Ice Power

The best and worst places in the world to be a woman: U.S. barely cracks the Top10

Iceland is the best place for women.
Photo via Expatify.com
Chad is the worst.
Photo via HeyOKMagazine.com

The Daily Beast has released a report entitled "Where Women Are Winning," showcasing countries where females receive the most fair treatment under the law, the most political and economic power and the best access to education and health care.

The United States just barely made it into the top 10 at No. 8.

It looks like we could take a few pointers from Nordic countries: Iceland (No. 1) has a government agency dedicated to gender equality and it has closed 83 percent of the gender gap according to the World Economic Forum. Sweden (No. 2) offers new parents 16 months of paid maternity/paternity leave. Denmark (No. 4) spends almost three percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on government-funded child care.

The bottom 20 countries on the list are mostly clustered in Africa and the Middle East. The Republic of Chad, also known as the "Dead Heart of Africa," ranked very last at No. 165, behind Afghanistan, which has supposedly made great gains since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. Other countries that are bad for women include Pakistan, Sudan, Cameroon and Saudi Arabia.

The report itself reveals many interesting points about the status of women — for instance, how Rwanda has made significant improvements in gender equality since the country's new government came into power in 2003, and how this lesson might be applied to other countries in the wake of the Arab Spring.

But the list and the accompanying interactive map leave something to be desired. The data seems vague, possibly incomplete. There is no way to access the rank of the 125 countries that fall somewhere in the middle between the best and the worst. Where is Mexico? Where is India?

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no more trips to Colorado

Bill to legalize marijuana in Texas filed by Dallas Democrat

Photo courtesy of Texas Original

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Texas Rep. Jessica González (D-Dallas) has filed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Texas. House Bill 1208 would legalize the cultivation, manufacturing, transportation, and sale of cannabis.

The bill would allow adults 21 and older to use, possess, and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for personal use. Adults could also keep up to 10 ounces of cannabis in their residence, as long as it is stored in a secure location.

Smoking or consuming cannabis while in a public place or in a car on a public road would not be allowed.

Gonzalez filed the bill in mid-November, one in a suite of bills that also included expanding insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization for LGBTQ couples; and requiring landlords to disclose all fees before a rental lease is signed.

Her bill was filed prior to an initiative launched by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on December 4 to ban THC products in Texas entirely.

In addition to legalizing recreational use, the bill also makes provisions for its production and sale including requiring that the packaging be child-resistent and clearly labeled, so that it's not confused for candy.

Businesses looking to grow, transport, test, or sell cannabis would need to be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. A 10 percent tax would be imposed on the sale of all cannabis and cannabis products. Some of the profits would go towards funding public schools.

If passed, the bill would take effect on September 1, 2025.

Medical cannabis is currently legal in Texas under the Texas Compassionate Use Program, which allows low-THC cannabis to be prescribed for conditions such as epilepsy, MS, autism, cancer, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Some cities have also approved decriminalization for the possession of four ounces or less of marijuana, including Austin, Bastrop, Dallas, Denton, Elgin, Killeen, and Lockhart.

politics marijuana