#LiaTIL

[lia-life-lounge]

Today I Learned...

...what a Commonplace Book is.

I recently came across the concept of a "Commonplace Book," and it got me thinking. A commonplace book is essentially a personal catalog where you collect quotes, ideas, and observations that resonate with you. It's a compilation of all your knowledge and learnings.

Apparently, the idea of keeping a (or multiple) commonplace books is also a tradition that dates back to the Renaissance.

Here's a very famous page from Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Forster, one of his many commonplace books:

You can also check out his Leicester Codex (or Hammer Codex), named simply after the millionaires who bought it. It's currently owned by Bill Gates—no surprise there—and is one of the most expensive books ever sold ($30 mil).

I named my blog a "life lounge," but honestly, it seems that what I've been calling a life lounge is really just a Digital Commonplace Book where I keep track of my learning and knowledge.

So yeah, honestly, it's nice having an idea for what my blog is rather than just a random collection of thoughts... because it's not exactly that, either. If it were just a blog of my daily life and random thoughts, you would see "today I did" posts rather than "today I learned" posts.

I'm curious, do any of you keep Commonplace Books, and how do you relate your Tumblr blog(s) to those journals, if at all?

I only have this one main blog and no side blogs, but I see the appeal in setting up side blogs... especially since I have such a wide range of interests.

But it seems that, in general, the people who have a natural curiosity and thirst for knowledge (the people I interact with and follow/am followed by on here) also share a lot of the same interests as I do... even if they only hyperfocus on one or two of them. So perhaps keeping my many interests all on one blog isn't so detrimental? I'd love to hear your opinions on this!

[khalilhumam]

Gavi and IOM Join Forces to Improve Immunization Coverage for Migrants

New Post has been published on http://khalilhumam.com/gavi-and-iom-join-forces-to-improve-immunization-coverage-for-migrants/

Gavi and IOM Join Forces to Improve Immunization Coverage for Migrants

Geneva – Today, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen their collaboration on vaccination efforts and related health services for migrants and forcibly displaced persons across the world, both regarding routine immunizations as well as in response to outbreaks. This milestone will be particularly critical in ensuring that migrants and other people on the move are considered and included, as the world continues its efforts to find a safe COVID-19 vaccine and is developing mechanisms, such as the COVAX Facility, to ensure a fair distribution so that as many lives as possible can be saved. “Despite enormous progress over the past two decades ensuring children everywhere have access to lifesaving vaccines, 14 million children every year still miss out on basic vaccines,” said Gavi CEO Dr Seth Berkley. “We know a disproportionate amount of these unprotected children come from migrant, refugee and displaced populations, who are too often overlooked when it comes to basic health care. This obviously becomes all the more important as we plan to rollout COVID-19 vaccines worldwide; we cannot allow these populations to miss out on what could be one of our best routes out of this pandemic. That’s why we’re delighted to partner with IOM, to help provide a healthier future to some of the most vulnerable people on earth.” “Vaccines are one of the most powerful tools we have to keep people on the move, the communities they leave behind and the communities they join as safe and healthy as possible,” stressed IOM Director General António Vitorino. “This reinforced partnership will be critical in helping IOM achieve just that and contribute tangibly to the realization of true universal health coverage.” The agreement signed by the two organizations focuses on reaching missed communities in humanitarian and emergency settings with vaccination and support routine immunization through engagement in primary health care systems. The partnership also aims to boost advocacy for the prioritization of vulnerable populations, support operational and policy assistance and facilitate technical collaboration. Specifically, the memorandum of understanding seeks to facilitate collaboration on ensuring the inclusion of migrants, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees in governments’ COVID-19 responses, in particular vaccination efforts. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership that helps vaccinate half the world’s children against some of the world’s deadliest diseases. Since its inception in 2000, Gavi has helped to immunise a whole generation – over 822 million children – and prevented more than 14 million deaths, helping to halve child mortality in 73 developing countries. Gavi also plays a key role in improving global health security by supporting health systems as well as funding global stockpiles for Ebola, cholera, meningitis and yellow fever vaccines. Gavi has already been working with IOM in South Sudan since 2019 to ensure vaccinations reached hard-to-reach populations throughout the country. For decades, hand in hand with its partners, IOM has been a key player in global efforts to ensure that migrants and other people on the move have proper access to vaccines across 80 countries. In 2019, more than 380,000 children under the age of five were vaccinated against polio and/or measles in emergency settings and, as part of IOM’s pre-migration health services, over 445,800 vaccination doses were administered to close to 181,350 migrants and refugees in the process of migration. In all of its migration health assessment centres, the Organization manages a robust vaccine distribution and storage system, with staff continuously trained and up-to-date with international standards. “For the distribution of any potential COVID-19 vaccine to be as fair and equitable as possible, IOM will be contributing its health expertise, data and other technical capacities based on its vast experience working with migrants and forcibly displaced persons,” said Director General Vitorino. “It is critical for everyone’s well-being not to leave the most at-risk behind.” For more information, please contact James Fulker at Gavi, jfulker@gavi.org or Yasmina Guerda at IOM, yguerda@iom.int

Language English

Posted: 

Tuesday, November 24, 2020 - 13:00

Image: 

Region-Country: 

Global

Themes: 

COVID-19

Default: 

Multimedia: 

A child vaccinated with support of IOM. Archival photo from March 2019. Photo: IOM

Nyabel, six month old, is one of IOM’s vaccine beneficiaries in Bentiu, South Sudan, thanks to Gavi funds, 2020. Photo: IOM/ Liatile Putsoa

Press Release Type: 

Global

[ao3feed-spirk]

Love Is Not a Measurement

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2Emki01

by WitchVirus

Kirk and Spock are living their lives normally with their two children, Lilaath and Liatil. However, one dinner conversation between all of them sparks an uncomfortable emotion in Spock; what was supposed to be a joke led him to believe he was unloved.

Words: 2050, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: M/M

Characters: James T. Kirk, Spock (Star Trek), Original Child Character(s)

Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Children, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Children, Space Husbands, Angst with a Happy Ending, Adopted Children

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2Emki01

[lia-life-lounge]

Today I learned...

...what Y2K is. I know. How is it possible that today is my first time hearing that term? Either I've heard it before and somehow filtered it out of my brain, or I genuinely heard it for the first time while watching a random video about a Korean mom learning how to style her Blasian kid's hair.

A lady in the video mentioned that the current hair trend was Y2K. So, of course, my brain went ??? and I just had to look into it... and this is what I found out:

Y2K is also called the Year 2000 problem, Y2K scare, Millenium Bug, Y2K glitch, Y2K error, etc., and although it refers to the year 2000, it technically spans the years of 1997-2005. (The letter K, which stands for kilo (a unit of 1000), is commonly used to represent the number 1,000. So, Y2K stands for Year 2000.)

I'll summarize what I learned so you don't have to go down the same rabbit hole I went down (no surprise there):

So there are two sides to Y2K: tech and culture.

The tech side is what gave Y2K its namesake. There apparently was this widespread fear that computers would misinterpret "00" as 1900 when calendar systems updated from 1999 to 2000, causing all sorts of chaos. Imagine bank systems crashing, planes malfunctioning—the works. Thankfully, that didn't happen, but it apparently had people on edge... hence, the Y2K scare.

Honestly, Y2K is really just what we typically think of when we think of "early 2000s fashion." Think of it as a blend of "The Matrix" and early Britney Spears. Metallics, futuristic elements, low-rise jeans, and bold colors.

...and apparently, Y2K fashion is making a comeback. I don't know who to blame. Maybe the new Barbie movie?

People have mixed feelings regarding Y2K's cultural revival. There's concern that Y2K fashion will also bring back "skinny obsession" and rewind progress on body positivity. I won't go into a deep dive on the topic in this post (although I could do an entire analysis if asked). So for now, I'll leave it at that! 💫 __________

Some discussion questions to consider! What do you think about Y2K fashion? Regardless of cultural implications, do you like or dislike the aesthetic?

Does the resurgence of Y2K fashion carry with it any cultural or social baggage/implications?

How does the Y2K revival intersect with the body positivity movement? Should fashion trends be mindful of social issues like body positivity, or should they evolve independently? And, of course... Have you been influenced—knowingly or unknowingly—by the Y2K trend?

[khalilhumam]

USAID Donates USD 4.5 Million to Fight COVID-19 in Conflict-affected South Sudan

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USAID Donates USD 4.5 Million to Fight COVID-19 in Conflict-affected South Sudan

Juba – The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) this week donated USD 4.5 million to help tens of thousands of people in South Sudan at risk of contracting COVID-19.  The funds, contributed by USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, come as confirmed new cases of COVID-19 in South Sudan are increasing daily.   There are 1,830 people infected with the disease, while 32 have died since the global pandemic started. Over 1,680 others – who may have been in contact with COVID-19 sufferers – also are being monitored by authorities.   The need in South Sudan to contain the disease is crucial, especially for populations living in densely populated areas of the capital, Juba, under cramped conditions where contagion is more likely to spread. Many people living in these locations have little or no access to medical care.   These new funds will be used to provide soap, hygiene kits, household water treatment solutions, and water buckets for local communities including the displaced. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) lso will be provided for health and humanitarian frontline workers—of IOM and other humanitarian organizations—who may also be at risk of exposure.  “This funding will allow frontline workers to continue combating COVID-19 in the places at greatest risk of infection,” said Tina Yu, Head of the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team here. “As a key player in the COVID-19 response, we support IOM’s continued efforts to protect vulnerable communities affected by the pandemic across South Sudan.”  Other uses for the funds will include improving access to affordable water, sanitation and hygiene services to communities most at risk of being infected by COVID-19. Many of these are outside of displacement camps in densely populated urban and semi-urban areas of Juba, where there is limited access to reliable water supplies.  IOM is establishing a network of shared public handwashing stations in densely populated areas that lack access to hygiene facilities, such as markets and busy transit hubs for locals, returnees and migrants.   IOM also is training Hygiene Promoters on conducting COVID-19 sensitization at community levels, including identifying key influencers and community leaders. IOM will produce radio broadcasts focusing on addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Protection issues amidst the pandemic.  “Putting in place measures to help curb the spread of the virus is extremely important as the country’s frail health system would not be able to cope with a continuous upsurge of cases. This support is a clear demonstration that only through collective efforts can we fight this pandemic that knows no borders,” said Jean-Philippe Chauzy, IOM South Sudan Chief of Mission. “Today the American people have demonstrated that they stand together with the people of South Sudan in the fight against COVID-19.”    IOM continues to work with the authorities in South Sudan  to support the National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan, particularly in the areas of infection prevention and control, and water and sanitation, in light of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on access to clean water and sanitation for all. 

The generous support of the US Government will enable IOM to significantly scale up its COVID-19 responses in South Sudan, which also includes screening activities in key points of entry, assessments of mobility and COVID-19 preparedness at key entry and transit hubs to inform the wider humanitarian response, the production of reusable cloth masks by beneficiaries, rumor tracking, and tailored risk communication and community engagement efforts. The Mission’s latest Weekly Sitrep is available here. 

For more information, please contact: Liatile Putsoa at IOM South Sudan, Tel: +21 19 123 80104. Email: lputsoa@iom.int   

Language English

Posted: 

Friday, June 19, 2020 - 13:04

Image: 

Region-Country: 

Sudan

Themes: 

COVID-19

Default: 

Multimedia: 

Critical WASH items for COVID-19 prevention destined for communities in Juba. Photo: IOM 2020 / Liatile Putsoa 

Press Release Type: 

Global

[khalilhumam]

The Humanitarian Hub in Malakal, South Sudan Goes Green

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New Post has been published on http://khalilhumam.com/the-humanitarian-hub-in-malakal-south-sudan-goes-green/

The Humanitarian Hub in Malakal, South Sudan Goes Green

Juba – The Humanitarian Hub in Malakal, in the Upper Nile State of South Sudan is reducing its carbon footprint following the successful installation and now fully operational hybrid solar power plant.    Managed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the plant will generate 900MWH of power and meet 80 percent of electricity demands in the Malakal facility, a ‘humanitarian hub’ that is base for 300 humanitarian workers from 34 humanitarian organizations in the area.  Together those workers serve nearly 30,000 internally displaced persons living in the adjacent United Nations Protection of Civilians (PoC) site as well as nearby vulnerable communities, including other migrants, living throughout Upper Nile State and parts of Jonglei State.      The hybrid solar power facility will generate electricity for office space and accommodations for humanitarian organizations and staff. The Hub had been using some 800 litres of diesel daily, which now will be significantly offset.   “The launch of the solar power plant could not have come at a better time,” said IOM’s Head of Sub-Office in Malakal, Arshad Rashid. “The restrictions on cross-border movement put in place by governments as a result of COVID-19 has meant delays in the fuel supply, and fluctuating costs of fuel needed to run generators. With solar power, we will be able to generate reliable and clean energy.”    The solar power plant has been developed by Norway’s Scatec Solar and Kube Energy, and part funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID). With its installation, current energy costs will be reduced by an estimated 18 per cent, which includes a significant reduction in CO2 emissions and noise pollution.     “We are thrilled to have completed this project for IOM and the Humanitarian Hub in Malakal.  Given the considerable challenges of operating in South Sudan brought about by protracted war and harsh weather conditions especially during the rainy season, completion of the project in just over a year is a sizeable achievement,” said Raymond Carlsen, CEO of Scatec Solar.   According to IOM South Sudan’s Chief of Mission Jean-Philippe Chauzy, the development of the plant is consistent with the UN’s SDGs on Affordable and Clean Energy.   “South Sudan enjoys sunshine year-round. Even during the rainy season, we still have long periods of sun, so this bid to shift to solar power was a no brainer,” Mr. Chauzy explained. “It made absolute sense to fully optimize the power of the sun in this way. Investing in renewable energy is investing in a sustainable future and the launch of this innovative project will undoubtedly help us path a way towards the use of more renewable energy systems within the humanitarian sector.”   For more information, please contact Liatile Putsoa at IOM South Sudan, Tel: +211912380104, Email: lputsoa@iom.int

Language English

Posted: 

Friday, June 5, 2020 - 14:00

Image: 

Region-Country: 

South Sudan

Themes: 

IOM

Default: 

Multimedia: 

Final stages of the solar power plant installation at the Humanitarian Hub in Malakal, South Sudan © IOM 2020 / Omar Patan

The new hybrid solar power plant the Humanitarian Hub in Malakal, South Sudan © IOM 2020 / Omar Patan

Unloading the power bank for the hybrid solar power plant in Malakal, South Sudan © IOM 2020 / Omar Patan

Press Release Type: 

Global

[khalilhumam]

IOM, Government of South Sudan to Establish a Point of Entry in Rank

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IOM, Government of South Sudan to Establish a Point of Entry in Rank

Juba –The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is working in close partnership with the government of South Sudan and other UN agencies to ramp up surveillance at the country’s borders as part of efforts to curtail the spread of COVID-19.   South Sudan has recorded 994 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of 1 June.   A team jointly led by the Government of South Sudan and IOM recently concluded a mission to conduct a joint needs assessment on the establishment of a Point of Entry (PoE)  in Wunthou, Renk County, located far north in the Upper Nile State on the country’s border with Sudan.    The team assessed the preparedness and capacity to carry out border management finding that protracted disputes over demarcation between Sudan and South Sudan have meant little cross-border cooperation between the two countries, including no shared intelligence, leaving movement across the borders uncoordinated.  Records of population movement which remains largely manual, availability of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities for response to COVID-19 were also assessed.   The PoE at Renk is one of the sixteen PoE’s identified by the government as top priority areas due to the density of people living along the border areas and the high flows of mixed migration population traveling into and out of the country. These include South Sudanese refugees returning following the signing of the Revitalized Peace Agreement and the formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity.   With approximately 40 to 50 trucks moving across the border each qweek, Renk has proven to be an important trading hub and is vital to the humanitarian aid lifeline connecting South Sudan and Sudan.   “Renk is an important and busy trade and humanitarian corridor,” said IOM South Sudan Chief of Mission, Jean-Philippe Chauzy.   “As a first step and before establishing a fully-fledged point of entry, it is imperative that infection prevention and control measures such as the installation of hand washing stations are in place as well as proper management of suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19,” added Chauzy.     In March, South Sudan suspended all flights and closed all its land borders to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Cargo and humanitarian aid, food trucks and fuel tankers are exempted from the ban.   The South Sudan COVID-19 National Country Response Plan has mandated IOM and the Ministry of Health as the co-leads of the PoE Engagement pillar.   “We are very pleased that this joint assessment with the International Organization for Migration and other partners took place,” said the Ministry of Health’s Director of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, Dr Zacharia Modi. “It is an important step to ensure that while we keep borders open for essentials and humanitarian relief, we do so while taking precautions that protect the public from COVID-19 transmission.”  Dr Modi noted the need to strengthen the capacities of local authorities, frontline officers and local partners in responding to this pandemic, including improving the current infrastructure that is not yet adequate to respond to the health crisis.  For more information, please contact Liatile Putsoa at IOM South Sudan, Tel: +211912380104, Email: lputsoa@iom.int

Language English

Posted: 

Tuesday, June 2, 2020 - 15:11

Image: 

Region-Country: 

South Sudan

Themes: 

COVID-19

Default: 

Multimedia: 

Wunthou border in Renk, South Sudan © Aleu Kuek / Care International

Press Release Type: 

Global