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Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa (born 17 November 1952) is a South African businessman and politician who is currently serving as the fifth democratically elected president of South Africa. Formerly an anti-apartheid activist, trade union leader, and businessman, Ramaphosa is also the president of the African National Congress (ANC).

Ramaphosa rose to national prominence as secretary general of South Africa's biggest and most powerful trade union, the National Union of Mineworkers. In 1991, he was elected ANC secretary general under ANC president Nelson Mandela and became the ANC's chief negotiator during the negotiations that ended apartheid. He was elected chairperson of the Constitutional Assembly after the country's first fully democratic elections in 1994 and some observers believed that he was Mandela's preferred successor. However, Ramaphosa resigned from politics in 1996 and became well known as a businessman, including as an owner of McDonald's South Africa, chair of the board for MTN, member of the board for Lonmin, and founder of the Shanduka Group.

He returned to politics in December 2012 at the ANC's 53rd National Conference and served as the deputy president of South Africa under President Jacob Zuma from 2014 to 2018. He was also chairman of the National Planning Commission. At the ANC's 54th National Conference on 18 December 2017, he was elected president of the ANC. Two months later, the day after Zuma resigned on 14 February 2018, the National Assembly (NA) elected Ramaphosa as president of South Africa. He began his first full term as president in May 2019 following the ANC's victory in the 2019 South African general election. While president, Ramaphosa served as chairperson of the African Union from 2020 to 2021 and led South Africa's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ramaphosa's estimated net worth was estimated at over R6.4 billion ($450 million) as of 2018. He has been criticised for the conduct of his business interests, including his harsh posture as a Lonmin director towards the Marikana miners' strike in the week ahead of the Marikana massacre.

On 19 December 2022 it was announced that the ANC's 55th National Conference had elected Ramaphosa to a second term as president of the ANC.

Early life
Ramaphosa was born in Soweto, Johannesburg, on 17 November 1952, to Venda parents. He is the second of the three children to Erdmuth and retired policeman Samuel Ramaphosa. He attended Tshilidzi Primary School and Sekano Ntoane High School in Soweto. In 1971, he matriculated from Mphaphuli High School in Sibasa, Venda where he was elected head of the Student Christian Movement. He subsequently registered to study law at the University of the North (Turfloop) in Limpopo Province in 1972.

While at university, Ramaphosa became involved in student politics and joined the South African Students Organisation (SASO) and the Black People's Convention (BPC). This resulted in him being detained in solitary confinement for eleven months in 1974 under Section 6 of the Terrorism Act, 1967, for organising pro-Frelimo rallies. In 1976 he was detained again, following the unrest in Soweto, and held for six months at John Vorster Square under the Terrorism Act. After his release, he became a law clerk for a Johannesburg firm of attorneys and continued with his legal studies through correspondence with the University of South Africa (UNISA), where he obtained his Bachelor of Procurationis degree (B. Proc.) in 1981.

Anti-apartheid and labour activism
After completing his legal qualifications and obtaining his degree, Ramaphosa joined the Council of Unions of South Africa (CUSA) as an advisor in the legal department. In 1982, CUSA requested that Ramaphosa start a union for mineworkers; this new union was launched in the same year and was named the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). Ramaphosa was arrested in Lebowa, on the charge of organising or planning to take part in a meeting in Namakgale which had been banned by the local magistrate.

In August 1982, CUSA resolved to form the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), and in December Ramaphosa became its first secretary. Ramaphosa was the conference organiser in the preparations leading to the formation of the Congress of the South African Trade Union (COSATU). He delivered a keynote address at Cosatu's launch rally in Durban in December 1985. In March 1986, he was part of COSATU's delegation which met the African National Congress in Lusaka, Zambia.

Ramaphosa was elected as the first general secretary of the union, a position he held until he resigned in June 1991, following his election as secretary-general of the African National Congress (ANC). Under his leadership, union membership grew from 6,000 in 1982 to 300,000 in 1992, giving it control of nearly half of the total black workforce in the South African mining industry. As general secretary, he, James Motlatsi (president of NUM), and Elijah Barayi (vice-president of NUM) also led the mineworkers in one of the biggest strikes ever in South African history.

In December 1988, Ramaphosa and other prominent members of the Soweto community met Soweto's mayor to discuss the rent boycott crisis.

In 1985, the NUM broke away from CUSA and helped to establish the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). When COSATU joined forces with the United Democratic Front (UDF) political movement against the National Party government of P. W. Botha, Ramaphosa took a leading role in what became known as the Mass Democratic Movement (MDM).

Ramaphosa has claimed that he is a committed socialist.

Rise in the ANC (1990–1996)

After the ANC was unbanned in early 1990, Ramaphosa became increasingly close with the organisation. In January 1990, he accompanied released ANC political prisoners to the ANC headquarters in Lusaka, Zambia; and, later, that year, he served as chairman of the National Reception Committee, which coordinated arrangements for Nelson Mandela's release from prison, including concomitant celebratory rallies. Ramaphosa was elected Secretary-General of the ANC at the party's 48th National Conference in Durban in July 1991, and subsequently became head of the ANC's delegation to the negotiations that ended apartheid. He was also a visiting professor of law at Stanford University in October 1991.

Following the first fully democratic elections in 1994, he became a Member of Parliament (MP) and was elected the chairperson of its Constitutional Assembly on 24 May 1994, a central role in Mandela's Government of National Unity. He was also re-elected, unopposed, as ANC Secretary-General at the party's 49th National Conference in December 1994. However, in 1996, he resigned from ANC office and from Parliament and announced his retreat from politics, reportedly because he was disappointed that Thabo Mbeki had been anointed Mandela's successor.

Business career (1996–2014)

After he resigned from politics, Ramaphosa became a businessman, taking advantage of the conducive environment provided by the new Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policy. Among other positions, he was executive chairman of Shanduka Group, a company he founded, which invested in mineral resources, energy, real estate, banking, insurance, and telecoms (SEACOM). By 2014, Shanduka was worth more than R20-billion, and the Ramaphosa family's Tshivhase Trust was its majority shareholder. Ramaphosa was also a chairman of Bidvest, MTN, and from March 2007, Mondi, a leading international paper and packaging group. His other non-executive directorships included Macsteel Holdings, Alexander Forbes, SABMiller, Lonmin, Anglo American, and Standard Bank. In 2011, Ramaphosa paid for a 20-year master franchise agreement to run 145 McDonald's restaurants in South Africa. He also belonged to the Coca-Cola Company International Advisory Board and the Unilever Africa Advisory Council.

Ramaphosa's various shareholdings made him one of South Africa's richest men. According to the Sunday Times, his estimated net worth of R2.22 billion made him the 13th richest person in South Africa in 2011, and that figure jumped to R3.1 billion in 2012. Both estimates, moreover, excluded his unlisted investments through Shanduka, including the McDonald's franchise agreement and a coal-mining partnership with Glencore.

Cattle farming

During a visit to Uganda in 2004, Ramaphosa became interested in the Ankole breed of cattle. Because of inadequate disease control measures in Uganda, the South African government denied him permission to import any of the breed. Instead, Ramaphosa purchased 43 cows from Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni and shipped them to Kenya, where they were artificially inseminated; the embryos were then removed and shipped to South Africa, to be transferred to quarantined cows. As of August 2017, Ramaphosa had 100 Ankole breeding cows at his Ntaba Nyoni farm in Mpumalanga. That year, he co-wrote a book about the breed, Cattle of the Ages: Stories, and Portraits of the Ankole Cattle of Southern Africa.

Public service
His resignation from politics notwithstanding, Ramaphosa occasionally accepted positions in the public eye, both abroad and in South Africa. He became the first Vice Chairman of the Commonwealth Business Council, and, in 1998, the Chairman of South Africa's BEE Commission. In 2000, he was appointed to the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning as an arms inspector, responsible for supervising the decommissioning of Irish Republican Army armaments in Northern Ireland. And, in April 2010, he was appointed by President Jacob Zuma to the National Planning Commission, where he served as Deputy Chairperson to Minister in the Presidency Trevor Manuel.

In the 2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, which followed the disputed re-election of President Mwai Kibaki in December 2007, Ramaphosa was unanimously chosen by Kofi Annan's mediation team to be the chief mediator in charge of long-term talks. However, Kibaki's government protested Ramaphosa's involvement, saying that he had business links with Kibaki's opponent Raila Odinga. According to Ramaphosa, Odinga had visited him in 2007, but he did not have any "special interest" that would lead him to favour one side or the other; however, he said that he could not be an effective mediator without "the trust and confidence of all parties" and that he did not wish to become an obstacle to the negotiations. He therefore withdrew from the talks on 4 February. However, he returned to a peacemaking role in 2014, when – in his capacity as Deputy Chairperson of the National Planning Commission – he served as the South African President's Special Envoy to South Sudan during the South Sudanese civil war.

Ramaphosa also continued to accept nominations to the National Executive Committee of the ANC: at the 50th National Conference in 1997, he received the most votes of any candidate; and at the 51st National Conference in 2002, he received the second-most. Ahead of the 52nd National Conference in 2007, he denied persistent rumours that he intended to join the race to replace Mbeki as ANC president; that year, he ranked 30th on the list of most popular NEC candidates.

ANC Deputy Presidency (2012–2017)

Ramaphosa made his return to political leadership in 2012, ahead of the ANC's 53rd National Conference, when he received nominations to become ANC Deputy President. On 20 May 2012, Derek Hanekom, an ANC MP, publicly encouraged Ramaphosa to run for the ANC presidency, saying, "We need leaders of comrade Cyril's calibre. I know Cyril is very good at business, but I really wish he would put all his money in a trust and step up for a higher and more senior position". Ramaphosa dismissed the resulting speculation, saying, "You can't read anything [into what Hanekom said]. He was joking".

Indeed, Ramaphosa did not confirm his intention to accept the deputy presidential nomination until 16 December, the day before the conference began. However, he received strong backing from incumbent President Jacob Zuma – a partnership viewed as a strategic attempt by Zuma to "outsmart and punish" Kgalema Motlanthe, who was challenging Zuma for the presidency but whose constituency was similar to Ramaphosa's, given their shared union backgrounds and polished reputations. Ramaphosa elected ANC Deputy President in a resounding victory on 18 December: he received 3,018 votes, while Mathews Phosa received 470 votes and Tokyo Sexwale received 463 votes.

Deputy Presidency of South Africa (2014–2018)

After his reelection in the 2014 elections, President Zuma appointed Ramaphosa the Deputy President of South Africa on 25 May 2014; Ramaphosa was sworn into office by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng the following day.

After his election as ANC Deputy President, Ramaphosa had begun the process of resigning from various business positions, and in 2014 he concluded the process, as required by the Executive Ethics Code. This entailed his exit from Shanduka, from McDonald's South Africa, from platinum producer Lonmin, and from all other companies which might give rise to a conflict of interest, particularly in industries regulated by the government. His other interests – including a share trading company, his livestock farms, his property interests, and a sports car company – were placed in a blind trust. Parliament's 2014 Register of Members' Interests reflected over R76-million in company shares held by Ramaphosa (although that figure excluded shares held together with private individuals), as well as his ownership of 30 townhouses in Johannesburg and two apartments in Cape Town.

Domestic role
Alongside his duties as Deputy President, Ramaphosa was made Leader of Government Business in the National Assembly in terms of section 91(4) of the Constitution, a role which involved coordinating between Parliament and Zuma's cabinet. On 3 June, Zuma also appointed him the Chairman of the National Planning Commission, with Jeff Radebe as his deputy. In addition, Ramaphosa was responsible for developing a proposal to implement a national minimum wage, leading consultation on the matter between Zuma's administration and representatives of labour and business. The proposal was approved by cabinet in November 2017.

In July 2014, Ramaphosa called for unity in the country after Julius Malema argued that the Afrikaans portion of the national anthem should be scrapped. Ramaphosa said, "We are about building a nation and we must extend a hand of friendship, a hand of continued reconciliation to those who feel that the national anthem does not represent them any longer, and it can happen on both sides". Late in Zuma's term, Ramaphosa also began to address publicly the widespread allegations of corruption in Zuma's administration.

Foreign relations

In 2018, Ramaphosa, in Zuma's stead, led South Africa's delegation to the World Economic Forum in Davos, to promote investment and business in South Africa. His other official trips abroad included a two-day working visit to Vietnam and Singapore, the objectives of which included consolidating trade relations, as well as the opportunity for South Africa to learn from the Singaporean economic model and the role it prescribed for state-owned enterprises. Ramaphosa also continued to serve as Zuma's Special Envoy during the mediation in the South Sudanese conflict, and participated in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mediation in neighbouring Lesotho.

ANC Presidency (2017–present)

Election

Ramaphosa stood for the ANC presidency in 2017, at the expiry of Zuma's term. Although he received the NUM's endorsement as early as September 2016, his campaign did not begin until April 2017. Under the banner #CR17 Siyavuma, Ramaphosa ran on anti-corruption platform, with an emphasis on economic policies conducive to industrialisation and investment. He was endorsed by Cosatu and the SACP; by the provincial leadership of the ANC's Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, and Gauteng provinces; and by politicians including education minister Angie Motshekga, former finance minister Pravin Gordhan, Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini, and former KwaZulu-Natal Premier Senzo Mchunu.

Ramaphosa's primary opponent was Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who had the endorsement of Zuma, her ex-husband. On 18 December 2017, he was elected the President of the ANC at the party's 54th National Conference, defeating Dlamini-Zuma by 2,440 votes to 2,261.

Renewal project
In his first speech as ANC leader, Ramaphosa pledged to stamp out corruption in the party. He subsequently spearheaded what he said was a campaign to "renew" the ANC internally and to restore its integrity and public image. Among other things, this campaign entailed the implementation of the new step-aside rule to suspend ANC leaders accused of corruption. This, in turn, led to a confrontation with ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule, who, upon his suspension from the party in May 2021, attempted to retaliate by suspending Ramaphosa, accusing him of irregularities in the financing of the CR2017 campaign. Magashule's attempt had no legal force because of his own suspension.

In December 2022, Ramaphosa was re-elected leader of the ANC, running against Zweli Mkhize, for a second five-year term. The next parliamentary general election is set to take place in 2024, with the ANC largely expected to remain the largest party in South Africa, despite losing 19 seats in the last election.

Presidency of South Africa (2018–present)

Following President Jacob Zuma's resignation in February 2018, Ramaphosa was elected unopposed as President of South Africa by the National Assembly on 15 February 2018. Ramaphosa took his oath of office in the presidential guesthouse, Tuynhuys, by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng.

Markets rallied strongly the day after Ramaphosa assumed the presidency with stocks rising and the rand reaching its firmest since early 2015. Government bonds also increased in strength.

On 16 February 2018, Ramaphosa gave his first State of the Nation Address as the president of South Africa, the first time in a democratic South Africa where the president delivered his State of the Nation Address without a deputy president. Ramaphosa emphasised the need to grow the economy of South Africa, increase tourism and youth employment, as well as reduce the size of the Cabinet. In this speech, Ramaphosa also focused on the importance of keeping Mandela's legacy alive.

Ramaphosa's speech was met with mostly positive reviews from opposition parties saying that his speech was positive and that it would bring about change, but that they would hold him accountable.

On 17 February 2018, Ramaphosa, as commander in chief of the South African National Defence Force, attended the Armed Forces Inter-Faith Service at the Mittah Seperepere Convention Centre in Kimberley and made his first public speech as the president of South Africa.

On 26 February 2018, Ramaphosa, who had inherited Jacob Zuma's cabinet, reshuffled cabinet for the first time removing many of the cabinet members who had been controversial through the Zuma era and who had close links to the Gupta family. Ramaphosa also named the deputy president of the African National Congress and the Premier of Mpumalanga, David Mabuza, as the country's Deputy President.

On 8 May 2019, the African National Congress led by President Ramaphosa won 57.50% of the vote in the 2019 South African general election. Ramaphosa was subsequently elected unopposed to his first full term as president by the National Assembly on 22 May 2019. As Ramaphosa had previously been elected as president to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of his predecessor, he is constitutionally eligible to serve two full terms.

At the 2020 AU summit, Ramaphosa expressed support for the African Continental Free Trade Area and described it as a major driver for reigniting industrialization and paving the way for Africa's integration into the global market. Ramaphosa also stated that the free trade agreement will make Africa a player of considerable weight and scale in the global market as well.

At the 2020 AU Summit, Ramaphosa also expressed support for closing the gender gap and ending gender inequality.

His government responded to the 2021 South African unrest, the deadliest riots since Apartheid.

Domestic policy
Since Ramaphosa became president he has made land reform and the economy his main priorities, as well as dealing with the outbreak of listeriosis which has claimed the lives of over 100 since the start of 2018.

In February 2018, South Africa's parliament voted 241–83 to begin amending the "property clause" in the constitution to allow the expropriation of land without compensation.

On 19 March 2018, Ramaphosa suspended Tom Moyane as the Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service after Moyane had refused to step down.

Under his leadership, the African National Congress has pushed for a constitutional amendment allowing the government to confiscate farms owned by White South Africans. He has said that the state having the power to seize property for no compensation will encourage economic growth. In a time when the Rand is at a two-year low, economists have been doubtful over the possibility of this policy being successful.

On 14 August 2018, Ramaphosa appointed Dr. Silas Ramaite as the Acting National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) following the ruling by the Constitutional Court that Director Shaun Abrahams had been appointed unlawfully by the former president, Jacob Zuma.

South Africa made world headlines because of attacks against foreign nationals within the borders of the country, with many South Africans blaming foreign nationals for the country's socio-economic issues.

On 10 June 2021, Ramaphosa announced that his government would raise the threshold for the amount of electricity that private companies could produce without a license - from 1 Megawatt to 100 Megawatts. The decision was taken in order to respond to the increasing challenges faced by the country during the ongoing energy crisis, and to give "oomph" in Ramaphosa's words, to South Africa's economic recovery.

On 11 February 2022, Ramaphosa announces that his government will formalise the South African cannabis industry, seeking to grow both production and exports.

Ramaphosa launched the Youth Employment Service (YES) initiative as a means to employ one million youth and giving them more experience in the working field, with the South African Government even introducing the Employment Tax Incentive, which would reduce employer's costs when hiring youth.

On 14 August 2018, President Ramaphosa addressed the launch of the Sanitation Appropriate For Education (SAFE) initiative in Pretoria to respond to the sanitary challenges facing the country's poorest schools.

Foreign policy

Ramaphosa made his first international trip as President of South Africa to the Republic of Angola and met with President João Lourenço in his capacity as chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to talk about peace and defence. Ramaphosa made his first international trip as the president of South Africa on 2 March 2018 to the Republic of Angola and met with President João Lourenço as the chair of the SADC.

On 20 March 2018, Ramaphosa made a trip to Kigali, Rwanda along with Foreign Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, and met with President Paul Kagame and spoke about restoring relations between South Africa and Rwanda, later participating as panelists on the African Continental Free Trade Area Business Forum (ACFTABF) ahead of the 10th African Union Extraordinary Summit. The following day, Ramaphosa signed the Kigali Declaration on the establishment of the ACFTABF at the 10th African Union Extraordinary Summit.

Ramaphosa hosted the 11th BRICS summit for 25–27 July 2018, at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

On 10 May 2021, Ramaphosa said that the ANC condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the potential evictions of Palestinian families from their homes in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem and the "brutal attacks on Palestinian protesters" at Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, launched on 24 February 2022, Ramaphosa did not condemn Russia or agree to any sanctions against Russia. A month later, he stated that maintaining neutrality was essential to his having been asked to mediate between the two countries' leadership. Ramaphosa blamed NATO's proximity to Russian borders for the war: "The war could have been avoided if NATO had heeded the warnings from amongst its own leaders and officials over the years that its eastward expansion would lead to greater, not less, instability in the region."

In 2022 the President became the first foreign Head of State to make a formal state visit to the United Kingdom under the reign of King Charles III. He was made an Honourary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath by the King.

Coronavirus response

Ramaphosa has been internationally praised for his response to the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa with the BBC commenting that, in this regard, "Ramaphosa has emerged as a formidable leader — composed, compassionate, but seized by the urgency of the moment." In October 2020, Ramaphosa began a period of self-isolation after a guest at a dinner party he attended tested positive for coronavirus.

On 12 December 2021, Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele announced that Ramaphosa had tested positive for COVID-19, and deputy president, David Mabuza would take over "all responsibilities" for the following week.

Political philanthropy
Ramaphosa publicly declared in South Africa on 24 May 2018 that he would be donating half of his salary (R3.6 million annually) to charity in honour of late former South African president Nelson Mandela. He said the gesture was aimed at encouraging the wealthy to dedicate some of their pay to help build the nation. The donation was set to be managed by the Nelson Mandela Foundation (NMF).

Ramaphosa is also the founder of the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation.

Controversies

Marikana massacre

The Marikana massacre, as referred to in the media, occurred when police broke up an occupation by striking Lonmin workers of a "koppie" (hilltop) near Nkaneng shack settlement in Marikana on 16 August 2012. As a result of the police shootings, 34 miners died and an additional 78 miners were injured causing anger and outcry against the police and South African government. Further controversy emerged after it was discovered that most of the victims were shot in the back and many victims were shot far from police lines. The violence on 16 August 2012 was the single most lethal use of force by South African security forces against civilians since the end of the apartheid era.

During the Marikana Commission, it also emerged that Lonmin management solicited Ramaphosa, as Lonmin shareholder and ANC heavyweight, to coordinate "concomitant action" against "criminal" protesters and therefore is seen by many as being responsible for the massacre.

Under the investigation of Farlam committee, Ramaphosa said that Lonmin lobbied government and the SAPS firstly to secure a massive police presence at Lonmin and secondly to characterise what was taking place as a criminal rather than an industrial relations event.

The Marikana Commission of Inquiry ultimately found that given the deaths that had already occurred, his intervention did not cause the increase in police on site, nor did he know the operation would take place on 16 August.

He was employed on the board of directors of Lonmin while taking an active stance when the Marikana Massacre took place on Lonmin's Marikana premises. On 15 August 2012 he called for action against the Marikana miners' strike, which he called "dastardly criminal" conduct that needed "concomitant action" to be taken. He later admitted and regretted his involvement in the act and said that it could have been avoided if contingency plans had been made prior to the labour strike.

Alleged extramarital affairs
In August 2017, the Sunday Independent published an article alleging that Ramaphosa had had several extramarital affairs, including with some women to whom he had given money. Ramaphosa denied the allegations, claiming that they were politically motivated aimed to derail his presidential campaign.

CR17 campaign funds
On 19 July 2019, the Public Protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, released a report in which she claimed that Ramaphosa had intentionally misled the Parliament of South Africa over the controversial Bosasa donations to his CR17 ANC presidential campaign. COPE Leader Mosiuoa Lekota called for Ramaphosa to be impeached while DA Leader Mmusi Maimane proposed the establishment of an ad hoc committee to effectively investigate these allegations. Ramaphosa briefed the nation on 21 July 2019 and described the report as "fundamentally flawed" and called for a judicial review of Mkhwebane's findings.

Conduct of business interests
Ramaphosa has been criticised for the conduct of his business interests, although he has never been indicted for illegal activity in any of these controversies. Controversial business dealings include his joint venture with Glencore and allegations of benefitting illegally from coal deals with Eskom which he has staunchly denied, during which Glencore was in the public spotlight for its tendentious business activities involving Tony Blair in the Middle East; his son, Andile Ramaphosa, has also been found to have accepted payments totalling R2 million from Bosasa, the security company implicated in corruption and state capture by the Zondo Commission.

Phala Phala robbery

On 9 February 2020 it is alleged about US$4 million in cash was stolen from Ramaphosa's Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo, although the exact amount was disputed. Ramaphosa later said the amount was $580,000. In 2022, he was accused of corruption, obstruction of justice, kidnapping and bribing the burglars into silence. After delivery of a report on the matter commissioned by Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, the parliament voted on December 13, 2022, 148 for and 214 against impeachment of the president.

Honours and awards

Ramaphosa received the Olof Palme Prize in Stockholm in October 1987. In 2009, he received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement in 2009, presented by Awards Council member Archbishop Desmond Tutu at a ceremony at St. George's Cathedral, Cape Town. He has also frequently been listed as an influential individual: he was voted 34th in the 2004 list of Top 100 Great South Africans, and was included in the Time 100 in 2007 and 2019.

He has received honorary doctorates from, among others, the University of Natal, the University of Port Elizabeth, the University of Cape Town, the University of the North, the National University of Lesotho, National University of Ireland Galway, the University of Massachusetts Boston, and the University of Pennsylvania.

State honours
: Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit (2019)
: Grand Cross of the National Order of the Lion (2021)
: Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB, 2022)

Personal life
Ramaphosa was married from 1978 to 1989 to Hope Ramaphosa, with whom he has a son, and from 1991 to 1993 to the now deceased businesswoman Nomazizi Mtshotshisa. In 1996, he married Tshepo Motsepe, a medical doctor and the sister of South African mining billionaire Patrice Motsepe. He is thought to have five children.

He owns a luxury mansion at the foot of Lion's Head in Cape Town, as well as 30 other properties. In 2018, Investing.com estimated his net worth at R6.4 billion ($450 million).

He is a polyglot, and is known for using a variety of South African languages when delivering his speeches.

References

External links

 Cyril Ramaphosa (1952 - ) | The Presidency

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1952 births
African National Congress politicians
Anti-apartheid activists
Living people
Olof Palme Prize laureates
People from Soweto
South African Venda people
University of South Africa alumni
University of Limpopo alumni
Deputy presidents of South Africa
Presidents of South Africa
Presidents of the African National Congress
20th-century South African politicians
21st-century South African politicians
Chancellors of the University of Mpumalanga
Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Recipients of orders, decorations, and medals of Senegal

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


"The rapid exchange of both tissue lactate and pyruvate with the circulation may help to equate cytosolic NAD+/NADH ratios across tissues, allowing the whole body to buffer NAD(H) disturbances in any given location. Nearly complete lactate sharing between tissues effectively decouples glycolysis and the TCA cycle in individual tissues, allowing independent tissue-specific regulation of both processes"
Isn't that just the so-called Reverse Warburg-Effect?
I can't really see this as a black and white scenario, a thyroid adenoma is very different from a thyroid carcinoma. I followed some of the cell lines used in this paper https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24670634 back to see how aggressive the original in-vivo tumour was in the patient who started a given cell line. I was "fascinated", if that is the word, by the poor prognosis for people with anaplastic** thyroid cancer, which has a completely non functional complex I in the cell line. The term* "bloody 'opeless" springs to mind!
*The late LC Vaughan who tried to teach myself and the rest of my year some surgery in the 70s. "In these days of guarded prognosis, the prognosis is not just guarded, it's bloody 'opeless". Broad welsh accent required. Stuck with me!
** Anaplastic is a word you never want to see on a path report.
It is the one I was looking for BTW.
Glycogen is stored in parenchymal cells in deep liver zones supplied with blood lower in 02.
The first step of glycogenolysis is anaerobic - conversion to lactate.
The lactate is then taken up by hepatocytes in more oxygenated liver zones and converted to glucose.
Presumably anaerobic glycogenolysis in the low 02 zones supplies the ATP needed to make fresh glycogen when glucose reappears there in quantity.
George, yes, my feeling is that this sort of interplay will be going on all over the body, except, apparently, within the brain.
It's a lot more complex than this unfortunately.
murine PDAC cells grow indefinitely in media lacking single essential amino acids"
The methods seem legit, but then I don't know my aminoacids well.
altavista, interestingly pancreas and pancreatic cancer were the most glutamine fluxing of all of the tissues/tumours looked at in the paper. I doubt anything is simple!!
I think because they exhibit stronger hypoxia than the others?
"Strikingly, under conditions of hypoxia or defective mitochondrial function, glutamine can become the major source of lipogenic acetyl-CoA through reductive carboxylation"
Does keto have an impact on glutamine? If not, are the neoplastic cells really stressed out by Seyfried/Warburg?
But - what if most cancers are really about dysfunctional MT? (They don't respond well to the extrinsic pathway for apoptosis from the immune system). If they are using the cell-wall to produce energy - blood sugar matters - out growing the immune system? If lactate is a trans cell energy carrier - this gets more complicated.
Of course both narratives might be true - or not.
atavist, I think that protein intake might just have some influence on glutamate supply. Not all of us favour 1.6g/kg/d!
Eric, I've had that paper for some time, it might get a post. The cat is amazing, hope it makes it. We had a near drowning in iced water to resuscitate years ago, it had some neuro probs afterwards, can't recall the long term outcome.
karl, the paper on statins is interesting in how it is constructed. I think the the whole "opposite effect in skeletal muscle vs cardiac muscle" is incorrect. Looks more like depleting CoQ generates RET. Just a little will multiply mitochondria (which will also be CoQ depleted by the statin). A lot will produce myopathy. They compared "normal" cardiac muscle with/without statin against "myopathic" skeletal muscle vs non myopathic muscles, presumably all on a statin. The table S2 is a dud link. No huge surprise they are opposite. As you say, it's a statin paper, it will be bent.


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College basketball and professional basketball
College basketball and professional basketball seasons are beginning this month, and there are many different aspects of each sport that can be compared and contrasted. Which one do most people enjoy watching though? Also, what's the biggest difference between the two sports and their players? Other things such as the shot clock, the three-point line, and the length of the game are also some differences. They also have things in common like, the amount of time in the summer they spend training and the level of intensity the game is played at both levels.
Believe it or not, they are they same in many ways. After talking to a friend that tried out for Villanova's basketball team, he said they started working out in August. Almost everyday they ran and lifted weights, and as the season came closer they worked on plays for the games. NBA players also begin training in the summer the same way college players do. The NBA starts earlier then college basketball, but they prepare about the same for a season going into March and April. They also play with the same intensity, working hard everyday to be the best they can be. A team in either sport will not be satisfied unless they win the championship. That is how tough the season is. Another way that they are alike is the fact that they receive money for playing basketball. NBA players get a salary and endorsements, and most college players receive scholarships.
The NBA season started on Halloween and a lot of sports fans didn't even know, mainly because the NBA season is not as publicized as the college season. In particular, local fans have nothing to cheer about with their home team being the Washington Wizards. Due to poor coaching, and lack of team play, they have not had an impressive record since probably seven or eight years ago. This is why, according to The Sporting News, they are ranked 27th out of 29th in power. To those who don't know what that means, it means that the Washington Wizards are predicted to finish 27th out of 29 teams.
People are not as excited about the NBA as they were when players like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird were playing. These players showed love for the game of basketball and played because it was something they enjoyed doing. Watching Michael Jordan score thirty points a game was just amazing. Also, Magic Johnson with 15 assists per game, and Larry Bird making three pointers and driving to the basket was also spectacular.
On the other hand, college basketball starts on November 20th for the Maryland Terrapins as well as other NCAA Division I schools. The Terps preseason ranking of 5th in the Associated Press poll is the highest since 1972. Many people will be counting down the days until the season begins. One reason a lot of fans enjoy watching college basketball is because of heated rivalries between different schools. Some of these rivalries include, Duke vs. UNC, Connecticut vs. Syracuse, and Maryland vs. Duke or UNC. Also, another aspect of college basketball that makes it more exciting are the tournaments that occur. The preseason NIT, the ACC-Big Ten challenge, the conference tournaments, and the NCAA tournament are the main ones.
The other main difference that basketball fans realize, are the way the players perform, and their attitude towards the game. Basketball has become a business. Both college and NBA players are looking for more and more money everyday. Before, playing professional basketball and college basketball for players was for love of the game. College players would play their heart out just to help their school win the championship. They weren't worried about money as much as they were just happy to play basketball. Now they have to think about impressing the NBA scouts so they can get drafted and sign a contract for a large sum of money. It is still the same today, players enjoy playing basketball, but they also enjoy asking for a certain salary that exceeds reasonable limits, like Michael Jordan making $25 million in 1995 for one year.
There are also many technical differences between the two that affect the game and its outcome. The NBA has a 24-second shot clock while college basketball has 35 seconds. This causes the score of a NBA game to be higher than that of a college basketball game. Also, the NBA plays four 15 minute quarters, and in a college basketball game there are two 20 minute halves. This causes college teams to go deeper into the bench then NBA teams, due to the fatigue factor. There is also the three-point line which is about a foot farther back then that of the NCAA. This makes it difficult for a good three-point shooter in college to make the transition to the NBA. There are also many other things that make this transition difficult.
A player becomes a very different person in his move from college to pro basketball. A player that comes out of college may not be fully-grown and his size (height and weight) would not compare to that of a NBA player. Also, the speed and power of a NBA player greatly overwhelms that of a college player. After college basketball, players have to relearn the plays for their new team, and probably a different coaching style than they are used to. Finally, a college player might be given a new role or position on his new team, which makes the transition even more difficult. Overall, to be a NBA player, there are a lot of changes a college player must go through.
A good example of this is Trajan Langdon. Two years ago, he was an all-American player for the Duke Blue Devils scoring twenty points a game and knocking down three-pointers with ease. Now he plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers and averaged five points a game last year and this season is averaging eight points a game. His role changed as well as many other former college players. College basketball and pro basketball don't have many things in common today, but they used to. Now pro basketball differs greatly from college basketball, along with the players in each sport. As stated before, college basketball is much more exciting and fun to watch then pro basketball is. As the day of November 20th rolls around many basketball fans will be watching the Maryland Terrapins start off their exciting season.
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Ezekiel Elliott Gives The Cowboys The Best Triplets In The NFL
The 2016 season is going to be a fun one, but here are three reasons that the Cowboys offense will get themselves rolling again.
By Dan-Rogers@DannyPhantom24 Jun 22, 2016, 9:00am CDT
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Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN recently put out a piece ranking the "triplets" for every NFL team. The Cowboys finished sixth on this list, but it should be noted that Bill Barnwell isn't using the typical definition of triplets that includes a QB, RB, and WR. Instead, any combination of offensive weapons are allowed. In fact, the only team ranked higher than Dallas using the traditional QB/RB/WR combo was the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, that I can live with. Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell are two of the best players at their respective positions and Ben Roethlisberger has put together two-straight quality seasons. During that span, Roethlisberger has had back-to-back career highs in yards per game. They are a formidable threesome so I don't take issue with those guys grabbing the top spot.
But their time at the top could be short-lived. The only thing stopping Dallas from once again having the most talented triplets is good health. Yeah, people will claim Ezekiel Elliott hasn't played a down yet so nobody knows just how he's going to turn out. Maybe he's not very good? And maybe Tony Romo's left handed or that watching Game of Thrones is a complete waste of time. I'm sure there's a chance for anything, but the sensible presumption is all those things are not true. Elliott is going to be a great running back; it's just a matter of how great. But before we get to Zeke, let's take a look at the other two guys.
Tony Romo is a fantastic quarterback. Sometimes this statement isn't greeted with a resounding "hell yeah!" because of what some have identified as untimely miscues. Now there are two components when it comes to Romo's untimeliness. The first one is rather common for all quarterbacks and that is a turnover late in the game eliminates his team's chances of winning the game. You see, teams lose games every week. And in those instances, there is typically a play made by the trailing team that does them in. Quarterbacks make this mistake all the time so the idea that Romo in particular, struggles down the stretch more than your average bear is simply not true. In fact, it's quite the contrary. Romo is one of the best fourth-quarter quarterbacks in the game.
He aight. pic.twitter.com/JdotyOUPsl
— Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) June 7, 2016
But the second component is a valid one. Some of Romo's biggest blunders have happened when all the world is watching. This include primetime games and high-market games late in the season when playoff implications are in full force. But keep in mind, the Cowboys find themselves in a lot of those types of games. They are on TV quite a bit and with Romo under center, the Cowboys have just had more opportunities to make it into the playoffs.
In his 10 years as our QB, Tony Romo has NEVER played a game where he was mathematically eliminated from the playoffs
— Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) May 8, 2016
Then, there is Dez Bryant. During the 2014 season, Aaron Rodgers and J.J. Watt were in a two-man race for the league MVP award, but the next two guys on the list were Tony Romo and DeMarco Murray. While both those Cowboys put up some impressive numbers that season, you can't look past what Dez Bryant meant to the offense that year. Fans will forever remember the catch he didn't catch, but despite the disappointing ending, he had an incredible season. Bryant had 1,320 receiving yards with a franchise record 16 touchdown catches as he became an All Pro for the first time.
Bryant is at the prime of his career and is one of the most difficult covers in football. And even when the coverage is great, he still comes down with the ball. Last year, I took a stroll down memory lane as I revisited his top 10 catches. And one of the most impressive things about Dez is his passion. Yeah, sometimes it's not projected in the most positive manner, but his zeal is not something you can just find on the street and Bryant harnesses that same intensity to be the player he is. The guy is just amazing.
Speaking of passion, Dez has himself a partner in crime when it comes to the overwhelming desire to win football games. Ezekiel Elliott is here for one thing and one thing only -€" to win a Super Bowl. Sure, it grows tiring listening to players talk about how important winning is to them, but it's certainly exciting to watch them try. When you combine that spirit with the talent of a player like Elliott, the possibilities are endless. The Cowboys didn't just get a skilled running back, but they got a football player that knows how to do the work to make themselves great.
It's time that "the Triplets" come full circle and the honor be returned to its rightful owners. The Cowboys trio of Romo, Dez, and Zeke are as good as it gets and it's going to be intoxicating watching these three work together.


Alarmist, climate crisis scientists demand and/or help justify radical, transformative, disruptive, destructive changes to our energy infrastructure, economies, livelihoods and living standards – and prevent Earth's poorest people from having the energy they need to improve their health and living standards. They must, therefore, face a very high burden of proof that they are right. They must be required to provide solid evidence and be subject to robust, even withering debate and cross-examination.


The Page plugin lets you easily embed and promote any Facebook Page on your blog/website. Just like on Facebook, your visitors can like and easily share the Page without leaving your site.
This is why it's one of the best plugins for Blogger and WordPress users.
As my recommendation, every blogger shall embed & promote their Facebook page on their blog or website. Because it helps publishers to drive more referral traffic to your blog, which is useful for Google ranking.
So, I have pointed out the main reasons; why we shall use page plugin.
It helps to drive more traffic to your blog or website.
It helps to grow your social subscribers.
It helps to gain the trust of the readers.
The standard configuration of the Page plugin includes only the header and a cover photo. This size is ideal for promoting your Page in a small space, such as the top of a sidebar.
Note: Double click to select this codes.
Show who likes your Page with real people's profile images rather than just a number. People visiting your Page will see a count of friends that like the Page as well as their profile photos.
This option can be activated by checking Show Friend's Faces in the configurator.
By performing the above steps you can easily add Facebook Page plugin to your blog or website, in minutes. Adding page plugin not only helps you to gain traffic but also helps to attracts your readers. So, grab this opportunity today.
If you like this post, do share this article with your friends, colleagues & family members. Also If you have any queries! you can ask in the comment box below, Thank you.


Thread: Big Stitch Quilters- I Need Help!
I'm finishing up that Blazing Star that Craftsy offered when I got a year membership. I have not enjoyed this quilt at all but as I finish up I realize I don't want to spend mega bucks to have it quilted and my skills aren't up to anything that large (98x98). The pattern was challenging( Y seams and partial Y seams) but I totally goofed up the Lone Star part of it. I'm just not inclined to redo it. No way!
So....... I thought of big stitch quilting. I don't want to do my usual hand quilting as I don't like it enough to put in all that work.
MSQC has some nice perle cotton in variegated shades that would be awesome I think.
So my question- do you think big stitch would work for this monster? Any help is greatly appreciated.
good for you for stretching your skills!! I don't know how hot it gets where you are, but I took a 100X110 top, pieced together a back and quilted it with no batt. without batt it fit through the machine with no bother at all. Quicker done, quicker usable Looks beautiful on the bed.
I'll trust your judgment that there are problems with the quilt, but from here it looks spectacular.
If it weren't already completely pieced, I would suggest quilting it in sections. You could still do that using the method where you divide the batting into thirds. I haven't used that method, so I can't give all the directions, but it's explained in Marti Michell's book Machine Quilting in Sections. You can probably find it online too.
I do think the big stitch would look great on that quilt, but I don't have experience with that either. Big stitch reminds me of sashiko, and I did have a class in that and enjoyed it very much.
My other suggestion is to wait a week or two and see if your feelings about the quilt change. You may find that you like it a lot better when you've had time to forget where the oopsies are.
I have a lonestar kit from Craftsy too (not the same one) and am dreading starting it. The directions aren't for strip piecing, but for cutting and sewing individual diamonds from templates. Sheesh! I'll have to try to figure out how to bring the pattern into the modern world.
Big stitches are so satisfying.
I've done the pearle cotton with my tiny big stitch and it looks awesome. So if that is a look you want, I would definitely say 'go for it'!
I think you will get frustrated with 'big stitching'. As a hand quilter ( as well as machine), l find it difficult to get big stitches looking even. Plus with the heavier thread, you can only do a few per needle, as it's difficult to pull through. If it were me, l'd baste, stitch in the ditch by machine, and call it done. The piecing looks fine from any distance.
I just finished doing my first big stitch quilting and found that the process is much more "organic" than traditional quilting. Keeping the stitches even and the same on top and bottom is not necessary. I enjoyed the process and will be doing it again.
After I was 90% through the quilting, I discovered a Clover Gold Eye Millner needle#5 was perfect. It was very sharp and easy to work with. I was using Aurifil 12 wt, so the small eye worked fine.
Have fun - it's a beautiful quilt and you will be so much happier with it when you have completed it.
First, your top is beautiful! I big stitch 90% of my quilts, so I say go for it! I would use Perle #8, not 5 as #8 is a little smaller and easier to pull through the 3 layers. (May be why some have had issues) I also use 12wt thread by Aurifil or Sulky. Variegated threads are fun to work with. I use Thimblelady XL needles or chenille needles. My stitches are 4-6 per inch, so aren't huge and I have no problems making them even. They look good on the back as well, but that comes with practice. Machine quilting to me is harder and more frustrating as I try to wrestle a big quilt through a small machine. I can big stitch a quilt fairly quickly if I spend some time on it every day and it's a simple pattern.
Can you give it away as a top? Let someone else who likes it finish it. I'd probably let it sit for yrs and then give it away.
Another idea. It might pass as a Mennonite quilt. There's a store in Kingsburg that quilts tops and has a sale in April.
Susie, I think it's beautiful and I think after time, once the memory of how hard it was has faded, you will see it too. I know that's how it is for me.
I use 12 wt thread and a long (4") sashiko needle. I love the look, and i goes real fast. BTW, I love your lone star, and my eagle eye can't see any problems with this beautiful quilt.
Well, you had better sleep a day or two and then look at your beautiful quilt again. When that quilt is quilted, you will want to keep it for yourself.
Thanks to all who replied. The more I look at it the more I think it will turn out okay. I'm pretty sure I'm going to big stitch it. I ordered the variegated Perle cotton from Missouri Star.
My Dad still uses a quilt my Mom's Mom made without batting (grandma passed away in 1972!). He calls it a summer quilt.
SusieQ that is one gorgeous quilt and would certainly look fine with the big stitch. BTW, I have that headboard, so if you don't like it when finished it would look great on my bed!
I think big stitch will be wonderful on this gorgeous quilt!
I want to learn Big Stitch quilting, as I find I can no longer handle a quilt to machine quilt. I appreciate knowing that there is an interest in this. I appreciate all of the help. Faintly Artistc, your encouragement was most helpful. If I have problems and/or questions, may I PM you?
My Lone Star still sits unfinished in its box. I have hope that some day I will be brave enough to pull it out and fix it. Yours looks great - not sure what the problems are but I know from experience what a bugger this pattern is.
I think big stitches would look great. My color choice would be a variegated blue. I bet you will like it better when it's finished.
grandma7- Youtube has some nice tutorials on big stitch quilting. it doesn't look hard at all, especially if you are familiar with hand quilting.
The color sequence in my lone star is goofed up but I kind of like the pattern that emerged from my mistake!
SusieQOH, thank you for the encouragement. I've put together some sample quilt sandwiches to practice on. I made a pinwheel quilt (from my bucket list) and want to use the big stitch on it.
grandma7- everything I've seen and read says that it's not so important that the stitches are the same. It's more of a "relaxed" method. We can do it!!!
It's a very pretty quilt. Nice work!
Since you are a regular hand quilter I thing the big stitch will aggravate you. We work so long to make nice small stitches and then when it comes time for big stitch it is very difficult to go big. I did one and didn't enjoy the process. I might suggest you tie it instead with matching threads. If you don't like to see the threads hanging you can bury them inside the quilt.
Grandma7, you are welcome. Feel free to pm me if you'd like. I will post pics when I am on my computer. My favorite big stitch videos on YouTube are Jo Glover's. She is very thorough and does beautiful work.


We cannot find quick and easy answers for Frequently Asked Questions; if we could, people wouldn't keep asking them. That means that they're worth looking at simply as a way of understanding why maybe these aren't exactly the questions we need to be asking.
Consider, for example, questions about the Star of Bethlehem. Why is this so fascinating to people? What's at stake at being able to identify (or not being able to identify) some astronomical event as the "real" Star? Maybe the better question is why Matthew included this event in his Gospel… and why we've been fascinated by it for so long.
A post on The Catholic Astronomer website by Br. Guy Consolmagno, S. J., of the Vatican Observatory, discussing how eastern astrologers with their flawed belief that the fortunes of men are told in the stars, followed their mistaken calculations to discover a king very different from what they were expecting.
A post by Vatican Observatory astronomer Br. Guy Consolmagno, S. J., on The Catholic Astronomer website, based on a column first published in the Tablet. A reflection at Christmastime about how the Incarnation is also the incarnation of reason itself.
Epiphany: How All of Creation Points to Our Source and Summit.
In this entry at the Thinking Faith website, Br. Guy Consolmagno, S. J., an astronomer with the Vatican Observatory, discusses the questions that Vatican Astronomers are often asked about the Star of Bethlehem. His conclusion: there is no certain explanation about the "star," and worrying too much about such explanations risk distracting one from the Person whom the star was meant to highlight.
Click here to read the original article at Thinking Faith.
Misplaced Obsessions: Understanding Why Christmas Is On December 25th.
To get from the 25th of Kislev to December 25th, we first make a pit stop at the Julian Calendar, which was determined to be slipping each year through the work of the first Vatican Observatory in the Tower of the Winds, leading to the reformed Gregorian Calendar. The Christian West embraced the Gregorian reforms while the Christian East chose to remain on the Julian Calendar. This is why, to this day, there are two dates in the Christian world for the celebration of Jesus' birth: December 25th in the Christian West and January 7th in the Christian East. Further, we see that the Jewish calendar is a lunar calendar so the 25th of Kislev, Hanukkah, seldom coincides with December 25th. In short, the presumption of when Jesus was born is far more difficult to pin down than one would think.
Was There Really a Star of Bethlehem?
In this video from Catholic News Service, Br. Guy Consolmagno, S. J. of the Vatican Observatory talks about the possibility that the Star of Bethlehem was a real astronomical event.
The Star of Bethlehem: The Legacy of the Magi is a somewhat technical book written by Michael R. Molnar and published in 1999 by Rutgers University Press. It is technical in that the thrust of the book is that the Star of Bethlehem was the planet Jupiter in a position in the sky that was of importance to the astrologers, that is the "magi", of the time. Readers will not find discussions of some spectacular blaze of light such as hangs over many a Nativity set. Readers will find an argument for why Jupiter fits everything that is described in the second chapter of the Book of Matthew.
Could the $50 purchase of an ancient coin by a Rutgers astronomer have unlocked the mystery of the Christmas Star? For years, scientists have looked, with little success, to astronomical records for an explanation of the magical star that guided the Magi to Christ's manger. Intrigued by the image he found on the latest addition to his coin collection, Michael Molnar thought there might be more to learn by looking, instead, at the teachings of ancient astrologers.
Molnar argues in his book that the Star of Bethlehem was not a star at all, but rather a regal portent centering around the planet Jupiter that was eclipsed by the moon. He bases this theory on the actual beliefs of astrologers, such as the Magi, who lived around the time of Christ. Molnar found some intriguing clues to the mystery while researching the meaning of astrological symbols he found an ancient coin, which bore the image of Aries looking back at a star. He found that Aries was a symbol of Judea at the time, and that ancient astrologers believed that a new king would be born when the moon passed in front of Jupiter. Molnar wondered, could the coin have been issued as a response to the Great Messianic Portent, the Star of Bethlehem?
To match the story of the appearance of the Christmas star, Molnar also knew the event had to happen when Jupiter was "in the east." Using these criteria and a computer program, he was able to chart an eclipse of Jupiter in Aries on April 17, 6 B.C., a day when Jupiter was precisely "in the east," which confirmed his theory. Moreover, he found that a Roman astrologer described the conditions of that day as fitting the birth of a "divine and immortal" person.
According to Harvard University Professor Owen Gingerich, "this is the most original and important contribution of the entire 20th century" about the Magi's star. Using clues from astronomy, astrology, and history, Molnar has created a provocative, fascinating theory on the Christmas Star. He weaves together an intriguing scientific detective story which resolves one of the world's greatest mysteries: The Star of Bethlehem at the birth of Christ.


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Universal Moves up SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN to Beat Relativity's THE BROTHERS GRIMM: SNOW WHITE at the Box Office
by Matt Goldberg May 16, 2011
Being first matters at the box office. Also, having a good movie helps, but being first counts since viewers feel like if they've seen something before, they don't want to revisit the exact same premise or character set again unless it's part of the same franchise. This weekend, I went to see Bridesmaids and there was a trailer for Friends with Benefits and you could almost feel the audience wondering "Didn't we see this already with No Strings Attached?" And while I think Friends with Benefits looks better, it has to overcome the stigma of recently-been-there-done-that.
Universal had previously set their Snow White and the Huntsman for December 21, 2012, but Deadline reports that the studio has kicked the film all the way up to June 1, 2012 (and sent Judd Apatow's new film to December 2012) ahead of Relativity's The Brothers Grimm: Snow White, which opens June 29, 2012. This move either forces Relativity to kick their film up even further, move it back, or wait and see if audiences are willing to see two Snow White films in the same month. Hit the jump for a refresher on both films.
Snow White and the Huntsman has director Rupert Sanders at the helm and stars Kristen Stewart as Snow White, Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman, Sam Claflin as the Prince, and Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen. The premise was originally set up that Snow White was banished from the kingdom, forced to live on her own, and the Hunstman would be played by an older actor who served as a mentor figure that taught Snow to fend for herself. But with the casting of Hemsworth, it's possible that the script is being reworked to accommodate a romance between the title characters. At June 1, 2012, the film's only competition at the box office is the star-studded musical Rock of Ages.
The Brothers Grimm: Snow White (which is a tentative title) will be directed by Tarsem Singh. The film is being billed as a "spirited adventure comedy" where the evil queen (Julia Roberts) and exiled princess Snow White (Lily Collins) vying for control of their kingdom. Armie Hammer will play the Prince, Robert Emms is the Prince's valet, and Nathan Lane has the role of the Queen's servant. The only competition the film has on June 29, 2012 is Star Trek 2.
STILL WAITING... Blu-ray Review
New Financier Comes on to HIGHLANDER Reboot; Justin Lin Still Attached; New…
• Entertainment • Movie • Relativity Media • Snow White and the Huntsman • The Brothers Grimm: Snow White • Universal Pictures • Untitled Judd Apatow Project


While working at the ABC-Groep, just north of Antwerp I'm involved in the coaching program the company have set up a couple of years ago.
As most of my colleagues are consultants working in the branch office of our customers we started with a program to provide a better follow up of the consultant, improve communication between the consultant and the company and to create a company feeling. Most of the consultants only meet each other on the obligated company meetings where for them a bunch of unknown people are present. With regular visits to the consultant, dedicated technical sessions for each branch and a fun event we try to involve the consultants in the social binding that exists in our company.
During one of my coach visits a consultant came up with the idea to create open source projects after the working hours. These projects could help us to play around in the latest version of the .NET framework and to discover the huge amount of open source libraries that can be plugged in into your .NET project. With Nuget it's never been easier to use third party components or frameworks. As some of my colleagues work at legacy projects and others still work in .NET 3.5, doing a project in the latest version would be very interesting.
After some preparation we had our first kick-off meeting last week. With an 11 colleagues we started the 'Open Development Group'. We talked about what should be the target, how we are to involve each other in the development process and what we we're going to create. After some (healthy) discussion we came up with our first project: 'The ABC Athletes Follow up'. An administrative application for coaches/trainers to efficiently follow up on their athletes.
Making the projects open source will not only improve the feedback on the created projects but will also give the contributors a very visual overview of their work in the latest version of .NET and other frameworks, components, … This overview can be very handy for the future job interviews of the contributors.
The term 'Open Development Group' was just a work title for me to check out if there were any colleagues interested in the project. During our kick-off meeting the question arises if 'Open Development group' would be a good name to communicate to colleagues and the outside world. It didn't take long to have one shouting out that if we changed it to 'Group of Open Development' the acronym 'ABC G.OD' does sound a bit better. A new name was born.
You'll find more information about the ABC-Groep on the website, on twitter (@abcgroep). All .NET developers are part of the ACE branch of the ABC-groep, a company focusing on .Net development, consultancy for Microsoft Dynamics and services for the Microsoft Sharepoint platform.
This entry was posted in .NET, ABC G.OD, ASP.NET, Coaching, jQuery and tagged Open Development Group on 19 September 2012 by Bart De Meyer.


Elevate your occasionwear from the charming FWM collection with a signature boucle jacket. Constructed in premium woven fabric, this pink formal jacket is cut in a cropped length and features an open front trimmed with a raw edge and hem detailing. Thoughtfully placed seaming ensures a sharp tailored appearance. Silk-like lining completes the demure design.
Shell: 77% Cotton 23% Polyester. Lining: 100% Polyester.


It was once said "The only thing certain in life is change". Well, we have experienced our fair share of change in the past month.
Firstly, great news for the Simeoni team when Rebecca gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Lucy. We congratulate Rebecca and her partner Gee on the arrival of Lucy, weighing in at 4.1 kg and 56 cm. They are both over the moon and getting used to the lack of sleep. Rebecca will be taking a well earned break (well, that's what they say...) and, is expected to return to the office end of February 2013.
Secondly, after 5 years at Simeoni, our well loved secretary Lisa has decided to move to Newcastle with her family. We will miss her very much, but wish her all the success and happiness she deserves. Our other well loved secretary, Candice will now be working Tuesday to Friday with Rosemary manning the front desk on a Monday.
Thirdly Grace's husband has been offered a great work opportunity in Singapore, an offer too good to be refused. Grace and her family are uprooting and moving to Singapore for at least three years, we again wish Grace and her family all the success and happiness in their new venture.
We welcome Ui Kiang to the Simeoni team. Ui has already shown to be an eager learner and we look forward to a long and productive relationship.
If that wasn't enough we now have Christmas approaching very quickly and we would like to wish everyone a great Christmas and a prosperous new year. We also would like to thank our clients for helping this year to be our best ever! We are all aware on the current pressures on businesses and families and we hope that Christmas will be the time to relax and be spent with family and friends. Let's hope the New Year brings better and more prosperous times. Enjoy our newsletter and we look forward to seeing you in 2013.
We are officially closing the office from 5:00pm Friday 21st December 2012 and re-opening 9:00am Monday the 7th January 2013. If you require any urgent attention during this period, please email us on: simeonico@simeoni.com.au.
2012 was not a great year in predictions, with a result of 4 out of 10. A far cry from my 8 out of 10 in 2010. My results are listed below. For my 2013 predictions I have polished the "crystal ball". Which will hopefully earn me a distinction and not a fail like this year.
The Australian Economy to grow by at least 2%.
Cooking classes with Candice - Enjoy!
SWEET POTATO BAKE...Perfect for Christmas Day side dish!
1. Boil potatoes in water to cover for 25mins or until tender. Cool slightly and peel.
2. Combine potatoes, sugar, cinnamon and butter in a large bowl. Mash well with a potato masher.
3. Stir in the next 4 ingredients.
4. Spoon into a buttered 11 X 7 inch dish. Sprinkle evenly with marshmallows.
5. Bake at 175 C for 20 mins or until marshmallows are lightly browned.
Watch spectacular projections light up the facade of this iconic Sydney building. The city will sparkle this Christmas as its streets and spaces are adorned with beautiful banners, lights and decorations. The villages will feature decorations on Erskineville Road, Crown Street, Redfern Street, Darlinghurst Road and Glebe Point Road and pretty lights at Shannon Reserve – Surry Hills, Turruwul Park – Rosebery and Redfern Park, enjoy this spectacular event with your family and friends. Click Here to check the City of Sydney more Christmas events.


One Way To Be Less Standard In The Jungle.
I know how it feels: you give money to someone and wonder if the universe is going to reward you. Rest assured that I have a long term vision for this blog although I can't help sometimes thinking about the past: mission improbable!
There's a reason I specialised in music: it's because it's the only domain that I feel can make you travel without stumbling upon hitmen, thieves and brawls. Anyway, if you want to sponsor that blog, remember that I'm targeting the world (7 billion souls). And thanks to the Internet it's become easier to reach people.
The 1st stats page shows key indicators to watch for (page views, average time on page, goal completions and returning visitors). The 2nd page shows statistics in real time for the blog and facebook page.
My blog will have a healthy mix of new and returning visitors, young and mature people… The keyword here is: healthy mix. You can specify a desired ROI if you make a big donation to this blog. And legal department will take care of the rest.
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By Emmalyn Shaw, Flourish Managing Partner
If you've ever freelanced, April is a busy month. Filing taxes is not simple with stacks of 1099s. Neither is getting insurance, or if you drive for a ride-sharing service, keeping track of all your work-related automotive expenses.
Making a living in the gig economy can be challenging, but work is not necessarily more stable for wage-earners or people in salaried jobs. Companies are not just replacing employees with contractors; they are also replacing human work with automation. About 54 percent of the US workforce are not very confident that the work they do will exist in 20 years. By some estimates, 50 percent of the workforce could be contractors in 10 years. The nature of work—our society's conception of what a "job" is—probably changes every generation. Right now, it's changing even faster.
As my partners and I wrote when we launched Flourish, technology is driving this change, which often leads to "winner-takes-all" outcomes. The average driver for Uber or Lyft makes $8.55 in profit per hour, and for those in traditional employment, real wages have been stagnant since 1990s.
As investors, we are focused on which technologies are reshaping the labor market—and how. Everyone is watching robotics and AI, but adjacent technologies can have an even bigger impact. The spread of 5G technology, for example, will likely accelerate automation.
"There are private 5G networks popping up all over the place and the places where they are popping up is in warehouses and factories," futurist Amy Webbsaid at a talk Flourish hosted during this year's SXSW. "The beauty of a private 5G network is you can eliminate latency problems, so it facilitates working with robots and equipment. The investment we're seeing in 5G will be an accelerant for how quick we automate certain work."
Amy is a professor at NYU's Stern School of Business and the founder and head of the Future Today Institute, a strategic foresight advisory group for Fortune 500 companies and national nonprofits. Using a wide array of data, Amy builds models to analyze trends affecting different industries—and the American workforce. When it comes to automation, she said at our SXSW panel, digital processes will continue to be automated. That will destabilize certain record-keeping jobs, but it will make everything from legal advice to financial services more affordable.
Meanwhile, jobs in the skilled trades, such as plumbing, construction, auto repair, and electrical contracting, will be safe from automation for a long time. "Robots are not going to take those jobs within our lifetimes, probably," said Amy. "There's a huge shortage for skilled labor, as well as for salon and massage services and other personal services."
You can see hows this dovetails with the trend toward more contract positions: Most hair stylists, for example, are freelancers. That's why we invested in Steady, an app that connects workers in the gig economy to flexible opportunities to grow their earnings and achieve their financial goals. As the work world changes, people will need more support piecing together a regular income, accessing their benefits, continually improving their skills, and managing their budget.
There's some reason to believe budget pressures on consumers may change in the future. Looking several years out, Amy sees a variety of trends in personal transportation (ride-sharing, vehicle sharing, and e-scooters) combining with autonomous vehicles and electrification to slowly erode the consumer need for buying a car. "What I think is so interesting is how this relates to the rest of the economy," said Amy. "If owning your own car is no longer part of the American dream, that has a ripple effect because a lot of our economic system is very much intertwined with the auto industry."
Finally, Amy emphasized how, in this evolving workforce, investing in education will be more important than most realize. "In this country, we have under-invested in education," she said, "but a lot of companies are now seeing the value of long-term education in the workforce."
Pointing to Udacity, an online learning platform that now offers eight-week nano-degrees, Amy suggested digital, continuing education might be "the best possible way to make sure that our workforce, in any country, is going to be prepared for the future and that helps strengthen our economies."
We're excited by that possibility too. One of our founding beliefs is that, if we aspire for everyone in our society to do better in the future, technology must be used responsibly and in ways that empower people. Amy's SXSW talk gives us a peek at how complicated, interconnected, and exciting that is. We need to keep innovating, but do so in a responsible way, that puts people, and their well-being, at the center of the future we're inventing.
(All trends tracked by quantitative futurologist Amy Webb are open source and available here.)
For more insights from Emmalyn Shaw, follow her on Twitter and Medium.
Relevant Topics: Amy Webb, Conference, Emmalyn Shaw, Financial Health, FinHealth, Fintech, Steady, Udacity


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Protecting the Careers of Medical Professionals Who Believe in the Hippocratic Oath
Posted by CBC-Network | Nov 11, 2006 | Article
We live in a culturally diverse society in which people vary greatly in their moral beliefs about the importance of human life. These profound differences are most bitterly expressed in the medical context, particularly with regard to issues such as abortion, physician-assisted suicide, embryonic stem cell research, and other life and death policies and procedures.
Some of these practices – specifically abortion and assisted suicide – contravene explicit provisions of the Hippocratic Oath (at least as it has been understood traditionally). Yet today, physicians, nurses, and other medical professionals whose moral beliefs prevent them from participating in these legal but ethically controversial acts, find themselves under increasing pressure to either violate their consciences or be driven out of their careers.
Until recently, dissenting medical professionals have been protected by so-called "conscience clauses" that permit them to opt out of performing abortions or participating in assisted suicide (where it is legal) without professional consequence. But in recent years, legislative proposals have been filed that would require all professionals participate in such life-terminating procedures if asked by a patient, or be complicit in them by referring the requesting patient to another doctor who will do the deed.
The controversy over conscience clauses came to an angry head recently when the Bush Administration promulgated a rule protecting professionals from being discriminated against in employment for refusing to perform medical procedures to which they morally object. The "Bush Conscience Clause" set off howling opposition among the medical intelligentsia, including the American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Connecticut, California, and five other states sued to have the regulation declared invalid. The new Obama Administration has already started regulatory action to revoke the policy.
Opposition to protecting the right of conscience has suddenly grown so intense that it is easy to foresee physicians, nurses, and pharmacists who hold to the orthodox understanding of the Hippocratic Oath being forced out of medicine altogether, a draconian approach explicitly proposed in a December 24, 2008 editorial in the St. Louis Post Dispatch, which opined:
"Doctors, nurses, and pharmacists choose professions that put patients' rights first. If they foresee that priority becoming problematic for them, they should choose another profession."
Imagine: being declared persona non grata in medicine merely for wishing to abide by an ethic that was considered mandatory for all doctors as recently as forty years ago.
It isn't just abortion or assisted suicide. In the next decade, we could see the legalization of currently criminal and unethical medical acts – such as harvesting organs from patients with catastrophic cognitive impairments (which has repeatedly been advocated in some of the most prestigious medical journals), eugenic infanticide (now practiced openly in the Netherlands), perhaps even cloned fetal farming for organs or experimental purposes (already permitted by law in New Jersey). Crafting effective conscience clauses to allow medical professionals to opt out of such programs is thus a matter of increasing urgency.
But this isn't as easy as it might seem. For example, overly broad wording could inadvertently protect doctors who refuse wanted life-sustaining treatment based on a moral belief that the patient's life is not worth living (futile care theory), perhaps even the abortion clinic nurse who refuses to save the life of a surviving baby based on her deeply held moral belief that an aborting mother has the right to a dead fetus.
To avoid this and other unintended consequences, I suggest that conscience clauses be drafted following these general principles:
No medical professional should be forced to take, or be complicit in the taking of human life, whether of an embryo, fetus, or born member of the species.
Conscience clauses should distinguish generally between elective procedures – e.g., interventions not immediately necessary to save the patient's life or prevent serious physical harm – and non-elective procedures. Refusing elective procedures should be broadly protected, but not non-Elective procedures.
To prevent conscience clauses from becoming safe harbors for discrimination, the requested procedure should generally be what violates the conscience of the health-care professional, not bias against the patient. In this way, for example, an oncologist would not be able to refuse to treat a lung-cancer patient because the patient smoked.
Finally, those covered by conscience clauses should be bona fide health-care professionals such as nurses, pharmacists, and physicians. Custodians or bandage suppliers, as two examples, should not be covered.
Doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals who refuse to participate in life-terminating procedures send a clarion message to society that killing in the medical context is morally wrong. By protecting the conscience rights of these courageous professionals, we also protect the weak and vulnerable who are increasingly threatened by the growing influence of utilitarian bioethics. Or, to put it more bluntly: The life you save by supporting conscience clauses could be your own.
CBC special consultant Wesley J. Smith, is also a Senior Fellow in Human Rights and Bioethics at the Discovery Institute and the associate director of the International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide.
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Terra Spatium SA, as a member of si-Cluster / Corallia, has funded from the NEPTUNE Blue Growth Accelerator under the HORIZON 2020 programme of the European Commission in cooperation with French SME "I-Sea SAS".
The 15-month World-BioCoast project aims at providing a new service relevant for the monitoring of natural coastal areas (tidal flats, salt marshes, coastal wetlands). The project focuses on Natura 2000 coastal areas. Its ambition is to elaborate habitat maps addressing regulatory typologies in order to help managers to draft and evaluate the impact of their own management plans.
World-BioCoast will therefore be a major tool contributing to the preservation of some of the richest and most fragile environments in the world. Thus, the focus of the specific project is on the Natura 2000 sites of the Mediterranean region, which is considered one of the richest but also most fragile environment regarding biodiversity. The site that is selected is located in the South-East Evia, especially due to its complexity.
World-BioCoast will clearly highlight the benefits of using for habitat monitoring, enabling useful, precise and easy updates of coastal ecosystems inventories. Building on these foundations, World-BioCoast is expected to become the first habitat mapping service supporting European policies on the protection of natural coastal areas.