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August 31, 2021 By Multiplex Support Team Leave a Comment
By Neeti Banerjee, Founder of TalentNomics Inc.
We may disagree on many issues. We may have differences in who we choose to trust. However, as members of the human race, I hope we can agree on one thing — the moral responsibility we hold to help other human beings in times of crisis. A humanitarian crisis is unfolding and now is the time to act. Now is the time to use our individual voices clearly, and our collective resources strategically, to help the people of Afghanistan — many of whom are at immediate and grave risk of losing their lives, liberty and the basic freedoms that most of us take for granted in other parts of the world today.
This crisis has been triggered by political decisions made by two U.S. Presidents. Former President Donald Trump signed the DOHA peace agreement to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan by May 2021 (without any safeguards for women and their rights). President Biden then decided to implement that decision and withdraw US forces from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021. This decision further led to a hasty and chaotic withdrawal of international military forces and closure of diplomatic embassies in Afghanistan. It took only a few weeks to reverse the hard work done by the Afghans, the Americans, NATO, and other global allies over the last 20 years. The undesired outcome: a takeover by the Taliban of most of the country and the capital, Kabul, by August 16. The Afghan President and his inner circle abdicated and escaped to the UAE, abandoning their country. The Taliban is back in control of Afghanistan and has declared it to be the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan". It is the same name the same group used for the country when it ruled in the 1990s until it was overthrown by U.S led allied forces after the horrific 9/11 attacks on America.
I am deeply fearful for the women and girls in Afghanistan. These women and girls are on the brink of losing not just their human rights, but also their lives if they dare to speak, write, study, work, visit a public space without a male guardian, or even listen to music of their choice. They may be killed if they choose to stay single. Many more will be forced to marry against their wishes, or forced to become a sex slave to a Taliban or an ISIS fighter.
I have nightmares… it could have easily been me. It could have been you. It could have been any of us. What saved you or me? Was it Kismet? Luck? Destiny? The choices we have made in our lives and the choices we are able to exercise are determined by our environment — the place we are born, the political regime in the country we are born in and where we live today, the choices our parents and our families were able to courageously support.
My parents and grandparents were from Multan, the seventh largest city in Pakistan, in the state of Punjab. In September 2008, a medical college in Multan received bomb threats from the Pakistani Taliban demanding the end of co-ed education. In a nearby city of Kot Addu, the Tehreek-e-Islami Taliban warned women to wear the burqa and threatened them with acid attacks, if they did not comply. In Lahore, the city where my father went to college, cafés popular amongst young couples, were bombed repeatedly. I could have easily been one of the victims had my family not migrated from Multan to India before Pakistan was created. Women's lives and rights are not safe in any country where the Taliban is active and the government is not able to control their activities.
Call it Kismet. I was born in India. The political regime in India at the time of my birth did not constrain my freedom to choose my path or live my life as I saw fit. I was fortunate my parents were attentive and caring of my health and safety, both psychological and physical. They fully supported my choices regarding education, work and marriage. I could travel without a male guardian. My country today, the United States, continues to guarantee all Americans similar choices and supports our fundamental human rights.
That is regrettably not the situation today for 14.2 million Afghan women and girls who are vulnerable and at risk of losing their lives and their rights. Those most at risk are the women who work, who are educated, who are courageous and willing to speak up for their rights. And ALL those women and girls who do not have powerful and supportive male family members to protect their lives and their human rights.
Take for example an Afghan-based start-up "Ehtesab" founded by a young Afghan woman, Sara Wahedi, which aims to create stronger and safer communities by sending real time alerts on security and traffic updates to users. Sara's team of 20 is currently working around the clock, some remotely, to keep Afghans safe. They are, however, at risk and fearful for their own lives.
Why should we trust that the Taliban — a regime that practices a 7th century version of Islamic law and that enforced one of the most repressive environments for women and girls in Afghanistan — is going to suddenly change its stance? There is no evidence nor any history that reassures me. And why should Afghan women who have experienced untold horrors under Taliban version 1.0 believe that the Taliban version 2.0 will be a softer, gentler, more tolerant regime that will protect their lives and their rights?
The recent evidence points in the reverse direction. Three Afghan women who worked in media were gunned down in Jalalabad in March this year. In January, two female Supreme Court judges were murdered by unidentified gunmen. An influential woman MP and activist was shot and injured to send a chilling signal to other women activists. On May 8, there was a terrorist bombing outside a girl's high school in Kabul. Over ninety were killed and hundreds injured with the majority of casualties being adolescent girls. There are credible reports that Taliban commanders have demanded that communities submit lists of unmarried girls of ages 15 and older and widows below the age of 40 so that they can be married to Taliban fighters. Being forced to marry a Taliban fighter is not very different from being sold into slavery. It is sexual abuse hidden under the layer of a forced marriage. In times of war, it is a war crime.
I urge all countries to give safe refuge to Afghans who are vulnerable and at risk including women, children and religious minorities. Preferably while international rescue missions are being mounted. Only a few countries so far have opened their borders to evacuees and refugees and announced special visa programs.
Governments must establish emergency visas and accelerate the process so these vulnerable and at risk persons can be moved quickly out of Afghanistan to a safe location. After this, the policies and arrangements for longer term visas and resettlement can be thoughtfully negotiated and developed.
Canada has announced emergency visas for 20,000 Afghans and evacuated close to that number already. India had established a 6- month emergency visa for any Afghan (irrespective of religious or ethnic background) who wishes to move to India for 6 months. India will also resettle any Afghan Hindus and Sikhs who wish to live in India. The UK will resettle 20,000 Afghan refugees, beginning with 5000 this year. Germany may take 10,000 refugees. It is unclear how many refugees the U.S will resettle. Experts suggest 10,000 by the end September. Other countries need to consider introducing similar options and temporary safe havens for evacuees. Speedy action is crucial.
The global community must also freeze the flow of money to the new Taliban-led Afghanistan. Money, economic and development aid, is the ONLY leverage that governments have in nudging the Taliban Version 2.0 to be kinder, gentler, more humane than Taliban Version 1.0. By using this financial leverage, we may be able to prevent the massacre of Afghan allies who remain in Afghanistan, and negotiate to ensure the safety of women and girls who wish to preserve their fundamental rights and choices.
Germany, one of the largest donors, has already suspended all economic and development aid ($506 million annually). Finland ($30 million) and Sweden ($115 million) have suspended their annual development aid. Other donor countries need to do the same. Afghanistan's Central Bank's foreign reserves of $9 billion have been frozen by the U.S and is not accessible to the Taliban. The I.M.F. is delaying the $450 million loan it was planning to give the Afghan government. The Afghan population will be devastated economically by these measures so it is imperative to establish alternative ways of providing humanitarian aid and economic support to civilians, local and international non-profit organizations, hospitals, and independent media and journalists.
In times of a crises, all of us have to come together to find solutions: some interim to stop the bleeding wounds, some to alleviate the pain, and other salves that are more holistic and longer term.
So what can we, as concerned individuals, do? Let me suggest a few options:
1. Contact one of the many credible NGOs working to support Afghan refugees in your country or internationally, and offer your assistance. Inquire about what is needed in your country or in Afghanistan to support women and children. UNHCR, the UN's Refugee Agency, is one of several international aid agencies that continues to be currently active in Afghanistan.
2. Offer to support one or more women/ girls who have been evacuated or received refuge in your country. Help with information, food, transportation, housing, clothing (business clothing, in particular). Mentor, guide, and connect these individuals. Help them find employment, paid internship, or a suitable school for their children. Accelerate their understanding of the health-care system, the transportation system, and the education system, so they can access the available resources. Help them strengthen their local language skills. Share information on the cultural norms and business practices of the country. Help them adapt to life in the new country.
3. Welcome them as part of your inner circle and help them succeed in their new life.
4. Use your voice with your elected representatives and community leaders to strengthen awareness and build support.
5. Donate generously whatever you can. Although governments can provide visas and financial resources to help support refugees, and the U.S. has just approved a $500 million budget for Afghan refugees, I can assure you that governmental resources will not be adequate. Direct assistance — both in kind as well as financial support — from the people in every country will be needed to fill in the funding gaps.
I hope and trust that our political leaders will now do what they have to do, thoughtfully and inclusively, to manage and mitigate the political, economic and humanitarian crisis as it further unfolds. For the rest of us, it is time to show our humanity.
In the midst of this gloom, I see a few sparks of light. A few lotuses still blooming in a fetid swamp. Let us ensure that they thrive and more bloom. Most Afghanis are currently operating at great personal risk. They need our support. Let us find them and fund them. They should be assured that many of us are behind them and support them.
It is time to act. We need to do whatever we can to help our Afghan sisters. Let our hearts lead our actions.
Filed Under: Blog, PULSE
May 22, 2021 By Multiplex Support Team Leave a Comment
A Call to Action: Regaining Ground Lost to the Pandemic's Gender Effect
By Tamera Fillinger, Executive Advisor to TalentNomics Inc.
Women in the US, especially women of color, have left the workplace or been laid off in unprecedented numbers during the Covid-19 pandemic, jeopardizing their financial security and reversing the gender diversity and equity gains of recent decades. By January 2019 women had achieved their highest level of participation in the workforce in US history. Today only 56% of US women are working for pay, the lowest level since 1986. LinkedIn data further shows a marked decline of women's hiring into leadership roles during the pandemic, reversing progress across multiple industries. A 2021 World Economic Forum report warns that the pandemic has set women's gender parity back a generation.
But there is opportunity in crisis. Organizations can regain ground, attract and retain female employees, and support their advancement to leadership by adapting their workplaces to be more flexible and inclusive in the post-pandemic era. They can create an organizational culture that supports all employees and provides equal opportunities for women to achieve their potential.
What are the best practices for achieving this?
1. Mentor women
Along with invading our personal space at home, working remotely has created a sense of isolation and separation from normal interactions and networking opportunities. Mentoring programs like those of TalentNomics pair early- to mid- career women with senior women who share their experience, help to build
connections and networks, and provide guidance on their journey to leadership. Mentoring creates and strengthens emotional as well as professional connections, which is especially important during remote work, which will be a lasting legacy of the pandemic.
2. Utilize remote work to attract and retain women in the workforce
Remote work allows employers to diversify their hiring by removing physical location as a job requirement. Remote work can create opportunities for women – particularly mothers, caregivers, and those with disabilities – who will be able to take on or move into jobs that previously would have required them to relocate, travel extensively, or manage a long commute. Organizations should seize this opportunity.
3. Communicate resources and de-stigmatize flexibility
Organizations should communicate the resources they offer, particularly paid sick leave and family leave programs. For example, a recent McKinsey study on Women in the Workplace reports that while most companies offer mental health counselling, parenting resources, health checks, and bereavement counselling, only about half of employees know that these benefits are available. Leaders should encourage employees to access flexible leave programs and mental health resources without stigma.
4. Recognize and minimize gender bias
COVID-19 has amplified the implicit biases women face, such as higher performance expectations, harsher judgment for mistakes, and the perception that their attention is split between work and home. The increased demands of caregiving during the pandemic, sometimes manifested as views of children in the background during video calls, can lead managers to assume, consciously or unconsciously, that women are less committed to their jobs than their male counterparts and employees without children. Organizations need to ensure that managers and all employees are aware of these potential biases in order to counteract their impact, especially during the disconnected nature of remote work.
5. Recognize and equitize caretaking
No conversation about women's equality in the workplace is complete without a discussion of affordable childcare. For US dual-earner families, pre-kindergarten childcare is already the most expensive part of monthly budgets, even ahead of housing. When schools and childcare facilities closed during the pandemic, mothers, who on average earn less than fathers, became the default childcare provider. Organizations can help fill the gap created by the pandemic's disproportionate impact on women without access to affordable childcare by making work flexible for fathers and mothers alike, with equal access to paid leave for anyone with caretaking duties.
In recent years, organizations had grown the ranks of women leaders and those being readied for leadership and they can continue to build upon, rather than lose, this foundation. If organizations rise to meet the challenges working women face, they can protect hard-won gains in gender diversity and create more equitable workplaces in the post-pandemic era. The World Economic Forum report concludes that today:
"Leaders have an unprecedented opportunity to build more resilient and gender-equal economies by investing in inclusive workplaces, creating more equitable care systems, advancing women's rise to leadership positions, applying a gender lens to reskilling and redeployment and embedding gender parity into the future of work."
Now is the time for organizations to take the lead in creating a more equitable future.
March 22, 2021 By Multiplex Support Team Leave a Comment
Giving Forward – The Rewarding Experience of Nurturing Hidden Talent
By Ipsita Kathuria, Founder & CEO of TalentNomics India
When Neeti and I started conceptualizing TalentNomics after working together at the IMF for close to a decade, we both were very clear about two things: 1) the "what" – we wanted to devote ourselves to empowering girls and women and 2) the "where" – Neeti wanted to focus her energy globally while my passion was India and South Asia. We had healthy debates about which segment of women to target. Professional women who work in the organized sector who struggle to become leaders? Or less privileged women who struggle to get and retain earning capacity? After much discussion we agreed to start with women in the organized sector. Neeti convinced me that this was the right decision because expanding the ranks of women leaders creates role models who inspire other women to join them, and because our experience, skills, and connections lay in the corporate world.
Five years later, I know it was the right decision for us. We have invested our time, resources, and energy strengthening the pipeline of women leaders through our CruciBOLD program, both globally and in India. We have worked with women across sectors, including steel, oil, power, pharma, IT, banking, finance, infrastructure, and the garment industry, representing over 25 organizations. In all, we have strengthened the capacity of over 80 women to become leaders in their sector.
However, my inner calling to also help far less privileged women was strong. In 2017 I discovered we could leverage our programs to impact these women too by working with a trusted partner educating young women in in one of India's poorest states, Andhra Pradesh. The Rural Development Trust (RDT), run by the Vicente Ferrer Foundation (VFF), has a 40-year track record of impactful work with poor and marginalized communities in India. RDT offers a one-year residential Professional Language Program in Anantapur for recently graduated women to hone their language and computer skills and build bridges to hard-to-find jobs in the organized sector. The Program offers business English, basic computer skills, and one foreign language (French, German or Spanish).
On a visit to the RDT Anantapur campus in 2017 I met these girls, each eager to speak and share their dreams with me. Their elementary English was not a constraint to expressing their eagerness to soar! While none had travelled beyond Andhra Pradesh, many had dreams of work in Paris, Berlin, Barcelona – depending on the language they were learning. In addition, one girl told me that instead of working abroad, "I want to become the District Magistrate so that I can help lift my community out of perpetual poverty." They shared their dreams with confidence and optimism. I was inspired to help enable these rural girls to spread their wings and break barriers.
A key part of TalentNomics India's CruciBOLD program is giving forward, called CruciBOLD Ripple, through which CruciBOLD participants agree to mentor other junior professionals from a different organization. Inspired by the aspirations of students at the RDT Professional Language School, we opened up our mentorship program to include them. Women professionals from CruciBOLD were thus given the chance to expand opportunities for young women in rural India, many of whom are the first in their families to go to college, further enhancing their potential to be leaders of tomorrow.
January 22, 2021 By Multiplex Support Team Leave a Comment
The Covid-19 Pandemic Worsened Mental Health:
How We Can Better Address Mental Health Needs in the Future
By Zoe Verma, Associate with TalentNomics Inc.
Like everyone, the Covid-19 global pandemic changed my life in countless ways. As a high school student, the first thing I think of is school. Overnight, my normally rigorous, busy schedule changed to waking up fifteen minutes before class and walking over to my desk to get on Zoom. And although I never thought I would say this, I really missed being at school. Along with so much we found enjoyable, many of us also saw the disappearance of our support systems. The increased focus on physical health during the pandemic, while understandable, took the spotlight away from mental health. To me, it seemed that the emphasis on mental health was just starting to grow before the pandemic, but with the onset of the deadly virus, physical symptoms became the main focus. It felt like we had forgotten about the importance of mental health during the crisis. At school, students and teachers had contact with their peers, schools' mental health professionals, and others to talk to whenever there was a pressing worry. But during Covid, Zoom and FaceTime completely changed the personal connection that was achieved in face-to-face interactions, a change that affected me in many ways. And while this change has been hard for every teacher, student, and parent, I have faith that as a community we will learn from the pandemic to see the equal importance of mental health, and we will learn ways to check in with each other.
During the pandemic, data collected showed that mental health in the U.S. declined. Even as someone who hadn't previously faced mental health issues, I experienced a downturn in my mental health and overall mood. And while these declines and swings are not abnormal, two events that happened in the past year were especially hard to cope with because of the isolation I was feeling.
In March 2020, my beloved grandmother passed away. I loved her and was severely affected by her death. She was a truly incredible woman: a Pulitzer Prize nominee (though she would not want me writing that!), the daughter of Armenian Genocide survivors, an Armenian translator at the United Nations, and a loving mother and grandmother. Her death was especially difficult because it coincided with the very beginning of the pandemic. My father and I flew to her funeral on March 5, which was exactly eight days before my school was closed. In these early days of the pandemic, we did not understand the importance of masks. Before my dad and I left, my mom, who drove down earlier with my younger siblings, told us to bring masks "just in case." She highly recommended that we wear them, but my dad and I were reluctant. When we got to the airport, only a few people were wearing masks, and I remember staring at them, thinking how strange they looked. Once on the plane, I wore my mask for the short flight, but I felt strange doing so. I still remember wondering what was happening to the world.
After her funeral, I returned to school, ready to be around my friends to help me process her death. Little did I know, I would have only five days with them before being confined to my house. And in my house, I was alone with my thoughts. I had no friends, no interactions, no greetings in the hallway to distract me from what I was feeling. I knew how much easier it would have been to be at school; in fact, the days I spent at school after her death had helped me process my grief. I talked to teachers and friends about her, and it truly did make me feel better. I remember sharing that I was nervous because it was my first funeral, and I didn't want to see any of my family members upset. My friends reassured me that everything was going to be okay, and I believed them. They helped me, and looking back on it, I took such simple interactions for granted. And then I went through this whole process all over again just six months later. Instead of being able to easily talk to my friends in the hallway, I again found myself alone in my room with my thoughts and immense sadness.
In September 2020 my Uncle Britt passed away very suddenly. He was a second father to me. He taught me how to drive, and every time we visited him in South Carolina he would take me out to practice, unfazed by my extremely subpar skills. I have so many funny memories of him and the things we used to do together, and I miss him dearly every day. The first month after his death was one of the hardest months I have ever experienced. I felt hopeless and alone knowing that I couldn't go to school to distract myself and seek comfort. I was, yet again, alone in my room with my thoughts and my incredibly overwhelming sadness. I felt constantly sad with no escape. Now that I am on the other side of that experience, I am proud to say that I made it through. But many others who faced challenges along with mental health conditions, whether diagnosed or undiagnosed, feel they have not yet made it to the other side, and many may feel like they never will.
Increased ER Visits
Studies show that mental health in the U.S. declined during the pandemic, leading to a record increase in mental-health-related emergency room (ER) visits. A study conducted of 190 million ER visits for "mental health conditions, suicide attempts, all drug and opioid overdoses, intimate partner violence, and child abuse and neglect," showed that visit rates were much higher in mid-March through October 2020, during the COVID pandemic, compared with the same period in 2019.(Read More) ER visits due to other mental health conditions (MHCs), defined as any condition that could be worsened by the pandemic, "such as stress, anxiety, symptoms consistent with acute stress disorder or posttraumatic stress disorder, and panic" also increased significantly, with 41,075 MHC-related visits in 2020, versus 39,366 visits in 2019. In addition to this rise of over 1,700, the rate of MHC-related visits also increased drastically: in 2019, there were 2110.2 visits per 100,000 visits, and in 2020, this had risen to 2436.7 visits per 100,000 visits.
After March 2020, drug and alcohol abuse grew more serious and dangerous, likely in part due to the isolation caused by the pandemic. In the first 41 weeks of 2020, there were 2,068 more ER visits due to overdoses than there were in the same period in 2019. In April of 2020, the Addiction Policy Forum surveyed 1,079 people with substance use disorders across the country on how the pandemic had affected their disorders, and the results were striking.
20% of the respondents reported that their own or a family member's substance use had "increased since the start of the pandemic." ( Read More ) One of the most common concerns of the surveyed individuals was the "lack of access to in-person 12-step or support group meetings." People cited changes to services they had relied on, including the closure of in-person recovery centers. They also cited finding themselves without the "ability to socialize/connect or get peer support." This lack of interaction and connection clearly affected many people in need and exacerbated an already grave problem. In fact, when Millennium Health analyzed 500,000 urine drug tests nationwide, they found "steep increases following mid-March [2020] for cocaine (up 10%), heroin (up 13%), methamphetamine (up 20%), and non-prescribed fentanyl (up 32%)." These increases in drug use occurred directly after COVID-19 began. It is clear that isolation and support system failures had affected these individuals, prompting many to turn to or increase their use of drugs.
Suicide Attempts
Suicide attempts also increased after the start of the pandemic. Studies that modeled the effect of the pandemic on suicide rates predicted increases of up to 145%.( Read More ) There were 416 more ER visits related to suicide attempts in the first 41 weeks of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019 ( Read More ). In June 2020, just three months into the pandemic in the U.S., surveys were conducted to determine the pandemic's impact on mental health conditions. They showed that 40% of U.S. adults reported struggling with mental health or substance use at the time of the survey. And of the 5,470 adult respondents to the survey, 10.7% of them reported that they had considered suicide in the previous 30 days.( Read More ) This increase in suicidal ideation could be attributed to the "effects of public health measures to combat COVID-19," such as "physical distancing, school closures, interventions to address loss of income, [and] interventions to tackle domestic violence."( Read More ) In addition, "changed and new approaches to clinical management"( Read More ) of known suicidal patients could also contribute to the rise in suicidal thoughts.
Clearly, a common issue among those in need is isolation and forced physical separation from friends, family, and doctors. The need for interaction or connection tends to be overlooked as a desire; it is rarely considered a need. It appears from the data, though, that many people truly need social interaction and a strong support system to help them survive, and we as a community have a responsibility to help provide such a support system for those who require it.
The isolation and the stress of the pandemic, coupled with the loss of loved ones and livelihoods, intensified mental health issues in the US. Therefore, as we move out of the pandemic and in the post-pandemic era, we must recognize the importance of mental health and the urgency of helping our community members in need.
Mental health is also strongly correlated with physical health. According to the CDC, "mental illness, especially depression, increases the risk for many types of physical health problems, particularly long-lasting conditions like stroke, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease." ( Read More ) The UK-based Mental Health Foundation found that "schizophrenia is associated with a tripled risk of dying from respiratory disease and a doubled risk of dying from a form of heart disease. Depression has been linked to a 50 percent increase in a person's risk of dying from cancer and a 67 percent increase from heart disease."( Read More ) Mental health conditions can lead to life-threatening diseases, and possibly a shortened life span. This is because "mental health is more than the presence or absence of a mental illness. It is a crossroad between emotional, psychological, and physical well-being." ( Read More ) Our mental health defines the way we live our lives, which is why it should be prioritized by our policymakers and within our communities.
In the future, there are many ways that we as a community can prioritize mental health issues. For us students, this can best be done at school, as teachers and administrators are often the first to notice any sort of issue. Of course, each person has their own set of symptoms when it comes to their conditions, but there are a few general things adults in schools should look for. For example, if a teacher notices a student is sad or withdrawn for more than two weeks, they should check in with the student, and open up communication. Any out-of-the-ordinary or out-of-control behavior should also be a warning sign, including fighting, changing eating patterns, and abnormal mood swings. Recognizing such warning signs is important, and having a plan in place to address mental health conditions is crucial. It would also be useful for schools to provide access to mental health professionals who can help students and teachers with mental health concerns. It also would be useful to allocate or allow days off from school to provide mental health breaks.
Finally, community members can take the lead by discussing the importance and significance of mental health. If mental health is openly discussed it will help to lessen the stigma, allowing people to feel they have judgment-free zones to find available resources.
In the multi-cultural US, it is also important to consider different cultural views on mental health. As someone with Indian, Armenian, and American roots, I have witnessed different types of stigmas around mental health. For example, I have found that Indians tend to completely ignore the importance of mental health, hiding mental health conditions away from view. This is a very unhealthy attitude, as it can exacerbate the severity of mental health conditions. This attitude can be seen across various cultures. To help break the harmful stigma around mental health, we must all commit to talking openly and freely about mental health conditions, while at the same time educating ourselves on this central part of our lives. If we all commit to working together to break the stigma, I believe many people will benefit and begin to experience better mental health in the future.
January 5, 2021 By Multiplex Support Team Leave a Comment
LEADING WITH GRIT AND GRACE – AN ODE
By Geeta Kumar, Senior Advisor to TalentNomics India
TalentNomics India's 5th Annual Leadership Conference, themed "Leading with Grit and Grace" was held on November 5th and 6th, 2020. This was our first virtual conference and we hosted this jointly with our partner Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS). There were more than 20 speakers from around the World and the event was attended by 500 Indian and International participants.
We at TalentNomics India are overwhelmed at the outstanding response to our Conference
The conference has an interesting back story and what better time than now to share the wonderful Life and Leadership lessons we have gained in the course of the conference journey from its conception to its execution.
At TalentNomics India, we pride ourselves in always delivering Quality. To ensure that, we like to plan every offering in advance, plan it well so that it is executed well. In that spirit, the genesis of the Conference 2020 began sometime in June 2019, in order to roll it out as announced in the 2nd week of February 2020.Looking back, the theme chosen then seems so staid and boring to the world we are now in!
The Conference life cycle was one of the toughest Leadership tests we were put through. Here's the lowdown.
Our first Leadership test: The Covid-19 Tsunami hit the world and us! All our good and proactive planning were put to rest.
Question: To do or not to do?
We went through many internal discussions and a lot of back & forth with our Conference partners, KAS. We traversed the entire spectrum: from postponement to cancelling, from In-person to Virtual. The uncertainty around the pandemic seemed to keep the goal post and the field a continuously moving target.
Our final Response & Decision: We bit the bullet. The Bold decision to make Conference 2020 happen was taken.
Our partners KAS extended their complete support to go virtual in early June 2020.
The Second Leadership test: Putting together a Virtual Conference was completely uncharted territory.
Question: Virtual Conference? What would it entail? How should we go about it?
There was only one certainty within our team: To put together a world class global event.
The Challenges: With a very small team that had no expertise in managing any virtual event, we had taken the plunge into real deep waters. It seemed as if our collective learning and expertise of managing four previous successful conferences seemed to hold very little value.
It is an understatement that it has been a very steep upward learning curve.
What was on the plate?
deciding on the soft areas of theme, concept note, format, dates, speakers, audience profile, to identifying appropriate technology platform and marketing expertise.
identifying and detailing out the specs on each requirement to an absolute minutest detail with no margin for error.
almost signing up with vendors, to the deal falling apart and starting all over again.
the voluminous paper work, getting contracts signed, enlisting partners and managing payments.
All of this within very tight deadlines. A tight rope walk it has been.
Our mood and emotions? Swung from being confident one day to being down in the dumps the other, from wondering if we had bitten off more than we could chew- as a team we have been through it all.
Many sleepless nights, outbursts, realignment, setback in team, downsizing and resizing, Corona hitting within our team. Some tough calls had to be taken. We continued to swim with all this and more.
All was not lost. All was not dismal either. Within the chaos and a madness there was a method and an unfoldment. In true spirit the proverbial "when the going gets tough, the tough in us all" got going. And How!!
How we coped: The tough spot we were in and the virus made us humble and grateful at the same time.
In all humility, we reached out to our amazing Advisory Board, Advisory Council, our networks of friends, family and well-wishers. Support poured in from many unexpected quarters. From that moment onwards, there was no looking back as a team for us.
We set up a brainstorming team for planning. It was a collective pool of varied talent and skill sets that worked earnestly, with commitment. There was fun, camaraderie, learning, a lightness and ease that was a source of abundant positivity and energy.
Genuine good intent was visible for all those who aligned with us. From speakers, vendors, partners, volunteers, all other stakeholders.
The Third Leadership Lesson: Unleashing the potential within
Question: What did we discover about ourselves?
A vast reserve of strength and resilience within each one of us. A seeming setback became an opportunity to grow. We recalibrated, realigned, re-skilled, re-invented.
We broke a number of our own Self beliefs and limitations.
We truly went global- audience, speakers, partners, participation and most importantly in our mindsets.
We on- boarded new team members virtually and have been able to establish warm bonds, even though still virtual.
We were always willing to learn from and provide support to each other. At times it was frustrating not to be not sitting across the table with each other. Over time we built in efficiencies in the processes of coordination, feedback, quick turnaround times straddling time zones.
Each member in the team fully, wholly and completely owned the conference and the role assigned working under tremendous pressure with composure.
We worked tirelessly across time zones: US, Europe, India, Japan, clocking an average of 20 hours work days, 5 days a week for 2.5 months!
It was sheer Grit and Grace at play- living, breathing and displaying our Conference title in every moment, every decision, every risk taken, holding and supporting each other.
A parting note to the Ode
Our lesson is a story of reboot. Starting afresh, of learning and building something ground up – reinventing our conference from scratch in a virtual setup and making a success of it.
As a team we have added newer dimensions to the erstwhile VUCA definition.
It's been a great boost to our levels of confidence. This has been a truly worthwhile journey of growth and learning for us all at TalentNomics India. Priceless indeed.
December 1, 2020 By Multiplex Support Team Leave a Comment
3 LESSONS FROM JACINDA ARDERN'S CRISIS LEADERSHIP
By Shravani Prakash
This article is part of our series showcasing Leaders with Grit and Grace
"To me, leadership is not about necessarily being the loudest in the room, but instead being the bridge, or the thing that is missing in the discussion and trying to build a consensus from there."
What picture comes to mind if you were asked to imagine the person who is running for the title of the Most Effective Leader on the planet today? I bet the image is definitely not that of a young forty-year old female with a giggly and girl-next-door demeanour, who live streams discussions with her countrymen in sweatpants from her bedroom and has been seen bringing her toddler to meetings with global leaders! But that is exactly how we would describe Jacinda Ardern, who New Zealand just voted as Prime Minister for the second time and who has helped her country be free of the Coronavirus twice over!
Jacinda Ardern epitomises what the evidence from the COVID-19 crisis has shown about effective leadership styles – that a more democratic, collaborative and personalised leadership style is proving more effective for crisis control than the autocratic, prescriptive and positional styles. Prime Minister Ardern's success has been attributed to her empathetic, authentic and extremely relatable persona blended with high levels of competence, transparency and text-book communication skills. She has managed to reassure the public, garner their trust and persuade them to cooperate and adhere to tough measures – a mammoth task at which many other Governments have achieved little success. Ardern's approach ensured an 84% public approval of her government's COVID-19 crisis measures.
Essentially, Jacinda Ardern has shown that it is not just the "what" leaders do but also the "how" they do it that is important. And there are several lessons from her leadership that would be useful for leaders – for those managing teams and organisations and communities and countries.I have listed three such best practices from Jacinda Ardern's crisis leadership playbook –
It is Vital to Have a Consistent Game Plan and also Communicate it Clearly
Ardern showed the huge difference that clear and unambiguous messaging by leaders can make during times of uncertainty and crisis. Even before announcing a full lockdown in March 2020, she initiated an 'Alert System' with 4 alert levels– 'Prepare', 'Reduce' 'Restrict' and 'Lockdown'. Each step up in alert level is associated with incrementally tighter restrictions that have been clearly elucidated on the Government's website dedicated to Covid-19 measures. Using this framework, Jacinda Ardern eased her country into a well-planned lockdown and then opened up the economy by downgrading the alert levels in the same manner. This transparent, simple and consistent framework for containment measures and quarantine protocols ensured that measures were not ad-hoc or knee-jerk, allowing people to make sense of what's happening and be clear about what they have to do.
Ardern's briefings through the crisis have also been to the point but extremely perceptive with a lot of attention to detail. For instance, at the press conference announcing New Zealand's lockdown, she covered all possible aspects of the life-changing measures she was initiating. Details were as specific as "schools will be shut from tomorrow, except to the children of essential workers such as our doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers and police –to give them time to plan".
To be even more clear and transparent, she gave extensive time for media questions after her lockdown speech. And that was followed up with daily 30-minute press conferences, frequent Facebook Live sessions and even discussions with experts over a Podcast she herself hosted!
2. Exude empathy and be humane
"Empathy" already became synonymous with Jacinda Ardern after the gruesome Christchurch mosque shooting incident in 2019. And she effectively used this trait to garner support of people in the current crisis as well, by making herself relatable and acknowledging people's pain points and struggles.
While announcing the lockdown, she admitted that "the measures I have announced today will cause unprecedented economic and social disruption… but they are necessary". She also urged people to "Be kind to each other".The same night, she followed up with a casual Facebook Live session from her bedroom after putting her toddler to sleep- "I thought I would jump online quickly and check in with everyone", Ardern said. She addressed all kinds of practical doubts posted by people, right from "where can I safely go to buy food" to "can I walk my dog" to "how do I help my child who is missing out on school".
In various other briefings, she reached out to people unable to attend loved ones' funerals, to children waiting for the Easter Bunny and to tenants whose landlords had increased rents. Her Government also announced inclusive measures like a generous wage subsidy for businesses, a learning-from-home package to facilitate teachers and parents, and additional funding to domestic and sexual violence services in light of increased domestic violence cases during lockdown.
And what really helped her connect with people is that she delivered all her messages with a smile and in a motherly tone! In fact she even popped in relatable mommy jokes now and then – like the time she sat down after giving viewers a tour of her room during a Facebook Live and said "This is a fabulous chair. And this is a much better corner, because where I was sitting before was right next to the nappy bucket, which I'm going to admit was not the freshest place to be sitting"
3. It helps to Persuade people instead of forcing compliance
Ardern successfully led the public to adhere to restrictions and take precautions by persuading rather than instructing people. The message she conveyed was that she is soliciting her people's help and support to overcome the crisis and did not just prescribe regulations that she needed them to comply. She directed people to spend the lockdown "only in their bubble" yet mobilised community support by asking her "team of 5-million" to "stay home to save lives" and branding the mission as "Unite against Covid-19".
November 23, 2020 By Multiplex Support Team Leave a Comment
"Mentoring is a Way of Life" – Valuable Insights and Advice from our Mentor and Leadership Coach Cathy Cardona
Cathy Cardona has over 30 years of corporate human resources management and consulting experience, working in multi-cultural environments with global clients from over 188 countries at the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Inter-American Development Bank and the African Development Bank. She has advised senior leaders of these organizations on a broad range of issues, including the design and implementation of organizational change management initiatives, leadership development succession planning, career guidance frameworks, executive coaching and talent management. Her strengths include engaging senior clients (individuals and executive management teams) and facilitating a partnership approach to resolve business challenges and implement sustainable initiatives. She is known for guiding both senior and emerging leaders to discover new dimensions of their leadership capabilities. She has served as Advisor for Queen's University Smith Business School and for the Queen's/Cornell Executive MBA Program. She was Founding Chair of the Talent Management Executive Council of the Conference Board.
Here are excerpts of our conversation with Cathy.
What comes to mind when you reflect on your life and leadership journey?
My journey has been about hard work and about being open to possibilities and opportunities that came about. I also really learned a lot from both good and bad bosses! That was instrumental in my own development. I've also been very blessed with a lot of support from my husband, colleagues and subordinates.
"For most of my career, I focussed on developing leaders and unleashing their potential. I also took a program in Health and Wellness Coaching, which has expanded my portfolio into the coaching of the whole person rather than just focussing on careers"
What drove you to start mentoring?
It was an organic process. People came to me for advice and I went to other people for advice. Personally, I had never had a formal mentor. But there were several leaders who I admired and whom I would observe at Board Meetings or watch them handle situations. So, a lot of them were my mentors and they didn't even know it! Also, in my HR career, I had been involved in designing and setting up programs for mentoring, which were quite a part of our efforts to get more women in management positions.
What skillset/approach does a mentor need to display, especially when mentoring women? What are the most effective strategies of mentoring?
I really believe that mentoring is a way of life. it is not something that you just turn on and turn off. It is really an attitude and a spirit of how you engage with other people
Mentoring also involves skills. We have to develop strategies and focus. 3 things that are most important:
1) listening skills – one has to really listen very carefully to what your mentee is saying, look for the "unsaid" and figure out what's going on.
2) asking the right questions – you have to learn to ask the right questions to get to the bottom of the issues. It is really about helping mentees develop the skills to find their own answers by asking them open questions. As a mentor you can give advice but you can have more impact by helping them discover their own answers, taking into account their context and constraints.
3) show compassion- this is really a character trait but you need this reinforcement to help mentees believe in themselves and to give them confidence to be their best.
Have you yourself benefitted personally and professionally from being a mentor?
Absolutely! I've always had a very concrete payback. I have had enormous personal satisfaction by seeing people grow and unleash their potential – it's like a euphoric medicine. I've also learnt a lot about different industries and different cultures and different perspectives than I would have otherwise have known.
For example, there was an employee who I had also mentored, because I believe a leadership role is all about mentoring. After I moved organisations, there was a vacancy in my unit for which she applied. She excelled and ended up having three offers to come to our organisation. And because I had mentored her, she accepted my offer. So, I was able to attract talent because I had invested time in helping her grow professionally. My team and I benefitted in a very practical way.
Have you observed any differences in the process of mentoring men and mentoring women?
Yes. I have mentored and coached both men and women, internationally and even across cultures. And there were differences in the way men and women approached it.
Men were much more natural networkers; they were much more focussed in terms of what they wanted from mentoring. They would ask things like "tell me how to become Vice President in 10 years". But the women – when I asked them "what would you like to do with your life or what interests do you have?" – they tended to say things like "Oh I just want to be more helpful or I want to be more useful to the organisation". This is an example of how men and women had very different approaches.
From your experience of mentoring women from India and from the West, do you find any differences in the challenges faced by the two sets of women?
If I compare women in India and US or Canada, based on anecdotes from my experience, women in India have mentioned that they have a lot more childcare and household resources and support available. Women in US/Canada appeared to have a greater challenge on how to manage kids and household because childcare is so expensive (at executive levels maybe it's easier for women because they have the salaries that can pay for the childcare). Indian women have told me that they don't want to explore opportunities outside India because it may be more difficult to afford the childcare and household support.
Sometimes for the Indian women that I have mentored, the challenge tends to be about marketing their brand. For women in Canada and US, this tends to come easier – perhaps this is because of cultural differences and values.
What would be your top advice for potential women leaders to unleash their full potential?
I would give 3 pieces of advice based on my entire career of observing women and observing how the organisations were able to bring change:
Always be open to the possibilities, even during tough times. Rather than becoming a victim – by saying things like " boss is not helping me, or I'm not getting a promotion", change your attitude to asking "what can I really learn from the situation I am in right now".
Take risks. Learning from mistakes can be as powerful as success. I've seen senior women fail miserably at certain things but they were able to bounce back and not become a victim.
Don't try to change things that are beyond your control. If you find yourself in a bad place, like in a bad job or with a bad boss, do not beat your head against the wall to change the place and say "oh! this is all wrong". Don't waste energy on that. Explore other options and find what is right for you to follow your passion. I have seen in many instances where women will be very unhappy and they will keep going around and around in circles trying to change the impossible. But they may never succeed in that environment because that environment is not ready for them. And I've seen people move on to another organisation and flourish. It takes wisdom to recognize when problems are beyond our control, or whether we can mobilize enough support to make happen the changes that are needed. So, my advice would be to analyse the situation and if you conclude that your energy will not be well spent trying to change it, then explore other options for yourself.
What do you think are the most impactful measures that can address biases faced by women in the workplace?
Without any doubt, I can say that the most critical factor is for the very top leadership to model the behaviours and to reward the next level down (their managers) for recognising and developing an inclusive and diverse workforce (even beyond gender).
At the World Bank, when I was HR Head for Latin America, the Vice President was really adamant about having a diverse workforce – and it became the first Vice-Presidency where we had 50% each of men and women in senior positions. The VP had made it very clear that "I want the best people to do the job and I want 50% of them to be women". And it turned things around because she was so explicit about it and which is why we all made it our goal.
Secondly, I feel women need to demonstrate the confidence and risk-tolerance and the skills to be able to manage biases. They need role models, mentoring and sponsorship to really build skills of managing biases that are so destructive for organizations. Women – and men – need to become aware of when biases happen and address them and make it clear that certain behaviours are not acceptable. These are skills we all need to learn.
And the third thing I would stress upon is "Data". We must set benchmarks and goals to foster an inclusive workforce, for measuring progress on eliminating bias and increasing the representation of women in senior management. Until we started focusing on the data and setting goals, we did not have a compelling business case for diversity and inclusion. If 50% of workforce are women and yet only 20% are in senior positions – that data can be a wakeup call for change.
All Rights Reserved.Copyright © 2022 · TalentNomics Developed by: Multiplex Systems Pvt Ltd.


text:
After-Abortion Hotline Launched Nationwide
Exhale, an Oakland, California-based organization, expanded its post-abortion hotline to women nationwide this month. Though Exhale is both a feminist and pro-choice organization, it "operates with respect for the social, cultural, and religious beliefs of all of our callers–this is the unique cornerstone of our service and philosophy," said Aspen Baker, one of the co-founders and executive director. "We allow callers to talk freely about their experience with abortion, without judgment."
Since its inception in 2000, Exhale has served more than 1,500 Bay Area women. Volunteer peer counselors receive 40 hours of training before operating the hotline, and counseling is offered in both English and Spanish.
LEARN MORE Visit www.4exhale.org
Exhale 5/27/05; Alternet.org 6/1/05

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


My entire life has been dedicated to creating art, shape and sculpture with my body. I began classical ballet training at age 8 which lead to a professional dance career in New York City for 7 years. I then ventured into yoga 12 years ago and have been teaching for the past 10 years. My true passion lies in my latest endeavor of aerial arts. I perform throughout southern California on aerial silks and hoop. 5 years ago I developed Alopecia, an autoimmune disorder which affects hair growth. This condition left me completely bald from head to toe. The scary, emotional process of losing my hair, which also made me feel like I was losing my identity and femininity, eventually lead to helping me become a stronger person. Finding a place of peace and acceptance for my appearance and more importantly, with who I am on the inside has given me the courage to embrace my uniqueness, inspire others through my art and to challenge the stereotypes of what is considered beautiful.
Wow, Your figure work is wonderfully mesmerizing. Beautiful body of work.
Very lovely, athletic, bold and adventurous.
I LOVE your work! Fantastic. Keep it coming!
You're such an amazing artist!
Thank you for gracing our work... You were inspirational!
You are truly gorgeous, and so inspiring. Thank you for creating such wonderful art.


Communication between infection control nurses and maintenance staff at a Glasgow hospital hit by a series of outbreaks was "not particularly great", MSPs have been told.
Holyrood's health committee launched an inquiry in the wake of problems at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
MSPs were told a "backlog" of repairs had built up and that there were issues with communication about the work.
However, they also heard that Scotland's overall performance in infection control was "right up there with the very best", and that "Glasgow as a health board are actually doing better than the Scottish average".
The Holyrood inquiry is looking at safety and infection control across NHS Scotland, with a wider focus than the investigation into the QEUH ordered by the health secretary.
The MSPs' inquiry was set up after problems with ventilation, water hygiene and building maintenance were identified at Scotland's largest hospital.
Alastair Delaney, director of quality assurance at watchdog Healthcare Improvement Scotland, published a report earlier in March highlighting "challenges" in communication between estates staff and the infection control team at the Glasgow hospital.
He told the committee this was "something that we would be concerned about across the country", because it was "absolutely essential that there is good working relationships between the nursing staff - particularly for infection control - and the buildings staff."
He added: "Obviously in that particular circumstance, we had quite a large backlog of repairs to be done and the communication was not particularly great about how those were being managed and what happened when they were being reported and potentially having to be reported again.
"So it demonstrated that that level of leadership governance was really important."
Phillip Couser, an official with NHS National Services Scotland and Health Protection Scotland, told members that there was no evidence of an increase in deaths due to infection.
He said that while "some boards are doing better than others", Scotland's overall performance in infection control is "right up there with the very best".
Ahead of the session, the committee's convener Lewis Macdonald said: "Recently there have been increasing incidents of infection in Scotland's hospitals raising serious questions about the safety and control of our healthcare environments.
"Our session on Tuesday is vital for the committee to learn the scale of the problem and ensure robust measures are in place to combat any issues.
"This evidence session will allow us to hear directly from those responsible for the healthcare facilities in Scotland and we will ensure any issues raised are brought to the attention of the Scottish government."
The Cryptococcus is believed to have come from pigeon droppings located in a plant room on the hospital's roof.
Separately, 23 children contracted bloodstream infections in the cancer wards at the Royal Hospital for Children - which shares the Queen Elizabeth campus - between January and September last year.
The infections were thought to be linked to bacteria in the water supply - with a report later finding "widespread contamination" at both hospitals.


Sometimes, in the middle of the night, when it is dark, I call to my sister: "Lulu, Lulu, Lulu. Wake up. I can't sleep. Tell me stories." "Oh, no," says Lulu from far away. "Not again," and shuffles over to my bed. What kinds of stories do two sleepy children share in the middle of the night? The stories here are quite possibly ones actually told by Kalman's actual daughter Lulu to her actual son Alexander, but their actuality or otherwise is unimportant: these are stories exemplifying the playful access to the unconscious (or the access to the playful unconscious) through the nonsense, exaggeration and humour common to children and some adults (including, presumably, Maira Kalman). Details from the children's lives are given all-consuming prominence, or are developed along lines untempered by practicality or many of the other strictures of reality. The family's neighbour brings flowers to a party but forgets his trousers, their aunt's and uncle's dog wants to run away to Paris and become a poet, a woman has very small ears but she hears everything. Much happens, but little of consequence, which is probably appropriate for midnight stories. Kalman's illustrations are, of course, the great attraction of the book (and are inseparable from the stories): quirky, colourful, something like Marc Chagall on acid, full of details that almost require further stories of their own. It is this provision for further story, this liberation from the strictures of systems and logic, this acknowledgement of the nature and tendencies of the child mind that persists even in creative adults, that makes this a book that will inspire and reward repeated readings.
As a brother and sister imagine their bedtime stories, Maira Kalman paints a fantastic picture of the creative world of children. Full of wild invention, peopled by characters familiar and outlandish, it is a world of wonders. Full-color illustrations.
In print for the first time in over two decades, Hey Willy, See the Pyramids is a Kalman classic--full of wit, imagination, and colorful drawings. Perfect bedtime reading for children ages 5-8.
Maira Kalman is an illustrator, author, and designer. Ms. Kalman's twelve children's books include Max Makes a Million, Stay Up Late, Swami on Rye, and What Pete Ate. She has created many covers for The New Yorker, designed fabric for Isaac Mizrahi, accessories for Kate Spade, sets for the Mark Morris Dance Company, and, with her late husband Tibor Kalman under the M&Co. label, clocks, umbrellas, and other accessories for the Museum of Modern Art. Ms. Kalman's work is shown at the Julie Saul Gallery in Manhattan.


Look at the great poster too!
Around Labor Day I appeared twice at California Expo State Fair Author's Booth in Sacramento, CA. There were 38 of us writers scheduled to appear over the two-week period. I was thrilled because a year before I had been on the other side of the booth, listening to other writers talk about their books. And now I had the chance to be one of them.
The booth was in the center of the first floor of a building overflowing with enticing displays from all the California counties. It was an old barn of a warehouse in fact, without lighting, wireless access, enough electrical outlets or sound insulation. I sat with four other writers looking out long picnic tables where fairgoers devoured chocolate-covered berries, sticky cinnamon buns, thick pizza, sourdough chowder bowls and funnel cakes. Our job was to talk to people, sell our books, and read our work if we chose.
I learned from the other authors how to take charge no matter what the environment. The engaging journalist-historian and a children's writer on either side of me wooed the crowd in different ways, using their passion for their books to fuel one-time intimate conversations. When not talking, the journalist took copious notes from an old book about Sacramento, his next history project. In a very soft voice, the children's writer prompted passers-by to lean over the table to better hear her.
The experience of carrying on conversations with strangers about my book or any book was fascinating, if nebulous. The second time I appeared was a Thursday and a slow day for the fair. Some people stopped to look, some to talk. I met a man who worked for the National Park Service and was the planner for Chaco Canyon National Park during the 1980s. He actually got the rare chance to go to the top of Fajada Butte and see the sun dagger during the solstices. After our enthusiastic conversation about the primitive terrain into the canyon, he bought my book.
Unlike opening day when there had been no microphone, this time there was one and I was determined to read. I had signed up to appear at 3:15 PM, allotting a little over a quarter hour for my appearance. My young friend, Josh, was there to accompany me with his Native American singing and drumming. Still I felt challenged, knowing my audience was hit-or-miss, random folk milling about. Would I be able to attract their interest enough to stop and sit down on the folding chairs and be caught up in my story?
I did find an audience. There was one family of four, including children, who sat near the front. The father listened intently as I read about the Navajo and Hopi views of a vision quest. I remember a few single people sitting at the end. There was at least one couple toward the back. An intent young man near the center. Who else? My good friend, Rose, from Concord was there to support me. I felt so grateful.
I had practiced all the previous week, talking into my tape recorder, writing out an outline. But looking out at the people wandering by, only vaguely aware of me on the stage, I became distracted. Rushing past my own confusion, I started reading from Chapter 16, Vision Quest, where a group of people from a San Francisco Bay Area sweat lodge ends up in Chaco Canyon.
I held the microphone to my lips as Josh drummed four different times while the scenes changed and then finished by singing a Sundance song. His song was great. But there was so much noise in that cavernous building! So many distractions; for example, a rock climbing demonstration area was located right next to the stage.
Time flew by. From my proceeds, I wrote a check for California Sales Tax to Naida West, the Author's Booth organizer and an outstanding novelist of California history with a Native American point of view. I won't forget those people who talked with me, who listened to my story, and I to theirs. My spirits were high when I drove home.
Great read. Very nice post. Thank you.


That is the same cert that I exported.  So, I'm not sure what i have wrong in my configuration.
When i try this, PHP succesfully returns, but the .NET service is never called.
The EncryptedKey clause was not wrapped with the required encryption token 'System.IdentityModel.Tokens.X509SecurityToken'.
Googling seems to think that this is related to a bad cert.
a CustomBinding in .NET order processor service to include the policy and certificate.


Chișinău Modlova: SNG satellite truck and camera crew.
TV-SAT Ltd is involved in the broadcasting of News, Sports and Entertainment. We use only the best technical equipment and employ experienced and efficient staff to ensure that the best results are achieved, even when faced by the most complicated tasks.
Our satisfied clients include Globecast, Reuters, BBC, CNN, Fox News, ARD and ZDF (Germany), Arqiva (England), SatLink (Israel), TF1 (France), VSAT (Spain), RTR (Moscow, Russia), Polsat Television (Poland) and others.
TV-SAT can provide the highest broadcasting standards for sports events. At the EBU's request, the company broadcasts European Cup handball matches from around Ukraine. It has also been involved in the broadcasting of Champions League football matches.
TV-SAT can work with virtually all satellite operators: Intelsat, Eutelsat, SES etc.
1.5m antennas, 400W Xicom and CPI HPAs.


text:
Steatocranus gibbiceps ist eine Buntbarschart, die im Einzugsbereich des unteren des Kongos bis Matadi und im Pool Malebo vorkommt. Die Art wurde im Jahr 1899 durch den belgisch-britischen Zoologen George Albert Boulenger zusammen mit der Gattung Steatocranus erstmals wissenschaftlich beschrieben und ist die Typusart der Gattung.

Merkmale
Männchen von Steatocranus gibbiceps erreichen eine Länge von bis zu 12 cm, Weibchen bleiben mit 10 cm etwas kleiner. Die Art ist dem aus der Aquaristik bekannten Buckelkopfbuntbarsch (Steatocranus casuarius) sehr ähnlich, ist aber schlanker und bleibt kleiner (S. casuarius: ♂ max. 15 cm, ♀ max. 12 cm), hat eine andere Bezahnung und einen kürzeren Darm. Steatocranus gibbiceps ist ein Gastropodenfresser und hat einen Darm dessen Länge 0,75 bis 0,8 % der Körperlänge ausmacht, während der Buckelkopfbuntbarsch als Algenfresser einen Darm hat, der 1,5 bis 3 mal so lang ist wie der Körper. Die Schuppen von S. gibbiceps sind hellgrau und haben einen dunklen Rand, während es beim Buckelkopfbuntbarsch genau umgekehrt ist. Auch bei Steatocranus gibbiceps entwickeln die Männchen einen Stirnbuckel, der mit zunehmendem Alter immer größer wird. Die Brust von S. gibbiceps ist cremefarben, die Kiemenmembranen sind schwärzlich braun.

 Flossenformel: Dorsale XIX–XX/7–8, Anale III/6.
 Schuppenformel: mLR 30–32, SL 20–21/8.

Lebensweise
Steatocranus gibbiceps ernährt sich vor allem von Schnecken und ist ein Höhlenbrüter, der eine Vater-Mutter-Familie bildet.

Belege

Buntbarsche
Cichlidae

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


card etc.) to the A/S centre.
change without prior notice for upgrading the camera functions.
cords or cables and cause a fire or electric shock.
battery or exclusive rechargeable battery.
Refer to page 19 for more information about the camera mode setting.
the date of manufacture). The batteries are listed below.
captured with a different camera.
while recording, deleting (formatting) or reading.
e.g. floppy disks, hard disks, CD etc.
time, language and battery type before using this camera.
Ä For more information about the World Time, refer to the page 49.
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2. Use the up or down buttons to navigate through the menus.
3. Use the left or right buttons to select a sub menu.
batteries taking note of the polarity (+ / -).
will be stored on the memory card.
5. Select the Auto mode by pressing the MENU button.
by using the LCD monitor.
Digital Image Stabilisation (DIS) mode.
a well-exposed image in dim conditions.
time of the memory capacity allows.
will display on the LCD monitor.).
stop recording, press the shutter button again.
Ä Image size and type are listed below.
Ä See p.44 for further details.
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sun. Doing so may make the picture dark.
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the cursor shift to the left tab.
flash function will not operate.
is caused by the flash light reflecting off atmospheric dust.
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store this unit in the following locations.
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to fire. This is not harmful to the camera and is not a malfunction.
be affected by static electricity. In this case, disconnect and reconnect the USB cable before trying the transfer again.
this case, reset the date and time correctly before the recording.
Night : 8 ~ 1/1,500 sec., Firework : 4 sec.
Please ensure that you read the instruction manual carefully before use.
or the user manual be reproduced.
- Copyrights for software are licensed only for use with a camera.
in any way for damage caused by inappropriate use.
of computers and O/S (Operating Systems).
Ä It is not compatible with Windows XP and Vista 64-bit Edition.
by the use of unauthorized computer including an assembled PC.
CD-ROM drive, the following window should automatically run.
select [Installer.exe] in the CD-ROM Drive root directory.
1. The auto run frame will display.
your computer, DirectX may not be installed.
4. Turn the camera power on.
to your PC through the USB cable.
recognizes the computer and is connected to it.
Ä If automatic connection fails, set the [USB] menu to [Computer].
hard disk and print them or use a photo editing software to edit them.
1. Connect the camera to your PC with the USB cable.
Refer to page 89 (Removing the removable disk).
: cuts a selected file.
- [Copy] : copies files.
5. Click a folder where you want to paste the file.
1. Check whether the camera and PC are transferring a file.
finished blinking and is constantly on.
will open. Click the [OK] button.
Hardware] icon on the task bar.
with this software. This software is only compatible with Windows.
To start the program, click [Start Programs Samsung Samsung Master].
the camera to your PC.
select the [Select All] button.
- If you click the [Cancel] button, downloading will be cancelled.
upper side of the window.
Image viewer : You can view the stored images.
- Image viewer functions are listed below.
Change functions, Auto download, help, etc.
and movie edit functions in this menu.
check the multi media information.
Zoom bar : You can change preview size.
Image display window : Images of the selected folder are displayed.
Ä Refer to the [Help] menu in Samsung Master for further information.
Image edit : You can edit the still image.
Ì Edit menu : You can select the following menus.
[Adjust] : You can modify image quality. See the [Help] menu.
[Retouch] : You can change image or insert effects on the image.
Í Drawing tools : Tools for editing an image.
Image display window : A selected image displays in this window.
Preview window : You can preview the changed image.
music files together in a movie clip.
- Movie clip edit functions are listed below.
[Add Media] : You can add other media elements to a movie.
: You can insert an effect.
: You can insert texts.
: You can insert a narration.
and Windows media (asf) file types.
Í Frame display window : You can insert multi media in this window.
MAC OS supports the camera driver.
compatible with MAC OS 10.3.
only one USB cable to the camera.
Master icon on the Taskbar.
- Install all the application programs included in the software CD.


Below you will see a range of home insurance providers for the US. Regardless of whether you own your home or are a tenant, home insurance is vital to ensure that you are covered for the many risks that are posed to your home and home contents. Home insurance policies can cover external damage from bad weather to internal damage from a variety of sources – including small kids! If you own your home, taking out an adequate home insurance policy on the property will no doubt be high on the priority list. A valuable asset should be protected as much as possible, and even for people who live in relatively 'safe' areas theft and vandalism can easily occur. Make sure your home is properly protected with one of the home insurance policies listed below.
Automatically provides buildings cover for the cost of rebuilding your home and any outbuildings. Covers the structure of your home, roofs, walls, fences, gates and outbuildings, plus permanent fixtures like kitchens, bathrooms and fitted wardrobes. Covers fire, lightning, storm or flood, theft, explosion, escape of water or oil, vandalism and subsidence. Also covers burst pipes, accidental damage to windows or sanitary ware and the cost of alternative accommodation if necessary.
1. Automatically provides buildings cover for the cost of rebuilding your home and any outbuildings.
2. Covers the structure of your home, roofs, walls, fences, gates and outbuildings, plus permanent fixtures like kitchens, bathrooms and fitted wardrobes.
3. Covers fire, lightning, storm or flood, theft, explosion, escape of water or oil, vandalism and subsidence.
4. Also covers burst pipes, accidental damage to windows or sanitary ware and the cost of alternative accommodation if necessary.
5. Provides cover on a new-for-old basis for household goods, including furniture, carpets, curtains, and your personal belongings in the home, garages and sheds.
6. Covers against fire, smoke damage, lightning, theft, flood and escape of water or oil.
7. Also covers accidental damage to TVs, home computers, home entertainment systems, freezer contents, replacement locks and keys following theft of keys, and possessions temporarily removed from the home to another e.g. while children are at college.
2. You need to apply in order to obtain fees and charges.
Make sure your biggest asset is protected with the right Home Insurance. Don't take the risk.
Your home is probably the most expensive thing you own. With this in mind it is important that you make sure it is protected. Without home insurance you could face financial ruin trying to pay for repairs and replacements. Imagine if your house burned down and you didn't have the insurance. You may not be able to pay for the repairs but will still have to pay the mortgage. Home insurance is essential. A good policy will save you money in the event that something happens to your home or belongings. Although having home insurance is not required by law many mortgage lenders require that you have insurance in order to borrow money from them. Some tenants' associations also require you to have home insurance.
Homes insurance comes in a number of different forms. You can get cover for any physical damage to your home cause by events like fire, smoke, natural disasters, vandalism, burglary, burst pipes, flooding and explosions. It will also cover you for personal liability for any injuries. You can get insurance for all of your belongings in your home such as furniture, bikes, electrical goods and valuable items. This protects you against any theft or damage to these items. Many insurance companies will also offer a wide range of additional cover options.
What type of house you live in and where you live will affect how much you will pay for the insurance. If you are in an area that is at more of a risk of something happening you should expect to pay more for the insurance. For example if you live somewhere where earthquakes or hurricanes are regular threats there is more of a chance of damage happening to your home and so it is likely your premiums will be higher. The exact cost of the insurance will depend on the type of cover that you buy and which insurer you decide on. You should be able to find policies that suit all budgets.
How do you keep prices down?
One way you can keep your premiums down is to improve your home security and install quality locks, alarm systems and timed lighting. This reduces the risk of you being a victim of theft and so reduces the amount you will by. You should also make sure you have good safety features such as smoke alarms which can also help lower premiums. You can find that investing in insulation which reduces the chance of pipes and tanks freezing will help to keep prices down. Also if you agree to pay a higher excess towards any claim you can keep premiums lower.
As home insurance is such a necessity there are many companies vying for your business. Coverage will differ between home insurers so it is vital to check your policy documents. You need to find a policy that can be tailored to your needs and only take out the amount of cover that you need. However, cutting back on the amount you take out could mean that should the worst happen and you need to make a claim, you are not covered. This is why the cheapest insurance is not necessarily the best. Therefore, you need to find a happy medium and read through the policy thoroughly to see what is and what isn't covered. To ensure you choose the best insurance policy at the most affordable price, be sure to compare policies from many different providers. You can use the table above to help you compare policies which will help you find the best suited to you and your finances.
Is Your Gold Properly Insured?
The price of gold has rocketed over the last ten years, increasing by a massive 500% in value. This is great news if you own jewellery, coins or anything else made from the metal, but if your insurance policy doesn't cover the increase then you could be in danger of losing out.
Is Your Gold Fully Insured?
The value of gold has shot up over the last ten years. This is great news for owners of the precious metal but not so good if you are not insured for your jewellery, coins, medals or anything else made from gold. This massive increase has left many without insurance cover, even if they think they do have it.
The price of gold has increased massively over the past ten years. This is great news for owners of the precious metal in terms of value, but it has left millions of people all over the world underinsured.


PN Racing Mini-Z LM Differential Carrier for Multi Mount (Blue) von "PN-Racing"
PN Racing Mini-Z LM Differential Carrier for Multi Mount (Orange) von "PN-Racing"
PN Racing Mini-Z Motor Plate for 94-98mm V3 Motor Mount (Blue) von "PN-Racing"
PN Racing Mini-Z Motor Plate for 94-98mm V3 Motor Mount (Orange) von "PN-Racing"
PN Racing Mini-Z Motor Plate for 94-98mm V3 Motor Mount (SILVER) von "PN-Racing"
PN Racing Mini-Z Multi Length V2 Silver Carbon Graphite Disk Plate von "PN-Racing"
PN Racing Mini-Z Regular Axle Carrier for Multi Mount (Silver) for MR2395 PN Racing Mini-Z MR02/03 93-102mm Multi Motor Mount PN 94mm Motor Plate for 93-97mm wheel base use. von "PN-Racing"
PN Racing Mini-Z Regular Axle Carrier for Multi Mount (Silver) for MR2395 PN Racing Mini-Z MR02/03 93-102mm Multi Motor Mount PN Racing Mini-Z Regular Axle Carrier for Multi Mount (Blue) von "PN-Racing"
PN Racing Mini-Z Regular Axle Carrier for Multi Mount (Silver) for MR2395 PN Racing Mini-Z MR02/03 93-102mm Multi Motor Mount PN Racing Mini-Z Regular Axle Carrier for Multi Mount (Orange) von "PN-Racing"
PN Racing Mini-Z Side Shock Plate 0.5mm Shims (4pcs) for Multi Mount von "PN-Racing"
PN Racing Mini-Z V2 Silver Carbon Graphite Disk Damper Plate Set von "PN-Racing"
PN Racing MR02 V2 Carbon Graphite Disk Damper Plate Set von "PN-Racing"
PN Reibungsdämpfer SET / GFK 94mm-98mm / silber von "PN-Racing"
PN Reibungsdämpfer SET / GRAPHITE / 94mm-98mm / blau - MR2061B von "PN-Racing"
PN Reibungsdämpfer SET / GRAPHITE / 94mm-98mm / orange - MR2061 von "PN-Racing"
PN Reibungsdämpfer SET / GRAPHITE / 94mm-98mm / silber - MR2061 von "PN-Racing"
PN Reibungsdämpfer SET / SILBER-GRAPHITE / 94mm-98mm / silber von "PN-Racing"
PN Replacement parts for MR2395 PN Racing Mini-Z MR02/03 93-102mm Multi Motor Mount PN 94mm Motor Plate for 93-97mm wheel base use. von "PN-Racing"
PN Replacement parts for MR2395 PN Racing Mini-Z MR02/03 93-102mm Multi Motor Mount PN Racing Mini-Z 94mm Motor Plate for Multi Mount (Blue) von "PN-Racing"
PN Replacement parts MR2395 for MR2395 PN Racing Mini-Z MR02/03 93-102mm Multi Motor Mount PN 94mm Motor Plate for 93-97mm wheel base use. von "PN-Racing"


The objective for the content management system was to redesign the front-end user interface while keeping the existing back-end development. There were 38 modules that comprised the redesign including a new dashboard to navigate and learn about the possiblities for communicating to local residents.
We started the research by building a concept model of the existing CMS structure and providing a clear understanding of how the entire CMS was organized. With the concept model we were able to approach the project with a clear understanding of what we wanted to approach first and keep track of what was completed, in progress and waiting to start.
The next step was user testing one module at a time as we approached them for redesign. With this approach it gave us a better understanding on the approach for the redesign based on what currently worked well and what was challenging.
After white boarding with the front-end development team and talking through the technical limitations wireframes began one module at time. The wireframes were a joint effort with the design team once we had a pattern established.
The following designs are of a module that was turned into a stand alone app called Civic Send. Civic Send gave the user the ability to send mass emails at once on a schedule interval or on the fly for emergency notifications.
"I hired Lisa to head the User Experience (UX) initiative at CivicPlus. Over the years I have made numerous hiring decisions, hiring Lisa on my team at CivicPlus to lead our UX Strategy, was definitely one of the best hiring decisions I have made in my career. Lisa is a real go-getter, she spends time understanding the direction - no matter how ambiguous, and has surprised me with her output time and again. She is not just good at understanding the overall concepts, but is great at defining those further to the minutest details. At CivicPlus she led the cross functional team to define the UX Strategy for our Products as well as the company, which I was the executive sponsor for. This effort touched every single department in the company and has been a great success story. We even shipped out a brand new product using the Brand UX defined by Lisa. Lisa is a great resource to have on any team and I would hire her again in a heartbeat if our paths crossed. I wish Lisa the very best !!"


The Art-laboratory is my unique project for those who love Art. Here you can learn the theoretical basis of modern and classical artistic styles, techniques, as well as try creative skills and create works of authorship. The project is held regularly at the Novosibirsk State Regional Scientific Library.
Art is a figurative comprehension of reality, which unites people of different professions, because it is based on cultural heritage. In the Art-laboratory, I invite library visitors to take part in creative lectures, master classes and meetings, where Art becomes an instrument of knowledge of the world. Simultaneously with the assimilation of new material, you explore new techniques of fine art.
master not only the practical skills of the fine arts, but also a model of thinking based on the perception of visual art.


We're raising £500 to help fund Arran VegFest 2019.
Arran Vegfest celebrates the exponential growth of the vegan and plantbased lifestyle - the number of vegans in the UK now exceeds three and a half million, or seven percent of the population. That's a 700% growth in the two years between 2016 and 2018.
The first Arran Vegfest will take place on Saturday 2nd November 2019 at Arran High School in Lamlash, with related events scheduled for Sunday 3rd November.
We've already planned some great speakers but want to do even more. There will be food and vegan product stalls, and children's activities provided by the notorious Captain James Tea Cook and the Plantastic Pirates of the Carob Bean.


The breakup of a liquid capillary filament is analyzed as an aviscous potential flow near a stagnation point on the centerline of the filament towards which the surface collapses under the action of surface tension forces. We find that the neck is of parabolic shape and its radius collapses to zero in a finite time. During the collapse the tensile stress due to viscosity increases in value until at a certain finite radius (which is about 1.5 microns for water in air) the stress in the throat passes into tension presumably inducing cavitation there.


Resource Engagements is a recently introduced feature in Project Online, and also Project Server 2016. In a typical organization, resource managers and project managers find it challenging to agree on and assign resources for specific projects and tasks. With no clear way to track who is working where, who is over-allocated—and with crossed lines of communication, things can start to break down.
Resource Engagements aims to clear the confusion and help streamline this process.
• What will happen to my resource plans if I start using Resource Engagements?
• How can I use Resource Engagements for Support Work?
• How can I report on Resource Engagements?
He is a regular presenter at various Project Server, EPM and SharePoint events across the country, and blogs regularly at prasannaadavi.com.
He also runs a podcast dedicated to MS Project, Project Server at msprojectpodcast.com.
Prasanna recently organized a global Project Virtual Conference for MS Project, with 60+ speakers, and topics.


text:
Senator Gillmor may refer to:

Senate of Canada
Arthur Hill Gillmor (1824–1903), Senator from New Brunswick from 1900 to 1903
Daniel Gillmor (1849–1918), Senate from New Brunswick from 1907 to 1918

United States state senate members
Karen Gillmor (born 1948), Ohio State Senate
Paul Gillmor (1939–2007), Ohio State Senate

Other uses
Senator Gilmore (disambiguation)


1) Good old CASH. Just pop it in an envelope with your name, and what its for, and then hand it to our Treasurer, Ruth Fox, or Vice Treasurer Emily Bosley at one of our meeting or events. If these lovely ladies aren't around just hand it to a member of the committee.
2) CHEQUE. Please make your cheque payable to 'Cake & Revolution WI' and remember to put your name and a reference on the back of the cheque.
3) BANK TRANSFER. Again please ensure that you include your name and a reference so we know who you are and what its for when it appears on our bank statement.
If you would like to join the Largest WI in the Suffolk East Federation, or to come along to one of our meetings and see what its all about... please contact us via the forms available on this site.


The new 2in1 dual makeup blending sponge created for that perfect finish!
Soft grey sponge created for the more delicate areas, such as eyes, nose and mouth.
Firm black sponge designed to cover larger areas, such as forehead and cheeks.


I stumbled upon That Grace Girl a few months ago after browsing the #bbloggers feed on Twitter, and found myself still perusing her posts an hour later. After that, I was hooked on a daily basis. Not only do I enjoy her beauty reviews and fashion updates, I particularly love reading her lifestyle posts. Finding out what she's getting up to (er, stalker alert!) is one of my guilty obsessions (along with most bloggers that I follow), and Grace, 21, has a familiar life to mine. In her final year at university, she blogs alongside her degree.
If you didn't know, I like reading blogs as much as I like writing my own, as it's where I get my inspiration from. Here are just a few of my favourite blogs that I love for a bit of bedtime reading (in no particular order).
I came across Suzie's blog just over a year ago and she's kept me reading ever since. I love her neutral makeup looks and her skin always looks perfect, so I pay good attention to what she likes to use. She has also been featured in a magazine I pick up every month; the 'blogger' influenced Company, which makes me like her just that little bit more.


Our book recommendations for food-related books and resources for children. If you have any recommendations, please contact us with the title, author, and a brief 1-2 sentence description about the book and why children may like it!
Written by Barbara Jean Hicks and Illustrated by Sue Hendra A super cute book about monsters who don't like to eat broccocli…except, they find themselves fooled into eating them in the most delightful way!
Written and Illustrated by Amy Sanger A gorgeous little board book good for tiny fingers in book-turning training. Sanger uses rhymes to teach children about the amazing culinary world of Chinese Dim Sum.


text:
Online Visa Extension for Short-term Visitors in the Philippines
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is set to launch an online visa waiver project this month and tourists who are in the country for a short period can extend their stay through online application filing.
"Online application for visa extensions, the target is to be launched before the year ends. Tourists who come here visa-free and wish to extend their 30-day visa may do so online," said BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval.
The Philippines Bureau of Immigration (BI) is looking to modernise and automate immigration-related transactions at their international airports early next year. To improve passenger service, the bureau intends to modernise and automate all immigration-related transactions by January 2023, including tourist visa extensions, online visa waiver applications and e-payments.
The strategy was finalised over three days in Manila by the bureau. In addition, the heads of the various divisions presented the status and evaluation of their current programmes, activities, and projects (PAPs). Finally, they proposed PAPs for the next three years during the event.
The BI chief emphasised his administration's critical focus: anti-corruption, digital transformation, national security, rightsizing and employee empowerment. He also sees a need to strengthen the role of immigration on national security, follow the president's direction in maximising the personnel complement of the bureau, and improve the employee's welfare.
To discuss the numerous plans and other projects lined up for the improvement of the bureau, BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco led the week-long year-end interaction of the agency in early December this year. The event included gift-giving for employees' children, including those in the janitorial and security services, and an outreach programme for underprivileged families in the area.
Themed "Pasasalamat mula sa Bureau of Immigration", the gathering was an opportunity for BI employees to highlight and celebrate the agency's achievements. Despite the many issues and challenges of the past, the bureau looks forward to a brighter future. The agency's direction in the following years will be driven by anticipation of what is needed, innovation to improve its services and a motivation to be the best public servants.
The introduction of electronic transactions and payments for immigration applications and the eTravel system, a joint project of various border management agencies, was also highlighted as a significant achievement of the year.
Earlier, the Philippines introduced eTravel, a contact tracking platform that replaces the One Health Pass and e-Arrival card. For inbound travellers, the platform aims to collect arrival information and a health declaration checklist.
The new system is straightforward; arriving travellers can register by providing personal information, travel information, and health declarations. The user will be given a personalised QR code after completing this step. This service is free, but visitors must sign up at least three days before their trip.
The new service combines the interconnection, data-sharing, and synergy of all the previously divided departments into silos into a single system. Meanwhile, the DICT's Office of the Undersecretary for E-Government (OUEG) and partner government entities signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote a unified government approach to E-Governance.
Through its efforts to digitally transform government processes and agencies, the DICT hopes to improve data standards and governance by allowing data harmonisation and coordination across the government. Among the initiatives are developing, deploying, and integrating systems for Department flagship programmes such as ELGU, E-Government Applications (EGovApp), E-Govpay, E-Travel, and E-Cloud.