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Home Dance Music Dance-Features INTERVIEW: Why Gig Nilavongse provides free gigs
INTERVIEW: Why Gig Nilavongse provides free gigs
Matthanee Nilavongse (known locally as Gig) is an artist based in Hebden Bridge and Bradford. She runs the 3 Wise Monkeys, a hugely popular music venue in Todmorden, West Yorkshire, and recently opened the Golden Lion - another music venue - there, too.
Louise Karwowski
Gig's venues and events support a melting pot of talent of all genres and all ages. We asked her to tell us about her passionate interest in helping artists and musicians and providing free access to music for the local community.
How did you end up where you are now?
Initially I came to the UK to be a helper for my disabled friend who was taking part in the Chelsea Flower Show. I ended up staying in London, working in catering for restaurants and festivals all over the country. I came from a catering background – my Mum had a restaurant in Bangkok – so it was familiar territory.
I studied a Masters in Visual Arts at Leeds University, based in Bradford. I graduated four years ago. I opened the 3 Monkeys restaurant and bar five years ago to try and clear the debt accrued by studying as an international student. It was hard work to finish my Masters and juggle the bar and restaurant, as well as being a mum.
I'm now an artist-In-residence in Bradford and other places too. I do print-making and photography workshops as part of my residency. I give talks and arrange demo workshops. My work is focused on supporting Thai women in British society, particularly those who have been mistreated or abused. My artwork is a 'journey journal' where I compare my adventures in England to Alice's journeys down the rabbit hole.
Gig's adventures can be explored on her blog.
The 3 Wise Monkeys in Todmorden
The 3 Wise Monkeys – did you always plan for it to be a music venue?
All my friends and lots of people in this valley are musicians and songwriters. They have the talent but struggle to get into the music market because they have chosen to live in a little valley, away from the cities, which makes it harder for them to get noticed. They need to be supported in their own town. I have venues, and if someone wants to do something I will support them – to keep them here, to keep them doing it.
We have an open mic evening every week where new artists can showcase their material, and we book people for nights from there. We try and give everyone a chance. Someone might be 17 years old and needs to start from somewhere. They need to play and we give them that opportunity.
We also put on live music events every Friday and Saturday evening.
We've really been supporting White Rabbit and Chapter4.
Each month we offer an artist the opportunity to stage an exhibition. On the opening night there are free drinks and nibbles, and we provide the space to exhibit without taking commission. It's difficult to be successful in these industries in this country so we do what we can to help.
Why have you recently opened at the Golden Lion?
We needed a bigger venue and one where the noise wouldn't bother residents, as we'd had some problems with the 3 Monkeys. Here, we're not close to any houses, so we can have live music going on.
We have the open mic every Thursday night here too.
Last year we had 100 acts booked over 52 weeks of the year at the 3 Monkeys. We expect a lot of those acts will follow over to the Golden Lion, as well as attracting new acts.
Golden Lion Opening Celebration
What future music events do you have planned?
We're involved with Tod Folk Fest and other local music festivals, from where we source local bands. We are hosting the Owter Zeds as part of Alternatiba at the Golden Lion on Sunday 3rd May.
We're also planning an ale/cider and all-day music festival this summer and, also, a canal-side music festival.
We have JStar performing on Friday 15 May.
White Rabbit presents Eternal Tapestry (Portland, Oregon) on Thursday 11 June, with support from Woven Skull and Sophie Cooper.
Why do you run most of your events for free?
Music has no funding and little support and many musicians don't have money, so I try to help the community by not charging for gigs. People are already paying for our beer! My support is a way of giving something back to the public.
The gigs we put on are always free, unless the organisers want to put on a charity event, when we let them charge on the door. We have a charity comedy gig booked on the 30th August 2015 for Cancer Research, for example.
We organised a street party in Todmorden last year which was a great success. It was a great opportunity for whole families to come and hang out and everyone was so happy.
What about big names?
As well as supporting emerging bands and artists, we aim to get big names too. For example, we've had DJ, Andy Kershaw, Richard Norris from London, and Stephen Steinbrink from the USA, Camera from Germany, and Throw Down Bones from Italy. It's good that people from the local area get the chance to experience these big artists too, so then they don't have to pay for expensive tickets or travel to see them. They're on their doorstep.
What are your personal tastes in music?
I have to like everything! I like psychedelic music and reggae music, but garage comes top.
My favourite band has to be Nirvana. But I could be inspired by any band – they don't have to be famous.
We understand you're providing community space at the Golden Lion – who's it for?
We provide our upstairs room for private parties, and organisations can charge on the door. This room is also a designated community space. For example, you can use it to do a reading or writing group, jam session or even use it as a practice room – all for free. I am always asking bands to come and practice here, then I can check them out.
We have a booking from Brian Acton's band – they want to film a music video here in the Lion. I am so excited because young people might see the scenes and become inspired themselves.
It's also a case of keeping the Golden Lion going, as it is an important part of our history. It is the oldest pub in Todmorden. We try to link the businesses on Water Street with the Lion and other local venues for festivals – to make it a whole town affair.
Bands can contact Gig through Facebook and send her links to their music.
The Golden Lion is available for hire, and food, a band or DJ can also be provided.
Golden Lion – Fielden Square, Todmorden, Lancashire OL14 6LZ Tel: 01706816333
3 Wise Monkeys – 15 Water Street, Todmorden OL14 5AB Tel: 01706 817010
With thanks to Dave Croft Photography for the photos of the opening celebrations of the Golden Lion.
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>> He was one of President Obama's top antagonists in Washington. Now, Republican Representative Darrell Issa says he's retiring from Congress. The latest in a growing Republican stampede for the exits, ahead of what could be a difficult election for the GOP in November. I'm Andy Sullivan in Washington where the Republican exodus is picking up steam.
21 House Republicans are retiring this year, another 9 are stepping down to run for higher office. That makes it harder for the GOP to retain control of its majority in the chamber. Without well funded, well known incumbents sticking around, the Democrats stand a better chance of picking up the 24 seats they need to win control of the chamber.
That would give them a powerful platform to investigate the Trump administration and effectively put an end to the President's agenda. Issa earned a fortune as the head of a car alarm company before entering congress in 2001. As head of the House Oversight Committee, he took on the Obama administration for everything from the Benghazi attacks in Libya, to the failed gun smuggling sting known as Fast and Furious.
>> Operation Fast and Furious is a poster child for what you don't do with deadly weapons.>> But he's had a harder time getting reelected in recent years in his California district, winning barely 50% of the vote in 2016. Issa's announcement comes one day after another powerful Republican said he is stepping down, Ed Royce, head of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
>> Political forecasters say Democrats are now favored to win both of these seats. They're prime examples of the wealthy suburban terrain that could determine which party controls the House next year. And given Trump's low approval ratings, Issa almost certainly isn't the last Republican to put in his notice.
Expect to see more of these announcements in the weeks to come.


Flows: -7" to +5" on Henderson (0' to 1.6' on Richland).
The run is good. Really good. Once you get through the paddle in, you are greeted with 5 miles of rapids that ebb and flow between class IV and V. The paddle in does take about an hour and does consist of two portages. But once through them, you quickly forget about that as you are welcomed to the steep section of the river via several fun boofs and epic slides. Below the slides, the boulder gardens get tilted on edge for the steepest section of the run. The next section has Spoonman into Fire Escape into Cover Shot. Looking back upriver will make you faint with vertigo. At the high flow we had, Fire Escape looked very very dubious. V+ for sure. Below, things mellow out briefly before you get to the Triple Bridge section which comes at you in a continuous barrage of class IV+ rapids. Finally, you get to Richland… which you may be familiar with as this section is a commonly run hike-up section. However, unlike those hike-up laps, flows will be high! Timber Rattler comes at you first and should be inspected. Below, hole after hole embrace you until you arrive at Weirdo which is a powerful rapid and marks the end of the section with take-out shortly below.
The take-out is at the State Natural Area, and as such they close the gate at dusk during the winter and 7 pm during the summer. As such, if you are planning on being on the water in the evening, it may be prudent to paddle the 1.4 miles further down to the bridge to ensure you are not locked in.
There are two gauges to reference for this run, the take-out gauge is at the lower take-out, on the upstream side of the bridge, river left. We had 1.4' when we set shuttle and 1.25' when we finished. There is also a gauge at the put-in, at the culvert exit. We had 0" on that. These were healthy side of medium flows… fluffy, juicy, etc. Apparently people run it up to 5" on the top but dang that would be scary. A few days earlier, Diane got an after work run while I was on travel, they had -4" at put-in and 0.8' at take-out and thought it was a good lowish side of medium. For reference, we had ~2.25 inches of rain in the previous 24 hours.
Note: At the high flow, I would say that not many of the rapids were actually class V, however the non-stop nature of the run felt 100% class V for sure. And that was with guides. So, if you venture in here, be prepared for full on trip. And give yourself time unless you have a guide. Even with a guide, we were on the water for ~2.5 hours and only scouted twice, and only portaged the two early rapids and Fire Escape. I have heard at lower flow it is a little more manky and starts to become more IV/V.
Put-in Slide (III). A slide directly below put-in is straight forward down the middle and should be a little scrappy. If it is fully padded you have high flow! Below negotiate some wood and paddle some flat water.
Class IV Portage (V to P). At low flows it is a mandatory portage. Apparently at high flow it came be run. Not sure where, maybe left.. but there was wood there for us. The portage is easy on the left.
Lowery Creek comes in on the right. The river then opens up and becomes much less woody.
The river stays mellow with an occasional class III drop. Stay on your toes for wood, we did 2 wood portages in this section. Then, after you paddle through more alpine scenery, you begin to drop into the gorge. Stay on your toes to eddy out right above a river wide sieve.
Sieve Portage (P). The whole river drops into a sieve on either side of a midriver choke rock. Portage easily on the right and seal launch back in. The action begins immediately below! Rapids are one after the other for the next 0.8 miles.
Blind Ledge (III+ to IV). Boof the middle and wind around a blind corner to a nice uniform fan rock to boof off the middle of.
Blind Slide (IV to IV+). Enter the next slide on the right which slides back to the left. You then want to drive right in the slack water before the next tier. Slide down the right. Note, at higher flows the bottom slide gets a big hole. One in our group back-endered. Immediately eddy out right as the next rapid is directly below. If our friend didn't hit his first roll, he may have run it blind!
Spinal Adjuster (V). This thing was faster than I expected! Scout on the right. The drop starts with a sliding s-turn which slides you through two large reactionaries. Stay upright as you need to drive hard right for the final crux tier. In the exit, you want to be right of a rooster in order to drop through a chute and softly transition onto the rock slab below. The left lands in extremely shallow water though apparently at lower flows you can drive to extreme left and get a nice line. You can also portage the lead in and slide in before the exit if so inclined. I am not sure what a complete portage would look like.
Little Triple Drop (IV). A short section of boogie leads to this drop. Three tiers, the first can be run right and an eddy can be caught to inspect the second and third tier. The bottom is the important part. Stay extreme left on it to avoid a rather mean hole that extends the rest of the river. You can boof the middle tier anywhere. Below is a short section of boogie which leads to the crux section of the run.
Ferry Left (IV+ to V-). Drop a small, not great looking slot on the far right. This lands in a small eddy. Then, ferry out through the middle of the rapid, behind exploding water bouncing off of rocks to drop a small slot on the far left. Below, is a fantastic boof to exit this slot. You can eddy out before it to inspect. Drive to the left for the shoulder boof, so good. Then, the rapid boogies for a minute, start left and work right to boof a nice ledge pretty far right. Eddy out immediately on the right as Spoonman is directly below. One of the more urgent eddies to catch between rapids for sure.
Spoonman (V). This rapid is big for sure. Scout left, portage easily on the right. The rapid has 3 main cruxes. The first is the biggest but goes better than it looks. Drop through the slot on the right of the main channel and boof the spoon shapped rock and plug through the big hole below it. Then straight out and punch two more tiers, each with holes, working right by the bottom one.
Boogie (III). One small slide and then you will go around a corner. Choice, eddy out above or run the next small drop on the right before catching the 1 boat eddy on the left to scout/portage Fire Escape.
Fire Escape (V to V+). At our flow this thing was huge. I had no inclination to want to run it. Several sieves and pin spots are present in the rapid. I will let you inspect it for yourself. I also know you can put in after the top two dangerous tiers and just run the bottom two safer tiers.
Polebridge Creek enters on the right 100 yards below and signifies the end of the super steep section. But, don't celebrate as the Triple Bridge section is still downstream!
Triple Bridge (IV+ to V). You will feel you are coming up to this before you get there, but it is marked by foot bridges just above the river. This section was super busy, pushy, and punchy at our flows. I found this to be more technically demanding that the upriver section at our flows. Eddies were very infrequent (or were insignificant for a 5 person group) so we ended up just running a lot of drops one after the other with no beta. I want to say the section lasted for a quarter mile or so. Under the bridge there was a big boof to curler against the right wall. I think this is only runnable at high flows. We then ran a big uniform ledge far left though at lower flows there is a flake that you can run right of center. Downstream I was told "follow close, some of the lines are less obvious" as we drove right into a small side channel and began boofing down a stair step drop. I bet at lower flows you can go somewhere else on that one. I think there may have been one or two more in there, I honestly just can't remember.
Old Dayton Reservoir (IV). The remnants of an old dam are run in the left channel. We went right of center. Below, is the start of Richland Creek which is commonly run by itself via a short hike. See that write-up for the remainder of the rapids.
Take-out: From Highway 40, head south on Highway 27. As you enter the town of Dayton, take Walnut Grove Rd (just after the Walgreens). After 0.8 miles take the left onto Back Valley Rd. Continue for 0.7 miles before turning right to enter Pocket Wilderness Rd towards the Laurel Snow State Natural Area. This is a dirt road but was in good quality. Follow 0.9 miles to the end. Note, this area closes at 7 pm so if you think you may be later, instead continue on Back Valley for an additional 0.3 miles to the bridge. There is parking on the far side.
Put-in: Head back out to Back Valley rd and turn right. Follow this for 1.3 miles to TN-30 where you will turn right. Climb up the ridge for 8.4 miles. As you come into Summer City, turn right onto TN-337 (Summer City Rd.). Follow this for 4.4 miles. At the 4 way intersection, turn right onto Liberty Hill Rd. In 0.3 miles, as the road dips ever so slightly, look for the creek on the right. The culvert is actually hidden a bit from the road when the leaves are out… there is parking on the shoulder of the road and a trail down to the river on the downstream river right side.


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On Wall Street, Picture looks bleak for hardware, chips
Worldwide shipments of PCs in 2012 likely to decline, first time in 11 years
Marc Ferranti, IDG News Service, New York 13 October, 2012 22:00
Reports of weakness in the hardware and components sectors rolled in last week from market researchers and vendors, contributing to an overall decline in confidence in tech on the part of IT analysts and investors.
Though tech stocks on the Nasdaq are up about 16 percent for the year, they were up about 25 percent for the year about a month ago.
Worldwide shipments of PCs are likely to decline in 2012 for the first time in 11 years, according to a report last week from the IHS iSuppli Compute Platforms Service. PC shipments this year are forecast to decline by 1.2 percent to 348.7 million units, down from 352.8 million in 2011, iSuppli said. The PC industry has not seen a drop of this magnitude since the aftermath of the dot-com bust.
"There was great hope through the first half that 2012 would prove to be a rebound year for the PC market," said Craig Stice, senior principal analyst for computer systems at IHS, in a statement. "Now three quarters through the year, the usual boost from the back-to-school season appears to be a bust, and both AMD and Intel's third-quarter outlooks appear to be flat to down. Optimism has vanished and turned to doubt, and the industry is now training its sights on 2013 to deliver the hoped-for rebound."
There are signs that a rebound could occur next year, iSuppli noted. Ultrabooks and other thin notebook computers "remain viable products with the potential to redraw the PC landscape, and the addition of Windows 8 to the mix could prove potent and irresistible to consumers," iSuppli said.
Meanwhile, IDC and Gartner both reported last week that PC shipments declined in the third quarter. Global PC shipments dropped 8.3 percent year over year, with a total of 87.5 million units shipped in the third quarter of 2012, Gartner said. IDC put the decline at 8.6 percent.
Hewlett-Packard and Lenovo are slugging it out for the top spot in the flagging market. Gartner said that Lenovo slipped past HP to claim the number-one spot in the PC arena with 15.7 percent of the global PC market compared to 15.5 percent for HP. For its part, IDC reported that HP hung on to the top position with 15.9 percent of the market compared to Lenovo's 15.7 percent.
At its annual financial analyst day, HP CEO Meg Whitman said the company has a tough game of catch-up to play in hardware over the next few years. HP forecast earnings per share of US$3.40 to $3.60 for this fiscal year, below the prior estimate of $4.18 from analysts polled by Thomson Reuters. Whitman said the company needs to come up with a hit next-generation smartphone or other mobile device in order to maintain a leadership position over the next few years.
Meanwhile, even the mighty Apple has been hit by the decline in PC sales, both IDC and Gartner said. IDC said Apple sold 2.06 million Macs in the quarter, a drop of 7 percent year over year. Gartner said the decline was 6.1 percent.
The PC slump is affecting chip makers as well.
In a preliminary financial report, Advanced Micro Devices on Thursday slashed its sales forecast for the third quarter, blaming a tough economy for the decline. Intel's main rival now forecasts revenue for the quarter to drop by about 10 percent from the second quarter, compared to prior estimates that the decline would be no worse than 4 percent.
Though the US economy appears to be slowly recovering from the Great Recession, IT hiring has leveled off recently. Last week's jobs report from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that the overall unemployment rate for September was 7.8 percent -- the lowest point since US President Barack Obama took office. But things were not looking up for IT. In September, the IT industry lost 1,700 jobs, according to the report.
Next week some of the biggest names in IT will be reporting earnings. IBM, Microsoft, Google, AMD, Intel and Nokia are all due to report, and IT market watchers will get a broader picture of how the tech market is doing.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
/**
 * Find maximum single sell profit
 * Given a list of stock prices for n days, find the maximum profit with a single buy/sell activity.
 * Runtime Complexity
     Linear, O(n).

     Memory Complexity
     Constant, O(1).
 * @param array
 * @returns {*[]}
 */
let find_buy_sell_stock_prices = function(array) {
    if (!array || array.length < 2) {
        return;
    }

    let current_buy = array[0];
    let global_sell = array[1];
    let global_profit = global_sell - current_buy;

    let current_profit = 0;

    for (let i = 1; i < array.length; i++) {
        current_profit = array[i] - current_buy;

        if (current_profit > global_profit) {
            global_profit = current_profit;
            global_sell = array[i];
        }

        if (current_buy > array[i]) {
            current_buy = array[i];
        }

    }

    return [global_sell - global_profit, global_sell];
};

let arr = [12, 5, 9, 19];
console.log(find_buy_sell_stock_prices(arr));  //[5, 19] buy at 5; sell at 19

arr = [21, 12, 11, 9, 6, 3];
let stockPrice = [10, 5, 8, 9, 2, 20, 15, 30];

console.log(find_buy_sell_stock_prices(stockPrice));  //[12, 11] buy at 12; sell at 11

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Lamar Odom Loses Child Support Case After Court No Show
"Basketball Wives" star, and Lamar Odom's ex, Liza Morales, went after the former Laker player a couple of months back for a ton of missing child support payments. At the time, Odom defended himself in the court of public opinion with an IG post. In which he claimed that his kids were essentially adults, and therefore he didn't have to pay for child support anymore. That's all great, but apparently, no one told Odom that posting things on social media doesn't count as showing up in court!
Getting Mocked By The Judge
It's been about a month since Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Matthew Cooper mocked Odom for being in a celebrity boxing match and not showing up to court. At the end of June, the judge mentioned on Odom's boxing match with Aaron Carter,
Related to what you're reading:
"If Mr. Odom is in good enough shape to participate in a boxing match, he's certainly in good enough shape to abide by his obligations to support his children as set forth in the settlement agreement,"
When he said this, Odom had not shown up to the hearing. It seems that not much has changed.
Open and Shut Case
After essentially giving Odom the legally required time for him to respond to the claims made against him in court this Thursday, the judge signed a decree ordering him to pay up! Liza Morales was granted $380,549. This is money that Odom must pay to cover college costs, rent, and other living expenses for Morales and their kids. The amount was agreed upon by the former couple back in 2015. Odom hasn't been keeping his end of the bargain. Also, he didn't show up in court to defend himself. There's been no word from Odom as to what he plans to do at this point.
He Could Be Looking At More Payments
The judge also ruled that Odom has to fund a $1 million life insurance policy. Then proceed to name ex Liza Morales as the beneficiary. If Odom does not comply, then Morales would be legally entitled to essentially head back to court and sue Odom for even more money. Plus, getting him to cover the legal expenses that she would have for suing him. This strategy of pretending none of this exists so that it can go away doesn't seem to be working too well for Odom.
I had a very therapeutic interview with @RealLamarOdom on The Megan Pormer Show @FOXLA . He opened up his heart about overcoming emotional trauma and mental health issues and how he is going to create a platform to help everyone heal from pain and trauma. Thank you @sheerazhasan pic.twitter.com/0J34rlWBJa
— Megan Pormer (@MeganPormer) July 14, 2021
What's Odom Been Up To?
Why is Lamar Odom not showing up in court? What's he been up to that his him so busy? Well, he's had a social media beef with Tristan Thompson over ex Khloé Kardashian. He's taking part in some charity basketball games. Also, motivational speaking is one of his endeavors. There is no doubt that he's been on the move. That's not going to save him from his unfinished business with Liza Morales. This is probably not the last time we hear about their court battle!
NBA Twitter watching Tristan Thompson pretend to act tough on Lamar Odom pic.twitter.com/GgIngzUBsh
— 🌸 (@DayDreamThis) July 10, 2021
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Britain's departure 'will unleash $406b in automated stock sales'
Traders working at the New York Stock Exchange on June 24, 2016 following the Brexit vote.PHOTO: AFP
Jun 27, 2016, 5:00 am SGT
http://str.sg/4w8w
NEW YORK • One way to assess how much pain looms for global stocks post-Brexit is to figure out who needs to sell. Strategists analysing fund flows say that includes computer traders, exchange-traded funds and individuals who piled into European stocks expecting a different outcome.
Britain's departure from the European Union will unleash as much as US$300 billion (S$406 billion) of selling by automated quantitative analysis programs in the already-battered US stock market, according to Mr Marko Kolanovic, the JPMorgan Chase & Co derivatives strategist.
His colleague Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou looked at ETF and government data and concluded that US investors own a lot more European stock than they did during the sovereign debt crisis four years ago.
Equity investors in the United States would be wise to stay away until quantitative analysis (quant) managers finish the work that was forced on them by last Friday's volatility, Mr Kolanovic wrote. About US$2.6 trillion was erased from global share markets and the Chicago Board Options Exchange's volatility index shot up 49 per cent last Friday as investors worried Brexit would snarl commerce and snuff out the economic recovery.
"The volatility that we're seeing now is winding and unwinding of positions that were set up in expectation of a 'Remain' vote," said Mr Walter Hellwig, who helps manage US$17 billion as senior vice-president at BB&T Wealth Management in Birmingham, Alabama. "Volatility has been introduced here because of the unexpected results. It caught the market by surprise."
About US$2.6 trillion was erased from global share markets and the Chicago Board Options Exchange's volatility index shot up 49 per cent last Friday as investors worried Brexit would snarl commerce and snuff out the economic recovery.
The S&P 500 Index dropped 3.6 per cent on Friday, capping a five-day decline of 1.6 per cent, as more than 15 billion shares traded across US exchanges, double the daily average so far this year.
MSCI's global stock index plunged 4.8 per cent in the biggest slide since August 2011, while European stocks slid 7 per cent in the worst day since 2008.
Leveraged ETFs tied to the S&P 500 created additional downward momentum in US equities last Friday, as fund owners sold more shares as part of their daily rebalancing, according to Mr Panigirtzoglou. The mechanical process that amplifies returns caused more than US$4 billion in forced selling last Friday, the most since August, he wrote.
Mr Kolanovic is one of several Wall Street quant gurus predicting elevated selling in the wake of the British decision, after UBS Group's Rebecca Cheong predicted on Friday as much as US$150 billion in automated sales. Both are derivatives analysts who generally try to predict how automated funds will react to volatility and other market inputs.
One of their assumptions is that as levels of turbulence fluctuate in US equities, it triggers robotic decisions in programs that buy and sell stocks to keep portfolio volatility around preset targets.
Quant trading accounted for US$25 billion of selling last Friday, the result of investors hedging short positions, according to the note. While that would normally be about 10 per cent of the total value of stocks traded in any given day in the US, last Friday it was less than 5 per cent.
An additional US$100 billion in automated sales will hit over the next few days, with US$40 billion coming from volatility targeting, US$40 billion from trend-following strategies and as much as US$30 billion from risk parity funds, which try to balance exposure across asset classes, according to Mr Kolanovic.
The sales could end up totalling closer to US$300 billion, depending on how realised volatility responds to recent stock market shocks, he noted.
While equity turbulence is unlikely to turn into a long- term ordeal, investors will need to be prepared for the worst. "As the selling eventually abates in a few weeks, investors will need to reassess the probability of a US recession," Mr Kolanovic wrote.
"In the absence of decisive monetary or fiscal measures, we see the probability of a recession increase significantly."
Join ST's Telegram channel here and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on June 27, 2016, with the headline 'Britain's departure 'will unleash $406b in automated stock sales''. Print Edition | Subscribe


text:
var newErr = require('../error').newError;

exports.create = function(req, res, next)
{
	var date = new Date(req.body.date);
	var owner_id = req.user.id;
	var restaurant_id = req.body.restaurant_id ? req.body.restaurant_id : 0;

	console.log("date: " + date);
	console.log("owner_id: " + owner_id);
	console.log("restaurant_id: " + restaurant_id);

	req.db.models.order.create(
	{
		date : date,
		statut : false,
		owner_id : owner_id,
		restaurant_id : restaurant_id
	}, function checkCreate(err, order)
	{
		if (err)
			next(newErr(500, err));
		else
		{
			console.log("test create order");
			res.send({"order" : order});
		}
	});
}

exports.validateByOwner = function(req, res, next)
{
	var order_id = req.body.order_id;

	req.db.models.order.one({ owner_id : req.user.id, id : order_id }, function(err, order)
	{
		if (err || !order)
			next(newErr(500, "order not found"));
		else
		{
			order.status = !(order.status);
			order.save(function(err, order) {
				if (err)
					next(newErr(500, err));
				else
					res.send({"order validate" : order});
			});
		}
	});
}

exports.validateByRestaurant = function(req, res, next)
{
	var order_id = req.body.order_id;

	req.db.models.order.one({ restaurant_id : req.restaurant.id, id : order_id }, function(err, order)
	{
		if (err || !order)
			next(newErr(500, "order not found"));
		else
		{
			order.status = !(order.status);
			order.save(function(err, order) {
				if (err)
					next(newErr(500, err));
				else
					res.send({"order validate" : order});
			});
		}
	});
}

exports.readAll = function(req, res, next)
{
	req.db.models.order.find(function checkOrders(err, orders)
	{
		if (err || !orders)
			next(newErr(500, "orders not found"));
		else
		{
			console.log("readAll orders");
			res.send(orders);
		}
	});
}

exports.readOne = function(req, res, next)
{
	var order_id = req.params.order_id ? req.params.order_id : 0;

	req.db.models.order.get(order_id, function checkOrder(err, order)
	{
		if (err || !order)
			next(newErr(500, "order not found"));
		else
		{
			console.log("read order with id: " + order_id);
			res.send(order);
		}
	});
}

exports.readMyOrder = function(req, res, next)
{
	req.db.models.order.find({ owner_id : req.user.id }, function checkOrder(err, order)
	{
		if (err || !order)
			next(newErr(500, "order not found"));
		else
		{
			console.log("read order with owner_id: " + req.user.id);
			res.send(order);
		}
	});
}

exports.readForOwner = function(req, res, next)
{
	var owner_id = req.params.owner_id ? req.params.owner_id : 0;

	req.dn.models.order.find({ owner_id : owner_id}, function checkFind(err, order)
	{
		if (err || !order)
			next(newErr(500, "order nor found"));
		else
		{
			console.log("read order for owner_id: " + owner_id)
			res.send(order);
		}
	});
}


text:
require('./exctractcss.include.js');
require('../parent.css');


One Copy of "Off The Beaten Track A Year in Haiku." London, UK: Boatwhistle Books.
File contains a certificate The Council of Ontario Universities to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a letter and certificate sent by Emily Carr University Chancellor Geoff Plant, Board of Governor's chair Blair Qualey, and President Dr. Ron Burnett to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a letter and certificate sent by McGill University by Principal and Vice Chancellor Suzanne Fortier and Chancellor Michael A. Meighen to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate sent by Universities Canada President Paul Davidson to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate sent by University of Calgary President Elizabeth Cannon, and Chancellor Robert Thirsk to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate sent by University of the Fraser Valley President Dr. Mark Evered, and Chancellor Dr. Gwen Point to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate sent by University of Saskatchewan President Peter Stoicheff to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate sent by University of Waterloo President Feridun Hamdullahpur to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate sent by University of Western Ontario Amit Chakma to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a letter and certificate from Acadia University President and Vice-Chancellor Raymond E. Ivany to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate sent by Mount Allison Chancellor Peter Mansbridge, and President Robert Campbell to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate sent by Mount Royal University Board of Governor's chair Bryan D. Pinney, and President Dr. David Docherty to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate and letter sent by Queen's University Chancellor Jim Leech, Principal Daniel R. Woolf, and Rector Cam Young to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate and letter sent by Royal Roads University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Allan Cahoon to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate sent by Trent University President and Vice-Chancellor Leo Groarke to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate sent by University of Ontario Institute of Technology President Tim McTiernan to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate sent by University of Toronto President Meric S. Gertler to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
1 copy of a poster promoting the SLC's reception of the 2016 AIA/ALA Library Building Award.
File contains a certificate from Athabasca University Interim-President Peter McKinnon to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a letter and certificate sent by Memorial University Board of Regents chair Iris Petten, and President Gary Kachanoski to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate sent by St. Thomas University's President and Vice-Chancellor Dawn Russell to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate sent by Thompson Rivers University Chancellor Wally Oppal, and President Alan Shaver to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate and a letter sent by L'Universite de Montreal Rector Guy Breton, Chancellor Louise Roy, and Secretary General Alexandre Chabot to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate sent by University of New Brunswick President H. E. A. (Eddy) Campbell to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate sent by York University Chancellor Greg Sorbara, and President Mamdouh Shoukri to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
Copy of book co-edited by Linda Cooper, Jacqui Gingras, Pamela Robinson, and Janice Waddell.
File contains a certificate from Brandon University President and Vice Chancellor Gervan Fearon to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a letter and certificate sent by Dalhousie University President and Vice-Chancellor Richard Florizone to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a letter and certificate sent by Kwantlen Polytechnic University Chancellor George Melville, and President Alan Davis to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate sent by Canadian Senator Don Meredith to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate sent by Simon Fraser University Chancellor Anne Giardini, and President Andrew Petter to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate sent by St. Jerome's University's President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Katherine Bergman to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate and letter sent by University of Lethbridge Chancellor Janice Varzari, Board of Governor's chair Kurt E. Schlachter, and President Michael J. Mahon to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate and letter sent by University of Manitoba Chancellor Harvey Sector , and President David T. Barnard to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate sent by University of Northern British Columbia Chancellor James Moore, and President Daniel J. Weeks to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate sent by University of Regina Chancellor Jim Tompkins, and President Vianne Timmons to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a letter and a certificate sent by University of Victoria Chancellor Shelagh Rogers, President Jamie Cassels, and Board of Governors chair Tracy Redies to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a letter and a certificate sent by Vancouver Island University Board of Governors chair Allan Wiekenkamp, President Ralph Nilson, and Chancellor Louise Mandell to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
File contains a certificate sent by Wilfrid Laurier University President Max Blouw to commemorate President Lachemi's installation.
Item is a poster for the Jack Layton Leadership School: Social Justice, Activism and Community.
One copy of Brookfield Insitute report "The State of Canada's Tech Sector, 2016".
One copy of inaugural Brookfield Insitute report "The Talented Mr. Robot: The Impact of Automation on Canada's Workforce".
The AIDS Pandemic: Nearly Over, or Still Taking a Toll?
File contains 1 copy of the book "Micro Haiku - three to nine syllables".
File contains a certificate from McMaster University's Chancellor Lynton R. Wilson and President and Vice-Chancellor Patrick Deane to Ryerson University to commemorate Chancellor Bloomberg's installation.
File contains a certificate from Mount Allison University's Chancellor Peter Mansbridge, and President Robert M. Campbell to commemorate Chancellor Bloomberg's installation.
File contains a certificate from St. Thomas University's President and Vice-Chancellor Dawn Russell to commemorate Chancellor Bloomberg's installation.


text:
Q: Creating BoxBufferGeometry from Box3 I want to create a box mesh on the three.js scene, where points of the box mesh will be the same as bounding box of some existing object on the scene.
I have tried to create box mesh from box3 in the way displayed bellow, but i dont get the right result:
var threeObject = existing object on the scene;
var boundingBox = new THREE.Box3();
boundingBox.setFromObject(threeObject);

var geometry = new THREE.BufferGeometry();
var vertices = new Float32Array( [
boundingBox.min.x, boundingBox.min.y, boundingBox.min.z,
boundingBox.min.x, boundingBox.max.y, boundingBox.min.z,
boundingBox.min.x, boundingBox.min.y, boundingBox.max.z,
boundingBox.min.x, boundingBox.max.y, boundingBox.max.z,
boundingBox.max.x, boundingBox.min.y, boundingBox.min.z,
boundingBox.max.x, boundingBox.max.y, boundingBox.min.z,
boundingBox.max.x, boundingBox.min.y, boundingBox.max.z,
boundingBox.max.x, boundingBox.max.y, boundingBox.max.z,
] );
geometry.addAttribute( 'position', new THREE.BufferAttribute( vertices, 3 ) );
var material = new THREE.MeshBasicMaterial( { color: 0xff0000 } );
var mesh = new THREE.Mesh( geometry, material );
viewer.scene.add(mesh);

How can I create mesh box from box3? Thank you very much for your help!

A: In Three.js there's no automatic way to turn Box3 into a regular BoxBufferGeometry but here's how it worked for me
const threeObject = existing object on the scene;
const box3 = new THREE.Box3();

// conform to the object size like it's a boundingBox
box3.setFromObject(threeObject);

// make a BoxBufferGeometry of the same size as Box3
const dimensions = new THREE.Vector3().subVectors( box3.max, box3.min );
const boxGeo = new THREE.BoxBufferGeometry(dimensions.x, dimensions.y, dimensions.z);

// move new mesh center so it's aligned with the original object
const matrix = new THREE.Matrix4().setPosition(dimensions.addVectors(box3.min, box3.max).multiplyScalar( 0.5 ));
boxGeo.applyMatrix(matrix);

// make a mesh
const mesh = new THREE.Mesh(boxGeo, new THREE.MeshBasicMaterial( { color: 0xffcc55 } ));

A: The vertices array in your code holds vertex data but they actually represent face/triangle definitions. Hence, rendering just this geometry data results in a few random triangles (not visualizing a box).
You can solve this problem by adding an index to your geometry which will represent the face definitions based on your vertices. To understand this topic, you have to know the difference between indexed and non-indexed geometries. I suggest you study the official documentation page of THREE.BufferGeometry. There are for each type of geometry official code examples.
three.js R107

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


We believe in many things at Thomas & Thomas, most are pretty simple. Things like being kind to people, doing what's right vs. what's easy, leaving things better than you found them and trusting the person next to you. Simple values we try to live by every day, on the water and in our work. We also believe in America, and in American craftsmanship, innovation and quality. It's a big part of who we are and the success we continue to have. It's why we guarantee every Thomas & Thomas fly rod to be 100% American Made.
Premium Graphite Options Thomas & Thomas knows the finished fly rod is only as good as the materials that go into it, and that the stiffest graphite isn't always the right choice for a given rod or purpose. Thomas & Thomas builds fly rods from a range of premium quality graphite with different strain rates and recovery speeds, providing the necessary elements for Tom Dorsey and our design team to create the most effective modern tapers and actions while maintaining the distinct Thomas & Thomas feel.
Receive a BONUS FLY LINE CREDIT up to $100 and BONUS LOYALTY POINTS when you purchase an in-line Thomas and Thomas fly rod from Stillwater.


text:
Generational gap colors housing attitudes
By Evelyn Wiese
The streets of the Villa Victoria housing complex are scrawled with graffiti, strewn with litter, and home to more than the complex's fair share of rats, its younger Puerto Rican residents profess. But their older counterparts describe the neighborhood as beautiful and take offense when others refer to the low-income housing development as a "project."
In a Thursday afternoon talk hosted by the University's chapter of Habitat for Humanity, sociology professor Mario Luis Small addressed about a dozen students in a talk on the connection between people's perception of their community and their level of community involvement. The talk, entitled "A Historic Puerto Rican Housing Complex in Boston: Promise and Peril in Community Participation," explored the decline in civic participation in Villa Victoria.
Small first spoke about the creation of the housing complex, which he described as "a really innovative and important historic experiment in housing."
A predominantly Puerto Rican low-income housing development in the South End of Boston, Villa Victoria was created through the efforts of community activists in the late 1960s, Small said. As the neighborhoods surrounding what would become Villa Victoria were razed to build luxury condominiums, community members and local activists united to pressure officials to create affordable housing.
"After the shock of the leveling of the neighborhoods, there was a huge outcry," Small said.
These efforts resulted in the development of Villa Victoria, which was designed, organized, and run primarily by its residents.
"It was a remarkable achievement," Small said, citing the uniqueness of the community's model. "Thirty years ago, most people had a completely different idea of what a housing project is."
Small said that Villa Victoria embodied a distinctly new model of community participation. Residents organized community-organized events that included ESL lessons, Big Brother and Big Sister Programs, community gardening, and an annual "Festival Betances"—which commemorated Puerto Rican nationalist and activist Ramón Emeterio Betances.
However, Small added that in recent years, residents' views of the neighborhood have begun to differ drastically.
"They all saw the rats and the grime," he said of the younger residents. "It was almost as if they were describing totally different places."
Along with a more negative view of their surroundings, Small noted a sharp decline in community involvement, as younger residents of the housing project opt not to take on the community roles held by older generations of residents. Small attributed this decline in community involvement to dwindling awareness of Villa Victoria's genesis.
"Talking to [newer and younger residents] about Villa Victoria, the role of history had no place, and the idea of struggle was equally absent," he said.


text:
<!DOCTYPE html>

    <title>Etap parsowania - Rubinius</title>
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    <meta content='Rubinius is an implementation of the Ruby programming language. The Rubinius bytecode virtual machine is written in C++. The bytecode compiler is written in pure Ruby. The vast majority of the core library is also written in Ruby, with some supporting primitives that interact with the VM directly.' name='description'>
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    <link href='/doc/pl/bytecode-compiler' rel='prev' title='Kompilator bajtkodu'>
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Etap parsowania

This topic has missing or partial documentation. Please help us improve it.

    See How-To - Write Documentation

Pierwszym etapem kompilacji jest Ruby Parser. Parser dostaje na wejściu
String lub plik z kodem źródłowym i przekazuje AST (Abstract Syntax
Tree czyli Drzewo AST) do następnego etapu czyli do generatora.

Sam parser (zwany Melbourne) składa się z części napisanej w C (jest
to ten sam parser, który jest używany w MRI Matz Ruby Interpreter - czyli implementacji
referencyjnej Ruby napisanej przez Matz’a) oraz z części napisanej w
Ruby, która jest odpowiedzialna za utworzenie Drzewa AST w
Ruby. Parser w C komunikuje się z Ruby wywołując metodę dla każdego
węzła w drzewie AST.

Każda z tych metod posiada sygnaturę zawierającą wszystkie informacje
o przetwarzanej właśnie części drzewa. Na przykład jeśli kod zawiera
if C-parser wywoła metodę process_if przekazując numer linii,
warunek, sekcję kodu jeśli warunek jest spełniony oraz sekcję dla
niespełnionego warunku (jeśli taka istnieje).

def process_if(line, cond, body, else_body)
  AST::If.new line, cond, body, else_body
end

Listę wszystkich metod process_ znajdzie w
lib/melbourne/processor.rb w kodzie Rubiniusa.

Zauważ, że w wielu przypadkach parser przekazuje wynik wywołania
poprzedniej metody process_ jako argument do następnej metody
process_. Na przykład true if 1 - parser najpierw wywoła
process_lit(line 1) oraz process_true(line). Wywoła również
process_nil(line), ponieważ drzewo zawiera nil jako sekcję
else. Następnie parser wywoła process_if z tym samym numerem
linii, wynikiem wykonania process_lit, wynikiem wykonania
process_true oraz wynikiem wykonania process_nil.

Ten proces w sposób rekurencyjny buduje strukturę drzewa, którą
Rubinius przekazuje do następnego etapu czyli do generowania.

Pliki

lib/melbourne/processor.rb: Interfejs Ruby do parsera napisanego w
C. Ten plik zawiera metody zaczynające się od process_, które
parser C wywołuje dla każdego węzła w drzewie AST.

lib/compiler/ast/*: definicje dla każdego węzła drzewa AST
używane przez powyższy processor Melbourne.

Dostosowanie kompilacji

Istnieją dwa sposoby na dostosowanie tego etapu w procesie
kompilacji do własnych potrzeb. Najprostszym sposobem jest utworzenie
Transformacji AST.

Oprócz tego, możesz również utworzyć klasę która będzie dziedziczyć z
klasy Melbourne processor i zdefiniować własne handlery dla metod
process_. To jest zaawansowany temat, który nie został jeszcze udokumentowany.

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    AST

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An Engine Yard project


To prepare our hearts and the hearts of our lost friends and neighbors, we will be entering into a time of fasting March 26-May 5, leading into the Haughton Harvest Crusade, May 6-9. As hunger pains hit us, they remind us to pray and to be dependent on God to sustain us through our physical weakness. Fasting requires an attitude of humility towards God, in addition to having pure motives for fasting (Matthew 6:17-18). We are trusting God to do things during this crusade that can only be attributed to Him. You can register to fast for a day, or multiple days, in the foyer or on our website.
The Women's Ministry invites all ladies to join us on April 28 at 8:00am in the Fellowship Hall for the Priscilla Shirer simulcast. We will learn to study God's Word, how to seek the Lord through whole-hearted prayer, find spiritual refreshment alongside thousands of women from all walks of life, and gain the direction you need to step into God's plan for your life. The cost for the event is $10, which includes lunch. For more information, contact Misty Brown at women@fbchaughton.org or 318.560.6504.
We have been praying for months for our friends and neighbors in preparation for the Haughton Harvest Crusade! The crusade will be May 6-9 featuring evangelist Bill Britt and Jason Lovins Band, along with several special focus nights.
Be sure to invite your friends and neighbors to hear the Gospel!


In the Gospel reading today we hear about the preaching of St. John the Baptist. However, unlike what we read in the other Gospels, St. Luke does not record the Baptist as saying that He is the voice in the desert calling out to make straight the way of the Lord. Instead, St. Luke simply points to the call and the ministry of the great Forerunner as the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah. This has some significance for us because is provides a context that is much larger than St. John the Baptist and the time in which he spoke.
We hear the same things spoken of in the first reading where Baruch proclaims that God has commanded the lofty mountains to be made low and the age-old gorges to be filled in. He says that this will happen so that the people of Israel could return to the Holy Land with great glory. When we look at the return of the exiles as well as the circumstances at the time of preaching of St. John the Baptist, we will note that no physical mountains were leveled and no actual valleys were filled in.
This being the case, we have to look for the deeper meaning, the spiritual meaning of the texts. When we consider the exile of the Chosen People, we recall that this was due to the sins of the people and their general straying from God. So the people has already put barriers between themselves and God. When the Lord sent them into exile, there were a few more obstacles placed between them.
When the people were brought back it was only after they had fully repaid the price of their sins. They had removed the problems from their side, and now God was going to remove everything that kept them from Him. Their return to Jerusalem was an historical event; however, it was also a spiritual event. This is made clear in the first reading where Jerusalem is told to put on the cloak of justice that comes from God and to wear the mitre that bears the Name of God. This suggests that Israel is to be a royal priesthood and a holy nation.
If that last sentence sounds familiar, it is because St. Peter applies these words to us. The Church is the new Jerusalem which is to be holy and to exercise the royal and priestly offices she has obtained from her divine Founder. While the Church continues on the path of righteousness, we have to admit that the people who make up the Church have not always been too impressive.
We can certainly take consolation in both the fidelity God has shown to Israel over the centuries, but also in the words of St. Paul which are contained in the second reading: God Who has begun a good work in you will bring it to completion. We have put many obstacles in the way between God and ourselves; God seems to have put up a few roadblocks as well. However, He will never abandon His Church nor will He hide Himself completely from those who seek Him with a sincere heart.
The fact that He will allow Himself to be found by those who seek Him does not mean that it will be easy for those who are seeking Him. Not only do we have to remove the mountains we have erected, but God has to fill in the valleys. He has allowed this because of our infidelity. He calls us back to Himself but at this point He requires that we make quite an effort to unite ourselves with Him. This is required because we have to be willing to prove that we really want this union.
After the preaching of the Baptist, God was found in Israel in the flesh by those who could see beyond the externals and recognize God in the person of Jesus. He had removed the things which kept us apart. In our humanness, when something is too easy we tend to ignore it. This is what we have done with Jesus. For this reason He has made things more difficult so that we could prove our love. The day is coming, however, when God is going to intervene and take away the obstacles from both His side and ours. In a manner analogous to what happened two thousand years ago, access to God will be easy for everyone. While we await that day, the words of St. John the baptist continue to call us to make every effort on our part to tear down the mountains we have built. God will put that desire in your heart and, if you cooperate, He will complete what He has begun in you and make straight the way to Himself.


As expected I'm getting the run arround from the DVLA. Although I have supplied them a NOVA registration and an extract from the factory dating records they want more dating evidence, an mot, although this is an Historic vehical, and a type approval certificate WTF.
Kick it upstairs, by letter if you have to;looks like you've been unfortunate enough to run across one of the few folk in DVLA who doesn't know what they're talking about, most of them are pretty good. For a start there was no such thing as type approval in the UK when that was built, as far as i'm aware.
The problem you will have now is the age old one of getting any civil servant to admit that they were wrong. Good luck with that.
Well 2nd attempt at registration will be off to the DVLA to-morrow, Dating certificate from John Warr (very good service) and an MOT to-day. We'll have to see where the type approval thing goes.
I don't know whether it still applies Simon but when I have been through this process proof of insurance was necessary.
If it's any consolation, my brother took something like four or five attempts before finally getting sorted with a little Aprilia thing. The worst bit was the dating "certificate" from Piaggi (I think), that cost 40 Euros direct from Italy, but looked as if it had been badly forged by a blind man. He duly sent it off and it was quite rightly rejected.
He then complained to Piaggi UK and received a full apology and a proper certificate and finally got it all sorted!


text:
A CEO asks a twisted question to quiz job candidates on their work ethic — here's how
Betsy Mikel,
This question would catch you off-guard.
Joe Raedle / Getty
We've all had that oddball interview question. The one that's meant to catch us off-guard and reveal something about our true character.
Don Mal, the CEO of Toronto-based software company Vena Solutions, has a go-to question he likes to ask. He recently shared it with The New York Times as part of their Corner Office series.
In interviews, Mal pops this question: Would you be willing to leave your family at Disneyland to do something that was really important for the company?
Think quick. How would you answer? Or more importantly, how do you think the boss wants you to answer?
"Some people have said no, and I haven't hired them," Mal says. He thinks the non-willingness to leave a family vacation displays poor work ethic. I think he's wrong. And it's not for the reasons you might think. Because ditching your family to go work means you're a workaholic? Sure. You could say that. But that's not the real problem I have with Mal's approach.
I think the willingness to leave your family to see to something work-related displays three very problematic problems with your leadership style: a failure to prepare, lack of confidence in your team, and poor leading by example.
Failure to prepare
Just as planning the dream Disney vacation takes preparation, so does leaving your work for any period of time. Just throwing out an out-of-office reply isn't going to cut it, especially if you're in a position where you manage people or projects.
No one should duck out of work without putting processes in place to keep things running as smoothly as possible while you're out. From making sure your colleagues are debriefed on what needs to happen while you're away to giving everyone a heads up that you'll be unreachable, it's your job to set--and manage--expectations in your absence.
Leaving a family vacation to tend to something work-related should not be necessary. It means you failed to prepare your team properly to cover for you while you were out.
Lack of confidence in your team
Whether someone is out of the office for three months of parental leave or taking a one-week vacation, often their work falls to other members of the team. Ideally, you'll have a rock-star team of colleagues who will chip in and help minimize disruption in your absence.
Everything might not be done exactly as you would have done it, but you should have confidence that they'll do their best. It's bad news if you have so little confidence in your team that you feel you need to ditch your family so you can swoop in and save the day.
If you don't trust your team to cover for you while you're on vacation, you've got bigger problems. Either they really can't be trusted to do the work--meaning you've failed to recruit the right team and don't have strong support--or they don't want to help because they're not the helping kind. Then you've got some serious culture problems.
Even worse, the problem is you. Do you believe your work is so precious that no one else can touch it? Do you feel the need to micro-manage everything? So much so that you have to leave your vacation to do it?
A leader is only as strong as her team. If you can't put full confidence in your team's abilities, it might be time to reconsider who you hire or how much control you need to have over every little thing.
Poor leading by example
When you're in any position of leadership, people watch your every move. Even those who don't report directly to you are watching.
As much as you tell your employees that you respect their personal time and they don't need to cut their vacations short just because you do, nothing is more effective than leading by example. The old "actions speak louder than words" trope especially rings true in this situation.
And if people observe you never take full vacations, that sets a precedent. It says that you probably expect all other employees to follow suit.
Mal understands that his opinion on this topic is an unconventional one. He says he wouldn't ask the Disneyland question if he hadn't done it himself. Mal goes onto explain that to close the biggest deal of his company's history, he left his wife and kids at Disneyland for two days. He doesn't regret it. It advanced his career and made the company a lot of money (money that paid for the entire vacation, he adds).
So now it's your turn: Do you agree with Mal or think he's misguided?
More: Inc. Success Careers Job Interview


Belinda joined Schiffman Grow (now W3 Global Accounting) in January 2015 as a staff accountant after 24 years with Milliron & Kensinger, CPAs. A graduate of The Ohio State University, Belinda has experience working with QuickBooks, payroll, and general accounting.
Belinda has been married to her husband, Bill, for over 30 years and they enjoy having their daughter, grandkids, Belinda's parents, brother, niece and nephew all living in town. In their spare time, she and Bill enjoy training and showing dogs as well as teaching dog obedience classes.


Virr L G, architect, listed under "Architects" category, is located at 17 Meredith Cct Kambah ACT, 2902, Australia and can be reached by 0262312480 phone number. Virr L G has currently 0 reviews.
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Politics & Governance
U.S. – Gulf Policy
Rep. Gabbard Introduces H. Res 411
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI02) introduced a bill seeking to classify Presidential pursuits of war (without approval from Congress) as qualifying for the 'high crimes and misdemeanors' definition of an impeachable offense. While the bill does not mention any country by name, on June 17th, 2019 Congresswoman Gabbard stated at a campaign stop that the bill is meant as a safeguard against what she implied was President Trump's illegal war with Iran. Congresswoman Gabbard is a candidate for the Democratic Nomination for President in 2020.
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI02) introduced a bill seeking to classify Presidential pursuits of war (without approval from Congress) as qualifying for the 'high crimes and misdemeanors' definition of an impeachable offense.
While the bill does not mention any country by name, on June 17th, 2019 Congresswoman Gabbard stated at a campaign stop that the bill is meant as a safeguard against what she implied was President Trump's illegal war with Iran.
Congresswoman Gabbard is a candidate for the Democratic Nomination for President in 2020.
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Upper trails at Rattlesnake Ledge, Fall 2015
Q: You just came out with Two Miles of Darkness. What are your thoughts?
A: It's been almost two years since Monica's Sister. My goal is to write one book a year, but the schedule got some sand in the gears thanks to some extended talks with a publisher which, in the end, didn't pan out. My thinking was to get some more Thomas Black novels out, and to that end I've written three in a row. I'm almost done with Jackson Street, the next Black.
Q: When will Jackson Street be out?
A: It depends on how long my copyediting and the rest of the production
work takes. I'm shooting for next summer.
Q: What do you think makes Thomas Black different from other hard-boiled
characters?
A: I'm not sure he's really hardboiled. He gets into a lot of trouble, but
I think there's a certain amount of his own stupidity to blame for that.
I'd say what sets Black apart are his compassionate views of the people
around him and his self-deprecating humor. Black doesn't drink and
doesn't have much of a social life, either. Other than that, it's the
voice. In detective fiction it's always the voice. You either like it or
you don't. My job is to make you like it. Or at least to write in a
voice I like and hope that others like it, too.
Q: Black seems to take a lot of physical punishment.
A: A number of people have commented on that. It wasn't something I noticed
at first, but it's true. The fact is, people who get into the
predicaments he finds himself in, end up getting hurt. I try to make
those injuries as realistic as possible, which means there will be some
recovery time.
Q: How did you come up with the character?
A: When I started The Rainy City, I didn't have a model for Thomas. As I
wrote, Black evolved more or less into a better, stronger, less profane
and slightly less funny version of myself. But I think the key is his willingness to poke fun at himself. My basic
models, characters I read and admired, were Travis McGee, Phillip
Marlow, and Lew Archer, who oddly enough, I steered away from right
away. Archer is much more circumspect about his private life than Black
will ever be. I couldn't pull off keeping that much distance. Nor can I
go the other route and delve into his personal life like a hagiographer,
the way some authors do. He's married. He's got a dog. He rides a bike.
You know him by listening to him talk and following his line of thought.
He's got compassion for the characters around him.
That's important.
Q: And he's funny. Which is something none of your models were.
A: Yes. The majority of my readers comment on the humor in the books. I
don't always see it myself, although I do a lot of laughing while I'm writing them.
Q: What are you thoughts on the ebook revolution?
A: Things are certainly changing quickly. I remember not too long ago when
B&N and Borders came in and ran all the independent bookstores out of
business. Within a short drive from my home seventeen small bookstores
disappeared. It was a tragedy, and not just for readers, but for a lot of
intelligent and very hard working store owners. Many of these stores
promoted my work heavily, hand-selling my books. B&N and Borders did
neither. I thought it was bad for writers, especially writers at
my level, who previously had a lively regional following.
Now Amazon has come along with ebooks and their massive website and the
opportunity for authors to publish novels without a big New York house
behind them, and they're destroying Barnes and Noble and whatever other
bookstores are left. So the world of publishing has done another one-eighty.
Who knows what's going to come along in ten or fifteen years that will
turn Amazon into a relic? On the other hand, it may become the Coca-Cola
of our times and last a hundred years.
Q: You're now publishing yourself on Amazon?
A: Amazon and other platforms, including a line of trade paperbacks. The best thing about the ebook revolution is that the stigma of
self-publishing has vanished. My profits are down, but my satisfaction is up. I'm not saying I'll never publish traditionally again, but
the circumstances are going to have to be much different from what they are now.Q: Why do you write in this genre: mysteries, thrillers?
A: It's hard for me to quantify the appeal of the detective story and in
particular, the private eye novel. It has enough predictability to assure the reader she
won't be disappointed by a series of left turns somewhere in the middle
wherein the author sits down and begins navel-gazing. By their very
nature, the stories have to move along at a brisk pace. The basic format
was developed a long time ago, and it's flexible enough that one can plug
in almost any type of background and make it work. There's a little of
the old west in it, too, that American concept of the lone cowboy
seeking to reap justice for the little guy. Also, in a first-person narrative there's an intimacy between the author and reader
you can't get any other way.
Q: What's next for you and Thomas?
A: Two Miles of Darkness works itself around a suicide theme, as did
Monica's Sister. I find myself going back to the theme of suicide, which
is an odd place to be for a murder-mystery author. Probably because my
brother committed suicide when I was fairly young. I've been thinking
about penning a memoir where I could maybe exorcise the theme once and
for all. Also, I have a rather long novel, the beginning of a series,
that is about three-quarters finished. It gave me some problems, so I set
it aside two years ago. I may pick it up and see where it goes. And of
course, there will be more Black novels in the future.
Q: What do you do in your spare time?
A: I'm retired from the Seattle Fire Department, so I have more time than I
used to. I spend a lot of time outdoors, biking,
hiking, and cross-country skiing. I raced bicycles when I was
younger and I'm still involved in what most people would call radical
fitness activities. But my real love is books and writing. My favorite
trip? A walk to the library after dinner.
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Meetings, A Lot of Meetings!
→Japanese
My schedule was crowded from the end of September till the beginning of October. I had the meeting of the board of directors of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, a reunion in Tokyo with the President of UCLA Dr Gene Block, followed by the STS Forum in Kyoto (summary of my session is here. where we heard of the news of the Nobel Prize for medicine being awarded to Dr. Osumi.), and then back to GRIPS to attend a seminar by Dr. Colglazier, former Science and Technology Adviser to the U.S Secretary of State.
Next, I flew to Hyderabad via Singapore to chair a meeting of the Board of Directors of the GHIT Fund. We visited some local medical facilities, where I observed and learned a lot of things that may prove useful. It was my first visit to Hyderabad so I had no previous point of reference to compare it to, but recalling my visit to New Delhi ten years ago, I could feel more energy in the air, and the infrastructure was vastly better. I also saw a lot of construction work going for roads and new metro (mass-transit) system.
Although there is still a long way to go before medical facilities are on par with other countries, there are some note-worthy initiatives in place. ASHA, for example, is a bottom-up initiative to ensure that health services are in place even in remote places of India. Along with improvements in infrastructure, clean water supply and telecommunications, this initiative has gone a long way in raising the general standards of health and medical services. I think that these improvements herald a new chapter in public health in India.
On the last day, we had dinner reception at the Taj Falaknuma Palace (1). Incidentally, this hotel has the world's longest dining table which can seat 101 people. It was a truly luxurious experience.
I felt that there was a stark contrast from what I had been seeing during our field visits. This palace was filled with reminders of a bygone era when the British Empire ruled a large part of the world. I had the feeling that I was being allowed a glimpse into a past when the British were able to rule over a large empire.
Later that night, I took a flight back to Haneda, again via Singapore.
There were also a lot of other meetings, appointments, seminars and lectures, making for a hectic 2 weeks.
global, healthcare, science
Participating in the TICAD6 in Nairobi – 2
As I wrote in my earlier post, the symposium of the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize, where I am the chair, was held at the Nairobi Hilton on the morning of 26th August.
The symposium was attended by three of the past four recipients of this award from the years 2008 (1st) and 2013 (2nd). Indeed, we relied heavily on the help of Dr. Miriam Were, who was one of the first recipients of this award, to get the cooperation of WHO-AFRO in organising this workshop.
Also, given the nature of the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize and its emphasis on public health of Africa, I made a special request Dr Were to invite young people who work in this area.
One of the defining features of the Noguchi Africa Prize is the emphasis on both public health and epidemiology and in medical research relevant in the African continent,. Thus, past laureates include people like Dr. Were from Kenya and Dr. Coutinho from Uganda. These two in particular are wonderful role-models for aspiring young African people, and are held in high esteem. Another recipient of the award, Dr. Peter Piot, was unable to attend for personal reasons that are elaborated in the link to my address.
The venue could seat around 100 people, and was packed to the maximum with some people even standing. The energy in the air was palpable. My address was followed by a speech by a representative of the Health Minister of Kenya, a congratulatory speech by Mr. Shiozaki, the Japanese Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, and then by a representative of the WHO-AFRO Director.
We also showed a 6-minute video about the Noguchi Hideyo Africa Prize that was in English but simultaneously translated into French, with Japanese subtitles. This was followed by a keynote presentation by Dr. Were, and then a special Karate performance by the young people of the UZIMA Foundation created and led by Dr Were.
After a brief break, we had two panel discussions moderated by Dr. Greenwood (a laureate of 2008) and Dr. Coutinho (a laureate of 2013, both who infused the discussions with their passion for their people's health as their major work, leading to a lively discussion.
The Workshop started at 8:30 in the morning, and began by one hour session with abut 20 young African hesalthcare leaders. At the end of engaging two panel debates, one each from the young health leaders wrapped up the talks by providing a concise overview. The abilities of these students shone through and wowed the audience.
The whole event was wrapped up by a speech by Ichiro Aizawa, Head of the Japan-Africa Parliamentary Representatives' Association.
I was impressed by the evergreen enthusiasm and determination of the laureates that seemed to flow freely for the benefit of everyone. Perhaps this passion is what is most important character which leads to after many years, world-changing work.
More will follow in part 3.
africa, career, education, global, healthcare, politics, science
Various Gatherings and New Friends
These days, I have had a lot of opportunities to participate in gatherings organised by inspiring women and young people.
The first of these events was one that I had not planned to go to, but I was thankful to be able to attend. It was organised by a group of researchers based in Washington, and headed by enormously successful women like Dr. Sachiko Kuno and Dr. Hiromi Murakami, who is an adjunct fellow at CSIS and also a board member of HGPI.
Last year, I had been able to support this admirable group by participating in the inaugural panel discussiony. The focus of this year's workshop was on providing young female entrepreneurs. Speakers included Dr. Kuno and Ari Horie, who has proved to be a force to be reckoned with in Silicon Valley. I can tell you that their enthusiasm was infectious, and the program was very lively!
Another event that I attended where talented women were in the spotlight was the annual awards ceremony of the L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science. As with previous years, it was held on the premises of the French Embassy. Three inspiring young female scientists, Miho Kitamura, Reina Tanaka, and Hiromi Tanji were recognized for their contributions to science (link in Japanese). All three recipients are from Tokyo University. The reception afterwards was very classy and enjoyable.
Talking of beautiful settings, I attended a small gathering at a stylish café in Daikanyama on Saturday evening, where we had a farewell party for some young students who will be starting at UCLA this fall. And amid all this hectic activity, I still had time for a meeting with a woman who had a daringly ambitious project that at the same time was a very thoughtful one.
The next meeting I was invited to was not a gathering of young people, but rather a meeting of the Dutch and Japanese Trade Federation (DUJAT) at the Dutch Embassy, where I was able to learn of the latest developments. Unsurprisingly, Brexit was the word on everyone's lips. I met an old friend of mine, Gaku Yamamoto, with whom I spent my early schooldays. Interestingly, the current Managing Director of DUJAT, Radboud Molijn, first started working in Japan thanks to his connections with Yamamoto Gaku san, a well known actor.
Another memorable get-together was a small dinner gathering to celebrate a close friend's birthday at a certain place in Tokyo. I almost lost track of time as I fell under the spell of the glorious wines on offer.
career, foods, global, science
To Norway: the Territory on the 78th Parallel North
After the dinner with DUJAT (Dutch & Japanese Trade Federation), I departed from Schiphol Airport, landed in Oslo 90 minutes later and stayed for one night. The next morning, I boarded a charter flight with about 140 people, which flew north for three hours and landed in Longyearbyen. It is located on the 78th parallel north.
This small village is the center of the Svalbard Islands and is located on Spitzberg Island. Due to the historical background, the governance is conducted collectively by Norway, Russia and the United States. In recent years, how to tackle the issues in the arctic has become one of the world's challenges.
The Aurora Borealis Foundation (1) hosted this gathering. It was organised mainly by Bo Ekman of the Tallberg Foundation.
I attended a conference by Tallberg in 2013 when I visited Stockholm for a conference by invitation of Vattenfall power company due to my position as the Chairman of the National Diet of Japan Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission.
This time, another Japanese participants was my good friend Prof Mario Tokoro of Sony, which made me feel a bit relieved. The conference was co-hosted by Christopher Chuang, who has a career in media in Taiwan, and Mr. Ekman, so there was a large group of participants from China. However, I had the impression that much of the program, lectures and remarks were rather liberal. The brainstorming sessions that took place in small groups were also very good.
Through the brainstorming session, I met Dr. Eric Rasmussen, who is a leader in the field of global health and has a very unique career path. We share some similarities and had a very productive discussion.
On the third day, there were a several optional activities and I went to Barentsburg via a boat ride that was approximately two hours one-way. I enjoyed the outing there.
There was one man from the group from China who was wearing a very peculiar hat and had a unique appearance. I got the feeling that I had seen him somewhere before and it turned out that he was thinking the same thing.
He is a renowned designer and we had seen each other numerous times at the venue and hotel of the Nobel Prize award ceremony, which took place last December. It turned out that he was the stylist of Youyou Tu, who was awarded the Nobel Prize together with Dr. Omura. He brought his apprentice on the trip as well. I look forward to running into him again someday.
On the way back, I stopped by the Global Seed Vault. It seems that there are many people who stay at Oslo and the charter flight was delayed. From Oslo Airport, I made it just in time for my connecting flight in Paris and made it to Haneda.
My luggage was left at Oslo but it arrived three days later in Tokyo.
economy, global, nuclear, science, travel
From Toronto to Doha
I left Toronto for Doha via Montreal to attend the Qatar Foundation Annual Research Forum. I was a member of the selection committee at its inaugural meeting of the Forum.
At the Forum, I met with the representatives of the venture company Spiber, which utilizes genetic engineering to create spider webs, developed by Mr. Sekiyama. He is an alumnus of Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC) and his mentor is Professor Masaru Tomita. I took notice of Spiber in 2010, when it was presented at the SFC's annual Open Research Forum when I was teaching at the SFC. I also had dinner with the Spider team and had the opportunity to exchange many ideas and opinions.
Watching the activities of passionate, young people always lifts my spirits and makes me want to offer my support if any. I am cheering for Spiber's success.
Although the relations between governments are important in diplomacy, the trust that is built through people-to-people exchanges and friendship also plays a crucial role in international relations.
career, education, entrepreneur, global, innovation, science
From Abu Dhabi
It has been a while since I have updated my blog.
On February 20th, I took an Etihad flight from Narita for Abu Dhabi.
Over these past three years, there has been a continuous, mutual exchange between universities in Abu Dhabi and Tokyo University and other Japanese universities and, Japan's Institute of Energy Economics and several Japanese companies.
This time, we made visits to the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research and the Petroleum Institute.
Under the UAE-Japan Strategic R&D and Higher Education Partnership, Masdar also has links with the University of Tokyo and student exchanges, presentations and research unit observation trips. When I arrived at Masdar, there was a group of students who contacted me. They were a group of around twenty graduate students from the University of Tokyo. They had come to observe the research at Masdar, which is a good thing. I suggested that they come to see a presentation at the lecture hall if they had time. They did not come in the end but it made me glad that there were such students visiting.
Ambassador Fujiki also made an appearance during our visit and gave his greetings. The Ambassador is from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and as a background in biochemistry. I have high hopes for the mutual exchanges.
At KUSTAR, I had a meeting with President of Khalifa University, Dr. Tod A. Laursen. Last year, we had a half-day seminar at KUSTAR. However, with the recent fall in oil prices, the budget has become very tight. I wonder how many years this will continue.
At the Petroleum Institute, there was much interest in the development of solar cars with Tokai University. This team took second place at a race last year and made the news. Both the drivers and the preparations for the race are centered on the students here so they were especially happy here. The explanation by the leader was also very powerful.
This Institute of Energy Economics was ranked as number one in the world by the think tank ranking in the 2015 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report (p. 83) . It is very encouraging. There are talks of joint development.
The Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) , of which I serve as the Chairman, was also ranked in 6th place in the category of "global health" (p. 92). In the category of "top domestic health policy think tanks" it was ranked in 15th place (p. 90).
It was just a two-day trip but this sort of academia-government-industry team visit was very welcomed. Although Japan's business interests with Abu Dhabi are mostly limited to oil, their interests went beyond, instead focusing on human resources training and education and business related to sectors other than the oil industry.
economy, education, global, science
The World and Society of Scientists, Conferences in Kyoto and Kobe
On October 4th to 6th, I attended the STS Forum (Science and Technology in Society Forum) in Kyoto, an annual conference of people involved in science and technology related policy-making.
On the evening of October 2nd, it was announced that Dr. Omura was selected for the Nobel Prize.
On the second day, I sat on the panel on education and capacity building in developing countries. The moderator was an old friend, Dr. Zakri (1) the Science Adviser of the Prime Minister of Malaysia. As always, I spoke about the importance of interaction between young people across national borders. There was widespread agreement on this issue and many of the speakers referred to my points. My paper calling for multi-layered international exchanges, "Multilayered Brain Circulation" was also distributed.
On the 6th, I traveled from Kyoto to Kobe to take part in the "Global Forum: Innovation for Ageing Populations" held at the WHO Center located in Kobe. An article by the host, Alex Ross, was published in the Japan Times. I was the moderator of the "High-level Policymaker Panel" held on the second day. The panelists were from Japan, the U.S., Europe, China and American think tanks and they each briefly gave their views, followed by questions from the audience. It was difficult to keep to the time limit of 60 minutes but somehow I was able to facilitate the conversation.
The recent reports by the WHO, U.S., Europe and WEF were also distributed.
I was glad to see a speaker from IDEO, whose engagement seems to be a sign of the times. The panel where Gretchen Addi was a speaker was mostly a chat between panelists who met for the first time but I look forward to following "The Powerful Now", as well as the "White House Conference on Aging".
education, global, healthcare, no category, science
This Year's Nobel Prize
Two Japanese scientists have won the Nobel Prize again this year. It is very happy news.
I was very glad to hear that Dr. Omura won the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine, as I know him and his work very well. The selection of Dr. Campbell, with whom he won the prize, as well as a Chinese medical scientist who discovered a drug for malaria, was timely and appropriate. The awarding of the Nobel Prize to these three scientists shows they have made a major contribution to resolving the world's problems.
On the evening of the announcement of the winners, I was in Kyoto but was interviewed over the telephone. One was with the Asahi Shimbun, who interviewed me along with Shinya Yamanaka and Shinichi Fukuoka (1).
Another was by Kyodo Press, which was featured in the Kyoto Shimbun, and I read both the articles in the morning papers the following day.
The night the announcement was made, I called Dr. Omura a few times to give him my congratulations but of course, his line was busy. The next day, I was able to reach him around noon and gave him my congratulations and we had a pleasant, quick chat.
Then, later that evening, it was announced that Dr. Kajita had won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his impressive research on the neutrino. As he stated, his research was conducted with his mentors, Dr. Koshiba and with Dr. Totsuka. — Dr Totsuka unfortunately passed away early. Dr. Totsuka was an incredible nice person and I had the opportunity to give a lecture with him in Washington D.C. some ten+ years ago.
It is wonderful that they won the Nobel Prize. Please take a moment to go through my comments on the Nobel Prize on this blog. Recently, I wrote about the Nobel Prize in the magazine, Oyou Buturi (Applied Physics), which can be read here (in Japanese). Some parts may sound impolite but please don't take offence. I have written it to send my message to the youth.
articles, career, healthcare, science
Abroad in the New Year
I hope you had a wonderful new year celebration. It seemed very cold around Japan but we were lucky to have sunny weather in Tokyo.
It has been a while since I have written. I have been quite busy with many things.
I did not do anything particularly special but on the morning of the 6th, similar to last year, I gave a lecture to around forty graduate students, brought by Professor Takeuchi from Harvard Business School. This year turned out to be a very fun seminar too.
After the lecture, I returned home once and then headed to Haneda Airport and flew to Toronto. I arrived in Toronto in the afternoon and then went to dinner. It was cold outside and the wind was very strong. With the wind-chill factor, it was about -20°C.
The following day, I met with the Canadian nuclear power and electricity leaders as well as Professor Shinya Nagasaki who moved to McMaster University from the University of Tokyo. Afterwards, we had a round table discussion from noon with around twenty people in total. I found this style of discussion to be very productive.
Everyone was very frank and we had an open discussion on energy policies, the role and processes of nuclear power, the importance of trust and transparency, the reprocessing of spent fuel. The participants were not held back by the lines of politics, industry and bureaucracy and their input reflected constructive and well-thought out views. Canada's nuclear power plants are concentrated in Ontario, where Toronto is. Although political differences exist between the provincial and national levels, I felt that I was able to observe the good aspects of Canada.
Later in the afternoon, I visited Havergal College, a prestigious girls' school in the middle of Toronto. It was established 120 years ago by Francis Ridley Havergal, in order to provide high level education to bright, young women.
The following day, I attended the advisory meeting of the Gairdner Foundation. The meeting went on for approximately six hours and many members had sharply contrasting opinions, with some being quite outspoken. But the meeting bore fruit as the discussion went on.
The merits of these meetings are that they are very constructive. Furthermore, the differences in opinions and interpretations provide an insight into other areas to study and it was a very good learning experience. Though, the role of the Chair seems very tough…
In the evening I had dinner at the residence of the consulate general of Japan, Mr. Nakayama, whom I would like to thank.
I flew back to Tokyo the next day. During the trip, I was fortunate enough to meet many people.
The first few days of this year ended up being similar to last year.
education, global, nuclear, science
Two visits to JFK in September
I have not posted very often in September and October. It is not that there was nothing to report, but I had many engagements that took up my time, such as lectures and conferences both in Japan and abroad.
On September 15th, I flew to JFK. From there, I headed to Philadelphia where I had a dinner. The next day I sat on a panel at a conference. After staying one more night, I left early in the morning to catch a flight back from JFK.
In the two days after this trip, I attended a couple of very important conferences in Tokyo and was able to finish them successfully. After spending the weekend at home, I headed to JFK once more on Monday, the 22nd.
This time, I went to NYC. I attended an educational session for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and a conference by the New York Academy of Sciences. This was held last year in San Francisco where I attended the conference as part of the Prime Minister of Malaysia's advisory group. As this session was held during the United Nations General Assembly, the security in Manhattan was very tight and it was hard to get around.
On the evening of the 22nd, SONY CSL held its special annual event at MoMA for the first time. As I had some time, I attended the dinner. This big jump to MoMA must have required lots of practice from the participants. It is a wonderful idea.
The next evening, on the 23rd, I had dinner with Japanese doctors (1) who are conducting clinical residency training, which has become almost customary for my visits to NYC. There were also two medical students from Jichi Medical University who were there for two weeks of clinical clerkship. I enjoyed the dinner very much.
It is nice to be in New York in the autumn.
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