Modern-day International Relations

The Internet and social media bridge the gap among people of all walks of life all over the world. You can establish friendships with people of different nationalities on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram or whatever social media site you frequent. However, wars are still fought and crimes continually rise. So, what does it say about international relations nowadays?

When we talk about international relations, we often think of politics and world leaders. But considering how complex and dirty politics have become, conflicts among nations would remain and world peace will remain to be just a dream when conflict is prevalent even in our country. The nation hasn’t been this divided as it is now because of leaders like Donald Trump who continue to plant hate and discrimination in the minds and hearts of the people.

International reactions to the election of Donald Trump have catalyzed a far swifter collapse of the American-led world order than anyone could have imagined.  Interactions between great and middle-ranking powers are undergoing rapid evolution.  The political, economic, and military interests and influence of the United States still span the globe, as does American popular culture.  Nations and non-state actors in every region continue to worry about American policies, activism, or passivity on matters of concern to them.  In short, the United States is still the planet’s only all-around world power.  But the clout that status confers is not what it used to be. 

The only other polity with the potential to rival America’s worldwide influence at present is the European Union (EU).  It has the money but lacks the ambition or political and military cohesion to exert decisive influence beyond its periphery.  Until “Brexit,” the EU included two former world powers, Britain and France.  Now only France — which retains a sphere of influence in Africa and overseas territories in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean, and Polynesia – can bring a global perspective to EU councils.

And Trump’s limited political and leadership knowledge and skills can hamper any progress the country already made in recent years.

The Trump administration’s rejection of multilateralism marks a major step back from international leadership by the United States.  It signals that America no longer seeks to make and interpret the rules that govern the world’s political, economic, and military interactions.  Instead, Washington will seek unilateral advantage through piecemeal bilateral deals.  This pivot away from preeminence has created a geopolitical and geoeconomic power vacuum into which other great powers are being drawn.  Responsibility for the maintenance of global political, economic, and military order is everywhere devolving to the regional level.

Meanwhile, the United States is increasingly isolated on transnational issues.  Official American antipathy to science on climate change and similar issues has discredited the United States as a participant in setting polices that address them.  Washington’s escalating disdain for the United Nations and international law has meanwhile delegitimized its role as the “world policeman.”  The uncertainties inherent in this situation are everywhere accelerating the formation of regional groupings.  But, despite some stirring by China, there is as yet no credible successor to the United States as a global order-setter.

(Via: http://lobelog.com/reimagining-international-relations/)

Not only is his choice of words as flamboyant as his personality, his policies, and means to realize them are just as controversial too. After all, what can we expect from a businessman – the business always comes first.

According to reports from the Washington Post, President Donald Trump has only been in office for a couple months, but he’s taken 11 trips to the golf club. Critics of Trump’s presidency see this as a sign of weakness, since this is the most golf trips any president has taken in such a short amount of time.

According to representatives of the White House, President Trump has used the course almost exclusively for business purposes. Sources say that his visits most often involve international relations.

Most recently, Trump was seen at Trump International Golf West Palm where representatives say he “may hit a few balls.” They also confirmed that he took part in some business meetings and paused for a few pictures with the locals.

(Via: http://newsblaze.com/usnews/politics/president-trump-uses-golf-clubs-for-international-relations_76062/)

While it is true that more businesses are made during rounds of golf than during official meetings, it is a different story if you are the elected leader of one of the most powerful nations in the world. His unorthodox ways always capture the attention of the media and the public. From meetings to his private clubhouses only the elite few can afford, news about still receiving financial reports about his Trump Empire can instill doubts in the minds of the people.

World leaders have to set aside their personal feelings in running the affairs of the state, especially that the whole world is watching. Let us all wait and see if Trump can pull his act together and create positive relationships with leaders of other nations and protect the interests of the country and of the people. He has just started so let’s give him the benefit of the doubt – maybe he can find a way to make America great again.

The post Modern-day International Relations Read more on: SoulVisual

source https://www.soulvisual.com/blog/modern-day-international-relations/

What Food Shortage?

Humans have specific needs, the need for food, water, shelter, and education among others (sleep, too, with no snoring!). Once these needs are met, other needs can also be met but these primary needs must be met first because it is crucial for our survival. You die if you don’t eat or drink water. You put your safety and security at risk if you have no shelter from the elements and from all the bad people out there. Education enables us to reach our dreams and aspirations in life but isn’t as crucial as the other three because many people in the world actually live and die uneducated.

As society progresses, the division between the rich and the poor becomes even more pronounced. You can see rich people spending money on luxuries we can only dream of while a big majority of the population suffer in poverty. The poor struggle to earn enough money for food. While those who can afford form long queues on supermarkets, others look for scrap to satiate their hunger. The sad thing is that while many suffer and die of hunger, you can also see tons and tons of food waste from restaurants, fast foods, groceries, and markets. Some food is thrown because they don’t pass quality control while others were a little past their expiry.

Imagine going to the grocery store, buying three bags of food, loading two into your car, and mindlessly leaving the third in the parking lot as you drive away. Think you’d never do that? Think again: As Dana Gunders, a senior scientist with the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and author of The Waste Free Kitchen Handbook (Chronicle Books, 2015), writes on her blog: “Right now, we’re literally trashing more than one-third of our food supply — an ongoing crime against hunger, the environment, efficiency, and common sense.” 

Food waste (or wasted food) is a massive global problem of relatively recent origin. One hundred years ago — maybe even 60 years ago — there was little, if any, agricultural waste; and food didn’t travel thousands of miles in order for a Santa Fe grocery store to sell strawberries from South America in January. The NRDC has a few more sobering statistics: Only 60 percent of food produced in the U.S. is consumed; 20 percent of the food we buy is never eaten; and 90 percent of us throw excess or leftover food away too soon — adding up to about 300 pounds of wasted food per person — a habit NDRC calculates costs a family of four $1,500 a year and places enormous stress on the environment. 

(Via: http://www.santafenewmexican.com/pasatiempo/restaurants/the-waste-land-a-global-food-problem/article_105c39ee-e222-532e-bb86-39275acab27b.html)

Imagine all those foods go to waste instead of feeding hungry stomachs. Times like this you’d seriously wonder how low society has become. If food doesn’t make the cut for whatever reason, why not give it away to the poor than to the trash can.

Food waste is also a big talker in the restaurant industry. Consider these facts:

» Every year, American consumers, businesses and farms spend $218 billion (roughly 1.3 percent of this country’s gross domestic product) on food that is never eaten.

» Nearly 85 percent of all food waste happens in homes or consumer-facing businesses, such as restaurants, retail grocers and institution cafeterias.

» The average amount of purchased food that is wasted in a full-service restaurant is 11.3 percent.

(Via: http://www.myajc.com/entertainment/dining/mind-the-waste-rethinking-leftovers-and-restaurant-food-waste/M97ANEEFKCpShHYmETBuCL/)

Need we say more? Not only do we waste precious resource and become a part of the problem but chemicals from food waste are also bad for the environment. We should all strive to reduce our carbon footprint even the simplest ways possible.

The numbers are as shocking as they are appalling.

At a time when one in eight families in America struggles to put dinner on the table, a whopping 40 percent of the food produced in the country never gets eaten.

Some of it rots in the field before it can get harvested or gets lost or damaged during processing and packaging; other food items get tossed on the way to market because they’re too ugly to be displayed in the grocery store. Thousands of pounds of leftovers end up in the trash because by the time we remember they’re in the fridge, they’re moldy.

Confusion over food labels only adds to the problem.

If you don’t know the difference between “best by,” an advisory that simply means the product will taste best up until that date, but is still edible a few days after, and “sell by,” a date that helps stores keep track of inventory that needs to be bought by a certain time, you are not alone. Labels can be tricky to negotiate — they vary from state-to-state or even manufacturer-to-manufacturer — that 90 percent of Americans throw away food that’s perfectly edible. Twenty percent of the food we buy never gets eaten.

“People assume food labels are federally mandated, but they’re not, other than for baby food,” notes JoAnne Berkenkamp, a senior advocate in the Food & Agriculture Program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental activist organization. “They also widely assume the dates means the food is no longer safe to eat, and that is almost uniformly untrue. They just indicate when the food is at its freshest.”

All told, we toss more than 23 pounds of food per person per month at home and in restaurants, or 35 pounds per person if you add in food retail. That’s more than 45 bananas or two whole turkeys per capita, and that doesn’t even reflect the additional losses in distribution, food manufacturing and farming, Berkenkamp notes.

(Via: http://www.fayobserver.com/news/20170405/cut-down-on-food-waste-and-save-money-in-process)

The statistics have spoken. Since when did we become this selfish and wasteful? The abundance of food in the market does not mean we can waste as much as we want. Resources are dwindling while the population keeps on ballooning. Let this be a lesson to everybody not only to people who are directly working in the food business. Proper planning, management, and inventory can prevent this problem. In case there are indeed leftovers, why not donate it to animal shelters or donate to food banks or soup kitchens food that is nearing their expiration.

The world is under so much stress these days. From the dangers of technology, the abuse of humans and the threats of climate change, the world can only take so much. It just goes to show that we don’t value the planet by adding insult to injury through the waste of resources or lack of the compassion to the other person by choosing to throw away food than giving it to the less fortunate.

The following blog post What Food Shortage? See more on: https://www.soulvisual.com/

source https://www.soulvisual.com/blog/what-food-shortage/

Women In Power

Politics has always been a man’s world. Ever since the world we know started, men dominated this field. But we may be mistaken after all. There are reports of matriarchal societies in the not-so-distant past often led by the healer (often a woman) or the most dominant women of the tribe/ clan.

So, it should not come as a surprise that women can be great world leaders too. Although it is not yet the time for America to elect its first woman president, the feat has been done in other countries in the past and until the present day. Enjoying equal voting right was just the beginning. Women did their part in shaping our society into a global community that welcomes the ideas and contribution of everyone regardless of gender but it seems that the number of women leaders have stagnated in recent years.

The number of women in executive roles in government and parliament globally has stagnated with only minor improvements since 2015, according to a new report by U.N. Women, with the Americas witnessing the most gains compared to other regions.

In the Americas, which includes North and South America and the Caribbean, women's representation has gone up from 22.4 percent in 2015 to 25 percent in 2017.

In comparison, women’s representation in Europe stands at 22.5 percent, up slightly from 21.6 percent in 2015. In Asia, the number has risen from just 10.6 percent to 11 percent, while in Africa women hold 19.7 percent of the region’s ministerial posts.

The top five countries with the largest share of women ministers are in Europe and the Americas, with Canada and Sandinista-run Nicaragua leading the way with more than 50 percent of ministerial positions filled by women.

(Via: http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Americas-Lead-Way-But-Women-Less-Represented-in-Global-Politics-20170318-0024.html)

Other women leaders acknowledge the fact that not enough women get into higher ranks or positions in politics than they would’ve wanted to.

In 2012, Julia Gillard gave a speech that went viral. During a debate in parliament, Australia's first female prime minister delivered a 15-minute rebuke of Tony Abbott, the leader of the opposition, in which she branded him a sexist and a misogynist.

And it seems that she is right and that not much has changed over the years.

Five years on, Gillard still finds women crossing the road to congratulate her. She will be sitting on a plane and another passenger will lean over and mention the incident.

In some cases, she tells IBTimes UK during an interview in Dubai, the only thing that person will know about Australia is kangaroos, koalas - and her speech.

And she experienced it first-hand herself.

"If there are women in the world that find that speech inspiring and it is the only thing they know about Australian politics, well, that is a pretty good thing."

Those who know a little more about Australia will also be likely to remember Gillard's exit from politics in an ugly power struggle that saw her ousted by her political rival and former boss, Kevin Rudd, after just three years in power. Both Rudd and Gillard had pledged to resign if the other triumphed, and Gillard made good on that pledge in June 2013 when Rudd beat her by just 12 votes.

But she remains to have high hopes for all the women to break barriers and enjoy equal opportunities and same respect as their male counterparts.

"When you look around the world, women still tend not to be represented in anything like equal numbers," she explains. "For me, this comes down to a very simple concept: if you believe that men and women are equal and have equal capacities and if you look at our world and you aren't seeing half and half when it comes to the leadership of nations then means there are still barriers preventing women coming through," she says.

(Via: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/julia-gillard-still-not-enough-women-getting-top-politics-1612446)

But there is a slim chance that women can conquer the political environment in more conservative countries like Russia.

Russians are growing colder on the idea of women taking part in politics and the majority say they are not ready to see a woman lead their country in the next 15 years, a new poll finds.

Two thirds of Russians (66 percent) still approve of women participating in politics, according to a poll by independent survey company Levada Center, which is a drop by 11 points since last year.

(Via: http://europe.newsweek.com/russians-grow-cold-women-politics-majority-oppose-female-president-563363?rm=eu)

Women have achieved so much over the last century but more work still needs to be done. The world at large is more accepting of women and women thrive in certain industries like fashion, communication, and education among others. Many have even filled up important posts in companies and even started their very own.

However, politics is a different arena. While a lot of women have been elected into office for various government positions, it is still predominantly dominated by men. We must first change our view of women and see them as equals to men before even bigger changes can be seen to our society in general.

The blog article Women In Power was originally seen on https://www.soulvisual.com/

source https://www.soulvisual.com/blog/women-in-power/

Trading With China During The Trump Era

We can’t deny that China is a force to reckon with. Their economy has grown roughly tenfold of what it once was, so President Trump should be careful with how the U.S. conducts trade relations with Asia’s giant and also the country’s largest trading partner.

Many U.S. manufacturers and companies rely greatly on the Chinese economy for parts and labor of goods and services. When you go to the mall or do your grocery shopping, look at food labels and check where it was made. You’d likely see that it is made from China. Let us also not forget that they have the second largest economy in the world and that we willingly allowed them to dominate the U.S. markets for years now.

Trade theorist Paul Krugman once wrote: "The economist’s case for free trade is essentially a unilateral case — that is, it says that a country serves its own interests by pursuing free trade regardless of what other countries may do."

If empirical studies can lead top mainstream economists to question this once-universal belief, then the profession really is shifting from theory to evidence. With this in mind, I contacted Autor to ask him how his research on China has altered his own thinking about the costs and benefits of trade.

He told me he had been astonished by his own findings. Autor, like most top economists, was once an orthodox thinker on the trade issue. He had expected US workers would adjust well to the shock of Chinese imports, finding other jobs for similar wages after a short period of dislocation.

That was largely what happened in the 1980s and 1990s in response to Japanese and European competition.

Instead, he and his co-authors found that trade with China in the 2000s left huge swathes of the US workforce permanently without good jobs — or, in many cases, jobs at all.

This sort of concentrated economic devastation sounds as though it would hurt not just people’s wallets, but the country’s social fabric.

(Via: https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/2017-03-20-real-life-economics-reveals-how-china-trade-damaged-us-society/)

Fast-forward to the last quarter of 2016 and President Trump won the U.S. presidency against Hillary Clinton. His unorthodox ways now challenge how the U.S. does trade with other countries, most especially with that of China and almost everyone is clueless as to what will happen next.

Prior to the 2016 U.S. Election, commentators generally thought that a Trump presidency would be a double-edged sword for the Chinese leadership: on one hand, his brand of crass populism might do severe damage to American soft power, harming traditional American alliances both across the globe and specifically in the Asia-Pacific, and thereby strengthening China’s geopolitical position.  On the other, he might challenge China over trade and international investment, potentially creating serious problems for an already unsteady Chinese economy.  Moreover, his unpredictable and volatile personality might lead to unwanted escalation in the South China Sea, or, even worse, over Taiwan.  Official Chinese media outlets were careful not to take sides prior to the election, but in private, officials seemed wary of the instability that Trump could bring.  Incendiary rhetoric issued by Trump and his senior advisors during the post-election transition heightened tensions and frayed nerves, leading to an enormous amount of hand-wringing in Chinese policy circles.

(Via: https://www.lawfareblog.com/what-trump-presidency-means-china)

Even the Chinese government are gearing up for what the next four years of a Trump presidency would mean for them and the trade relations between both countries.

China's government has been seeking advice from its think-tanks and policy advisers on how to counter potential trade penalties from U.S. President Donald Trump, getting ready for the worst, even as they hope for business-like negotiations.

The policy advisers believe the Trump administration is most likely to impose higher tariffs on targeted sectors where China has a big surplus with the United States, such as steel and furniture, or on state-owned firms.

China could respond with actions such as finding alternative suppliers of agriculture products or machinery and manufactured goods, while cutting its exports of consumer staples such as mobile phones or laptops, they said.

Other options include imposing tax or other restrictions on big U.S. firms operating in China, or limiting their access to China's fast-growing services sector, they added.

(Via: https://www.streetinsider.com/Economic+Data/China+prepares+to+counter+any+U.S.+trade+penalties%3A+sources/12684273.html)

With only a few months into his presidency, it is too early to tell how the U.S. and Chinese trade relations will fare over the years. For now, we’ll just wait and see what President Trump’s economic policies will be. He already signed several of them that are being reviewed in Congress and have also set off alarms to some U.S. trade partners but nothing is carved in stone just yet.

The following blog post Trading With China During The Trump Era was initially published on www.soulvisual.com

source https://www.soulvisual.com/blog/trading-with-china-during-the-trump-era/

Gender Gap In Computing: Is It Still There?

Silicon Valley is the country’s hub for technology. Most computer and other tech-related start-ups had their humble beginnings in this place before they conquered the world. The brilliant minds behind their success are mostly men who have become famous icons that humanity will always look up to and be thankful for. Up to now, the majority of big tech companies are still founded and owned by men.

But as technology is becoming more mainstream, not only does it capture the interest of men but of women too. Even though it is a man’s world just like politics, more and more women are making a name in a niche they have no place for in the past. And we can look forward to countless women throughout the globe who will rise up to the challenge of carving their place in the tech world (not just in computers, mind you, but in other aspects of the technological race) in the years to come.

It’s all about embracing an industry that hasn’t traditionally favoured females.

Secondary school girls from across Scotland learned how to code and instruct robots after taking part in a computer science open day hosted by female students and academics at Heriot-Watt University.

The event was created specifically to help generate an interest in computing, artificial intelligence and robotics in girls from a young age.

It comes against a backdrop of a chronic shortage of women currently employed in or studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (Stem subjects) in the UK.

(Via: http://positivelyscottish.scot/2017/03/03/fighting-the-it-gender-gap-schoolgirls-are-shown-how-to-crack-the-code/)

The numbers do not lie.

Globally, women account for less than a third (28.4 per cent) of those employed in scientific research and development, according to a report published in November 2015 by the United Nations’ Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Institute of Statistics. They are also more likely to leave their roles in STEM fields, with a majority of women citing isolation, hostile male-dominated work environments and a lack of effective sponsors as the reasons behind their decision, says a Harvard Business Review research report.

(Via: http://www.computerdealernews.com/news/women-are-still-hidden-figures-in-many-stem-careers/53286)

Gender role is a big factor when it comes to choosing a career. Men are more likely to pursue a career in computing, engineering, or political science for they are deemed fit for a man. On the other hand, women end up as teachers, nurses, or plain old housewives. But women have had enough of this treatment and we’re bound to see major changes in the tech industry dynamics over time.

Four years ago, Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook, sent her son and niece to a Silicon Valley coding camp where she was dismayed to see a stark gender disparity. "Out of the 35 kids, only five were girls and two of those girls were my niece and her friend," she told me. "It's terrible - it has to change!"

Sandberg, as COO of a company where women hold only 27 percent of top management jobs, should know. It is widely acknowledged that an ever-growing proportion of the better-paid jobs in the American workforce will be linked to digital technologies, and that women are strikingly underrepresented in computing science.

It seems that President Trump already got a plan in place for this particular concern.

Aside from limiting women's careers, this trend could have wider consequences. The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology estimated in 2012 that U.S. businesses will need to find about 1 million more STEM professionals than America currently has. Tech companies have hitherto plugged this gap by using the H-1B visa program to import engineers from places such as India. But President Donald Trump has pledged to curb the use of those visas. Getting more American girls into computer science could create a deeper bench of qualified workers.

It’s one of the rare good news we hear from the new administration considering how much backlash it is now receiving from their current economic policies. And it looks like they do have a clear plan in place.

The U.S. government could also help. Barack Obama's efforts to address the gender balance didn't generate much buzz. But the current White House certainly knows how to make waves - and Ivanka Trump says she wants to support #WomenWhoWork, to cite her hashtag. Instead of just championing women in politics, business, or fashion, perhaps Ivanka should start shouting about women in computer science, and team up with Sandberg and others like her. That might help shrink the shocking gender ratio for computer science and get America ready to embrace a tech future in an equitable way.

And changes are indeed taking place…

Now the good news is that insofar as culture - not neurology - established this pattern, efforts being made to reverse it are promising. Companies such as Facebook are targeting women in their recruitment. The nonprofit CSNYC has taken on the herculean task of teaching every student in New York City public schools certain computer science skills. In February 1999, Smith became the first American women's college to announce its own engineering program. And some colleges, such as Harvey Mudd, have restructured computer science classes to be more attuned to female students' relative inexperience with computing. This has had spectacular results. At Harvey Mudd, the proportion of female students in computer science classes has risen from 10 percent to 40 percent.

(Via: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-wp-tech-comment-8b1716f0-0d7e-11e7-9d5a-a83e627dc120-20170320-story.html)

While attracting girls to pursue a career in computing science and excel in it at an early age may be the first of the many hurdles women will face in this industry, the other factor is that men itself. Men will trample all those weak and vulnerable women to get the position they want. It is a good thing that the industry itself is opening its doors for women and giving them a chance to succeed in a man’s world.

The following blog post Gender Gap In Computing: Is It Still There? is courtesy of https://www.soulvisual.com/blog/

source https://www.soulvisual.com/blog/gender-gap-in-computing-is-it-still-there/

Overcoming Racial Diversity In The U.S.

Like any progressive first-world country, millions of foreign workers and immigrants flock to the United States for a greener pasture. Known for years now as the land of opportunity, people have the chance to transform their lives for the better in a country that has welcomed millions of other races for centuries now.

Although much has changed when black slavery was still a thing, the many technological advancements we are now enjoying has not put a stop to the issue of racial diversity and discrimination. Others still pass judgment to the other person just because of their race and appearance. Amidst the recovering economy of America lies a deep-rooted problem on racism that seems to be far from over because of the controversial victory of President Donald Trump (who is also known to say racist and sexist remarks on live television).

Not only in the United States but all over the world, racial discrimination persists to be a nagging problem of every society. Anyone who doesn’t belong is sure to be discriminated.

Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, created in 1966 by the United Nations to address social injustices based upon race. While many might see racism as an issue of skin color or ethnicity, Gary Edmonds of Food for the Hungry says marginalization often takes place within people groups based upon heritage and gender — and he believes faith and dignity are core to restoring hope.

(Via: https://www.mnnonline.org/news/becoming-true-change-agents-against-discrimination/)

Even law enforcers who are supposed to be unbiased and should uphold what is morally fair and just have also been guilty of discrimination in the line of duty.

The head of a major international law enforcement organization on Monday apologized for "the actions of the past and the role that our profession has played in society's historical mistreatment of communities of color."

International Association of Chiefs of Police President, Terrence M. Cunningham, struck a conciliatory tone, acknowledging the deep-seated, generational mistrust between minorities and the police.

Cunningham, speaking at a meeting of the group in San Diego, said law enforcement's history is "replete with examples of bravery, self-sacrifice and service to the community."

But Cunningham said at the same, "the history of policing has had darker periods."

"There have been times when law enforcement officers because of the laws enacted by federal, state and local governments have been the face of oppression to far too many of our fellow citizens.

In the past, the laws adopted by our society have required police officers to perform many unpalatable tasks, such as ensuring legalized discrimination or even denying the basic rights of citizenship to many of our fellow Americans," Cunningham said.

(Via: http://edition.cnn.com/2016/10/17/us/police-chiefs-group-minorities-apology/)

Although efforts are being taken especially by socio-civic leaders and organizations to reduce cases of discrimination and eventually put a stop to it for good, it is a long and difficult fight where the end is still not in sight.

In the past year, there has been a lot of talk about racism in the region and Sabry hopes this event – now in its 16th year – will help kickstart more dialogue about the issue.

"There is racism," Sabry said.

"Sometimes it's more obvious and to the surface," she added. "We're hoping that people, through understanding each other, that there will be less of the unknown and treat each other as human beings instead of labelling and stereotyping and being leery of other people because they just don't understand them."

(Via: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/kitchener-event-day-elimination-racial-discrimination-1.4033088)

For a major change in the public perception to take place, it must all begin within ourselves. Opening up our minds and hearts to what makes everyone on this planet unique and diverse is the first step to ending discrimination. We must all understand that there is no ideal conformity that everyone should follow and that we should all celebrate our individuality. We may look alike but we all deserve to enjoy the same respect and rights as the person next to us.

The blog article Overcoming Racial Diversity In The U.S. was first published to https://www.soulvisual.com/blog/

source https://www.soulvisual.com/blog/overcoming-racial-diversity-in-the-u-s/

Electronics Ban On U.S.-bound Flights

Air travel imposes a lot of restrictions on travelers. From check in until arrival, passengers must observe air travel etiquette that is widely practiced in the industry throughout the globe, most of which are precautionary measures for the safety of everyone on the flight.

While most restrictions include limitations on baggage weight and content (checked-in or hand carry), the use of electronics in-flight is also a big no-no. Although using electrical gadgets has actually been allowed on longer flights, the U.S. now imposes a strict rule to ban the use of electronics on some U.S.-bound flights.

The US government will soon begin enforcing a ban on travelers bringing electronics in carry-on luggage on some flights traveling to the US.

News of the ban landed Monday when Royal Jordanian Airlines said in a since-deleted tweet that it received a directive from "concerned US departments" that passengers would not be permitted to bring any electronic items into the plane's cabin, except cellphones and medical devices.

Cameras, tablets and ebooks, laptops, and other electronics will have to be packed into checked luggage, said an emailed confidential Homeland Security edict to airlines.

The ban is expected to go into effect on Tuesday, and affect flights from several countries in the Middle East and Africa.

A spokesperson for Homeland Security would not comment on the potential security precautions, but said the department would "provide an update when appropriate."

(Via: http://www.zdnet.com/article/us-bans-most-electronics-from-some-us-bound-middle-eastern-flights/)

As expected, a major policy like this that impact a great number of people is sure to hit the headlines here and abroad.

The US government is expected to bar passengers from bringing any electronic device larger than a cellphone on some flights to and from the Middle East and Africa.

Royal Jordanian Airlines on Monday tweeted a description of an electronics ban implemented by the US. But the airline deleted the tweet a few hours later.

According to Royal Jordanian's deleted tweet, all electronic devices apart from cellphones and necessary medical equipment must be checked in to the cargo hold with luggage. That includes laptops, cameras, tablets, and DVD players.

The airline indicated that the policy would go into effect on March 21.

These changes are a result of a security concern related to passengers on nonstop flights from some Middle Eastern countries, an unnamed US official told CNN's Jon Ostrower.

(Via: http://www.businessinsider.com/us-government-laptop-ban-middle-east-africa-flights-dhs-2017-3)

What could have prompted such a bold move from the U.S. government? Is there a national security threat that we should all be aware of?

The prohibitions on electronics from select countries on flights to the U.S. is based on information developed overseas about a threat, an official told CBS News. The official said the electronics ban isn’t related to a specific threat, but is in response to intelligence gathered overseas.

The officials said the Department of Homeland Security is in the process of notifying the countries and airlines affected by the ban on large electronics. They will have 96 hours to implement the ban.

(Via: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/electronics-ban-on-some-us-bound-flights/)

The standard protocol during air travel is that electronic gadgets should be hand carried by the passenger lest it gets lost during travel, for which the passenger could not sue the aircraft for its loss. But because of security reasons that could pose a threat to the U.S. national security, these measures are now put into place because of possible terroristic activities in the countries included in the list.

Such a move is not at all that surprising considering the President’s stance against terrorists and how he takes the safety of all Americans seriously. Since the ban is just temporary, it probably won’t hurt if the people concerned abide with it until the ban is lifted and the risk is no longer there.

Electronics Ban On U.S.-bound Flights is available on https://www.soulvisual.com/blog/

source https://www.soulvisual.com/blog/electronics-ban-on-u-s-bound-flights/