The Thousand Islands is a chain of 342 islands off the northern coast of Java, about an hour by boat from Jakarta. Although there are hundreds of islands, only a few are inhabited. Eleven are home to resorts and two have been turned into museums preserving the history of the Dutch East Indies Trading Company, or VOC. The rest are privately owned or support small fishing villages. Pramuka Island is the district capital and home to a city hall and hospital. The island, which is about 45 minutes from Jakarta by high-powered speedboat, also serves as a transportation hub for tourists. It also has the district's only high school, with dormitories for students who live too far away to commute every day. There are nearly 500 students in Public High School 69, with about 50 of them living in the dormitories. One of them is Salsa Fadilah, whose life is in many ways like those of students on the mainland: she posts on Instagram, goes to morning ceremony every Monday and works on group … [Read more...] about High School Student’s Life in the Thousand Islands
George harrison living in the material world
Convergence of new tech|out to rock the corporate world
“We have seen the emergence of disruptive technologies. We have seen the historic changes – the advent of data, the emergence of AI/cognitive, the maturation of cloud, the internet of things, the IT and business platforms, the rise of blockchain, the coming-true power of quantum computing – these are each taking a part in transforming the way our businesses operate, and are fundamentally transforming the way we live,” said Patama. Organisations need to have a hybrid, agile and flexible cloud infrastructure – open, secure and well managed – operating in seamless private, public and multi-cloud environments, to host and run automation, blockchain and AI solutions, he added. Businesses need open cloud technologies, enabling them to move applications and data across multiple clouds easily and securely. The rapid innovations in technology have caused companies across industries to rethink how they leverage digital tools such as … [Read more...] about Convergence of new tech|out to rock the corporate world
Living with the dead: Urban poor take over Cambodian cemetery
PHNOM PENH: Graveyards may traditionally be the eternal resting place for the dead, but one cemetery in Phnom Penh has become a place to stay for the living, as communities destroyed by unstoppable development are forced to take desperate measures.Ma Nith confessed she was "speechless" when she realised that Smor San cemetery in the capital was to be home after her arranged marriage."It was beyond my belief that I could live here," said the 42-year-old mother of four, flipping fillets on the grill as her son clambered over a grave."But now, I've adapted to it," she told AFP, revealing that she had lived in the graveyard for 16 years.Cambodia has witnessed rapid economic progress since it emerged from decades of civil war and the ultra-Maoist Khmer Rouge regime, which abolished private property and killed a quarter of the population from 1975-1979.The World Bank estimates growth last year reached a four-year high of 7.5 per cent. But as gleaming condominiums crowd out slums, the 14 per … [Read more...] about Living with the dead: Urban poor take over Cambodian cemetery
Calling all expat liberals living in Thailand…
Liberalism and socialism are two different beliefs. The so-called Burmese Way to Socialism clearly led that country into absolute poverty, and today it is still struggling to overcome many difficulties that are a legacy of that era. In contrast, countries based on true liberal principles invariably enjoy prosperity and are places where people want to live. Canada is a case in point – an open, friendly country where people enjoy a high standard of living. In today’s world the storm clouds of neo-fascism are gathering. There are those who want to destroy the post-World War II institutions that have ensured peace, prosperity and development. To those European expats living here in Thailand who are concerned about what is happening in their home countries and the uncertainties caused by Brexit, please feel free to contact me via [email protected] A local group is needed that will uphold liberal democracy in the fight to make the world a better place. Ian Martin … [Read more...] about Calling all expat liberals living in Thailand…
Podcasters find niche in the Arab world
DUBAI: Rana Nawas left the corporate world nearly two years ago to produce and host a podcast - one that is now considered the most popular in the Arab world.The English-language series, When Women Win, tells the stories of successful women from all over the world and, according to Apple, has become the most listened to podcast in the Middle East.It first gained traction in 2017 in Dubai, where it is produced, before it started to spread across the region.Nawas said she created the series "to give women all over the world access to role models" by highlighting the "extraordinary things" ordinary women are doing."I've been surprised at how the region has embraced When Women Win," the 40-year-old told AFP, adding aviation giant Emirates Airline would start airing her show this month."There's clearly a thirst for this content, there's clearly a thirst for female role models," said the Briton of Lebanese and Palestinian origins.When Women Win, which is available to download in … [Read more...] about Podcasters find niche in the Arab world