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Related to my previous post , Pew Research recently published findings on how richer the world is getting -- and from this marco perspective, it's a lot of good news. Overall, the world is getting richer, and more people are being pulled out of poverty. The greatest shift is of course, coming from China, where there is a rapidly growing middle class -- but the promise of a global middle class is still a dream. The rich world remains the same -- North America, Western Europe and Australia. More, here: Mapping the Global Population: How Many Live on How Much, and Where | Pew Research Center There's lots of data and graphs to explore. Enjoy.

Today is World Toilet Day : World Toilet Day is a day to take action. It is a day to raise awareness about all people who do not have access to a toilet - despite the human right to water and sanitation.  It is a day to do something about it.  Of the world’s seven billion people, 2.5 billion people do not have improved sanitation. 1 billion people still defecate in the open. Women and girls risk rape and abuse because they have no toilet that offers privacy.  We cannot accept this situation. Sanitation is a global development priority. This is why the United Nations General Assembly in 2013 designated 19 November as World Toilet Day. This day had previously been marked by international and civil society organizations all over the world but was was not formally recognized as an official UN day until 2013. World Toilet Day is coordinated by UN-Water in collaboration with Governments and relevant stakeholders. 

Source: http://www.osler.com/uploadedFiles/Gender-Diversity-on-Boards-and-in-Senior-Management.pdf Osler (law firm) has an update on gender diversity on boards/senior management at publicly traded companies in Canada. Specifically, updates to securities law in 2015 brings new disclosure requirements -- which Osler suggests, may change the diversity of boards. The old adage of what is measured gets changed is in play here. The under-representation of women on boards and in senior management roles has long been a concern. however, a confluence of better tools for communication and recruitment, a regulatory focus on the issue, and media interest in the topic, have highlighted the need to take steps to redress the imbalance. new disclosure requirements under Canadian securities laws which come into effect in 2015 are expected to have an impact on disclosure and practice. Additional info: Women on Boards: A Competitive Edge - Status of Women Canada At current rates we are generations away...

Recently, several governments (not the US), including Canada, expressed some dissatisfaction with Google's sometimes disregard for the privacy of its customers. Wired's Peter Kirwin makes the point, that as Google grows, it may become a "regulated quasi-utility." Google, like all businesses, is already a regulated company. To operate in the public sphere, it must be regulated -- including in areas of privacy. But as Google continues to grow, its utility becomes more apparent. Certainly, it can be replaced -- and it does have competitors that fulfill similar functions for the public -- but Google's goal is to be the portal to all information -- public and sometimes private. If Google succeeds, and there's no reason to think it won't, it becomes essential to the functioning of a modern, technologically adept society. Being regulated as a utility at that point, becomes a requirement -- as Google's purpose would no longer be just to deliver wealth t...

You don't have to love South Park -- in fact, you can hate it -- but if you live in the free world, you should be willing to defend its right to exist. You should be willing to defend its right to offend, as it does with every episode. That's what free speech is all about. Of course, that free speech also protects those that espouse hate, which South Park does not. (In fact, while it offends, the one thing you can't pin on South Park , is hate. It hates not one. It loves everyone equally, cause it can poke fun at them.) So recently, when South Park aired an episode featuring the Super Best Friends -- namely Buddha, Moses, Joseph Smith, Krishna, Lao Tzu, Muhammad, Jesus and Sea Man (actually, Semen) -- and censored Muhammad's appearance -- he appears in a U-haul truck, then a bear costume, since it might offend Muslims -- they got some hate directed at them. Specifically, revolutionislam.com got their shorts in a knot, and posted quite the diatribe on their ...

I love this comment from "anonymous" and I will leave it up here. If it was worth my time, I'd trawl through the server logs to find this little fucker's IP and respond in kind. But alas, I have much better things to do with my time. Still, I'd like to keep this comment for the rest of us still living in the civilized society that is Canada -- a reminder of how fragile our civility really is. A comment like this could be nothing more than graffiti of a delinquent. Or it could be more. We should think of it as more, rather than be dismissive of the dangers that lurk right here in Canada. When Ann Coulter can travel to Canada and be welcomed to have an audience to spout similar hate, we should all be worried. The dangers are real when we tolerate such rants -- give it a platform -- and don't challenge its veracity. To the "anonymous" who responded to my post: I'm assuming you're of European descent, since you refer to my skin colour as a...

With a recent repayment, I was today able to make my 11th loan via Kiva, to help someone in the developing world, help themselves. My loan of $25 was given to Susan, a 24-year-old mother of a 3-month-old baby. Susan runs a business selling spare parts, with her shop open from 7AM - 6PM, every day. Susan lives in Rwanda. Women like Susan give me hope that there is a way for Africa -- long and torturous it may be, they will be able to join the rest of the world with relative prosperity and stability. If you have some time, head over to Kiva and loan a little. in reference to: "With this additional business, Susan will hopefully earn more profits which, in turn, will allow her to start reserving for future reinvestment in her business as well as for the wellbeing of her family." - Kiva - Susan Umuganwa from Rwanda has a loan fundraising on Kiva ( view on Google Sidewiki )

The collective "we" that is -- you may not be a moron (although, if you choose to not have a choice, you're a moron in my book). That's the suggestion from Ian Brown in the Globe and Mail, in reference to Canadians apparent preference for Stephen Harper in latest Ekos poll. Apparently, Harper has a "macho, emotional image" which really is a turn-on for the general voter -- who are turned-off by the intellectual image of Michael Ignatieff. Yes, in general, the country is populated by morons. They prefer the man who has no doubts about what he's doing, because that makes them think he does know what he's doing. In fact, 86% of the morons believe that his political decisions are based on reason. WTF is wrong with you people? Courage isn't the only trait needed in a leader -- and I'm using that word liberally in reference to Harper. How about a little intelligence? Intelligence to know that you don't always have all the answers? That ...

Bwah-ha-ha-ha! It's the end of the -- uh -- white Canada? StatsCan has projected that by 2031, the visible minority population will rise to one-third of Canada's population. And that has got the good ole boys and girls raging mad. Forget the wealth these new Canadians generate. Forget that Canada is a country of immigrants. Forget that immigrants will be slaving away to pay for social security when the boomers are out on the pasture. Forget all the facts as to why Canada needs immigration. Facts don't deter from irrational fear of the unknown and change. Just read some of the comments on the CBC article -- and for a good dose of fear, check out this thread in the CanChan (be forewarned -- chans tend to be nsfw). I'm already shaking in my boots -- and as of this moment, I'm avoiding any Canadian city, town or village with a minority population smaller than 10%. in reference to: CBC News - Canada - Minorities to rise significantly by 2031: StatsCan ( view o...

There are over 100 million missing women in the world. In rich countries, as well as the poor; in the educated ranks as well as uneducated; across all religious backgrounds -- women are missing in startling numbers. 100 million. That's like having one third of the American population going missing; our the entire population of Canada being wiped out three times. No only are women the poorest in the world; the most likely to experience violence within their lifetimes; but they are also the largest visible group to which the world wages a quiet war against. It starts with the ancient prejudice -- males are preferable to females in all societies -- for a variety of reasons that are no longer valid today. Family names are passed down through males; inheritance of property favours males; males earn more women; traditional societies expect the parents of females to pay dowry; males are assumed to be the ones who would be capable of taking care of their parents in old-age; males supp...

The UN Population Fund has published their latest report, State of World Population 2009. The authors are focused in this report on the impact of climate change on the human population. As I have argued in previous posts, climate change is no longer a question. It is happening and it is due to human activities. The rapid change is inevitable. The uncertainty now is on the impact to the human population and the environment. History has lessons for us on how we will deal with the inevitable change. It doesn't need to be a disaster, like a tsunami or a hurricane or an earthquake -- though disasters like that will occur as a result -- it can subtle -- like changing weather patterns that bring floods or droughts. Just small changes that doesn't necessarily punch an immediate hole in our day-to-day should be reflected on, to forecast what's coming. When subtle change comes, we the rich, will be able to cope. We the rich will have choices. We are much more capable of adap...

China is apparently succumbing to pressure from its affluent middle class to stop eating dogs and cats. Which I suppose is a good thing. As a pet owner, I'd much rather not eat my cat -- or have anyone else eat her for that matter. But why the taboo? Yes, pet owners do come to regard their pets as part of their families -- akin to having children -- but why just dogs and cats? There are people who keep pigs, cows, horses, etc., yet we don't seem to have the emotional reaction to their consumption -- either by us or in the meat that feed our beloved dogs and cats. I think the taboo is silly, but also think our general consumption of meat needs to be rethought. Generally, we're ravenous when it comes to meat -- vegetarians excepted. There is a huge environmental cost to its consumption, and the taking of a life, regardless of whether it was raised specifically for that purpose, is done without a second thought. There is little respect or thanks given for the life that...

As a Canadian, I cannot understand why there are so many Americans opposed to changing the nature of their health care system -- especially since it is expensive compared to what the rest of the developed world spends, and doesn't deliver the same quality of service to most -- unlike their developed world's counterparts. I can't understand why Americans defend the very insurance companies that gouge them on premiums, deny their claims and cancel policies. I was having a similar conversation with my youngest recently, regarding unions and their self-interest. She pointed out something that hadn't occurred to me before -- that people in general, do not like it when others make decisions for them. That is the trouble that regulators -- and politicians -- run into on a regular basis. They try to enact legislation to protect their constituents, but regularly run into vehement opposition. It's like the union members that have been given everything they wanted without...

With Google.cn lifting censorship of searches, some Chinese netizens have been going crazy with the searches while the going is good. They know it won't last, and they're enjoying the last days of Google.cn. The Financial Times article (linked below) looks at the issue with some broader context, and asks if the placating approach western businesses and countries have taken with China, has been the right one. Are we doing the average Chinese citizens any favours by playing by the Chinese government's rules? And what happens in the long run when China doesn't actually liberalize? Interesting points to speculate on. in reference to: ""I've been doing all sorts of crazy searches, really distracting myself from my work," says one. "I've done Tiananmen Square, the love affairs of national leaders, the corruption of leaders' children. Everything. "Another internet user says the buzz of illicit abandon is reminiscent of the mood in Tiana...

Yesterday, Freedom House (FH) released it's annual edition of Freedom in the World . And, for the fourth year in a row, freedom around the world suffered another decline. FH recorded declines in 40 countries -- and in 3 of those, their citizens lost electoral freedoms. The assault on freedom came in many forms, with freedom of expression and association being the dominant areas of loss, in addition to violent repression by governments, prison sentences for dissidents, attacks on human rights activists, and, terrorism and insurgence disrupting the general population. Other trends noted by report: Russia, China, Vietnam and Iran, cracking down on frontline human rights defenders; Philippines, Russia, Pakistan, Mexico, Somalia, China, Iran and Azerbaijan, attacking journalists and new media; Guinea, Honduras, Niger and Madagascar, experiencing coups, overthrowing legitimate governments, or extending the rule of existing rulers; and, As if things weren't bad enough, from Afri...

Women already outnumber men in post-secondary education — and soon, they will do so in the workforce — US anyway, and by extension, probably in Canada as well, and a number of the other OECD countries. It is cause for celebration, since this revolution has come about within a very short period of time — and it has been done without too many bodies at the side of the road and has, for the most part been accepted by the other sex. Women's ascension have given our society much to brag about. Millions of women have been given more control over their own lives. And millions of brains have been put to more productive use. Societies that try to resist this trend — most notably the Arab countries, but also Japan and some southern European countries — will pay a heavy price in the form of wasted talent and frustrated citizens. While we brag, however, we shouldn't forget how much work still remains to be done. Women continue to be locked out at the top ranks of most organizations, a...

Here's the problem with our democracy. It really isn't one. It really isn't one because of you, and you and you -- you that didn't vote -- you that decided that you couldn't find the hour, once every four years, to go down to the local school, community centre or church, and cast your ballot. You, and you and you -- you're at fault for not educating yourself on the platforms of the political parties -- and the issues whose resolution is at stake. You, and you and you, who take your precious gift of a vote, and spurn it every four years. If you don't like to vote, there is a despot somewhere in the world who could use you to trample on. Just saying, get out and vote, eh. in reference to: Direct democracy: The tyranny of the majority | The Economist ( view on Google Sidewiki )

When I take the long-term view, I can see both material and social progress. But it's a struggle with pessimism in the near-term -- as globally, material progress is slow and tedious -- and social progress is just stagnant. Maybe because we've achieved so much in such a short period of time -- both materially and socially -- that it's a struggle to make the incremental progress. What served the few well to make the leap in the last few centuries, was the backs of the many -- and along the way, the many rode the tail of progress. Now however, a new mechanism of progress is needed. We can't keep doing it on the backs of the many. They won't let us. We haven't discovered the new way forward yet -- and the tools of the past are simply barbaric and shouldn't be used. What's next? in reference to: "In the rich world the idea of progress has become impoverished. Through complacency and bitter experience, the scope of progress has narrowed. The popul...

The Economist writes about how much of today's Britain can be explained through the lens its imperial past. Today, Britain still yearns for the glory of that imperial past. It wants to be more than just a little insignificant spec off the coast of continental Europe. That is why Britain plays Boy Wonder to America's Batman; it's why much of the world is still hostile towards it. It is also very telling about its attitude to immigrants from the former colonies. Interesting perspective. in reference to: "Though notionally welcomed by a 1948 act, colonial immigrants caused alarm when they actually turned up, and from 1962 their entry rights were drastically curtailed. Danny Sriskandarajah of the Royal Commonwealth Society describes the experience as a story of evolving disappointments. Instead of fraternity and fairness there was racism—sometimes overt, more often and insidiously the supercilious tolerance that the empire cultivated. Many immigrants were marooned at t...

Many people would sooner die than think; in fact, they do so. War does not determine who is right - only who is left. The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. Man is a credulous animal, and must believe something; in the absence of good grounds for belief, he will be satisfied with bad ones. Patriots always talk of dying for their country and never of killing for their country. Mathematics takes us into the region of absolute necessity, to which not only the actual word, but every possible word, must conform. Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible, Thought is merciless to privilege, established institutions, and comfortable habit. Thought is great and swift and free. More quotes from Bertrand Russell , here .