This Week’s Picks! Phoenix, Rock of Ages and More
Venture Downtown for Fringe NYC Starts August 8, various locations You love theater, right? That’s why you’re here, and not reading “18 Microwave Snacks You Can Cook in a Mug!” And that’s why you’ll love the colossal New York International Fringe Festival (Fringe NYC), which runs through August 24. It features everything from improv to puppetry to performance art. With 5,000 artists and 18 venues, you’re certain to find something really funky and totally wonderful. Your microwave will understand. Click for tickets! See a Homecoming for the Ages August 4 at the Helen Hayes Theatre General Douglas MacArthur and the Philippines. LeBron James and Cleveland. Those reunions mean squat compared Constantine Maroulis’ return to Rock of Ages! The Tony nominee begins a 12-week engagement in the hit ‘80s rock musical, reprising the role of Drew, a shaggy-haired jukebox hero, that he originated five years ago. We’re glad you took your talents back to the Great White Way, Constantine. Welcome home. Click for tickets! View Comments Pay Tribute to Elaine Stritch August 7 at the Metropolitan Room When a Broadway legend departs, solemn obituaries and earnest tributes are not enough. A proper tribute to Elaine Stritch, who died at age 89 on July 17, must include music. The Metropolitan Room has the right idea, inviting Broadway stars (Annaleigh Ashford, Lisa Brescia, and more) to sing Stritch’s signature tunes. Though let’s be honest: Nobody’s gonna sing “Ladies Who Lunch” quite like our favorite salty gal. Click for tickets! Spend the Night in Phoenix August 7 at the Cherry Lane Theatre Bruce (James Wirt) and Sue (Julia Stiles) have a one-night stand. (Cue sitcom audience “ooohh…”) She has a wonderful time, but wants to move on. Bruce sees potential and isn’t ready to let go. Thus begins the parry-and-thrust—pun fully intended—in Scott Organ’s dark comedy that covers 4,000 miles and two very different, very attractive people testing their boundaries. Runs through August 23. Click for tickets! Follow The Wiz Underground August 10 at 54 Below The Wiz! For kids of the ’70s and ’80s, it’s infectious, gold-plated nostalgia. Remember how many times HBO aired the kick-ass movie musical back in the day? We named our cat Nipsey Russell! 54 Below is offering two servings of 54 Sings The Wiz so we can savor those catchy days of yesteryear. Directed by After Midnight alum T. Oliver Reid, this revue features Ken Page, N’Kenge, and Vivian Reed. Click for tickets! It’s hot. It’s so hot, you can barely walk two feet without looking like you went through a car wash. But towel off, guys! There’s tons of cool happenings, including a return of a Rock of Ages favorite, a musical tribute to a Broadway legend and a concert version of a beloved ’70s musical. It’s all part of this week’s picks!
High school Georgia 4-H members participated in the Southern Region Teen Leadership Conference (SRTLC) in late September with youth from surrounding Southern states. The annual event gives attending youth and adults opportunities to develop leadership skills and practice networking skills with 4-H’ers in other states. This year’s leadership conference was held virtually to abide with COVID-19 restrictions, with workshops, networking events, virtual campfires and dances, leadership lessons, and informative roundtable discussions held over video conference. Along with the 98 Georgia 4-H’ers who participated, nearly 500 4-H’ers from other Southern states took part.In addition to scheduled workshops and trainings, 4-H’ers donated school supplies to their local county schools as a part of the event-sponsored service project. Information about donated materials was captured through a survey that participants completed with pictures of donated school supplies. Georgia 4-H’ers contributed generously and, with the help of fellow 4-H’ers from across the region, thousands of items were donated to schools in need.“The conference is an outstanding opportunity to help youth develop leadership and citizenship skills and to help them find opportunities to put those skills to use in their communities,” said Jason Estep, 4-H leadership and civic engagement specialist. “Plus, it is one of the best ways to meet 4-H’ers from other states and learn about their programs.”Youth who attend SRTLC are empowered and inspired to make positive changes across the Southern region through leadership development, networking opportunities and collaborative partnerships. Youth and adult participants present educational workshops and roundtables on topics ranging from dancing for exercise to driver safety, from leadership styles to 3-D printing, and more.Next year’s conference is scheduled for September 23-26, 2021, at the Clyde M. York 4-H Center in Crossville, Tennessee.Georgia 4-H empowers youth to become true leaders by developing necessary life skills, positive relationships and community awareness. As the largest youth leadership organization in the state, 4-H reaches more than 242,000 people annually through the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension offices and 4-H facilities. For more information, visit georgia4h.org or find your local UGA Extension office by visiting extension.uga.edu/county-offices.html.
So far this year, Panamanian authorities have destroyed over 24 tons of drugs. The United Nations estimates that the sale of cocaine in the North American country equals about $35 billion out of the $85 billion in sale of these illicit substances around the world. Panamanian authorities destroyed more than eleven tons of drugs on June 21, the largest amount seized so far this year, the police reported. In a joint operation on June 18 in the Darién area that borders Colombia, the Panamanian police and Colombian Military destroyed 4,495 coca plants and a cocaine lab. The authorities burned 11 tons of cocaine, 388 kilos of marihuana, 5 kilos of heroin, and over 23 kilos of precursor drugs, according to an official report. By Dialogo June 25, 2013
It is estimated that 80% of the cocaine that goes through Central America coming from South America enters the United States. The largest seizures occurred in 2009 and 2010, with 54 tons each year. In total, 11.4 tons of drugs were destroyed in Cerro Patacón, the main garbage dump in the Panamanian capital, located on the outskirts of the city. The Panamanian authorities consider that there has been a decrease of drug smuggling through their waters as a result of law enforcement presence and Operation Martillo, a multinational counter drug effort launched by the United States and Central America in January 2012.
Will your office be ready when What if? becomes What now? J.R. Phelps Director, The Florida Bar’s Law Office Management Assistance Service During 2005, there were 27 named storms wreaking havoc all across our country. Four of those hurricanes, within a six-week period, directly impacted the state of Florida.During that time many law firms were “knocked down, but not out.” This year’s hurricane season is predicted to be just as ferocious. Will your office be prepared this year? Will your office survive? You’ve heard the old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” When it comes to hurricanes, prevention through preparedness will again prove this homily to be true. Conversely, thinking “it could never happen to me” and being caught off guard can have devastating consequences and may bring your law firm to its knees.Many lawyers in Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana say it will take years to recover from last year’s hurricanes. Many had disaster plans. Some did not. Few had a plan to deal with a disaster the size of hurricanes Andrew or Katrina. Through hindsight and lessons learned, we can, and should, develop plans designed to mitigate the effects of hurricanes, regardless of how large. Communications The first concern after any disaster is to locate and ensure the safety of all family and employees. If Florida’s governor ordered a mass evacuation, do you know where the people in your office are likely to head? You should! The key to normalizing any office after a disasteris the ability to make contact with key employees and learn their situation or availability. No employee will concentrate on the office until they know their family and home are safe.One of the first responsibilities of a firm’s disaster crisis team is to contact all employees. This task will be easier if you have recorded the intended evacuation locations of everyone in the office. In addition to evacuation locations, up-to-date directories with employees’ home addresses should also include home numbers, cell phone numbers, and e-mail addresses. These directories should routinely be distributed to your key office personnel. From previous disasters we’ve learned that cell phone communications may be reestablished first. Even then communication may be difficult. However, we’ve learned that IM (instant messaging) traffic will get through when regular cell phone service is problematic. If you don’t know how to IM, ask any teenager; they can help you learn. Another procedure is a telephone notification tree which sets up a calling chain as a method to notify every firm employee of emergency information on weekends or after hours. Telephones and Disaster Kits Disaster experts recommend establishing a mutual aid pact with a law firm or other business in some distant city unlikely to be impacted by the same disaster. The designated firm’s telephone number should be listed as an emergency contact point to keep everyone posted on the status of the firm, and as a rally point to establish contact with each other. Such an arrangement will, if the disaster necessitates a long-term office closing, also become a useful tool for attorneys to stay in touch with their clients.Digital phone systems require electrical power, and most cease to function immediately without electricity or once the battery runs down. Older analog phones, however, may operate when digital phones will not. Analog phones operate on low-level power from the telephone network. LOMAS recommends including an analog phone in your emergency disaster preparedness kit.Another technology of value is the walkie-talkie. Some of today’s versions have a viable communication range of over 15 miles. Add several walkie-talkies to your kit for use by key personnel as an additional strategy to facilitate communication during a disaster. Give them to key personnel before the disaster, along with frequencies or channels to be used and other emergency procedures. Business Continuation Once you are assured of everyone’s personal safety, including your own, your next concern is reestablishing the office in some fashion.A well-crafted disaster recovery plan will focus on business continuation as the next step. Of critical importance is re-establishing communication with clients. Clients need to know you are still in business and where or how they can contact you. Obviously, until Internet or telephone service is re-established, your communication options are limited. One excellent way to facilitate communication is to place some form of signage at the office location, such as, “We’re down but not out, contact us by….” Once you make contact with your reciprocal firm, ask them to update your Web page with information regarding the firm’s situation, and anticipated return to operation date.As part of your preparations, inventory the technology equipment available at partners’ and associates’ homes. Working from home on a limited basis may be the best option for keeping the practice going. Particularly note those who have a home power generator. Knowing who has the ability to communicate and/or produce work from home will go a long way in restoring operations. It’s not unusual for individuals to have a home fax, printer, computer, adding machine, desk, chairs, portable computers, PDA’s etc.; all of which can be patched together to make up a temporary office.After the disaster, it may be necessary to relocate to temporary office space during the time the office is being repaired. This might be in a partner’s garage, rented tent, or shared space in another law office. Some deciding factors may be who has power, telephone, or Internet connections. Whatever situation you arrange, it’s important to have some private area available in which you can converse with clients.Past hurricanes have demonstrated that Florida lawyers are extremely generous and gracious in extending offers of assistance, including sharing their own limited space. The LOMAS office of The Florida Bar coordinates offers of assistance with those expressing a need. Following a disaster you can look to LOMAS for assistance, be it space or loaned equipment. Computer Data It goes without saying: A well-designed computer backup system should be part of every disaster plan. And backups should always be stored off premises. But, as we saw along the Gulf coast, local off-site may not be enough. Unfortunately, none of us has the luxury of knowing exactly where a disaster will strike, so there is some potential that your backup, as well as your originals, will be lost if both your home and office are destroyed. Many firms are opting for Web-based backups onto ASP servers located in remote regions out of harm’s way. While they are a reliable and secure alternative, a speedy recovery could be hindered by your limited access to the Internet to download your data. Many ASP vendors will also provide CDs or DVDs of your data to facilitate recovery. Additionally, at your firm, you can scan calendars, accounting data, insurance policies, and other selected data to CDs. Typically, if a PC or server hard drive fails or is destroyed, the rebuilding of the replacement computer is a time-consuming process of reinstallation of both the operating system and every program once resident. Simply using a normal backup of the operating system and program system files won’t give you a restored system.Instead, consider creating a clone or image of the functional hard drive and save it off-site. This can be done by using a program like Norton Ghost. Restoring the Ghost image file, which has all the operating and program system files, will result in an operable computer as soon as the restore is complete. No reinstalls are necessary. It’s a two-step process. Image the new hard drive using the Ghost image file and boot the machine. Restore your data using the most current data backup. Paper Files Water is, of course, an enemy of paper. As part of preparation planning, don’t forget that plastic garbage bags are your friend. Files, as well as computers, printers, servers, telephones, and other equipment can easily be stored in plastic garbage bags and sealed with duct tape. Plans should include moving valuable files and equipment out of offices with windows into interior offices or hallways. The most valuable equipment or papers should be taken home or placed on the tallest file cabinet or closet shelf. Don’t leave them on the floor. Before moving equipment and files, take pictures of everything in your office. Those pictures will be invaluable for insurance claims.After a flood or hurricane, if you do have waterlogged paper files, move quickly to deal with the issue. If possible, freeze any waterlogged documents until you can hire experts to deal with them. Move quickly because mildew happens fast in Florida’s high humidity, and many companies won’t work with damp, moldy paper because of the health hazards. Conclusion While no amount of planning can totally eliminate all of the perils we face in a disastrous situation, sound planning can help to mitigate the personal and business costs. Hurricane disaster preparation and recovery is not a one-time project — it is a process, and one that must be continuously tested, updated, and tested again. Despite what history tells us to do, some firms continue to ignore the perils of hurricanes and other disasters by having no concrete business continuation plan. It brings to mind the line in “Jaws” from Richard Dreyfuss: “I think that I am familiar with the fact that you are going to ignore this particular problem until it swims up and bites you.” Or Roy Scheider’s: “I think you’re going to need a bigger boat.” I hope you or your firm doesn’t get bitten.For additional information on hurricane and disaster recovery, refer to The Florida Bar’s Web site at www.floridabar.org. Hurricane season begins in June Will your office be ready when What if? becomes What now? April 15, 2006 Regular News
Sign up for our COVID-19 newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest coronavirus news throughout New York With this weekend unofficially marking the end of summer—fall technically starts Sept. 22—Labor Day festivities are the last chance for Long Islanders to revel in peak beach season.What better way to celebrate a holiday—held the first Monday of every September—that honors the achievements of American workers then by spending the last weekend of summer relaxing?We’ve compiled this list of ideas to do just that. Instead of running out the clock on summer BBQ hopping as usual, mix it up with something different this Labor Day, like any one of these local events.Shinnecock Pow-WowTribal dances, ceremonies, crafts, storytelling, native foods, demonstrations, dance and drum competitions followed by a fire lighting at sunset. Shinnecock Reservation, Southampton, shinnecocknation.com. $12, $10 for seniors and kids ages 6-11. Kids 5 and younger free. 5-11 p.m., Aug. 29. 10 a.m.-11 p.m., Aug. 30. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 31-Sept. 1.Street Fair on the GreenA unique opportunity to check out some arts and crafts with all the fun of a street fair but in the middle of Nassau County’s biggest park. Eisenhower Park, Field 8, East Meadow. nassaucountyny.gov/parks Free. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Aug. 30-31.America’s Love Affair with the MotorcycleThis renowned summer exhibit highlighting the evolution of America’s beloved innovation, the motorcycle, rides off into the sunset on Tumbleweed Tuesday. The Ward Melville Heritage Organization, 97P Main Street, Stony Brook. stonybrookvillage.com $4, $2 for children under 12. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., through Sept. 1.Seaford Summer FestivalArts and crafts, gifts and food aplenty. Long Island Rail Road station, Seaford. 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Aug. 30- Sept. 1. TR & ConservationA special nature walk to celebrate the President Theodore Roosevelt’s crusade for American wilderness and this year’s 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act of 1964. Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, 20 Sagamore Hill Rd., Oyster Bay. nps.gov/sahi Free.1 p.m., Aug. 30.Westhampton Beach 6th Annual Festival of the ArtsThe lawn across from St. Mark’s Church will blossom with artwork brought to Westhampton Beach by a spectacular cast of national and international artists that will weave a tapestry of extraordinary original artwork. Westhampton Great Lawn Great Lawn, Main Street, Westhampton Beach. paragonartevents.com/westhamptom. Free. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Aug. 30, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 31.Faith, Food and Fellowship FestivalChildren’s activities, Chinese auction, flea market, 50/50 raffle, Greek/Slavic café and live Balalaika band. Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, 369 Green Ave., East Meadow. htocem.org Free. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Aug. 30.Old Time Music WeekendHonoring the American soldiers, a Brass Military band will perform, along with popular music from the Civil War time period. Visitors may also enjoy learning traditional 1800s contra dancing, while listening to the music. Old Bethpage Village Restoration, 1303 Round Swamp Rd., Old Bethpage. nassaucountyny.gov/parks $10, $7 seniors, firefighters and kids ages 5-12. Kids under 5 free. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Aug.30-31Backyard BBQKosher BBQ with an unlimited buffet. Chabad of East Hampton, 13 Woods Lane, East Hampton. JewishHamptons.com $30, $15 kids. 4-8 p.m., Aug. 31.1960s Dance in the BarnA groovy way to give a peace sign to this summer of love. Shelter Island Historical Society, 16 South Ferry Road Haven’s Barn, Shelter Island. shelterislandhistorical.org $5. 8-10 p.m., Aug. 30.Pirates & Mermaids Dance PartyShiver your timbers. Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum, 301 Main Street Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor, cshwhalingmuseum.org Free with museum admission. 12-3 p.m., Aug. 31.Pig RoastThis BBQ with Wolffer Wines is held every Sunday in summer through September, meaning this is the last chance to get in on the action. One Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike, Bridgehampton. toppingrosehouse.com $95. 6 p.m., Aug.31.Lamb RoastAll-you-can-eat buffet with live music by Alfredo Merat and Radio Europa with a whole lamb roasted Asado—a Latin American grill technique where you roast meat on a grill or open fire. The Living Room, 207 Main St., East Hampton. themaidstone.com/restaurant $75, 50 percent off for children under 12. 4 p.m., Sept. 1.Splish SplashLong Island’s lone water park closes on Labor Day, so ride the waves one last time before the party’s over. Splish Splash Water Park, 2549 Splish Splash Dr., Calverton splishsplash.com $41, $31 for those shorter than 48-inches tall. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., through Sept. 1.
20SHARESShareShareSharePrintMailGooglePinterestDiggRedditStumbleuponDeliciousBufferTumblr Credit unions need to understand members’ demand to bank via their mobile devices, according to Fiserv’s 13th Annual Consumer Trends Survey.Today’s consumers are increasingly attached to their devices and want control over their finances in a way won’t interrupt their lives.“There is little doubt consumers need and want digital banking services. The only real question is who will be the first to deliver the solutions they want most,” the survey says.Digital financial services such as online and mobile banking, electronic bill pay, and person-to-person payments offer credit unions opportunities to deepen relationships.Members are ready to digitally connect to your credit union. continue reading »
Mar 30, 2006 (CIDRAP News) – The first experimental US vaccine for H5N1 avian influenza yielded only modest results in its first clinical trial, generating an adequate immune response in slightly more than half of participants who received a heavy dose, scientists report.Fifty-four percent of volunteers who received two doses totaling a dozen times the standard dose of seasonal flu vaccine had an immune response that was considered protective, according to the report in today’s New England Journal of Medicine. Those who received smaller doses were less likely to show an adequate immune response.On the positive side, the vaccine triggered almost no serious side effects, even at the highest doses. The results are in line with some preliminary findings reported last summer.But the findings underscore the huge gap between existing vaccine production capacity and the likely need for vaccine in a pandemic. In an editorial accompanying the report, vaccine expert Dr. Gregory Poland of the Mayo Clinic writes that all the world’s vaccine producers could make only enough of the vaccine for about 75 million people if the high dose that yielded best results in the study were used.”We have a long way to go,” commented Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), as quoted by the Associated Press. The NIAID funded the vaccine trial.The trial was conducted last year at NIAID-supported centers at the University of Rochester in New York state, the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, and Harbor–University of California–Los Angeles Medical Center in Los Angeles. John J. Treanor, MD, of the University of Rochester was the first author.The vaccine is based on an H5N1 virus isolated from a Vietnamese patient in 2004. The hemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes from that virus were spliced together with genes from another flu virus strain commonly used in vaccines, the report says. In addition, the hemagglutinin gene was modified to make it harmless to birds so the virus could be grown in eggs. The vaccine was made by Sanofi Pasteur, but the company was not involved in the study.The researchers recruited a total of 451 healthy adult volunteers. They were randomly assigned to receive a placebo or one of four doses of the vaccine: 7.5, 15, 45, or 90 micrograms (mcg). Each volunteer received two doses, the second one 28 days after the first.The study was done in two stages, the first one involving 118 volunteers. After they received their two doses and monitoring showed no safety concerns, the other 333 volunteers were vaccinated in the second stage.The researchers used a neutralizing antibody titer of 1:40 (signaling a fourfold or greater increase in antibody titer) as the criterion for an adequate immune response. Of the 99 volunteers who received the 90-mcg dose, 54% reached this level (95% confidence level, 43% to 64%). Smaller percentages of volunteers in the lower dose-groups had this level of immune response: 43% in the 45-mcg group, 22% in the 15-mcg group, and 9% in the 7.5-mcg group.The volunteers reported few significant side effects, according to the report. They described 84% of symptoms as mild, and there were no serious allergic reactions. Systemic symptoms such as fever and headache were not significantly more common in the vaccine groups than the placebo group. One volunteer suffered a rash, which faded after a few weeks.The results indicate that two 90-mcg doses of the vaccine “would probably have an acceptable tolerability profile and could be effective in preventing H5 influenza in healthy adult recipients,” the authors write. “Elderly people, persons with impaired immunity, or children may have a different response, and trials of the vaccine in these populations are in progress.”Production of the vaccine and this clinical trial are important steps toward control of a pandemic, and the current vaccine would probably be acceptable for licensure, if needed. However, the need for a vaccine with a total dose of 180 micrograms would pose a considerable barrier to rapid production of a supply that would be adequate to meet the world’s requirements should a pandemic occur. Therefore, dose-sparing approaches should be pursued aggressively.”In the editorial, Poland says the results show that the immunogenicity of the vaccine is “poor to moderate at best.” He adds that current annual global production capacity for flu vaccine is estimated at 900 million 15-mcg doses. This means that, at a dose level of 180 mcg, only 75 million people, or 1.25% of the world population, could be fully immunized with the H5N1 vaccine, and only about half of them would actually have protection.In addition, Poland comments that the vaccine might not be effective against more recent strains of H5N1 virus. Researchers have identified an Indonesian clade, or subgroup, of H5N1 viruses that differs antigenically from the Vietnamese clade on which the vaccine is based. The US government recently announced plans to develop a vaccine based on the Indonesian strain of H5N1 virus, called clade 2.Infectious disease expert Michael T. Osterholm, PhD, MPH, said the study was well-designed and yielded important information. “Unfortunately, that information supports our earlier concerns that both the antigen requirements and the immunogenicity of an H5N1 vaccine mean that if H5N1 becomes the next pandemic strain in the next several years, vaccine will play a limited or almost nonexistent role in such a pandemic worldwide,” Osterholm told CIDRAP News.As he has before, Osterholm called for a “Manhattan Project–like investment” to develop a flu vaccine that could be produced before the emergence of a pandemic train. He is director of the University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, publisher of the CIDRAP Web site.Poland comments in his editorial that the government has funded studies of more than 30 candidate vaccines for potential pandemic flu strains. These include vaccines with adjuvants (immune-boosting chemicals) to increase potency and live, attenuated vaccines, which could provide cross-protection against different viral subtypes.The study authors write that other possible dose-sparing approaches under consideration include injecting vaccine just under the skin (intradermally) instead of into muscle and “prepriming” the immune system by including an H5 component in the annual flu vaccine.Despite the limitations revealed by the study, flu vaccine expert Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University said the vaccine represents progress. “My impression is we are better off having stockpiled this vaccine than none,” he told the Associated Press. He added that the vaccine should be viewed as “the first strong step in a long journey.”Treanor JJ, Campbell JD, Zangwill KM. Safety and immunogenicity of an inactivated subvirion influenza A (H5N1) vaccine. N Engl J Med 2006 Mar 30;354(13):1343-51 [Full text]Poland GA. Vaccines against avian influenza—a race against time (editorial). N Engl J Med 2006 Mar 30;354(13):1411-13 [Full text]
Di depan rumah mama papaku. Semoga bermanfaat 😊🌈 #spreadlove pic.twitter.com/inq7tiKjgu— Adista Indri (@distalbot) April 3, 2020 Sukamti produces around four hazmat suits a day. She is among more than 60 volunteers who have been sewing hazmat suits in their own houses for medical workers across Yogyakarta for the past few weeks as part of a movement called Majelis Mau Jahitin (willing-to-sew initiative).On normal days Sukamti runs a small tailor’s shop at her house. She single-handedly makes uniforms and clothes ordered by her neighbors. But her business came to a standstill when the coronavirus outbreak swept through the country. Her small family now relies only on her husband who takes odd jobs.Sukamti first heard about Majelis Mau Jahitin from her husband. Watching the news about the lack of protective coveralls for medical workers who treat COVID-19 patients, she knew right away she must join the fight.“If I could choose, I would not want to sew these. I am sure if the medical workers could choose, they also would not want to be on the frontline exposing themselves to the contagious disease with a lack of protection,” she told The Jakarta Post. “We are here in this pandemic simply playing our role. It will not end if we do not start to help each other.”Read also: COVID-19: C. Java hospital produces protective gear for medical workers amid shortagesBudhi Hermanto, the initiator of the movement, said the idea came around early March when Yogyakarta reported the first confirmed cases. He saw how medical workers in a hospital in Yogyakarta were left unprotected.“Some doctors told me that they only had a few masks. […] It sounded like a suicide mission. We could not afford to lose them, so we decided to act fast to help protect them,” he said.Working at a health clinic in Yogyakarta himself, Budhi knew nothing about tailoring. He later gathered some of his contacts and they started doing research on how to make protective suits.They made several prototypes and consulted with surgeons before deciding to use waterproof materials such as spunbonded polypropylene.“It really warms my heart to see so many people eager to work together in this situation to protect medical workers. […] Many strangers came to me and asked me how they could play a part in making protective suits for doctors,” Budhi said.By the end of March, the group had made almost 2,000 hazmat suits for health facilities across Yogyakarta. They also sent some to health facilities in remote areas, such as in Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan.They provide tutorials on how to make hazmat suits on their website mamajahit.id to encourage others with sewing machines to start their own initiatives to help medical workers in their neighborhoods.The impact of the pandemic has brought devastation across Indonesia, with 864 deaths recorded officially and more than 11,000 confirmed cases as of Monday.The government estimates that up to 3.78 million Indonesians will fall into poverty and 5.2 million people may lose their jobs during the pandemic.Yet, the unprecedented crisis has also brought out people’s compassion despite their own hardships during the pandemic and grassroots communities across the nation have reached out to others in need.Read also: In Indonesia, rural helps urban to ensure food supply during coronavirus pandemicIn early April, Endang Yuliastuti, 50, a junior high school teacher who rents out small houses in Tangerang, Banten, waived the rents of her tenants until July. The tenants are families of daily paid workers and street vendors whose livelihoods have been badly affected by the pandemic.”They are young families with babies, I imagine it must be a really hard time for them […]. My husband and I agreed to pass up their rent because that is the least that we can do to help,” she said.When she told her tenants, Endang said they could not hide their gratitude and wept with joy. Endang said she hoped other landlords could follow in her footsteps.In Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta, private employee Adista Indri and her mother have put 15 free packs of food in a box in front of their house at around 11:30 a.m. every day since early April. The sign on the box says: “Anyone who is in need, please take it”.Adista said most of the people who took the meals were app-based ride-hailing service drivers and delivery men who were passing by their house.Adisti shared the details of the meals, which cost Rp 11,000 (73 US cents) each, on Twitter on April 3 and it went viral.“My mother makes sure that the meal has enough protein and that there are always vegetables and fruit included,” she wrote, adding that her father who has retired and her mother who works as a civil servant planned to provide the free lunches until the outbreak ends. A white homemade hazmat suit was folded neatly near Sukamti’s sewing machine in the corner of her living room in Wukirsari village, Sleman, Yogyakarta.The suit Sukamti made that morning before cooking stir-fried bok choy for her family lunch was intended for doctors or nurses treating COVID-19 patients.“After lunch I plan to make another one,” the 34-year-old mother said. “I shared that on Twitter because there are a lot of options to help others during this pandemic. We can start something small in our own localities,” she told the Post.Anna Surti Ariani, a child and family psychologist, said that when people focused on acts of kindness toward others and stopped thinking about the impact of the pandemic on their own lives, they might boost their immune systems.“Helping others makes us feel content and that positive energy can improve our immune systems,” she said.Topics :
Advertisement Comment Paul Merson says Manchester United must sign Jadon Sancho, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Declan rice this summer Advertisement Metro Sport ReporterFriday 19 Apr 2019 11:49 pmShare this article via facebookShare this article via twitterShare this article via messengerShare this with Share this article via emailShare this article via flipboardCopy link Borussia Dortmund want in excess of £100million for Jadon Sancho (Picture: Getty)‘Those are three of England’s brightest talents. Give it time and suddenly we could be talking about United dominating Europe again. They are that good.‘Sancho has had the balls to leave a big club and go and play in a foreign country to prove he is good enough, and he’s now reaping the rewards.‘He’s involved in a title race and has got into the England team, and he looks like he has bags of confidence. I’m very impressed with him.‘As a Chelsea fan I wouldn’t like to see Hudson-Odoi leave but from United’s point of view what a signing he would be.‘He looks like he has big future and he took his England debut in his stride. That’s a very good sign if you ask me.‘Put those two either side of Rashford and that front three would be feared around Europe. I think it ticks all the boxes.’More: Manchester United FCRio Ferdinand urges Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to drop Manchester United starNew Manchester United signing Facundo Pellistri responds to Edinson Cavani praiseEx-Man Utd coach blasts Ed Woodward for two key transfer errors Callum Hudson-Odoi is yet to sign a new contract at Chelsea (Picture: Getty)Paul Merson believes Manchester United must target the signings of three of England’s most exciting young players if they are to challenge for the Premier League title again in the near future.After a record breaking start to his tenure, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has presided over a run of five defeats from seven games which has seen his side crash out of Europe and lose ground in the race to qualify for the Champions League.Jose Mourinho’s successor is expected to over an unprecedented summer of spending at Old Trafford and last week promised he would be ruthless in terms of ridding his squad of players he deems not fit for the task ahead.AdvertisementAdvertisementRomelu Lukaku is expected to lead a significant clear-out and former Arsenal star Merson believes United’s recruitment strategy should focus on signing the likes of Declan Rice, Chelsea contract rebel Callum Hudson-Odoi and former Manchester City starlet Jadon Sancho.ADVERTISEMENTMore: FootballRio Ferdinand urges Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to drop Manchester United starChelsea defender Fikayo Tomori reveals why he made U-turn over transfer deadline day moveMikel Arteta rates Thomas Partey’s chances of making his Arsenal debut vs Man CityHe said: ‘I don’t think Solskjaer is going to get four or five years to get this right. United just don’t have that kind of patience any more, even for one of their own.‘If they’re not in the Champions League next season they won’t be able to attract any really big, world-class names either.‘But if they invest in younger talent like Rice, Sancho and Hudson-Odoi they would be getting players who could make an impact straight away but also get better.‘Imagine what those three would be like in four or five years? Rice could be running the England midfield by then, Hudson-Odoi and Sancho could be two of the best wingers in Europe.
PWRI, Blue Sky Group, Nordea Life & Pension, MP Pension, British Columbia IMC, Coal Pension Trustees, Allianz, Fidelity, Schroders, Better Finance, Columbia Threadneedle, Avana InvestPWRI – Imke Hollander, head of investment policy and strategy at Dutch fiduciary manager Blue Sky Group, is to join the €8bn pension fund for disabled workers in sheltered accommodation (PWRI). She will be leaving Blue Sky effective 1 September. At PWRI, she will take over the responsibilities of Berry Spitsbaard as the adviser to the board’s investment committee, covering the full range of strategic advice. Spitsbaard will be more focused on projects and management of pension administration.A spokesperson for PWRI said that Hollander’s appointment would further strengthen the advice to the investment committee and its ability to monitor and hold accountable its fiduciary manager, BMO Global Asset Management. Hollander will report directly to Wim Hoek, who was named PWRI’s new director in March.Nordea Life & Pension – Anders Stensbøl Christiansen, head of equities at Nordea Life & Pension Group, has become acting CIO at Nordea Life & Pension Denmark. It follows Anders Schelde’s move to MP Pension, where he will become CIO of the Danish labour-market pension fund for academic public sector staff from 1 November. British Columbia IMC – Stefan Dunatov, who left Coal Pension Trustees earlier this year, is to join British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCIMC) later this year, IPE understands.Dunatov was CIO at Coal Pension Trustees, overseeing two pension schemes for the coal mining industry. He had led the investment team since 2011, having first joined in 2008 as an investment strategist. He also sits on the investment committee of the £20.9bn (€23.6bn) Wellcome Trust, a charitable foundation, and chairs investment think tank The 300 Club.BCIMC runs C$135.5bn (€93.3bn) on behalf of public sector pension funds in Canada. A spokeswoman for the company declined to comment.Allianz – Rémi Vrignaud has been named as the new CEO of Allianz in Austria. He replaces Wolfram Littich, who has led Allianz’s operations in the country since 2001. Vrignaud joined Allianz in the same year as assistant to the board chairman. He has chaired Allianz’s operations in Romania, and most recently has been managing the office of the CEO in Germany. Subject to regulatory approval, he will take up the position on 25 August.Polar Capital – Gavin Rochussen has joined the UK-based boutique as CEO. He succeeds Tim Woolley, who has moved to a non-executive position. Rochussen was previously group CEO at JO Hambro Capital Management, an equity specialist asset manager. Between 2003 and 2008 he was CEO of wealth management firm Fleming Family & Partners.Fidelity International – The fund management giant has hired Lucette Yvernault to lead a new “portfolio engineering” team within its fixed income business. Yvernault joins from Schroders where she was a global credit portfolio manager. She has also worked for Citigroup Asset Management.The Portfolio Engineering Group has been established to design and manage customised fixed income portfolios for institutional clients, Fidelity said. Charles McKenzie, global CIO for fixed income, said the new group reflected “strong appetite for bespoke systematic strategies, provided at a lower cost”.Better Finance – The European consumer finance lobby group has appointed Aleksandra Maczynska to its Brussels team. She joins from Poland’s consumer and competition regulator, where she was deputy director of its international relations and communication department. She has worked on EU Council working parties in financial services. She has also recently joined the European Commission’s Financial Services User Group.Columbia Threadneedle Investments – The $467bn (€406bn) asset manager has hired Jesco Schwarz as sales director for savings and cooperative banks in Germany. He joins from Frankfurt Trust Investment Gesellschaft, where he was sales manager. The appointment is part of Columbia Threadneedle’s efforts to expand its distribution in Germany and respond to growing demand from banking clients.Avana Invest – The German exchange-traded product provider has named Gerhard Rosenbauer to its board. He joined the firm a year ago from Inprimo Invest. He takes over from Thomas Uhlmann, who resigned from the company on 30 June. The company said Rosenbauer would be responsible for asset management for private and institutional investors, as well as for marketing, sales and corporate communications.