Yaicha » Politics

Half the Sky – Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide

Ted Hopton — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:12:45 +0000

I’ve recently finished reading a truly moving book, Half the Sky, by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. It’s both horrifying in its graphic description of the atrocities women and girls suffer throughout the world, and ultimately inspiring in its accounts of those who have overcome adversity to survive and even thrive, often going on to make a difference for others.

You can get a quick sense of the book’s message from the website (http://www.halftheskymovement.org/). I can’t recommend this book more highly. It’s more than “just a book” — as the authors explain in the introduction:

So let us be clear about this up front: We hope to recruit you to join an incipient movement to emancipate women and fight global poverty by unlocking women’s power as economic catalysts. That is the process under way — not a drama of victimization but of empowerment, the kind that transforms bubbly teenage girls from brothel slaves into successful businesswomen.

This is a story of transformation. It is change that is already taking place, and change that can accelerate if you’ll just open your heart and join in.

Some of the specific worthy websites cited in the book include:

Global Giving

GlobalGiving is an online marketplace that connects you to the causes and countries you care about. You select the projects you want to support, make a tax-deductible contribution, and get regular progress updates – so you can see your impact.

Kiva

Kiva’s mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty. Kiva is the world’s first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend to unique entrepreneurs around the globe.

Givology

Givology is an Internet online giving marketplace that empowers individual donors to connect with students and communities in need of education support. By leveraging the Internet to support education grants and projects, Givology creates a global community of people connected through their belief in the power of education.

Plan International

Plan aims to achieve lasting improvements in the quality of life of deprived children in developing countries, through a process that unites people across cultures and adds meaning and value to their lives.

Women for Women International

Women for Women International mobilizes women to change their lives through a holistic approach that addresses the unique needs of women in conflict and post-conflict environments.

World Vision

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian charity organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.

American Jewish World Service

With your support we fund hundreds of grassroots organizations working to promote health, education, economic development, disaster relief, and social and political change in the developing world. We work with women, youth, ethnic, religious and sexual minorities, indigenous people, refugees and IDPs and people living with HIV/AIDS.

Women’s eNews

Women’s eNews is the definitive source of substantive news–unavailable anywhere else–covering issues of particular concern to women and providing women’s perspectives on public policy. It enhances women’s ability to define their own lives and to participate fully in every sector of human endeavor.

World Pulse

World Pulse is a media enterprise covering global issues through the eyes of women.

CARE Action Network

The CARE Action Network, or CAN, is a group of CARE supporters working to educate our nation’s leaders about issues of global poverty. Together, we ask our elected officials to adopt policies that address the underlying causes of poverty, such as gender inequality and poor governance.

Posted in Activism, Charity, Education, Politics, Recommended Reading Tagged: Activism, Charity, feminism, girls, giving, half the sky, kristof, women

Clearly Our Tax Code Is Too Complicated

Ted Hopton — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:35:46 +0000

You know what I take away from the parade of Obama cabinet nominees who are confessing to tax errors? It strikes me as a loud and clear message that our tax code is too complicated. If these people can’t get their taxes right, how many of the rest of us are making errors, too?

I don’t think the answer is to beef up IRS enforcement, either. It’s simplification we need. I’m not advocating a flat tax or 3×5 card tax form, but c’mon! It sure looks like we could streamline the tax code and increase compliance as a result.

Posted in Politics Tagged: cabinet, errors, nominees, Obama, tax code, taxes

The Insider’s Crusade

Ted Hopton — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:59:10 +0000

The next administration will be a valedictocracy — rule by those who graduated first in their high school class. If an enemy attacks United States during a Harvard-Yale game, we’re in trouble.

read more | digg story

Posted in Politics

Vote in a Small Town Without Waiting

Ted Hopton — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:52:57 +0000

After years of the presidential campaign, I finally got to vote today. And one of the benefits of living in a small town is that I did not have to wait in line, even though all over the country there are record numbers of voters turning out and long lines are being reported.

Now we wait another 12 hours or so…

Posted in Politics

In Defense of White Americans

Ted Hopton — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 15:48:50 +0000

White Americans are not remotely the bigots the G.O.P. would have us believe. Just because a campaign trades in racism doesn’t mean that the country is racist.

read more | digg story

Posted in Politics

Palin Fun in the Oval Office

Ted Hopton — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 23:40:44 +0000

You have to check this out! Be sure to click all around, including several times on all doors, but don’t click on the red phone!

http://www.palinaspresident.us/

Posted in Humor, Politics

Sarah Palin On SNL With Tina Fey

Ted Hopton — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 12:51:06 +0000

Sarah Palin does have a sense of humor, that’s for sure.

more about “Sarah Palin On SNL With Tina Fey, Wee…“, posted with vodpod

This one’s even funnier…

more about “Saturday Night Live – Update: Palin R…“, posted with vodpod

Posted in Humor, Politics

Body Politics: The Source Of McCain’s Odd Body Language

Ted Hopton — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 21:10:08 +0000

This article is a bit long and rambling, but the essential points it makes are insightful. We’ve all noticed how awkward McCain so often looks. Here’s a psychological explanation.

read more | digg story

Posted in Politics

He Just Can’t Quit W

Ted Hopton — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 12:57:34 +0000

It’s not just the economy. And it’s not just President Bush. John McCain is to blame for his own campaign’s disastrous course.

read more | digg story

Posted in Politics

Nov. 5, 2008

Ted Hopton — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 18:24:06 +0000

I can’t say I agree with Charles Blow that the presidential race is over, but his projections about what a Barack Obama presidency would be like are intriguing.

A perfect storm of poor judgments has set the stage for a Barack Obama victory. On Nov. 5, he will be one of the most powerful presidents in recent American history.

read more | digg story

Posted in Politics