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  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health – Dental Association promotes water to Gen Z Kiwis in new social media campaign

    Source: New Zealand Dental Association

    The New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA) is urging young Kiwis to ditch sugary drinks for water throughout the month of November in its new look ‘Switch to Water’ social media campaign.
    This year’s campaign, launching tomorrow (6 November) to coincide with National Oral Health Day, aims to promote water as the drink of choice for Gen Z Kiwis.
    New ‘Switch to Water’ ambassador, dentist and rising rugby star, Christian Lio-Willie, says he’s pumped to partner with NZDA on this campaign targeting Gen Z Kiwis.
    “This year, we’ve focused on the 15-25-year-old group, as they drink the most sugary drinks, are targeted heavily by advertisers, and suffer disproportionately in terms of tooth decay and other negative health impacts.”
    “To do that, we’ve created a meme based social media campaign utilising TikTok and Instagram platforms, and enlisted local influencers Odd Ones to help promote the ‘Switch to Water’ message and the ‘All Rizz No Fizz’ hands water challenge,” says Lio-Willie.
    “This year’s challenge is a video based one, and designed to be a lot of fun,” he says.
    “There are fantastic prizes on offer too, including two digital creator packs for the creators of the two best water challenge videos submitted during the November campaign period.”
    Research reveals Kiwis consume around 37 teaspoons of sugar per day on average, which is detrimental to good health. The WHO advises adults and young adults should not consume more than 6 teaspoons per day, and children not more than 3-4 per day.
    Consumption of sugary drinks is a leading cause of tooth decay in New Zealand and contributes significantly to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other serious health problems.
    Currently, nearly two thirds of adults and one third of children are either overweight or obese in New Zealand.
    NZDA President Dr Amanda Johnston says switching from sugary drinks to water has huge benefits for the whole body, and particularly the mouth.
    “As a dentist, I see the damage being caused by high sugar drinks every day. They have absolutely no health benefits and are a major cause of tooth decay in our young people,” says Johnston.
    “This year’s new campaign and challenge aims to capture the attention of our young people and promote healthy habits that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.”
    To learn more, visit switchtowater.co.nz and find out how you can participate in this year’s challenge and be into win some great prizes. There, you will also find information on the benefits of water, as well as links to our campaign social channels.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Climate News – October Climate Summary – NIWA

    Source: NIWA

    The October 2024 Climate Summary. Highlights:
    – A mild month overall, with a nationwide average temperature of 12.9°C
    – Chatham Island recorded its highest October mean air temperature since records began there in 1878
    – Very wet for much of the South Island, dry for the eastern North Island
    – Dunedin experienced widespread flooding and a local state of emergency.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Joint Statement from CISA and EAC in Support of State and Local Election Officials

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    WASHINGTON – The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) issued the following statement today.

    “Tens of millions of Americans will cast their ballot tomorrow as we elect the next President and Vice President of the United States, as well as decide numerous congressional, state, and local races.  None of this would be possible without the hard work and dedication of state and local election officials in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories.  They have been working for years to get ready for tomorrow, and they will continue working long after the polls close in the evening.  They are the heroes of our democracy, and CISA and the EAC are proud to support them.

    “We appreciate the partnership of the National Association of Secretaries of State and National Association of State Election Directors.  These organizations represent election officials serving every American.  We echo the sentiment in the statement they issued today.”

    The full statement issued by NASS and NASED is as follows:

    “We are proud to represent state and territorial election officials in all 50 states, the District of Co­lumbia, and the five U.S. territories. Election officials make it possible for Americans to safely and securely participate in tomorrow’s general election. Planning for tomorrow’s election began four years ago, and the election community is prepared. Our members, along with their colleagues at the local level, have devoted extensive time, energy and resources to safeguard America’s elec­tions.

    “As with any Election Day, it is important to note operational issues may arise: for example, voting locations could open late, there could be lines during busy periods, or an area could lose power. These are inevitable challenges that will arise on Election Day, but election officials have contin­gency plans for these and other scenarios. Americans can have confidence the election is secure, and the results will be counted accurately.

    “Remember election night results are always unofficial. While the focus on election night is on who won and who lost, those races are called by the media, not election officials. In the days and weeks to come, election officials will count every eligible ballot, including ballots cast in-person on or before Election Day, mail ballots, provisional ballots, and ballots cast by military and overseas voters. Accurately counting millions of ballots takes time and it is important to be patient. Some races will be close and may require a recount or a recanvass. Many election officials will also con­duct audits to verify the accuracy of the results. We implore all Americans to understand these pro­cesses are normal and done in accordance with state and territorial law.

    “There are thousands of state and local races on the ballot across the country, in addition to the presidential race. We encourage eligible voters who have not already cast their ballots to do so tomorrow.”

    ###

    About CISA 

    As the nation’s cyber defense agency and national coordinator for critical infrastructure security, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency leads the national effort to understand, manage, and reduce risk to the digital and physical infrastructure Americans rely on every hour of every day.

    Visit CISA.gov for more information and follow us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Quincy Jones mastered the art of arrangement, transforming simple tunes into epic soundscapes

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jose Valentino Ruiz, Associate Professsor of Music Business and Entrepreneurship, University of Florida

    Quincy Jones left his indelible touch on some of the 20th century’s most iconic albums. Arnold Turner/Getty Images for Netflix

    On the sleeve notes of some of the most memorable and best-selling albums of all time, you’ll find the words “Produced and arranged by Quincy Jones.”

    It was a hallmark of quality.

    Jones, who died on Nov. 3, 2024, at the age of 91, transformed our understanding of musical arrangement. His work spanned decades and genres, from jazz and pop to hip-hop and film scoring. He worked with pop icons like Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin, and also collaborated with lesser-known artists such as Lesley Gore and Tevin Campbell.

    Each of his projects, collaborations and forays into new genres redefined what it meant to arrange music.

    As a music business and entrepreneurship professor, I’ve studied and taught Jones’ techniques, which I hope can inspire the next generation of musicians.

    A master musical architect

    Musical arrangement might seem like an abstract concept.

    Simply put, it’s the art of deciding how a song unfolds. While a composer writes the melody and harmony, an arranger shapes the experience, choosing which instruments play when, how textures build and where dynamics shift.

    Arrangement transforms a song from notes on paper into a fully realized piece of art that resonates with listeners. In essence, an arranger acts as a musical architect, designing the structure of a song to tell a compelling story.

    Jones brought a visionary approach to arranging. He wasn’t merely filling in the gaps around a melody with a drum beat here and a horn section there; he was crafting a musical narrative that gave each instrument a purpose, guiding listeners through an emotional journey.

    From his early work in the 1950s and 1960s with jazz greats like Count Basie and R&B star Ray Charles, to his blockbuster productions with Michael Jackson, Jones saw arrangement as a tool to guide listeners from one musical moment to the next.

    Elevating voices

    His work on “Sinatra at the Sands” is but one example.

    Jones created lush, energetic big-band arrangements that perfectly complemented Sinatra’s smooth, warm voice. The choice of brass swells and the dynamic shifts amplified Sinatra’s charisma, turning the album into a lively, almost-cinematic experience. Unlike many arrangements, which often stay in the background, Jones’ took center stage, blending harmoniously with Sinatra’s vocals while adding depth and excitement to the entire performance.

    In Ray Charles’ “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” Jones used orchestral swells and background vocals to bring out the soul in Charles’ voice, creating a richly emotional experience for listeners. By intelligently pairing Charles’ gospel-tinged vocals with a polished, orchestral arrangement, Jones captured the tension between sorrow and resilience – a demonstration of his ability to communicate complex emotions through arrangement.

    Ray Charles, left, shares a laugh with Quincy Jones in 2004.
    George Pimentel/WireImage for NARAS via Getty Images

    Turning songs into stories

    Jones’ skill at using arrangement as a storytelling device was exemplified by his collaboration with Jackson.

    Albums like “Thriller” and “Off the Wall” showcased Jones’ knack for inventively layering sounds. On “Thriller,” Jones combined electronic and acoustic elements to create a multidimensional soundscape that set a new standard for production.

    His ability to incorporate textures, background vocals and unique instrument choices – such as horror actor Vincent Price’s iconic narration on the song “Thriller” – transformed pop music, setting the stage for future producers to experiment with storytelling in their own arrangements.

    In Jackson’s “Bad,” Jones pushed the boundaries of genre by blending funk rhythms with pop structures, giving Jackson’s music a timeless appeal.

    The title track’s arrangement has layers of rhythm and harmony that build a feeling of tension and power, enhancing Jackson’s message of confidence and defiance. Each instrument and background vocal in “Bad” serves a purpose, creating a sound that is bold, exciting and engaging.

    Lessons for educators

    For educators teaching music production and commercial music, Jones’ approach provides a gold mine of practical lessons.

    First, his commitment to genre fusion teaches students the importance of versatility. Jones’ career demonstrates that blending jazz, pop, funk and even classical elements can create something innovative and accessible. Students can learn to break free from the constraints of single-genre production, seeing instead how various musical styles can work together to create fresh, engaging sounds.

    Quincy Jones, pictured here with Michael Jackson, won 28 Grammys during his career.
    Chris Walter/WireImage via Getty Images

    Second, Jones’ emphasis on storytelling through arrangement offers students a framework for making music that resonates.

    In my classes, I encourage students to ask themselves: How does each musical element support the emotional arc of the song? By studying Jones’ arrangements, students learn to think of themselves as storytellers, not just sound engineers. They can begin to see arrangement as an art form in itself – one that has the power to captivate audiences by drawing them into a musical journey.

    Finally, Jones’ work shows the power of collaboration. His willingness to work across genres and with a variety of artists – each bringing unique perspectives – demonstrates the value of open-mindedness and adaptability.

    His life’s work serves as a reminder that music is more than just sound; it’s an experience shaped by careful, intentional decisions, with every sound and silence in a piece of music serving a purpose.

    Jose Valentino Ruiz is the CEO of JV Music Enterprises.

    – ref. Quincy Jones mastered the art of arrangement, transforming simple tunes into epic soundscapes – https://theconversation.com/quincy-jones-mastered-the-art-of-arrangement-transforming-simple-tunes-into-epic-soundscapes-242877

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: (WIP) Defending from within: A guide to insider threat management

    Source: Allens Insights

    More than 35% of all cyber events globally originate inside an organisation—either as a result of error or misuse. This number is growing. 5 min read

    Given how hard it is to protect against sophisticated cyber attacks by external threat actors, reducing insider risk can significantly affect an organisation’s overall risk profile. But insider threats present unique challenges for organisations.

    To better prevent, detect and respond to insider threats, organisations need to ensure close cooperation between their legal, HR, risk, IT, cyber and fraud functions, and adopt a combination of technical, operational and behavioural measures.

    This guide is designed to help general counsel, HR, senior management and boards manage insider risks in a manner that is both legally compliant and ethical.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: USINDOPACOM Statement on DPRK’s ballistic missile launches

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    We are aware of the DPRK’s multiple ballistic missile launches and are consulting closely with the Republic of Korea and Japan, as well as other regional allies and partners. The United States condemns these actions, as well as last week’s intercontinental ballistic missile launch, and calls on the DPRK to refrain from further unlawful and destabilizing acts.  While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, or territory, or to our allies, we continue to monitor the situation. The U.S. commitments to the defense of the ROK and Japan remain ironclad.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge’s first steel truss girder hoisted to designated position for installation in SW China

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge’s first steel truss girder hoisted to designated position for installation in SW China

    Updated: November 5, 2024 08:30 Xinhua
    An aerial drone photo taken on Nov. 4, 2024 shows the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge’s first steel truss girder, weighing about 215 tonnes, being hoisted to its designated position for installation in southwest China’s Guizhou Province. With a designed deck height of 625 meters, the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge is set to be the highest in the world upon its completion in 2025. The 2,890-meter-long bridge is located in Bouyei-Miao Autonomous County of Guanling and is part of an expressway linking the Liuzhi special district of Liupanshui City and Anlong County of Bouyei-Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Qianxinan, Guizhou Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Nov. 4, 2024 shows construction workers preparing to hoist the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge’s first steel truss girder, weighing about 215 tonnes, to its designated position for installation in southwest China’s Guizhou Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Nov. 4, 2024 shows the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge’s first steel truss girder, weighing about 215 tonnes, being hoisted to its designated position for installation in southwest China’s Guizhou Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Nov. 4, 2024 shows the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge’s first steel truss girder, weighing about 215 tonnes, being hoisted to its designated position for installation in southwest China’s Guizhou Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Nov. 4, 2024 shows the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge’s first steel truss girder, weighing about 215 tonnes, being hoisted to its designated position for installation in southwest China’s Guizhou Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Nov. 4, 2024 shows the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge’s first steel truss girder, weighing about 215 tonnes, being hoisted to its designated position for installation in southwest China’s Guizhou Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Canada and churches have moral obligations for the reparations of missing and disappeared Indigenous children: Final Report

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Frank Deer, Professor, Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba

    Independent Special Interlocutor Kimberly Murray has released her final report after two years of examining the issue of missing and disappeared Indigenous children and unmarked burials sites at residential schools in Canada.

    During the ceremony last week in Gatineau, Que., Murray said governments do not often implement recommendations given on such reports. So she opted to identify 42 “legal, moral and ethical obligations” for governments, churches and other institutions. These are proposals on how to make holistic reparations to Indigenous Peoples.

    Murray emphasized that the children were “victims of enforced disappearance.”

    Since the 1870s and continuing for more than 150 years, over 150,000 First Nations, Métis and Inuit children were taken from their families and forced to attend church-run, government-funded residential schools. The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation has documented more than 4,100 deaths of children at the schools.

    After potential unmarked graves were identified at former residential school sites, the Canadian government appointed Murray to make recommendations on unmarked graves and burial sites.

    The report, “Sites of Truth, Sites of Conscience” focuses on aspects of the Indian Residential School experience: unaccounted missing children, unmarked grave sites, the roles of government and churches in the Indian Residential School genocide and failure to maintain records of the deaths and burials of deceased children.

    The report centres Indigenous strategies for research and advances a framework of reparations to “support the search for and recovery of the missing and disappeared children and unmarked burials.” It is an extension of the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) whose final report devoted an entire volume toward missing children and unmarked burials. The newest report is even more bold than the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

    The TRC report observed that “the most basic of questions about missing children — Who died? Why did they die? Where are they buried? — have never been addressed or comprehensively documented by the Canadian Government.”

    Since the TRC report was released in 2015, efforts to investigate this issue of missing children and unmarked graves has increased significantly.

    CBC News report: Special interlocutor on Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites issues final report.

    Reconciliation and reparations

    Murray explores the issue of genocide in the Indian Residential School system in ways that indict the Canadian government and other institutions of crimes.

    The report says Canada must refer to “the enforced disappearance of children,” as a “crime against humanity” and the issue needs to be taken to the International Criminal Court. It further states that the “federal government and other institutions have worked harder to protect perpetrators than they ever did to protect Indigenous children, families, and communities,” and that Canada has embraced a culture of “settler amnesia and willful forgetting.”

    In support of this indictment, Murray shows how the government and church were not only responsible for acts of omission in that somehow failed to protect Indigenous children in their care. Instead, they were acts of commission: deliberately created situations in which Indigenous children in their care were severely harmed.

    Murray refers to this as forced disappearances — when the liberty of Indigenous children is taken away and their fate was concealed.

    In addition, the Independent Special Interlocutor also focuses on, among other things, our moral and ethical obligations as foundational frames for reparations.

    A moral framework

    Murray put forth 42 obligations that reflect the morally and ethically centred responsibilities of governments, churches and other institutions.

    These moral and ethical responsibilities inform the reparations that Murray articulates in her report.

    These responsibilities and obligations include:

    • Calls for long-term financial support of investigations into missing and disappeared Indigenous children and Indian Residential School burial sites

    • Support for survivors

    • The recording of their stories

    Core values

    Underlining the report is a moral principal that efforts to find missing children and unmarked graves must be Indigenous-led.

    These moral principles, this foundation for action, articulated by Murray, can provide a compelling rationale that may help change attitudes and action.

    The recent report puts forth several moral and ethical principles which we need to consider.

    One of the report’s powerful statements is:

    “Children must be cared for in life and after death.”

    This might seem to some a simple point that is obvious and even unnecessary. However, the distance between such important declarations and the policies of Canadian governments and institutions has been vast.

    That this particular principle refers to the importance of care “after death” ought to be familiar to any of us who’ve lost loved ones. However, stating it clearly here strengthens the point that government and other institutions have obligations to children who died in their care.

    Another important principle from the report is that “search and recovery work is sacred.”

    The need to discover who died, the reasons why they died, and the location of their remains is one so connected to the emotional well-being of living descendants and fellow community members that it is a spiritual journey.

    This is why the search and recovery processes must be Indigenous-led.

    This report, like the TRC’s and the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, contains demands for action that should be accepted and acted upon by governments and institutions.

    The moral and ethical principles that inform those demands can be as important for informing change. It is in these principles that we may find moral guidance and direction toward righteousness.

    We may also find, if we’re paying attention, our humanity.

    Frank Deer receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. Canada and churches have moral obligations for the reparations of missing and disappeared Indigenous children: Final Report – https://theconversation.com/canada-and-churches-have-moral-obligations-for-the-reparations-of-missing-and-disappeared-indigenous-children-final-report-242560

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government science cuts take New Zealand even further backward

    Source: Council of Trade Unions – CTU

    NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is deeply concerned about the future of investment in science, following the latest announcement of another 60 jobs cuts at Environmental Science and Research (ESR). The Government has now axed more than 500 jobs in the public science sector.

    “The Government doesn’t seem to believe in the value of science and isn’t interested in making the investment required. Instead, it is taking us backwards and slashing funding in favour of tax cuts for landlords and tobacco companies,” said Wagstaff.
     
    “We should be increasing investment in science and properly funding Crown Research Institutes (CRIs) and universities. New Zealand is only spending about half the OECD average on science and research and development (R&D) already.
     
    “It’s well known that countries that invest a higher proportion of GDP directly in R&D (both private and public) see greater returns economically, socially and environmentally.
     
    “The decision to make these cuts has been made even though the report of the Science System Advisory Group report is due out shortly, which demonstrates the lack of commitment there is to listen to the evidence on the importance of science investment.
     
    ‘The Government talks about the need to tackle our poor productivity performance, and the need for a longer-term plan to arrest our decline, but their actions continue to take us in the opposite direction.
     
    “It’s time we had a serious conversation about science, and we urgently need a government that is prepared to have that conversation and not just bury it’s head in the sand,” said Wagstaff.
     
    Note:
    The CTU and several affiliated unions are member organisations of the Save Science Coalition. The Save Science Coalition released a report in July this year about the cuts to science funding and staffing so far, which can be found here. The group is now working on an update to this report, to account for the ongoing cuts we are seeing at GNS, ESR and elsewhere. The report will contain more detailed numbers and information and is expected to be released before the end of the year.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Auckland’s Te Henga Walkway re-opens to viewing point post cyclone Gabrielle

    Source: Department of Conservation

    Date:  05 November 2024

    The re-opened 1.8km track starts at the northern end of the original track on Constable Road, south of Muriwai Beach. The 65-minute walk (one way) takes walkers to the new end of the walkway at Tirikohua Point. At the half-way point is a natural viewpoint with stunning views both north and south of the dramatic coastline.

    The original Te Henga Walkway, which traversed the cliffs from Te Henga/Bethells Beach to Muriwai, suffered enormous damage in the extreme weather events in early 2023. Major sections of the cliffs collapsed which destroyed large sections of the track says DOC Tāmaki Makaurau Operations Manager Rebecca Rush.

    “The full coastal track had suffered from severe landslides over several years making it no longer a resilient, safe or sustainable place to rebuild the track. 

    “The new viewpoint gives walkers a destination to reach, and a place to take in the beauty of the rugged west coast of Auckland – the main attraction of the original walkway. We anticipate Aucklanders of a range of ages and fitness levels will enjoy this shorter track.” 

    Rebecca reminds the public the old walkway, from Tirikohua Point south to Bethells Beach is closed and impassable with many large sections wiped out by significant landslips. 

    Edward Ashby, CEO of Te Kawerau Iwi Tiaki Trust says giving people the opportunity to experience the west coast’s magnificent landscape helps connect people to nature and is a welcome solution for the damaged track. 

    “While the total loss of large sections of the track was devastating for the iwi and community, particularly given the wider impacts to locals from the 2023 weather events, the solution of a shorter track provides some positive recreation and access for people.

    “The area is of immense spiritual significance to Te Kawerau ā Maki as a traditional pathway between Muriwai and Te Henga that includes some of our most ancient pūrākau (stories), major pā, peace-making sites, iwi lands such as Parihoa and Te Henga blocks, and the nearby location of our planned marae at Te Henga.

    “We’re working with DOC to consider a new name for this shortened walk to reflect the history and beauty of the place.”

    To plan your walk, visit the DOC track webpage Te Henga Walkway

    Background information 

    Te Henga Walkway

    Te Henga Walkway suffered around 20 landslides during summer 2023. Major sections of cliff collapsed destroying large lengths of track. The storms also took out one bridge at the Bethells Beach end of the original walkway and one on the hillside. An average of 30,000 visitors used to hike the Te Henga Walkway each year. 

    2023 North Island weather events including Cyclone Gabrielle

    DOC received $12.6 million to help fix up nature, heritage, and visitor sites in the North Island that were damaged in the North Island weather events.

    89 per cent of the visitor sites affected by Cyclone Gabrielle, and that were funded, have been repaired, supported, or reopened in some way.

    Most ecosystems are slowly recovering from the cyclone, and efforts are being made to help endangered species in certain areas. Recovery work is still ongoing, and more resources are needed to deal with the loss of plants and animals, as well as damage to cultural, heritage, and visitor sites.

    Te Kawerau ā Maki

    Te Kawerau ā Maki are the West Auckland based iwi with shared interests over the northern half of the Auckland Region. Their heartland is the Waitākere Ranges where their marae is planned to be rebuilt at Te Henga. Further information about the iwi can be found at www.tekawerau.iwi

    Contact

    For media enquiries contact:

    Email: media@doc.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: ABC Radio Breakfast with Ross Solly

    Source: Australian Ministers 1

    ROSS SOLLY: The National Capital Authority recently released – or just in the last couple of weeks, released its annual report, and buried inside that report was the news that a couple of key infrastructure projects, including work it was doing on Scrivener Dam and on Commonwealth Bridge, have sort of become stuck in a bit of a quagmire. They’re going nowhere, and nobody can actually explain why. We have put in a request to the National Capital Authority on several occasions. I don’t think we’ve even got a reply to be honest. I don’t think they’ve even acknowledged our request, so it’s a bit difficult to get a response from the National Capital Authority though. Somebody who has managed to sit down and have a chat with them though is Kristy McBain, the Federal Minister for Regional Development and Member for Eden-Monaro. Good morning to you, Kristy McBain. 

    KRISTY MCBAIN: Good morning Ross. How are you going?

    SOLLY: Yeah, not too bad. I understand you had a meeting with the NCA yesterday. Did you raise with them the concerns about what’s happening with these infrastructure projects?

    MCBAIN: I meet with the NCA pretty regularly about a range of their work and their program in front of them. Obviously, we spoke about Scrivener Dam and the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge Renewal projects. Both of those projects are finalising their tender stage at the moment, and I’m really looking forward to those successful tenderers being announced in the coming weeks.

    SOLLY: I understand there have been significant delays? Did they explain why we’re well behind schedule on those projects?

    MCBAIN: When we talk about the Scrivener Dam project, it holds back 33 million cubic metres of water. It’s a pretty big project. This will be the most significant strengthening works completed on the dam since it was built in 1963. What is happening is some work on the dissipator there, so that when water spills over the damn it doesn’t erode the banks down the river. There are 700 new anchor points going into the foundation rock, 10 to 20 metres deep. So a pretty complex engineering project. Whilst the procurement has taken longer than we would have liked, it’s in the process of being finalised now. We’re six months behind where we would have wanted to be, but work will commence before Christmas, which is the most important thing.

    SOLLY: Yeah, for sure. But can I also say this is taxpayers’ money that’s been spent here and there has been a delay. Why has there been a delay? Are you satisfied with the reasons that have been put forward to you for why everything has been put back, and that we are now running behind schedule?

    MCBAIN: As I said, we’re six months behind schedule, but the project will commence before Christmas. The project is still on budget which is the most important thing for taxpayers to understand. It’s a pretty complex engineering job that is required on the Scrivener Dam. We look forward to work starting, that’s what Canberrans want to see. Obviously, the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge is another significant piece of work. It’ll be the first time major works have happened on that bridge apart from maintenance, since it was built as well. It’s really important that we get that right as well.

    SOLLY: Is that still on budget or are we now over budget for that?

    MCBAIN: No, that’s still on budget. That includes works that will strengthen and widen the bridge, making sure that those passenger and bicycle lanes are also there. It’s probably one of the most utilised assets across Canberra for both passenger vehicles, trucks and pedestrians. It’s really important that project is done well, and there’s been a range of works that have had to take place to get to the tender stage, which is important.

    SOLLY: And of course, it is also integral, isn’t it, to the whole light rail plan?

    MCBAIN: That’s right. Before this one went to tender, there was obviously some quite detailed design work, statutory, environmental and heritage assessments. A pretty big public and stakeholder consultation. Obviously, it’s one of the most utilised assets across Canberra, but it is vital for light rail. Although, the works that are being done on Commonwealth Bridge themselves are not done for light rail. Lights rail’s project is separate to what we’re doing on the bridge.

    SOLLY: That’s true. Are you still confident in the capacity of the NCA to handle these big projects? I notice that there’s some critics suggesting that maybe this is all a bit much, and there needs to be a bigger authority come in and run big projects like this. Are you confident in the abilities of the NCA to do this work, Kristy McBain?

    MCBAIN: Absolutely. Again, this nationally significant project remains on budget, which is extraordinary in the current environment, particularly the current construction environment that we see. The NCA have been doing a fantastic job on this, and the work that they’ve been doing in the lead up to this tender process shows how prepared they are, by making sure that all of the design elements are sorted before they go to tender.

    SOLLY: All right. 7:27. While I’ve got you here. Kristy McBain, I have to ask you, are you still, are you a member of the Chairman’s Lounge?

    MCBAIN: I am, I’m a member of the Chairman’s Lounge.

    SOLLY: Are you going to retain your membership?

    MCBAIN: I pay for a Rex Lounge membership. Yes. One of the reasons it’s incredibly important is a lot of times when we are travelling you’re required to have some last-minute briefings or meetings that come up, and you need to do that in an environment that you can shut a door and have an office space. I’ve done a range of media interviews in those lounges. I’ve recorded a bunch of things in those lounges. There is a lot of travel required, although most of my travel is usually in the car around the electorate. But in my ministerial role when I am travelling, it’s important to have a space sometimes to be able to get some work done in between flights.

    SOLLY: Have you ever asked for an upgrade?

    MCBAIN: No.

    SOLLY: Why not? Everyone else does, seems to be anyway.

    MCBAIN: A lot of my flights are into regional areas, and I’m travelling with Rex or Qantas into regional areas. A lot of those planes don’t have a business class for obvious reasons. You’re on smaller planes and it’s just not something that has ever happened.

    SOLLY: Just quickly on the TAFE and the HECS changes in about a minute or so, do you think that’s going to have some significant bearing in the Canberra and surrounding districts?

    MCBAIN: It’s going to be incredibly important for communities right across the country. It’s a great announcement. We know that HECS debt has been piling up. It’s a way to make it fairer for people now and into the future. Fee-Free TAFE locks in those fee-free TAFE places in critical shortage areas like our trades. We know we need more houses built across this country and it’s incredibly important that we’ve got the plumbers, the chippies, the sparkies able to do that for us and this helps those people complete apprenticeships.

    SOLLY: Good to speak to you this morning, Kristy McBain. Appreciate your time, thank you.

    MCBAIN: Thanks, Ross.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: Questor Announces Departure of Vice President of Operations and Engineering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, Nov. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Questor Technology Inc. (“Questor”, the “Company”), (TSX Venture Exchange: QST) would like to announce Mr. Quentin Kyliuk is no longer with Questor Technology Inc., effective October 28, 2024.

    On behalf of the employees and Board of Directors, the Company thanks Quentin for his contribution to Questor and wishes him all the best in his future endeavours.

    ABOUT QUESTOR TECHNOLOGY INC.

    Questor Technology Inc., incorporated in Canada under the Business Companies Act (Alberta) is an environmental emissions reduction technology company founded in 1994, with global operations. The Company is focused on clean air technologies that safely and cost effectively improve air quality, support energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emission reductions. The Company designs, manufactures and services high efficiency clean combustion systems that destroy harmful pollutants, including Methane, Hydrogen Sulfide gas, Volatile Organic Hydrocarbons, Hazardous Air Pollutants and BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylene) gases within waste gas streams at 99.99 percent efficiency per its ISO 14034 Certification. This enables its clients to meet emission regulations, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, address community concerns and improve safety at industrial sites.

    The Company also has proprietary heat to power generation technology and is currently targeting new markets including landfill biogas, syngas, waste engine exhaust, geothermal and solar, cement plant waste heat in addition to a wide variety of oil and gas projects. The combination of Questor’s clean combustion and power generation technologies can help clients achieve net zero emission targets for minimal cost. The Company is also doing research and development on data solutions to deliver an integrated system that amalgamates all of the emission detection data available to demonstrate a clear picture of the site’s emission profile.

    The Company’s common shares are traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol “QST”. The address of the Company’s corporate and registered office is 2240, 140 – 4 Avenue S.W. Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2P 3N3.

    QUESTOR TRADES ON THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE UNDER THE SYMBOL ‘QST’

    Investor Relations Contact

    Aly Sumar – Chief Financial Officer

    investor@questortech.com

    Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    This document is not intended for dissemination or distribution in the United States.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Honors Veterans in Denham Springs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
    BATON ROUGE –On Saturday, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) honored veterans and their families in Denham Springs at a Veterans Appreciation Day event. He thanked all of those present for their service and committed to doing everything he can to get them the health care and support they need.
    “Denham Springs and Livingston Parish honored Gold Star families, Blue Star families, and our veterans,” said Dr. Cassidy. “It was a moving ceremony. My commitment to these families and these veterans is to make sure that our VA works for them as they have worked for us.”
    Cassidy has worked to expand health care options for veterans and ensure the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) delivers timely and effective care. In 2022, he passed and signed into law the Solid Start Act, which ensures that the VA contacts every veteran three times by phone in the first year after they leave active duty to connect them with VA programs and benefits. Cassidy also voted for the PACT Act, which expands benefits to post-9/11 and other veterans who were exposed to toxins during their time in service.
    Additionally, Cassidy introduced legislation to create a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Policy Advisory Commission (VetPAC) that will help ensure that the VHA effectively provides health care for the veterans it serves.
    Present at the event were veterans from across Livingston Parish, as well as members of the American Legion, the Blue Star Mothers of Louisiana, and Louisiana Women Veterans. Cassidy was welcomed by Mr. Stan McCurdy, the organizer of the event and a Gold Star Father.
    “I appreciate Senator Cassidy taking the time to meet with the veterans who came to our event and listen to their concerns,” said Mr. McCurdy. “His respect and support for veterans and our community means a lot.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Announces $9.9 Million for Louisiana in Hurricane, Seawater Intrusion Relief

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Louisiana will receive $9,866,737.76 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for Hurricane Laura, Hurricane Ida, and seawater intrusion relief.
    “Louisiana is a beacon of strength and resilience through any storm,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This funding will help restore our communities, prepare for future hurricanes, and ensure they are equipped with clean water.”
    Grant Awarded
    Recipient
    Project Description
    $4,680,568.18
    Church of the King
    This grant will provide federal funding for permanent repairs as a result of Hurricane Laura.
    $1,991,002.41
    Roman Catholic Church Archdiocese of New Orleans
    This grant will provide federal funding for emergency protective measures as a result of Hurricane Ida.
    $3,195,167.17
    Plaquemines Parish
    This grant will provide federal funding for emergency protective measures at the Belle Chasse Water Treatment Plant as a result of seawater intrusion.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Visits Schwan’s Salina Pizza Production Plant

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Salina, KS – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. visited Schwan’s pizza plant in Salina, KS this week. 
    Schwan’s is a national food production company with plants across the country. Senator Marshall toured Schwan’s Salina production facility, where he saw the almost completed cold-storage expansion and watched their pepperoni pizzas be made. Schwan’s is now the largest pizza manufacturer in the United States, producing over 100 million pizzas per year. The new cold storage facility at the Salina plant will make this location a hub for distribution across the country. 
    “Schwan’s is known for its high-demand, top-quality food products,” said Senator Marshall. “I am grateful for the jobs they have brought to western Kansas, and look forward to their continued success.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorneys General stand in support for National Veterans and Military Families Month

    Source: Washington State News

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — As we celebrate National Veterans and Military Families Month this November, the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) proudly supports the efforts of state and territory attorney general offices in their commitment to military families. The NAAG Veterans Affairs Committee is dedicated to protecting and assisting our nation’s veterans by actively pursuing those who exploit veterans, servicemembers, and their families, providing vital assistance on legal issues related to deployments and general military service, and ensuring that veteran health benefits are protected and accessible.

    Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, Co-Chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee, stated: “Our military and veteran families deserve not only our appreciation but our commitment to help them access the resources they deserve. Too many of our veterans have significant legal needs but cannot afford counsel — which is why I created an Office of Military and Veteran Legal Assistance in Washington to connect veterans and military members with volunteers within the legal community. Helping veterans is a non-partisan calling, and I am grateful for the partnerships with attorneys general across the country to help those who have worn the uniform. As someone who comes from a family of veterans, this work is deeply personal to me. I am proud to partner with anyone willing to answer the call and help address the unmet legal needs of our nation’s heroes.”

    South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, Co-Chair of NAAG’s Veterans Affairs Committee, added: “As a veteran myself, who’s been in the National Guard for more than 28 years and was deployed to Iraq, I understand the sacrifices that families and veterans go through in service to our country. They’re willing to give everything they have to protect us, so we’re happy to do whatever we can to support them.”

    This month recognizes the sacrifices and contributions of service members, veterans, and their families and highlights the resources available to them. We encourage everyone to join us in supporting military families by exploring available resources and finding ways to contribute to their well-being. The nation’s attorney general offices offer a range of services to support military families, including:

    • Preventing Fraud: Protecting military families and their hard-won benefits from scams and fraud through education and enforcement actions.
    • Providing Free Legal Clinics: Offering free legal clinics to help military families navigate legal issues, from housing disputes to family law matters.
    • Supporting Military Spouses and Dependent Children: Providing resources and assistance to address the unique needs of military spouses, children, and survivors of service members, including educational support and healthcare services.
    • Defending Voting Rights: Ensuring that service members and their families can exercise their right to vote, no matter where they are stationed. The Attorney General community remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting these families and ensuring they have access to the resources they need.

    For more information about services available to veterans and military families in Washington, visit the Attorney General’s Military and Veteran Resources page. Qualifying veterans and service members, and their families can apply for civil legal assistance with the Office of Military and Veteran Legal Assistance.

    More information on national efforts is available on NAAG’s Veterans and Military page.

    -30-

    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more. 

    About the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG): The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) is a nonpartisan organization of the attorneys general of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. NAAG provides a forum for the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and insights on legal and law enforcement issues, and fosters bipartisan collaboration among its members to address common challenges and advance the rule of law.

    Media Contact:

    Brionna Aho, Communications Director, (360) 753-2727; Brionna.aho@atg.wa.gov

    General contacts: Click here

    Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: $6.4 million for local community infrastructure projects

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: $6.4 million for local community infrastructure projects

    Published: 5 November 2024

    Released by: Minister for Gaming and Racing

    Communities from Inverell to Albury and Bathurst to the Northern Beaches will benefit from $6.4 million funding under the NSW Government’s latest round of Infrastructure Grants.

    A women and children’s refuge, musical society, marine rescue organisation and Aboriginal youth gym are among 46 recipients to share a total of $12.75 million this financial year.

    Infrastructure Grants are funded by ClubGRANTS Category 3, which directs profits from registered clubs’ gaming machines into community projects, while clubs receive a tax concession in return.

    The grants support local community projects across four categories: sport and recreation, disaster readiness, community infrastructure, and arts and culture.

    Key projects supported in this latest funding round include:

    • $200,000 to Tumbarumba Equine Club near the Snowy Mountains for roofing, power, lighting, water troughs and an additional disaster evacuation stock holding area for large animals
    • $270,100 to Ngarabal Aboriginal Corporation in Inverell to upgrade a gym facility to provide year-round boxing, martial arts and self defence programs for youth at risk
    • $51,600 to Wagga Wagga Art Gallery for new exhibition spaces, a print workshop, expanded storage and improved environmental and safety equipment
    • $55,300 to Western Suburbs Lawn Tennis Association in Ashfield to install new lighting to two synthetic tennis courts
    • $70,000 to Parkes Musical & Dramatic Society for an upgrade of digital microphones
    • $187,600 to Marine Rescue Cottage Point on Sydney’s Northern Beaches to replace engines and electronics on two rescue vessels
    • $50,000 to Margaret House Refuge in Young for refurbishment of a cottage that provides a safe and welcoming environment for women and children fleeing domestic violence and/or experiencing homelessness.

    See the complete list of Infrastructure Grants Program recipients.

    Applications for the next round of Infrastructure Grants are open until Monday 25 November. For more information visit Clubgrants Category 3 fund.

    The NSW Government’s review into the effectiveness of ClubGRANTS is ongoing amid continuing work across government to improve integrity and public trust in grants. This is the first formal review into the scheme since 2013.

    Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris said:

    “I’m pleased to see this round of Infrastructure Grants go to many worthy groups who work hard for their communities across the state.

    “I am impressed by the many and varied ways organisations are working to benefit their communities. 

    “Infrastructure Grants improve local facilities that bring people together, help them prepare for and recover from disasters, and promote participation in sport, recreation and the arts.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘I can make a band play like a singer sings’: Quincy Jones shaped our listening for seven decades

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leigh Carriage, Senior Lecturer in Music, Southern Cross University

    The legendary composer, musical arranger and producer Quincy Jones has died at 91.

    Over his long career, Jones arranged and produced for a broad range of genres. His work blended the traditions of jazz, popular, world music and Western classical music.

    This was perhaps most present in his 1989 album Back on the Block. It features jazz improvisation, Zulu language, gospel and rapping. The album won seven Grammy Awards, including album of the year.

    But even more than his own albums, Jones will be familiar to listeners across decades of popular music, for his work as a producer and arranger with legendary artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Barry White, Chaka Khan, Frank Sinatra and Michael Jackson.

    Finding his feet in jazz

    Jones was born in Chicago in 1933, right in the middle of the depression. Around 11 years old, Jones found music.

    In high school, Jones sang in a capella groups and played in school bands on the trumpet.

    By 13, he was beginning to demonstrate a strong musical ability and musicianship skills, writing arrangements for his bands.

    When Jones was a teenager, his family moved from Chicago to Seattle. In these early years, Jones had two pivotal mentors. One was the jazz trumpeter Clark Terry; the other was his contemporary and friend Ray Charles.

    By the late 1940s, Jones was working as a trumpeter and as composer and arranger for bandleaders such as Dizzy Gillespie and Lionel Hampton.

    A jazz big band bandleader in the 1950s, Jones quickly became a sought-after arranger.

    Over his career, he worked on numerous jazz recordings with Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan (including a great swingin’ arrangement of the song
    Witchcraft), Frank Sinatra (with popular favourites Fly Me To The Moon and Mack the Knife) and the Dinah Washington recording They Didn’t Believe Me with the Quincy Jones Orchestra.

    The move into pop

    By the 1960s Jones began transitioning into popular music.

    In 1961 Jones became the first African American in the position of vice president at a major label, Mercury Records. In 1963 Jones selected and produced Lesley Gore’s hit song It’s My Party from more than 200 demos.

    Elements of the previous decades expertise in jazz arranging are apparent with touches of brass and reharmonising (or modifying the harmonic structure – the chords) of a song. Jones’ production approach here was to double-track the melody (duplicating, and placing the second track with a slight delay), enhancing the richness of Gore’s voice.

    In 1968, Jones received his first Oscar nomination for Best Original Score for the soundtrack to In Cold Blood. The following year his composing and arranging versatility was demonstrated when he wrote the music for The Italian Job.

    In 1979 Jones began working with Michael Jackson on the album Off The Wall.

    By the 1980s, Jones was receiving high acclaim and success immersed in many diverse projects including Jackson’s Thriller (1982) and Bad (1987), in which Jones masterfully fuses pop with rhythm and blues, rock and funk.

    His innovation in producing was in his broad understanding of multiple genres of music, adoption of technology and his constant musical invention.

    ‘A great gift’

    In 1985 Jones and Michael Omartian were asked to produce the song We Are The World, written by Lionel Richie and Jackson. It was released to worldwide acclaim.

    Jones conducted the recording and left a sign on the studio door: “Check your egos at the door”.

    Also in 1985, Jones wrote the original score and produced the music for Steven Spielberg’s The Colour Purple, including the song Miss Celie’s Blues, written collaboratively with Jones, Rod Temperton and Richie. The score and Miss Celie’s Blues each received another Oscar nomination for Jones.

    Jones was requested on many large projects as a conductor. A great example is Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration (1992) conducted by Jones. This album featured some of the music industry’s best arrangers Mervyn Warren and Shelton Kilby as well as a stellar list of vocalists such as Gladys Knight, Take 6, Sounds of Blackness, Pattie Austin, Johnny Mathis, Chaka Khan and Al Jarreau.

    In an interview with culture journalist David Marchese in 2018, Jones was asked what he was proudest of in his musical career. He told Marchese:

    That anything I can feel, I can notate musically. Not many people can do that. I can make a band play like a singer sings. That’s what arranging is, and it’s a great gift.

    Beyond his own work as an artist, Jones undertook humanitarian work, mentored new generations of musicians, and was often a commentator on jazz history or the significance of African Americans in the entertainment and recording industry.

    Jones’ artistic innovation and highly effective collaborations, spanning a 70-year career, has made an indelible contribution to music and culture globally.

    Leigh Carriage does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. ‘I can make a band play like a singer sings’: Quincy Jones shaped our listening for seven decades – https://theconversation.com/i-can-make-a-band-play-like-a-singer-sings-quincy-jones-shaped-our-listening-for-seven-decades-242813

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What Kamala Harris’ Converse All-Stars tell us about how shoes shape our identity

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Sherlock, Lecturer, School of Fashion and Textiles, RMIT University

    Like most public figures, Kamala Harris adapts her footwear to different occasions. While her wardrobe includes traditional choices such as formal black heels, it was her appearance in Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars on the February 2021 cover of Vogue that drew particular notice.

    As Democratic nominee for president, these sneakers once again became a focal point of her campaign.

    Through her choice of sneakers, Harris signals a new era in female political leadership – and demonstrates how footwear choices can shape a leader’s identity and ability to connect with voters.

    Embracing all-American values

    We may know we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but all politicians – especially women – know that we inevitably do. The appearance of others is how we categorise people to make sense of the world and our place in it.

    Clothing is a key medium through which we identify ourselves and others. Shoes are particularly layered with meaning: when we observe someone’s footwear we are using them to know whether or not we identify with that person.

    This is something that politicians and their teams know and manipulate to win votes.

    One famous scene that illustrates this beautifully is Brooklyn Democratic congressman David Norris’s concession speech in the movie The Adjustment Bureau (2011).

    Played by Matt Damon, the character reveals the significant work that goes into curating the perfect outfit:

    Shiny shoes, we associate with high-priced lawyers and bankers. If you want to get a working man’s vote, you need to scuff up your shoes a little bit, but you can’t scuff them up so much that you alienate the lawyers and the bankers […] So what is the proper scuffing amount? Do you know, we actually paid a consultant $7,300 to tell us that THIS is the perfect amount of scuffing?

    While Harris’ Chuck Taylors generally look pristine, she is transparent about her awareness of the style’s significance to potential voters, explaining in a 2020 interview:

    Whatever your background or whatever language your grandmother spoke, we all at some point or another had our Chucks, right?

    An all-American shoe worn by people of all ages, races, genders and sexualities, the relatively inexpensive and utilitarian Converse All-Star is a social leveller – a smart choice for a politician wishing to identify with a broad electorate.

    As others have identified, Harris’ choice of sneakers signals her American values and no-nonsense attitude.

    In these shoes, she’s ready for anything.

    Shoes change us

    Interviewed in 2018, Harris’ relationship with the sneakers goes back several years and certainly appears authentic.

    Whether the initial choice to wear them was hers – or, like Norris, that of a team of consultants – is now irrelevant. Through the process of wear, shoes change us.

    Not only do they affect how we move through the world physically, but they also shape how we relate to others socially.

    Anyone who has selected a particular pair of shoes for an interview or special occasion will be familiar with their transformative effect, one that helps you to feel the part.

    Identity can be understood as something that is performed. When a performance is received as convincing, we become the part we are playing and the identity is incorporated into our sense of self.

    Harris’ shoes are relatable. In them, she is perceived as – and may therefore feel – approachable and down-to-earth.

    On the campaign trail, the social interactions they afford increase her ability to relate to and connect with other people. Through this process, her performance and her identity become one.

    One might say she has become her shoes; in doing so, she has come to embody the all-American values they represent. And at only 5 feet 4 ¼ inches, the choice not to compensate for her height with heels exudes a self-assurance more women are discovering.

    This woman knows who she is and is reassuringly at ease with herself.

    Finding authenticity

    Aside from ongoing speculation about Trump’s height and whether he wears elevating insoles, his choice of footwear has attracted comparatively less attention, as is often the case for male politicians.

    According to Footwear News, he rarely diverts from black leather dress shoes, signifying his corporate associations. This didn’t stop Trump launching a line of gold sneakers, named “Never Surrender High-Tops” and priced at US$399 in February. A new design, with the words “Fight, fight, fight”, was released after the July assassination attempt.

    This represents quite a different use of shoes to connect with voters.

    In an era when authenticity in politics is increasingly valued, Harris’ footwear choice represents more than a campaign strategy. It reflects changing expectations around power and leadership.

    Her Converse sneakers challenge the notion that women must literally elevate themselves to command authority.

    Instead, they suggest a new kind of political performance where power comes not from height or traditional status symbols, but from the ability to connect genuinely with voters.

    Alexandra Sherlock does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. What Kamala Harris’ Converse All-Stars tell us about how shoes shape our identity – https://theconversation.com/what-kamala-harris-converse-all-stars-tell-us-about-how-shoes-shape-our-identity-242777

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Safety, Security of United Nations Personnel, Property Must Be Guaranteed, Secretary-General Reiterates

    Source: United Nations – Peacekeeping

    The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

    Against the backdrop of the ongoing hostilities in southern Lebanon and despite attacks that have hit United Nations positions, injuring a number of peacekeepers in the past several days, United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers remain in all positions and the UN flag continues to fly.  The Secretary-General pays tribute to the dedicated personnel of UNIFIL.

    The Secretary-General reiterates that the safety and security of UN personnel and property must be guaranteed, and that the inviolability of UN premises must be respected at all times without qualification.  In a deeply worrying incident that occurred today, the entrance door of a UN position was deliberately breached by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) armoured vehicles.

    UNIFIL continuously assesses and reviews all factors to determine its posture and presence.  The mission is taking all possible measures to ensure the protection of its peacekeepers.  UNIFIL’s role and its presence in southern Lebanon is mandated by the UN Security Council.  In this context, UNIFIL is committed to preserving its capacity to support a diplomatic solution based on resolution 1701 (2006), which is the only possible way forward.

    The Secretary-General reiterates that UNIFIL personnel and its premises must never be targeted.  Attacks against peacekeepers are in breach of international law, including international humanitarian law.  They may constitute a war crime.

    He calls on all parties, including the IDF, to refrain from any and all actions that put our peacekeepers at risk.  The Secretary-General takes the opportunity to reiterate the call for a cessation of hostilities and the full implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1701 (2006).

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: You Are ‘on the Front Line of Peace’, Says Secretary-General, in Solidarity Message to United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon

    Source: United Nations – Peacekeeping

    The following solidarity message by UN Secretary-General António Guterres to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon was issued today:

    Earlier this week, I had the privilege of speaking with representatives of your countries here in New York.  Today, I want to speak to you directly.

    I want to say to you what I said to them:  I am full of admiration and gratitude to the men and women of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).  I am so proud of you — and I know your countries are proud of you, too.

    You should know that here in New York, we are all very aware of your bravery during some of the most challenging moments in the history of UNIFIL.  I have been crystal clear:  the safety of United Nations personnel is our highest priority.

    And all parties have an obligation to ensure the safety of our personnel.  The inviolability of UN premises must be respected, at all times.

    Attacks against UN peacekeepers are completely unacceptable. They are in breach of international law, against international humanitarian law and may constitute a war crime.

    Despite all the challenges, UNIFIL remains in its positions. Every day you keep the blue flag flying — and ensure the primacy of international law.  I am in constant contact with General Aroldo Lázaro — assessing the latest developments.

    Our path forward is clear.  We need an immediate ceasefire and the full implementation of resolution 1701 (2006).  The men and women of UNIFIL are tirelessly working to give our diplomatic efforts a fighting chance.

    You are not just on the Blue Line in Lebanon, you are literally on the front line of peace.  Thank you for your service.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Avoid ‘All Out War’ in Lebanon, Stop ‘Tit-for-Tat Violence’ Engulfing Middle East, Secretary-General Tells Security Council

    Source: United Nations – Peacekeeping

    Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, in New York today:

    The raging fires in the Middle East are fast becoming an inferno.  Exactly one week ago, I briefed the Security Council about the alarming situation in Lebanon.  Since then, things have gone from bad to much, much worse.

    As I told the Council last week, the Blue Line has seen tensions for years.  But since October, exchanges of fire have expanded in scope, depth and intensity.

    I stated that the almost daily exchanges of fire by Hizbullah and other non-State armed groups in Lebanon and the Israel Defense Forces are in repeated violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006).

    I emphasized that the daily use of weapons by non-State armed groups is in violation of Security Council resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1701 (2006).

    And I stressed that Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected and the Lebanese State must have full control of weapons throughout Lebanon.

    In the few short days since then, we have seen a dramatic escalation — so dramatic that I wonder what remains of the framework this Council established with resolution 1701 (2006).

    Israeli forces have conducted relentless air strikes across Lebanon — including Beirut.

    The United States and France — with the support of several other countries — have proposed a temporary ceasefire, allowing for the restart of negotiations.

    Israel refused that proposal and stepped up its strikes, including bombing the Hizbullah headquarters where its leader was killed.

    Hizbullah has continued rocket and missile attacks on Israel.

    And yesterday, the Israel Defense Forces conducted what it stated were “limited incursions” into southern Lebanon.

    UNIFIL [United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon] peacekeepers remain in position, and the UN flag continues to fly despite Israel’s request to relocate [it].

    I reiterate our deep appreciation to the military and civilian members of our UN peacekeeping force — UNIFIL — and to troop-contributing countries.  The safety and security of all UN personnel must be ensured.

    Civilians are paying a terrible price — which I utterly condemn.  Since last October, more than 1,700 people have been killed in Lebanon — including over 100 children and 194 women.

    Over 346,000 people are confirmed to have been displaced from their homes.   Government estimates put this number as high as 1 million.  Another 128,000 people — both Syrian and Lebanese — have crossed into Syria.

    The UN has mobilized all its capacities to provide urgent humanitarian aid in Lebanon and I ask the international community to fully fund our appeal.

    Since 8 October 2023, Hizbullah attacks on Israel have killed 49 people — with over 60,000 people displaced from their homes.

    It is absolutely essential to avoid an all out war in Lebanon which would have profound and devastating consequences.

    Yesterday, Iran launched approximately 200 ballistic missiles towards Israel.  It stated it was in response to the killings of Hassan Nasrallah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp commander, Abbas Nilforoushan, last week — as well as that of the Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran in July.

    Millions of people across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory were forced to seek shelter.  One person was killed from the Iranian strikes — a Palestinian in the occupied West Bank.

    As I did in relation to the Iranian attack in April – and as should have been obvious yesterday in the context of the condemnation I expressed — I again strongly condemn yesterday’s massive missile attack by Iran on Israel.

    These attacks paradoxically do nothing to support the cause of the Palestinian people or reduce their suffering.

    Almost one year has passed since the atrocious 7 October 2023 acts of terror by Hamas and the taking of hostages.

    Since last October, Israel has conducted in Gaza the most deadly and destructive military campaign in my years as Secretary-General. The suffering endured by the Palestinian people in Gaza is beyond imagination.

    At the same time, the situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, continues to deteriorate with Israeli military operations, construction of settlements, evictions, land-grabs and intensification of settler attacks — progressively undermining any possibility of a two-State solution.

    And simultaneously, armed Palestinian groups have also used violence.  Hamas has continued to launch rockets, and just yesterday seven Israelis were killed in a terror attack in Jaffa.

    The events of the past week, the past month and indeed nearly the past year make it clear:

    It is high time for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, with the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, the effective delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza and irreversible progress to a two-State solution.

    It is high time for a cessation of hostilities in Lebanon, real action towards full implementation of Security Council resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1701 (2006), paving the way for diplomatic efforts for sustainable peace.

    It is high time to stop the sickening cycle of escalation after escalation that is leading the people of the Middle East straight over the cliff.

    Each escalation has served as a pretext for the next.  We must never lose sight of the tremendous toll that this growing conflict is taking on civilians.

    We cannot look away from systematic violations of international humanitarian law.  This deadly cycle of tit-for-tat violence must stop.  Time is running out.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Each Day that Passes Only Deepens Misery, Suffering of Lebanon’s People, Secretary-General Tells Conference, Urging Ceasefire, Hostage Release

    Source: United Nations – Peacekeeping

    Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the International Conference in Support of Lebanon’s People and Sovereignty, in Paris today:

    Monsieur le President, excellencies, friends of Lebanon,

    I welcome this initiative by [France] President [Emmanuel] Macron and underscore our commitment to realizing the aims of this conference and supporting the people of Lebanon.

    We do so in the context of a region that is reeling, and Lebanon in utter turmoil.

    The past year has brought daily exchanges of fire across the Blue Line.

    We are gravely concerned about the safety and well-being of civilians on both sides of the Blue Line — but we must recognize that the conflict has recently taken on an entirely different nature and scale.

    Each day that passes only deepens the misery and suffering of people in Lebanon.

    Since last October, over 2,300 people have been killed in Lebanon, and at least 50 in Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan.

    More than half of the deaths in Lebanon have occurred since the dramatic escalation in Israeli strikes on 23 September.

    Many of those killed were children and women.  More than 1.2 million people have been displaced or affected in Lebanon.  And in the last year, more than 60,000 have been displaced in Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan.

    We see continued intense aerial bombardment by Israel in densely populated areas in Lebanon — including Beirut — and ground incursions across the Blue Line … as well as ongoing missile, drone and rocket attacks by Hizbullah into Israel.

    An immediate ceasefire is needed now — along with meaningful steps towards full implementation of Security Council resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1701 (2006).

    The sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected.

    Civilians must be protected.

    Civilian infrastructure must not be targeted.

    Obligations under international law must be upheld.

    I urge friends of Lebanon to support the ongoing humanitarian response efforts, including by providing rapid funding of the Lebanon Flash Appeal.

    I call on Lebanon’s leaders to take resolute steps towards ensuring fully functional State institutions to address the country’s pressing political and security challenges.

    And I encourage partners to strengthen their support for those State institutions, including the Lebanese Armed Forces, which are a vital part of a secure — and peaceful — path forward.

    I salute the brave women and men of our peacekeeping force in Lebanon — UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) — and the UN family across the country, who are striving to implement their mandates in such challenging conditions. 

    Let me be clear:  Attacks against UN peacekeepers are completely unacceptable.

    They are in breach of international law, against international humanitarian law and may constitute a war crime.

    I also pay tribute to humanitarian workers working to help communities in dire need.

    Excellencies, we know what is happening in Lebanon today is not an isolated phenomenon.

    We had the abhorrent terror attacks by Hamas on 7 October and the taking of hostages.

    Since then, Israeli military operations in Gaza have caused death and destruction at a speed and scale beyond anything in my years as Secretary-General.

    We have seen the impacts from Syria to Iraq to Yemen.

    Now we see the growing threat of a major conflagration between Israel and Iran that would upend the entire region.

    We need a ceasefire in Lebanon — as we need a ceasefire in Gaza and the immediate release of all hostages.

    Escalation after escalation is leading to the unimaginable for the people of the region — including the people of Lebanon for whom we have all come together today.

    Let us show our solidarity with action to ease the suffering and push for peace.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Smith Statement on Passing of John Gottschalk

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE)

    Washington, D.C. – Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement after the passing of former owner of the Sidney Telegraph, mayor of Sidney, NE, and CEO of the Omaha World-Herald John Gottschalk.

    “Few have had the level of impact on the state of Nebraska that the life and legacy of John Gottschalk has. His committed leadership in journalism, public service, philanthropy, community development, and volunteerism is the fruit of a great American success story. He never forgot his small-town roots and relentlessly sought ways to pay it forward. My wife and I offer our condolences to his wife Carmen and family members.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China to improve rules for lawmakers to perform duties

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Chinese lawmakers are discussing a draft law amendment that is expected to improve the regulations for lawmakers to better perform duties.
    The amendment to the Law on Deputies to the National People’s Congress and to the Local People’s Congresses at Various Levels was submitted on Monday to an ongoing session of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee for deliberation.
    All levels of the standing committees of the people’s congresses should maintain close contact with deputies, supporting and safeguarding their lawful performance of duties and fully utilizing their roles, says the draft.
    All levels of governments, supervisory commissions, courts, and procuratorates should strengthen their connections with deputies and listen to their opinions and suggestions.
    Further enriching the forms and content of lawmakers’ connection with the public, the draft adds provisions that lawmakers should, based on the principle of proximity, carry out activities to strengthen their connection with the public, listen to, and convey the opinions and suggestions of the people.
    The standing committees of the people’s congresses above the county level should broaden deputies’ participation in legislative, supervisory, and other duties, fully utilizing their roles, it adds.
    The draft also clarifies that all levels of governments and their departments, supervisory commissions, courts, and procuratorates may invite deputies to participate in relevant work and activities and listen to their opinions and suggestions. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: New Chinese draft law stipulates better protection for preschool children

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Chinese lawmakers are considering a draft preschool education law that stipulates better protection of the rights and interests of preschool children.
    The draft law was submitted on Monday to the ongoing session of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee for deliberation.
    Kindergartens and other entities or individuals, before collecting, using, providing, disclosing, or otherwise processing personal information of preschool children, must obtain consent from their parents or other guardians and comply with relevant laws and regulations, the draft says.
    If a kindergarten finds that an employee may pose a risk to the physical or mental well-being of children, it must immediately suspend the employee from work. Kindergartens should also monitor the physical and psychological health of their staff, it says. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese lawmakers conduct third deliberation of draft energy law

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    A draft energy law was submitted to an ongoing session of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee for a third deliberation on Monday.
    To ensure energy security and green and low-carbon transition, the latest version adds a provision that says the country shall establish and improve an energy standard system to ensure energy security and green and low-carbon transition, and promote the development of new energy technologies, industries and business forms.
    Modifications were made in the latest version submitted for the third deliberation after the second deliberation was made in September this year.
    The version for the second deliberation stipulates that China will accelerate building a new type of power system and improve the grid’s ability to accept, allocate and regulate clean energy.
    Some lawmakers proposed that clean energy includes renewable energy and nuclear energy. Nuclear energy generation is more stable and different from renewable energy generation such as wind and solar energy. They proposed to modify “clean energy” to “renewable energy.”
    The latest version covers more detailed provisions on the responsibilities of energy enterprises to secure adequate supply and adds a provision that energy enterprises “shall not collect fees illegally.”
    It adds a provision that the energy regulatory authority of the State Council, together with other departments of the State Council, shall strengthen guidance and coordination on energy emergency work across provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: NSW Land and Primary Industries Network hits the road 11 – 15 November

    Source: New South Wales Department of Primary Industries

    5 Nov 2024

    Mark your calendars, as the annual NSW Land and Primary Industries Network (LPIN), hosted by the NSW Decarbonisation Hub in collaboration with NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW DPIRD), is set to tour regional NSW from 11 to 15 November.

    This initiative aims to promote sustainable land practices and accelerate the transition to net-zero emissions across the state, bringing together industry professionals, NSW Government program leaders and researchers from seven universities across the state.

    The tour kicks off Monday 11 November, with events in:

    NSW DPIRD Land and Primary Industries, NSW Decarbonisation Innovation Hub representative Warwick Badgery said research together with industry community and government is needed to embed decarbonisation in the next wave of sustainable land practices in NSW.

    “As we commence this tour, we encourage regional communities to come along to these free events and engage with us, sharing ideas and help promote new technologies and practices that not only mitigate climate change but also promote biodiversity and resilience in our agricultural systems,” Mr Badgery said.

    “These events are an opportunity for all of us to learn, share ideas, and foster innovation and we’re excited to see the creativity and passion that our communities will bring.

    “By taking a collaborative approach and bringing together researchers, industry leaders, and local communities from across the state, we can pave the way for a greener future in NSW.

    “Together, we can explore innovative solutions that not only reduce emissions but also enhance the sustainability of our vital land resources.”

    Research Partnership Development Manager for the LPIN, Dr Liz Smith, said these are very exciting times where we have the opportunity to discover and implement real solutions to aid in reduction of emissions and embedding of solutions into sustainable land and agricultural practices that can still maintain and even enhance the farming way of life.

    “As the LPIN represents all the regional universities in NSW, it is a brilliant mechanism for bringing current research and development to the communities most directly affected by the transition to decarbonised industries,” Dr Smith said.

    We look forward to getting out to regional NSW to communicate advancements and opportunities so that we can link together these profound opportunities for businesses, communities and governments to embrace the growth of new industries and markets in clean energy, bioproducts, sustainable food production and many other areas.”

    For more information on the NSW Decarbonisation Innovation Hub, please visit their website – https://www.decarbhub.au/

    Media contact
    For more information, please contact: pi.media@dpird.nsw.gov.au.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Appeal for information following crash, Invercargill

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Enquiries are continuing into a crash in Invercargill last month, and Police would like to speak to any witnesses.

    About 1:40am on Sunday 20 October, Police were called to a two-vehicle crash at the intersections of Ness Street and Janet Street.

    One person remains in hospital following the crash, three others have since been discharged.

    Police would like to hear from anyone who saw a silver Mazda station wagon around Pomona Street, near John Street, and the surrounding areas between 1:30am and 1:40am.

    We would also like to hear from anyone who has footage from dashcam or CCTV from around that area on the night of the crash.

    If you have any information that could help our enquiries, please update us online now or call 105.

    Please use the reference number 241020/5642.

    Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111. 

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fire at New Lynn mosque

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Please attribute to Detective Inspector Callum McNeill, Waitematā CIB:

    A Police investigation is underway following a fire at a mosque in New Lynn this morning.

    At about 9am Police were called following a report of a fire at the building on Astley Avenue.

    Upon arrival, Police and fire investigators have established the fire has been deliberately lit.

    CCTV shows a person allegedly broke in just before 1am and lit the fire, which smoulded until just after 9am when it became visible and emergency services were called.

    The investigation remains ongoing, however Police are following positive lines of enquiry to locate the person responsible.

    At this early stage, Police are still investigating possible motive and we cannot say at this point that it is a hate-related crime.

    We are providing support to the Muslim community and want to reassure the wider community we are working hard to locate the person responsible.

    There will be an increased Police presence around mosques throughout Tāmaki Makaurau to ensure the community feels safe.

    Anyone who may have seen this incident, or has any information, is urged to contact Police and reference file number 241105/3764.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –