Big move

Hi there, void in the internet.

For any parties interested CROSS THE LINE has a new home you can find me - and hopefully some other contributing authors (soon) at...

http://tocrosstheline.wordpress.com.

Hope to see you soon

J

Cracking the Glass Ceiling

In the wake of the American elections this past November 4th, just 7 short days ago, there is a hint of change in the air. Many attest that "the times they are a changing". However, not all critics are pointing to Obama's recent inauguration as the source of this shifting wind. Many journalist, politicians and advocates for women's rights alike are recognizing that Hilary Clinton and Sarah Palin both have cracked the glass ceiling for many women to come. Some are even attesting that these strong females have broken that ceiling for women in politics all together.


An article in Naples Daily News, Nov 6th cites an opinion from Naples City Councilwoman Penny Taylor who states that “I think Clinton and Palin were judged on their qualifications, and clearly the public and popular opinion was that they were not qualified or not the right people for the job. If we’re women in politics, we’ve got to expect to take our knocks, too... they’re looking at us as candidates and officers of the government, and not just as women.”

When you consider the incredible criticism that Palin received after her outrageous $150,000 shopping spree and the fact that the Republic Party is now attributing McCain's loss to her inability to answer basic political questions, including her lack of knowledge on the Bush Doctrine (a policy used in 2001 to justify in invasion of Afghanistan, which she publicly supported), it is hard to ignore Taylor's claim. The people recognized Palin's faults and she was not elected as a result.


Whatever your opinion of Clinton and Palin you have to admit each has certainly forged new territory and made important impact for women in democratic politics worldwide. Obama himself paid tribute to the fantastic campaign that Hilary had ran and lost, saying, “She shattered barriers on behalf of my daughters and women everywhere, who now know that there are no limits to their dreams.”


The 1980's brought into popularity the term ‘glass ceiling,’ the organisational processes that create disadvantage and the difficulties that women face in trying to reach the highest echelons of their particular field. Wikipedia link to 'glass ceiling' entry.

The Girl Child

Here’s a little bit of basic information about the ‘girl child’ and issues surrounding girls and woman in the developing world. I copied and pasted this information from http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/briefing/girl/index.htm which is an online resource for teachers set up by the UN. Please read the stats and then the short story below.

Have a great day!

-J

Vital Statistics

• Of the more than 110 million children not in school, approximately 60 per cent are girls.
• By age 18, girls have received an average of 4.4 years less education than boys.
• World-wide of the more than 130 million primary school age children not enrolled in school, nearly 60% are girls.
• In some countries in sub-Saharan Africa, adolescent girls have HIV rates up to five times higher than adolescent boys.
• Pregnancies and childbirth-related health problems take the lives of nearly 146,000 teenage girls each year. In sub-Saharan Africa, a woman faces a 1 in 13 chance of dying in childbirth. In Western Europe, the risk is 1 in 3,200.
• At least one in three girls and women worldwide has been beaten or sexually abused in her lifetime.
• An estimated 450 million adult women in developing countries are stunted, a direct result of malnutrition in early life.
• Two million girls and women are subjected to female genital mutilation every year.
  

THE STORY
A small miracle at the top of a mountain.

In its native Pushtu, Laram means "scorpion". Once a month a battered UN truck labours up a narrow, forbidding valley along stream beds and swithback roads to this tough mountain village in Pakistan’s North west Frontier Province. It is loaded with vegetable oil to be delivered among the parents of Aram who have agreed to send their little girls to school.
The oil-for-schoolgirl project administered by the United Nations is a new weapon in a worldwide battle against not just female illiteracy but hunger. The people here are so desperately poor that a girls’ education is often the last thing on a parent’s mind. In 1994, the World Food Programme of the United Nations launched its oil-for-schoolgirl programme. The strategy was to give an 11-pound can of cooking oil – often the most expensive item in the people’s diet here – to each girl who attended classes at least 20 days a month. The same incentive was given to teachers to reduce absenteeism.
The programme immediately raised a girl’s status in her family. "The little girl who picks up her can of oil has something visible to present," said a UN staff member. "She is bringing it to the household."
Immediately after the programme was introduced, school enrolment among girls in the village skyrocketed. One school saw its student population increase tenfold, from 20 to 220.
Some of the girls are very bright. According to Hussna Ara, their teacher, if they could stay, they would one day become teachers and help the poor. "If the oil stops, I am afraid, they will stop coming," she said.

Adapted from the Los Angeles Times (22 December 1997)

A Greener Spin on Things

Many of you might already be aware of the growing trend towards public bike share programs.

Paris' Velib's highly successful program, started in July of 2007, sports 10,000 bicycles. A simple concept perhaps but with theft and vandalism, constructing and maintaining these public share programs can be expensive and can be complicated.

For example one program which launched in Cambridge, UK in 1993, had all of its 300 bicycles stolen during the first day of operation. The program consequently was abandoned. Since then a number of lessons have been learnt. And this type of program has become quite sophisticated.

Canada is also moving to adopt this eco-friendly trend. Montreal is working up to launch Canada's first bike share program. Over the summer Public Bike Share launched a contest dedicated to finding a name for the program. BIXI has been chosen and the program will get into gear spring 2009. In the meantime if you are interested in how some of the more daunting issues around bike share programs have been tackled Public Bike Share has published a website detailing all the bells and whistles of this new program. http://www.publicbikesystem.com/

Enjoy

Update on the Apartment

After my tangent below I feel that today is a two update day. For my inner thoughts on my working/career life please read below. This post is an update on those boring day to day happenings of the apartment and finances.

We've been here just over three months now and it’s fabulous to have my own space. In fact S is away on holiday's this week and she has gone up to Ottawa to visit her sister so in essence I have my own pad for the week.

There are a few major changes that have occurred since we've moved in - we've discovered mice but I think that problem has passed now (I haven't seen any in the past month). We've had a fruit fly infestation for the past few weeks, and last night I saw for the first time a cockroach (ewww). So I will be bugging the super tomorrow to take care of that problem.

Also last week I finally got a door on my room! Hooray!!! Finally I have my own space and S can go into the living room freely without thinking that she is invading my personal space. Now we are just waiting to get some electrical work and we will have a fully functioning apartment.

The money situation hasn't even been that bad. Sure I am conscious about how much I spend but it isn't a detrimental situation. I don't stress out the same way that I use to. Although I should be a little tighter then I have been the past little while.

So there you have it. I don't live in the greatest apartment in TO but its getting better and we've certainly made it a home and in so proving that you can live under the poverty line as a single female without too much trouble.

I should really be updating more frequently as of course there have been more interesting stories to tell.

Cheers

Summer Stretch

So we are still here in our little apartment - three months later.

Both S and I have had many moments where we've wanted to quite our jobs and do something else. This place is suffocating - immoral - and hypocritical. Not to mention the lousy pay. But that is really besides the point in many ways.

S has been making a solid effort to find herself a new job and I like always have just been toying with the idea. Today I am trying to make the push towards reconstructing my resume. Earlier this year my old computer crashed taking with it not only my resume but every piece of literary work that I've created throughout my university career.

It is scary to make this decision that I am going to start something new - find a new job - apply to go back to school etc. especially now that I've decided on a complete career shift. And to top it off I don't even know if I am going to be any good at my new chosen profession.

Where was this fear 5 years ago when I just randomly decided to go into Poli Sci? It was never a debate in my mind, this is what I was going to pursue and that was that. I never remember feeling conflicted about that choice. But here I am 5 years later thinking - what if this doesn't pan out? Suddenly the realities of working life are apparently clear. This is what I will be spending the majority of my time doing. Suddenly my personal experiences from the past year are incredibly valuable. The dread of going in to an institution every day that I do not respect. The personal torment and conflict that arises from that is far too consequential to ignore. If only I could make that leap and decide where I am going in this next year.

Sigh of Relief

So we've moved. Four flights - 4 loads - pouring rain. It was a very tiring day. Its nice to have it all done and to have the apartment to myself.

To finally have a private space to think. Its like taking a vacation every evening. Which is so amazing. It is definately a safe space and this new haven really does put a separation between work and home.

My stress from work melted away today - phew - had a large and very serious meeting today. Finally it is over and I can let go of that apprehensive knot in my stomach that I have been carrying around for the past few weeks.

Long story short - it seems that I am getting more responsibility and more work but definately not more pay. I also get my own office which is a perk. As much as I bitch about this job it is excellent experience.

In other news my best friend is down from Ottawa for a few days and it is lovely to see her. We searched through old photos last night and became very nostalgic about the past 4 years. It was so much fun to be in University and I am sad that it has been over for a year already.

We are going to go see a baseball game tonight - the girls want to spend more then I am comfortable on tickets and cannot seem to understand that I can't afford that. Its a bit frustrating that they are not taking into consideration my financial situation. This is definitely not unreasonable - considering that I just spent all of this money to move and that I just spent a fair amount of my BFF's birthday all in the same week.

Anyway I'm out.

Have a great evening.