Open Society Foundations » Pamela Chen

Ten Days with Vlad and Nadia

Pamela Chen — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:07:33 +0000

Nadia Zhukovski kisses her sleeping son Vlad before going to the local pharmacy for medical supplies. © Scott Anger & Bob Sacha for the Open Society Foundations

In the spring of 2010, documentary filmmakers Scott Anger and Bob Sacha traveled to Ukraine for the Open Society Foundations to report on access to pain relief in end-of-life care: while late-stage cancer patients in other countries might get 2,000 milligrams or more of morphine per day to manage their pain symptoms, patients in Ukraine are only allowed 50 milligrams per day.

The two filmmakers met Vlad Zhukovski, 27, and his mother Nadia in the small town of Cherkasy. Vlad was suffering from incurable brain cancer. Despite desperate pleas to doctors and nurses, Nadia was unable to obtain enough medication for her son, while Vlad’s deteriorating condition left him continuously tormented in pain.

Bob Sacha remembers first learning of Vlad’s young age. “I thought about all the things I had done since I was that age—silly, simple things—and I realized that not only would Vlad be unable to do those type of things, but he’d also needlessly suffer in pain until the day he died. No one should ever be sentenced to that future.”

What Vlad and Nadia were going through was familiar to many families in Ukraine, yet remained largely unheard of in countries where pain relief is a reality. Scott Anger describes meeting Nadia for the first time over tea in her kitchen, explaining why they had come to tell their story, but also what the process would require:

“As documentary filmmakers, our desire is always to truthfully witness and record events as they unfold, which means we’re shooting all the time. Nothing is setup or staged. Our goal is to eventually become invisible so people are comfortable enough to go about their daily lives. Once we explained to Nadia and Vlad why we were there and what we wanted to do, they agreed. From that point forward, we filmed nearly every aspect of their lives.”

Scott and Bob spent the next ten days with the family. “Vlad was a thoughtful, caring and funny person. Even when he was in a lot of pain, he asked about our comfort and needs,” Scott recalled. “For the most part, we became part of the environment. Then Vlad would be getting bandages changed by his friend Sergey or having a conversation with his mom when he’d suddenly turn and ask how we were doing. He cared about all the people around him. Sometimes, he joked about how we’d wait frozen in position for a long time in order to get just the right angle or shot.”

As their relationship with the family continued to grow, the filmmakers were drawn into their private world. Bob describes Nadia’s struggle to care for her son, not only in her day-to-day care-giving but in navigating the daunting bureaucratic obstacles.

“After getting the runaround on the phone, Nadia decided she might have better luck if she personally went to the hospital to find a doctor to come and see Vlad,” Bob says. “I can still remember the way she would walk with these determined strides, the click, click, click of her heels on the pavement. It was incredible to watch her fight for her son, to keep politely pushing and pushing until someone would pay attention. I am in awe of her. She devoted her life to Vlad, to try to get him better care, to try to get him more medication to ease his suffering.”

When it was time to leave, the unspoken truth brought with it a weight of finality. "Most of the time you know you'll see someone again someday, somewhere. But we were pretty sure that we weren't going to see Vlad again, that he was not going to get better," said Bob.

"Despite the intolerable pain and health problems, we never witnessed him losing hope," Scott added, "And we returned home to the task of telling his story in a truthful, powerful way that honored Vlad's value for life."

Fifty Milligrams Is Not Enough is one in a series of three short films documenting human rights abuses in health care settings. Watch the films and learn more about the Campaign to Stop Torture in Health Care.

Film Credits
Fifty Milligrams Is Not Enough
A Film by Scott Anger and Bob Sacha
Produced by the Open Society Foundations
Producers: Paul Silva and Pamela Chen
Editor: Scott Anger
Design: Mike Schmidt
Translator: Eugenia Larionchik
Transcription: Irina Zaytseva
Special Thanks: The Zhukovski Family, Dr. Irina Shlyaga, Sergey Psiurnyk

The economics of the Internet, past and present

Idaho State Journal January 4, 2011 Only a modern Rip Van Winkle could have missed the increasing role the Internet has in American life. What was once a toy for video gamers and a tool only for scientists is now a powerful force in the economic life of the nation.

Online Cyber Monday sales topped in-store Black Friday sales for the first time this holiday season. No one can argue that online shopping isn't convenient. After all, who isn't comfortable shopping while sitting at home in their slippers. However, the e-commerce revolution may be taking a toll on seasonal holiday employment.

Since the early 1990s the holiday season has created 700,000 to 800,000 temporary seasonal jobs across the nation. The 2010 shopping season produced only about 600,000 --almost double the number created in 2008 and about 100,000 more than last year --but still disappointing.

Sales totals indicate that spending during the Christmas season was back to prerecession levels, and many expected hiring at the same level. The reason it was down may be as close as a mouse. Steve Jones, an author who studies the effects of the Internet on business and the economy, says businesses such as Amazon.com do not require the same customer service staff as traditional brick and mortar stores. So as online sales increase nationally, the need for retail sales and customer service staff at brick and mortar stores declines.

However, the rise of the World Wide Web in American commerce has not always equaled job losses. In the 1990s, during the dot-com bubble, Internet-based startup companies created many high-paying jobs related to web-based technologies. site cyber monday sales

The dot-com bubble produced a wide array of webbased firms --Craigslist, Amazon.com, Ebay, Google, and Yahoo to name a few. In the 1990s the dot.com startup companies were bolstered by venture capital firms that saw the Internet as an almost magical land where their money could grow rapidly in a matter of months. Stock prices for web-based firms soared as investors jumped in to take advantage of what many perceived to be a surefire investment.

Economist and business writer Keith Fitz-Gerald says the dot-com bubble was "built on all things Internet, and success was easy. All you had to do was start a company and give it a nice technical sounding name, say you wanted to engage in the business of "e-anything ," ask some irrationally exuberant venture capitalist to put up four to five times as much start capital as any 'normal' business could get, and then watch your IPO stock shoot up tenfold in price." Fitz-Gerald's summation of the dotcom era may sound comical, but it is not farfetched. Some of the more outrageous dot-come companies included Flooz. com, which received $35 million to start a website where customers could buy online virtual currency which could be used with other online merchants; MVP. go to site cyber monday sales

pp a acka ck a gge e for ^ s com, which received $65 million to sell sporting goods; GovWorks.com, which was the subject of the movie documentary Startup.com and received millions of dollars of venture capital to create a system where consumers could pay fees to local governments online; and last but not least, Webvan.com, which raised $375 million to create an online grocery delivery business.

Many venture capital firms took controlling interests in dot-com startups and urged the new firms to grow rapidly. This rapid growth required the addition of many new employees, and many of them commanded high compensation. A positive ripple effect of new jobs across many sectors of America's economy helped foster the economic prosperity of the Clinton years.

However, by 2000 the dot.com party was coming to an abrupt end. The NASDAQ , home of many dot-com companies, lost more than half its value in a period of just a few months. America's economy stumbled as many dot.coms shut down, shedding many high technology jobs.

The Internet is a powerful force in our economy, but web-based ventures provide not only opportunities but also economic hazards.

Dan Cravens is the regional economist for the Idaho Department of Labor in small ma Pocatello l l. business ONLINE To comment on this column, go to thejhub.com. For more business news, visit idahostatejournal. com. Go to the news tab to find the business news link.

Leaders hold forum to discuss Wal-Mart

Pasadena Star-News October 7, 2005 SAN GABRIEL --Area religious leaders will hold a forum on Wal- Mart at 7 p.m. on Monday.

"Judging Wal-Mart from a Faith Perspective' will be held at St. Anthony's Catholic Church with speakers Dr. Goetz Wolff, a UCLA professor, and Kent Wong, director of the UCLA Labor Center.

State Sen. Gloria Romero, D- East Los Angeles, and Assemblywoman Judy Chu, D-Monterey Park, will be part of a panel discussion following the event. A preview of Ronald Greenwald's film about Wal- Mart called "The High Price of Low Cost' also will be shown.

The event is presented by Progressive Christians Uniting and Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace. It is endorsed by St. Anthony's Parish and the San Gabriel Mission Parish.

Wal-Mart is trying to open a 24- hour Super Center in Rosemead. The project was approved by the Rosemead City Council for the 24- acre corner of Walnut Grove Avenue and Rush Street.

Woman's Club offers pneumonia, flu shots SIERRA MADRE The Sierra Madre Woman's Club will sponsor a second flu clinic, which will offer flu, pneumonia and tetanus vaccinations from 9 a.m. until noon on Oct. 23.

Flu shots are $23; pneumonia and tetanus shots are $40 each.

The flu clinic will be held at the Essick House at 550 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. For more information or appointments, call (626) 355- 8586.

Armenia trade office to aide tourism, trade SACRAMENTO A bill by state Senator Jack Scott, D- Pasadena, that extends the sunset date for the operation of a privately funded trade office in Armenia has been signed by the governor. California is home to about a half-million Armenian Americans and the trade office is expected to increase business, trade and tourism between California and Armenia. go to web site kaiser permanente locations

"This is an important step forward in cementing ties between the people of California and Armenia,' Scott said. "It is also a responsible step in these tight economic times. This office is the first privately funded trade office for the state and it will be a win-win for California and Armenia. The trade office will open new and large growth markets for California businesses and investors. For Armenia and its neighbors, the office will generate much-needed business and investment.' The state's trade office in Armenia opened this week in the capital city of Yerevan. It was funded with $75,000 in private donations. The Glendale-based Foundation for Economic Development helped create the trade office. here kaiser permanente locations

Scott recently completed a fact- finding trip to Armenia where he met with President Robert Kotcharian and foreign minister Vartan Oskanian to announce the opening of the trade office.

Tennis, volleyball starting at YWCA PASADENA YWCA Pasadena-Foothill Valley is registering those interested in playing on the volleyball or tennis teams .

The volleyball league is for girls ages eight to 16, and the season runs Monday through Dec. 17. Participants must attend a skills evaluation at 9 a.m. today at CORAL Innovation Center.

The tennis league is for girls ages five to 17, and the season runs today through Dec. 17.

The participation cost for tennis or volleyball is $100 for YWCA members and $115 for nonmembers. The fee covers uniforms, photos, trophies (for volleyball), referee fees and other supplies.

To register or for more information, contact the YWCA at (626) 296- 8433.

Registration forms may also be obtained online at www.ywca- pasadena.org or at the YWCA office.

Clothing drive benefits victims of violence EL MONTE A Southland lawmaker urges San Gabriel Valley residents to donate clothing and other necessities for domestic- violence victims as part of a monthlong drive.

Items needed include clothing, diapers, toothpaste, deodorant and body soap, said Assemblywoman Judy Chu, D-El Monte.

Collection sites have been set up at various Kaiser Permanente locations in the San Gabriel Valley to coincide with Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Chu said.

The donated items will be sent to the Asian Pacific Women's Center, YWCA-WINGS (Women In Need Growing Strong) and Project ACHIEVE/ Pathways.

: From staff reports

Behind the Scenes: Aftershock Cuts Short Phone Dispatch from Haiti

Pamela Chen — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:25:08 +0000

Michèle Pierre-Louis:

In the days that followed the massive earthquake in Haiti, we watched anxiously as FOKAL, our foundation in Haiti, mobilized immediately in response to the crisis on the ground.

When we managed to reach our colleague Michèle Pierre-Louis by phone, her update on the situation outside foundation headquarters was cut short by an aftershock that forced her to evacuate the building, ending the call abruptly [listen to the audio, above].

“It’s shaking, and I’m going out, I’m sorry,” she said, amidst muted shouting in the background. The speakerphone clicked, the line went dead, and the only sound that broke the heavy silence was a grim sigh that hung in the air without end.

OSI Communications coordinator Rachel Hart was on the phone call when the aftershock happened. “Your heart just sinks,” she said. “Everyone in the room just sat there in silence after Michèle hung up,” she said. “In that one moment, her voice just drove home the reality of the situation.”

Later we heard that our colleagues were safe, and we published Michèle’s report along with that of FOKAL Director Lorraine Mangonès on January 15, without including this original phone call ending, which had left us all hanging at the time.

Yet witnessing Michèle’s sobering dispatch amplified our personal helplessness, and further fueled a sense of urgency to find a way to act or help however we could.

Overstock plans 'travel store'

Deseret News (Salt Lake City) October 14, 2003 | Brad Foss Associated Press With millions of bargain hunters scouring its virtual shelves in search of luggage, cameras and travel guides, Overstock.com's customers include more than a few travelers.

So the Salt Lake-based company, which markets other companies' excess inventory over the Internet, believes it makes sense to add travel itself to Overstock.com's long list of products.

Soon it will be offering discounted airfares, hotel rooms and rental cars, and hoping to snag a portion of the lucrative online travel market.

On Monday, Overstock.com confirmed on its Web site plans for an upcoming "Travel Store," and the company's stock price rose $1.13, or 7.7 percent, to close at $15.79 on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

In making the move, Overstock.com joins several other Internet retailers and portals that sell travel in addition to consumer products. None yet poses a significant threat to industry leaders Expedia.com Inc., Orbitz LLC and Travelocity.com. go to web site overstock coupon code

"It's hard, if not impossible, for non-travel brands to compete in travel," Forrester Research analyst Henry Harteveldt said.

"It doesn't mean you don't want to have partnerships where partnerships make sense -- for example, eBay and Priceline," he said. Both companies sell products through auctions, Harteveldt said, making it a reasonable fit in which eBay adds to its revenue stream and Priceline benefits from having another sales channel.

Overstock.com chief executive Patrick Byrne said in an interview last week that his venture makes similar sense given the company's core business model.

"Our whole business revolves around tracking down surplus and making it available to the consumer at substantial savings," Byrne said, adding that every day half a million airline seats fly empty and 1.5 million hotel rooms are unoccupied.

The company first tested the waters of the online travel market in early 2001 but backed out "very quickly" due to a lack of customers, Overstock.com spokesman Scott Blevins said Monday.

"It was a short-term experiment" at a time when the company was still very young, Blevins said. "It was too much to take on at the time." Overstock.com will specialize in last-minute deals marketed on behalf of third-parties, known as consolidators, which negotiate with suppliers for extremely cheap "distressed" inventory that they then mark up for a profit. The site also will have access to plane tickets, rooms and rental cars available through the Worldspan reservation system, the same technology used by Expedia, Orbitz and traditional travel agents. go to website overstock coupon code

"The look and feel will be a lot like other travel sites," Byrne said.

The twist is that Overstock.com, which had 5.4 million unique visitors in August, will attempt to cross-sell travelers brand-name apparel, sporting goods and camping gear for their trips at sharply reduced prices. "The whole idea is to become the one-stop shop," Byrne said.

While that simple strategy sounds good in theory, the reality is more complex.

The average online shopper -- a savvy bargain hunter by definition -- checks three sites before buying an airline ticket or hotel room, studies have shown. That shows how price-sensitive they are and how difficult it is for any one travel supplier to garner loyalty.

That said, Harteveldt and other analysts believe that the online travel sector is entering a period in which it will be possible to build customer allegiance. While competitive pricing will still be important, another driver will be the extra features and services sites offer.

So while Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity seek the competitive edge through better technology, Overstock.com is betting that some consumers will be thankful to have a single site to browse for airline tickets as well as a new coat.

In addition to eBay's deal with Priceline.com, Amazon.com partners with Hotwire.com and both Yahoo! Inc. and AOL have contracts with Travelocity.

As a late comer to the online travel segment, Byrne has no illusions about Overstock.com becoming a dominant player anytime soon, if ever.

Still, the gambit could pay off if Overstock.com grabs just a small fraction of the market.

In 2002, $28.4 billion worth of travel was bought from the Internet, according to PhoCusWright. Of that amount, Expedia took in 36 percent, Travelocity 24 percent and Orbitz 13 percent. Hotels.com, Hotwire and Priceline collectively had 20 percent, while the remaining 7 percent went to "other" companies.

Overstock.com, which spent roughly $500,000 to develop its so- called Travel Store, won't be nearly as extensive as the industry's biggest players. However, Overstock.com's $2.95 fee per ticket will be 40 percent less than its competitors'.

For inventory that comes from the Worldspan system, the booking fee is the only revenue Overstock.com will receive. For travel sold on behalf of consolidators, Overstock.com will get a percentage of the profit, besides the transaction fees.

About 15 percent of all travel is bought online. Airline ticket sales account for nearly half of the money spent, but hotels and vacation packages, which have higher profit margins, are growing rapidly.

Brad Foss Associated Press

Between Suffering and Beauty: Documenting Afghanistan’s Refugees

Pamela Chen — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:00:55 +0000

Photographer Zalmaï Ahad returned to his native Afghanistan to document the human cost of war in his home country.

“I follow the story of the Afghans that nobody cares about. They live there. They are not in the headlines of the news. They are not Taliban. They are not pro-anything. They are like ordinary people like you and me,” Zalmaï says, “My work is to show the world they exist.”

Zalmaï’s photographs of daily life capture the experience of the thousands of Afghan refugees internally displaced by the war. The images are featured in OSI’s Moving Walls 16 exhibition, which highlights themes of war, conflict, and their aftermath.

Zalmaï believes that photography has an important role to play in the dialogue surrounding the war in Afghanistan. “The image can carry something beyond boundaries of culture, language, religion. And you have to reach this point in making images,” he said. “As a photographer, it's very difficult because you see this line between suffering and beauty. But if you can walk on that fine line between them, I think you can communicate something.”

Many of the subjects of Zalmaï’s photographs rarely see photographs at all. “In the West we consume so many pictures every day. During the Taliban the image was banned: no movie, no image, nothing. But in how we understand an image, we are the same. Sometimes the people say to me, ‘I like your picture. I don't know why,’” Zalmaï explains, “And I like this because it means they try to understand, but you touch something a little bit deeper than intellectually. Maybe emotionally, maybe subconsciously: it's a magic alchemy. And I'm looking for that.”