Happiness Initiative
Co-founder of the Happiness Initiative and Executive Director of Take Back Your Time, both in Seattle, Washington; writer and documentary-maker whose books include Take Back Your Time: Fighting Overwork and Time Poverty in America, Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic and What's the Economy for, Anyway?: Why It's Time to Stop Chasing Growth and Start Pursuing Happiness
Bhutan, the United Nations, and Gross National Happiness Forty years ago, the King of Bhutan, a Himalayan country of less than a million people, suggested that "happiness" should replace economic output as a measure of human advancement. Last week, his grandson – the current king – led a UN conference on " Happiness and Wellbeing : Defining a New Economic Paradigm." Which are the "happiest" countries? Who decides? What are the obstacles to reaching the UN's new goal?
Gross National… Happiness? "Happiness" is a right enshrined in the Declaration of Independence. Is it a better measure of human "progress" than "Gross National Product?" The king of the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan proposed the idea 40 years ago, and last week, his grandson -- the current king -- led a UN conference on " Happiness and Well-Being ." Canada, France and Britain are among the countries agreeing that measuring economics is not enough. But how can "happiness" be measured? Can it be achieved through government policy? Does Bhutan itself offer a good example? What about the United States?
How Much Does Vacation Matter? Members of the Senate and Congress are on summer breaks all over the world, visiting war zones as well as ancient ruins and sunny beaches. President Barack Obama is doing his best to get a much-need break from the burdens of office, taking his family to Martha's Vineyard. But less than half the American workers entitled to vacations are taking their full time. Many say there's just too much to do, or they're afraid of losing their jobs. Whatever happened to “mental health days?” Doesn't time off help prevent burnout and increase productivity? Would requiring vacations be a kind of healthcare reform, in addition to boosting the tourist economy?
Ex-FBI Director Comey tells his side of the story Today, former FBI Director James Comey came close to calling the President who fired him a liar. The White House denied the claim and called it insulting, but Republican Senators did not challenge Comey’s truthfulness. Many questions remain: did the President try to obstruct a federal investigation? Later, we’ll go behind the “velvet rope” for a look at 5-Star health care for the richest Americans.
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.
President Trump: US to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord Trump says he was elected to serve Pittsburgh, not Paris.
Trump's 'America First' goes missing abroad In the Middle East, President Trump is changing some policies of the Obama Administration—and reversing his own campaign attacks on Islam as a religion that "hates us." We hear about his visit to Saudi Arabia and what's at stake for the rest of his foreign excursion.