More than Words

I've haven't been posting much because I have been truly consumed with reading this spring. My last book was "Green Gone Wrong" by Heather Rogers and I am currently reading "Pathologies of Power: Health, Human Rights, and the New War on the Poor" by Paul Farmer, M.D., which has lots of truly moving poetry interspersed among essays on the plight of the poor. One poem called "The Nobodies" by Eduardo Galeano, I found truly moving. Here I will share some lines with you:

...The nobodies: nobody's children, owners of nothing. The nobodies: the no ones, the nobodied, running like rabbits, dying through life, screwed every which way.
Who are not, but could be.
Who don't speak languages, but dialets.
Who don't have religions, but superstitions.
Who don't create art, but handicrafts.
Who don't have culture, but folklore.
Who are not human beings, but human resources...

Wow! That just about says it all.

Japan catches up to U.S.

But not in a good way. Very interesting article in the April 22nd NYT's regarding Japan's growing poverty problem. Their poverty rate has doubled (now 15.7%) since Japan experienced the collapse of their real estate and stock markets in the 1990's. (Yikes, then what's in store for the U.S.) Plus, they too have experienced the challenges of competing with China for jobs, which places downward pressure on wages. These changes have brought Japan's poverty rate just under the Organization for Economic and Cooperation and Development's (OECD) rate of 17.1% for the U.S - quite a surprise. To read this very interesting article in it's entirety, click here.

Awesome Website Alert!

If you are interested in finding out information on the ecological, social, and health impacts of everyday items we purchase - including anything from toothpaste to laundry detergent, check out the GoodGuide. It's like a footprint calculator for all the things we buy. How cool is that?

Quote of the Day

I just can't resist. I think I found the best definition of sustainability - EVER! Astrophysicist and writer Robert Gilman says, sustainability is equity over time. (Leonard, Annie. (2010) The Story of Stuff. New York, NY: Free Press.) Wow, equity over time. I think that is the most beautiful definition I've read - well - all day.

Words of Wisdom

I can't say I'm usually in agreement with NYT Op-Ed Columnist, Roger Cohen, nor do I read his columns very often. But today, he chose to write his column on Poland and I must say I found parts of his essay very moving:

Poland should shame every nation that believes peace and reconciliation are impossible, every state that believes the sacrifice of new generations is needed to avenge the grievances of history. The thing about competitive victimhood, a favorite Middle Eastern pastime, is that it condemns the children of today to join the long list of the dead.

Definitely, something to think about. For those who are interested in reading the column in its entirety, click here.

Facts from the Firing Line

While I will admit that for health insurance industry insider Lex Tinker-Sackett's book, Single Payer Solution: America's Health Care Cure, is not the most exciting read, there are some very interesting tidbits to be found inside this very slim, fast-moving book. First and foremost I am pleased that Tinker-Sackett correctly names the bill recently signed into law by the Obama Administration as insurance regulation reform because that is essentially what we're getting. Attempts at true health care reform died early on in the heated congressional battles. Secondly, Tinker-Sackett goes on to describe the administrative waste that goes into maintaining the great American Health Care System, waste that takes place whether claims are accepted OR denied. Anyway, again not the most thrilling read, but definitely interesting insight from one who has worked inside the health insurance industry.

Awesome Alert

For all you treehuggers out there, there is a new book in town. It's called Green Gone Wrong: How Our Economy is Undermining the Environmental Revolution written by Heather Rogers. There is a review of the book at the New York Times website. There is also an essay that appears in this month's International Socialist Review magazine written by Rogers: The Greening of Capitalism? that's worth a read too!