Saturday 17 September 2011

Redesign, Guest Posts and Interviews

A Passion to Understand - old layout

Redesign

I began writing posts for this blog 5 years ago in June 2006.  I moved it over to Blogspot in February 2009 and while I’ve made slight changes here and there, I’ve never really made the time to look at the layout.

Of course, everything has to change sometimes and when better to effect those changes than in autumn?  I’m feeling energised and excited for the next two seasons and I’ve been working on a redesign to complement my plans to dedicate more time to self-study and to this blog. 

Redesigning a blog is not always easy and there is often a period of time where links might not work or features might not function.  Please let me know if you spot anything and I’ll try my best to fix it.  The blog will look completely different when I’ve finished, with a new colour scheme, header and layout but hopefully you’ll still be able to spot some of the old me in there somewhere.

Guest Posts

I’m always on the lookout for guest writers at A Passion to Understand.  If you would like to draw attention to a social or political issue, or would like to write a post of historical significance then please get in touch. 

The perfect type of post would be one that introduces people to an issue and you can link back to posts or information on your own website or blog.  I get a lot of traffic from high school students researching certain issues and seeking further information so an idea would be to write with those students in mind.

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Interviews

I am also always interested in interviewing people about the work that they do to raise awareness of issues.  In the past, I interviewed Julia Lallla-Maharajh from the Orchid Project about female genital cutting and Kate Malarkey from FXB, a charity that supports communities ravaged by poverty and AIDS.

If you work for a charity or do work to raise awareness of social, political or historical issues, then I would like to interview you.  I’d like to know about the work you do and how we can encourage young people to get involved.

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Book reviews

I do accept books for review on a wide range of topics including genocide, the Holocaust, war, violence and women’s issues.  If you would like me to review a book for you, please get in touch.

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Tuesday 6 September 2011

Project 2,996: Takashi Ogawa

Takashi Ogawa was a system consultant for Nomura Research Institute Ltd.  He was 37-years-old at the time of the attacks and came from Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture in Japan.  Takashi was in the US on business and was attending a conference on financial engineering on the 106th floor of the north tower of the World Trade Center when the terrorist attack took place.

Kyodo News International, Inc stated that Takashi had only moved to Nomura Research Institute in January 2001 and that he had previously worked at a major Japanese bank.  One of his high school teachers was quoted as saying that Takashi loved English, was able to talk logically and that he had wanted to work in finance and IT since high school.

Many of us dream of being sent on important business trips and conferences abroad.  One thing is for sure, at the age of 37, Takashi achieved this dream.  The world lost many talented, successful and driven individuals that day.

Takashi was joined in New York City and at the World Trade Center by another Nomura colleague Sanae Mori: Sanae Mori’s Project 2,996 tribute.

If any of Takashi’s friends, family or colleagues would like to share their memories of Takashi or provide a photo, I would be happy to update this tribute on your behalf.


Read more about Project 2,996.

My previous tributes:
Rosa Gonzalez
Suresh Yanamadala

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Monday 5 September 2011

Project 2,996 2011

Project 2,996 is a project whereby bloggers remember the lives of the victims of 9/11 and not their deaths. This is not about the perpetrators and who they were and why they did it. This is about 2,996 amazing, inspiring and good people who lost their lives that day.

I’m taking part in Project 2,996 again this year.  Last year we had an overwhelming response to the project and for the first time, all 2,996 victims of the 9/11 attacks had tributes written on their behalf.  Unfortunately, the organiser, Dale Roe, went through over 4,500 links this year and found the majority to have expired.

You can take part in Project 2,996 by choosing a victim who does not yet have a tribute and writing a tribute.

My previous tributes:
Rosa Gonzalez
Suresh Yanamadala

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