STAMPS in 2013

STAMPS - we came from different parts of Asia and as 2013 draws to a close, I thought it useful to see where each of the these countries are.

Most of these countries have been in the news for the wrong reasons:-

Sri Lanka - out of the civil war but read that journalists are still targeted for political reasons.  Probably one destination for future get together.

Thailand - Thailand went through a cycle of military coups.  Now it seems the approach adopted by the politicians to gain power is through street demonstrations.  The politically motivated public demonstrations against the government is unlikely to come to a good conclusion.  The opposition states that it will boycott the coming election.  The economy will surely suffer.  Will it deteriorate to the situation as in the past, with the military intervening with deadly force?  Will there be clashes between red and yellow again?

Australia - Bush fires. General Motors shutdown.  End of the mining driven economic growth.  Qantas performance down.

Malaysia - Monsoon floods in Kelantan, Trengganu, Johor, changes in property tax in KL, removal of subsidies for some items.

Maldives - coup.  New government.

Philippines - still counting the losses from the devastating typhoon that struck weeks ago.  The donation drive to provide aid is still on-going in Singapore.

Singapore - riots in Little India.  Taxi fares up.  Bus fares going up soon.  Circle Line opens to a 15-min delay.  Property price control measures kicking in.  Government websites hacked.  Can the economy survive the tapering?

Tas Uni CIO at eduCampus 2014

Met Jeffrey Murray - CIO Tas Uni - at the eduCampus 2014 conference last week at Marina Bays Sands.  Not an engaging person.  When I introduced myself as an alumnus, he did not really respond.  Perhaps he was not originally from Tas.

But am impressed by the IT-supported work that is going on in the uni - the collation of environment data from sensors around Australia, etc.  Not the usual computerisation of this or that programmes. 

Perhaps we should not be surprised as even back then, there was heaps of data coming off the radio telescope across the river - remember seeing the reams of printouts that we usually help ourselves to re-cycle for tutorial papers....

Also, insightful explanation of challenges of MOOC during a pane discussion.

Have also been reading a few papers on the IT-based examination system being tried out or implemented at Tas Uni.  Good info for me.

My meeting with Brian Clark from RMIT was more engaging.  Had some animated discussions with him.