Sociology
photo: Richard Harris
There's an exhibit currently, upstairs in the St. Géry covered market, which is part of a prevention campaign against female genital mutilation.
It's one thing to know about the practice, but when confronted by details and statistics (such as the fact that in certain countries over 90% of women aged between 15 and 49 have been either excised or infibulated) the horror and inhumanity really sink in.
There's an exhibit currently, upstairs in the St. Géry covered market, which is part of a prevention campaign against female genital mutilation.
It's one thing to know about the practice, but when confronted by details and statistics (such as the fact that in certain countries over 90% of women aged between 15 and 49 have been either excised or infibulated) the horror and inhumanity really sink in.
photo: Richard Harris
With the recent failure of the US Congress to pass the most minimal of increased gun control in the form of increased background checks it's interesting to see what the situation in Belgium is:
"A total of 32,425 heavy weapons have been officially registered in Belgium in the central arms register, as required by law, Le Soir reports today. The figure is based on a parliamentary question by MP Stefaan Van Hecke to justice minister Annemie Turtelboom. The Weapons Act states that so-called defence and war weapons must be officially registered with the authorities and that their owner must meet several criteria: to be over 18, to have no criminal record, to have a valid reason to own such a weapon and to have submitted a doctor’s certificate and the written consent of their legal cohabitants. There are currently 2,851 submachine guns, 1,619 light automatic rifles and 27,925 assault rifles listed in the register. These weapons are used for hunting, wildlife management activities, recreational target shooting or “the exercise of a profession with special risks” or “self-defence”. The figures are cause for concern according to the green party Ecolo, which calls these weapons “completely useless” and “a danger to society”."
32,000 for 10,000,000 people. The equivalent in the US would be 920,000. The reality: 230,000,000 guns of all types (as per the NRA).
With the recent failure of the US Congress to pass the most minimal of increased gun control in the form of increased background checks it's interesting to see what the situation in Belgium is:
"A total of 32,425 heavy weapons have been officially registered in Belgium in the central arms register, as required by law, Le Soir reports today. The figure is based on a parliamentary question by MP Stefaan Van Hecke to justice minister Annemie Turtelboom. The Weapons Act states that so-called defence and war weapons must be officially registered with the authorities and that their owner must meet several criteria: to be over 18, to have no criminal record, to have a valid reason to own such a weapon and to have submitted a doctor’s certificate and the written consent of their legal cohabitants. There are currently 2,851 submachine guns, 1,619 light automatic rifles and 27,925 assault rifles listed in the register. These weapons are used for hunting, wildlife management activities, recreational target shooting or “the exercise of a profession with special risks” or “self-defence”. The figures are cause for concern according to the green party Ecolo, which calls these weapons “completely useless” and “a danger to society”."
32,000 for 10,000,000 people. The equivalent in the US would be 920,000. The reality: 230,000,000 guns of all types (as per the NRA).
photo: Richard Harris
Belgians don't like virtual shopping:
"Only 18 percent of Belgians with an internet connection have made an online purchase in the past year – significantly less than in neighbouring countries, De Tijd reports. In the Netherlands – one of the busiest e-commerce territories – the figure is 37 percent. Germany and France follow, with 32 and 28 percent respectively. The figures were released by the Consumer Barometer, for which a sample of 2,500 people are surveyed in each country. The findings show that Belgians have less trust in online purchasing than their neighbours. For most Belgian shops, online sales represent only 5 percent of turnover."
It's interesting how cultural differences are maintaining themselves in this time of globalization, even among close neighbors.
Belgians don't like virtual shopping:
"Only 18 percent of Belgians with an internet connection have made an online purchase in the past year – significantly less than in neighbouring countries, De Tijd reports. In the Netherlands – one of the busiest e-commerce territories – the figure is 37 percent. Germany and France follow, with 32 and 28 percent respectively. The figures were released by the Consumer Barometer, for which a sample of 2,500 people are surveyed in each country. The findings show that Belgians have less trust in online purchasing than their neighbours. For most Belgian shops, online sales represent only 5 percent of turnover."
It's interesting how cultural differences are maintaining themselves in this time of globalization, even among close neighbors.
photo: Richard Harris
In this report The Economist has ranked "which country will be the best for a baby born in 2013." They picked 80 countries and used these criteria: "Its quality-of-life index links the results of subjective life-satisfaction surveys—how happy people say they are—to objective determinants of the quality of life across countries. Being rich helps more than anything else, but it is not all that counts; things like crime, trust in public institutions and the health of family life matter too. In all, the index takes 11 statistically significant indicators into account. They are a mixed bunch: some are fixed factors, such as geography; others change only very slowly over time (demography, many social and cultural characteristics); and some factors depend on policies and the state of the world economy.
A forward-looking element comes into play, too. Although many of the drivers of the quality of life are slow-changing, for this ranking some variables, such as income per head, need to be forecast. We use the EIU’s economic forecasts to 2030, which is roughly when children born in 2013 will reach adulthood."
Belgium came in at 15 with a rating of 7.51, so in the top 18%. In terms of its immediate neighbors, it came in behind The Netherlands (#8, rating: 7.94) but ahead of Germany (#16, tie with the US, rating: 7.38) and France (#26, rating: 7.04) and the UK (#27, rating: 7.01). Belgium's other immediate neighbor Luxembourg is not one of the 80 countries.
Of course, the reality is probably quite different, for instance, in the US where wealth has gotten so concentrated in the top few percent, many people's experience is probably less rosy than its position at #16 indicates.
In this report The Economist has ranked "which country will be the best for a baby born in 2013." They picked 80 countries and used these criteria: "Its quality-of-life index links the results of subjective life-satisfaction surveys—how happy people say they are—to objective determinants of the quality of life across countries. Being rich helps more than anything else, but it is not all that counts; things like crime, trust in public institutions and the health of family life matter too. In all, the index takes 11 statistically significant indicators into account. They are a mixed bunch: some are fixed factors, such as geography; others change only very slowly over time (demography, many social and cultural characteristics); and some factors depend on policies and the state of the world economy.
A forward-looking element comes into play, too. Although many of the drivers of the quality of life are slow-changing, for this ranking some variables, such as income per head, need to be forecast. We use the EIU’s economic forecasts to 2030, which is roughly when children born in 2013 will reach adulthood."
Belgium came in at 15 with a rating of 7.51, so in the top 18%. In terms of its immediate neighbors, it came in behind The Netherlands (#8, rating: 7.94) but ahead of Germany (#16, tie with the US, rating: 7.38) and France (#26, rating: 7.04) and the UK (#27, rating: 7.01). Belgium's other immediate neighbor Luxembourg is not one of the 80 countries.
Of course, the reality is probably quite different, for instance, in the US where wealth has gotten so concentrated in the top few percent, many people's experience is probably less rosy than its position at #16 indicates.
photo: Richard Harris
"The latest edition of UNICEF's report on child poverty showed the United States ranks second out of 35 developed countries on the scale of what economists call “relative child poverty” with 23.1 percent of its children living in poverty. Only Romania ranked higher. It was another shameful reminder that, as economist Sheldon Danziger put it, “Among rich countries, the U.S. is exceptional. We are exceptional in our tolerance of poverty.”..."
Click here for the rest of Marian Wright Edelman's article Tolerance of Poverty.
"The latest edition of UNICEF's report on child poverty showed the United States ranks second out of 35 developed countries on the scale of what economists call “relative child poverty” with 23.1 percent of its children living in poverty. Only Romania ranked higher. It was another shameful reminder that, as economist Sheldon Danziger put it, “Among rich countries, the U.S. is exceptional. We are exceptional in our tolerance of poverty.”..."
Click here for the rest of Marian Wright Edelman's article Tolerance of Poverty.