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Women, Middle East
DECONSTRUCTING WOMEN AND POWER
I heard Patti Digh say once that we give up our power to the very people who took it away from us in the first place. Who has the authority to grant permission? That depends on your culture and your perception of who's in charge. Mostly in the West, when it comes to kids, parent(s) or the legal guardian has that power and right to justly care, manage and supervise another person in a fair and humane way, where rights are pretty much protected. Yet, in some Eastern cultures where men are traditionally in positions of power and authority have this right, not only over children but also over adult women. I don't believe this is an equitable distribution of power, nor is it a helpful attitude in developing nations where many factors already put women and children at a disadvantage.
Never Judge a Book by Its Cover. Yes, I was born into an Eastern family, but culturally I was raised American, with a values orientation that points West. It's a mindset that favors free will, openness, practicality, self-reliance, directness and healthy competition. No one, I repeat, no one, has the authority to lord over me and treat me like their property. I am not chattel. No one owns me. Not my father. Not my dear husband and certainly not my brothers. I may look "Arab" but that's just skin color and facial features, but that's the "evident culture" that sits above the water line. Deep below, you will find my true colors are "all-American," and that's where the hidden dimensions of culture lie. This is what makes me tick. While we are a composite of personality, country of origin and ethnicity, in a flat world, we don't realize that it's what you can't see: our values, attitudes, perceptions, deep cultural tendencies and expectations -- that are not only taken for granted, they are hugely misunderstood and at the root of misconceptions, bias, and outright conflict.
In Pakistan, although women's rights are largely defined (and derived) by religious and tribal customs, I think tribal customs or traditional practices are to blame for women's inequality. It's no secret according to the actual Islamic principles, not the ones interpreted by power-hungry men, that women have equal rights, but we will never be able to take advantage of those rights unless they are enforced social, politically and economically from the top down. What's behind this power is the notion of the notion of namus (face/honor) is the single most important underlying factor driving their national behavior. It's central to understanding what makes these men tick. They don't want to risk making a bad choice, or looking bad, or being ridiculed for an unmanageable wife and family publicly.
Baby, You Can Drive My Car (and Other Drivers)
Girls are raised according to these dimensions of culture with the expectation of a life that can seem like nothing more than a series of compromises. Yet, like many women around the world, while I'm personally comfortable with assuming the role of family caregiver, I also presume the rights and responsibilities that come with this position: Namely, the right to a just and humane existence along with personal sovereignty and dignity. Being a wife and mother should not be mutually exclusive of human rights.
The roots of this power play between men and women in Pakistan, especially in rural areas, goes back centuries. Women continue to be segregated from men (as in many Eastern cultures). They live in purdah, which means "curtain" in Urdu -- completely separate from men. The only contact they have with men is with members of the immediate family. In these areas, everyday tasks which involve leaving the house, like shopping, are carried out by men. Women's work involves staying behind to clean, cook and raise children. However, many Pakistani women go out to work these days and are increasingly experiencing more levels of equality with men. Life varies dramatically between regions of Pakistan. A more liberal middle class plays an important role in the big cities, where conditions differ greatly from those in rural areas, which are far more traditional. The area in the northwest, bordering Afghanistan, dominated by tribal customs, is extremely conservative and very traditional with a self-styled strict adherence to Islam favored by the Taliban.
In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, although women were previously forbidden from voting or being elected to political office, King Abdullah declared that women will be able to vote and run in the local elections and be appointed to the Consultative Assembly come 2015. Yet, the most recent act of rebellion came by car. Manal al-Sharif, a women's rights activist from Saudi Arabia helped start a women's right to drive campaign in 2011 because Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that prohibits women from driving. Enabling mobility can only empower women who make up nearly 20 percent of the country's workforce. The World Economic Forum 2009 Global Gender Gap Report ranked Saudi Arabia 130th out of 134 countries for gender parity. It was the only country to score a zero in the category of political empowerment.
The ongoing battle of the sexes is being played out in different stages in different cultures. Each one is working through deeply held-notions of who is in charge and why, by whose authority and at what price. It's not so much the notion of independence (of women) that seems to be at issue with traditional cultures so much as the loss of face (by men) when the power shift happens. Santosh Kalwar said, "a strong gives forgiveness but weak gives permission." My advice to the men who uphold traditional misogynistic practices that were created by and for them is to seek to be advisors, not grantors of permission. Therein lays your power.
It's the kind of power reflected in the upcoming documentary, Sweet Dreams Rwanda. The women depicted are so resilient and powerful. It seems they can deal with the worst situations often without an education or resources, and yet they are able to stand up for themselves to improve their lives and the lives of others -- thus improving the overall health, welfare and economy of their nation. It's a lesson we can learn from for a more just and peaceful world.
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/iram-ganju/
Tagged: WOMEN, POWER, PAKISTAN
DECONSTRUCTING THE GIRL EFFECT
Giving women all over the world a voice is empowering in ways we cannot imagine. It fosters the Girl Effect so that when we listen to them, we change their social conditions. This is crucial to solving the most persistent development problems we face in the world today. When we include girls in education, health and economic investment we have a better chance of preventing issues such as child marriage, teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and breaking the inter-generational cycle of poverty. Girls can't do this alone though. They need the world to listen to them and invest in their potential.
This is also part of the United Nations Millennium Goals to promote gender equality and empower women to eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education. And there is none as valuable as freedom of speech.
Once they are free to speak, and be heard, women and girls can become empowered as described in Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by husband-and-wife Pulitzer Prize winners Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn who argued that "the key to economic progress in the world lies in unleashing women's potential."
Pakistan is my country of origin and its first female fighter pilot, Ayesha Farooq fought her mother to pursue her dream and realize her potential. She is quoted as saying "In our society most girls don't even think about doing things as flying an aircraft," and I feel very proud of her courage which will have lasting empowering effects for other girls who dare to dream these seemingly impossible dreams. Yet, with these significant social changes, I can't help but wonder, as she is lifted from the intergenerational cycle of silence and powerlessness, what are the cultural implications? In Pakistan or the Eastern Society as I was raised to be quiet and obedient. I couldn't speak my mind or express my opinions because it was considered rude (badtameezi) or aggressive behavior. I was told "girls don't behave like this."
Today, in many cultures, from decision making to shopping, an unmarried woman needs permission from her father; a married women needs permission from her husband; and a widow needs permission from her brother. Many girls also do not have a voice in their own about who they choose to marry and when because they are still subject to the traditional practice of arranged marriage.
I am constantly reminded of this when my women friends and relatives tell me how lucky I am that my husband allows me to have my own career and make my own decisions. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. He's very supportive of me, my decisions, and my career. He's also helpful when it comes to participating fully as a partner in our family so that we can both accomplish our career goals without sacrificing the needs of our family. Since these are only cultural values, they are learned behavior which means they can be unlearned and the cycle of social oppression can be broken.
By comparison, women in the Middle East may undergo the issue more, but they are not alone. After reading Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg -- in which she examines why women's progress in achieving leadership roles has stalled, explains the root causes, and offers compelling, commonsense solutions that can empower women to achieve their full potential -- This is about women's rights, worldwide. She gave a perspective of what woman are capable of if they are given the chance, and how men can benefit by supporting them in allowing them the right to speak up and be heard. Thirty years after women became 50 percent of the college graduates in the United States, men still hold the vast majority of leadership positions in government and industry. This means that women's voices are still not heard equally in the decisions that most affect our lives. Astonishing.
In 2010, Sheryl gave an electrifying TEDTalk in which she described how women unintentionally hold themselves back in their careers. Her talk, which became a phenomenon and has been viewed more than two million times, encouraged women to "sit at the table," seek challenges, take risks, and pursue their goals with gusto.
Tagged: Fearless, Pakistan, Nicholas Kristof, Sheryl Sandberg
DECONSTRUCTING FEMALE PAKISTANI IDENTITY
Maybe I should be fearful. Heck, I was born and raised in Pakistan. To some, that's reason enough to be afraid, but I accept that in a post 9/11 America, my country conjures up all kinds of misconceptions and contradictions. To be fair though, what country is without them? What if I told you that Pakistan the most urbanized country in Asia? Or that English is the official language of business? Would you still be fearful of Pakistan or me for that matter?
I am a walking contradiction, but isn't the globalized world all about turning old notions upside down? I credit much of my fearlessness to being educated at a boarding school where I was exposed to the Western value of independence. If independence is one of the key dimensions of the Western mindset, then fearlessness is the byproduct. I am also the result of an utter yin-yang upbringing that was both rich in traditional Eastern values and progressive optimism, thanks to my parents, who were visionaries, despite their generation and beliefs. They believed I would benefit from a Western-style education. So in 1974, I was sent to St. Deny's all-girls Christian boarding school run by the British Missionary Group of Himalayan Schools. In 2010 it was burnt down by Islamic militants because it was smack dab in the perilous area of Murree; and, it shared a nearby border with the equally dangerous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which lacked any strong check posts.
Call me an optimist, but if history is any indication about the fearlessness of my people, then positive change is on the horizon, if not happening right now. Peshawar was once a major center of enlightened Buddhist learning in the 2nd century CE. It was also a central trading center at the busy intersection of the Silk Road; where East met, bought, sold and traded with the West. Despite current events, not only does nothing stay the same, but thanks to globalization, it doesn't stay the same for long. Right now, a deep historical legacy of progressive ideas is drilling through these hard scrabble mountain villages with democracy with the likes of Imran Khan. The youth support him and that he said, was his victory, despite losing the election on 14 May 2013. His party swept the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in the elections, I think, with a little help from the area's enlightened history.
Passionate, loyal, hospitable, and proud: American or Pakistani traits?
The Western ways are tantamount to my Eastern ones, even if that fiercely independent American mindset may seem to run counter to my Pakistani one (if not to human nature!). But then again, there's been a certain kind of love-hate relationship with West and Pakistanis have always trouble reconciling it. I read somewhere that because people are born dependent and connected to others, American independence may be hard to understand. I understand that it's not only desirable, but necessary. I get it. Their independence may be perceived as "selfish" to others, but I know from experience from an immigrant family that it's rooted in self-reliance. Ironically, it is precisely this unlikely aspect of the American mindset that glues such a big country together. It's what unites them.
Still, you've got to understand that Pakistanis -- who are like 85 percent of the rest of the world -- because they are relationship-oriented, or Collectivists. Not Individualists, or like Americans. Social networking doesn't count. If you want to know what makes them tick, you've got to really, really understand our strong need to form personal relationships. For example, when it comes to business, a Pakistani seeks to build trust in order to do business. For Americans, this is frustrating because this takes time. And for them, it's the other way around. Trust happens later, as a consequence of business, or what we call a track record.
Margaret Mead said (with irony I'm sure) that because of their age-long training in human relations, women have a special contribution to make to any group enterprise. When my father joined the World Bank in 1982, we immigrated to the United States and settled of course in Washington, D.C. Finally, I thought, I will have the freedom of choice and speech I need. As much as I love my culture, let's face it, the gender gap is huge. Men are in charge, so speaking your mind as a woman is just not done. The Peshawar province does not mean the "city of men" in Sanskrit for nothing. Little did I know that's I would have to be fearless and make life or death decisions, despite what I knew about eastern ways.
I refused to accept an arranged marriage and I married for love. Although my husband is Indian, he is neither from Pakistan, nor was he from the same religion which caused problems, but we overcame them. Since 1988, I have raised our four beautiful children and fearlessly followed my dream to have my own business. In 2007, an opportunity came along, and within a year, I established IKG Global Consultants in four countries including the U.S., UK, Canada and Singapore. My company provides international and domestic relocation services, destination services, human resource services, global payroll management and supply chain management, as well as supplier assessment and sourcing.
Since I worked with people from different backgrounds and cultures, traveling was never been an issue, but in June 2010 my father fell very ill and my courage was tested. Looking back, I feel proud of the strength God granted me to handle and accomplish something my father felt so proud about, not that he wasn't already proud of my accomplishments or my fearless personality.
In 2010 my dad was working in Yemen on a project for GOPA, a German development consulting firm that was developing and building a secondary education system for the young girls of tribal Yemen in coordination with the Yemini Ministry of Education. If these girls had access to education they could avoid the traditional practice of early childhood marriage. This work would have wide-ranging effects, not only on their health and welfare, but on that of their community and beyond. This has been an ongoing global problem that I am very concerned about because 10 million girls under the age of 18 marry each year, many as young as eight. In developing countries, one in every three girls marries before they are 18. Economically, an increase of only 1 percent in girls secondary education attendance, adds 0.3 percent to a country's GDP.
According to the World Health Organization complications of pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death in young women. Young girls who marry later and delay pregnancy beyond their adolescence have more chances to stay healthier, to better their education and build a better life for themselves and their families. So for me, since women's rights are a constant matter of discussion in Pakistan, it was important to contribute something positive to the emancipation of disadvantaged women, no matter where they are from.
Women do not always experience equality with men in Pakistan, but this is changing. Women's education has not been a priority in the past, but many more women are entering the labor force even though the majority of their jobs is often below the "threshold of decency." The situation is better in urban areas. Of course, I was the exception and I was able to work in what is considered the most coveted kind of position for an ambitious Pakistani woman -- with a multinational company where there is a chance for progression. Pakistan did, of course, have a female prime minister in Benazir Bhutto, and has had four other prominent female politicians, but each of these inherited their political career from their husbands/fathers and later became politicians in their own right.
Fear may be scary, but it's a powerful motivator. In June 2010, I got a call from Yemen that my dad was in the hospital on the project with a serious lung infection. I flew there in couple of days and my dad was not only relieved to see me but his condition had improved and he was released from the hospital. We made arrangements that he would rest at home and recover. Meanwhile, I planned to go back to the states and return soon to be with him. As soon as I landed in New York, I got a call from his wife that he was being taken back to the hospital. He had a heart attack. His kidneys were failing. I immediately had to get on the next flight back to Dubai and then on to Yemen. My dad was in the ICU at a Yemen hospital, a very male dominated society where people accept a hierarchical order. Everybody accepts their place and this behavior needs no further justification. Power is also very centralized and subordinates -- meaning women and children -- expect to be told what to do by the "benevolent dictator." A man.
By all accounts, I was Pakistani looking on the outside, but I am all American on the inside. Needless to say I had to dial back the I-am-women thing. I had to dress more modestly, headscarf and all according to tradition because I had to assert myself and become the decision maker for when it came to the health and welfare of my dad.
I spent hours at the ICU with my dad who was hardly conscious. I had to use various meditative and musical therapies to help me maintain my hope and buffer me against this chauvinistic Middle Eastern culture of doctors as my father's advocate. Fearlessly, I persuaded them not to do any surgeries or procedures because I wanted him to be treated in a hospital in the west. I made arrangements with the help of my dad's employers and health insurance agency in Germany to airlift my father from Yemen to Frankfurt. It took me five days to make it all happen and finally, on July 1, my Dad's birthday, I gave him the good news that we were flying out of Yemen in an air ambulance with a doctor on board to boot. We went through the required procedures and after ten days he was able to fly back to the U.S. on a commercial flight.
This experience gave me such a sense of accomplishment and triumph because I was able to help save my dad's life. I was brave and fearless in a country where women have to work so hard to earn their place and prove their worth; where their health and welfare is rarely considered. I was not only heard, but I spoke for a male elder in a position of authority.
Being fearless means not only stepping out of my comfort zone, but also persuading others to step out of theirs too. It means advocating for my rights and that of others, like my dad and for the human right of girls. It's about having a voice. It's about being heard and respected. It means having the courage to do what I have to, especially for the sake of justice, decency, and human rights.
Tagged: HUFFPOST
DECONSTRUCTING CUSTOM VERSUS LAW
The boundary between what is custom and what is law, differs from culture to culture. The lines can become blurred without our knowledge and when that happens, the laws of human nature nearly guarantee a collision. My name is Iram Ganju, and I ought to know because I personally experienced the implications of these two ways of determining right from wrong while I was caring for my Dad again, this time in a US hospital in 2012. Though my cultural mindset GPS was set to the "American mindset" I didn't realize that during this period of personal stress how easily it reverted back to what is familiar to me and unconsciously, it defaulted back to my "Pakistani mindset." While both settings are a result of learned behavior, I was surprised to realize, that after living a Westernized life for nearly all my adult life, how unconsciously my Pakistani ways of relating, regulating and reasoning kicked in.
We don't know who discovered water, but it wasn't a fish. Ironically, everything falls into place for me when it comes to personal and private family matters, such as a health care dilemma. I know my position within my family, my rights and responsibilities as a daughter, and the degree of authority I have. I would have thought that when it came to such matters in the States, the terrain would be no different. I am reminded of the Ethiopian proverb "Fish discover water last." We don't know who discovered water, but it wasn't a fish. The same goes for the cultural dilemmas I was about to face. My adopted American culture was all around me. So it was natural for me to think I could predict how I would react, reason and relate to my both my immediate family and in-laws about the health care system, how I would make decisions when it came to my Dad's life, and how I would think and reason these issues out, especially when I speak English fluently. But that's just where the similarities begin and end. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Culture is all around us. It's an assumption; like breathing. We don't give it a second thought until someone cuts off the air supply. In my relocation business, living and working successfully across cultures is as important in the boardroom as it would turn out to be in my Dad's hospital room. The implicit dimensions of culture that drive our behavior are invisible, but they are just as real as air or love. Just because you can't see them, doesn't mean they're not there or you don't need them. My software of the mind determines whether I value rules over relationships, the individual over the group, or, how I understand power, and whether I allow someone else to make decisions for me.
A health care crisis was just what the doctor ordered
Handling critical incidents, like my dad's health care crisis in an American hospital, turned out to be a learning opportunity to acknowledge the importance of culture, the type of culture, and to recognize when it's different. This takes time, but the good news is because culture is all around us, we are surrounded by a hundred opportunities every day to get it right. Although they are not easy or obvious at first, they will be as we become aware of their signals and practice. Moments that will teach us all we need to know to become wiser and more empathetic in a shrinking world. The question is, how often do you pass up these opportunities by instinctively reacting in the "reject - refuse - resist" mode at the deli counter, the dry cleaners, during a sales call, or in negotiation?
Cross-Cultural Competency is the new Six Sigma
Acquiring cross-cultural competency is the new Six Sigma. Like any new management technique it's a process that takes time to learn because it's about changing behavior. Think of it as style-switching. You can't phone this stuff in. When human resources chooses a quality cross-cultural training program, they are building a world-class American workforce. A down and dirty lunch and learn webinar or "Tips and Techniques" approach may help to steer you safely around the tip of the cultural iceberg, but be aware that you may be in for a Titanic collision with the unseen and profound dimensions of culture that lie beneath the surface.
For example, in business, what is custom versus law depends on more than just the esprit de corps of an organization, or as in my case, what I presumed to control about my dad's health in the American context. Yes, one man's gift is another man's bribe, but consider this textbook hypothetical case presented by Trompenaars Hamden-Turner Global Consultants to about 70,000 managers in over 65 countries (so far):
"You are a passenger in a car driven by a close friend. That friend knocks down a pedestrian. The friend was travelling well above the speed limit - say 35 miles an hour in a 20-mile-an-hour-zone. There are no witnesses. The friend's lawyer suggests that testifying under oath on the friend's behalf that he was only doing 20 miles an hour may save him from serious consequences. Does the friend have a definite right, some right, or no right at all to expect someone (the manager being as asked the question) to testify to the lower figure. He also asks whether - irrespective of such right - the manager would testify to the lower figure."
The answers they received have varied around the world but, to some extent, were predictable. The answers match the ethical standards of the culture according to the roles and responsibilities they have ascribed to them. This example explores the cultural difference between Universalist and Particularistic societies. Universalist societies follow the rules and assume that the standards they hold dear are the correct ones. They try to get everyone to conform to them. That way, they believe, society works better. Particularistic societies, on the other hand, believe that particular circumstances are more important than general rules and that your response depends on the situation. The results of the study concluded that culture is not uniform but it's often a major determinant of attitude and of action. It is rich, varied and, at times, messy.
The Swiss almost unanimously feel that the friend has no right to expect his friend to perjure him/herself, and that in no circumstances should this be considered. Less than 35 percent of Venezuelans and the Chinese agree with this answer. For them, relationships are more important than rules. What's more, there is no value judgment when we know that this is just how they think. There are no wrong answers. What we do in a given situation becomes value neutral diffusing the "us versus them" discourse. And Trompenaars study concluded that yes, Americans believe rules are more important. This is the clear answer as a Universalist culture. I should not lie for my friend who broke the speed limit law and hit the pedestrian. This is just plain corrupt, not to mention a lie, in which case we should tell the truth.
So, when I learned that my legal authority over my father's health and welfare was extinguished, my emotions collided head on with my adopted culture.
Part of a series written for the HuffPost for Iram Ganju, DSP of IKG Global
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Tagged: CUSTOM, LAW, CULTURE
DECONSTRUCTING PATERSON NEW JERSEY
Upper West Side suburban types think Paterson as Jersey's hood. You'd have to squint pretty hard to imagine Paterson as the Silicon Valley, but in it's heyday during the industrial revolution, this rust belt looking town made everything from cotton and silk to iron and trains.
The incongruities don't end there. It is also William Carlos Williams' eponymous modern epic poem described as "Whitman's America, grown pathetic and tragic, brutalized by inequality, disorganized by industrial chaos, and faced with annihilation. No poet has written of it with such a combination of brilliance, sympathy, and experience, with such alertness and energy."
South Paterson Home to the largest Turkish-American immigrant community in the U.S. – at last count about 20,000, down from about 60,000, fifty years ago and the second largest Arab community after Dearborn, Michigan. Visit these streets on a Muslim holiday and you're likely to see the kids who attend Prospect Park public schools hanging out, observing the festivities with their families.
And not unlike the Middle East, Little Ramallah -- bordered by Madison Avenue to the north, Crooks Avenue to the south, Hazel Street to the west, and East Railway Avenue to the east – suffers from something of an identity crisis because it is alternately called Little Arabia or Little Istanbul due to the equally large numbers of Turks, Syrians and Lebanese.
Still, according to exasperated local Turks – although they don't let on because that's just not a Turk's style – one is either a Turk or an Arab, but not both. Both can be of the Islamic World, but not religiously. Turkiye is secular, and doesn't practice Islam. It is a buffer to fundamentalist Islam, but itself is neither East nor West, which defines both its problem and its blessing. Its heart is in Asia (Ankara) but it faces Europe (Istanbul).
South Paterson, it only looks Arab. Upon closer inspection of the business signs and you realize, they are not Arabic.
The contradictions keep coming, for we have crossed the great divide from West to East. Turks also read right to left. Like Greeks, they say "no" by nodding their head up and down, much like the West gesture "yes". "Yes" is a downward nod, which looks like the Western gesture for "no".
Once you get past the cultural reversals, preconceived notions, and unfamiliar language you realize you are having an authentic cultural experience subtitled by Turkish "authenticity".
Oz Karadeniz 1023 Main St. Paterson, NJ (973) 523-7779
The smell of something grilling thrilled me nostrils first toward a local eatery slash watering hole where a few of the neighborhood men check in to say hello, use the phone, catch a soccer game, or a smoke.
Ahmet and his wifeYadigar Bayrou make a succulently grilled Chicken Doner Kebabs, with bulgur wheat and pilaf, Cacik Yogurt sauce with garlic and dill. Swill it down with pure peach soda. Best part of the meal was talking to, the owner about the neighborhood. He explained the meaning of the handmade artifacts on his walls and introduced me to the "boss" (his wife) making delicious dips and salads along with his daughter-in-law. His grandson, Joseph doing handstands on the chair of my table was a charming little kid with big brown eyes. I thanked him profusely for his hospitality, and left feeling satisfied.
Drizzly and gray, I was about to head home when I wandered next door to the only Turkish book shop in the tri-state area called "Zinnur" at 1019 Main St. (973) 278-6662, run by Zinnur -- previously seen hanging around next door at Oz – who (before I knew it) poured me a glass of Turkish tea in a delicate little tulip glass an homage from the Lalezar era of the Ottomans. Quiet and ready to listen to my questions, he and a store colleague and another guy who was just passing through, reminded me that the rest of the world still takes to stop. And. Talk. To an ethnographer reporter, a citizen diplomat who would tell the real story of Oz to the Suburbanites.
I stopped off on the way home at Taskin, the Turkish bakery where again, I was shown the famous Turkish hospitality inquiring about the Turkish flat bread called "Pide", handmade and brick oven baked. They come topped with sesame seeds and black caraway seeds or plain for sandwiches or table bread. They took me behind the counter, showed me around while the smell of fresh baked bread intoxicated me. A poster for the Turkish-American Festival was thrust into my hands www.njturkishfestial.org . They wanted me to tell "everybody" to come. There's a flag raising ceremony on Thursday, May 14th in front of Paterson City Hall (155 Market Street) in front of Clifton City Hall (corner of Clifton & Van Houten Aves.) and lots of parading, eating, music entertainment, singers, musicians, folk dancers, food, vendors, games, prizes & surprises. With all this culture right here in North Jersey, who needs Ninth Avenue?
Next up: The Syrians of South Paterson, NJ.
Lisa La Valle-Finan is an Intercultural trainer, writer, and the Creative Director of getGlobalized™. She's been traveling and writing for 25 years, speaks French, Italian and Greek, and welcomes all comments and can be reached at crossculturalpro@yahoo.com . More information can be found on the company's website at www.getGlobalized.org.
http://www.jstor.org/pss/1207405
http://www.answers.com/topic/paterson-new-jersey
http://www.answers.com/topic/paterson new jersey
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9402E0D7143FF93AA15753C1A9609C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print
http://local.yahoo.com/NJ/Paterson/Food+Dining/Restaurants/Middle+Eastern
Tagged: South Paterson, New Jersey, arab community
Typical Job Opportunity: Master's degree majoring in Economics, Finance or Accounting. Practical work experience due to internships or a post-graduate job. Entrepreneurial thinking and leadership skills. You think and act internationally and you have a high level of cross-cultural competence which you provided during an international internship or a semester abroad. A pragmatic "hands on" approach characterizes your way of working. You are creative, self-motivated and a team-player who enjoys working in a multi-cultural company. You are able to speak English fluently. Additional language skills like German or Chinese are a plus
If this is the standard, there's no doubt American kids can handle college academically, the problem is paying for it, often to the tune of up to $30,000 per year. In recent years, while Europe has been considering reforming higher education and moving towards a system that charges users, it's still a fraction of the cost of a US education.
College is free in Norway, Austria, Sweden, Finland, and Germany. Belgium is beginning to charge an enrollment fee of 500 euros which is same for EU and non-EU students (non-EU students are charged additional 500 euros for social security), while Holland and Italy charge an enrollment fee of 1,000-1,500 euros.
The cost of studying and living in Europe varies considerably by country, but it is much less than the United States. Since higher education is one top priority for Europe it is generally much cheaper to obtain a higher education than stateside. There are numerous scholarships available and tuition fees are either moderate or not charged at all.
Historically, the United States sent students to college than almost any country in the world. Of the 38 OECD countries, only two (Russia and Israel) have a higher proportion than the US. However, other countries have steadily increased their higher education rates over the past 30 years with the United States dropping to 16th. So, for American students to set a college education in their future, they may have to look elsewhere until a quality education in America is more affordable.
Schools may be responding more quickly to changes in the jobs market, but if they can't afford it no amount of new pedagogues like teaching our kids to think outside the box and collaborate with others, even beyond national borders, will be out of grasp. Forget speaking a foreign language.
Thankfully, there are plenty of countries with education systems that others can learn from. According to the latest OECD PISA survey, which tests the knowledge and skills of 15-year-old's, Korea has the best performing education system, closely followed by Finland. And these best-performing systems, which also include Canada and Japan, reflect students from various backgrounds, regardless of how well-off their parents are or whether they attend a private or state school.
With over 4,000 European universities and colleges to choose from, in over 30 different countries, there will be a European course and degree to suit your needs. You can learn in English, or immerse yourself fully in a new culture and language. From the Arctic Circle to the coast of Africa, you can explore a truly diverse and multicultural region, with a rich academic history spanning thousands of years.
If you study in Europe, you'll gain all the skills you need for the global economy. Study and learn with students from all corners of the world, discover a new language, and develop your independence at a university in Europe.
Quality and cost are but just the beginning of the advantages to studying abroad compared to the United States. One of the hidden benefits is studying stress free. According to the New York Times, money troubles interfere with the academic performance of about one-third of all college students, and a similar number of students regularly skip buying required academic materials because of the costs, according to a survey released recently.
The choice is endless – from highly ranked research universities to smaller, specialized European colleges. European courses will open your eyes to new opportunities – and give you an education that employers around the world will really value and respect. Hundreds of European universities have long traditions of quality teaching and research. For example, University of Cambridge which according to the QS World University Rankings is the highest ranked university in the world and was formed in 1209.
There are thousands of universities and colleges in Europe, offering a huge variety of courses to choose from. Whether you prefer a large leading research university or a smaller specialized college, you can be certain to find what you are looking for. With 50 countries and 600 million people speaking 48 languages, Europe is the perfect place for those who seek for a fantastic cultural experience.
Although many universities offer courses in English, you will have the chance to learn in Spanish, German, French or any other local language. If you have always wanted to learn a new language then studying in Europe offer plenty of chances to master either a widespread or more exotic language.
The Bologna Process makes it easier for students to study abroad and have their qualifications recognized in all countries joined the Bologna Process. Since the graduate qualifications are unified, the graduate degree is worth the same regardless of the country you study in.
Intake dates, application deadlines, student visas and English language requirements before applying to a European University or College. Intake dates vary from country to country but most countries have a main intake in September or October and there is rolling intake for some programs and institutions.
http://stacieberdan.com/books-by-stacie/go-global/
Frost, Maya. The New Global Student. New York: Three Rivers, 2009. Print.
http://www.dailyinfographic.com/the-roi-of-studying-abroad-infographic
OECD. (2009). PISA Key Findings assessing 15-year-olds' competencies in the key subjects: reading, mathematics and science.Perez, Pena. (2012, November 14). Financial Worries Pile on Long Before Graduation. New York Times. New York, NY, USA.
http://jimsheng.hubpages.com/hub/Comparison-of-cost-of-higher-education-around-the-worldBoosting jobs and skills - article. (2009). Retrieved December 1, 2012, from OECD:
http://www.oecd.org/employment/boostingjobsandskills.htm
(2012, December 02).
Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/15/cost-of-college-degree-increase-12-fold-1120-percent-bloomberg_n_1783700.html
College Tuition. Retrieved from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_tuition_in_the_United_States
International School of Bangkok.
Retrieved 2012, from http://www.isb.ac.th/uploads/contents/525/attachs/Unis%20in%20Europe%20with%20English%20Programs.pdf
Source: http://studylink.com/
Tagged: college, global, student, education, American, Students, Universities, Stacie Berdan
Source: http://globallivingmagazine.com/tag/ladies-of-london/
Tagged: Britain, UK, English, American expats, BravoTV, angus, juliet, Carloline Stanbury, Ladies of London
DECONSTRUCTING ANCESTRAL EVE
Genetic anthropology demonstrates that human populations have been on the move for the past 200,000 years. We have been migrating from continents and immigrating to countries ever since African Eve -- the first "fearless woman" walked out of Africa. As the first known female genetic ancestor of every person alive today, she proved we all share a common ancestor and therefore, all of us are related. I like to think she had a vision for herself, and for humanity and that in her quest for life, liberty and happiness, she saw the big picture.
Tagged: American, Globalization, Fearless
DECONSTRUCTING ONE PALESTINIAN
Awni Abu Hadba came to the United States to improve his English-language skills. He stayed, he says, "to take his chance at the American dream." Following in the footsteps of an older brother, Abu Hadba, now 59, arrived in America in 1971 from his native Palestine after graduating from Birzeit University in Ramallah.
Source: https://njmonthly.com/articles/jersey-living/living-the-dream/
Tagged: Syria, refugees


St George was born into a Greek Christian noble family in Lydda, then Palestine. At the age of 14, his father died and a few years later his mother.
St George followed his father's footsteps, becoming a soldier to Roman Emperor Diocletian. By his late 20's, he had been promoted to the rank of Tribunus (Senior Officer). However, in 302, Diocletian issued orders instructing the removal of all Christian soldiers from his army and all other soldiers to worship and offer sacrifice to Roman Gods.
St George loudly objected to the order and steadfastly refused every bribe from Diocletian, who previously held George and his father in very high esteem. Finally, Diocletian concluded that he had no choice but to execute St George for his "insubordination". St George, proudly celebrating his Christian beliefs, accepted his torture and death by decapitation.
St George's Feast Day is 23rd April, the day of his martyrdom. He is claimed as the Patron Saint of numerous countries as well as professions and sufferers of diseases.
Pray that our commitment to the Christian faith will never die.


text:
Джурджень () — комуна в Румунії, у повіті Яломіца.
 Джурджень () — село в Румунії, у повіті Яломіца. Входить до складу комуни Джурджень.
 Джурджень () — село в Румунії, у повіті Бакеу. Входить до складу комуни Тетерешть.
 Джурджень () — село в Румунії, у повіті Нямц. Входить до складу комуни Валя-Урсулуй.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
For over 250 years, the piano trio has been one of the most important genres in chamber music. Basics of the piano trio form were established by many authors of early classicism era, however a solid form of the genre set in particular the so-called leaders of "Viennese Classicism" Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven. Even in later years, the piano trio attracted great attention from composers (listing all would be worth a separate paper), while it is more than gratifying, that the genre has not been preserved, but is still developing in an interesting ways.
About project 3 premieres for Solaris3
The first ideas leading to the long-term project "3 premieres for Solaris3" were created sometime at the end of 2017 on the initiative of members of the trio Solaris3, Anna Veverková, Štěpán Filípek and Martin Levický. The original intention of the project was a probe into the current potential of the piano trio genre, while three authors of an original and individual handwriting were commissioned: František Chaloupka, Lukáš Sommer a Jakub Rataj. During 2018, all compositions were completed, performed several times and recorded for Czech Radio. The project met with an interesting media response [1] , and foreign interest [2] , while its culmination will be the publishing of documentary CD at the Radioservis label in the autumn 2019.
František Chaloupka – Piano Trio
The first of the authors who contributed their points of views over the current state of the piano trio genre is the Brno composer František Chaloupka (*1981). He studied composition at the Janáček Conservatory in Ostrava and Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno, where he achieved his doctoral degree. He completed internships at the Royal Conservatory in Hague, Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna, or at the California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles. His works were performed by Ostrava philharmonic, Moravian philharmonic Olomouc, or Hradec králové philharmonic. Specialised ensembles at home and abroad were also interpreting his work: Ensemble Modern, Prague Modern, VENI Academy, The New Century Players Los Angeles, Dunami Ensemble. Wider international response raised to his composition Masin Gun - Seven Rituals for Purging the Czech Lands from the Spirit of Communism. It was premiered in december 2012 at the Musica Viva Festival in Munich and was recorded by the Bavarian Radio. In 2016 he released profile profiles 2CD Selected Works 2006–2015 and in 2018 – as Iszek Baraque – eponymous song album.
He wrote the following authorial commentary on his piano trio:
" Although I often use extra-musical inspiration in my compositions (these are some "mythical" plans), or the principle of duality, In this piece I decided to review the genre of piano trio as such. The accent here is on sonorism, way of notation, micro-tempo manipulation in parts of individual players and the rubato differences. The extent how much are performers playing not together in rhythmic unison are prescribed and notated exactly, but the interpreters has within these preset limits the possibility to move freely, to express themselves."
In the first part of the composition, the author widely uses the sound possibilities of the extended piano techniques, mainly in the corpus. Here example of flageolet technique, ie the left hand plays the key, the right one touches the tone on the string:
Another interesting element in composition is sophisticated use of the so-called "seagull effect" in the canon of violin and cello:
Highly interesting is Chaloupka's approach to polytempo structures. He solves this instrumentation problem as follows:
Another composer, who contributed to the project with his work is Lukáš Sommer (*1984). He has already created extensive orchestral scores (Concerto for harp and orchestra, Gala Violin – for eight violins and orchestra), vocal (Missa brevis, musical Sindibad) and chamber (Sonata for flute and piano, String quartets I,II). The specificity of Sommer's artistic activity is author's unique guitar recital, which finds its way both on home stages and abroad. In 2017 his composition for chamber orchestra La fine del Tempo won the international composers' competition Concorso Novaro in Florence, Italy. His music is increasingly appearing on stages abroad and is created by ordering reputable artists and ensembles - sir Nicholas Daniel, Camerata dei Fiori, Italian Saxophone Quartet, Carlo Jans, Gaia Sokoli and others. In 2018 was finished and premiered his oratorio Weave of Time, which was composed in occasion of 100 years anniversary of founding the Czechoslovakia.
" I like the idea, that time, as we perceive it, does not exist. My favorite Czech philosopher Josef Zezulka even claims, that time exists in all potentialities as a finished work, that only revive in our lives and from the vast ways of destiny, which are already prepared for us, we always choose only one – by the quality of our decision. Piano trio Xcape arose from the need of some sort of inner "escape", but at the same time enchanted by this hidden multiplicity. Life can be literally intertwined with these side motives, dead ends, gropings, stepping on the spot, but it always leads to a higher-order unity."
The overall picture of the composition consists of seven movements, of which there are three solo cadences of each instrument named Monolog I.-III. :
The use of quartertones in rhythmic unison creates a pleasant tension between the violin and the cello, Sommer used this element in the first movement named HardBob:
The seventh movement named Nenia is in its cycle Coda of its kind. Combination of wide harmony of bass in piano part and high flageolets of string evoke a look from "another world". Worth noting is the sixteenth and eighth motion in the middle voices of the piano part in the second layer:
The last of the documented composers of the project, Jakub Rataj (*1984) is the author of orchestral, chamber and electroacoustic compositions. is work goes beyond the world of sound installations and performances inspired by the human body – by movement, breath, pulse and gestures. His compositions were performed at many concerts and festivals in Czech republic and abroad (France, Japan, Iran, Russia, Sweden, Spain, Austria and others), new compositions from him ordered for example Fama Q, Prague Modern, Low Frequency Trio, Orchestr Berg. He has worked with performers and ensembles like Quatuor TANA, Ostravská Banda, Matteo Cesari, Kifu Mitsuhashi, Pamelia Kurstin, Pierre Strauch, David Danel. His compositions have been performed by South-Bohemian Philharmonic, Pardubice Philharmonic, Soloist Novgorod. He has won a number of musical awards (among others main prize Nuberg 2014 a 2015) and artistic rezidences (Czech center: 2014 - Vienna, 2015 - Madrid, 2017 - Tokyo; VICC 2017 a 2019 - Visby). He has studied composition at Prague Academy HAMU under leading of Hanuš Bartoň (2010-15) and continued there from 2015 with his doctoral studies under leading of Luboš Mrkvička. In same year he has founded Ensemble Terrible - ensemble of young musicians working also at Prague HAMU. Since 2015 he is in engagement in Czech Radio as music director and sound engineer.
"Title of composition ES.23 carries on several levels concise picture of the work. Graphically, the number 23 is a distorted mirror of letters "ES" thus creating a transformed palindrome, which is reflected in the overall form of the composition."ES" itself further indicates a central tone, number "2" two basic and contrasting musical planes - excessive, complex sound, sharply accented, almost aggressive on one side, quiet, fragile, static and gentle on the other. The next two characters "S" and "3" are a hidden dedication to the Solaris3 piano trio."
During the composition Rataj extensively uses advanced techniques, here an example from the introduction:
The basic structural element of the trio is the contrast in alternation of ultrafast expression surfaces with long tones in low dynamics:
The final of the composition places considerable demands on all performers and is truly virtuous, what regard to requirements for performing of extended techniques:
Interpretation experience
Although all members of the piano trio Solaris3 are experienced performers of contemporary music, it took considerable effort to process the new compositions, mutual creativity, and feedback with authors. In case of a composition by František Chaloupka some sections were even recomposed after the initial reading, which ultimately contributed greatly to the overall picture. Xcape by Lukáš Sommer is written in traditional compositional style, however, tuning the quarter-tone sections required great patience. Jakub Rataj's composition ES.23 proved to be the most difficult to interpreters. Fast changing of performing techniques required several months of reading and practising step by step in small sections, however, the resulting picture looks very compact.
Evaluation of the indicated resources
Regarding the music forms, the most innovative can be described piece by Jakub Rataj, by shortening and extending the contrasting areas, he achieved seldom seen plasticity. However, there is a question, how many artists nowadays are able to fulfill virtuoso requirements in the piece. At the first sight Lukáš Sommer does not bring anything new in detail with his more or less classical musical thinking, on the other hand, the macro-form of his cycle works very well, what is a real rarity among authors of contemporary music. František Chaloupka works in his trio mainly with the colors of individual instruments and as a result he has a very nice overall sound shape.
The future of the piano trio genre
The whole project of 3 premieres for Solaris3 showed, that the Piano Trio is still a living and evolving genre, that attracts the author's legitimate interest. Hopefully, this will be the case also in the next centuries, whether by the way of colored surfaces, the classical way, or ultra-virtuoso, as indicated František Chaloupka, Lukáš Sommer and Jakub Rataj.
[1] Veber Petr: 3 premiéry a jeden klasik (3 premieres and one classic); 7. 10. 2019; www.klasikaplus.cz
[2] Performance of the project 3 premieres for Solaris3 during the festival So glingt die gegenwart! in Berlin. 9. 1. 2019

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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text:
	Hombu dojo 合気会本部道場

		Informacije

	Osnovano:
	1931.
	Organizacija:
	Aikikai
	Hombu dojo-cho:
	Mitsuteru Ueshiba

	Osnivač: Morihei Ueshiba
	Službena stranica:       www.aikikai.or.jp

Hombu dojo (jap. 合気会本部道場) u Tokiju je sjedište Aikikai zaklade. Službeno je imenovano sjedištem aikida u svijetu, a s njim u potpunosti upravlja Aikikai zaklada. Ponekad se naziva i kao Aikikai Hombu da bi se razlikavao od sjedišta kasnijih aikido organizacija.

Povijest

Morihei Ueshiba je došao Tokio iz Ayabea 1927. godine. Nije imao svoj stalni dojo, nego se isti selio na više lokacija u tom gradu. Zahvaljujući pokroviteljstvu uglednih ljudi Morihei Ueshiba je uspio 1931. osnovati dojo u okrugu Wakamatsu-cho, u susjedstvu Ushigome (trenutno poznato kao Shinjuku). Rezultirajuća drvena građevina od 80 tatamija dobila je ime Kobukan (dvorana carskih ratnika). Kada je dovršena, zgrada je poslužila i kao rezidencija obitelji Ueshiba. Pored obitelji Ueshiba, tu je živjelo i oko dvadeset uchi-deshija. Raspored vježbanja se sastojao od dva sata ujutro i tri navečer. Zbog intenzivnog tempa, kao i zbog prisustva vrlo naprednih vježbača iz drugih vještina, dojo je brzo postao poznat kao "Pakleni dojo Ushigomea". U to vrijeme Kobukan otvara se i nekoliko podružnica u Tokiju i Osaki. Vještina koju je u to vrijeme prakticirao O-Sensei zvala se "Aiki-jujutsu", zatim "Aiki-bujutsu", a kasnije "Aiki-budo".

Godine 1939. nekoliko pristalica O-Senseija pomoglo mu je u osnivanju zaklade Kobukai (Zaidan hojina Kobukai). Registrirana je 30. travnja 1940. godine. Formalno odobrenje dobiveno je preko službenika Ministarstva zdravlja. Glavni dobročinitelj bio je gospodarstvenik Miyazaka Shozo, koji je donirao 20.000 yena zakladi. Prvi predsjednik bio admiral Takeshita, a potpredsjednik je bio general Hayashi Katsura. Članovi odbora bili su Fumimaro Konoe, Toshitame Maeda, Godo Takuo, Kinya Fujita, Kozaburo Okada, Kenji Tomita i Kenzo Futaki.

Godine 1942. godine, aikido je dobio definitivno ime. S porastom japanskih ratnih ciljeva, većina Moriheijevih je učenika ratno mobilizirana. Aktivnosti u dojou snižene su na minumum. U tom periodu O-Sensei se povlači u mjesto Iwama. Kako se rat intenzivirao, aktivnosti u dojou su u potpuno prestale, pa je Kobukan poslužio kao sklonište za obitelji koje su izgubile svoje domove zbog čestih američkih bombaških napada. Kobukan je bio jedina zgrada u kvartu koja se odupirala bombaškim napadima, zahvaljujući naporima Kisshomarua Ueshibe. On je tokom rata na zahtjev svoga oca ostao u Tokiju. Nekoliko puta je riskirao život kako bi ugasio požare na krovu dojoa. Po završetku Drugog svjetskog rata, zaklada Kobukai je raspuštena zbog odluke generala MacArthura da se prekine s vježbanjem borilačkih vještina. Kisshomaru se tada seli u Iwamu. Jedno vrijeme zgrada Kobukan koristila se i kao plesna dvorana za okupacijske snage. Posljednja izbjeglica napustila je dojo 1955. godine.

Kisshomaru se ponovo vratio u Tokio 1948. gdje je radio kao činovnik kompanije Osaka Shoji. Početci su bili teški, a dojo je privukao nekoliko učenika. Unatoč tome, od početka su se održavala ne manje od tri dnevna treninga. Ponekad je Kisshomaru morao pobjeći s posla kako bi vodio poslijepodnevni sat kad nitko drugi nije bio dostupan. U to vrijeme dojo je bio podijeljen pločom, kako bi se odvojio prostor u kojem su živjele izbjeglice od mjesta vježbanja.

Zahvaljujući radu Kisshomarua, Fujita Kinya, Nishija Katsuza, Seko Seiichi i Nakayama Koshi iskoristili su svoj utjecaj i novo ime zaklade je odobreno 9. veljače 1948. godine. Sada je već zakladi Aikikai (Zaidan hojin Aikikai) Ministarstva obrazovanja odobrilo aikido podučavanje na području Japana.

Godine 1948. naziv glavnog dojoa promijenjen je u "Aikido Hombu dojo Aikikai zaklade".

Hombu dojo
Godine 1967. Kobukan dojo je srušen kako bi se napravilo mjesta za modernu, trokatnu betonsku zgradu. Mjesto na kojem je nekada stajao Kobukan postalo je dom obitelji Ueshiba. Dojo se počeo graditi na susjednoj parceli. Izgradnja je započela u ožujku 1967. godine. Zgrada je izgrađena za nepunih deset mjeseci.

Nova zgrada službeno je otvorena u petak 12. siječnja 1968. godine. Oko 1.200 osoba došlo je iz cijelog Japana kako bi proslavili otvaranje dojoa. Kisshomaru Ueshiba je održao govor, a potom i niz istaknutih gostiju. Demonstracije aikida su izveli O-Sensei, Kisshomaru Ueshiba, Koichi Tohei, Kisaburo Osawa i Morihiro Saito. Ceremonija je trajala više od sat i pol. Nakon toga održana je proslava u malom doju na drugom katu.

Iste godine otvorena je škola aikida, a gradska vlast grada Tokija prepoznala je Hombu dojo kao jedinu školu koja podučava aikido. Danas Hombu dojo nudi različitu nastavu za početnike, srednjoškolce i napredne športaše. Posebna nastava za početnike i za žene započela je 1970. godine. Zgrada je modernizirana 1973. godine s dodatkom četvrtog i petog kata, čime je ukupna površina vježbanja na 250 tatamija raspoređena na tri dojoa. Glavni dojo u kojem se odvijaju napredni sati zauzima 105 tatamija, drugi dojo - 72 tatamija i treći dojo - 42 tatamija.

Godine 1975. pokrenuti su sati za djecu. Godine 1985., nakon uvođenja petodnevnog radnog tjedna u Japanu, prošireni su sati subotnjeg i nedjeljnog vježbanja. Godine 1994. otvorena je soba za sastanke i arhivska soba na trećem katu rezidencije obitelji Ueshiba. Sala za sastanke se uglavnom koristi za sastanke upravnih odbora Aikikaija i Japanske aikido federacije. Arhivska soba se koristi za pokazivanje osobnih stvari i kaligrafskih djela O-Senseija. Napravljena je kako bi se ojačao status Hombu dojoa kao središta aikida u svijetu.

Hombu dojo-cho

Aktivnosti
Danas preko 500 članova Hombu dojoa može aikido vježbati svaki dan od 6:00h do 20:00h. Tri dojoa se intenzivno koriste tijekom dana. Više od trideset profesionalnih instruktora sa stalnim radnim vremenom predaje nastavu. Instruktori su nosioci od 2. do 9. Dana. Redovna nastava odvija pod vodstvom instruktora koji su nosioci 6. Dana i više. Sate poduke pored instruktora daju i Hombu dojo-cho i doshu.

Dan prije Nove godine, od 23:30h do 00:30, doshu u Hombu dojou provodi etsunengeiko (越 稽古, praksu na kraju godine). To je poseban sat u kojem se više od 200 aikidoka sastaje da vježba u velikoj dojou na trećem katu. Tijekom naoraja (直会, gozba) koji slijedi ovu praksu, doshu održi govor, a potom svi sudionici proslave novu godinu konzumirajući sake i hranu koji su prethodno ponuđena bogovima.

Kagamibiraki (き 開 き, otvarajući ogledalo) je novogodišnja ceremonija na kojoj se lomi mochi torta od riže. Održava se u Hombu dojou, u nedjelju drugog tjedna u mjesecu siječnju. Oko 1.000 aikidoka iz cijelog Japana okupi se i napuni tri dojoa. Doshu tom prilikom održi demonstraciju aikido tehnika kao prinovu bogovima, potom se promoviraju novi Dan nosioci. Doshu tom prilikom uručuje diplome i starijim aikidokama.

Izvori

Vanjske poveznice
 Zvanična stranica

Aikido
Japan


Large, Daniel and Alden, Chris and Soares de Oliveira, Ricardo, eds. (2008) China Returns to Africa: a rising power and a continent embrace. London: Hurst.
Chan, Stephen (2008) 'Ten Caveats and One Sunrise in Our Contemplation of China and Africa.' In: Alden, Chris and Large, Daniel and Oliveira, Ricardo Soares de, (eds.), China Returns to Africa: A Rising Power and Continent Embrace. London: Hurst.
Alden, Chris and Large, Daniel (2011) 'China's exceptionalism and the challenges of delivering difference in Africa.' Journal of Contemporary China, 20 (68). pp. 21-38.
This list was generated on Tue Apr 23 03:21:52 2019 BST.


You were born to change the world and the moment you were born you did just that! Over time life seems to get many of us in this looping living were we become like a hamster on a wheel never getting anywhere but feeling exhausted Remember you are a living miracle go live fully.
Your are where you are for a greater purpose than yourself. Whether you're an entrepreneur, counselor, doctor, nurse, a call center rep or a student, your purpose is your brand, your influence and you innate drive to achieve, the magic that makes you tick. It's not what you do, it's how you do your job and why—the strengths and passions you bring to the table no matter where you're seated. Although you may express your purpose in different ways in different contexts, it's what everyone close to you recognizes as uniquely you and would miss most if you were gone.
BELIEVE – You must believe your innate drive, and magic into existence. Believe you have a Purpose. Believe in your Purpose. Believe in the source of your Purpose. Believe in yourself and something bigger than yourself.
DISCOVER – The ultimate discovery experience requires a deep encounter with your inner self and a spiritual connection with your Creator. Learn more about how your abilities, attitudes, needs and experiences influence your purpose-living experience with our Purpose.
DEPLOY – The most fulfilling part of your purpose-journey is when you bring the discoveries of yourself into effective action. Reaching this point means you have enough awareness of yourself and your Purpose to operate in it. You have agility in your attitude to continuously look for new ways to discover, connect, grow and contribute as a daily practice for purposeful-living.
Do this over and over again, blocking out all the negative thoughts and distractions, believe in your new day and new moments until you have taken those positive thoughts and made them into a reality. You have the power to change the world; you have no excuse for not being able to change yourself and impacting ot hers' lives.


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WoodMac: Spanish 'Gold Rush' Helps Fuel New European Solar Boom
Subsidy-free projects, corporate deals, competitive tenders and green-minded politicians. Europe's rebounding solar market has it all.
Karl-Erik Stromsta June 26, 2019
Karl-Erik Stromsta
Spain is becoming a new global hot spot for corporate renewables deals.
Europe's long solar winter has come to an end.
After a multiyear period of depressed installations, Europe's annual solar market is set to double over the next few years, and do so in a sustained manner, according to new research from Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables.
Solar projects now regularly beat onshore wind in competitive auctions in Germany, one of the world's most mature wind markets. France has rebounded and is now seen as the most attractive place to build solar in Europe.
Meanwhile, long-dormant Spain has rapidly transformed into a globally significant solar market, as well as a new hot spot for corporate renewables deals.
Source: Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables
Since the rise of modern wind and solar technologies, few markets have seen as dramatic and sustained a downturn as European solar. The sudden elimination of feed-in tariff programs for big projects nearly a decade ago in Germany and Italy precipitated a collapse in installations.
In the peak boom year of 2011, Europe installed 22.7 gigawatts of new solar capacity — with Italy alone putting up a remarkable 9 gigawatts. That same year the U.S. installed 1.8 gigawatts. But the European market then crashed hard, slumping to a low of 7 gigawatts in 2016, WoodMac figures show.
Today, however, Europe stands on the cusp of a gravity-defying rebound. WoodMac forecasts 18.8 gigawatts of installations in 2019, up from 10.7 gigawatts last year. By 2022 the market is expected to hit nearly 25 gigawatts, and remain above 20 gigawatts for the foreseeable future.
And unlike the days when installations were driven by politically vulnerable subsidies, the market is increasingly centered around competitive auctions and subsidy-free projects.
"Europe has gone through the boom, been through the bust, and is now entering a third phase — which seems to be much more sustainable in terms of growth," said Tom Heggarty, senior WoodMac analyst and author of the new Europe Solar PV Outlook 2019 report, in an interview.
Among the market's tailwinds:
A backdrop of rapid power-sector decarbonization and plant retirements. Europe will lose around 174 gigawatts of coal, gas and nuclear capacity between 2015 and 2040, WoodMac forecasts.
A diversified solar market and vibrant roster of renewable-energy developers. While utility-scale projects remain the largest segment, distributed solar is bigger in several key markets like Germany and the Netherlands, offering a diverse set of opportunities for developers and technology suppliers.
The recent takeoff of subsidy-free projects, driven in part by rising wholesale power prices. Carbon prices have increased sharply in Europe recently, and WoodMac expects them to continue trending upwards out to 2040, when they will trade around €40 ($45) per megawatt-hour.
The finalization by the end of the year of European countries' plans for reaching their ambitious renewables targets for 2030, giving more visibility to the market.
Many of Europe's domestic PV manufacturers went bust during the lean years, with global cell and module production largely shifting to Asia. At the same time, many European solar developers survived, Heggarty said, by diversifying into other global markets or laying low at home, building up pipelines of early-stage projects for a day when demand came back.
That day is here, and as a result of their perseverance Europe has an enormous pipeline of solar projects ready to move forward.
"The market is still mostly dominated by locally focused developers," like EnerParc in Germany, Heggarty said. "The exception we're starting to see is the Spanish market, where some of the very large developers and utilities are starting to play," he said, from homegrown renewables giant Iberdrola to Italy's Enel Green Power.
Intense competition within the European renewables market means that even amid growing installations, it will not be an easy place to make a profit, Heggarty noted.
And "price cannabilization" will become a bigger and bigger issue as the growing penetration of wind and solar on Europe's grid pushes power prices down.
The Spanish gold rush
Amid Europe's rising solar tide, Spain stands out as something special. It is expected to be the largest market in Europe this year, topping Germany for the first time.
The competitive auctions Spain began in 2017 are now yielding finished projects. And while there are no additional auctions on the calendar, the country's rich solar resource is expected to sustain market growth long into the 2020s, even in the unlikely event that more auctions are not forthcoming.
Spain's promise-rich market has less than 6 gigawatts of solar installed today, with fairly lofty power prices during the middle of the day. That's a huge opportunity for solar developers, helping to drive a surge of unsubsidized solar projects and corporate deals.
Beyond power market dynamics, "Spain is a very obvious place to build these assets, with a great solar resource, a relatively low cost of labor, and plenty of land available, especially down south where the resource is best," Heggarty said.
"You're seeing a bit of a gold rush there for solar at the moment."
The thing to watch in Europe during the second half of the year is the finalization of European countries' specific plans for meeting their 2030 renewable energy targets, Heggarty said.
The targets are mandated by the EU. Draft plans were submitted earlier this year, but the devil will be in the final details.
"We'll see more auction pipelines confirmed, we'll see measures to support DG, and measures to support the corporate procurement of renewable energy," Heggarty said.
The Europe Solar PV Outlook report is available here.
feed-in tariff
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28th June 2007 West Cumbria Final - Area near Cockermouth.
7th June 2006 Hammonds Pond. Carlisle Final.
29th June 2006 West Cumbria Final. Fangs Brow, Loweswater.
Autumn 2006 Series for Year 7.
23rd June 2005 West Cumbria Final. Venue near Cockermouth.
24th June 2004 West Cumbria Final. Venue near Cockermouth.
30th June 2004 Carlisle Final. Kingmoor Woods.
3rd Jul 2003 West Cumbria Final. Venue near Camerton Church.


This is the first in a series of infographics that showcase the Battlefield Sports' gaming guns.
Infographics are all the rage nowadays.
They are a simple way to depict complex information.
And the Battlefield Sports SATR 2 system offers a lot of options.
This infographic series shows the Scorpion SMG in easy, standard, and hard mode.
The graphic highlights important components of the weapon emulation. This infographic tells the story of the scorpion's gaming gun features.
The Scorpion SMG is the most popular gaming gun in class.
The Scorpion has been a standard Battlefield Sports gaming gun since 2004.
It is designed to function as typical sub machine gun. It has a more science fiction shooting sound.
The Scorpion has both fully automatic and semi-auto options. The gamer can toggle between these by pressing the black button near the trigger once.
The first row of the infographic shows that Scorpion software settings has 25 bullets in each magazine.
And it has 15 spare magazines.
The Scorpion has a fire rate of 330 RPM (330 rounds per minute).
Just like in easy mode the Scorpion in standard mode has both fully automatic and semi-auto options. The gamer can toggle between full-auto and semi-auto.
In standard mode the gamer can be shot only once per second. So if a gamer starts out with 5 hit points (5HP) which is a common setting then they are guaranteed to survive for 5 seconds.
When in standard mode the recoil simulation is one second.
This means every time a gamer shoots their red-dot (the optical illusion inside the red-dot scope) disappears for one second.
When the gamer presses the red button it takes 5 seconds to reload.
In hard the Scorpion has both fully automatic and semi-auto options.
The gamer can toggle between with the press of the black button.
This makes it really hard! Take cover immediately or you will be out of the game (or at least looking for a re-spawn).
Like in the other modes the infographic shows that Scorpion has 25 bullets in each magazine. And it has 15 spare magazines.
When in hard mode the recoil simulation is one second.


In this online course, star DJ Armin van Buuren teaches how to produce, perform and promote dance music. It includes using samples and plug-ins, mixing, recording vocals, and building a DJ set. The course has more than 30 video lessons and various supplemental materials.
Wie gefällt Dir der Kurs 'Armin van Buuren teaches dance music'?


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Youth Master Plan Coalition awards $25,409 in Mini Grants
by Katie Baldassar | Jan 24, 2017 | Press Releases |
Funding will support expansion of and participation in Las Fiestas Patrias, sustainability of after-school programming, home energy services for low-income residents, and more
Lake County Build a Generation and the Youth Master Plan Coalition announce grant recipients for the winter 2016-2017 round of mini grants. Lake County Build a Generation was able to award $25,409 in LiveWell Leadville and Youth Master Plan Mini Grants. Awardees are as follows:
Leadville Main Street program was awarded $2,541 to organize the second Las Fiestas Patrias parade and celebration. Funds will be used to expand the event by adding a band to perform, adding more supplies and involving more community members. The event will take place on Sept. 16, 2017, as part of National Hispanic Heritage Month.
21st Century Community Learning Center's Project Dream was awarded $4,000 for sustainability to continue after-school programming for students in kindergarten through fourth grade. With the grant, programming will run through the end of the school year, May 18, 2017, instead of ending in April 2017 when the 21st CCLC federal grant ends. In addition, Project Dream was awarded $2,375 for supplies to purchase materials for successful clubs, including guitar cases for guitar club, dance uniforms for the dance club, and additional supplies and curriculum for Lego Robotics club. It was also awarded $1,270 to purchase a new set of bagpipes for the Mt. Massive Youth Pipe Band. The grant will fund one new set of pipes to support the pipe band and its growing number of students who are transitioning from the practice chanter onto full bagpipes.
Cloud City Conservation Center received $5,000 to support the building of the Cloud City Farm, a project that aims to increase Lake County's capacity to grow fresh and nutritious produce for residents. Grant funds will be used to hire staff and provide subsidized Community Supported Agriculture shares, especially for the Community Meals program. In addition, C4 was awarded $1,750 to support home energy services for low-income families in Lake County.
Full Circle of Lake County was awarded $700 for the Women's Empowerment Sewing Project and $2,263 for the Outdoor Leadership Club. The Latina Women's Empowerment group will teach 20 women to sew folkloric skirts for children in the Las Fiestas Patrias parade. In addition to the women learning new skills, the folkloric skirts will help the women teach their children about their heritage. Participation in the parade will also enable the group to share elements of Hispanic culture with the community. The Outdoor Leadership Club will use grant funds to take 20 eighth-grade students to Moab, Utah, to participate in four days and three nights of activities. The trip serves as the capstone of a year's worth of social-emotional learning, skill building, and trust building with Full Circle. Students will plan the adventure, organize food and supplies and then rappel, canyoneer, rock climb, sleep in tents, manage their campsite and learn about an exciting new environment.
Interagency Oversight Group at the Department of Human Services was awarded $5,000 to help the group further its mission to address the needs of homeless youth in Lake County. The group will use the funds to continue developing strategies and seeking resources so that homeless youth in Lake County have their needs met, including a stable place to sleep; food, basic clothing and hygiene essentials; supportive people in their lives; readily available mental health services; and opportunities to thrive in school and participate in extracurricular activities. The group will also provide education to community members on the topic of youth homelessness.
Lake County Intermediate School Junior Achievement Program was awarded $510 to expand the program to three more classes of students at LCIS. Funding will be used to purchase additional curriculum kits. The Junior Achievement curriculum uses hands-on classroom activities to provide fifth-grade students with practical information about the nation's free market system and how it serves as an economic engine for business and careers. The curriculum also introduces the need for entrepreneurial and innovative thinking to meet the requirements of high-growth, high-demand careers.
Lake County Build a Generation would like to thank the funders who have made this round of mini grants possible: LiveWell Colorado and the El Pomar Foundation. Members of the Youth Master Plan Steering Committee — Colleen Nielsen, Bethany Maher, Elio Navarro, Janeen McGee, Cristina Reveles, Anne Sifuentes, and Katy Warner— reviewed applications. The Lake County Board of County Commissioners approved the grant awards at its Jan. 3 regular meeting.


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Running in "delayed" mode ..
So, I started the program on Day1 in full-steam. Towards the end of Week 1 got knocked out "cold" (literally!) with a very bad throat and fever. That took a week away.
Had a word with Ward, and decided to run this in a delayed mode, so I am a week behind everyone else. Why? - because I had already signed up for a Half marathon race in the beaitiful city of Qingdao.
So, I am going to take it slow and ramp-up and hopefully not urn into an injury in all my excitement!
Finally completed another Kenzai program.
I had a bout of food poisoning at the end of week 3, which got me out of action for a couple of days.
But overall, met my goal for the program. Got back to clean eating, and basic workouts which have started to show results!
18 down, 10 to go ..
What I'm really liking about this, is that after months (specifically 3 months) of literaly uncontrolled diet (thanks to holidays, wedding festivities in India), and hibernation (too cold to run or workout outside), this is getting me back into shape.
Couldn't avoid checking the scales, and I am 2-3 KGs down over the last 3 weeks ..
Reboot Rocks! .. And I'm starting to get into the zone now for more active, full-fledged training program.
Got "Chisel" on my mind! ;) .. and badly need it as well!
Day 10/28 - Feeling good!
A third of the program is down, which means my body's gotten used to clean eating - 80% of living healthy. also doing well on the remaining 20%. Completing the workouts - although not 100% compliance.
My leg muscles are giving in on the 16 min jumpropes, with like 2-3 min to go. So, I can do better there.
2016 - Introduced to Kenzai, completed KB1. Lost 12 Kgs, learnt a new way of life.
2017 - Continued my Kenzai journey, completed my FIRST HALF MARATHON!
2018 - "Break from Kenzai" - "Life" came in the way, literally. :) .. We had a baby, and things got a little to hectic across home and work!
2019 - I am BACK! .. Starting with Reboot, then plan is to then do Chisel, and then start RUNNING again as the Summer sets in!
To more fun, fitness and clean eating together!
For someone who could run for barely 2-3 min at a stretch, before taking a walk break, I've come a long way.
THANKS A TON (Can't think Kenzai enough) for helping me go from 5K-levels to HM-levels over a 16-week period. This has been an incredible journey. I would like to specially mention Ed Centre - my trainer for the Kenzai Run course, and then my co-participant for the Kenzay Run Half course. He has been an incredible source of support on the blogs, messages and being an amazing runner himself, he has known how to get me "up to speed", so to speak.
I believe I have discovered the joy of running, and completing my first half in around 2:50 has been something I can feel great about. To more runs, and better fitness. Thanks a lot everyone!
Loved the last 6 weeks with Team Moraine. Though I couldn't be right up to the program, I've been following everyone's updates.
The good news is that my cold is behind me now, and I have steadily been upping my weekly mileague since the 2-week hiatus from running. I am running (pun intended!) 2 weeks behind everyone else, and so I am scheduled to run the 21K on November 5th. Which, incidentally, also happens to be an organized Half Marathon at Hangzhou, one of China's most beautiful cities.
Need to steady up on the diet, and work on my training for the last mile, these 10 days.
Thanks a lot to Matt for being a patient trainer, and hearing out my issues, and providing solutions.
And BIG Congratulations to Team Moraine!
Shin splits, cold, Mongolia trip, cold ..
Finally, I'm back to running as I know it (or, as I'm starting to know it).
Love seeing the progress of Team Moraine!
Let's hit the home stretch!
Because running shouldn't stop. Even when you're in Mongolian Grasslands at -4C temperature. And who would complain if the sky is blue, and the grass is green? .. Loved it!
3. We have National Holidays coming up in China (from October 1-6), and my wife and I have planned a short vacation to Inner Mongolia - on the Russia border, which is supposed to be much colder. And given my revent viral fever, I don't want to run there (although I was originally planning to).
Thanks to these 3 reasons, I'm behind by 2 weeks on my training schedule - which, for a short 6-week course can be a lot to catch-up on.
So, the solution Matt and I discussed is that I will run 2 weeks behind schedule, and follow the schedule, workouts, and diet diligently with everyone else. Just that it will be 2 weeks behind.
To keep myself I can put this setback behind me and still stay motivated, I've signed up for an amazing Half Race - the Hangzhou Marathon, which happens in one of China's most beautiful cities. Race Day is November 5th, and it coincided perfectly with a 2-week delayed schedule of this course.
I am a mild over-pronator on my right foot. so I recently changed my shoe, and got a support shoe. Yesterday was Day 1 with the new shoe, and I ended up running 7 km, and a man treadmill (and I've been running on the road for the last couple of months).
Probably as a result of all these sudden "new variables" I have shin pain only right foot. I went for the run this morning, and didn't want to run more than 2 km. So I couldn't do the Time Trial today. Will take a break on Friday.
Trainers - Wondering if I can take the Time Trial on Saturday? And then the 14K Distance Run on Sunday, as scheduled?
Good week 1, Glad the Diet is kicking in ..
I'm usually disciplined with my workouts. But tend to be a slacker when it comes to the diet. So week 1 of Kenzai programs tend to be a mix of "cleaning up" and "enjoying the last bits of joy" before diets kick in. So I'm glad, it's kicking in tomorrow ..
I've been 100% compliant on the workouts so far. In fact, have also squeezed in a couple of 3 min Plank workouts over the week, since I've been reading that a stronger core helps make running faster and more efficient.
Oh, and after 4-5 weeks of 25-30km average weekly running, I decided to get myself a little Chinese foot massage session. One of the perks of living in China. Foot massages are relaxing, reasonably priced and good quality ones are easily available.
I've never been much of a runner. Until the Kenzai Run 10K turned me into a little bit of a runner. I completed 10K just about 3 weeks ago. And since I started the program, I've been hooked to running.
Let's rock and roll (and run!) together!
(noun). the action of admitting someone into a secret or obscure society or group, typically with a ritual.
In ways more than one, this Kenzai Run 10K course has been an initiation for me into the world of running. I always had a "phobia" of running continuously more than 2 min. I think it was phobia, combined with being overweight.
And today, I am able to comfortably run upto 15-min without walking at a stretch, and completing a cool 12.5K kind of a distance on a weekend. I know my speed is nothing great, but for someone who felt he "is not cut out for running", this is still a bit of an acheivement.
This journey of the Kenzai Run 10K wouldn't have been possible without the support of our trainers Ward and Ed C. Thank you both for being a constant source of encouragement, and making this short 6-week program engaging. And of course, our Guru - Patrick Reynolds for creating this amazing program, with a focus on initiating running newbies like me into running. Also, it was great to read blogs, as usual, in addition to posting my own thoughts and sharing them with the team. In particular, I'd like to give a shout-out to Janet L. for her grit, consistency, and super-inspiring blogs; and Rahul G. - it is inspirng for beginners like me to see the performance and hear stories of champion runners like you!
So, what next? - I am going to take up the Kenzai Run Half course starting September 11. This should setup me up for completing a Half Marathon distance around the end of October / early November. Weather-wise - this will be the perfect time to do this in Shanghai!
Thanks everyone, and kudos to Team Tiber, who have rocked this program!
12.5K done, eyes on 21K, and some questions..?
So, this last run I decided to stop at 12.5K. My legs were sluggish last 2 kms. Decided not to push too hard.
I want to prep for a Half within 2-3 months. There are race events in October-November. Wondering how to go about training? Should I focus on speed or distance?
So, for the Half, how should I split my training between speed and distance? - My goal is to obviously finish the Half, and anything in the 7-minute-something as average speed will make my happy for now.


Check out deals on luggage and other travel gear!
Get up to 70% OFF apparels, footwear and many more from your favourite sporting brands!
Petit Bateau will be having a 3-days warehouse sale with items going up to 70% OFF from 30 March - 1 April 2017, 10am to 7pm at Tan Boon Liat Building.
Save up to 70% on designer furniture pieces!
Enjoy 20% OFF storewide! Minimum 2 items purchase.
Get up to 50% OFF on home and DIY tools!