Women, Work, Palestine and Carnival Games

The worst jobs. . . the most dangerous jobs. 

 Global TV published a piece about the "worst jobs" citing the most dangerous (with death as the outcome) but with a focus on jobs (like healthcare) where mental health is a big issue. 

Most people think of "dangerous jobs" as the ones where there might be violence like policing and corrections, but death (although it happens and is always a tragedy when anyone dies at work) is not an issue statistically for those professions - they do not even make the list of most dangerous professions and yet they are compensated for that risk.  Police Officers in Halifax now (in large numbers and including overtime) make over $100,000/yr  -- and that list was compiled before they got an arbitration decision of 2.75% increases each year for 5 year.   Basic requirements - physical requirements, a pass on a basic knowledge (GED equivalent) test, a high school diploma and a good character with no criminal record.  Compare that to nurses, (basic requirement now - 4 year degree and working unpaid under supervision) and teachers, (require two degrees and working unpaid under supervision) and librarians (many with master's degrees) There is history at work here - as historically,  male occupations were unionized first and for along time we existed in a world where "men are the bread winners" and "men have to be able to support a family",   which set up a lot of these dichotomies.   But it is not any kind of "pay for work of equal value" which we are supposed to be working under/toward (for the last 25 years) 

The worst thing for your health as a workers is to work mixed day and night shifts - where do they still do this?  Healthcare for sure.    And have you seen the pics of the violence that Educational Assistants put up with?    My only point is that job compensation is not related to actual danger, or pre-reqs like education,  but, in fact, are segregated and compensated by union density, year they got organized,  and gender.   Lest you think I do protest too much about gender, there is evidence from the New York Times. . . When the number of women in an occupation increases, the pay for that occupation drops.

"Women, for example, are now better educated than men, have nearly as much work experience and are equally likely to pursue many high-paying careers. No longer can the gap be dismissed with pat observations that women outnumber men in lower-paying jobs like teaching and social work.

A new study from researchers at Cornell University found that the difference between the occupations and industries in which men and women work has recently become the single largest cause of the gender pay gap, accounting for more than half of it. In fact, another study shows, when women enter fields in greater numbers, pay declines — for the very same jobs that more men were doing before."

Not like it could not be fixed - just requires political/social will.   In Iceland, as of this year, it is illegal to pay women less than men. 

'Iceland is not waiting for the gender pay gap to fix itself.
Starting January 1, 2018, it is now illegal for employers to pay women less than men. In Iceland, both public and private employers with 25 employees or more will need obtain government certification of equal pay policies. Organizations that fail to obtain the certification will face fines.
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 Machetunim

Was reminded of something today from a Facebook "memory" of us meeting my son's,  in-laws for the first time (and we really love them!) There is a word in Yiddish for the relationship - our "machetunim" -- thanks to Yiddish for having a word we do not have in English!  But need.

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Palestine. 

Gideon Levy - a journalist and Israeli Human Rights Advocate writes about the arrest and detention of Ahed Tamimi and how much Palestinians have become non-human to most Israeli's.   Yes there are Human rights Abuses all over the world and Israel always wants to us "whataboutism" - - what about Russia, what about the Philippines, what about Indigenous People in Canada?  Well I decry all of them too - but I think Israel gets the brunt because they keep saying they are a democracy and have the rule of law etc but in fact it is only for some, jut like it is in some Arabic/Muslim countries. . . . We object to rule by religion in other countries. But Israel expects a pass.  Click on photo for link to full article.

"Yet even Ahed Tamimi’s “non-Arab” appearance hasn’t managed to touch any hearts here. The wall of dehumanization and demonization that has been built through vile campaigns of incitement, propaganda and brain-washing against the Palestinians has trumped even the blonde from Nabi Saleh.              . . .

"Tamimi is a Palestinian, that is to say, a terrorist, and therefore, she doesn’t deserve any feelings of sympathy. Nothing will crack the defensive shield that protects Israelis from feelings of guilt, or at least discomfort, over her outrageous arrest, over the discrimination by the justice system, which would never have paid any attention to her had she been a Jewish settler.         . . .

"Israel hides behind an iron curtain that it’s no longer possible to pierce. Nothing Israel does to the Palestinians is still capable of rousing any compassion. Not even the poster girl, Tamimi. Even if she were sentenced to life in prison for a slap, even if she were sentenced to death, her punishment would be greeted with either open joy or indifference. There is no place for any other human emotion toward any Palestinian.

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Science of Carnival Games

Have not got time today but someday I am going to take this and write the same info about Capitalism scams!  LOL

https://kottke.org/17/12/the-art-and-science-of-carnival-games-and-how-to-win-them

Gaza Flotilla Aftermath and Toxic spills in the arctic

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International Condemnation is continuing and growing. Two more ships are en route to Gaza (I assume that were part of the original convoy but broke down en route, as one is the Rachel Corrie, which was packed with aid in Ireland) And also en route 40 cars from the UAE - although I have no idea how they are getting to the, I assume, Rafah crossing from Egypt.

All I can think today is that everyone must stand up and be counted or as we all know. . . "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

Good recap Story and updates from the NYTimes, titled: Israel Holds Hundreds Seized During raid.

A very good article analyzing the PR impact for Israel can be read at: www.stratfor.com

An analysis of the legal position of Israel - this is either piracy or more correctly an act of war since it was military that made the attack. See Here.

And summarizing the feelings that I have, an opinion piece from the Guardian:

And even the National Post seems to come down on criticizing Israel. . . in this article.

Travers of the Toronto Star on Canada's "too cozy" relationship with Israel. You should write and tell the PM that you want Gaza opened up and Israel to deal fairly with Palestinians. . .

Click here to send an email to Stephen Harper and other Canadian leaders pressuring them to act immediately on this issue - this is a form letter from Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East.

Now Egypt is opening the border at Rafah. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6502H820100601 but according to Voices and Echoes of Palestine on Facebook - all goods are still being inspected and approved by Israel - and thousands of people are waiting to cross the so-called "open" border. They definietly do not trust Egypt's government.

Returning Activists recount the raid at Haaretz - an Israeli paper.

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Also interesting (and more bad news) as it was news to me. . .
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toxic-spills-put-arctic-under-threat-report-finds/article1585959/

Crying over Gaza Bound Aid/Activists

I cannot do much but cry this morning - however ineffective that is. I don't personally know anyone on those ships in the Mediterranean, but I feel like they were my brothers and sisters in spirit, and that given opportunity I could have been on one of those ships.

I hope this is some sort of turning point about Canada's (and the U.S.) support for Israel. They have become the enemy that they were supported to help rid the world of. I think people in Israel should be able to live in peace, but they elected this right wing war mongering government. It is going to mean more violence. . .

In case you are asleep under a rock this morning - Israel boarded ships loaded with humanitarian aid meant for Gaza, in International Waters, this morning and killed at least 20 and injured over 60. I await more news. Turkey has withdrawn their ambassador (the largest/lead ship was Turkish and so are all the dead - as reported so far) They have been denounced by the U.N. including by Ban-Ki-Moon and by Sarkoszy in France -

See Judy Rebick's blog here.

Israel says that they were "fired upon:" first and reacted but Turkey says that there were no arms aboard. See here. She says in Part:

Woke up at 3 am today for some reason and looked at my blackberry twitter feed. I couldn't believe my eyes. Israeli Defense Forces had just attacked the Gaza Freedom Flotilla killing human rights activists and trying to defend it by some cock and bull story about lynch mobs. I haven't felt that kind of horror since I heard about the massacre in Sabra and Shatila in 1982, not because the death toll is as high but because of the understanding that the Israeli government will stop on nothing. Please go out to the protests in your town. List follows as does a statement from the Alternate Information Center, a Palestinian/Israeli group in Israel.

She lists protest in Toronto, Vancouver and Ottawa but let me know if you know of others - especially in Halifax, I have to take this grief and anger somewhere!

Video of Israeli soldiers boarding here:

Today's News

So today, it turns out, according to this story in the Guardian, that Israel offered to sell South Africa nuclear weapons during the years of Apartheid in South Africa.

The story is also subtitled: Secret apartheid-era papers give first official evidence of Israeli nuclear weapons

The story says in part:

The "top secret" minutes of meetings between senior officials from the two countries in 1975 show that South Africa's defence minister, PW Botha, asked for the warheads and Shimon Peres, then Israel's defence minister and now its president, responded by offering them "in three sizes". The two men also signed a broad-ranging agreement governing military ties between the two countries that included a clause declaring that "the very existence of this agreement" was to remain secret.

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Also yesterday the NY Times editorial was about Omar Khadr and the mistreatment of him as a child. They say in part:

Mr. Khadr was not a mere bystander. He was indoctrinated into armed conflict by his father, a member of Osama bin Laden’s circle who was killed by Pakistani forces in 2003. But if his trial goes forward this summer as scheduled, he will be the first person in decades to be tried by a Western nation for war crimes allegedly committed as a child.

That has drawn justified criticism from United Nations officials and civil liberties and human rights groups. The conditions of Mr. Khadr’s imprisonment have been in clear violation of the Geneva Conventions and international accords on the treatment of children.

Bring Omar Khadr home! people - we should be ashamed as a country not to restore a citizen, who was born in this country and who was recruited as a child soldier by his family, no less than if he had been dragooned by some militia in Africa, which this country condemns. We cannot have policies that are only trotted out when they are convenient - If we believe in the rule of law, as a country, (I do, but I know that Harper and Harperites do not, or at least they cause serious questions about their commitment on a regular basis) we must always condemn those who recruit and train child soldiers whether they are from our country or some other. Those child soldiers deserve a chance at life, rehabilitation and reintegration. At 15 Khadr could likely have been rehabilitated - and integrated into Canadian society - but after 7 years in Guantanamo - tortured and threatened and spending all of that time with jailers, and with others who also believe in extremism - that may never be possible, and that is the fault of Canada along with the U.S.