What a country! as the Russian comedian Yakov Smirnoff would say.
Smirnoff came to the U.S. in the days when people from the old Eastern Block would risk life and limb to try to get here. Today the only limbs at risk when we allow political sanctuary are our own.
There was a lot more freedom in the U.S. then: Freedom from fear, freedom from foreclosure, freedom to work, freedom to run a marathon, freedom to love the country without being called a tea bagger; freedom for citizens to do their part with the government staying out of the way.
It?s changed now.
Now we root for the bad guys, - bad guys, who are a protected species- and support people who hate our own country.
A liberal writer from Salon, David Sirota, led off the hate parade last week with this sparkling prayer: Let?s hope the Boston Marathon bomber is a white American.
He should have added: ?please, dear God.?
Of course it would have offended his liberal readers when he invoked God. Let me remind them, however, that even Joseph Stalin, white guy and former seminarian, invoked the Almighty from time to time.
Sirota quotes professional race baiter and other white guy, Tim Wise, with this justification of his prayer: ??White privilege is knowing that if this bomber turns out to be white, the United States government will not bomb whatever corn field or mountain town or stale suburb from which said bomber came, just to ensure that others like him or her don?t get any ideas. And if he turns out to be a member of the Irish Republican Army we won?t bomb Dublin.?
Yeah those greedy, white Catholics in Dublin were so privileged that they were never targeted by other white guys- were they? No bombs in Dublin, right?
Nor was David Koresh, white guy, assaulted by a tank down in Waco, Texas for his crimes. Tim McVeigh? The lethal injection was too good for him.?? ?????
But alas, we all have to live with disappointment, David, Tim and I do.
New Zealand lawmaker Louisa Wall, who sponsored the gay marriage bill, stands on the steps of Parliament in Wellington before voting for the same-sex marriage Tuesday, April 16, 2013. New Zealand has become the 13th country in the world and the first in the Asia-Pacific region to legalize same-sex marriage. Hundreds of jubilant gay-rights advocates celebrated at New Zealand's Parliament today after lawmakers vote 77 to 44 in favor of the gay-marriage bill. (AP Photo/Nick Perry)
New Zealand lawmaker Louisa Wall, who sponsored the gay marriage bill, stands on the steps of Parliament in Wellington before voting for the same-sex marriage Tuesday, April 16, 2013. New Zealand has become the 13th country in the world and the first in the Asia-Pacific region to legalize same-sex marriage. Hundreds of jubilant gay-rights advocates celebrated at New Zealand's Parliament today after lawmakers vote 77 to 44 in favor of the gay-marriage bill. (AP Photo/Nick Perry)
Jills Angus Burney, left, and Deborah Hambly, who are hoping to get married themselves, arrive at New Zealand's Parliament in Wellington to watch lawmakers vote on gay marriage Wednesday, April 17, 2013. New Zealand has become the 13th country in the world and the first in the Asia-Pacific region to legalize same-sex marriage. Hundreds of jubilant gay-rights advocates celebrated at New Zealand's Parliament today after lawmakers vote 77 to 44 in favor of the gay-marriage bill. (AP Photo/Nick Perry)
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) ? Hundreds of jubilant gay-rights advocates celebrated at New Zealand's Parliament on Wednesday as the country became the 13th in the world and the first in the Asia-Pacific region to legalize same-sex marriage.
Lawmakers voted 77 to 44 in favor of the gay-marriage bill on its third and final reading.
People watching from the public gallery and some lawmakers immediately broke into song after the result was announced, singing the New Zealand love song "Pokarekare Ana" in the indigenous Maori language.
"For us, we can now feel equal to everyone else," said Tania Penafiel Bermudez, a bank teller who said she already considers herself married to partner Sonja Fry but now can get a certificate to prove it. "This means we can feel safe and fair and right in calling each other wife and wife."
In one of several speeches that ended in a standing ovation, bill sponsor Louisa Wall told lawmakers the change was "our road toward healing."
"In our society, the meaning of marriage is universal ? it's a declaration of love and commitment to a special person," she said. She added that "nothing could make me more proud to be a New Zealander than passing this bill."
Lawmakers from most political parties were encouraged by their leaders to vote as their conscience dictated rather than along party lines. Although Wall is from the opposition Labour Party, the bill also was supported by center-right Prime Minister John Key.
"In my view, marriage is a very personal thing between two individuals," Key said. "And, in the end, this is part of equality in modern-day New Zealand."
Since 2005, New Zealand has allowed civil unions, which confer many legal rights to gay couples. The new law will allow gay couples to jointly adopt children for the first time and will also allow their marriages to be recognized in other countries. The law will take effect in late August.
"This is really, really huge," said Jills Angus Burney, a lawyer who drove about 90 minutes to Parliament to watch the vote with her partner, Deborah Hambly, who had flown in from farther afield. "It's really important to me. It's just unbelievable."
Burney, a Presbyterian, said she and Hambly want to celebrate with a big, traditional wedding as soon as possible.
The change in New Zealand could put pressure on some of its neighbors to consider changing their laws. In Australia, there has been little political momentum for a change at a federal level and Prime Minister Julia Gillard has expressed her opposition to same-sex marriage. Some Australian states, however, are considering gay-marriage legislation.
Rodney Croome, the national director for the lobbying group Australian Marriage Equality, said that since Friday, 1,000 people had signed an online survey saying they would travel to New Zealand to wed, though same-sex marriages would not be recognized under current Australian law.
"There's this really big, pent-up demand for this in Australia," Croome said. "New Zealand is just a three-hour plane ride away, and many couples are going to go to New Zealand to marry. They are just so sick and tired of waiting for the government to act. I think it's going to spark this big tourism boom."
Many people in New Zealand remain vehemently opposed to gay marriage. The lobbying group Family First last year presented a petition to Parliament signed by 50,000 people who opposed the bill. Another 25,000 people have since added their signatures to that petition.
"Historically and culturally, marriage is about man and a woman, and it shouldn't be touched," said Family First founder Bob McCoskrie. "It doesn't need to be."
McCoskrie said same-sex marriage should have been put to a public referendum rather than a parliamentary vote. That might not have changed the outcome, however: Surveys indicate that about two-thirds of New Zealanders favor gay marriage.
The change was given impetus last May when U.S. President Barack Obama declared his support for gay marriage. That prompted Prime Minister Key to break his silence on the issue by saying he was "not personally opposed" to the idea. Wall then put forward the bill, which she had previously drafted.
Same-sex marriage is recognized in the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Argentina and Denmark. Lawmakers in Uruguay approved a law last week that President Jose Mujica is expected to sign. Nine states in the U.S. also recognize such marriages, but the federal government does not.
In his speech before Wednesday's vote, lawmaker Tau Henare extended a greeting to people of all sexual identities and concluded with a traditional greeting in his indigenous Maori.
"My message to you all is, 'Welcome to the mainstream,'" Henare said. "Do well. Kia Ora."
New scorecard shows inequalities in osteoporosis care in the Europe UnionPublic release date: 17-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: L. Misteli news@iofbonehealth.org 41-229-940-100 International Osteoporosis Foundation
Despite marked differences in fracture risk and services, all countries show a worrying treatment gap -- approximately 57 percent of high risk individuals are left untreated
Today a panel of international experts working in cooperation with the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) have published SCOPE or Scorecard for Osteoporosis in Europe.
Focusing on key aspects of service provision and uptake, the Scorecard compares how the 27 different countries within the European Union (EU) care for people with osteoporosis to reduce their risk of bone fractures. Fractures, which mostly affect older adults, can result in pain, long-term disability and even premature death.
The Scorecard presents, measures and compares data in a way that is simple to see and interpret, sets benchmarks, and measures critical indicators of overall performance. SCOPE covers four main indicators of osteoporosis:
Burden of osteoporosis and fractures, including forecasts for the future
Policy framework availability of public health programmes
Service provision assessment and treatments of osteoporosis
Service uptake e.g. treatment gap, the proportion of men and women at high risk who don't receive treatment
The Scorecard reveals that countries with a higher risk of fracture and incidence of osteoporosis do not always make the largest investment in fracture reduction and treatment. This indicates that services are not aligned or operating efficiently enough to reduce the risk of fractures, which cost in excess of 37 billion and cause about 43,000 deaths each year in Europe. It is hoped that the scorecard will help to inform a Europe-wide strategy for osteoporosis that aims to reduce fractures, costs and the burden in the population.
Several of the key findings of the Scorecard are:
The majority of high-risk individuals remain untreated. Less than half of women at high risk of fracture are treated despite the high cost of fractures and the availability of effective medications;
Facilities and access to testing for osteoporosis, as well as utilization of fracture risk algorithms, are inadequate in the majority of countries;
In some countries individuals with osteoporosis are restricted from accessing effective treatment options;
Access to drug treatment that can help prevent fractures varies significantly from country to country;
Fracture incidence is poorly documented in the EU; national hip fracture registries for both sexes are available in only 15 of the 27 member states and only two countries have data on the incidence of clinical vertebral fractures;
There is a nearly three-fold range of hip fractures throughout the EU ranging from 198 per 100,000 people in Romania to 574 per 100,000 in Denmark;
The SCOPE Scorecard can be accessed at http://www.iofbonehealth.org/scope-scorecard-osteoporosis-europe
"This scorecard draws attention to gaps and inequalities in the provision of primary and secondary prevention of fractures due to osteoporosis in all 27 member states of the EU," said IOF President Professor John Kanis of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Metabolic Bone Diseases, University of Sheffield Medical School. "We call on policymakers at all levels to develop Europe-wide strategies and parallel national strategies to provide coordinated osteoporosis care and to reduce debilitating fractures and their impact on individual lives and the healthcare system."
Professor Juliet Compston, Professor of Bone Medicine at the University of Cambridge and Chair of the European Osteoporosis Consultation Panel commented, "Fractures due to osteoporosis are a major cause of disability and early death in Europe's older population. There are currently around 3.5 million new fractures per year at a direct cost of approximately 37.4 billion. These costs do not reflect the enormous human costs in terms of pain, disability, loss of quality of life or the need for long-term nursing care. Unless preventive strategies are put in place, this burden will grow significantly as projections show that by 2025 the population of women and men over the age of 50 will increase by 22% and 17% respectively."
More than 100 national osteoporosis and bone-related societies in Europe are members of the International Osteoporosis Foundation and many participated actively in the compilation of the Scorecard.
Speaking at the media launch of the report in Rome, Professor Maria Luisa Brandi, President of IOF member society F.I.R.M.O (Fondazione Raffaella Becagli), stated, " This Scorecard should be used by EU member states to identify which areas of policy and service provision require improvement in order to reduce the current and future burden of fractures. It is evident that for most countries, more data are needed and certain targeted strategies, such as Fracture Liaison Services, must be put in place to identify and treat patients at high risk."
###
References:
SCOPE: A scorecard for osteoporosis in Europe
Upcoming publication in the online journal Archives of Osteoporosis http://link.springer.com/journal/11657
Osteoporosis in the European Union: Medical Management, Epidemiology and Economic Burden Arch Osteoporos 2013
Hernlund E, Svedbom A, Ivergard M, Compston J, et. al. A report prepared in collaboration with the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industry Associations (EFPIA). Arch Osteoporos 2013 [in press]
Osteoporosis in the European Union: A compendium of country-specific reports. Svedbom A, Hernlund E, Ivergard M, et al. Arch Osteoporos 2013 [in press].
About SCOPE
The ScoreCard for OsteoPorosis in Europe (SCOPE) is an independent project that seeks to raise the awareness of osteoporosis care in Europe. Led by a multi-stakeholder group of experts and chaired by Professor John Kanis, President of the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), this project will, for the first time, enable an in depth comparison of the quality of care of osteoporosis across the European Union's 27 member states. In creating a scorecard the group intends to set a benchmark for best practice management of osteoporosis and achieve marked improvements in the quality of care of the disease throughout the EU.
SCOPE draws on independent research from two major sources: IOF audits compiled by IOF member national osteoporosis societies in Europe, as well as the comprehensive new report 'Osteoporosis in the European Union: Medical Management, Epidemiology and Economic Burden'. The detailed report behind SCOPE is soon to be published in the journal 'Archives of Osteoporosis'. From this data, a one-page scorecard was developed to provide a unique overview of the status of osteoporosis in Europe.
About IOF
The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) is the world's largest nongovernmental organization dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and related musculoskeletal diseases. IOF members, including committees of scientific researchers as well as more than 200 patient, medical and research societies, work together to make bone, joint and muscle health a worldwide heath care priority. http://www.iofbonehealth.org
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
New scorecard shows inequalities in osteoporosis care in the Europe UnionPublic release date: 17-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: L. Misteli news@iofbonehealth.org 41-229-940-100 International Osteoporosis Foundation
Despite marked differences in fracture risk and services, all countries show a worrying treatment gap -- approximately 57 percent of high risk individuals are left untreated
Today a panel of international experts working in cooperation with the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) have published SCOPE or Scorecard for Osteoporosis in Europe.
Focusing on key aspects of service provision and uptake, the Scorecard compares how the 27 different countries within the European Union (EU) care for people with osteoporosis to reduce their risk of bone fractures. Fractures, which mostly affect older adults, can result in pain, long-term disability and even premature death.
The Scorecard presents, measures and compares data in a way that is simple to see and interpret, sets benchmarks, and measures critical indicators of overall performance. SCOPE covers four main indicators of osteoporosis:
Burden of osteoporosis and fractures, including forecasts for the future
Policy framework availability of public health programmes
Service provision assessment and treatments of osteoporosis
Service uptake e.g. treatment gap, the proportion of men and women at high risk who don't receive treatment
The Scorecard reveals that countries with a higher risk of fracture and incidence of osteoporosis do not always make the largest investment in fracture reduction and treatment. This indicates that services are not aligned or operating efficiently enough to reduce the risk of fractures, which cost in excess of 37 billion and cause about 43,000 deaths each year in Europe. It is hoped that the scorecard will help to inform a Europe-wide strategy for osteoporosis that aims to reduce fractures, costs and the burden in the population.
Several of the key findings of the Scorecard are:
The majority of high-risk individuals remain untreated. Less than half of women at high risk of fracture are treated despite the high cost of fractures and the availability of effective medications;
Facilities and access to testing for osteoporosis, as well as utilization of fracture risk algorithms, are inadequate in the majority of countries;
In some countries individuals with osteoporosis are restricted from accessing effective treatment options;
Access to drug treatment that can help prevent fractures varies significantly from country to country;
Fracture incidence is poorly documented in the EU; national hip fracture registries for both sexes are available in only 15 of the 27 member states and only two countries have data on the incidence of clinical vertebral fractures;
There is a nearly three-fold range of hip fractures throughout the EU ranging from 198 per 100,000 people in Romania to 574 per 100,000 in Denmark;
The SCOPE Scorecard can be accessed at http://www.iofbonehealth.org/scope-scorecard-osteoporosis-europe
"This scorecard draws attention to gaps and inequalities in the provision of primary and secondary prevention of fractures due to osteoporosis in all 27 member states of the EU," said IOF President Professor John Kanis of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Metabolic Bone Diseases, University of Sheffield Medical School. "We call on policymakers at all levels to develop Europe-wide strategies and parallel national strategies to provide coordinated osteoporosis care and to reduce debilitating fractures and their impact on individual lives and the healthcare system."
Professor Juliet Compston, Professor of Bone Medicine at the University of Cambridge and Chair of the European Osteoporosis Consultation Panel commented, "Fractures due to osteoporosis are a major cause of disability and early death in Europe's older population. There are currently around 3.5 million new fractures per year at a direct cost of approximately 37.4 billion. These costs do not reflect the enormous human costs in terms of pain, disability, loss of quality of life or the need for long-term nursing care. Unless preventive strategies are put in place, this burden will grow significantly as projections show that by 2025 the population of women and men over the age of 50 will increase by 22% and 17% respectively."
More than 100 national osteoporosis and bone-related societies in Europe are members of the International Osteoporosis Foundation and many participated actively in the compilation of the Scorecard.
Speaking at the media launch of the report in Rome, Professor Maria Luisa Brandi, President of IOF member society F.I.R.M.O (Fondazione Raffaella Becagli), stated, " This Scorecard should be used by EU member states to identify which areas of policy and service provision require improvement in order to reduce the current and future burden of fractures. It is evident that for most countries, more data are needed and certain targeted strategies, such as Fracture Liaison Services, must be put in place to identify and treat patients at high risk."
###
References:
SCOPE: A scorecard for osteoporosis in Europe
Upcoming publication in the online journal Archives of Osteoporosis http://link.springer.com/journal/11657
Osteoporosis in the European Union: Medical Management, Epidemiology and Economic Burden Arch Osteoporos 2013
Hernlund E, Svedbom A, Ivergard M, Compston J, et. al. A report prepared in collaboration with the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industry Associations (EFPIA). Arch Osteoporos 2013 [in press]
Osteoporosis in the European Union: A compendium of country-specific reports. Svedbom A, Hernlund E, Ivergard M, et al. Arch Osteoporos 2013 [in press].
About SCOPE
The ScoreCard for OsteoPorosis in Europe (SCOPE) is an independent project that seeks to raise the awareness of osteoporosis care in Europe. Led by a multi-stakeholder group of experts and chaired by Professor John Kanis, President of the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), this project will, for the first time, enable an in depth comparison of the quality of care of osteoporosis across the European Union's 27 member states. In creating a scorecard the group intends to set a benchmark for best practice management of osteoporosis and achieve marked improvements in the quality of care of the disease throughout the EU.
SCOPE draws on independent research from two major sources: IOF audits compiled by IOF member national osteoporosis societies in Europe, as well as the comprehensive new report 'Osteoporosis in the European Union: Medical Management, Epidemiology and Economic Burden'. The detailed report behind SCOPE is soon to be published in the journal 'Archives of Osteoporosis'. From this data, a one-page scorecard was developed to provide a unique overview of the status of osteoporosis in Europe.
About IOF
The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) is the world's largest nongovernmental organization dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and related musculoskeletal diseases. IOF members, including committees of scientific researchers as well as more than 200 patient, medical and research societies, work together to make bone, joint and muscle health a worldwide heath care priority. http://www.iofbonehealth.org
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
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Public release date: 17-Apr-2013
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