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Home Topics Social Policy and National Integration The need for gender-inclusive policies in a post-pandemic world
Social Policy and National Integration
The need for gender-inclusive policies in a post-pandemic world
Tengku Qistina
COVID-19, Gender, Women Economic Stimulus Package
As the world shut its borders to control the spread of Covid-19, concerns for women were raised.
That concern comes as the uneven scales of gender equality tipped further during the pandemic to reveal a major disparity in how women experienced Covid-19 differently.
Among other things, women's responsibilities have extended beyond the stereotypical cooking and cleaning.
They now include tutoring, as children attend online classes at home following the closing of schools.
As the country enters the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) and society adapts to the "new normal", it is important that the nation's road to recovery is seen as an opportunity to introduce more gender-inclusive policies in the country to ensure a step in the right direction to achieve a gender balance.
Recently, the government released the Penjana economic stimulus package.
This package has taken a step in the right direction by introducing measures that support women's empowerment.
One of the incentives introduced included social assistance in the form of a one-off financial aid to vulnerable people, of which also covered single mothers.
Female entrepreneurs are also supported through the economic stimulus package, with RM50 million allocated for them.
This is in contrast to the previous economic stimulus package introduced earlier in the Movement Control Order (MCO), which faced criticism for not being gender sensitive enough, as the financial assistance given could not easily reach women who have been abused.
There are a few key steps Malaysia must take.
Firstly, the Malaysian government needs to take a stance on gender-related issues that will stand the test of time.
At the core of the issue is to ensure that policies sufficiently support and empower women at all levels.
Key to this is to fulfil international obligations and deadlines, such as the timely submission of Periodic Reports to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, (CEDAW).
Unfortunately, Malaysia's past history of submission has not been impressive and leaves much room for improvement, as highlighted in the Women's Aid Organisation (WAO)'s report on women's human rights in Malaysia, published in 2019.
Secondly, gender mainstreaming needs to translate into policies.
The current government is not short of recognising gender thus far.The illustration of "Mak Cik Kiah" in the implementation of the initial Prihatin Rakyat economic stimulus package is evident of the recognition of women's contribution to a household and the roles they play.
However, the government needs to take a step further and act upon the gender difference it has recognised by crafting new policies that introduce fundamental changes to how a woman's work is valued and compensated.
An example and an aim the government can emulate is the Hawaiian State Commission on Status of Women's "Feminist Economic Recovery Plan".
It is a feminist government agency that works towards achieving equality for women and girls in the state.The policies proposed centre on how the government can introduce measures that target the Hawaiian women's recovery.They do this by restructuring the focus away from military and tourism, and into PPE manufacturing, for instance. This is just one of the many opportunities available to balance the scales.
It is important to note and realise the advocacy of gender equality is a global struggle that even Western countries face and struggle with. As such, it is essential that the relevant authorities and key stakeholders hold and meaningfully engage in discussions and dialogue to best understand how Malaysia can progress in implementing a gendered lens in policymaking.
Thus far, Malaysia has managed to show its capabilities and potential through the measures introduced in managing the first wave of contagion.There is no reason why it cannot continue to show its potential in achieving gender equality through the remainder of Malaysia's Covid-19 recovery period, and beyond, too.
This article was first appeared in New Straits Times on 4 July 2020.
Qistina first joined ISIS Malaysia as a Researcher in September 2016 following her LLB Law degree from The University of Manchester. In August 2018, she left to pursue her MA in National Security Studies at King's College, London. Her thesis focused on the terrorist use of the internet, fusing her interest for Terrorism in Marawi, Southern Philippines and Cybersecurity. Upon completion of her Master's degree, Qistina initiated a Network of Women in Foreign Policy and Security in Malaysia while she continues her research in Cybersecurity and Terrorism. She is currently a Senior Researcher, and reports to Mr. Terence Too Yang-Yau, Fellow, Social Policy and National Integration (SPNI). Qistina is contactable at extension 149, or tnqistina@isis.org.my.
By: Tengku Qistina
It is a shame if we learn nothing from 2020
Malaysia, once praised by the WHO as 'united' against COVID, has gone back into lockdown
2020 In Review: World News
Should COVID-19 Vaccines Be Mandatory?
Community responses to Gendered issues during Malaysia's fight against COVID-19
ISIS Malaysia engages actively in Track Two diplomacy, and promotes the exchange of views and opinions at both the national and international levels.
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Mr Barney Riley
Barney has a legal background and practiced commercial law for six years before joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2001. During his time in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade he has worked on a wide range of issues, from trade negotiations to climate change and international law. Previous appointments include postings to the New Zealand embassies in Tehran and Geneva, and Ambassador to Egypt in 2014-2018 (where he was also non-resident Ambassador to Algeria, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia, and New Zealand Representative to Palestine).
Barney is currently a Lead Negotiator in the MFAT's Trade and Economic Group, responsible for New Zealand's trade negotiations with China, as well as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). His previous role in Wellington was the Manager of the Trade Law Unit in the Ministry's Legal Division. The Trade Law Unit provides legal support in trade negotiations, advice about the consistency of New Zealand policy with our international trade law obligations, and leads New Zealand efforts to resolve trade disputes through international dispute settlement processes.
Barney attended the University of Otago in New Zealand where he obtained a Bachelor of Laws with Honours, and completed his Professional Legal Studies in Wellington where he was admitted to the Bar in 1995.
Dr Narongchai Akrasanee
Dr Narongchai, a Thai economist / technocrat, is known for his continuous involvement in the economic development of Thailand in many capacities, and in ASEAN and APEC affairs. He had previously served in the Thai government, including as Advisor to several Thai prime ministers, Minister of Energy, Minister of Commerce, as well as Senator and a member of the National Legislative Assembly. He has worked on ASEAN and APEC affairs all along, being an initiator of AFTA and the APEC Leaders Meeting. He has also served as Chairman of the Thailand Committee for PECC. Dr Narongchai is on the board of several publicly listed companies in Thailand, and was also Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of Thailand. Having graduated with a PhD in Economics from Johns Hopkins University, Dr Narongchai has a keen interest in education and research. He is the founding member of Thailand Development Research Institute and is Chairman of the Khon Kaen University Council.
YB Dato' Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali
Dato' Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali is Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI). In his previous portfolio as Minister of Economic Affairs (May 2018-February 2020), Azmin was instrumental in introducing the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030. He oversaw a broad spectrum of agencies including those directly involved in infrastructure, wealth creation and redistribution, private equity ownership and the short as well as mid-term economic planning and implementation of the country's socio-economic development. During his tenure as Chief Minister of Selangor (2014-2018), he was instrumental in placing Selangor more prominently on the regional map after having maintained the state as the biggest contributor to the national GDP. Azmin is a member of the Economic Action Council (EAC) and is also on the Board of Directors of Khazanah Nasional Berhad. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Mathematics and a Master's degree in Education and Economics from the University of Minnesota.
Ms Shanti Jagannathan
Shanti Jagannathan is Principal Education Specialist in the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department of Asian Development Bank (ADB). She works on ADB education sector policies and strategies, and provides technical advice to ADB's lending and non-lending education operations in the Asia and Pacific region. Shanti has over 25 years of experience with education sector transformation initiatives and reforms in school education, technical and vocational education, and training and higher education in Asia. She has led policy research studies on skills for greening economies, Asia's knowledge-based economies, innovation and implications of industry 4.0 on education and training, among others. Shanti has contributed to international cooperation in education at policy and operational levels, and has been on advisory bodies, steering committees and working groups on education development, gender equality, elimination of child labour, democracy and human rights, and scholarships for underprivileged students.
Mr Mohammad Manzur Rahman
Mohammad Manzur Rahman is the founding director for Marketing and Innovation at Aspirasi, a fintech specialising in micro-financing and micro-insurance, a subsidiary of the regional leader Axiata Group. Manzur has spent over a decade in the mobile telecom industry as well as in the government sector, leading design, implementation and deployment of digital financial services, brands and solutions across various countries in Asia. He is also a business graduate from NSU and has attended executive education programmes at London Business School, INSEAD and IMD. Manzur is currently based in Washington, DC.
Ms Sharifah Najwa Syed Abu Bakar
Sharifah Najwa Syed Abu Bakar is Chief Officer of Knowledge Management and Strategy Division, SME Corporation Malaysia, a central coordination agency for SME development under the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (MEDAC). Her current role includes working closely with local and international stakeholders in analysing and formulating SME development policies, as well as coordinating SME development across government ministries, agencies, the private sector and various regional and international platforms, such as ASEAN, APEC, UN, OECD, and OIC, among others. She has extensive experience in various international trade negotiations. She is Lead Negotiator for Malaysia for Economic and Technical Cooperation as well as the SME Working Committee for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). She is also involved in designing various developmental programmes to facilitate internationalisation of SMEs in Malaysia and the region. She has been working in partnership with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in carrying out the Third Country Training Programme (TCTP).
Prof Naoko Iwasaki
Dr Naoko Iwasaki is Professor at the Institute of e-Government in Waseda University, President of International Academy of CIO (IAC), and Deputy Director of APEC e-Government Research Center. Dr Iwasaki's research areas are CIO, D-Government, ageing society and ICT, and smart digital city. She received her Master of International Relations and PhD of Global ICT from Waseda University. She has been project overseer of APEC project on "Smart Silver Innovation" since 2019, committee member of JANPEC since 2015, committee member on "Government Innovation" of MIC in 2015, and project director on "Silver Business Innovation" of METI in 2015. She served as Deputy Chair of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) on SDGs in 2018 and 2020. She was co-editor of A Decade of World e-Government Rankings (IOS Press, 2015), and received the "Jantima Memorial Award for Women CIO and ICT Leadership" in 2017.
Dr Peter Cowhey
Dr Peter Cowhey holds the Qualcomm Endowed Chair in Communications and Technology Policy, and is Dean of the School of Global Policy and Strategy at UC San Diego. An expert on the future of communications and information technology markets and policy, he specialises in US trade policy, foreign policy, the Internet and international corporate strategy. His two recent books are Digital DNA: Disruption and the Challenges for Global Governance and Transforming Global Information and Communication Markets: The Political Economy of Innovation. In the last year, Cowhey served as Chair of a bipartisan group of experts on technology, foreign policy and US-China relations. Previously, Cowhey was Chief of the International Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the Clinton administration. In 2009, he had a 12-month assignment as Senior Counselor to Ambassador Ron Kirk in the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Cowhey is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Dr Jayant Menon
Dr Jayant Menon is Visiting Senior Fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, following his early retirement from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), where he was Lead Economist in the Office of the Chief Economist. He started work at Monash University on its original campus in Clayton, Melbourne. He has also worked at the University of Melbourne, Victoria University, ADB Institute in Tokyo and American University in Washington, DC. He holds adjunct appointments with the Australian National University, University of Nottingham (United Kingdom) and Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) Malaysia. He has served on the Advisory Boards of Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI) and University of Nottingham, Malaysia. He has authored/edited 15 books, 40 chapters in books and 80 articles in peer-reviewed journals.
Assoc Prof Dr Andrew Kam Jia Yi
Dr Andrew Kam graduated with a first class degree in Economics from National University of Malaysia (UKM) in 2002. He received the prestigious Chevening scholarship in 2006 to pursue his MSc in Economics at University of Warwick. In 2008, he was awarded the Endeavour Postgraduate Scholarship to pursue his PhD in Asian Studies at the Crawford School of Economics and Government, Australian National University. He was also a Fulbright Scholar in University of California, Santa Barbara (2015/2016). He is currently Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS), and Associate Professor of Economics at UKM. He has served as a consultant to many national and international organisations – Malaysian Productivity Corporation, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, UNCTAD and UNESCO. He is currently working with the National Economic Recovery Council and helped drafted the COVID-19 National Economic Recovery Plan on Trade and Investment.
Mr Muhundhan Kamarapullai
Muhundhan Kamarapullai (or Muhu) has over 20 years of experience in the domains of digital transformation, entrepreneurship, education, healthcare and organisational capability development. At Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), he is Director of the Business Digital Adoption Division. He leads a team that looks into policies and initiatives to support traditional businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises' (brick and mortar) move towards digitalisation.
Mr Lu Guangtong
Lu Guangtong is a researcher and engineer of Digital Economy Lab, Department of Information Policy, China Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team. He mainly engages in research on the Internet platform, digital service tax and international cooperation in the field of digital economy. He is the lead researcher of the digital service tax research project conducted by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China, and one of the key authors of the "Blue Book of Industry and Informatization: Annual Report on the Development of Digital Economy" (2018-2019 and 2019-2020). Lu also serves as Secretariat of the Chinese delegation to the G20 Digital Economy Task Force in 2020.
Ms Elina Noor
Elina Noor is Director of Political-Security Affairs and Deputy Director of Asia Society Policy Institute, Washington, DC. A native of Malaysia, Elina's work focuses on security developments in Southeast Asia, global governance and technology, and preventing/countering violent extremism. Previously, Elina was Associate Professor at the Daniel K Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies. Prior to that, she was Director of Foreign Policy and Security Studies at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia. Between 2017 and 2019, Elina was a member of the Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace. She was educated at Oxford University, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and Georgetown University.
Dr Heungchong Kim
Dr Kim Heungchong had served the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP) for 19 years before he led the institute as President since June 2020. He has been deeply involved in the policymaking process of the Korean government in the fields of economic, trade and diplomatic policies. He was a Fulbright Visiting Scholar in University of California, Berkeley, and has held visiting positions at Ifri (Paris), VUB (Brussels) and Marmara University (Istanbul). He is the President-elect of the European Studies Association of Korea for 2021. Dr Kim's expertise includes trade policy, European studies and regional integration. He has published more than 70 papers and books, and has actively contributed to various newspapers and TV programmes in Korea and abroad. Before joining KIEP, Dr Kim was an Honorary Member of the High Table in Christ Church, Oxford. Dr Kim read economics at Seoul National University and University of Oxford.
Ambassador Su Ge
Ambassador Su Ge was appointed as the PECC Co-Chair on 27 June 2018. Ambassador Su Ge is a senior diplomat and scholar. He has been President of China Institute of International Studies (CIIS). Ambassador Su received his MA and PhD from Brigham Young University and was a Post-doctorate at Harvard University. He was a Senior Fulbright Fellow at Georgetown, John Hopkins and Washington Universities. Before joining CIIS in 2000, Ambassador Su was a professor at Foreign Affairs College and a doctoral supervisor at Tsinghua University. Since 2003, he has served consecutively as Minister Counselor in Chinese Embassy in the USA, Ambassador to the Republic of Suriname and Ambassador to the Republic of Iceland.
Mr Eugene Wong Weng Soon
Eugene Wong is CEO of Sustainable Finance Institute Asia (SFIA) Limited. He was recently Managing Director, Corporate Finance & Investments of the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC). His portfolio covered initial public offerings (IPOs), corporate bond and sukuk issuances, collective investment schemes and take-overs. He oversaw the SC's ASEAN-related initiatives and was Chair of the Deputies of the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum (ACMF) and Co-Chair of the Sustainable Finance Working Group (SFWG). In addition, he was Co-Chair of the ASEAN Working Committee on Capital Market Development (WC-CMD). Eugene was responsible for accounting related matters at the SC and was a Board Member of the Audit Oversight Board. He served as Advisor to the Malaysian Accounting Standards Board, and was previously a Council Member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) and Chairman of its Ethics Standards Board.
Datin Seri Sunita Rajakumar
Datin Sunita Rajakumar is a professional independent director and strong advocate of the importance of governance in general and risk management in particular. She founded Climate Governance Malaysia, which is the country chapter of the World Economic Forum's Climate Governance Initiative. She is Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia, promotes gender diversity on boards with the 30% Club, a member of the Global Advisory Board of Nottingham University's School of Business as well as the Advisory Panel of the UN Global Compact Malaysia's Sustainability Center of Excellence, and a workstream lead for the CEO Action Network, an industry-led initiative to increase sustainability and climate resilience. Besides, she is Chair of Caring Pharmacy and independent director of Bursa-listed Dutch Lady Milk Industries, MCIS Insurance (a member of the Sanlam group) and Zurich General Insurance, as well as trustee of five charitable foundations.
Dr Richard Cantor
Dr Richard Cantor is Chair of the United States Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (USPECC). Cantor serves as Chief Credit Officer for Moody's Corporation and Moody's Investors Service, a position he has held since 2008. From 2009-2019, he also served as Moody's Corporation's Chief Risk Officer. Appointed by the US State Department in 2015, Cantor served a three-year term in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Council (ABAC), during which he chaired ABAC's Financial and Economic Working Group. Prior to joining Moody's, Cantor held a variety of positions at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and was an adjunct professor at New York University's and Columbia University's business schools. He has also taught Economics at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and The Ohio State University. Cantor obtained his BA in English and Economics from Tufts University, and PhD in Economics from Johns Hopkins University.
Dr Yose Rizal Damuri
Dr Yose Rizal Damuri is one of the Co-Chairs for the Indonesian National Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (INCPEC), and Head of the Department of Economics at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). His research activities focus on international trade, regional integration and globalisation of value chain. He is active in several research and advisory networks in Indonesia and East Asia, such as Indonesia Services Dialogue (ISD) and Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network on Trade (ARTNeT). Yose also teaches International Economics courses at the Faculty of Economics, University of Indonesia, his alma mater. He continued his studies at the National Centre for Development Studies, Australian National University and obtained his Master of Economics of Development. He received his PhD in International Economics from the Graduate Institute of International Studies (HEI), Geneva, Switzerland.
Dr Kiki Verico
Dr Kiki Verico is Deputy Director of the Institute for Economic and Social Research – Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Indonesia (LPEM FEB UI). He is a tenure track lecturer (Assistant Professor) at the Department of Economics, FEB UI. Since 2020, he has served as an industry and international trade advisor to the Finance Minister of the Republic of Indonesia. Kiki obtained his bachelor's degree in Economics (Monetary) from University of Indonesia in 2000, International Masters in Regional Integration (IMRI) from University of Malaya and Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (double degree) in 2005, and Doctor of Philosophy in International Studies (Regional Economic Integration) from Waseda University in 2013. He is the single author of a book entitled The Future of the ASEAN Economic Integration (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2017).
Dr Vo Tri Thanh
Dr Vo Tri Thanh is currently Senior Expert (former vice-president till October 2015) of the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM). He holds a BSc from the Moscow State University, and a Master's degree as well as a PhD in Economics from the Australian National University. Dr Vo mainly undertakes research and provides consultation on issues related to trade liberalisation and international economic integration and macroeconomic policies. His other areas of interests include institutional reforms, financial system and economic development.
Mr Felix Weidenkaff
Felix Weidenkaff works at the International Labour Organization (ILO) of the United Nations in Bangkok as Employment Specialist to provide technical advice on employment as part of the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team for East and South-East Asia and the Pacific (ILO DWT-Bangkok). Previously, Felix served in the Employment Policy Department of the ILO in Geneva, leading research, capacity building and advisory services on evidence-based policymaking, active labour market policies as well as partnerships for youth employment. Prior to joining the ILO in 2012, Felix worked in the Division on Investment and Enterprise of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Felix holds an MSc in Development Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Dr Tan Khee Giap
Dr Tan Khee Giap is Associate Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, and Chairman of the Singapore National Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation. Dr Tan graduated with a PhD from University of East Anglia, Norwich, in 1987. He has consulted extensively with government ministries and statutory boards of Singapore, and served as a consultant to such international agencies as the Asian Development Bank, Asian Development Bank Institute, United Nations Industrial Development Group, World Gold Council, ASEAN Secretariat, Central Policy Unit of Hong Kong, Kerzner International, Las Vegas Sands and Marina Bay Sands. Dr Tan is the lead author of more than 20 books and has published extensively in international refereed journals. His current research interests include econometric forecasting, cost of living and purchasing power index, global liveable cities index, ease of doing business index, and competitiveness analysis sub-national economies of China, India, Indonesia and ASEAN.
Ambassador Sergio Ley-Lopez
Ambassador Sergio Ley-Lopez is Chairman of the Mexico National Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation. He has served in various capacities with the Mexican Foreign Service since 1984: Cultural Counselor in Beijing (1984-1990); Deputy Chief of Mission in Singapore (1990-1993); Consul General in Shanghai (1993-1995); Director General for Pacific and Asia at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1995-1997); and Ambassador to Indonesia (1997-2001) and China (2001-2007). He is currently Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Business Section in the Mexican Business Council for Foreign Trade, Investment and Technology (COMCE). He is also a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Council (ABAC), and Editorial Board Member in the International Affairs Committee for El Universal (a Mexican newspaper based in Mexico City).
Mr Shiro Armstrong
Dr Shiro Armstrong is a Fellow at the Crawford School of Public Policy. He is Director of the Australia-Japan Research Centre, Editor of East Asia Forum, and Director of the East Asian Bureau of Economic Research (EABER) in the College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University. He is also Visiting Associate Professor at Keio University, Research Associate with the Center on Japanese Economy and Business (CJEB) at Columbia Business School, and Visiting Scholar at the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI), Japan. He is the Australian representative on the Research Institutes Network (RIN) of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA).
Mr Vangelis Vitalis
Vangelis Vitalis is Deputy Secretary of Trade and Economic at the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He is also Chair of the APEC Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) for New Zealand's host year in 2021 and Chief Negotiator for the free trade agreement with the European Union (EU). Previously, Vangelis was the chief negotiator who concluded the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Before that, he led the conclusion of the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement and the Malaysia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement. Vangelis has also worked as an economist at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Secretariat, and chaired (in his personal capacity) the OECD Joint Working Party on Trade and Environment (JWPTE) and the OECD Global Forum on the Environment and Climate Change. Prior to taking up his role in 2017, Vangelis served as New Zealand's Ambassador to the EU and Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva.
Dr Richard Record
Dr Richard Record is the Lead Economist for Malaysia in the World Bank Group's Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment Global Practice. Based in Kuala Lumpur, he manages the Bank's engagement on economic policy issues in Malaysia, including publication of the flagship Malaysia Economic Monitor and the report on Malaysia's Digital Economy – A New Driver of Development. Richard has previously worked across a number of countries in the East Asia and Africa regions, managing programs on macroeconomics, trade and private sector development, including assignments based in Lilongwe, Vientiane and Hanoi. He holds bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees in economics respectively from the London School of Economics, the School of Oriental and African Studies and the University of Manchester.
Ambassador Don Campbell
Don Campbell serves as International Co-Chair of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) and Chairman of the Canadian National Committee for PECC. He is Senior Strategy Advisor with DLA Piper (Canada) LLP. Don has an extensive background in the international arena in both the public and private sector. From 2000-2007, he was Group President at CAE Inc. His distinguished career with Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade includes serving as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and G8 Sherpa (1997-2000), Canadian Ambassador for Japan (1993-1997), Deputy Minister of International Trade (1989-1993) and Canadian Ambassador to Korea (1984-1985). He is Distinguished Fellow of the Asia Pacific Foundation (APF) of Canada, serves on the Global Council of the Asia Society, New York, and is a member of the board of directors of the Japan Society, Canada. He serves on the board of directors of Toyota Canada Inc. as well as private company boards.
Mr Herizal Hazri
Herizal is known for his engagements with think tanks, civil society, and governments particularly in the areas of development and democracy. Outside Malaysia, he has worked in eleven Asian countries, namely in Indonesia, East Timor (now Timor-Leste), Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Chinese Taipei. In 2004, Herizal managed the only International Election Observation Mission for Afghanistan's Presidential Election and deployed 45 long-term and short-term observers to Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran. Herizal also served as a member of the International Contact Group (ICG) for the peace process in Mindanao where he assisted the Malaysian Government's facilitator to the peace process, the Mindanao Islamic Liberation Front peace panel, as well as the Government of Philippines peace panel that led to the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro in 2014. He has been widely quoted on issues such as countering violent extremism, peace processes, and development economics, as well as contemporary ASEAN issues. Herizal was a recipient of the prestigious Draper-Hills Fellowship at Stanford University, and was a Chevening Scholar at Birkbeck.


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Diplomacy, Economics
South Korea asks for US action on its ongoing row with Japan
Japan and South Korea are deadlocked over economic issues.
Written by Zaffar Abbas
South Korea has asked the United States to intervene to resolve the ongoing row with Japan.
Deputy Foreign Minister Yoon Soon-gu and David Stilwell, the US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, discussed ongoing issues affecting the South Korea-US alliance and the trilateral relationship with Japan, both ministries said Saturday.
In the talks held on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Thailand, the two senior officials pledged to maintain close coordination to ensure the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea. They also reaffirmed the importance of trilateral cooperation between the US, South Korea and Japan, the US Department of State said in a statement.
Seoul's Foreign Ministry also said Yoon requested action from the US, as the conflict with Japan over history and trade continues to intensify.
"Deputy Minister Yoon explained our government's efforts to come up with a rational resolution via dialogue and asked the US to play a role in improving South Korea-Japan relations," the ministry said in a statement.
Bilateral ties between South Korea and Japan deteriorated to their worst level in recent months after Tokyo imposed export controls on South Korea that could significantly impact the supply chains of semiconductor and display companies here. The decision is widely viewed as retaliation after South Korea's Supreme Court ruled that Japanese companies are obligated to pay damages to South Korean victims of wartime forced labor.
Seoul also decided to withdraw from an intelligence-sharing pact with Japan, the General Security of Military Information Agreement, citing lack of trust.
In the meeting, Yoon and Stilwell issued a fact sheet elaborating on how to pursue cooperation in accordance with both South Korea's New Southern Policy and the US' Indo-Pacific Strategy.
"This cooperation is based on shared US-South Korea values and commitment to the principles of openness, inclusiveness, transparency, respect for international law, and ASEAN centrality," the US Department of State said.
Stilwell is scheduled to arrive in South Korea on Tuesday for a three-day trip here, as part of his Asia trip. The US official is expected to raise the issue of GSOMIA, which expires Nov. 22.
At an Oct. 26 press conference during his visit to Japan, Stilwell highlighted the benefits of GSOMIA for the trilateral relationship between the US, South Korea and Japan.
About the Author: Zaffar Abbas	ANN's Board member Mr Zaffar Abbas, Editor of Pakistan's Dawn has won the 2019 Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protest Journalists.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home > Home lead > Hong Song: A night with Hong Kong's very own Welsh Male Voice Choir
Hong Song: A night with Hong Kong's very own Welsh Male Voice Choir
Cathy Duncan
THE culture of Wales is alive and well in the city of Hong Kong. Founded in 1978, the Hong Kong Male Voice Choir is made up of over 70 members from 12 different countries, including three from in and around Cardiff.
Michael Price, 62, from Llantwit Major, is a member of the bass section, and has been in the city for 36 years. He said: "I like the singing. I like what we do. We do go abroad on trips. We've performed in the Royal Albert Hall and the Sydney Opera House, and once a year we travel to Bangkok and perform for the Welsh community there."
Second Tenor Mark Evans, 43, from Cardiff has been in Hong Kong for six years. He said: "I think I enjoy the challenge because I can't read music. I've never been in a choir before so it was a completely new experience. They're a cracking bunch of lads, and we have a really good time."
The Hong Kong Male Voice Choir warms up
Second Tenor Neil Drave, 52, from Newport, has been in Hong Kong for 30 years. He said: "I love the sense of it being a family, I think. We have a good time, we are very relaxed. But there is a discipline to it too. You have your rights and responsibilities, and at the end of the day if you all play the game then you have a good time."
The choir rehearses every Tuesday from 7.30pm at the Li Hall in the ground of St John's Cathedral on Hong Kong Island. New members and visitors are always welcome.
cardiff, Choir, culture, Hong Kong, Male Voice Choir, singing, wales, Welsh
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Chris Genry and his husband, Colin Griffith live in Denver, Colorado.
...and in less than a week, we had completely scheduled out the celebrations of our engagement and marriage… right down to the destinations, the venues, the guest lists, who would make the cake, the villa we would rent for our wedding night, and the events we would host for guests. Through the eleven months of our engagement, only small details would change from that initial plan conceived over coffee in bed one Sunday morning.
The fine detail that took quite a bit longer was the rings. He wanted metals; I wanted gems. We agreed an extended engagement period was necessary for a destination wedding, but we also wanted rings NOW. Though we wanted immediate symbols of our love and commitment for everyone to see, we did not want them to be "temporary". The rings we would wear from the start would stay with us forever.
We visited a select few jewelers that not only showcase inventory but also offer customization. Should we design a ring in two parts, that comes together as a united whole at the wedding ceremony? Should we select two completely unique rings that can be worn together? We found numerous ways to disagree.
The fun thing was that everyone --to a man and woman-- who assisted us with this project was energized by it and added great ideas. Who knew there are yellow diamonds? I was fascinated by all the unique options for stones, and he kept reeling me back. We were shown items in catalogues, items kept in the safe, photos and sketches. This was taking a long, long, time; but it was worth the wait.
Eventually we discovered a solitary, discontinued ring in a remote jeweler case two floors above a pedestrian street. It was a solid platinum Scott Kay-designed ring, with a uniform etching resembling snakeskin. It lacked gems, but it appealed to both our designer sensibilities. And it was heavy. This is a ring that will last forever. And in this unexpected moment we quickly reached complete agreement. Unlike the hetero-conventional approach of diamond first, band second, this solid metal piece would be our engagement ring, and we would add a custom band of diamonds at the wedding. They would be white, but they would be diamonds!
Our jeweler was able to convince Scott Kay to open the mold and make another copy of the discontinued ring. We sketched out a fine, intricate platinum setting that would be completely concealed by a ring of small diamonds. And presto… he got his metal, I got my gems. True, I had to wait several months for it all to come together. But when it did, on that beautiful sunset-lit beach in Puerto Vallarta, it was magical.
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For the third year in a row, Rachel Buller (Broker/Owner of Manitou Springs Real Estate) has obtained the status of Peak Producer – and it's a big deal!
What exactly is a "Peak Producer"?
Simply stated, Peak Producers are local Realtors in the top 10% of their field – based on volume of listing and sale transactions.
According to statistics from the Pikes Peak Multiple Listing Service (PPMLS) there were 3,274 active real estate agents in the Colorado Springs (and Teller County) area in 2016. That number is 293 more than the previous year and almost 38% more than three years ago.
The increasing number of Realtors in our region means more competition, but it doesn't necessarily translate into more competency or dedication. Peak Producers – the top 10% of agents – each closed a minimum of 26 transactions in the year 2016. Whereas the number of transactions closed by all other agents was less than half that: 11 transactions on average. In fact, of the 3,275 agents in the Pikes Peak region last year, 1,409 of them (43%) closed only 3 deals or less last year. 12.2% of those did not close any transactions.
If you are seeking an established agent with a high volume of sales and a demonstrated track record, wouldn't you opt for a Peak Producer?
Rachel Buller has been working as a full-time Realtor in Manitou Springs since 1998. Her commitment to the community goes far beyond being a local business owner. She is and has been involved in many local groups and organizations and gives back to the community. Last year, Manitou Springs Real Estate gave over $10,000 to community projects and non-profit organizations!
With Rachel and her team of five agents and three support staff at Manitou Springs Real Estate, you are assured of having both compassionate and competent representation. We have been the top selling real estate agency in Manitou for several years running and we are always striving to serve you better by constantly training and upgrading our skills. If you want local experts to help you in buying or selling your property in Manitou Springs, the Westside, Ute Pass, or anywhere in the Pikes Peak region, give us a call today (719) 685-0220 or visit our website www.ManitouSprings.com. It is our sincere pleasure to assist you!


text:
CITY ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP WITH DELIVEROO
Club to team up with delivery service
NORWICH CITY are pleased to announce Deliveroo as the club's 'Official Takeaway Delivery Service Supplier'.
Deliveroo partners with a number of restaurant chains and top quality independents around the globe to deliver delicious food to your home or office.
Deliveroo Regional Manager Xavier Collins said: "We are really excited to be working with Norwich City FC, as they are a great club with such a passionate supporter base.
"We've seen a big appetite for Deliveroo in Norwich since we launched last year, so this partnership is a natural next step for us."
Norwich City Football Club's Head Of Partnerships, Stephen Hobin added: "The great thing about this partnership is it provides another outlet for supporters, staff and residents in the City to take advantage of our very own Delia's catering in the comfort and convenience of their own homes.
"Yellows American Bar & Grill has a full menu live on the app so I would encourage everybody to go online or download the Deliveroo app and take a look at what Yellows has to offer."
The partnership will officially launch in the summer of this year where fans can expect to see Deliveroo branding around the stadium, pitch side, in the concourse areas and through Norwich City's restaurant Yellows.
In the meantime, customers can enjoy the Deliveroo service by downloading the app or visiting the Deliveroo website.


text:
Spotify And Apple Music, Together, Captured 54% Of Global Music Streaming Market In Q1 2020!
By Abhradeep Ghosh
BriefAbhishek - January 3, 2021 0
Happy B'Day Gordon Moore: One Of The Founding Fathers Of Silicon Valley
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While the global outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic seemed extremely detrimental and disastrous for most industries, it has improved the overall scenario of the worldwide music streaming industry.
According to a new report by the global research firm CounterPoint Research, the race for subscriptions in the online music streaming market space is heating up with every passing quarter.
On Wednesday, the report revealed that in Q1 2020, the global online music streaming subscriptions increased a whopping 35% YoY, reaching to 394 million.
Spotify and Apple Music, the two dominant players in the industry, controlled more than half of the market.
Spotify grabbed the first spot by leading the chart accounting for 30% of the global music streaming market in terms of revenue and 33% in paid subscriptions. Followed closely, Apple Music secured the second spot with 25% and 21% share in terms of revenue and paid subscriptions, respectively.
Source: Counterpoint
Clearly, just like iPhone, Apple is reaping the maximum benefit of owning premium customer base as each Apple Music user spends more money than Spotify.
But it was Amazon Music that made heads turned. Despite capturing the third place, Amazon Music attracted the eyeballs with its impressive 104% YoY growth in subscription count.
Abhilash Kumar, Research Analyst at Counterpoint Research, in a statement, said that Spotify's growth was mainly fueled by its strong performance in the Asia Pacific and Latin America regions.
The Swedish music streaming service Spotify came up with many attractive promotional offers in emerging markets. For instance, in India, which is currently one of its key markets, it slashed its yearly plans from Rs 1,189 (US$16) to only Rs. 699 (US$9). By leveraging research, Spotify tapped into various new segments such as podcasts, playlists for pets and even ended up launching a new service in the form of a standalone app known as "Spotify Kids," which is targetted towards parents having small children.
Like Spotify, Apple Music pushed out an attractive promotional offer of free six months worth of subscription in the 52 new countries it expanded to. The company also kept adding new features to its platform continually. For instance, with the iOS 13.4.5 release, they enabled their users to share their music on Instagram and Facebook stories, which eventually resulted in increased social media engagements.
The astounding 104% YoY growth Of Amazon Music was mainly driven by its HD arm known as Amazon Music HD, which offers free lossless music streaming for 90 days.
Music Streaming Industry Growth: Driven By Paid Subscribers
While Apple, Spotify, and Amazon dominate the global music streaming market in the paid segment, the scenario changes when it comes to monthly active users (MAUs). Tencent Music, backed by the trio of QQ Music, Kugou and Kuwo, emerges as the winner with 657 million MAUs in China.
When putting together, the figures reveal some interesting insights; The reported 35% YoY growth in paid subscriptions is more than 20% YoY growth in monthly active users. It indicates that more number of users are actively upgrading themselves to become premium subscribers to enjoy the ad-free and uninterrupted experience.
The report's findings are a testimony to the fact that the music streaming platforms, which are a part of the OTT industry, experienced a considerable uptick and boom, primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As more and more people had to stay indoor to practice social distancing, they got ample time to explore the services they never paid attention to before.
OTT Streaming
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Spotify Miffed with Apple One
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Is Apple Trying To Replicate The Success Of Amazon Prime With Apple One?
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Global Music Streaming Paid Subscriptions by Brand Share 2019
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Music Streaming Platforms In India: Gaana And JioSaavn Account For Over 50% Market Share!
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Netflix Net Income by Quarter: Q1 2002 – Q2 2020
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1075 Budapest, Kiraly street 15.
A 5-minute walk from Deák Ferenc square, right next to the Király street entrance of GOZSDU udvar.
There are numerous parking houses in the neighborhood, for more information please click here.


Anti-gang advocate Sukhi Sandhu says he will be watching closely as the new city council in Surrey attempts what many local governments before have considered but few have done: replacing its RCMP with a municipal police force.
The city is among the fastest growing in the province, with a young and diverse community that speaks more than 100 different languages and where about one-third of its residents are under 19. It's expected to surpass Vancouver in population as the largest city in B.C. by 2041.
With that growth, the longtime resident said he's concerned about gun violence involving youth, even as the RCMP says overall crime is on the decline.
When two teenagers were found dead on a rural road in what police called a targeted shooting in June, Sandhu said many in the city felt the same way: "Enough is enough."
"We have no hesitation in saying that we are at a crisis point socially in Surrey," said Sandhu, who is a spokesman with the anti-gang violence group Wake Up Surrey.
"We've seen rapid growth in our city in terms of our development but at the same time we've seen a social decay."
The latest shooting death in Surrey has uncovered signs of tension over the city's decision to replace the RCMP with its own police force.
Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum released a statement saying the death is "yet another example of the ongoing trauma and fear that are being inflicted on the communities, residents and families of Surrey."
One of the mayor's election promises was to get rid of the RCMP in favour of a municipal force, and McCallum said council is moving rapidly on that front.
The mayor said he's "dismayed" by the resistance from the provincial level and he urged Premier John Horgan to remove any roadblocks to help the transition proceed.
RCMP Deputy Commission Brenda Butterworth-Carr then issued a statement in response to McCallum's comments, saying as citizens of the region they, too, are alarmed when there is gang violence in our streets.
"Statements like this risk undermining public trust and confidence in police," she said. "Any erosion of public trust and confidence challenges our ability to solve complex cases with assistance from people who are often reluctant to participate in the first place."
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth also responded to McCallum's claims in a statement, saying the government is working with Surrey on its policing plan.
"No one is putting up any roadblocks," said Farnworth. "We are prepared to work with the mayor. He has to be willing to work too. A new police force isn't created over the weekend but the province is committed to working with the city as they move forward."
Premier John Horgan said there is a "serious issue" with gang shootings in the Lower Mainland and the province wants to address that. He said the province would work with McCallum when the mayor brings forward a plan.
"We need to have a plan. You can't just get in front of a microphone and say, 'Why haven't you fixed this?' It takes work and he knows that full well."
"Until Surrey RCMP is no longer the contracted police service, our employees must be allowed to and will continue to police safely and effectively. I will not allow public confidence in policing to be undermined or eroded," she concluded.


Vocal Percussion is a place to grab strange and unique sounds, beats, loops etc.. Consider this place like an antique shop, garage sale or goodwill.. Either you find exactly what you're looking for or you need to dig through the baby clothes or cluttered shelves a bit to find something you may like, and can repurpose.
You'll find some gems, but you can also find some garbage. But don't forget..! One man's trash is another man's treasure..
*All audio files were recorded with a Sennheiser ME 66 Shotgun Mic, running through a sound devices mix-pre-D and captured in a zoom H4N.
No tracks you hear are layered or processed in any way. Not even a basic EQ. RAW baby.
Beatboxing beat and SFX - all done with my vocals, no processing.
Beatboxing beats and SFX for looping or whatnot - all done with my vocals, no processing.
Echoey beatboxing beat and various SFX to pull from - all done with my vocals, no processing.
Beatboxing beats and SFX to pull from - all done with my vocals, no processing.
Some beatboxing stuff here with various SFX- all done with my vocals, no processing.
A very human/tribal breathing beat. Good for loops or whatnot - all done with my vocals, no processing.
Tuvan-esque throat singing. It hurt. Hope you can use it! - all done with my vocals, no processing.
Assortment of Tuvan-esque throat singing and loop opportunities - all done with my vocals, no processing.
Vocal Powerbass loops - all done with my vocals, no processing.
closed-mouth beatboxing. Various scratch sounds and other SFX - all done with my vocals, no processing.
A vocal percussion beat, pretty tribal in nature - all done with my vocals, no processing.
Tribal-esque percussion beat. Strange chanting/breathing beat - all done with my vocals, no processing.
Beatboxing track for loop harvesting and whatnot - all done with my vocals, no processing.


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Anita Marie Johnson, 62 of Portland, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on July 15, 2018 after battling a long illness.
Born and raised in Portland, she was the daughter of Frank Fagone and Margherite Federico. Anita grew up on "the hill" and graduated from Portland High School in 1973. She went on, as she refers to it, to become a beauty school drop out. She held other jobs through the years until she found the job of a lifetime: being a stay at home mom. Her two daughters, Gina and Francesca, were her life and she truly believed she was put on this earth to raise them to be strong, loving, and compassionate women and to teach them all of her life lessons.
Anita lived by the saying "whatever is meant to be will be." Her positive and upbeat attitude helped her cope with many of the obstacles thrown her way and would try to find the humor in the darkest of situations. She also believed in the phrase "laughter is the best medicine." You could always find her telling a dirty joke and livening up any conversation. Anyone who came to her house, be it friends of her children or relatives, knew enough to take a seat in the living room and chat for a few minutes regardless of the reason for the visit. They always left in tears from laughing so hard and if you didn't have a good sense of humor, you likely weren't invited back to her house.
Anita was known for the things she enjoyed such as shopping, Italian food, bimonthly manicures, and Christmas time. There was nothing she loved more than to go for an afternoon of shopping with her daughters followed by dinner at one of her favorite restaurants. Eggplant parmesan was her favorite, but she always said Guy at Quatrucci's made it best. She would always receive compliments on her nails and toenails, as they were always done up in some shade of red or pink to match her outfit for the coming weeks. Her latest shade, OPI on Collins Ave, was a fan favorite. Shortly after Thanksgiving, you could find Anita getting ready to set up for Christmas. She loved the snowfall, twinkling lights, religious decorations, songs, and how people became kinder and more generous that time of year. She enjoyed seeing the surprised and delighted looks on her family's faces when she gave them the perfect gift they were never expecting. In the rare occasion that you didn't like her gift, you had to be prepared to receive a long and dirty look followed by a lecture about how she didn't actually have to get you anything at all and that she could take back the rest of the gifts she also gave you. Knowing Anita, this would also end in laughter.
Anita is survived by her two daughters, Gina and Francesca Johnson of Portland and her husband of 32 years Gregory. She is predeceased by her father, Frank Fagone, her mother Margherite Federico, her brother Daniel Alfiero, and her premature twins baby girl and baby boy Johnson.
We would like to thank the countless doctors, surgeons, nurses, and staff at Maine Medical Center for the numerous stays Anita had there and at Casco Bay Dialysis for the care she received. You all helped her have more precious time with her family and we are sincerely grateful. A special note of gratitude is extended to the SCU, R5, and R7 staff. We are forever indebted for the kindness, attention, and care you all showed Anita and our family during this difficult time.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Heart Association, The National Kidney Foundation, and The ALS Association.
Visitation will be held from 12:00 – 2:00 PM with a funeral service at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, July 24, 2018 at A.T. Hutchins Funeral Home, 660 Brighton Ave., Portland.


Larrabee Farms is a family run operation that lies in the fertile Butte Basin area of the Northern Sacramento Valley. We have been actively farming in the Sacramento Valley for four generations now. We pride ourselves on being a smart and progressive farming operation that seeks to do better today than we did yesterday. The ultimate goal is leaving our operation in better shape than we inherited it, just like our family members did before us. We are constantly searching for efficiencies to improve our business practices and creating better quality in the products we produce. We also strive to teach people not affiliated with agriculture the benefits we provide to those who consume our products and enjoy the many benefits of the wildlife that use our farm for a stop over break or year-round home.


In the time of now-and-not-yet tangled together, I pray that my final days of Advent anticipation shall slow down and seem more sacred.
Poetry pours from my soul as I offer God this hope.
me: more free. Hushed. Be.
This past Monday one of my former students was shot and killed on the streets of Chicago.
Advent is a time of darkness. Sometimes it is obvious to us that there's a such thing as holy darkness. And, sometimes the darkness is so cold and heavy that it seems to swallow our hope.
During Advent we are called to open up our lives to the hope that our heartaches make us hungry for. No matter how overwhelmed or ugly things may seem, we try to resituate our habits and hearts and create time and spaces so Love may arrive and change us.
When the darkness that corrupts our anticipation is because of ugly injustice, we can become tempted to turn away from Truth. The Truth is that many powerful promises are packed into the waiting within Mary's womb.
How do we not give into the temptations so that we remain faithful to our trust in Love? The nativity story teaches us that we can only do this through community. Together we know that even when life flings the worst at us we need to allow openings as wide as canyons for Christ's coming. No chaos ought to cause us to close our minds or hearts to the changes that come from Christ's presence. Really wide openings of anticipation and healing hope emerge when we collect as communities and pray, cry, vigil, and serve together.
Only when we're bonded together can Christ's peace crack through the din of despair. That's why good Advent activity happens in community.
Mensa's death on Monday was another moment of senseless street violence. No one should ever be killed by another person, but when the victim is a young man full of great energy it's especially awful. I knew Mensa from when I served at the now-closed St. Gregory the Great High School in 2008-2009. Then, he was an ordinary teenage boy who was very kind, smiley, helpful and humble– certainly someone who could have helped create more peace on the streets.
Before my former colleagues reached me with the news about Mensa, another sister and I had spent some of Monday night hanging up Christmas decorations. We giggled, climbed on furniture and hung lights and bows in open spaces around the house as cheery Christmas carols blared from the stereo. I had the special privilege of setting up the simple nativity scene on the commode in our dining room. The nativity scene is the centerpiece of all our decorations, so I tried to arrange it with great care.
In the creche, Mary, Joseph, an angel, and a couple of animals all are focusing their attention on an empty trough. When Baby Jesus shows up on Christmas Eve, he'll get tucked right into the little bed that they're focused on. Although Mary and Joseph are technically just figurines in the scene, their posture is a great reminder for me of how to wait in holy darkness.
They're together. They're quiet. They're very still. They could get tired from being faithful to allowing an open space for God to be between them. Yet, they boldly believe that Love will arrive, so they continue to wait.
We all are waiting for Love to arrive and feed our hungry, hurting hearts. We are together, trying to be quiet and still, no matter the commotion. We may get tired and overwhelmed by the injustices and suffering, yet we're trying to allow signs of hope to be seen in the darkness. We'll light candles and vigil on street corners, we'll fast outside government buildings and we'll pray through the night. As we do, we'll create openings for quiet so Christ can come tell us of light, peace, and joy.
The holy darkness gets cold, especially when someone like Mensa dies. Yet we'll keep waiting in silent expectation because we still believe. Even in the darkness, healing happens and hope can arrive. Amen!
An eagerness for an improvement lives deep within the groans of our society, our culture, our selves. We don't feel as well as we would like. We have a sense that something is wrong and someone might know the answer. We wonder who to turn to. We suppose that God might show us a New Way, but we aren't really sure what it would take from us.
We set an appointment with a sage, a doctor, an advisor, a Christ. We cancel other events and open up space, our minds, our hearts, our lives. We want a new consciousness so we can know what we need to do to feel well. We gather up what we think belongs to us: our time, our knowledge, our strength, our pride. In short, we cling to our possessions and carry them with us.
We move out the door and to bus stops, cars, trains. Fear knows we're up to something important so the journey is rough. Spies track our routes across stormy seas, down winding roads, along steep cliffs. Yet, we get to where we think we need to be. We arrive together.
It turns out that they're not ready for us. We have to wait in rooms full of books and news magazines. Some of us have to wait in chapels and others wait where it is wild with nature. In separate places, we are united together.
Although we are together, we are different. Others are confused about what we're doing here and there. Some are even angry because they don't understand. Still, we remain confident that we're in the right place. They tease us and ask us silly questions. We declare we have an appointment and our time is soon.
We insist on sticking around. Really, we are so desperate to feel better that we are willing to keep waiting at all costs. We are willing: we'll give up our jobs, we'll fast, we'll protest, we'll go to jail if we must. As we wait we study the Bible and remember recent history. We pray ancient psalms and poetry. We are not leaving.
We keep believing that soon we'll have our time. We have hope that the consciousness is coming. Hope is our mantra and our message. We know there's a Way.
We're waiting in a room full of hope. We believe and trust in God. We're excited and we're happy. We wait in Love.


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text:
In the Flesh? - utwór muzyczny brytyjskiego zespołu rockowego Pink Floyd. Pochodzi z wydanej w 1979 roku rock opery/concept albumu The Wall, i - jak większość utworów z tej płyty - napisany został przez ówczesnego lidera grupy, Rogera Watersa.

Kompozycja
"In the Flesh?" to stosunkowo dynamiczne wprowadzenie do jednego z najsłynniejszych albumów zespołu. Pierwsze 17 sekund stanowi dość ciche intro będące duplikacją linii melodycznej pochodzącej z kończącego płytę "Outside the Wall". Taki zabieg koncepcyjny, mający na celu uzyskanie efektu cykliczności dzieła, był dość często stosowany w pracach grupy za czasów artystycznej dominacji basisty i kompozytora Rogera Watersa. Innym zabiegiem służącym podkreśleniu takiej koncepcji są słowa kończące ostatni utwór i rozpoczynające pierwszy. "Outside the Wall" kończy się zwrotem "czy to nie tutaj...", natomiast to, co najpierw słyszymy w "In the Flesh?" to kontynuacja tej frazy: "...zaczynaliśmy?". Takie "klamry" spinające początek i koniec albumu mają za zadanie podkreślić, że proces, który został na nim przedstawiony, trwa nieprzerwanie, i każda próba wyrwania się poza ten zaklęty krąg prowadzi tylko z powrotem na jego początek.

Po tym wprowadzeniu utwór nagle "wybucha" zarówno dźwiękiem jak i dynamiką - efekt ten uzyskano dzięki zastosowaniu zniekształconych partii organowych. Ta część trwa przez mniej więcej minutę i 15 sekund, po czym rozpoczyna się główna, liryczna część, podczas której słyszalny w tle motyw przewodni kompozycji staje się zdecydowanie cichszy i mniej potężny niż we fragmentach instrumentalnych. Jednak gdy po kolejnych 38 sekundach partia wokalna dobiega końca, linia melodyczna utworu wraca do swego poprzedniego, dynamicznego charakteru. W tle słychać też bardzo charakterystyczne dla Pink Floyd wzbogacające przekaz dźwięki pozamuzyczne - tutaj jest to Roger Waters udzielający instrukcji ekipie technicznej ("Lights!", "Roll the sound effects!", "Action!"), odgłos nurkujących bombowców (sfabrykowany za pomocą przekształcenia dźwięków gitary elektrycznej), a także płacz niemowlęcia - łącznik z "The Thin Ice".

Fabuła
Jak wszystkie utwory na płycie, "In the Flesh?" przedstawia część historii jej głównego bohatera, gwiazdora rockowego imieniem Pink. Według wyjaśnień samego autora "album zaczyna się na koncercie, potem cofamy się w czasie i poznajemy historię bohatera" - historię, która doprowadziła go na ten stadion i do tego stanu psychicznego. Pierwszy utwór stanowi właśnie ów fragment otwierający: przedstawia Pinka jako wyniosłego, aroganckiego gwiazdora spoglądającego z pogardą na zgromadzonych na widowni słuchaczy i "wielbicieli". Dostrzega hipokryzję i prawdziwe pragnienia kłębiącego się pod sceną tłumu - stara się je zaspokoić, ale także z pewną goryczą oznajmia im, że tak naprawdę wcale go nie znają i "jeśli chcą się dowiedzieć, co jest za tymi zimnymi oczyma, muszą przegryźć się przez to całe przebranie". Po "In the Flesh?" - swoistym intro - płyta cofa się w czasie aż do najwcześniejszego dzieciństwa bohatera, i rozpoczynamy, piosenka po piosence, odkrywanie historii kryjącej się "za chłodnym spojrzeniem" wokalisty rockowego.

Wersje koncertowe
Podczas pierwotnej trasy promującej The Wall utwór ten był wykonywany na scenie przez grupę sobowtórów w maskach odlanych z twarzy członków Pink Floyd, praktycznie nieodróżnialnych od swoich pierwowzorów. Ich faktyczna tożsamość wychodziła na jaw dopiero pod koniec utworu, gdy na scenie pojawiał się prawdziwy zespół. Później imitatorzy pojawiali się także jako "surrogate band" ("grupa zastępcza") podczas wykonywania repryzy utworu, "In the Flesh". Stanowiło to swoistą grę Watersa z publicznością; miało w autoironiczny sposób obrazować bezsens stadionowych koncertów wielkich gwiazdorów rocka, bezmyślnych spędów, podczas których ludziom tak naprawdę nie chodzi o prawdziwe obcowanie ze sztuką czy artystą, a raczej o "dreszcz emocji" wywoływany przez jakichś "gwiezdnych kadetów".

Podczas zorganizowanego na placu Poczdamskim spektaklu The Wall, wykonanie utworu "In the Flesh?" powierzono niemieckiej grupie Scorpions, która wjechała na scenę limuzyną, świadomie wzmagając tym samym przesłanie utworu: przekonanie Watersa o izolacji dzielącej wielkich artystów stadionowych od własnej publiczności.

Wersja filmowa
Na początku filmu widzimy Pinka siedzącego w zamkniętym pokoju hotelowym; wraz z wybuchem głośnych, heavymetalowych fraz gitary tłum ludzi wdziera się do środka. W tym momencie nagłe cięcie przenosi akcję do czasów II wojny światowej: następuje kilka sekwencji przedstawiających zamieszki uliczne; motyw, do którego reżyser wróci jeszcze nieraz podczas trwania filmu. Widzimy też atak niemieckiego bombowca nurkującego Ju-87 Stuka na bunkier, co symbolizuje śmierć, którą na wojnie poniósł ojciec bohatera. Podczas sekwencji obrazujących koncert rockowy odtwórca głównej roli, Bob Geldof, przedstawił własną interpretację obu części "In the Flesh".

Covery
 1995 - swoją wersję utworu zaproponował amerykański zespół progresywno metalowy Dream Theater (na płycie A Change of Seasons)

Wykonawcy
 David Gilmour - gitary
 Nick Mason - perkusja
 Roger Waters - wokale, gitara basowa, VCS3
 Rick Wright - syntezatory
 Freddie Mandell - organy
 Joe Chemay, Stan Farber, Jim Haas, Bruce Johnston, John Joyce, Toni Tenille - chórki

Przypisy

Linki zewnętrzne

Piosenki Pink Floyd
Piosenki powstałe w roku 1979
Piosenki wydane w roku 1979

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
York University launches service transformation
In 2017, York University launched Project Benchmark, an initiative to identify administrative services that support teaching and research at York. The review looks at where those services are located, the efficiency and effectiveness of the services, and how the University's results compare to other universities in Canada and internationally.
With help from the community, York University through the UniForum program has completed two years of data collection. The results of the data collection and feedback from community members through the two-part service effectiveness survey, along with benchmarking York's results against other Canadian and international universities, indicate there are areas to create efficiencies and more effective ways of delivering services to enhance the overall experience for students, faculty and staff. Based on these results, York University is now launching a service transformation, using a holistic approach to transform services and how these services are delivered.
Service transformation is a collaborative partnership between academic and administrative units and uses a human-centred approach to engage University community members in redesigning services and service structures to best meet the needs of users.
The main goal of the project is to collaboratively create user-centred, high-quality, efficient and effective services. By embracing a new way of working, the Service Transformation Steering Committee – chaired by Lyndon Martin, dean of the Faculty of Education, and the service transformation teams – will work with functional and academic co-leads. The aim is a cultural shift that will result in a more agile and innovative University. The service transformation teams will work with stakeholders to create solutions that are centred around the needs of users through collaboration, co-design and collection of ongoing feedback.
The initial areas of focus for service improvement will be the finance and human resource functions. The steering committee will work with function-specific transformation teams to identify the criteria for the selection of priority areas and confirm the scope of services that will be addressed.
The future vision for York University's administrative services is a balanced delivery model that meets institutional needs with established service standards, alignment of resources to processes and measured outcomes. Key elements of the future state include, optimal streamlined processes, clearly defined roles and responsibilities, defined and agreed-to process metrics that establish standards and monitor performance, and shared services that are governed by the user. Process improvements will result in released capacity within the units and Faculties to perform higher value work, resulting in improvements to student, faculty and staff experiences, while at the same time freeing up resources to support teaching, research and the academic mission of the University.
Visit the service transformation website to learn more, or to get involved.


The folks over at iMortuary.com put together another headstone infographic, this time about Valentine's day. Viewers are always compelled by the morbid or weird, and this infographic has those elements in spades. Given that, I'm not surprised this went viral. That said, this doesn't follow the necessary foundations of an infographic. In other words, there is no data being visualized in this design, it is instead a great deal of text with some pictures beside it. If all the pictures were to be taken out of the infographic, it would still display all the same information… therefor it's not a graphical representation of information as much as a well designed topical article. iMortuary has some great ideas for infographics, I just wish they were presented more like infographics and that the design was unique (they used the exact same headstone design from their last infographic).
As mentioned, the concept is great, the data is very interesting, and the funny stories make it clear why this went viral, but the design is sub par at best. It's conceptualized well, but since it's been done before, it doesn't have any wow factor.
To improve this infographic, I think that a completely unique design should have been used. I think that a great deal of data could have been added to this infographic so that it didn't rely only on text to drive the story. Data could include number of deaths on Valentine's day year over year, number of near deaths, number of heart tattoos given on Valentine's day, etc.