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THE VACCINE POLITICS11/23/2020 The politics on vaccines is another issue that can potentially escalate into another time-bomb.
We have several vaccines that have promising results for the prevention of the COVID-19 virus. We know that these can take a few months before initial groups of people are monitored and the side effects of the drug are taken into consideration. We'll have the vaccines as our (Canadian) government committed to this a long time ago. Other countries have to wait until it becomes affordable and that preliminary results come out. No one wants to be the guinea pig, I suppose. Vaccines are one thing but the equitable distribution, affordability, accessibility and appropriateness of these vaccines to differentiated needs of different populations come into question. Another issue is about protecting consumers who have elected to use these vaccines under development, which calls for regulation and complete transparency for public welfare. We live in ambiguous times. We cannot trust our health systems and authorities that are overwhelmed and overworked to decide for our health, well-being, and safety. Like all systems, when it's saturated, it either collapses on the sheer weight of its load or dissipates into mediocrity or irrelevance. We also cannot turn a blind eye on the suffering and hardships that are experienced by our neighbors in the developing South. That's why we call on health equity across the board. Those that have multiple vulnerabilities and needs must be given equitable priority and attention and consulted adequately. Be your own health advocate and become a health advocate for others around you. The world is hyperconnected to risk being the weakest link.
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THE PANDEMIC PANORAMA10/2/2020 The vista post-pandemic will be entirely different, if not ambiguous, to say the least.
The things that we previously say 'no' to, becomes 'yes, we can try.' The things that are off-limits or too-distant, become possible. Barriers are starting to fall, to make room for adaptation. Doors are beginning to open up, when previously shut on your face. Since the crisis, I have been speaking with or training people from distant lands such as Nigeria, Uzbekistan, Hongkong, and recently Bangladesh. I am honored to be learning alongside them in this time. People are missing the in-person connections because presence is WHAT MAKES US HUMANS! We long for the day that we can travel again or visit folks or hold parties and weddings the way we do. But the future will be totally different, we might as well accept that fact and make room in our minds for the inevitable modifications. Yes, we can adapt to changes, without being fearful, forced into it, or depressed. We welcome the ambiguity and we mine it the opportunities presented by the crisis. We will wake up everyday ready to be surprised!
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WHEN GIANTS LORD OVER6/24/2019 Facebook has recently announced its new cryptocurrency which is called, Libra. Libra will be independent of Facebook and will evolve not only as a currency but a financial institution eventually. Facebook being one of the three tech giants, entered the cryptocurrency race and this is not surprising.
Governments and regulators are uniquely aware of the benefits as well as the concerns about the dominance of the big 3: wiping small competitors, disregarding regulations and rules, and imposing their heftiness on every one else. When giants ruled the earth, a billion years ago, the rest of the species grew too. And yet in the era of uber-competition and massive technological race, it is really a zero-sum game- the swiftest with the mostest? If the government can't battle with the billion-dollar corporations in terms of implementing regulations to support consumers' interests, where will the consumers go for protection, support, and welfare? In geo-politics, the rise of the two superpowers 60 years ago culminated in the dominance of only one big superpower- the United States of America which became the 'accidental cop' of the world. Yet, regional powers have emerged with renewed vigor, upsetting the hegemony of a superpower using trade, economics, and partnerships to leverage their reach amongst other nations and impose their interests. This echoes what has been the current narrative about it: it is good when it is benevolent and moral, and it's really bad when it acts like an evil empire- which can be embodied in one organization at any given time. |