"A testament to the strength of a system is the measure of what intensity of challenge it can endure and survive. The challenges of the past year have exposed a lot of flaws, which will take time to fix, nationally and globally, independently and collaboratively.
Arguably this reasoning could have been applied at various other moments in recent history, such as the end of WW2 or 9/11. We often speak of a post-world war era or a post-9/11 era.
What is different now is that all of humanity has found itself on the same side against a common adversary. The virus was first detected and its genetic code mapped around the new year transition of 2020. 2020 now becomes the new year zero. This year of uncertainty found us living “out of time”. We engaged in a “global arms race” ... to create a cure."
I do agree, the world is always changing. But I don't see how that's an argument for sticking to the same timeline. I think it's a good reminder that we can choose how to count our time and define new beginnings. Honestly, would you rather live in 2021 or year one of a new era? In a sense it's arbitrary, but it would feel different psychologically. How would you prefer to feel?
A) This was a pretty unusual experience for me. And I think it is unusual for the readers.
B) I can see your point. She did ask me to take photos and to tell her story. I have not been in touch with her in a while. I will deliberate for a bit and consider taking down her photos.
There is no profit motive. I am not paid for this story.
Irlan (left) wouldn’t let me take pictures, but occasionally I’d sneak one in.
I'm not sure what to think about this. Corruption is bad. But this particular official's heart seemed to be in the right place, and he treated you with respect, honesty, and generosity, even when he didn't have to. He doesn't seem to have been repaid in kind.
I want to say something like, "Hopefully Irlan isn't on the wrong side of the courtroom as a result of your story," but on the other hand... corruption is bad, and I don't want the legal system in my own country to work this way.
So, did you do a good thing by exposing Irlan and his colleagues, or a bad thing by betraying them? I honestly don't know. You made me empathize with someone I wouldn't ordinarily empathize with, and then you stuck a knife in his back. Which is interesting.
Parenthetically, if you're a US citizen, you're subject to the FCPA, which can potentially be a pretty big deal. Google it if you're not familiar with the acronym. I don't know if the FCPA's reach extends to bribing low-level immigration officials, but it's worth looking into if you plan to leave the article up.
Dunno. However, the Feds have a long history of defining "business transactions" in whatever terms suit their purposes at the moment. (Wickard v. Filburn comes to mind, for one thing.) And certainly export regulations don't make a distinction between commercial and private transactions.
Yes, on this trip I had many Police encounters. Most of the time, the best course of action was to feign ignorance and speak very loudly and excitedly in English, "Good Morning Officer!" and just keep repeating that and smiling. Then they would give up on you and move on to easier targets. I tried that at first here, but then changed tactics.
I still think it's a great story that's funny and well told while being respectful to the people involved. It's definitely indicative of a meaningful part of the culture that's very different from the western/american bureaucratic mindset.
I wrote an article about how my co-founder is pregnant and raising funding for our company, Sourcery. Investors are hesitant to bring up the issue in conversation for fear of coming off as an insensitive brute who questions a women's commitment to her company, but this is an important issue to address upfront. I try to lay out how we are preparing for this moment together.
Some have tried to hide this, and there are links to such accounts. But, "Na’ama is direct. She’s not the kind of person to pretend about anything. In the third trimester, her condition is nearly impossible to hide anyway. And yet surprisingly, most investors have scrupulously avoided discussing the fact."
They may have avoided any mention for legal reasons.
Pregnancy is one of the protected classes. If they talk about it and then don't give you funding, there are potential repercussions, just as if they discussed religion, race, etc.
I read that, but I can't tell if you meant that she's direct about it but waits until/if the investors bring it up, or if she brings it up with every investor, like Ms. Miller's adviser suggested.
World is small. I spent a winter there, working with the Synergy Strike Force. One thing led to another and I ended up coaching the regional basketball team:
Goods and Services IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Computer software for electronic design automation; computer software for creating, debugging, profiling, analyzing and optimizing embedded computer systems. FIRST USE: 20110713. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20110713
which is to say there doesn't seem to be a conflict.
@joshfraser - http://sourcery.us/ can help you with streamlining your sourcing, as well as surfacing the upstream supplier and location information (where available) just give us a shout!
"A testament to the strength of a system is the measure of what intensity of challenge it can endure and survive. The challenges of the past year have exposed a lot of flaws, which will take time to fix, nationally and globally, independently and collaboratively.
Arguably this reasoning could have been applied at various other moments in recent history, such as the end of WW2 or 9/11. We often speak of a post-world war era or a post-9/11 era.
What is different now is that all of humanity has found itself on the same side against a common adversary. The virus was first detected and its genetic code mapped around the new year transition of 2020. 2020 now becomes the new year zero. This year of uncertainty found us living “out of time”. We engaged in a “global arms race” ... to create a cure."
I do agree, the world is always changing. But I don't see how that's an argument for sticking to the same timeline. I think it's a good reminder that we can choose how to count our time and define new beginnings. Honestly, would you rather live in 2021 or year one of a new era? In a sense it's arbitrary, but it would feel different psychologically. How would you prefer to feel?