List of Previous Titles

Sunday, October 27, 2013

An increasingly rare sight

All dressed up with no place to go!

My son is 23 years of age. When I was his age I had married and we had two children and I was seperated. To my parents that was a real disgrace because in those days when someone in the family divorced or seperated it brought real shame upon the entire family. No longer, as it is so common. That is part of the problem, because in the United States just about every one in two first-time marriages end in divorce, and for second marriages the figure is two out of every three.

With advancements to the status of women and their independence they are not generally disposed towards patience. The least little thing and they are off with the statement, "well, if that's how you feel!" Everything that has been built up in that marriage usually goes to the woman, so, of course, men have become fed up. Men are simply staying away from marriage since the whole institution seems to be doomed.

The other reason that couples around the world are not entering into formal committments is one of the depressed economy. Young men, in particular are finding it very tough going to simply get a job, any job, let alone a career of their choice. To take on the challenge of starting a family is unthinkable. This all leads to the Disestablishment of marriage.

Sociologist, Phillip Cohen of The University of Maryland notes that in 1920, ninety-two of every 1000 single women married at an early age. In 2012 that figure had dropped to only 31. Of those who are getting married the average age for women is now 27, and for men it is 29. These averages are the highest for 100 years. However, there is a rising trend in that a third of women who are well over 30 wait to marry, and that figure is 40% for men. 
The move away from marriage has been a very quiet trend. I noticed that it was happening in my own extended family and those of friends. However, it does seem to be mutual as young women are in no more of a rush to the altar than young men.

A great many people refuse to believe that there is any such thing as evolution, but when it is happening in front of one's own eyes it may be difficult to deny.

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Kicking da Can

Thirteen and Sixteen Days of October
Playing with this thing!
 
October is my birth month, (October 1st), so I really wish that people would stop playing games in my month that threaten to end the world.
 
In 1962, Russia went head-to-head against America over the Cuban Missile Crisis where even a mistake could have unleashed both countries missiles against the other. Had that happened we would have gone the way of the dinosaurs, leaving the earth to the cockroaches. Humanity was supposed to have learned lessons from that event. Clearly we didn't learn anything, or if we did we have forgotten.
 
I strongly recommend that if you were born in 1963, or anytime since, to study the events of October 16th through October 28th, 1962. You will see for yourself just how dubious the very possibility of your birth was, all due to bad decisions, stupid pride, and obstinacy, among other deadly sins.
 
The Sixteen Days of October, 2013 resulted in the shutdown of the federal government, again, due to political bickering in America. This has become an annual event, but is no way to run any government, let alone the United States government. This year the crisis was given a new dimension: the country was held hostage by a small number of madmen who took the country to the brink of technical bankruptcy by refusing to increase the debt ceiling. Were that to have happened the ramifications would have gone round the world like a nuclear blast.
 
All that because a few lawmakers are pissed off over Obama Care, which exists in law, and has even been confirmed by the Supreme Court. Those people are still vexed. They have tried to repeal the law more than forty times, and most people see that the issue has not been resolved, it has simply been "kicked down the road." This has become the most over used phrase in modern times, and the most hated.
 
However, there is a good use that phrase can be put to and it is this: the final solution to the problems of Congress would be to Kick the collective Cans of the lawmakers down the road, and out into the political wilderness where they belong. The mid-term elections are coming, and whether the voter is Republican or Democrat, if they elect these same reckless, irresponsible people back into office, then America you will continue to get what you deserve.
 
Unfortunately the rest of the world will be negatively affected.  We have already heard the call for a de-Americanized world. Perhaps it is worth remembering the roll call of previous countries that were world super powers in their day: Greece, Rome, Great Britain. No one gets to be Number One forever, so perhaps what we are seeing is the fall of the United States as world leader.
 
When that happens we will also remember what set the rot in!
 
 
Copyright (c) 2013   Eugene Carmichael 
 
 

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Malala Yousafzal

The most Beautiful Girl in the World
She is beautiful both inside and out!
(Accepting The Sarharov Prize for the promotion of Human Rights)

Just the sound of her name makes me feel so good. It is just so amazing that this very young person has exploded onto the world, with the help of Mr. Taliband man. It is no coincidence that she was not killed. She is here to make a difference, and that is so obvious. By sticking a gun in someone's face and firing, if you don't kill them, that is because you cannot kill them.

Mr. Taliband man, you say you will try again. It is possible that you might shut down her body, but you have already given flight to her thoughts and her cause, so, unless you want to  increase her stature I suggest you leave her alone. Instead, listen to what she is saying.

Malala considered the life that people around her thought was adequate for her. She searched but could not find an element of humanity or respect in that life, if it was to be imposed on her. She may decide to do the things they say she should, but that has to be her choice. She simply wants to be considered a human being. When a male is born he is automactically considered a full human being. In too many societies girls are so devalued that many are drowned at birth, as though they were unwanted kittens.

Malala spoke out to her audience that she considered was the taliban in the Swat Valley. She could not have known that her views would resonate around the world. To one degree or another her views are valid among kings and princesses, as well as the common man. No one is exempt.  No country is exempt. Her message is as valid in the United States, Canada, China, Russia, England, Europe, Asia, Australia, and every country in between. Respect for women through education; respect for women through acceptance of their abilities and talent; and respect for women because they are simply human beings in the same sense that males are.

It's a simple message. One that every person who is at least reasonable can accept.That is evidenced by the invitations she has accepted, including one from the President of The United States of America. I can only hope that after the formal meeting she had some quality time with the president's daughters.

Lately, a massive number of people signed a petition to suggest that she be awarded The Nobel prize. She wasn't, and that is as it should have been, in my opinion, and that of Malala herself. She is not out to win prizes of that sort, although the $1.2 million would have been nice. She just received the Sarharov Prize, which is the top award for Human Rights promotion. That was very good and a significant encouragement for her to continue when she grows tired. She will win the Nobel Prize if allowed to continue to press her crusade because she will make such a difference.

The taliban think that girls don't need to be educated because their place is in the kitchen and in the bedroom. We hear that even today in our Western societies. Education will cause girls to want more, and to challenge the men. Well, they are absolutely right. Behind every strong man, there is an even stronger woman, driving him on to be the best that he can be. Many men who have succeeded in reaching the heights, to their absolute delight made it because they had a strong woman upon whom to lean. As well, a strong educated woman can possibly make for an even better leader than a man, as has been seen.

Some men are afraid of strong women. So, avoid them and leave them to strong men. Not every woman will be strong and demanding. The point is that in a society where everybody has access to education the society will be able to offer choices. It will also offer opportunity for growth. A society without educated women and men is a restricted place. There is no expectation that anyone will soar overhead from such a place, yet Malala is one such person who, on her own, with a father who clearly thinks outside the envelope, is a most unlikely modern day saviour.

Yes, Malala, you are so right. Every girl has the right to a solid education so that she can make her own choices and contribution to the wellbeing of our world. However, somehow I think that your greatest legacy will be the education of those who now stand in your way, including the taliban itself.

May you be safe and stay focused. You have been sent from Heaven to lead the world higher to the next level. There is no stopping an idea whose time has come. You are the chosen messenger and all the reasonable people of the world are with you!

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael 

Sunday, October 6, 2013

American Party Political System to be Scrapped!

The U.S. federal Government has been shut down....Again!

The game of Party Politics is supposed to be played like cricket. When one side is at play, (in power), the other side is supposed to be fielding in an attempt to knock the other side out. However, that side is fully enagaged in the process and does cooperate in the interest of the game. For politics read "The Nation" in place of the game. For it to be said that the government has shut down is nothing new. It appears that ever since November of 2010 the government has not been functioning.

President Obama came into power with Democritic majorities in both the House and the Senate. He used that political surplus to introduce health care reform, a subject no other president had seriously confronted. That would be his defining legacy to the nation if he could get it passed into law, which he did over amazing objections from people who will come to find it a godsend when their own priviledged position changed.

In countries that have political party systems the survival of the party comes to supercede the good of the country and its people. An attitude of "My party, right or wrong," becomes the norm, and common sense is the victim.  In America there are really only two types of people; the Republicans and the Democrats. If one of each should agree on anything, such as the fact that the sun is shining brightly with no clouds to obscure it, that would be newsworthy.

It appears that American political opinion has become extreme, and the Republicans have ceased to cooperate with the president, just because he is a Democrat. Whatever he proposes, even if it was something the Republicans originally though of, they say no!
  
Of course, the Democrats will remember when next the president of the day is a Republican. Two can play that game, but in the meantime China is rising and America is falling. I think that in order to arrest the decline the first thing that America needs to do is get rid of the very thing that is contributing to its problems to the greatest degree. Get rid of party politics and try making the representative beholden to the voter who puts him in the House. Now, those very same people can give him an earful, but he stills votes the party line.

Whether we are talking America, or Britain, or Australia or whereever, party politics is the poison that makes the patient sick. Get rid of it and get back to basics.

Make the headline above, "American Party Political system Scrapped," a reality. Do it now!

Copyright (c) 2013   Eugene Carmichael