I want to apologize for taking your thread off topic by mentioning the fact that this board is now invisible to non-members. But before I mentioned that fact, the interest in the topic had already waned.
BTW...we are all interested in national and international political and cultural issues and events.
posted on November 11, 2007 06:50:32 AM new
Helen, """Mingo, you responded after my comment with this statement..."This is starting to look like the EO."
"To each his own. I like politics and "News of the World" stuff.""""
THAT was an attack?????
"""While the board is in hidden status I doubt that anyone with Linda's outlook will find their way here, a circumstance that only you seem to find unfortunate."""
Are you using linduh's old crystal ball to determine this ?
"" Personally, I find it boring to spend time addressing a cut and paste from a rag of misinformation by a winger who can only respond with personal insults."""""
Funny, you haven't minded in the past (???)
"""In fact, I find the Ebay Outlook that you mentioned more interesting than drivel from those wingers who can be so easily vanquished."""
So what are you doing here, worrying about posters finding the Roundtable ??????
"""If you enjoy attacking wingers you may find the freeper forum challenging. If you need a link, let me know."""
Attacking??? The only "attack"
I saw was pixianal trying to set rules for other posters....I sure hope you follow her instructions
"""Now, I want to apologize for taking your thread off topic by mentioning the fact that this board is now invisible to non-members. But before I mentioned that fact, the interest in the topic had already waned."""
There was no interest to start with but it sure didn't stop some from posting anyway....why are others so afraid to start their own topics that THEY find interesting....I have no fear. But it seems the biggest whiners are the biggest cowards.
Now, since so many here seem to like to give orders....please feel free to go back to discussing silver patterns...you have my permission to start a thread on that or any other important issue....
posted on November 11, 2007 07:26:17 AM new
(light bulb goes on) I thought pixia's posts sounded familiar...
And Helen jumps to her defense as if it was she who was "attacked"........
posted on November 11, 2007 10:32:50 AM new
Mingo, I didn't see your remark as an attack and you shouldn't see my response as an attack either I'm jumping to nobody's defence but if I choose to do so I will without regard to what you may think about it.
