A8 – December 18, 2009 – INDIA-WEST

ANALYSIS / OPINION
A Hidden Truth about Climate Change Other Voices
By RIANE EISLER these natural disasters.
Studies show that women are 14
flash flood occurred, they sadly
stayed and drowned.
Meg Whitman Right
Choice for California
T he Copenhagen Climate
Change Conference makes
evident potential catastrophic
times more likely to die in natural
disasters. One heart-rending study
of a Bangladesh flash flood found
Such cultural restrictions are
inhuman, not only to women, but
to children. Yet, their implications
effects of climate change, in- that 90 percent of casualties were for any Copenhagen climate pacts
cluding its enormous economic female. Many factors contributed are still generally ignored.
and human tolls. It also clearly to this high casualty rate, all were Also ignored are studies show-
shows how poor nations in Africa, avoidable. A woman’s role in this ing that when women become
Southeast Asia, Latin America and Southeast Asian nation, as in involved in disaster-response
island states will suffer most from most of the Middle East and parts planning and training there are
the inevitable floods, droughts and of Africa, is one of dependency far fewer casualties — not only
File photo of Meg Whitman greeting well-wishers at an event announc-
other weather disasters. — so of course, these Bangladeshi of women, but of children and the ing her candidacy for the 2010 Republican gubernatorial nomination
But there’s more that needs to women were not taught to swim. elderly. One study even found no on Sept. 22, 2009 in Fullerton, Calif. (Getty Images)
be made clear in Copenhagen. If But perhaps the most important casualties when women engaged
we look closely, there’s a hidden factor was that they lived and died in disaster-response prepared- By RAJIV DUTTA eBay grew from a small start-
truth with huge implications that in a culture where women are so ness. Special to India-West up with 30 employees and an
we must bring to the attention of rigidly controlled that they aren’t It’s incumbent upon us to bring unproven business model to
conference delegates to ensure
that allocated funds actually
permitted to leave their homes
without being accompanied by
a male family member. When the
this information to the attention of
U.N. officials such as Yvo de Boer,
executive secretary of the United
O nce bolstered by innova-
tive high-tech and biotech
companies and an important
a nearly $8 billion enterprise
with over 12 million users in
California alone.
protect those most vulnerable to
agriculture industry, California’s Meg’s strengths were ideal for
economy is now burdened by a business growing as rapidly as
high taxes and onerous regula- eBay was. Everything seemed
tions. limitless, and there were mul-
According to a Milken In- tiple directions the company
stitute report from June 2009, could have taken. Meg was
California lost 21 percent of its able to focus on the things that
manufacturing jobs between actually mattered, come up with
2000 and 2007. It’s not surprising the solutions and move onto the
business leaders consider Cali- next challenge. She also had
fornia to have one of the worst the unique ability to recognize
business climates in the nation, urgent crises and address them
and employers are taking their effectively.
jobs elsewhere. The great example of course
Today, in light of weak con- is during eBay’s 1999 outage.
sumer demand and government Meg had sleeping bags and cots
red tape, California’s businesses brought in and essentially made
have been forced to reduce their the conference room her new
inventories and trim their work- home until the site was back up
forces. The cost of doing business and running. We may not have
in California is just too high. survived as a business had Meg
We can’t let California be- not shown the leadership and the
come a failed state. It is for drive to really see us through.
this reason I am supporting Meg also proved she is ca-
my good friend Meg Whitman pable of making tough choices
to be California’s Republican and will stand firm for what she
nominee for governor. believes. Following the outage,
Meg has the right kind of bold eBay had a decision to make as
vision, leadership experience to whether or not we were going
A young woman activist writes a message during a “Global Day Of Climate Action” march in New Delhi Dec. 12. The and integrity to lead Califor- to refund money to our users.
Copenhagen Climate Change Conference makes evident potential catastrophic effects of climate change, but there’s a nia during these challenging Technically, we didn’t have to
hidden truth with huge implications: Studies show that women are 14 times more likely to die in natural disasters. times. refund everybody, and the re-
Author and activist Riane Eisler says that in contributing funds for disaster training and response, the U.S. should
insist that a sizable portion be given to women’s organizations. (Getty Images) She’s got a strategy for help- fund would have amounted to a
ing the private sector create significant financial issue for the
Nations Framework Convention two million jobs by 2015. She company. I remember sitting in
AFFRDABLE $1,000,000 LIFE INSURANCE on Climate Change, and to official will cut taxes and reduce the a conference room where every-
Guaranteed Coverage & Annual Premium for Policy Term for Sample Age Male national delegations and nongov- regulatory burden to give busi- one in the room discussed why
ernmental groups attending the nesses greater incentive to eBay should not have to pay this
Sample 5-Years 10-Years 15-Years 20-Years 25-Years 30-Years Up To Age
Age Term Term Term Term Term Term 100 Term Copenhagen meeting. invest, expand and hire more refund to its customers. Meg lis-
20 $225 $225 $285 $385 $530 $620 $2010* In contributing funds for di- workers. She has also pledged tened to all the reasons and then
30 $225 $225 $285 $415 $580 $680 $2970* saster training and response, the to streamline regulations and disagreed. She said, “What’s the
40 $295 $295 $405 $605 $1060 $1149 $4710* U.S. should insist that a sizable modify workplace rules to en- right thing to do?”
50 $830 $830 $1315 $1735 $2560 $2840 $7350*
portion be given to women’s orga- sure California is competitive The right thing to do was
60 $2355 $2355 $3475 $4995 $7420 $11950 $13510* with other states. pay the refund, and that’s what
70 $7320 $7320 $11435 $15370 $21850 $23210* $23210* nizations. This is essential if our
monies are to be used effectively Meg believes that the only way we did. eBay had a poor quar-
Above quoted sample premiums may include a policy fee for non-tobacco preferred classification from
!"#$%&"'()'*+,&"!(#)%&-(.)/01)*%)/021)34)05)65)7(#-)8*+,&"45 and equitably. our state can rebound is if we re- ter, but we did the right thing
89(':)*$%)LOWER),%(+!$+)'*#-);*%)-9()FEMALE)'*+,&%!"<)=!-9)-9()SAME AGE MALE);*%)-9()#&+(),>&"?) We can use the Copenhagen dedicate ourselves to education. from an ethical standpoint and,
&+*$"-)&".)'>&##!;!'&-!*"5 conference as a way of chang- If we don’t, our ability to innovate interestingly, from a business
You pay !"#"$%#&'((#)) '>&##) !"#$%&"'() '*#-) (@(") -9*$<9) *+#,-.-**/ (0-12"3/ %#&'((#4/
ing restrictive traditions that are and create the next generation of standpoint. It won us a loyalty
(23-5/678/929-)$#()(A!#-#5
egregious human-rights violations companies and jobs in California that endured for a long time.
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(forbidding persons to leave their — to create the next eBay, for When I look at our fractured
&".)+&4)@&%45)D%(+!$+#)&%()'$%%("-)&#)*; March 2008.)89(':)=!-9)$#);*%)&"4)'9&"<(#5))
home alone is a form of house ar- example — will diminish. And legislature and the inability of
CHECK OUR VERY COMPETITIVE OTHER LIFE PLANS we will wake up one day in a governors over the last decade
rest!). We can also help the U.N.
! Universal Life ! Whole Life ! Survivorship Life ! second-rate state. to get things done, I am more
! Impaired (Non-Standard) Life Insurance ! carry through on its promise to
institute gender architecture I realize running California confident then ever that Meg
!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP MEDICAL PLANS
mainstreaming. This will promote is a daunting task today, but has the integrity, focus and com-
! Anthem Blue Cross ! Blue Shield of CA ! equal partnership between men I’ve seen Meg take on and meet monsense to move our state in
! Health Net ! Universal Care ! and women, and show that when many challenges. the right direction.
E&@"!-)D&-(> ! Kaiser Permanente ! Aetna ! we speak of democracy and hu- Meg and I worked side by side California has to start produc-
man rights, we really mean it. for the better part of 11 years. ing jobs again, and Meg is just
Phone: (818) 550-0419 & Fax: (818) 553-1130 (Eisler is the author of “The Beginning at eBay, I saw first the person to help our state
Real Wealth of Nations: Creating hand what a smart, effective create them.
leader she was and her deter- (Rajiv Dutta is the former
KAMINI INSURANCE SERVICES a Caring Economics” and presi-
dent of the Center for Partnership mination to create jobs and op- chief financial officer of eBay
1415 East Colorado St; Suite 200, Glendale, CA 91205 CA Insurance License Studies.) portunities for prosperity. and served as president of eBay,
#0538809 During her tenure as CEO, PayPal and Skype.)
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