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Remarks by Dr. Ion Jinga during the UN Peacebuilding Commission – African Union Peace and Security Council interactive meeting
On 18 July 2018, H.E. Dr. Ion Jinga, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Romania to the United Nations – New York, Chair of the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), expressed his thoughts during the joint meeting of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission and the African Union Peace and Security Council (AU PSC) on the collaboration between the two international bodies:
#DiplomaticCentennial / Ion Jinga: Romania's candidacy for a non-permanent seat on UN Security Council, priority zero
Interview with H.E. Dr. Ion Jinga, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Romania to the United Nations – New York, posted in Agerpres on 05.04.2018
The current priority zero for the Permanent Mission of Romania to the UN is Romania's candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council in 2020-2021. " Only 15 states are there, five of which are permanent members. I think bringing Romania for two years at the top of the global decision-making process regarding the planet's peace and security, alongside the great powers of the world, I think deserves any effort," ambassador Ion Jinga said in an interview with AGERPRES.
A seat on the UN Security Council represents "the most important position any country may want in the international arena because it offers visibility, prestige, influence and ability to radiate influence in a geographic area that exceeds the extent traditionally determined by geographic size, population, economic or military might," Jinga explained.
According to him, Romania participates in two-thirds of the UN peacekeeping missions and two special political missions. Under these missions, Romanian soldiers, police officers and gendarmes hold key positions in the command structures of the forces in the areas of intelligence, operations, communications, logistics and personnel, civil-military cooperation, which proves the recognition of their professionalism.
In his e-mail interview, Jinga also talked about current affairs on the UN agenda, such as the reform of the Security Council, "an eminently political process," and the situation of migrants and refugees. At the same time, he also mentioned young people who want apply for internships at the Permanent Mission of Romania at the UN.
The interview is part of the editorial project #DiplomaticCentennial conducted by AGERPRES throughout the year, focusing on diplomatic relations in the context of the 100th anniversary of Romania's Greater Union.
AGERPRES: In 2006, Romania submitted its candidacy for another non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, the seat allocated to the East European Group, in 2020-2021. The official campaign to promote this candidacy was launched in June 2017 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in the presence of Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu, and the elections will take place in June 2019. How difficult the negotiations to get the seat are? What would be Romania's priorities as a non-permanent member of the Security Council?
Ion Jinga: A seat on the UN Security Council represents "the most important position any country may want in the international arena because it offers visibility, prestige, influence and ability to radiate influence in a geographic area that exceeds the extent traditionally determined by geographic size, population, economic or military might. To be elected, a state must receive the support of at least 2/3 of the total UN members, i.e. 129 votes, so election to the Security Council requires considerable effort even when the number of candidates coincides with the number of vacated seats. It is even more difficult in competition situations, as is the case with Romania's candidacy, where we have a counter-candidate in Estonia. Each country tries to capitalise on its own strengths, including the relationships it has developed over the years not only on its own continent but also in other parts of the world, its diplomatic network, its contribution to advancing peace and international security, including under the UN flag, development assistance, projects of interest to the interlocutors to whom they are addressed, the reputation enjoyed among other states, including respecting the engagements assumed in the campaign.
Romania is running on a long-term commitment to peace, justice and development, which is, in fact, the motto of our campaign. The priorities Romania has taken up, if elected to sit on the Security Council, are to promote the objectives and principles of the UN Charter, respect for multilateralism and international law, conflict prevention and peaceful settlement, increased efficiency of peacekeeping missions, promoting peace, promoting respect for human rights, protecting women and children in armed conflicts, improving cooperation between the Security Council and regional and sub-regional organisations in preserving international peace and security.
AGERPRES: Mr. ambassador, last year you were co-chairman of the intergovernmental negotiations regarding the reform of the UN Security Council. What view on the reform of the Security Council does Romania support and, on the other hand, in the context of the personal experience gained in this process, what are the changes that stand the greatest chance of materialisation?
Ion Jinga: The Intergovernmental Negotiations Process (IGN) on the Security Council reform is considered to be the most complex component of the overall United Nations reform system, given that this body has the primary responsibility of preserving world peace and security. In the debates, which focused on five major themes – the Council's relationship with the General Assembly, the magnitude of the enlargement and the working methods, membership categories, the veto right, regional representation – we started up from the premise that the negotiations can only advance through an unbiased, balanced approach, characterised by transparency and pragmatism, coupled with creativity by the two co-chairs, taking into account the aspirations of the member states and avoiding the transformation of the process into a zero-sum game. The result of this one-year work is the document entitled "Elements of Commonality and Issues for Further Considerations," which summarises both the progress made with the negotiations we have coordinated with our Tunisian colleague and the coordinates for the IGN this year.
The reform of the Security Council is an eminently political process which, depending on the depth of the changes adopted, can have major geopolitical consequences, so it cannot be summed up simply by collecting data and positions. My approach, as co-chair of the IGN, was to create confidence bridges between groups of states with somewhat different positions on certain subjects, with the aim of finding an acceptable solution for all. Since all aspects of the Security Council's reform are interconnected, we have introduced into the negotiations a principle used by the European Union – which we knew very well since we were part of the negotiation team of Romania's accession to the EU – "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed". This little innovation translated to New York has led to a certain increase in confidence that in turn allowed us to build the skeleton of the document we were talking about. I cannot predict what this year's developments will be, and any progress depends on the degree of support from the member countries; one of the resolutions underlying these negotiations states that any major change must enjoy the member states' widest possible political acceptance. Romania supports the reform of the Security Council so that this body becomes more transparent and efficient, adapted to the realities of the 21st century. An important point for us is the increase in the representation of the Eastern European Group, which also includes Romania, by allocating it an additional non-permanent seat.
AGERPRES: In an interview of September 2016 you were saying, in the context of the migration crisis, that people should have more empathy with refugees and migrants, and imagine for a moment that one day we could find ourselves in their stead. Over the past and a half year since then, have you noticed any change in attitudes towards migrants and refugees in the countries of destination?
Ion Jinga: The migrants and refugees status is one of the topics that has been most discussed by the United Nations Organization as of lately. Based on the New York Declaration regarding the refugees and the migrants, of September 2016, the UN member states committed to negotiate and adopt two fundamental documents, the Global Compact for Migration and the Global Compact for Refugees, respectively. These are now subject to full negotiations in New York and Geneva. We are carefully watching the debates and negotiations in New York with respect to the Global Compact for Migration and we hope that they will materialize in the adoption of the document of December 10-11, signed in Morocco. The Compact approaches the situation of migrants from a full perspective, a 360-degree one I would say, starting from the causes that led to migration, the migrants' track and their arrival in the countries of destination. In respect to the attitude towards migrants, the draft that is being negotiated right now confirms the positive aspect of legal migration and aims at eliminating discrimination and promoting public speeches based on concrete facts and data, in order to shape a correct perception and free from the emotional impact. The presentation of the positive aspects of migration and the need for building an objective public perception on migrants are among the topics included in the report presented by the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, in the beginning of this year, titled "Making migration work for all." It would be hazardous to anticipate now the finalization of the ongoing negotiations regarding the Global Compact for Migration. We can only hope that there will be identified the best solutions to answers to expectations of transited and destination countries, to the need of stability and development of the origin countries and, first of all, to the huge hopes for a decent life that the migrants have in tomorrow and in the ones who make the decisions in their respect. At UN level there are many steps that have been taken since 2016 in what concerns this topic, and these steps are endorsed by all the states, either states of origin, transited states and states of destination.
AGERPRES: And since we talk about empathy, on February 28, the US Ambassador to UN, Nikki Haley, delivered an emotional speech after the vote of the UN Council on the request for a humanitarian truce of 30 days in Syria, while accusing Russia of delaying the vote, in the context in which Syrian army bombardments continued in Eastern Ghouta. "Maybe we don't know the faces of these people we are talking about. Maybe we don't know their names, or them, but they do know us. And we have disappointed all these people this week. I believe that we have unity in this," said the US Ambassador. Is this an example of the Security Council's incapacity to act promptly, in the current formula, when we need this the most?
Ion Jinga: The intervention of the US's permanent representative took place in the context of negotiations regarding the Resolution 2401 (2018), adopted by the Security Council on 24.02.2018. Ambassador Nikki Haley is someone that I have a special appreciation for, both as a professional and as a human being, and I admire her for her inspiration that helps her express what very many of us feel in certain moments, and the Syrian people's drama is hard to put into words. In the respective case, the Security Council met in successive sessions that lasted for three days, for there existed the certainty that none of the permanent members were going to use their right of veto. In the end, the resolution was adopted by consensus, in a situation when every second of delay could have meant new victims. The efficiency of the Security Council resides in the adoption with celerity of some resolutions but, especially, in their implementation. From this perspective, the unity of the Council members must exist both in adopting a resolution and in transposing it into practice.
There is a lot of criticism among the UN member states regarding the use of the right of veto, as well as the attempts to limit it being used in the sense of allowing the adoption of some resolutions on humanitarian situations, crimes against humanity, war crimes or other atrocities. As I mentioned earlier, the right to veto matter is on the agenda of the Security Council reform process.
AGERPRES: In how many peacekeeping and political missions of the UN is Romania involved right now, with troops and police officers? By which is Romania remarking itself during these UN missions?
Ion Jinga: In the beginning of 2018, Romania was effectively participating with manpower from the Ministry of National Defence and the Protection and Guard Service (SPP) in ten peacekeeping missions (Cyprus, DR of the Congo, Central African Republic, India-Pakistan, Haiti, Kosovo, Liberia, Mali, Sudan, Southern Sudan) and two special political missions (Afghanistan, Libya), under the UN flag.
Basically, we are involved in two thirds of the UN peacekeeping missions (there are 15 in total) and in two of the eight special political missions. In manpower terms, Romania ranks 71st among 123 states which contribute with troops and police officers to the missions carried out under the UN aegis. In all these missions, the Romanian military, police officers and gendarmes occupy key positions in the command structures of the forces, in the intelligence, operations, communications, logistics and personnel, civilian-military cooperation fields. Last year, Romania held the highest position that a military can have in the UN mission in Afghanistan, which represented a recognition of the professionalism of the Romanian military. In 2015, a woman officer received the title of International Female Police Peacekeeper, as a recognition of the exceptional results she had during her participation in the UN Mission of Stabilization in Haiti. I would also remind here that UN wanting to increase the role of women in uniform in the peacekeeping missions became an operational objective, with a 15% target for the end of this year.
Our country already has a 27-year long tradition of contribution with blue caps, starting in 1991, when the first Romanian military were deployed in Iraq and Kuwait, and now it participates in several of the most risky missions. There are also a series of additional military capabilities that Romania contributed to the UN for deployment in the operation theatres, starting in 2016; an infantry company, a military transport aircraft, a detachment for neutralizing explosive devices, an increased number of military observers. According to the commitment made at the Summit on peacekeeping missions, in New York, September 2015, our country is going to provide UN with four military transport helicopters, which are to be evaluated and certified in 2019, as well as with a Set Up Police Unit. It is also important to remind that, among all member states, Romania is ranking 1st in terms of the number of police officers sent in UN missions. And, finally, the Application School for Officers of the Romanian Gendarmerie is annually organizing, starting in 2013, in French, the International Superior Contest dedicated to officers from the internal security and defence structures in Romania and other states. Up to now there have been 14 graduate promotions of officers from 26 European, African and Asian states.
Last but not least, we are the only country that provides, through the Protection and Guard Service (SPP), close protection units for the high UN dignitaries going to the conflict areas. Starting in 2009, in Bucharest operates a joint centre of UN-SPP for training UN protection officers operating in the high risk areas. More than 200 UN officers graduated this training programme in English.
AGERPRES: Romania will hold in the first six months of 2019 the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, other six months before and after, it will be a member of the trio of the EU Presidency and will become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2020-2021. Therefore, for three years and a half Bucharest will be at the top of the European and world decision-makers. You stated in an interview that "the reverberations of such a position could project the international prominence of Romania for the next decade." What does Romania have to do in this 3 years and a half period to develop this international prominence? Is this a crossroad moment for the Romanian diplomacy?
Ion Jinga: I hope your optimism regarding the obtaining by Romania of a seat of non-permanent member on the Security Council be auspicious. Yet I find it early to display the certainty of success. We compete next to Estonia (I'm not against Estonia) for the single seat of non-permanent member allocated to the East-European Group in the Security Council. Estonia, a friend country and a partner Romania is collaborating tightly in numerous European projects, is a EU, NATO member, develops a sustained, intelligent campaign which it allocated important political and diplomatic resources to, and has never been a member of this UN body so far. Both countries promote their candidacies transparently and in fair play. In other words, we have a remarkable opponent, that knows to use its cards. If we make it to get the vote of at least two-thirds of the UN member countries, then we could talk about capitalising these prestigious mandates for Romania's international stature. Until then, we talk of a team work which if successful, will turn into a victory of a great team called Romania.
AGERPRES: This year's events dedicated to the Great Union's Centennial are overlapping, at the Permanent Representation of Romania to the UN with the promotion of our country's candidacy for a new mandate of non-permanent member of the Security Council in 2020-2021. As you have recalled on the occasion of one of these events, Romania is a charter member of the League of Nations, back in 1919. Is this context beneficial to Romania's move?
Ion Jinga: Romania's Mission to the UN is deeply committed to promote, in the UN milieus and not only, the national project dedicated to the celebration of the Great Union's Centennial. The already organised events in New York and the ones which are to be held in the next months could offer us a plus of visibility, from the perspective of the country's candidacy to the Security Council included, yet without any direct connection. Romania is a founding member of the League of Nations, and this is an argument we use to show that our commitment in favour of the multilateral diplomacy as a tool to promoting international peace and security is a long shot one, being a calling card that grows the guarantee that the approach for the Security Council is not conjectural, but is grounded on a 100-year continuity in our foreign policy.
AGERPRES: Mr. ambassador, you are, starting with this year the chairman of the ambassadors Group of the member countries of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) to the UN, after you used to be deputy-chairman of this group in 2015-2017. Could you give us examples of concrete situations when the OIF member countries have acted as a unitary block within the UN? What is the stakes of this position for the Romanian diplomacy?
Ion Jinga: I've been honoured to having been elected as president of the Francophone ambassadors to the UN, New York and i believe that this is firstly as recognition of Romania's remarkable contribution to the promotion of the values of La Francophonie: modernity, democracy, rule of law, human rights' observance, respect for other cultures. The francophone states have several specific common interests at the UN, such as a better enforcement of the multilingualism principle (the UN has six official languages – English, French, Chinese, Russian, Spanish and Arabian, the first two being the working languages of the organisation), for the recruiting, the public procurement processes included, and also for the staff sent in UN missions in Francophone countries. I have led a reunion on this topic on 7 March 2018 attended by the UN Secretary General, Mr. Antonio Guterres. Romania has a significant presence with military and police officers in several UN peacekeeping missions in Francophone countries. Moreover, staged are several meetings with UN or governmental high officials who come to present their objectives and ask for the support of the UN Francophone group, events that I chair. In addition, a Francophone solidarity exists when adopting certain important resolutions of the General Assembly, or in matter of candidacies in the UN system, Francophone candidates (countries or persons) having the opportunity to come present their programmes in front of the Group and ask fort support, that could be decisive given that the OIF counts for 84 members.
AGERPRES: The PSD president Liviu Dragnea has asked the Romanian Foreign Affairs minister to come with an activity assessment of each diplomatic mission's head. Clearly, Romania's Permanent Representation to the UN is not an ordinary diplomatic mission from the assessment criteria viewpoint. How do you expect to be your activity's assessment? And looking ahead, which are for you the three main targets in 2018 in your position?
Ion Jinga: The assessment of the diplomatic missions' activities is carried whenever deemed as necessary, by the people in charge with it. It is not my place to anticipate the outcome of the assessment you are referring to. I can only tell you that the team I am leading does whatever it depends on it for the interests, the reputation and the image of Romania to the United Nations be promoted and defended professionally, with dedication and unconditioned loyalty to the country. In the past two years and a half since I took over the position of Romania's Permanent Representative to the UN, New York I was elected chairman of the Commission for Social Development (2015-2016), chairman of the Group of government experts for the negotiation of the UN Report on military spending transparency – MILEX (2016-2017; MILEX has only been summoned once in 2011, when the German ambassador chaired), co-president of the intergovernmental negotiations Process regarding the Security Council's reform (2016-2017; first ambassador from Eastern Europe appointed to this position), president of the Commission for Population and Development (2017-2018; a first for Romania), chairman of the Peacebuilding Commission (2018; also a first for Romania's diplomacy; Peacebuilding Commission is one of the most important UN commissions), president of the Francophone ambassadors' Group (2018, once again a first for us in New York). Between brackets, the UN General Assembly's President granted me on 7 September 2017 the "Diploma of Honour for the remarkable contribution to the success of the activity of the 71st Session of the General Assembly." I'd add that in the said period all of the elections organised in New York for UN structures with Romania having candidates to, were won. There are also the missions in the UN intervention areas, for instance this March I've been in Chad in my capacity of president of the Peacebuilding Commission to attend the Ministerial Conference of the states within the Sahel region and see UN financed projects. It was a very useful experience, because one cannot have the legitimacy to talk about problems the countries and the population in a certain region are confronted with, if they don't know the reality on the spot. This visit made me respect the more the resilience of those people, who have the same right with us to a decent life. We are all born equals, but evolve differently due to some factors that are sometimes completely independent from our individual skills and effort. Seeing the dry desert and the unimaginable effort each plant, animal and human being make to survive, I was thinking of how blessed Romania is.
As for the targets of Romania's Mission to the UN and implicitly the mission's head's in 2018, they circumscribe the mandate set each year by the leadership of the Foreign Affairs Ministry and approved by the President of Romania for the respective session of the General Assembly. Being Romania's diplomatic voice to the UN, our goal is firstly to display our country's stance and promote Romania's objectives within the UN, in New York. The wide range of topics we address, as well as the increasing responsibility assumed by Romania internationally are found in priorities such as the growth of the UN efficiency in tackling the threats at the international peace and stability, the maintaining of the Security Council as a main symbol and forum of the international cooperation for peace, the use of the preventive diplomacy and the peaceful resolving of the disputes, the continuation of the UN reform process, the implementation of Agenda 2030 for durable development, the promotion of dialogue and of a tighter cooperation between the UN and the regional and subregional organisations.
In this period, priority zero to us is Romania's candidacy for a seat of non-permanent member on the UN Security Council in 2020-2021. Only 15 states are there, of which five are permanent members. Let's bring Romania for two years to the top of the world decision as regards the planet's peace and security, along the big powers of the world, I guess it is worth any effort.
AGERPRES: Mr. Ambassador, on the web page of Romania's Permanent Mission to the United Nations you have a welcome word to the virtual visitors that ends in the suggestion to contact the mission by e-mail for comments, questions, suggestions. What are the most surprising messages you've received this way?
Ion Jinga: I maintain this suggestion, because it is very important for us to have a feedback from the ones interested in Romania's activity to the UN. Most of the messages received are from young people to wish to attend various internships at the Permanent Mission of Romania at the UN, which is pleasing us because regularly they are well prepared, enthusiastic and willing to have the chance to see how the multilateral diplomacy is basically concluded. Moreover, there are delegations of young people who visit the UN seat and to meet us so we share from the diplomatic life's backstage. One of the questions they ask is: "How can a state become a UN Security Council's permanent member?" It is a question many countries do ask for over 25 years, as part of the reform process of the Security Council. Maybe someday the answer will come from exactly those who have asked the question on the website page of Romania's Permanent Mission to the United Nations.AGERPRES(RO – author: Florin Stefan, editor: Mariana Ionescu; EN – authors: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, Cristina Zaharia, Maria Voican, editor: Maria Voican)
Prevention: A New Religion at the United Nations
Thoughts by Dr. Ion Jinga, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Romania to the United Nations – New York, posted in Nine O'Clock on March 7, 2018.
The costs of wars and conflicts today are estimated at 10 trillion USD globally. The international community spent 235 billion USD over the past 10 years on humanitarian responses, peacekeeping and refuges costs, out of which 45 billion USD only last year. More than 1.5 billion people live in countries affected by violent conflicts. Nearly half of all people living in extreme poverty reside in countries affected by conflict and fragility, and unless concerted action is taken by 2030, this figure is expected to rise to 80% by 2035. Using the words of Mahatma Gandhi, "poverty is the worst form of violence".
The international community too often responded only after a crisis started, and the UN was traditionally known for conflict response, rather than conflict prevention. The General Assembly created in 2005 (resolution 60/180) the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), an intergovernmental advisory body whose main purposes are "to bring together all relevant actors to marshal resources and to advise on and propose integrated strategies for post-conflict peacebuilding and recovery".
With the number of violent conflicts almost tripled in the last ten years, it was high time for a new approach and in 2016 the paradigm shifted from post-conflict peacebuilding to prevention. The Security Council and the General Assembly adopted twin resolutions on the review of the UN peacebuilding architecture (2282/2016) and 70/262), which introduced the concept of sustaining peace, "broadly understood as a goal and a process to build a common vision of a society, which encompasses activities aimed at preventing the outbreak, escalation, continuation and recurrence of conflict, addressing root causes, ensuring national reconciliation, and moving forward towards recovery, reconstruction and development".
In the new philosophy, prevention becomes a cross-cutting priority and is seen as the broad set of activities that address root causes of conflict. Classical prevention activities – such as mediation, preventive diplomacy, cooperation and dialogue – intertwines now with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and with the human rights dimension.
The PBC was tasked "to bring international attention to sustaining peace…; to promote an integrated, strategic and coherent approach to peacebuilding, noting that security, development and human rights are closely linked and mutually reinforcing; to serve a bridging role among the principal organs and relevant entities of the United Nations…; to serve as a platform to convene all relevant actors… in order to develop and share good practices in peacebuilding".
But prevention not only saves lives, it is also cost-effective. An UN-World Bank joint study released in Washington DC on 6 March 2018 ("Pathways for Peace: Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent Conflict") estimates that effective prevention would save from 5 to 70 billion USD per year for the affected countries and the international community combined. The study may become a revolutionary tool for a new collaborative approach, because it connects the development reform proposed by the UN Secretary General with the sustaining peace agenda.
A significant number of conflicts are located in Africa. Contrary to some stereotypes, Africa is not poor. Whilst many people in African countries live in poverty, the continent is rich in terms of human potential and natural resources. According to statistics, in 2015 countries in Africa exported 232 billion USD worth of minerals and oil to the rest of the world. Africa's potential mineral reserves are estimated to dozens trillion USD. What African countries need is conditions to value this richness for their own development. Peace, stability and democracy are essential ingredients in this respect, but whereas there are many incentives for fueling conflicts, incentives for prevention are too few. Building sustaining peace requires transparency, inclusion, participation and consultation of all political and social actors in the respective countries, but also development incentives. At the same time, peacebuilding activities at all stages must respect national sovereignty and be based on local ownership.
From an economic perspective, on short-term the peacebuilding efforts are mainly focused on humanitarian aid and institutional funding. But on long-term, sustaining peace needs the existence of enterprises and business opportunities, employment and economic growth. Because the main economic challenge of peacebuilding is to generate an environment favorable to sustainable development, engaging more strategically with the private sector is key in shaping and implementing the peacebuilding priorities. Communication also plays a role and it would be wise to invite the media to become a partner in rising awareness on peacebuilding and sustaining peace, whenever possible.
On 5 March 2018, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres briefed the General Assembly on his report on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace, noting that "if the financial cost of conflict is unsustainable, the human cost is unbearable". His vision is that sustaining peace is becoming a responsibility of the entire UN system and therefore a more integrated approach of activities undertaken under the three main pillars of the UN is necessary.
The report also underlines the PBC's unique role in advancing intergovernmental coherence thorough its cross-pillar mandate. The PBC platform has already been used for constructive discussions on Burkina Faso, Kyrgyzstan, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Somalia and Sri Lanka. With the support of the international community in Liberia, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former combatants proceeded peacefully because the process included women, youth, civil society and the private sector. In Colombia, assisted by the UN, the government successfully engaged with the private sector and civil society in healing the wounds of a long-term internal conflict and restored the path to recovery and development. The next test case for this holistic approach may be the Sahel region, where there is a clear need to address both the security and the development facets of the crisis.
The work plan of the Peacebuilding Commission, which in 2018 is chaired by Romania, reflects priorities mentioned before: regional approach, partnerships, sustaining peace, synergies, communication. With prevention becoming a new religion at the United Nations, the paradigm shift requires that instead of spending on conflict, we spend on peace. The United Nations is the natural place to do so.
Requiem for King Michael
Thoughts by H.E. Dr. Ion Jinga, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Romania to the United Nations – New York, posted on nineoclock.ro on 20 December 2017.
On Saturday 16 December 2017 bells of all churches in Romania tolled, mourning King Michael of Romania who started his last journey from the Royal Palace in Bucharest to the royal necropolis in Cathedral of Curtea de Arges (The Court upon river Argeș), a little town in the Carpathian Mountains, once the capital of medieval principality of Walachia in the 13th century. The legend of this cathedral built in early 16th century is a tale about human sacrifice, love for work and death for creation.
Foreign royals, including former King Juan Carlos of Spain and Queen Sofia, King Carl Gustaf of Sweden and Queen Silvia, former Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, Prince Charles of Wales, the Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, Prince Lorenz and Princess Astrid of Belgium, joined the President of Romania Klaus Werner Iohannis to bid farewell at the catafalque.
Tens of thousands of Romanians came to pay their respects to King Michael and an impressive state funeral service took place in Bucharest, led by Patriarch Daniel, the head of the Romanian Orthodox Church, in the same cathedral where The King was crowned on Sept. 6, 1940. Thousands of people acclaimed The King when the Royal train entered the rail stations of towns located on the way between Bucharest and Curtea de Arges. When soldiers from the 30th Guard Brigade "Michael the Brave" carried the coffin on their shoulders to the tomb, the long way of King Michael to his ancestors came to an end, and his legend begun.
For Romanians, King Michael was a moral symbol and an anchor of hope in an age dominated by totalitarian regimes. Historians believe that his decision to remove Romania from its alliance with the powers of the Axis on 23 August 1944 has shortened the duration of the Second World War by at least six months. He was forced to abdicate on 30 December 1947 and allowed to return to Romania only in 1992, where he was acclaimed by a crowd of one million people in Bucharest.
I first met The King in 1997 in Brussels when, at the request of the Romanian Government, he visited several capitals to lobby in favor of Romania's accession to NATO. As a young diplomat in love with history, meeting King Michael was like a fairytale, because he made history. I always believed that in many aspects the past shapes the present and anticipates the future.
When I was appointed ambassador to Belgium, and later to the United Kingdom, I had the privilege to meet The King sometimes in tete-a-tete, as he and Queen Anne honored me and my wife by accepting to be our guests for lunch or dinner at our residences in Brussels and London. Listening King Michael talking about crucial moments he personally witnessed was fabulous, as he had a special gift of transposing his audience back in the times of events.
A most memorable moment in my life was in 2008 when, alongside Ivor Porter – a British diplomat and SOE operative parachuted in Romania during WW2, who later wrote two books about his Romanian experience (one devoted to King Michael), and Jonathan Eyal – director at the Royal United Services Institute, I received from The King's hand "The Cross of Romania's Royal Household", in a moving ceremony at 1 Belgrave Square, in the same room when in 1939 Sir Winston Churchill met the Romanian Foreign Minister Grigore Gafencu.
I saw The King at the royal wedding in April 2011, then at the service of thanksgiving in St. Paul's Cathedral celebrating HM Queen Elisabeth II Diamond Jubilee in 2012, and again that year in the Queen's Chapel of the Savoy, when King Michael celebrated 75 years since he was awarded the British Royal Victorian Order. He is the first foreign sovereign to have the coat of arms in the Savoy Chapel.
I remember a lunch once we had at the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall. In the RAC hall a pre-WW2 car was exhibiting and when seeing it King Michael, who loved cars, said without hesitation: "This is a Bugatti 1931!" Checking the note on the car-side I went speechless, because he was right.
In the years which followed I wrote to him in Switzerland on his birthdays and Christmas Eves. His private secretary took time to politely respond, but not anymore after Queen Anne passed away in August 2016. I attended the Queen's burial, but I couldn't leave New York for the King's funeral. Instead, a candle burned for him in my apartment in Manhattan. While writing these lines, Elton John's "Candle in the Wind" comes to my mind: "You lived your life like a candle in the wind, never fading with the sunset…, and your footsteps will always fall here. Your candles burned out long before, your legend never will".
Indeed, the man rests in his grave, The King found his well-deserved place in history, but his legend will continue to magnify over the years. What will stay with us and the generations to come is his moral compass, his dignity, patriotism and unconditional loyalty to his Country. I can only add the inspired words of the Romanian-American writer Dorin Tudoran: "Good night Your Majesty!"
Participarea E.S. Dr. Ion Jinga la emisiunea La Vama Vremii, cu Nicolae Badiu
La 6 septembrie 2017, E.S. Dr. Ion Jinga, Ambasador, Reprezentantul Permanent al României la Organizația Națiunilor Unite – New York, a participat la emisiunea "La Vama Vremii" cu Nicolae Badiu.
Wild Carpathia
Thoughts by Dr. Ion Jinga, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Romania to the United Nations, New York, published in Huffington Post on 21.06.2017.
The first-ever United Nations Summit on Oceans, which took place in New York on 5-9 June, has reached a global agreement to reverse the decline of the ocean's health, with more than 1,300 pledged actions for protecting the ocean and the adoption of a 14-point Call for Action to conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources.
A blog I wrote on 26 April, "S.O.S. The World of Blue", was a pleading in favor of global awareness on the oceans problem. As the President of the UN General Assembly, Peter Thomson, remarked during the conference: "When it comes to the ocean, it's the common heritage of humankind. There's no North-South, East-West when it comes to the ocean. If the ocean is dying, it's dying on all of us".
These words are equally true when it comes to "the green gold" of the Blue Planet: forests. Oceans mitigate climate change by capturing one third of the carbon dioxide released by human activities; forests are another huge bank for the carbon released into the atmosphere, as they tied up 45% of the carbon stored on land. Half of the oxygen we breathe comes from oceans; the other half is produced on land by forests, which are the "lungs" of our Earth. The Amazonian forests alone produce 20% of the oxygen that keeps us alive.
Similar to oceans which provide food security to over three billion humans, forests provide food, income and source of energy to 1.6 billion people. And like oceans, forests are an essential part of our spiritual heritage and cultural identity. In a nutshell, what oceans represent for 37% of the world population who lives in coastal communities, forests represent for another 25% of the Earth's population.
As a child, I learnt from my grandparents who lived in a small village in the Carpathian Mountains that "the forest is Romanian's brother". This metaphor comes from the remote Middle Age and encapsulates perfectly the essence of our history. As inhabitants of a country whose social, cultural and economic fabric was closely linked to forests, and whose defense when outnumbered by foreign invaders consisted in retreats into the huge wild Carpathian forests, followed by deadly counter-attacks against the enemy – a strategy that kept my ancestors always free – Romanians are genetically connected to mountains and forests.
Similar to oceans which humans have put at risk of irreversible damage, we are losing now the greatest biological treasure represented by forests. Rainforests once covered 14% of the Earth's land surface, while today they cover a mere 6%. If not protected, the last remaining rainforests could be consumed in less than 40 years.
Half of the world's 10 million species of plants, animals and insects live in forests. Experts estimates that we are losing 137 plant, animal and insect species every single day due to deforestation. As the forest species disappear, so do many possible cures for diseases. The U.S. National Cancer Institute has identified 3000 plants that are active against cancer cells. 70% of them are found in the rainforests.
Therefore, like for oceans, rising awareness about the fatal consequences of deforestation is crucial to our future. On 27 April 2017, the UN General Assembly adopted the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-2030, which includes 6 global forest goals and 26 associated targets aimed at halting deforestation and forest degradation. To boost implementation of these goals and targets, on 1-5 May 2017 the UN organized in New York the United Nations Forum on Forests.
Forests cover 30% of the planet land, or almost four billion ha. Seven million ha are in Romania, which represents 29% of the national territory; 60% of our forests are located in the Carpathian Mountains. According to World Wide Fund for Nature, out of the 320,000 ha of virgin forests still existing in Europe, 250,000 ha are located in Romania. The new Romanian Forest Code stipulates that virgin and quasi-virgin forests shall be strictly protected.
Most of our 30 national parks are located in forest land, with 2.6 million hectares of forests (11% of the Romanian territory) being included in the European Union Natura 2000 Network. In 2015, eleven European countries started the project Beech Forests – Joint Natural Heritage of Europe, for the inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List of the "Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe". 39% of the forest area in this project is located in my country.
The beauty, majesty, and timelessness of nature in its pure form in these parts of Romania are indescribable. An enthusiastic British team succeeded to present a glimpse of them in a documentary film called Wild Carpathia, and on 27 June I will have the privilege to host, at the United Nations in New York, the screening of its fourth episode: "Seasons of Change".
Before being appointed to the United Nations, I was the ambassador of Romania to the United Kingdom and I have witnessed the making over the series of this documentary film. I remember the message HRH The Prince of Wales has sent at the launching of Wild Carpathia – Wild Forever, in 2013: "Romania is one of the last places in Europe where wild expanses on a meaningful scale still exist. In fact, the Romanian Carpathians contain the largest remaining area of virgin forest in Central and Southern Europe. These forests are a feast of biodiversity, exceptionally rich in fauna and flora. This makes the Romanian Carpathians a priceless natural treasure in a continent that has long since destroyed most of its wildernesses. What you still possess in Romania has become extremely rare. Many European countries have little or no primary forest left".
His Royal Highness' passionate commitment and determination in preserving, for the generations to come, of the nature, traditions and fabulous heritage of my country brought him unconditional admiration and gratitude. A video message from The Prince of Wales in 2016, at the launching of Wild Carpathia – Seasons of Change, will precede the film screening at the UN.
Wild Carpathia is an exquisite documentary about the wilderness of the Carpathian Mountains, amazing landscapes, raw history and simple life. Above all, it gives a unique insight into the beauty and rich culture of Romania through the changing seasons and tells us that is a time for change in our behaviour in relation to Mother Earth. Wild Carpathia is also a portal to paradise. It captures the majesty of a unique eco-system and shows why it deserves to be preserved in all its glory for the benefit of future generations.
And what a better place to present it than the United Nations?
S.O.S. The World Of Blue
Thoughts by Dr. Ion Jinga, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Romania to the United Nations, New York, published in Huffington Post on 26/04/2017
Oceans and seas are key to sustaining life on our planet. They connect people, markets and livelihoods, provide food security to over three billion humans and generate 350 million jobs. Oceans are essential for sustainable development and poverty eradication, particularly for people living in coastal communities who represent 37% of the global population. Coastal and marine resources contribute an estimated 28 trillion USD to the global economy each year. The sustainable use and preservation of marine and coastal ecosystems is essential to achieving the 2030 Agenda, in particular for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDC).
Oceans and seas mitigate climate change by capturing one third of the carbon dioxide released by human activities since the beginning of the industrial revolution, while half of the oxygen we breathe comes from their waters. Oceans also represent a fabulous hub of biodiversity, the natural habitat of more than 200,000 species. Finally, the World of Blue forms an essential part of our heritage and culture.
Yet, we humans who so much depend on oceans and seas, have put them at risk of irreversible damage. From marine pollution to increasing water temperatures and sea-level rise, from ocean acidification to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, the negative implications of human activity put the planetary ocean in deep trouble.
Indeed, if not stopped, by 2050 pollution will leave more plastic in the oceans than fish. Ocean acidification is occurring because too much carbon dioxide is being released into the atmosphere, and it is responsible for the destruction of coral reefs and of calciferous plankton, which are at the base of the oceans' food chain. In the Caribbean Sea – a paradise area where the nature is still well-preserved – I have seen dead corals lying under the sea like artifacts from an ancient world. This phenomenon has a drastic impact on the upper levels of marine species, which provide food and jobs for local people.
The importance of fisheries as a source of food and employment to so many people has been recognized by the UN. Still, irrational overfishing, often stimulated by harmful subsidies, continues to contribute to depleting fish resources. According to a 2016 report of the Food and Agriculture Organization, more than 31% of global fish stocks are already at biologically unsustainable levels. IUU fishing is estimated between 11 and 26 million tons annually, with a value of 10 to 23 billion USD. The poor management of fisheries is considered responsible for the loss of 80 billion USD in economic potential every year.
For many SIDS and LDC, the word "Ocean" is synonymous to "Life". As Peter Thomson, the first President of the UN General Assembly from the Pacific Islands region (PGA 2016-2017), who has had a lifelong involvement in the field of development, recently noted: "Human-induced problems have human-produced solutions. Thus it is that the time has come for us to act, to remedy the woes we have put upon the Ocean, to reverse the cycle of decline our cumulative habits have imposed upon the marine environment… So much of our culture, leisure and well-being derives from our joy in the beauty and bounty of the Ocean. Are we really prepared to surrender to the inexorable dead zones advancing along our shores, to greedy oil slicks decimating wildlife and ecosystems, to a cascading farewell for so many species forever, to the magical myriads of color and life-forms of the world's coral reefs turning into ashen memorials of what was once so wonderful?"
These reflections are grounded in a bitter reality and the answer is in our hands. Recognizing that humanity's current path is unsustainable, in September 2015 the world leaders unanimously adopted in New York the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Now we have got momentum and there is a global awareness on the need for action. We must transpose political commitments into concrete implementation. A turning point may be the first United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development – The Ocean Conference, which will take place at the UN Headquarters from 5-9 June this year.
Leaders of governments, international organizations, civil society, the private sector and the scientific and academic communities are expected to attend this event that may prove crucial for the process of reversing the cycle of decline of oceans and seas. As a riparian state to the Black Sea and host of the UNESCO protected Danube Delta, Romania is particularly interested in protecting biodiversity and in the sustainable use of oceans, seas and marine resources. The SDG 14 sets seven targets aiming to address, by 2020, 2025 and 2030, marine pollution, protection of marine and coastal ecosystems, ocean acidification, overfishing, conservation of at least 10% of coastal and marine areas, elimination of certain subsidies including those that contribute to IUU fishing, and the increase of economic benefits to SIDS from the sustainable use of marine resources.
The Ocean Conference must be one of commitments, solutions and partnerships. It will be co-chaired by Fiji and Sweden, while its preparatory process is co-facilitated by the UN Ambassadors of Portugal and Singapore, four countries whose history is intertwined with the oceans. An intergovernmental declaration entitled "Our Ocean, Our Future: Call for Action", to be adopted as a political document of the conference, is under negotiation these days at the UN.
It is up to the Member States to make this declaration action oriented, grounded in science and empowered through finance and technology. In doing so, we may find inspiration in the Vision Statement of the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres: "Now that we know what, we must work on how. With clear priorities, tangible benchmarks and the power to mobilize all stakeholders, promoting national ownership and ensuring no-one is left behind. With the horizon of 2030 the focus is on action and the watchword is implementation, implementation, implementation."
Finally, whether our countries have coastlines or not, whether we are rich or poor, young or old, the World of Blue is part of our life and the future of our mankind depends on it. As the 35th US President John J. Kennedy once said: "We all came from the sea. And it is an interesting biological fact that all of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea – whether it is to sail or to watch it – we are going back from whence we came."


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Celebrating Success
Autumn Term 2 (Christmas) - Encouragement
Award winners were:
KS2: Olivia Brown, Caitlin Grocott, Zac Foster, Cameron Harvey, Millie Brookes, Will Garner, Lucy Berry & Saraya Pearce.
KS3: Lawrence Dowd, Poem Daniels, Scarlett Walker, Abigail Machin, Ethan Wallace, Sophie Baker, Emma Sproston, Brandon Boote, Jake Evans & Paige Keeling.
Autumn Term 1 - Aspiration
Award winners were:
KS2: Jack Wint, Paige Potts, Poppy McLaren, Leo Grant, Isabelle Lacey, Lara Vickers, Harry Rhoes & Adam Mellor.
KS3: Danielle Potts, Mary Roberts, Morgan Vincent, Lily Hall, Nathan Walker, Rhys Gower, Mia Hubball, Joe Peach & Sofia Reilly.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Hong Kong Council for Testing and Certification (HKCTC), Hong Kong Accreditation Service (HKAS) and The Hong Kong General Chamber of Small and Medium Business co-organized a Workshop entitled "Workshop on ISO/IEC 27001 Information Security Management System Certification 2016" on 26 Oct 2016. Certification of ISMS to ISO/IEC 27001 allows an organization to demonstrate that its information asset is adequately protected against information security risk. The workshop aimed to give an overview of ISO/IEC 27001 and discussed how to get prepared for the certification process. Hong Kong Society for Quality (HKSQ) and Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) are supporting organization. Ms. Angela Wong (Vice-chairman, HKSQ) and I attended the workshop and took a photo for memory.
In the beginning, Mr. Kesson Lee (Secretary-General, HKCTC) give an opening remarks and he said ISO 27001 was increasing concern to avoid business potential loss and ICT was one of areas in Testing & Certification Industry to be focused.
And then Dr. YAU Bun, Oliver (Vice President, The Hong Kong General Chamber of Small and Medium Business) gave a welcoming remark.
All guest speakers took a group photo.
The first speaker was Mr. Ronald Pong (CEO, Nexusguard Consulting Limited (NCL); Adjunct Lecturer, HKU SPACE) and his topic entitled "Practical Implementation of ISO/IEC 27001 in Your Environment". Mr. Pong briefed the ISO 27001:2013 and other ISO 27000 series such as ISO 27004, ISO 27005, ISO 27006, ISO 27007, ISO 27013 and ISO 27037, etc.
Then Mr. Ronald Pong introduced ISO 27005:2011 risk management. He said Risk included Vulnerability and Threat (Environment Factors). And he discussed the Scope and Objective. Since resource was limited, he suggested to focus on the key business process (major process and sub-process). Objectives were based on Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability (CIA).
ISO 27004 was used for risk calculation (measurement) to evaluation the safeguard effectiveness. He also told us to check the inventory first in which was consisted by fix part and dynamic part. Such as Network Diagram + Data Flow Diagram.
Finally, Mr. Ronald Pong briefed the development of the Threat Model based on PDCA cycle. He also discussed impact criteria based on ISO 27005 that Vulnerability Scanning (for individual system) and Penetration Testing (for End to End Business Process) used scenario. For DR and BCP, he advised to consider Operation Level Agreement (OLA) and Service Level Agreement (SLA). For security incident, he used ISO 27037 to keep evidences for evaluation. At the end, he said the awareness training was important but it should use Role-based Approach (e.g. Management, General User and Technical User).
The second speaker was Mr. Norman PAN (Managing Consultant, Doctor A Security Systems (HK) Ltd.) and his topic named "Getting Certified ISO/IEC 27001 – Experience Sharing". Mr. Pan introduced his company first. They had certified ISO 27001 since 2003 (at that time named BS 7799). He said ISO 27001 included Risk Evaluation plus Management System.
Mr. Norman Pan then shared the case about Firewall & Antivirus against Ransomware. He said the antivirus was not able to screen the ransomware (0% detection) and the URL scan was only 5% success rate! He suggested two preventive actions that were:
i) Network Separation (e.g. separated File Server and Email Server)
ii) Remove all Flash Player in your computers.
After that Mr. Pan shared about Risk Management but he said we needed to understand ISO 27001 management system clause first and then using annex objectives for risk evaluation. If without risk evaluation, we were not able to complete the Statement of Applicability (SOA). Finally, he summarized that certified ISO 27001 could be differentiated in the market and got customer confidence. He also said that top management support could be found if the information security item appeared in the budget.
Mr. Leung Chi-chiu (Accreditation Officer, HKAS) was the last speaker and his topic named "Hong Kong Accreditation Service (HKAS) – How its Services Help You". Mr. Leung introduced that Accreditation which was issuance of conformance statement by a third party (i.e. accreditation body) to a conformity assessment body (i.e. laboratory, inspection body or certification body, validation and verification body) and conveying formal demonstration of its competence to carry our specific conformity assessment tasks (ISO/IEC 17024).
He used the diagram to explain the relationship among Industry, Certification Body and Accreditation Body. HKAS is followed the ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 27006 for certification body accreditation.
The summary of MRA/MLA partners was showed. Finally, Mr. Leung briefed the benefits of HKAS accreditation included formal recognition of CB competences to enhance reputation and to deliver confidence to their clients.
HKCTC Seminar presentation file - http://www.hkctc.gov.hk/en/work_seminars.html#b44
20150619: HKCTC & HKAS Workshop on ISO 27001 ISMS Certification - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.hk/2015/06/hkctc-hkas-workshop-on-iso-27001-isms.html


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Fluid-mineral equilibria and fluid inclusion studies: application to C-O-H compositionsProject ID: INTAS-94-3138
Funded under:
Fluid-mineral equilibria and fluid inclusion studies: application to C-O-H compositions
Project details
Total cost:Not available
EU contribution:EUR 50 000
Coordinated in:France
Topic(s):52 - Geochemistry
The aim of this project is to co-ordinate European research on the experimental mineralogy of fluid-mineral equilibria. Technology exchanges and transfers will be performed in the field of experimental petrology techniques, particularly for H2-bearing systems.
Modern trends in the area of fluid-mineral equilibria have stressed the importance of fluid composition. The behaviour of complex C-O-H fluids is actively studied by several research groups. These fluids are important transport agents in the deep crust, as demonstrated by the compositions of fluid inclusions. The following topics will be studied: composition of natural fluids from fluid inclusion data; evaluation of the fluid inclusion data and re-equilibration of the fluid inclusions; experimental studies of selected fluid-mineral equilibria as sources of information on fluid composition; transport and thermodynamic properties of C-O-H fluids and modelling; redox equilibria in C-O-H fluids and consequences for fluid speciation, fluid-mineral and fluid-mineral-melt equilibria; and the effects of high H2 pressures on melting of silicates and mechanism of incorporation of H2 and H20 in silicate melts.
The Russian participant working at Chernogolovka is known internationally for contributions to these different subjects and the scientists involved have developed exchange programmes of high quality with the west European participants in the current project. These exchange relations need to be pursued and formalised. The west European participants include two experimental laboratories (Germany and France), and a mineralogy/petrology/fluid inclusion laboratory (The Netherlands). They have a common interest in the geochemical behaviour of fluid phases in deep-seated processes.
On the basis of the outcome of the four investigated subjects, integrated research programmes incorporating Russian research groups will be developed. Results will be jointly presented at meetings and published in international scientific journals. They cover fluid inclusion techniques and interpretation: the planned studies will improve knowledge of the composition of the fluids trapped as inclusions in crystals and their application to the estimation of metamorphic conditions. Progress on the details of the mechanisms of re-equilibration of these inclusions is also expected.
The planned experimental studies will improve the existing database on mineral solubility under elevated temperature and pressure.
The largely unexplored effects of reduced environments and elevated H2 fugacities on phase relations, melting equilibria and volatile speciation in silicate melts will also be reported on.
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"Trevor cleaned my windows yesterday and did an exceptional job. I live in a tri-level condo, and have not had my windows cleaned in years. Like ever. Last time they were cleaned was when the builder did them in early 2000 and the HOA power washing the building years ago. That's how bad they were. Trevor cleaned the inside and out, as well as my screens in no time. And for a very reasonable price!! Trevor will now be a fixture in my house maintenance contacts to call. A little freaky being able to see out my windows clearly again! I had a plumber here fixing a leak in my shower at the same time – Trevor's work spoke for itself, and the plumber hit him up for a card. If you need window cleaning, this is the one to call – you won't regret it."Tracy B. (San Diego, CA)
"These guys are awesome!!!! We just moved into a house that had been vacant for 8 months with little maintenance. We called the Shine Bright team and we received great custemr service over the phone and quickly got on their calendar. I am not a family member or friend so I can say this honestly and transparently they gave me a great price and what was most important is the quality of their work was far superior than anything I had ever seen. They paid attention to every detail got every window cleaned and the window sills that were filthy were clean as new. I would strongly recommend anyone that wants to give their house a little sparkle to give this company a call. We were so satisfied we plan on having tehm come over every 3 months. Thanks guys!!!!"Alex G. (Chula Vista, CA)
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I piece I wrote in memory of a friend (LaurieZ) and keyboard player who passed away earlier this year. This is the first piece I started and completed in my "new" studio using GPO and East/West Piano.
A more complete complete diary of the story behind this piece is available at:
Hope you enjoy.


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Who We Are
Travelers in search of antiques and collectibles will love the Shops at Daniel Boone in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Located just off the Interstate, it's easy to find unique items and support many of the area's small businesses as there are many clustered along the Churton Street area leading to the center of town.
Daniel Boone Village and Boone Square offer antiques, toys and collectibles, clothing, needlework shops, art and framing, and other goods and services that include a working blacksmith and the Big Barn Convention Center that can hold up to 300 people.
Restaurants and lodging are also in the area. The layout and design of the shops transition nicely into Hillsborough's historic district, a short distance away.
Travelers have long known the pleasure of discovery at The Shops at Daniel Boone. Most of the antique shops are situated in Daniel Boone Village, easily found with its landmark large statue and sign. Visitors can spend hours shopping in the various stores, loaded with items, to discover that perfect treasure or unique gift.
Why Us?
In an area of the state that is rich with history, do yourself a favor and include a trip to the shops on your list of things to do. You never know what you might find, and supporting small businesses in the community is always a plus. While there, be prepared for a good dose of southern hospitality as the proprietors are very friendly and ready to help.


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- about :
- published news :
- libraries :
- abstracts :
- presentations :
- contact :
- Governmentality as Worldview Expressed
- Natural Capital Debt - Resilience as Worldview Prioritised
- Sustainability Worldview as Humankind Survival Activism
- Indigeneity Worldview as Honouring the Life-force of Body
- Social Science as Worldview Behaviour Considered
- The Internet as a Technology Worldview
- Planning & Monitoring & Regulatory as Worldview Managed
Published News
Obama Tells Donors of Tough Politics of EnvironmentPosted by admin 1959 days ago (http://www.nytimes.com)
april 3 2013 : Mr. Obama appears to be leaning toward approval of the Keystone XL pipeline (which would carry heavy crude oil from Alberta's oil sands to refineries on the Gulf Coast), although he did not specifically mention it to the donors. But he acknowledged that it is difficult to sell aggressive environmental action to Americans who are still struggling in a difficult economy to pay bill
Chinese longer term governance lessons for America - FT.comPosted by admin 2048 days ago (http://www.ft.com)
jan 4 2013 : In the case of America, its biggest Achilles heel is "consumer culture" politics: voters constantly demand instant gratification and have no patience for long-term structural reform, or for politicians who impose pain.
As an example of this is a striking statistic from California. In 2011 the state spent about 7.5 per cent of its budget on its sprawling network of public schools
Callaghan Innovation & turning science into big dollars - Paul Tan @ nzhPosted by admin 2059 days ago (http://www.nzherald.co.nz)
24 dec 2012 : Kiwi bioscience companies secured millions in international investment and grabbed the global spotlight this year.
There are plenty of examples of companies to model. Here are a few: Lanzatech(Auckland); Living Cell Technologies (Auckland); CodaTherapeutics (Auckland); Pacific Edge (Dunedin); BioVittoria (Hamilton; Photonz (Auckland); BioDiscovery New Zealand Limited.
And a
Susan Chalmers: TPP traps - we need to know the costs as well as the gainsPosted by admin 2067 days ago (http://www.nzherald.co.nz)
dec 17 2012 : Susan Chalmers is policy lead at internetNZ and spokeswoman for the Fair Deal Coalition fairdeal.net.nz.
The biggest cost that NZ could sustain under the TPP would be in the intellectual property, particularly copyright. This is because the most powerful party to the negotiations - the United States - is a net exporter of copyrighted goods (movies, books, TV shows, songs, games
Top Researchers Call for an End to United Nations Climate Summits - SPIEGEL ONLINEPosted by admin 2069 days ago (http://www.spiegel.de)
dec 14 2012 : Massive UN climate summits have been held for years, but accomplished little. Believing there is almost no chance of securing a global deal on reducing emissions, experts now want to ditch the current system and try something new.
Instead, the process, culminating annually in highly publicized summits that invariably end in disappointment, has only managed to produce a series o
US sees $90bn boost from shale gas boom - FT.comPosted by admin 2069 days ago (http://www.ft.com)
dec 14 2012 : Manufacturers have announced more than $90bn worth of investments in the US to take advantage of its cheap natural gas, according to new calculations, underlining how the shale revolution appears to be driving the country's industrial renaissance.
Dow Chemical, which has announced its own $4bn investment plan in petrochemical plants in Texas and Louisiana, has calculated the
dec 3 2012 : LanzaTech NZ Ltd., a closely held developer of transportation fuels and chemicals from waste industrial gases, plans to begin building next year an ethanol plant at a Baosteel Group Corp. steel mill in China.
The facility will use LanzaTech's genetically-modified microorganisms to convert carbon monoxide-containing gas into as much as 10 million gallons of fuel-grade ethanol a y
IMF drops opposition to capital controls - FT.comPosted by admin 2081 days ago (http://www.ft.com)
dec 3 2012 : The IMF has cemented a substantial ideological shift by accepting the use of direct controls to calm volatile cross-border capital flows, as employed by emerging market countries in recent years.
The IMF continued to argue that direct capital controls were not a substitute for macroeconomic responses to rapid inflows, including tightening fiscal policy, cutting interest rates a
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WASHINGTON — A senior House lawmaker plans to reintroduce legislation as early as Thursday requiring the IRS to fast-track the income verification process, which proponents say could help reduce the financial industry's dependence on credit bureaus.
As heads continue to roll in the wake of the Equifax breach, Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., said his bill would be a step up from how lenders currently verify a potential borrower's financial data.
"We need to get away from relying so heavily on the credit bureaus," McHenry said in an interview. "We need to modernize the way lenders verify identity. And a huge component of that is income verification and making that process much more seamless than it currently is."
The bill is set to be co-sponsored by Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., in the House, according to McHenry's office. It would require the IRS to automate the income verification process to speed it up for mortgage lenders, online lenders and a host of other financial institutions that screen borrowers. The legislation is also said to have support in the Senate from Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and Cory Booker, D-N.J.
Under the current process, a prospective borrower must first authorize a lender to verify tax return information through a 4506-T form. The lender will typically go through a third party that processes requests with the IRS in bulk, to verify the information submitted by applicants about important financial information contained in their tax returns, including annual income.
But this can take anywhere from two to eight days because the IRS has to manually go into its system to verify the information. The new bill would require the agency to create an application programming interface to automate this verification process, once a borrower has signed off on it.
"The basis of the current system is the fax machine, which was the height of technology 20 years ago, and currently is not commensurate with the economic values and the current standards in the marketplace," McHenry said. "We want to move it to the next generation of technology, which would create an API, enabling much faster information dispersal."
He said improving inefficiencies in credit bureau reporting is as important as ever in the aftermath of the Equifax breach.
"What we want is the IRS to improve that process to avoid the disaster that Equifax experienced," McHenry said. "We need to force the IRS to modernize this income verification process with cybersecurity safeguards."
Proponents of the bill say those changes could also help subprime borrowers who have a history of financial health not necessarily represented in their credit scores.
"The effect could be really big," said Louis Caditz-Peck, the head of public policy at LendingClub, an online lending company that first suggested the idea for an API in a 2015 letter to Treasury. "Imagine the difference in the decisions between mortgage, auto or small-business lending shifting from an overreliance on credit report information to a much deeper understanding of people's financial information."
Today, the IRS verification process is too slow for lenders with speedy origination models, so they oftentimes have to make their decisions without the benefit of income data.
"The delay is so long to get the tax returns verified, that it prevents use of the tax returns in upfront credit models," said Caditz-Peck. "So, when we use the 4506-T now, it has to be the last thing we do."
But if financial institutions could verify prospective borrowers' income faster, more nontraditional borrowers would be likely to get a loan, supporters of the bill say.
"There are a lot of borrowers out there that have low credit scores but that have a good financial background reflected in their tax records," said Caditz-Peck. "This bill, if done correctly, will make capital more accessible, more affordable, faster, easier and safer."
The tax return verification process is also a reliable way to authenticate a borrower's identity — without using social security numbers or other sensitive information. Allowing more companies to use it could reduce vulnerabilities in the loan origination process, some say.
"Borrowers submit their bank statements, and that's the number one source of fraud," said Kathryn Petralia, co-founder and COO of the online lender Kabbage. "It would be another way for lenders to verify identity — and also verify revenue."


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By noname / Wednesday 22 September 2010 05:37 / Canada
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By bombtastic | 10
sucks. fun position though ;). pee before sex. it'll help. research it too, the feeling of pee isn't pee though.
By lonley_mom | 0
are u sure ur just not "squirting"? He would be hitting ur g spot that way...
By bombtastic | 10
sucks. fun position though ;). pee before sex. it'll help. research it too, the feeling of pee isn't pee though.
rustic | 0
hahahah xD imagining it is pretty funny xD pee spurting in his face and mouth xD sucks tho Op try other positions.
happykate120 | 0
its a whole new definition to the term supersoak
happykate120 | 0
a whole new definition to the term supersoak.
mexicutioner123 | 0
call r kelly
ifyouseekamy666 | 0
44 just mess up ur hair a lil and ur good to go hehe ;P
spidersilkx9 | 0
golden showers.. kinky
guckylynn | 19
Actually 68, it's not urine. He's probably hitting her g-spot which is causing her to ejaculate via the female prostate which is located just inside the urethra. It makes you feel like you have to pee, then you squirt a clear liquid which is NOT urine! OP research female ejaculation, it'll tell you all about it!
Dat_NewNew | 0
Why don't you have a seat over there?
Good advice. That other lady has no clue, none, nada, zip, zilch! This advice is correct.
libertyw is only 18 years old. She could not be more wrong. It is not pee. Parents please educate your children, yes even about the gory details. That way they won't be mislead by erroneous info from people like that. Stubborn as a mule about something they know Nothing about...definitely go before and after to avoid bladder infections though!
You are so wrong. It would be funny if not so sad. The stuff comes from the same place your lubrication does. Do you think you pee your lubrication? HaHaHa If this is any example of your sexual knowledge...You probably have kids already because you thought pulling out works! Maybe 4-5 kids since you don't seem to learn...People seriously, teach your kids about their bodies!
maybe u r a squirter
Dat_NewNew | 0
That's right 137. Best be watching your back now.
No, I was commenting on 3 different comments and they clumped together, not sure why. But, ya she is ignorant, lol...I just do not want people to believe that and be misinformed badly.
aussie_babe91 | 5
you got everything right except the female prostate gland, woman dont have one, it is another gland that holds fluid and is released thru stimulation and orgasm. but ya pee first that was y ensure there is no urine there just the clear fluid
Shockvalue | 0
Yes, libertyw is only 18 and doesn't know what she's talking about, but her being 18 has nothing to do with it. I knew what female ejaculation was when I was 17, even though I didn't have sex till I started college.
graciedacie | 0
Many women really do pee during sex. (Yes, actual pee. Urea and all.) It's SO annoying when people get upset and try to correct them, blah-blah-blahhing about female ejaculation. Take a chill pill, and realize you could be the wrong one.
Craven_Morrhead | 0
That's not pee! It's most definitely female ejaculate and, btw, that's hot as hell! Not all women can do it and your man is a lucky guy!!
WhatuhNoob | 0
whats the 'G' in G spot mean? ;D
DeviantBreeder | 7
That's like saying a man's jizz is the same as his piss, because it comes from the same hole. Or vomit & saliva are the same. Pretty crappy argument you've got going on there... lol.
Oreohugzpenny | 4
#14 Not in my life time will I put my face next to my pee.
maximumDERP | 6
fuckin lol
coolbeans26 | 12
Wow. Seriously? Please research. You are very very wrong. No liquid should EVER shoot out of your vagina that means something is very wrong.
By lonley_mom | 0
are u sure ur just not "squirting"? He would be hitting ur g spot that way...
lizamaphone | 6
squirting DOES NOT look like peeing. it's way more.... projectile.
paulhawkes | 5
Before squirting for the first time most women report thinking they're going to pee (and often stop or try to stop). It's only as they 'let go' that they have an overwhelming gspot orgasm. The projectile squirts often seen in porn is rare. The clear liquid that quiets out is not pee...
MsBrainDamage | 0
people who think the sensation of peeing can be confused with any sort of orgasm well... they are two different feelings. clitoral or vaginal neither feels like piss or looks like piss!! even if squirting looks similar it doesn't feel similar I'm sure she knew the difference hence the FML
RedPillSucks | 30
Perhaps if she's never had one before she might not know the difference.
I don't know, just a thought.
I don't know, just a thought.
paulhawkes | 5
Before squirting for the first time most women report thinking they're going to pee (and often stop or try to stop). It's only as they 'let go' that they have an overwhelming gspot orgasm. The projectile squirts often seen in porn is rare. The clear liquid that quiets out is not pee...
By BeautifulDizaztr | 0
If you actually pee'd then gross, pee before AND after sex btw. The feeling that you've got to pee during sex may just be the big O.
By raymanbrint | 0
I concur. you're likely having a g spot orgasm and not peeing. as long as a guy knows what it is, it's hot
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L3 MAPPS is a leading global supplier of control and simulation solutions for the marine, power generation and space business sectors.
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Headquartered in Montréal, Quebec, Canada, L3 MAPPS has operating units located in the United States, United Kingdom, India and Malaysia.
The team at L3 MAPPS is one of the largest, most experienced groups of control and simulation engineers, dedicated to designing, developing and building superior products. The creative synergy and collaborative spirit between the engineers generates new ideas and bold concepts that put L3 MAPPS way ahead of the competition - now and in the future.
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Solstice Light
Katie Eberhart - Writing & Observations
Web Cam History
Web Cam Image Archive - February 2006
Images are added every six hours at about 2:00AM, 8:00AM, 2:00PM and 8:00PM Alaska Time. Alaska is on double daylight saving time in the summer so 2:00 AM is roughly the equivalent of midnight sun time and 2:00PM is about noon sun time. (Alaska adjusts by one hour when the US goes off daylight saving time in October, so during the winter 1:00 PM is equivalent to Noon sun time.)
Click on a thumbnail to view the original web cam photo.
© 1997-2017 Katie Eberhart
Home | Blog - Nature & Literature | Writing & Poetry | Alaska Outdoors | Alaska Blog Archives | Site Map


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To love the people of the Philippines by sharing the one and only true gospel of our great Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
My wife Corazon and I are adult converts to Biblical Christianity. God has saved us in general and me specifically from the road to perdition. We accepted the free gift of salvation by the scriptural example by being baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:27, Acts 22:16, Romans 6:3) "For by Grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is the free gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast". EPH 2:-9 NKJV
Here goes a notice to all of our followers. We have arrived in the Philippines!. We will be starting a congregation of the Lords Church in Silang Cavite. Where our meetings will be held is yet to be determined. PLEASE bring all of your family and friends. Lessons will be delivered in English and ALL ARE WELCOME.
Ernest will be preaching at the Main Street Church of Christ. Sunday, March 5, 2017, Ernest will be appearing as a guest speaker at the Main Street church for Sunday morning service. We hope you can attend.
Following the service will be a 'Despedida' Potluck for Ernest and Cora
Until we establish ourselves permanently in the Philippines, you may reach us at the below contact options:
4100 N. Galloway Ave, Mesquite, TX 75150
(972) 279-6186


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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — There's a new after-hours spot now open in Center City Philadelphia.
It adults only, but spend a little time there and you'll probably start to feel like a kid again.
"Concourse (Dance Club) is an underground retro dance club," explains the club's Rose Brownell. "You have your bars, you have your night club, we're kind of that middle ground. Super fun, super laid back."
And yes, while it's 21 and older to get in, you'll quickly start to think of your childhood when you enter because…
"We have a ball pit which is the first of it's kind in Philadelphia," says Brownell. "You won't find a ball pit anywhere else except for McDonald's. It's super cool, it lights up, the balls are clear, there's floats inside."
It's not just the ball pit that shines bright though.
"When you walk in you're going to see this super, kind of trippy light system," Brownell says. "And then music, you can feel it in your bones, it's super loud. You see really cool decor on the walls."
Like cassette tapes for example. There's also classic arcade games and some other features that'll take you back.
"Vintage photo booth," Brownell says. "Take some pics with your friends. We also have a 'Pop Rocktail' going back to your roots when you were a kid eating that candy."
There's no dress code at Concourse. Just some old school fun.
"It's super unique," adds Brownell. "You won't find anything like it in Philly right now."
You can experience Concourse Dance Club for yourself on Friday and Saturday nights. It's located at 1635 Market Street.


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I cannot say how another might silence the mind - I can only share what I have discovered - for years I attempted to "meditate" but always with instructions that involved the mind as manipulator (breathing, sitting in a certain way, thinking about what was being applied etc.) It was only when I received very specific instructions in a simple technique that I knew I had just for the first time experienced meditation. The technique involved no thought, no ideation, no conceptualiztion - just the installation of an app, as it were, into the mind - the replacement of all the buzzings by simply listening to two syllables which had no relationship to "the world" or to "meaning" and that did it - one had only to listen to these two syllables repeating themselves within in order to have all else disappear from the mind. Only two criteria were applied: is it easy and is it pleasant? This is the function of the mantra - to erase the buzzings, to silence the mind - to allow the deeper mind to emerge. There are many ways to meditation. I am attuned to sound, so mantra meditation was natural to me. Now I listen to the entire Agni section of the sAmaveda as my daily mantra - this took some doing, a lot of "work" as it were, but it is the single most valuable task I have ever performed in my life. It's benefits exceed any manipulative, conceptualizing, mentalizing techniques I have tried over the years.
No exertion. No tension. No thought. No nothing. The mind becomes still. It is a revelatory process.
I don't presume to instruct or impart, I simply know what works for me. That is all. The biggest hurdle, roadblock, whatever, is our penchant for the complex, and our refusal to believe that something so simple could possibly be of any use whatever.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Exploring Inner Space by "Doing One Simple Thing"
Posted by Wayne McEvilly at 6:32 AM
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One of the most important and impactful trends that we are seeing in the facilities management business is the increased awareness of the value of coordination and cooperation long before a building or a business even opens its doors. As a matter of fact, before there even are doors. I am speaking, of course, about the value of bringing in facilities management professionals to assist with the design, development and construction process.
What's exciting to me is that this is a trend that seems to be on the upswing, with more organizations bringing facilities management professionals—from management staff, to representatives from housekeeping, maintenance and more—on board to solicit their insights and real-world experience and expertise to the design and development process. Facilities teams working together with construction is one of those things that seems so obvious in retrospect that you kind of wonder what took everyone so long to figure it out.
Instead of a handful of architects working in a vacuum, the design team can benefit from the practical feedback and end-user contributions of those professionals who are actually going to be working in the space. Because while architects, developers and construction teams may be working on the building for a year or two, maintenance professionals will be working in and maintaining the building for much longer. Representatives from facilities and maintenance can work with architects and designers to identify potential design problems and contribute important information about optimum layouts, materials, fittings and fixtures.
Especially in specialty facilities such as the heavy-use health care facilities that we here at Powerlink are so familiar with, the extra expense needed to install high quality materials and fixtures is the kind of design decision that will pay for itself many times over throughout the life of the facility. Facilities professionals can also contribute valuable information about the design and functionality of the spaces, as well as special considerations to account for cleanliness or patient care priorities. Considering the fact that organizations routinely spend tens, or even hundreds of millions of dollars to build or renovate a facility, the savings that can result from a more collaborative process are significant. Any additional up-front costs represent a relative drop in the bucket and make facilities consultation a wise investment.
The last thing any organization wants to discover is that operating and maintaining a new facility is unnecessarily difficult or unreasonably costly. With design elements attuned to the needs and standards of those who will be using, working in, and caring for the space every day, the facility itself becomes a powerful maintenance and management asset—making these design synergies a potentially important part of a long-term facilities management solution.


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Linking up with Jen for this belated holiday post! Seven things about my 2014 fourth of July:
1. Most of my family was out of town this holiday, so it ended up being Joel, my brother-in-law Joe, and me. We made big plans to have the most epic of holidays while everyone else was gone, but we were quite limited in our options. Joe is in a cast, I'm 33 weeks pregnant, and Thursday night Joel came down with a fever of 103 and hadn't totally recovered by Friday evening.
2. To pass the time while hubs was sick and resting, I passed the time by catching up with the fam in New York (you'll probably get an account of those charades over in Francine's corner) and planning what we'll do with baby's room once we find out the gender. All I'll say for now is puppy dog tails or glitter! I'll post pictures once we get the room tidied up.
3. Needless to say, we still celebrated with grilled steaks, popsicles, cookies, and the most American movie we could come up with: The Other Guys. We did find time to read the Buzzfeed list of Most American Comebacks... It was a very Patriotic start to the day.
4. We paused the after-dinner movie to catch the local fireworks, which ended up starting half and hour early due to the thunderstorm we didn't know was coming. Hmmm... plan b!
5. We were already on our way to my uncle & aunt's house in town to watch the fireworks (they lived pretty close to the launch site), so we went over anyway and we were warmly greeted with hugs, a campfire (pre-rain), and a tray of cookie bars. It was a delightful close to an unexpected day.
6. Although it's not technically the holiday anymore, we still have cigars (for Joel), a watermelon, glow sticks (leftover from our wedding), and year-old fireworks. Once hubby is feeling better, we've still got a day and a half of weekend left!
7. All right, it looks like I'm out of holiday-themed takes... here's hoping the rain stops and it's hot enough for the pool today. Happy belated Independence Day!


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School Photography
February 16, 2017 • Leave a Comment
School Photography is not something I show a lot because there seems to always be a parent in a class who doesn't want their child showing up anywhere online so I want to respect that and not publish class photos. But for a bunch of years now I have done school portraits for a few schools in the area. The Children's School in Berwyn was the first to ask me to do this back in 2012 and I have worked with them every year since, adding Alcuin Montessori and Oak Park Friends over the years. It is a pretty entertaining experience and a lot of work. There are kids who love it and totally ham it up and there are kids who just stand there with a serious look on their face no matter what, and then there are the itty bitty ones who sometimes are scared to tears of anything unusual (and there is a lot of snot). The families get to review a gallery of images to choose from which I like more than pre-purchasing a package of that fake smile one you sometimes get with school photos, but sometimes that fake smile one is who the kid is at that moment in time and I appreciate those too. Here is just a taste of this past falls school photos.
Keywords: Chicago, oak, park, photography, school
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Bittium Faros 90°
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Perfect tool for easy ECG recording
Faros 90° is an innovative tool for offline monitoring of ECG, HRV (Heart Rate Variability), stress, recovery and general well-being. Lightweight (13 grams), smoothly designed (48 × 29 × 12 mm) and easy to use Faros 90° is an ideal choice for long-term ECG holtering.
Open data formats support the versatile usage of the Faros sensors with variety of third party software (e.g. Kubios HRV, MatLab).
Because of the lightweight design the device can be worn comfortably during everyday life, and even during sleep. Multiple patented mounting options offer possibility to find the best and most suitable solution for each individual.
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Bittium Faros 90°
- ECG holtering (available sampling rates: 125 Hz, 250 Hz)
- Heart rate variability
- 3D acceleration: sampling up to 100 Hz (adjustable)
- Memory capacity: 20-30 days recording
- Rechargeable battery
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- Data formats: ASCII, EDF (European Data Format)
- Weight 13g
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Easy to use EDF Viewer software provides a great tool for simple viewing of ECG and accelerometer data as well as for viewing and printing the patient events created with the marker button during measurement. To get more information on available software for offline and online HRV analysis, ECG arrhythmia detection and mobile applications, please contact us.
What's included
- Faros 90° sensor
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Faros sensors are made-to-order, therefore, our delivery times are a little bit longer (2-4 weeks).
See also
Bittium Faros 180°
Bittium Faros 360°