It is happening. It is finally happening for Ukraine.

28 January 2018

On February 8, 2018, (click here) President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko will make a working visit to Austria at the invitation of Federal President of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen. During the visit, bilateral talks will be held with Austria's Federal President Alexander van der Bellen and newly appointed Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, according to the Ukrainian presidential administration's press service.

During the visit, bilateral talks will be held with Austria's Federal President Alexander van der Bellen and newly appointed Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, according to the Ukrainian presidential administration's press service.

The parties will discuss the issues of deepening the political dialogue at the highest level, trade, economic and investment cooperation between the two states, development of the situation in the Donbas and strengthening of the EU sanctions policy aimed to support the international efforts to restore the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. A joint visit of the Heads of State to the Vienna Opera Ball is also planned....

Austria's GDP

...Austria’s transparent (click here) and efficient regulatory framework facilitates business innovation and productivity growth. The cost of fringe benefits is among the highest in the world. VERBUND, 51 percent owned by the state and Austria’s largest provider of power, lost a third of its market value in 2015 as a result of falling electricity prices and government subsidies for renewables in neighboring European countries....

That is a good economy that takes care of it's people. It's "Verbund" is nationalized and the government provides subsidies to continue it's operation. It is NOT Wall Street Welfare. The government ownership proves excellent service to the people. The graph to the right below is the Austrian GDP per Capita. Nice.

Austria (click here) is the 31st largest export economy in the world and the 6th most complex economy according to the Economic Complexity Index (ECI). In 2015, Austria exported $141B and imported $146B, resulting in a negative trade balance of $4.74B. In 2015 the GDP of Austria was $376B and its GDP per capita was $49.4k.

According to the CIA World Factbook, Austria is 115th in military spending.

0.68% of GDP (2016 est.)

0.67% of GDP (2015)

0.75% of GDP (2014)

0.75% of GDP (2013)

0.78% of GDP (2012)

country comparison to the world: 115

Austria does more than it's part in taking refugees into it's borders considering the size of the country and it's population. Modern day Austria never started a war.

30,958 (Syria); 20,220 (Afghanistan); 13,773 (Russia); 5,555 (Iraq) (2016)

Notable in 2009 and 2010 above in GDP per Capita; there was a sincere fall. But, that was post 2008 and we all know what happened there. I doubt it was a collapse in the Austrian housing market or the destruction of the security of their citizenship's promise to a life worth living.

"Treating children as a plutocratic commodity."

Sorry if things are moving a little slowly this evening. I have not had as much prep time for these postings today.

There was a birthday in the family. While I appreciate the talents of bakers in the year 2018, I find the price of birthday cakes increasing wll above any global inflamtion rate.

So, I bake the birthday cakes when the need arises. The cake would never match "The Cake Boss" quality demands, but, it is good cake and plenty of it.

I find children's birthdays a little silly these days. It is more than cake and ice cream these days. A niece had a gigantic castle blown up with fans in her backyard as part of the party. I find that ridiculous. But, that's me.

So, the delay in posting today is completley because I carried out a domestic responsibility I do fairly well. I certainly don't charge that much either.

Austria is a remarkable country.

The population growth of Austria over 56 years is remarkably stable. The overall population growth was 1.699 million people. That averages to about 30,000+ more Austrians per year. That is very different than the USA.

Austria has seen a 0.35 population growth with a falling death rate.

...87,675 children (click here) were born in Austria in 2016, which corresponds to a crude birth rate of 10.0 live births per 1 000 population. The total fertility rate was 1.53 children per woman. This average is therefore well below the “replacement level” of approx. 2 children per woman. Measured by the “net reproduction rate”, the generation currently at reproductive ages will numerically reproduce itself by 74 per cent. The fact that the period fertility is so low in Austria is also due to the ever rising age at childbirth (“postponement” of births). The mean fertility age in 2016 was 30.6 years, i.e. 0.4 years higher than in 2012....

In 2015, death rate for Austria was 9.6 per 1,000 people. Death rate of Austria fell gradually from 12.5 per 1,000 people in 1966 to 9.6 per 1,000 people in 2015.

This degree of population stability creates a country with a very a very stable reality when it comes to the needs of the people.

Crude death rate indicates the number of deaths occurring during the year, per 1,000 population estimated at midyear. Subtracting the crude death rate from the crude birth rate provides the rate of natural increase, which is equal to the rate of population change in the absence of migration.

With all the snow and glaciers of Austria there could never be problems with drought. Wrong!

Drought 2003 (click here)

- Mean annual precipitation was about 80% of long-term average (regionally <70%)

- lack in precipitation was aggravated by high summer temperatures (one of the hotest summers since the beginning of measurements)

- river discharges, groundwater and lake levels were considerably below long-term average (except rivers fed by glaciers)

- regionally lowest ever recorded values for precipication, river discharges and groundwater levels

Lake levels fell and even hydroelectric was effected by 30 percent. That is one of the negative feedback loops of the climate crisis. All the benevolent forms of energy, such as hydropower, can be adversely effected. Such problems are not minimal concerns to Austria.

The government and people share the same concerns and the morality to solve those concerns. The Austrian culture has a right to exist and I don't want to hear anyone demanding the country to be different. They are important moral people that have the right to bring their values forward in generations to come. it is important they do so.

Environmental safety becomes more important as populations grow as well.

January 22, 2018

The Danube River is the second longest in Europe. It also sees a lot of commerce. (click here)

Vienna - Austria is planning to sue the European Commission (click here) for allowing Hungary to expand its Paks atomic plant, it said on Monday, not viewing nuclear energy as the way to combat climate change or as being in the common European interest.

The country, which shares a border with Hungary, prides itself on supporting environmentally sound energy. It has for decades opposed nuclear power, which triggers huge disagreements about cleanliness, safety, and renewability.

The anti-nuclear position was reiterated in a coalition agreement struck last month between Chancellor Sebastian Kurz’s conservatives and the far-right Freedom Party.

“We in the government have agreed that there are sufficient reasons to sue (the Commission),” a spokesman for Austrian Sustainability Minister Elisabeth Koestinger said....

Let's not dilute the concern of Austria. The Hungarian nuclear reactor in Paks is very old considering the life of nuclear power plants. The plant is observed and reported on by the IAEA.

There are four nuclear plants in Hungary (click here).

2016/40
Paks, Hungary

Hungary and Russia (click here) will start work on expanding the central European country's sole nuclear power plant.

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) (click here) team of experts said Hungary's Paks Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) has improved operational safety by following recommendations and suggestions made in a 2014 IAEA review but noted that further work is needed.

The Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) today concluded a five-day follow-up mission to assess work the Paks NPP has conducted in response to the 2014 OSART mission.

OSART missions aim to improve operational safety by objectively assessing safety performance using the IAEA's Safety Standards and proposing recommendations and suggestions for improvement where appropriate. The follow-up missions are standard components of the OSART programme and are typically conducted within two years of the initial mission.

The Paks NPP operates four 500 MW pressurized water reactors in central Hungary....

Austria's Hintereisferner Glacier has retreated 2.8 km (1.75 miles) since 1880. The new study finds a 0.001 percent probability, or one chance in 100,000, that it could have happened without climate change.

Climate change Austria (click here)

Air temperature changes until now

Climate measurement series of ground-level temperatures in Switzerland date back to the mid-19th century. The mean annual temperature has increased by 1.6°C between 1864 and 2008 with respect to 1961-1990 average conditions. Over the past 100 years (1909-2008), mean annual temperatures increased by 0.12-0.19°C per decade, with no distinctive regional differences. Temperature increase has accelerated substantially in recent decades (1). An increase of more than 1°C in average temperature has been observed in Austria during the last century (25). For Austria, a widespread warming trend in both daily minimum and maximum temperatures was confirmed for homogenized time series of temperature data covering the period 1948–2009 (31).

Recent research suggests that there is a similar air temperature trend in the Alps at low and very high altitudes over the last 100 years. Temperature profiles have been analyzed from boreholes drilled at three different sites between 4240 and 4300 m above sea level in the Mont Blanc area (French Alps). A mean warming rate of 0.14 °C/decade between 1900 and 2004 was found. This is similar to the observed regional low altitude trend in the north-western Alps, suggesting that air temperature trends are not altitude dependent (33)....

Austrian, Anna Fenniger

"It's Sunday Night"

Anna Fenninger (click here) non smette mai di stupire. E non solo in pista. La sciatrice austriaca ha infatti posato per il progetto ambientalista "Cheetah Conservation Fund" rivolto a salvaguardare le razze africane a rischio, il cui simbolo sono i leopardi. "Bellissimi, veloci e quasi estinti", recita lo slogan della campagna che vede protagonista la bella Anna in versione body painting

Anna Fenninger never ceases to amaze. And not just on the track. The Austrian skier has in fact posed for the environmental project "Cheetah Conservation Fund" aimed at safeguarding African breeds at risk, whose symbol is the leopards. "Beautiful, fast and almost extinct" recites the campaign slogan featuring the beautiful Anna in body painting version

Anna Fenninger’s 2014 calendar (click here) photo shoot with rescued cheetahs helped raise money and awareness for the Cheetah Conservation Fund. 

There are very few ways a human being, without the aid of machines, can get itself to move faster than a sprinting cheetah.

Downhill skiing is one of them.

Something about the thrill of that untamed speed, as well as a love for her own house cat, got 2014 Olympic Women’s Super-G gold medalist Anna Fenningerdedicated to helping big cats survive in the wild. Her work began in earnest when she became the European Ambassador for the Cheetah Conservation Fund and wore a cheetah-print helmet in Sochi to help raise awareness of the cats’ plight....

Österreich (Republic of Austria)

Austria has different government and civil flags. The official government flag has an eagle in the center.

To the left are the two flags. They have the same color red. The same two read stripes and one white stripe. The examples here differ for no particular reason, except, they are the ones I could find on the internet.

Below is the national anthem of Austria. The blue letters are the English equivalent.

Austrian National Anthem

Land der Berge
Land of Mountains

Land der Berge, Land am Strome,

Land of the Mountains, and on the river,

Land der Äcker, Land der Dome,

Of fields, and of cathedrals,

Land der Hämmer, zukunftsreich!

Of hammers, and with a promising future!

Heimat großer Töchter und Söhne,

A homeland of great sons and daughters

Volk, begnadet für das Schöne,

A people graced with beauty,

Vielgerühmtes Österreich,

Strongly praised Austria,

Vielgerühmtes Österreich!

Strongly praised Austria!

 

Heiß umfehdet, wild umstritten,

Ardently feuded for, and fiercely fought for,

Liegst dem Erdteil du inmitten

You lie out in the middle of the world

Einem starken Herzen gleich.

Like a stout heart.

Hast seit frühen Ahnentagen

You bear the burden of a high mission

Hoher Sendung Last getragen,

Ever since ancient times,

Vielgeprüftes Österreich,

Much-proved Austria,

Vielgeprüftes Österreich.

Much-proved Austria!

 

Mutig in die neuen Zeiten,

Courage into a new age,

Frei und gläubig sieh uns schreiten,

See us stride, freely and believing,

Arbeitsfroh und hoffnungsreich.

Happily working and full of hope.

Einig laß in Jubelchören,

United, and in jubilation choirs,

Vaterland, dir Treue schwören.

Let us pledge allegiance to you, 'O Fatherland

Vielgeliebtes Österreich,

'O highly beloved Austria,

Vielgeliebtes Österreich.
'O highly beloved Austria!

Here is an example of classic female oppression.

The content of the article and Limbaugh show is highly racist as well. But, before I note the racism of Limbaugh and this journalist, there is a statement by Limbaugh about numbers. "...Two or three or four people...."

To begin, people talk about sex a lot. (click here) There are articles in women's magazines that talk about how to be sexier, how to keep you husband at home, how to spice up your marriage and what to do when if you are pregnant and want to have sex (as if that is an option for most). But, men are only worried about getting the sex and seduction, if it comes from your wife all the better. How many men's magazines talk about consent and/or fidelity? 

There is not one men's magazine I found that discussed fidelity in marriage. Here is what I found:

"Fidelity in Marriage" (click here for Latter Day Saints website)

"Men Who Don't Cheat" (click here for AARP website)

"Fidelity With A Wandering Eye" (click here for The Atlantic)

But, given equal time there is this article about cheating featuring an African American Woman in the headline. It must be part of their anti-racist campaign at "The Atlantic." I can think of a million other topics to carry out an anti-racist campaign, but, I have to admit this was not a topic that first came to my mind.

"Why Happy People Cheat, A good marriage is no guarantee against infidelity" (click here)

So, women not only have to worry about slut shaming, they have to worry about whether or not they are SUFFICIENT in marriage or eligible at all for marriage. The amount of pressure on American women is ridiculous.

The disparity of a focus on fidelity in modern media is outrageous. But, back to numbers and the 'idea' there are perverts within consent let's consider the very popular movie series "Fifty Shades of Gray." Here is a man with such horrible psychic reference points in his life that anything goes sexually.

This "thing" about numbers in measuring sex is always there, isn't it? I mean this sex in numbers thing really is a thing. Alas he is only allowed fifty shades.

As a point of reference "Fifty" and AARP is interesting, but, the lastest "Fifty" movie is coming out everywhere besides Russia.

"Fifty Shades Freed" (click here)  This movie has to be one of the most hideous roles for women in the world. It pretends to allow a woman complete control over her man by indulging him his bondage to CURE his psychic issues IMPOSED upon him by his "druggy mother."

But, the best way to put women in their place when engaged in an equality or JUSTICE movement is to place all of womankind under the umbrella of minority women that misbehave.

I WANT TO KNOW HOW A FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA can misbehave? How does that happen? They might be First Lady, but, she is automatically under the microscope of a media that demands she be "a good woman." There is no way a First Lady, no matter the ethnicity, can misbehave. It doesn't happen.

Michelle Obama is among one of the most decently wonderful women in the USA. She strove to uplift everyone, including the diets of children when the USA was facing an epidemic of diabetes.

Does anyone know what it is like to be 18 years old or less and sit through a support group for people with diabete? It isn't as though young people have enough on their plate to contend with, but, add to that diabetes and the idea there is just that one more thing that can absolutely reek havoc in their lives into the future and the disease that it is. Not only that BUT IT WAS THE AMERICAN DIET that caused it.

Every First Lady from the beginning of time in some way focused on beauty (Lady Bird), reading and/or the arts. The Clinton White House was awash of the arts. The arts are one of the first places international relations is built. Cultural exchanges are important to building relationships with other countries. That should mean a lot to American business as well, because, each new cultural partner to the USA can also become an economic trading partner in time.

The "idea" the Obama White House somehow promoted perversion of the American culture by inviting Rap Artists to perform is disgusting. Rap grew out of the exclusion of the inner city from the American landscape. The inner city has been a No Go Zone.

The inner city are Americans, too. (click here) Men who could carry rhythm really well came up with a culture that would serve them well. They created a new American sound, called Rap. I suppose that came from the idea of the "rap sheet" that littered their lives rather than resumes.

I dare Rush Limbaugh and his legal drug habit to make a life that spans prison, out of prison, the American street and some kind of family affiliation called a gang. Rush didn't have to deal with the cops because he had doctors more than willing to write perscriptions. I suppose he might share a special affection with Elvis, but, alas Rush is still with us.

Rap belonged in the White House, along with all the other art forms and their artists. It is amazing to realize how foreign cultures are welcome with open arms while the Rap Culture of the USA was sequestered no differently than the segregated neighborhoods it found as a beginning.

The sexual content of Rap is it's history, but, as any other art form it matures and expands and encompasses a larger view of the world. The Obama White House provided an international platform for Rap and I am glad for it.

So, when racists like Limbaugh and this journalist brings up their numbers in relation to sex and African American icons, remember, please remember, they are oppressing women. Don't go there with them. Shame Rush, not yourselves.

"Have a better day," okay?

On his Thursday show, (click here) conservative icon Rush Limbaugh lambasted first lady Michelle Obama for going after Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump for his “locker room talk” after having invited to the White House rappers and pop music stars whose lyrics contained far worse degradation than anything Trump said.

“It’s not locker room talk. I don’t know men who talk that way. Decent men do not talk that way. What Trump was talking about was sexual assault,” Michelle Obama said during a visit to New Hampshire....

Until the lie becomes the truth. I sincerely doubt White Supremacists should be setting the policy for Africa.

January 27, 2018
By Randy Krehbiel

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe wants to change the way the United States and the Trump administration think about Africa....

...Inhofe said he helped facilitate a meeting Friday between President Donald Trump and Paul Kagame, the leader of Rwanda and incoming president of the African Union.

Inhofe said he does not believe Trump called parts of Africa a “s---hole,” as has been reported, but acknowledge the president — and, historically, the U.S. government in general — tends to view the continent more as a collection of panhandlers than potential business partners....

Kagame said Inhofe has more contacts in Africa than any other American. I am sure Kagame is one of those contacts and was happy to participate in Inhofe's game to change words of racism and bigotry to words of praise and elation. What is Kagame getting out of it.

...Earlier this week, Inhofe spoke about Kagame at length on the Senate floor.

“It’s tempting to think that Rwanda is a small country in the middle of nowhere that does not have a lot of influence,” Inhofe said in the speech. “But that would be a mistake. Because of the results Kagame has been able to secure for his people, and because of the personal relationships he has developed, Rwanda is among the most influential countries in Africa....

Influential because Inhofe says so. Kagame is politically repressive. He is probably allowed to be considering the fear surrounding the genocide. 

...Inhofe’s speech Friday in Tulsa mostly followed his usual “we’re right, they’re wrong” attack on Democrats and predicted Republicans will maintain control of the House and Senate and may add seats in the latter....

Inhofe has travelled to Africa on 150 different occasions to preach Christianity to the leaders in these countries. I have to wonder how many HIV deaths he is responsible for. I want an investigation into the government spending for Inhofe's trips and the fact they were for his personal religious beliefs to be imposed on leaders vulnerable to USAID funding.

Inhofe used fear of the power of the USA to promote his personal religious beliefs. Enough. The USA is not a retaliative authority to impose specific beliefs on any country. If such a paradigm exists, it needs to be discovered, dismantled and prosecutions should go forward.

Countries around the world already have a very important Ambassador to help lead their progress.

"Global Citizen" has been a trustworthy partner to every country it visits. It does not impose belief systems, it carries itself on the wings of hope.

January 27, 2018

French Montana (click here) can now add Global Citizen Ambassador to his already stacked resume for his incredible efforts in Uganda.

The "Unforgettable" rapper received the honor at a ceremony in NYC Friday night. French filmed the music video for his 2017 hit with Swae Lee in Uganda where he witnessed the country's healthcare hardships first hand.

French donated $100k to help build a hospital that provided appropriate resources to women who are pregnant.

His donation led to a chain reaction of others ... The Weeknd, Diddy and Diddy's Ciroc venture all matched his $100k and Global Citizen estimates some 260,000 people will benefit from the money raised.

Way to go, French!...

There is a reason French Montana is more respected than Inhofe; it's the people.

January 25, 2018

Flint, Mich.  — A former state-appointed emergency manager (click here) facing charges in Flint's lead-contaminated water crisis has waived a key hearing in the case.

Gerald Ambrose appeared Thursday in Genesee County District Court and agreed to let the case proceed to Circuit Court, which would handle a trial. He faces charges including conspiracy and misconduct in office.

The Flint Journal reports that prosecutors and an attorney for Ambrose didn't specify why the hearing was waived, but it could speed to resolution of the case.

In 2014 and 2015, Flint didn't properly treat corrosive water that was pulled from the Flint River. As a result, lead in old pipes contaminated the water. Ambrose was an emergency manager during that period.

More than a dozen people have been charged in the Flint water investigation.

January 26, 2018
By Tracy Samilton

Legislation (click here) introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R-Grand Ledge) would move the Court of Claims from Ingham County to the Michigan Court of Appeals.

The Michigan Court of Appeals (click here) says a lawsuit filed by Flint residents against the state of Michigan can proceed in the Court of Claims

The Court of Claims has a six month statute of limitations. The state of Michigan said residents failed to file their claim within six months of Flint's water being switched to Flint River water.

But the Court of Appeals says it would be unreasonable to expect residents to know they were drinking lead contaminated water, especially since the state deliberately concealed the truth for months. 

The court says residents filed the claim within six months of the state publicly acknowledging the crisis.

Attorney Michael Pitt says it's a major victory for victims of the water crisis. That's because only in the state Court of Claims can the state itself be sued....(

See link above. Thank you.

November 11, 2013

A controversial bill that would move a key Michigan court is expected to be signed into law soon by Governor Rick Snyder.  The measure would transfer the operations of the state’s Court of Claims to the Michigan Court of Appeals. The court of claims hears legal actions that are filed against the state of Michigan.

Backers of Senate Bill 652 maintain it’s expensive and wrong that only 3% of the state’s population elect the Ingham county judges who preside over Court of Claims cases.

Opponents blast the measure as blatantly political “judge shopping” and say many important considerations were not addressed during its brief journey through the legislature.

Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Bill Collette believes the real reason for the transfer is to remove the power from circuit courts to litigate issues regarding constitutional challenges against the activities of the Snyder administration...

Who has control of the docket? (click here) There are many ways to cheat 'the people.' Controlling the docket is still yet another way.

Judge-shopping (click here) refers to a practice of filing several lawsuits that asserts the same claim. Judge shopping is usually done in a court or a district with multiple judges. It is done with the hope of having one of the lawsuits assigned to a favorable judge. It is also done with intent to nonsuit or voluntarily dismiss the others.

A court faced with judge-shopping has the authority to act to preserve the integrity and control of its docket. Moreover, it is particularly important for a district utilizing a random selection process to jealously guard the integrity of the system from potential abuse which attempts to circumvent the process.[Vaqueria Tres Monjitas, Inc. v. Rivera-Cubano, 341 F. Supp. 2d 69 (D.P.R. 2004)]. Currently, judge-shopping is a practice that has been universally condemned....

The absolute worse thing anyone can do is remain silent when something has gone wrong when it involves the well being of any person. I don't care what context it is placed in, a life is far more important. The individual needs treatment when any adversity is discovered.

The man from Mt. Morris could be alive today. What is worse; facing allogations of possible wrong doing of one kind or another or negligent homicide or involuntary manslaughter. Making a mistake is one thing, allowing it to become a danger to life is quite another.

January 26, 2018
By Ron Fonger

Flint, MI. -- The son of a Mt. Morris area man (click here) who prosecutors say died after he was a victim of Legionnaires' disease says his father had no warning about an outbreak of the disease before he was exposed to Flint water in 2015.

Robert J. Skidmore testified Friday, Jan. 1, that his father, Robert C. Skidmore, was active for almost all of his life -- even though he suffered from heart disease -- until he was hospitalized in Flint during the city's water crisis.

His testimony came during the 13th day of the preliminary examination of Nick Lyon, director of the state Department of Health and Human Services.

Lyon faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and misconduct in office, alleged crimes related to Flint's water crisis generally and Robert C. Skidmore's death in particular....

What is the mayor trying to conceal? What is to be avoided? This is the price an ethical and moral scientist pays for good work. The South Carolina mayor is absolutely wrong. He shows no worry or compassion for the people of Denmark. The mayor should be removed from office!

January 25, 2018

The Virginia Tech researcher (click here) who helped expose problems with rising levels of lead in Flint's drinking water apparently won't be allowed to test community wells in a small South Carolina town.

The State reported Wednesday, Jan. 24, that Marc Edwards, whose research showed how corrosive Flint's water was and the extent of lead contamination here, has been told by the mayor of Denmark, S.C., that he won't be granted permission to test wells that supply water to residents.

Edwards told The State that he wants to check community wells for bacteria and other pollutants after finding lead contamination in some homes, but Mayor Gerald Wright told the publication that town water is already tested and has been found to be safe by the state.

In 2016, Edwards and Hurley Medical Center Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha were named to Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world based on their Flint water work....

"Patriarchy maybe the pinnacle of society. I don't think we know yet."

I think Pandora's Box is finally opened in the USA. I was wondering how long it would take. To understand the depth of the moarning for women to sincerely be women whlle leading is to understand the first mortal woman in Greek mythology, Pandora.

PANDORA (click here) was the first mortal woman who was formed out of clay by the gods.

The Titan Prometheus was once assigned the task of creating the race of man. He afterwards grew displeased with the mean lot imposed on them by the gods and so stole fire from heaven. Zeus was angered and commanded Hephaistos (Hephaestus) and the other gods create the first woman Pandora, endowing her with beauty and cunning. He then had her delivered to Prometheus' foolish younger brother Epimetheus as a bride. Zeus gave Pandora a storage jar (pithos) as a wedding gift which she opened, releasing the swarm of evil spirits trapped within. These would forever after plague mankind. Only Elpis (Hope) remained behind, a single blessing to ease mankind's suffering....

"Patriarchy maybe the pinnacle of society. I don't think we know yet." That was a real statement by a PhD. professor in a "Women's Studies" program. I found it an astounding statement considering the life I had lived upto that day. I have suffered greatly for my feminism and it was absolutely astounding that a woman so esteemed would reflect that reality. This was a professor that lead "The Vagina Monologues" every year, even in the days of oppression under "W." 

Today, I can say honestly and well witnessed, patriarchy is dead.

You see, the idea that feminism was never willing to admit as true, is that patriarchy was wrong. I always believed it was wrong and now it is confirmed; when men are given control of a society they only regard women as sex objects REGARDLESS of the woman's accomplishments. Or worse yet, women don't aspire to accomplishments unless they are a sex object.

The silence was deafening, wasn't it? Astounding to realize such ingrained values permeated the American society. It was ALMOST mutated into the American DNA.

See, Dr. Simon was the so-called pinnacle of success and the best a woman can hope for; a highly regarded academic that was appreciably rewarded. I don't hate her, I will leave that up to others that knew her better than I, but, iconically she was "IT."

No, she never made that statement to me. But, that was the resolve for women with ambition and aspirations to break "The Last Glass Ceiling" as well. Fit in. Fit into a man's world and win the highest titles with the greatest monetary rewards and feminism will have achieved it's greatest accomplishments.

NOT.

"The Silence Breakers" (click here) could not know they were actually launching a new nation. A nation of values feminism has longed to be a part of, but, had tucked into their velvet boxes of wishes.

The USA has a new horizon. A horizon where women are part of it's success in a way that brings wholesomeness to women in a way that will shift the paradigm of values in the USA. A new morality whereby women contribute and bring their sincere selves to the forefront of a society lost to a plutocracy that no longer values the human spirit, but, only seeks to harness it for wealth and power. Those days are dying a slow death, but, they are dying.

I find it most interesting the new horizon for the USA takes place with a patriarchal plutocrat in the Oval Office unable to lead. Women have to be full partners in all achievements, education, values and worth. Women leaders aren't sincerely known to the USA in a way that changes it's path to bring about a better country with complete descriptions of gender mix. It will happen and it has to happen. Women no longer have to be consultants and entrepreneurs to engage success on their own terms. The workplace is becoming safe enough to be themselves without stiletto heels and sexualized environments.

Don't stop now, it is only beginning. To those coming forward to claim their innocence among the wolves, thank you. 

December 12, 2014By Kyle Feldshar

...Simon will complete her 10th year (click here) as Michigan State’s president at the end of December. She’s the second-longest serving university leader among the 14 Big Ten schools.

Simon previously made $520,000 per year, amounting to a 44 percent increase.

The announcement of Simon’s salary seemed to upset one student in the gallery.

The student stood up before trustees were to vote and said the university uses adjunct professors to save costs and should use an adjunct president. When the student was asked to sit down and allow the meeting to proceed, he refused and a Michigan State Police Department officer escorted him out of the meeting.

Outside the meeting, the student could be heard yelling “Get your hands off me” repeatedly as the sounds of a struggle made their way into the mostly quiet meeting room. Emily Kollaritsch, a senior at Michigan State who attended the meeting, said the student was taken to the Michigan State police department and released Friday afternoon.

After the student was led away, Simon emphasized she didn’t want the raise.

“This is not what I requested,” Simon said. “Trustee (Joel) Ferguson and other members of the board were very clear that they were my bosses in this regard and this is something that would be done at their request.”

Ferguson called raising Simon’s salary “an on-going battle” but believed it was the right thing to do.

Lyons mentioned Simon and her husband often give money back to the university through donations and have given more than $1 million back to the university.

“President Simon’s salary has historically been tens, or even hundreds, of thousands of dollars lower than those of the president of many other Big Ten institutions, despite her tenure in office and national leadership roles,” Lyons said.

Other trustees greeted the decision to raise Simon’s salary with praise for the president. Trustee Faylene Owen, who was also honored by trustees during her last meeting on the board, recalled an instance when a room of people meeting with Simon were blown away by her presence.

“This woman could not only talk the talk and walk the walk, she was amazing with how she understood everything,” Owen said.