Media Center

Improving communication - become a leader.

2011-04-18T04:11:03Z

It is often the seemingly little things in communication that can make a major difference in the outcome. We can all improve our skills, and sometimes it's important to review, remember and implement a few of the basics. Whilst good communication skills are essential in all leaders, the underlying skills and techniques are useful for us all. However, as with much in communication, they will only work if they are deployed in a genuine way. False and superficial communication never produces good results.

Sometimes a good place to start is to think about what frustrates and annoys us in how others communicate with us, and then ensure that we do not just avoid those things in how we communicate, but that we do the opposite.

]]> Many of us have a vision of what we wish to achieve; often such involves improving ones financial situation, whether that be through promotion at work or by regularly making the sales target. No matter what the goal, effective communication is essential, - and what is interesting by communicating well you will inspire others and build a rapport and trust with colleagues and clients that will propel you to a leadership role.

There are numerous books dedicated to the subject of communication but here below are five core ideas that form the building blogs.

1. Remember: You are Always Communicating. Indeed, it is impossible not to communicate.

Speech is just a part of our arsenal of communication, it is suggested that just 10% of our meaning is communicated in what we say, and the rest is non-verbal. It is our demeanour that communicates much more than what we say, for example, how we walk, how we sit, how we use our hands. Our facial expressions are critical; are you making eye contact, are you smiling? - Whether or not you are speaking, you are always giving off non-verbal messages to the people around you. Become more aware of your non-verbal communication to have a more powerfully positive impact on the people around you.

2. Learn to listen: Stop talking, remove distractions, and put your focus on the person talking to you.

Instead of waiting for your turn to speak or comment on what’s being said, allow yourself to really listen – and allow the other person to be heard.

3. Match & mirror: People find it easier to connect with someone who is like them.

If you want to establish a positive connection with someone, match him or her. Sit or stand as they do. Match their volume and pace. Incorporate some of the words they use into your statements. This simple technique – when applied with subtlety and respect – shows people that you are interested in them, without their being consciously aware of it.

4. Feedback: The traditional approach to providing feedback is usually about pointing out strengths and then identifying areas for improvement.

Many people do this by saying, “You did A, B & C really well, BUT . . .”. The problem is that all most will remember is the ‘but’ and forget everything that came before, and all of our attention goes to the critical feedback. Practice providing day-to-day encouragement that recognises what people are doing well – and identifying the actions that can be added to improve the results. “You did A, B & C really well, and we can make it even better by . . .”.

5. Take responsibility: It is easy to blame problems or difficult decisions on others.

Many people avoid responsibility for a situation with phrases such as, “I know it is silly, but headquarters is insisting on this policy,” or “we know the right approach, but the ‘such and such’ are making us do it this way”. While it can feel as though one is becoming, ‘one of the gang’, it only undermines your own status. Instead, find out and recognise the validity of other points of view and then support the common ideas and concepts.

The above techniques are all ‘small things’, but they work and soon they add up to a very big thing….. improved communication and many steps closer to your goals.

The Parable of the Mexican Fisherman

2011-04-18T03:12:30Z

For many students in their final year of University, the next 2 months represents the final stretch of a tough 3 or 4 years of hard studying before graduation. What comes next? Many soon to be graduates will surely choose a career in business, consulting and finance with dreams of a ‘high-flying’ career, whilst others may work for NGO’s, charities or in Medicine. Some may go onto work in Science and Engineering or pursue further study. With so many different options and avenues available, it is perhaps difficult to chose “the right path”. Can one path be better than another, or just different?

Thinking about the future decisions that many will soon have to make, I reflected on the famous ‘Parable of the Mexican Fisherman’ and found myself in reverie as to how timeless the thoughts below are. Your thoughts and comments are welcomed.

]]> A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

"Not very long," answered the Mexican.

"But then, why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?" asked the
American.

The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.

The American asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

"I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs ... I have a full life."

The American interrupted, "I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.

"And after that?" asked the Mexican.

With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise."

"How long would that take?" asked the Mexican.

"Twenty, perhaps 25 years," replied the American.

"And after that?" the Mexican asked.

"Afterwards? That's when it gets really interesting," answered the American, laughing. "When your business gets really big, you can start selling stocks and make millions!"

"Millions? Really? And after that?"

"After that you'll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends."

Know where you're going in life … you may already be there.

The importance of dressing well

2011-04-18T02:15:30Z

I recently read an interesting article on the importance of dressing properly and because so often I find, men in particular, take little time to look in the mirror and recognise that how they dress is the first sign of who they really are, here are 8 of the more important points from the article for you to think about.

]]> 1. Get well acquainted with one and only one tailor. Having semi-relationships with five tailors likely means 5 mediocre suits. Be loyal to one and it will show in the cut of your suit. Nonetheless a good tailor is expensive and so don’t spend lots of money if the suit isn’t a glove, you don’t have to settle for the first tailor you find. A suit is reliable for many occasions, so its cut and fit should be flawless.

2. Keep consistent at all times, your socks should match your suit - not your shoes. This consistency will create a streamlined appearance and ensure that your suit does not "break" at your ankle. If your suit is a light color, opt for socks that are just a bit darker. Remember, people notice everything.

3. Your tie should not be skinny, it is not fashionable. Whilst following trends may be forgivable, in business wearing a skinny tie is unforgivable. Stick with one that is at least three inches (seven centimeters) wide.

4. A cool, gleaming, stainless steel watch is a timeless accessory that will serve you well on any number of occasions. Don't hesitate to spend a bit more money here; a good watch should last a lifetime and can even be passed down for generations in some cases.

5. Black tie means just that: a black tie. Avoid the temptation to wear other shades, hues or colours, and ensure that the material matches the lapel of your tuxedo (a silk tie for a silk lapel, for example).

6. If shoes make the man, your brogues should be purchased with care. History to a shoe brand is of the upmost importance. New shoe designers are here today and often gone tomorrow. Churches and Bally have and will stand the test of time, such is testament to their superior quality. Remember a good pairs of shoes are not just a purchase, but an investment.

7. To cuff or not to cuff your suit trousers? If your suit trousers are crisp with a flat front, avoid cuffing them. On the other hand, cuff them just a little bit if you're wearing single-pleat pants.

8. The wallet. The bane of my existence. Searching furiously for one particular item, only to find a handful of old receipts? Wallets aren't handbags and they shouldn't be treated as such. Opt for a card holder instead; sleek and stylish, it will give you more room in your pocket. Put cash in a stainless steel money clip, larger bills on the outside working in.

New Afterabc Video

2010-12-29T11:45:15Z

Letter from Britain No. 3. Classics and Cancer.

2010-12-13T11:50:12Z

Images of violent 'students' protest on the streets of London were beamed across the world over the last few days, youths, with faces covered, daubed obscenities on historic monuments, fought the police with sticks & street debris, and a particularly idiotic group attacked the car carrying HRH's Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.

]]> It is easy to portray such, as a small minority that have infiltrated an otherwise peaceful protest, but sadly, it seems that there were considerable numbers involved in appalling behaviour. The protest was called in response to the Government's proposal to increase University fees paid by students from approximately £3,000 pa to £9,000 pa.

The nature of the protest has obscured discussion of the real issues. Other than the episode involving the Royals, two incidents stand out: the mindless mob setting fire to the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square and a lone moron desecrating the Cenotaph. The Trafalgar Square tree is a gift from the people of Norway, a wonderful annual gesture of thanks to the people of Britain for liberating Norway from Nazi occupation. The second and far more shameful incident was that of a young Cambridge University student, Charlie Gilmour, who climbed onto the Cenotaph and swung wildly from the Union flag affixed to the monument.

The Cenotaph is the nation's second most potent symbol of sacrifice made by millions of British and Commonwealth forces, who died fighting to protect and preserve those rights that Gilmour and his ilk seem so ready to abuse. The tree can be replaced, I trust the sensible people of Norway understand that millions of normal Brits love the gift and feel terrible at its burning. The Cenotaph was undamaged, but the images remain; if any act was sure to bolster support against the students that was it, shout and scream all you like, but showing disrespect for the war dead is unforgivable and shameful. The damage to property will be repaired, the graffiti removed and no doubt in a few days the area around Parliament will return to normal, but those images of a burning tree, a frightened Royal and a desecrated Cenotaph remain.

The violence and now more importantly the images of violence have defeated the students, their argument is lost amidst a sea of awful media coverage. Hurling well reasoned verbal abuse at politicians is expected and applauded in Britain were politicians are regarded with distain, and the students had a strong case.

The arguments are simple: University education in Britain was, up until recently, free. The last Labour Government promised to increase the numbers of University places and not introduce student fees, they did increase student university places but renegade on their manifesto pledge, and introduced tuition fees of about £3,000 per annum.

The Universities find themselves ever more starved of cash, primarily, but not exclusively, because of having to increase student numbers.

The last Labour Government's appalling mismanagement of the economy has resulted in huge deficits that any new Government would have to reduce and eventually eliminate. Of the many choices open to the new Administration, the accountants at the Treasury would inevitably recommend the restructuring of the funding of Universities.

Prior to the last election, the Liberal Demarcates signed a pledge that they would not increase tuition fees, they spoke earnestly and endlessly of their commitment to education. The main political parties, (Conservation and Labour) loath the Liberal Democrats, who, as a small party, with no prospect of power are idealists, because in normal circumstances they will never be in power and never have to find solutions to complex problems. Many students perhaps because they are young and idealistic believed the Liberal Democrats and voted for them.

The result of the election and the subsequent Coalition arrangement with the majority Conservative party offered the Liberal Democrats a chance to be a grown up party, the issue unfortunately is that many find it hard to move from a party that more resembles a pressure group, to a credible party of Government.

One of Britain's finest; Oxford University

University funding, regardless of the country's present economic woes, needed to be addressed. We are incredibly fortunate in Britain to have some fabulous universities, the very best, the twenty Universities that form the "Russell Group", compete with the finest in the world. It is easy to forget that these universities are the seats of some of the greatest minds, attracting students and lecturers from around the world. Even a cursory review of Nobel Prize winners shows the strength of many of these institutions. Despite having a population smaller than Germany and France, Britain has won far more Nobel Prizes than both, indeed only the USA has won more, (but per head of population less). The reason is simple, Britain has fabulous Universities.

Faced with the reality of the economic troubles the Collation Government introduced the bill to dramatically increase student paid fees, many Liberal Democrats ignored their pre-election promise and voted for the increase, some voted against, a few abstained. But the bill was passed.

How pleased must be those Liberal Democrats MPs, that the headlines are the thugs, not their volte-face and internal divisions, but I don't intend to write about the Liberal Democrats, they are politicians and politics is a dirty business. I want to address the real issue: Is Classics more important than cancer.

Is learning for the sake of learning important, to be afforded as a priority, or is it a luxury to be enjoyed when we have taken care of other stuff, like health care?

The Government have declared that health is a top priority, funding in real terms to be maintained if not increased. University education is to be downgraded, no longer funded mainly from central Government, but funded by students. The calculation is simple, close a cancer ward, and defend spending on a bunch of students studying the ancient works in Latin or Greek.

I believe the Government to be wrong; the most important thing after defending the nation is to educate its citizens, to offer the very best in education and to do so from central taxation. For only by increasing the intellectual abilities of the nation will we increase our real wealth. It is about values. But for politicians, it is about elections, and those silly students who took to the streets and wantonly and mindlessly damaged property and induced fear in bystanders, and insulted our Glorious Dead, undermined the argument that they be deserving of hard earned tax payers money.

The students should have spoken, nay they should have shouted and proclaimed, of the great and the good. The great art, the great science, the great humanity that can be inspired and ignited by attending the greatest universities, not education as some commodity to be bought and sold but because it is good, it has value, and not just because it has value to the individual but has value to society as a whole.

As I have said before, sometimes, (perhaps often) I do not reflect the majority and I understand well the Government's arguments and the political necessities. Paying the fees would not disincline me to recommend university, but I fear for many it will disincline them to study those things that have no direct economic worth, but such greatly add to the sum of mankind, for to read Shakespeare, to understand Milton, to appreciate Picasso these things are important.

The students lost because they are too young to know that we stand on the shoulders of others, we stand on the pillars of knowledge accumulated, the accountants speak of money, accountants know the cost of everything, but the value of nothing. The students should have told them!!!!

The Flying Car

2010-11-22T13:46:38Z

The notion of a flying car has long been a dream of every commuter, as we sit in our ‘grounded’ cars on the way to work or home, why can we not take to the skies and just fly above the congested roads. All the stuff of James Bond you might think. However, a company in America, Terrafugia, has announced that they have approval from The Federal Aviation Administration, for their flying car, the Transition.

]]> The new must have for every millionaire, the flying car drives like a conventional car on the road at normal speeds, but can also when required unfold its wings, engage the rear facing propeller and take off and fly. Remarkably, the ‘runway’ needs be just 500 meters of flat ground.

The flying range of 740 km (460 miles) is plenty for most commutes and with a top flying speed of 185 kph (115 mph) journey times will be much reduced. The fuel consumption when on the road is around 7.85 liters per 100 km (30 mpg), so the driver, pilot will waist little time refuelling. (The use of normal fuel instead of aviation fuel will make the Transition the most environmentally friendly plane in the air).

A little surprisingly perhaps the flying car will be safer in an accident than a standard small aircraft because of the safety features such as the safety cage and crush zones required for driving on the roads.

The retail price of the Transition is expected to be $194,000 and Terrafugia expects the vehicle to be available by the end of 2011. The company reports it has already received 70 orders.

The perfect old city, Florence.......

2010-11-22T12:11:06Z

To many, Italy is the perfect location for a European holiday, fabulous weather, great food and incredibly hospitable people, the only question where in Italy;- the hustle and bustle of Rome, the shopping paradise of Milan, the unique Venice, or maybe exploring Sicily. All wonderful, but for me Tuscany tops them all. The rich and vibrant colours of the countryside, green, red, yellow, set against the endless blue summer sky, and the cities towns and villages that are home to some of the greatest art in the world.

]]> Tuscany is the essence of Italy, the home of the Renaissance, to visit is adventure into a world that has inspired some of the greatest thinker’s, artists and writers and also to visit one rediscovers one’s own inner peace, it maybe my imagination, but Tuscany has a the power to enter into the soul. It is intoxicating.

First a little geography, Tuscany is a region in Central Italy, with a long coast line on the Mediterranean and extending inland to form a ‘triangle shape’, the region is surrounded and crossed by major mountain chains, and the countryside is dominated by hills. Critical in understand the region is to visit the Tuscan capital,- Florence. The importance of Florence in the history of Europe and development of trade and art is hard to overstate. Florence was the birthplace of the Medici family and the Italian Renaissance, and is still one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The art galleries and collections rival any, and if one wanted, it would be easy to spend days just visiting and admiring some of the finniest precious and valuable works of art works of art ever created. Send time visiting the Uffizi and ensure you see Botticelli's Birth of Venus, the Pitti Palace, and the Bargello.

Much of the art works; in particular the frescos and sculptures are not housed in museums but in the Tuscan churches and cathedrals. The most famous of which are probably, the Florence Cathedral, Siena Cathedral, Pisa Cathedral and the Collegiata di San Gimignano, however, if you see a church, it is always worth a visit, but remember you are visiting a place of worship not a tourist attraction. It is easy to get a little blasé when in Tuscany, works of great importance that elsewhere would be the focus of attention are often overlooked because in the next room or church is a work by Leonardo da Vinci or Michelangelo.

When I think of Italy, I think of fashion, it is easy to forget that Italy is still the third largest supplier of clothes in the world, (after China and Japan). The textiles and fashion industry are central to the economy of Florence, and on its most famous shopping street, the Via de' Tornabuoni are some very luxurious stores including Cartier, Ferragamo, Gucci, Versace and Bulgari. An Italian suit or dress, made with Italian cloth and purchased in Italy just exudes a quality that is so special. My first lightweight Italian suit was so prized to me that when hung in the wardrobe I ensured my other suits were not touching. The fabric so fine and the cut so skilled the suit remained a favorite for years.

The hordes of tourists visiting Florence can be a little irksome, I have never understood why when visiting one of the architectural and cultural pinnacles of the Western world more visitors don’t just slow the schedule down, surly it should be about quality not quantity, why ‘pass though’ twenty places rather than properly visiting and absorbing just a few….. Memories are made by lingering, not by rushing; I remember well sitting in the ‘Caffe Giubbe Rosse’ in the Piazza della Repubblica. The café, in its name, is paying tribute to the “Red Shirts” of Garibaldi’s forces during the ‘Risorgimento’, (unification of Italy). Garibaldi is a great Italian hero. The Café was a place were in the past intellectuals would met and discuss how to change the world, it is described beautifully by Alberto Viviani as, “a forge of dreams and passions”. My memories are of sitting while waiting for my wife, watching people and pondering life, and discovering a little more of what made this small café important in Italian life, drinking coffee and eating a little freshly baked Italian bread. I am not much interested when people say, “I visited ‘such and such’”, but when they say, ‘I experienced Florence’, that the mark of a fellow traveler.

Letter from Britain, No; 2, - A Royal Wedding

2010-11-22T08:50:54Z

In my more radical younger days, I flirted with the idea of Republicanism, how could a major democracy still cling to the outmoded notions of Royalty. A small cabal of people with great privilege, and riches beyond dreams, with apparently little intellectual ability be our representatives on the global stage. How could inherited power be justified was a simple question that did not in the mind of a student elicit a satisfactory answer? My thoughts were not untypical of the musings of the young, but were much out of step of the mood of the vast majority of the country.

]]> The recent news of the engagement of Prince William to Kate Middleton, was greeted in the UK and seemingly around the world with much excitement and interest; yes a few discordant notes on blog sites, but the overwhelming reaction was positive. I too found myself watching the news and commented to my wife, ‘how nice to have a good news story’. My thoughts were clearly more akin with the majority of my countrymen than in years past.

My earliest memory of the Royal family is from the mid 1970’s when a deranged man tried to kidnap Princess Anne (the Queen’s daughter). I remember the television reports describing how the assailant, Ian Ball, had forced Anne’s car to stop on the Mall, the road leading from Trafalgar Square to Buckingham Palace, and had shot the Princesses protection officer, and her chauffeur and a member of the public and passing policeman who had tried to protect the Queen’s only daughter. The reports told how 24 years old Princess remained calm, refusing to get out of the car, shouting at the gunman. Anne escaped physically unhurt, and her bravery impressed the nation. (Anne had already demonstrated her remarkable sporting skills, in winning European gold equestrian medal).

A clearer memory is of the Queens Silver Jubilee in 1977, when I was around fourteen. The celebrations were a mixture of prestigious national events and small local street parties. Fourteen can be a difficult time to know ones place in the world, I was at that age where it would not be cool to be seen to enjoying the kids street party celebrations, but not old enough to just be allowed to ignore the proceeding.

One of the big National events was the Royal review of the Fleet. Britain is a former great Navel power, and even in 1977 could muster over 160 ships of the line. (To put such in perspective the D. Day pre-invasion review involved more than 800 vessels). My father had served in the Navy during the latter part of the War, and retained a great regard for all things spectacular involving the Navy. The review was held in the Solent, at Spithead the straight of sea off the southern English coast that separates the ‘mainland’ from the Isle of Wight.

Although at that time, we lived some distance away I was born in that part of the country and my parents had many friends in the area. On the day of the review, the weather was terrible, but it really was an incredible sight as Royal Yacht Britannia cruised up and down the assembled anchored fleet of firepower. Britain at the time was going through a very tough period of economic stagnation, we were known as the ‘sick man of Europe’, and the celebrations, both large and small were a welcome distraction. In a few years, our Economic fortunes would change, and many of those ships would be required to defend in anger Britain’s overseas interests.

It is interesting that the economic revolution led by Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s that was also accompanied by demise of class and social barriers, did not reduce the popularity of the Monarchy. The reason of course, a young pretty girl had joined the Royal family; Diana Spencer married Prince Charles amidst global media frenzy in 1981. This most sweet young girl was about to blossom on to the world stage and captivate all before her. I did not meet her, or have any remote contact to the Princess of Wales, but I too was captured by her style and vunerability. I was enthralled by her ability to meet with Heads of State and the homeless, the sick and the rich, the ordinary and extra-ordinary, and be at ease with all. It is a rare human skill, to make all feel they are important and better for having met them; especially when for the vast majority, the meeting is not in person but via the TV or newspaper.

The demise of Charles and Diana’s marriage was at the time much discussed and self evidently the two were ill matched. Charles’s reputation was poor before the difficulties in his marriage and plummeted further after his divorce. Diana remained immensely popular and her tragic death in 1997 served to seal in aspic her exulted position in the public’s affection, and further undermine Charles.

In April 1982, Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands. The Argentinean military Junta had misjudged the character of the British people in general and Margaret Thatcher in particular. Whilst, Britain’s military strength was and remains far greater than Argentina, the Falklands is about 8,000 miles away from Britain. (To put the distance in perspective, London is about 5,500 miles from Seoul). To retake the Falklands we would need air supremacy, and yet due to the distance our jet fighter air force would be limited to 34 Harrier jump jets stationed on our aircraft carriers, against the 220 Argentinean jet fighters, that could take off from Argentina and overfly the Island. Whilst following our victory, it is easy to assume such was straight forward and assured, it certainly was not at the point when Mrs. Thatcher ordered that a Royal Navy Task force be assembled to sail to the South Atlantic and retake the Islands.

I mention the conflict because Prince Andrew, the Queens second son was a Sea-King helicopter co-pilot serving on the Aircraft carrier HMS Invincible. The government was concerned about his safety, and suggested he be posted to a ‘desk job’ to avoid action. The Queen insisted that Andrew remain in post and sail and if required fight alongside his comrades. The point that the Queen was not using her position to excuse her family from peril was not missed by the public, who have since held Andrew, despite the actions of his silly ex-wife, in high esteem. A similar reaction greeted the news almost thirty years later that Prince Harry had served a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Anne’s pluck, Diana’s beauty or Andrew’s commitment did not change my view of Monarchy, growing up did, along with an enduring respect of the Queen. Of course, it is an anachronism to have an unelected Head of State, and if we were building a country afresh, a Monarch would not be included in constitutional arrangements, but we are not.

The strength of the Monarchy does not lie in politics or executive action, in reality since the English civil war (1642-1651), Parliament has held sway, the Act of Settlement 1701 set out the relationship of Parliament and the Monarchy, Parliament has all the real power. However, the Monarch has retained influence, and even today, the Queen will meet regularly with the Prime Minister to discuss matters of State. Such discussions are never made public, but in general terms, many Prime Ministers have stated that the Queen is able to offer great insights and has a breath of experience perhaps unequalled by other Heads of State.

The Queen has reigned for almost sixty years, and is currently Head of State of 16 Realms, David Cameron is her twelfth British Prime Minster, John Key is her fourteenth New Zealand Premier, Julia Gillard is the Queen’s Twelfth Australian Prime Minister and Stephen Harper is the 11 Canadian PM to have served in the Queen’s reign. The Queen has met the worlds most powerful and influential and can help her ministers by being an experienced sounding board. The Prime Minster can be completely candid with the Queen without any concern their comments will be leaked or discussed with others; consequently, the Queen is far more than a constitutional nicety. As supreme leader of the Church of England, her role may be ceremonial, and most of the Queen’s role as Head of State is also ceremonial, but must is not. It struck me earlier in the year when the Queen addressed the United Nations in New York, that the last time she had done so was in 1957, - 53 years ago. The Queen’s experience, gained over sixty years is an incredible asset, and the real financial costs are negligible, in any event, I buy into the proposition that we gain far more financially than ever we lose.

I am not a close watcher of the Royals, but in the similar way as her Mother, the Queen has become part of all our lives in Britain, not a big part, to most not an important part, but nevertheless a part. When great tragedy befalls, or great triumphs embrace the UK, the Queen is at hand, not granting interviews to push an agenda, but standing in our place in our stead.

It is true that we are fortunate that the Queen has served the country very well, and that other past Monarchs were less suited to the role. Indeed many feel that Charles would be a terrible King, however, the Queen is in robust health and seems set to reign for many more years, at present only George III and Queen Victoria have served longer, and most would hope the present Queen lives long enough to surpass them, and in so doing reduce the time Charles would Reign. At some point William will assume the role, if he has inherited his Grand Parents and Great Grandparents love of country and his mothers charm he will remain popular. Most including I know nothing of the real man or his wife to be, but I wish them well.

The abolition of the Monarchy seems a remote prospect; I recall a story that during the War when London was being bombed nightly, a senior politician, Lord Hailsham suggested to the then Queen, that the two princesses should be evacuated to Canada. The suggestion was rejected, the Queen mother saying;

‘The children won’t go without me. I won’t leave without the King. And the King will never leave’.

I believe that sentiment remains true today……..

Orangutan

2010-11-19T15:59:38Z

We live in an age of wondrous technical advances, we are living longer heather lives, many would claim we are happier today than ever, however, there is a darkening cloud on the near horizon. Our planets rich biodiversity is under threat from global warming and our most precious wildlife is under threat. Such is not news to any of us, nevertheless, whilst the scale of the problem is daunting, many of the solutions rely on small acts that each of us can take if we chose to play our role in redressing the balance. We can act to help our natural world before it's too late.

]]> I am not an environmentalist, in the sense that I don't expect to give up my foreign holidays or wear cloths made from recycled cardboard, but I am concerned when I see senseless destruction of great swaths of tropical rainforest to plant palm oil. I admit, I don't drive an electric car and I do eat meat, but I don't want the 'freedom' to have the severed hand of a great ape as a desk souvenir. I try to recycle, but I am sure I waste and consume more than I should, but I don't want large industrial conglomerates to put at risk whole species in pursuit of extreme profit.

If we cannot learn how to sustainably share our planet with all the diverse life, we will lose much, particularly if and when the loss is a large animal, it is not 'just' the animal we lose, but surly also part of our humanity.

Of the four great Apes, gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos and orangutans, only the Orangutan is exclusively found in Asia, (the others all come from Africa). Orangutans are native to Indonesia and Malaysia, the indigenous people call this ape Orang Hutan literally translating into English as People of the Forest. This most fabulous of creatures, that are among the most intelligent of Primates and is the largest living arboreal animal, is close to extinction, today only living naturally in the rainforests on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Unless the world acts to maintain and protect its dwindling habitat and stop illegal hunting the Orangutan will be lost to future generations. There are only two surviving Orangutan species; the Borneon Orangutan (Pongo Pygmaeus) which is classed by the 'International Union for Conservation of Nature' (IUCN) as endangered, and the Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii) which the IUCN classes as in critical danger of extinction.

Orangutan's are immediately recognizable as part of the Ape family but their reddish-brown hair and very long arms distinguish them from their African cousins. The gentle red ape demonstrates significant intelligence, with an ability to reason and think; being able to use a variety of 'tools' and is one of our closest relatives, sharing 97% of the same DNA as humans. Recent studies by James Lee, a Harvard University psychologist, concluded that, orangutans are the world's most intelligent animal other than man. The Dutch primatologist, Carel van Schaik, (Duke University, USA) found orang-utans had the ability to use leaves to make rain hats and leak proof roofs over their sleeping nests. Further van Schaik discovered that, in some food-rich areas, orangutans had developed a complex culture in which adults would teach youngsters how to make tools and find food. All these behaviours and abilities require intelligence well beyond that exhibited by chimpanzees.

As their habitat is destroyed for illegal logging and to expand palm oil plantations, scientists now warn that, the intelligent mammal could become the first great ape to become extinct. Exact numbers difficult to calculate, however, it was estimated in 2008 that the number of orangutans on Sumatra island in Indonesia has fallen by 14 per cent since 2004 to only 6,600 animals. In Malaysia's Borneo island, the largest home of the species, numbers fell by 10 per cent in the same period to 49,600 apes. Whilst, much of the cause of the decline is the destruction of the natural habitat, hunting has in the past and continues today to be a huge problem.

The issues are complex, farming in the region is hard and the human populations have expanded greatly in recent years putting great pressure on the natural resources. Government and NGO's have created a framework to protect parts of the remaining habitat, and efforts are gaining pace, nevertheless, the special interest groups are powerful and the illegal hunting community resilient to underfunded enforcement.

Orangutan populations are very slow to recover from disturbance, because, Orangutan females only give birth about once every 6-11 years - the longest time between births of any mammal on earth. (This results in only 4 to 5 babies in her lifetime.) Further, orangutan's have the longest childhood dependence on the mother of any animal in the world. The babies nurse until they are about six years of age. The young males may stay close by their mothers for a few more years but the females may stay until they are into their teens, allowing them to observe mothering skills as they watch their younger siblings being raised by the mother. Consequently, the death of a female adult would without intervention cause the young Orangutan to be lost, unable to look after itself in the wild.

Intervention and protection of the Orangutan natural habitat is essential if the species is to survive, and we at Afterabc are keen to assist those groups and organisations that are striving to protect and nurture these wondrous animals.

In early 2011, we will formally announce our plan to support orangutans and how you might join with us in offering help to the great Orange Asian Ape.

Letter from Britain: Number 1

2010-11-18T16:01:08Z

It is amazing how much we know of others and yet how little. How much information is available, and yet how little insight often to the motivations and history of the why things may be so.

]]> I often find that what fascinates is the small things, and how these small things are extrapolated and perhaps distorted to create an impression and a stereotype. What do we really know of others, of those born and raised thousands of miles from our shores, what has shaped their thoughts and attitudes?

Let me start by stating I speak for myself, I do not suggest my views are the ‘universal British view’, for such does not exist, but what I will endeavour to do in each posting is to describe what has caught my eye, or what has interested me. I will not attempt to ‘report and investigate’, for others do that better than I, but I seek to say what I think, and if others wish to comment such is welcome.

In final few days of October and the first third of November, any visitor to Britain will be struck by a subtle change in the dress code. The red Poppy will be worn by almost all, by school children to the celebrity TV presenters, from the Monarch to office cleaners, this simple symbol is the ‘British’ understated emblem of remembering fallen soldiers, sailors and Airman of the two World Wars, and the other conflicts; this small gesture of remembrance is ubiquitous in British life in November.

It is more than sixty-five years after the Second World War, and more than ninety years after the guns fell silent on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, 1918 to end the first World War. Nevertheless, the public response to the annual Poppy appeal by the service charity, The Royal British Legion, has not waivered, the country has it seems taken to its heart the last two lines of Laurence Binyon’s poem “For the Fallen”;

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.

Perhaps it is the simplicity of the idea that has ensured the longevity:

The First War witnessed the first mass slaughter of men by machine, millions perished on the battlefields of France and Belgium, the ground torn and wrought by munitions, and yet in Flanders (a region of Northern France and Belgium) the poppy grew in the devastated fields. The sight inspired a Canadian doctor, John McCrae to pen the poem, “In Flanders’ Fields”, it was to be the inspiration for an American War Secretary, Moina Michael, who began selling poppies to friends to raise money for the ex-Service man, and on the 11 November 1921, the tradition set root.

In Flanders' Fields
John McCrae, 1915

In Flanders' fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders' fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high,
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders' Fields.

Whilst, I had to learn the poem at school, my two boys didn’t, the war poets ‘out of fashion’ in the 1990’s, but they, along with other school children from the length and breadth of the UK, were taught about, and I think understood from a young age what the poppy symbolizes.

For a nation with such a military history, and a nation scared by such magnitudes of war dead, it is noteworthy that very few are at rest in our shoes in the British Isles, but lie, as in the words of the great War poet Rupert Brooke, in,

“… some corner of a foreign field
That is for ever England…..”

The country side of France and Belgium and indeed in countries around the globe are home to what Winston Churchill described as the most sacred ground for an Englishman. The graves of the more than 1.7 million commonwealth forces that fell during the two World Wars are maintained in 23,000 cemeteries. At home we have erected more than 100,000 war memorials, from small villages to large cities, in each, pride of place was at time of construction given to the memorial, they are part of the fabric, often walked past without a second glance, but at times the backdrop of collective thanks.

The stereotype is that we Brits live in the past, talking of past glories, such is far from a complex truth. The past, that of the Normans, Tudor Kings & Queens, Colonisation and the industrial revolution is a past that does not touch the modern lives of any. The sun might not have ever set on Britain’s lost Empire, but that is past and gone, not regret for its passing, or a remorse for its happening…. It was not me and I feel no part of it.

Remembrance and the Poppy are different, it does not feel like distant history, but part of modern life, it is a line of collective thought that unites; it creates a sense of perspective for modern Britain.

I am surprised by my words, I did not begin today with a sense that I should start my first ‘Letter from Britain’, by writing about war and Remembrance, and I am sure my next utterances will be as far away from such. I think the simple explanation is that I noticed a British journalist on BBC 24 hour news reporting from Afghanistan, with a Poppy and the juxtaposition of war, Remembrance and freedom of expression made me just a little more hope that good will always overcome.

G20; An opportunity taken by Korea, but lost by our 'leaders'.

2010-11-17T19:02:06Z

The recent G20 summit in Seoul, South Korea was a chance for Korea to showcase to the world that it is a global financial power, to emerge from the status of developing to developed nation.

]]> The staging of the G20 summit in Korea, was a not so subtle message to the world of how economic power has shifted to the East. If, forty years or so ago, one had to point on the globe to the centre of economic power the pin would sit in the Atlantic, off the East coast of the USA but with a strong pull from the old European nations. Today the pin is in the Pacific Ocean gradually and seemingly execrably moving towards China and the Asian Pacific countries.

The transformation is remarkable and Korea is an exemplar of such; from being one of the worlds twenty poorest countries in 1950 to today one of the worlds twenty richest is a growth not seen anywhere in the older western economies.

Whilst the G20, comprising of the world's 19 leading national economies plus the European Union, was formed and first met in 1999, it had little influence. The G20 group was overshadowed by the G8; - Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK and the US.

The near global financial melt-down in 2008 changed the status of the G20, a larger group of nations was required to act to prevent the crises from collapsing the capitalist system. The world leaders met in London, and faced with imminent danger agreed to act.

The economies of most countries survived the crises, and today’s issues, of huge trade imbalances and ‘currency wars’ seem less urgent and perhaps even harder to agree reform, consequently co-operation in Korea 2010 was always going to be difficult to achieve, and predictably the ‘leaders’ decided instead to issue bland and meaningless communique of good intent.

So, did the summit achieve anything?

For Korea, the answer would seem to be a resounding yes, for the developing world maybe, for the stability of the world economy an equally resounding no.

The summit put Korea centre of the world stage, whilst the Olympics, World Cup and F1 were important, the G20 is serious and if, as I believe, pride and prestige is important to a populace then hosting the G20 would have enhanced Koreans belief in their new found position in the world.

The world’s serious media descended upon Seoul, and their reports sent around the globe. Overwhelmingly the newscasters were upbeat about the country; describing a technologically advanced, friendly dynamic country that embraces the notions of hard-work, enterprise and education. (In fact I only read one article critical of the Korea’s record on animal rights, in particular in relation to farming bears for gal bile). The message to the world was come and visit, (Je ju island was much covered) and come for business.

The organisers will be relieved that the tight security worked, no pictures of protesting anarchist, and much more importantly no acts of terror or even a little shoe throwing at the leaders.

Life can often be about perceptions, and the summit would have helped greatly in promoting some very positive perception of the country.

President Myung Bak Lee, had stated that 2010 would be Korea’s year of Africa, and in addition to increasing aid to the region has said Korea wishes to share with Africa its knowledge of development.

The Korean aid budget to Africa has indeed increased to approximately $60m, however, it pales still in comparison to other countries efforts. (For example, Britain overseas Aid budget is approximately $11 Billion, and is pledged not to decrease despite the UK’s economic woes). Direct comparisons are a little unfair, but the aid to Africa’s path is well worn by many countries before South Korea’s efforts, and unless they can unlock the cycles of dependency corruption, poverty, civil-war and the other multitude of issues, I remain sceptical.

Invitations from President Lee, to the President of Malawi, Bingu wa Mutharika, who currently chairs the African Union, and the Ethiopian President Meles Zenawi, who chairs the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), were gestures designed to illustrate that African aid and development remains on the table.

None the less, all at the summit will be conscious that China is investing very heavily into Africa in search of natural resources to feed its ravenous manufacturing sector. Korea too will no doubt be considering a presence in Africa, but will have to decide if along with the US and Europe to press African leaders to follow the model of democracy in return for aid and trade, or to adopt the Chinese model of non-interference in the political affairs of other nations. Such considerations are perhaps a little premature, but in time will need consideration.

So Africa aid was discussed, but concrete trade proposals are as far away as ever, Korea despite its Chairmanship of the G20 is not really in a position yet to lead a change of strategy that would involve restructuring of numerous trade agreements long entrenched in national interest. Nevertheless, if Korea can help incubate a developing economy in Africa, the summit may be viewed in years to come as an important milestone.

The over arching issue prior to the summit was the huge trade imbalances, and the resulting ‘currency wars’. It seemed at times to be a summit of two; of President Obama and President Hu, the other nations bystanders watching the crash of ideas and ideologies.

The issues are clear for all to see, it is just that the solution will be painful, and no leader democratically elected or not wants to admit that the solution involves a lot of pain.

It seems to me that America needs its currency to be weak, for a weaker dollar will help the economy and potentially reverse the slow decline of the economic fortune. However, the effects on the rest of the world of a weak dollar, is economic pain. The question not answered is where is the increase in demand going to come from? Asia has produced, and the West, -the US, Britain and Spain, have borrowed and spent, but the cycle is corrosive, and the pain will not be limited unless the Asian nations can find new markets.

The US economy is close to crises with unemployment the highest since before the Second World War, the actions of active intervention to suppress currency values in the market by China, Japan, Korea and others will increase America’s difficulty in emerging from the economic woes.

The motivations are clear, Japan wants to avoid deflation and China needs to keep the factories employing the increasingly aspirational population. The issue for both countries is they need the American market, and in comparison the home market, particularly in China is still small.

The American leadership will well understand the problems faced by others, but they cannot allow the situation to continue, and whilst the world i not quite at the point of protectionist policies we are moving ever closer in that direction.

The so-called quantitative easing, QE2, was a dramatic move by America to fight back, it will flood the economies of those on the other side of the currency war, and will in effect create a currency revaluation. Such action is brutal, but is designed to protect America from what it views as ‘unfair’ actions, in particular the action of China in suppressing the value of the Yuan.

I was struck by what the Nobel prize winning economist, Paul Krugman said, “people are looking for innocuous ways to deal with this problem, and there aren’t any”. A little knowledge of economic history would suggest that these imbalances are bad for all, but worse for the countries in surplus.

We are at a dangerous point in the world and the ‘leaders’ at the G20 seemingly missed the opportunity, but perhaps another strategy is beginning to emerge. Might the Chinese and others be seeking to introduce an alternative to the dollar? In the 1940s Keynes suggested the concept of the “Bancor”, which is a commodity currency priced off a basket of metals. If such were to develop, the US position as the currency hegemon it has enjoyed since the Gold Standard was abandoned will be lost.

If the leaders are playing poker, the stakes are huge, commercial wars would cause huge harm to the surplus countries, but perhaps the game is for the power balance to seismically shift by creating a climate where even America’s staunchest friends support a new currency system. It is said often that the Chinese are happiest playing the long game; Obama on the other hand has an election to win in a couple of years.