This is one of the best novels I have ever read, and is easily on my top 5 list of favorites. The author, John Green, earned my respect like Garcia Marquez, Faulkner, and Nabokov have. He is a brilliant writer and storyteller.
What struck me the most about this novel was Green's ability to blur the lines between intangibles that we typically think of as opposite, and clear-cut: pain and comfort, life and death, humor and sadness, rememberance and loss are all topics that Hazel and Augustus and me, myself, as a reader, ponder throughout the narrative. And I shouldn't forget love! What a beautiful and awkward, but intense and unique love. You might find yourself laughing and crying at the same time.
So the novel touched me emotionally...But too intellectually challenge me as well is something that most novelists have a hard time doing. This is the reason I liken Green to great authors whose works are cemented in our history. He questions inevitable death with wit and perception, and in doing that, he examines with a microscope the life that leads us to it.
An exciting adventure that takes you all across the globe! A mix between Indiana Jones and The DaVinci Code. Discover ancient secrets and avoid deadly booby traps as you join Jack West Jr. in his search for the seven wonders.
If I had not been pressured to finish the series, I would've never read this book. Seriously.
So the first book of the series was pretty good. I mean, the author could work on her descriptions and character development, but it really drew you in and had a good cliffhanger (though I've found way better ones).
Then there was the second book. Getting kind of...overdramatic, but it was okay. There was more action in it and there was another decent cliffhanger.
Then there just HAD to be the third novel. That just ruined it. The love affairs were WAY to overdramatized, the descriptions were TERRIBLE, and the storyline went everywhere. I constantly found myself reading entire chapters ten times over to at least get a sense of what was going on. It was totally cliche and repetetive and all these characters died for no reason at all. The epilogue was absolutely sappy and cheesy and way too predictable. Katniss is the worst herione ever and I don't respect anything about her.
Overall, a terrible book and not worth your time to read. Collins has made an extremely sloppy conclusion to her popular teen series and she should SERIOUSLY consider rewriting this novel, if not the whole series.
While not as good as previous Dresden adventures Cold Days is a welcome return to Harry's universe. It's always nice to visit with Harry and his friends. He always manages to find himself in the most precarious of situations. And even though it's no surprise that he always gets out of trouble it's still nice to see how he accomplishes it.
This is a fantastic experience of Mexican American culture and the richness and differences it presents. Antonio shares his many "growing up" experiences and dificulties with Ultima, an old curandera (healer) who has insight, influence and wisdom.
When I finished this book, I just sat back and said "Wow." That pretty much sums up the entire novel. What an amazingly beautiful and sad love story, not only between Isabelle and Robert, but also the friendship between Dorrie and Isabelle. This is definitely a book I will be recommending!
The most recent in the October Daye series, Ashes of Honor was incredibly difficult to put down. Like all of the books in the series, McGuire keeps the action going with a mixture of faerie mythology and mystery with Shakespeare references thrown in. A great read for fans of urban fantasy with an awesome heroine. I also loved that the author includes a pronunciation guide at the beginning of each book.
Peg Kehert told you in her own words what it was like to be a child with polio. She writes how deadly and dangerous polio was in 1949. It was heartfelt and she made friends along her hard journey. I think that kids and adults should read this book.
Even though I loved this book and wanted to eat it up as quickly as possible, I tried to take it slow, absorbing as much as I could. It is packed full of fascinating facts about happiness, and examples of how she improved her life through big and small changes. It inspired me to start my own small happiness project, tracking it daily as she and Benjamin Franklin did.
+ express my happiness to myself or others, and reflect on a happy memory.
It is amazing how just a few people with the right attitude were able to change a city, a county, and impact the entire country for the better. This is a good, and real life story by a man who was in the battle of good vs bad, and the good won in Stamford, CT in this battle that went into the 1980's.
"The Compound Effect is the principle of reaping huge rewards from a series of small, smart choices. These small, seemingly insignificant steps completed consistently over time will create a radical difference." Darren Hardy does an excellent job in outlining the steps to success. He provides examples that make the concepts very clear as well as recommended action steps in order to help you make right choices and develop the habits and behaviors that will lead to success.
This book offers a interesting look into the terrifying world that young Americans encountered during WWII warfare. The story is told from a 18 year old small-town Iowa farm boy who is sent to combat in France. Fear quickly consumes George's world as he reacts to the unimaginable devastation around him. I immediately became intrigued with George's situation making it hard to put this novel down. The book is a short but powerful read, and there is much to be said about its honest look at the harrowing realities that people, turned soldiers, experience during wartime.
Great book. Dr. Dawkins takes everyday questions and answers them both via myth and via science in a manner that is accessible to the average layperson. The height of the book for me was the discussion of "Sod's Law" and the understanding that reacting as if there is a threat when the possibility arises assures survival. Also, I thought it was interesting that we are living the good life (at least I am), and natural selection favors a struggle. The illustrations were also great. A big thumbs up!
Spanish DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME.


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Seattle's Big Blog
Seattle's Snow Day set to become 'World's Largest Snowball Fight'
By Jake Ellison on January 8, 2013 at 1:56 PM
With 162,000 pounds of snow set to be trucked in and more than 6,000 tickets sold, the Snow Day event at Seattle Center on Saturday should be a doozy. And, if everyone shows up and throws snowballs, that'll be the world's largest snowball fight on record.
Currently the title is held by the Republic of Korea – they managed to get 5,387 people to toss snow around (video is below).
Neil Bergquist, the lead organizer of the event, said he got the idea after one too many sleepy benefit dinners.
"I really just wanted to do something a little bit more disruptive, you could say." he said. "Why not have a city-wide snow day where we can showcase everything we love about the Northwest and get an opportunity where we can embrace what it's like to be a kid for a day while raising money for them."
The Snow Day event – the first one for Seattle – has sold out.
It combines a contest for the best snow castle, fort or igloo with the snowball fight to raise $40,000 for the Boys and Girls Clubs of King County. So far, expenses are still piling up and sponsors still signing up, so Bergquist wasn't sure how much they've raised for the clubs. Also, many tickets – $25 apiece – were given away and some groups raised more than $1,000 for the clubs themselves.
He adds that while there are certain risks inherent in getting smacked with snowballs, organizers are requiring eye protection and have banned head shots. And, while spectators are welcome, they'll have to be outside the fenced off area.
If you want to see the action from afar, you'll be able to check out our coverage of the event, and it's rumored some national media (such as CNN) will descend on Seattle Center as well.
A gallery of snowball fights around the world:
Photo: The Washington Post/Getty Images
Students from Priestly College in Warrington, England, get out to see the sites (and have a snowball fight) during a historic blizzard in Washington.
People have a snow fight while visiting the Temple of Heaven following the year's first snowfall overnight in Beijing on February 10, 2011.
Photo: AFP/Getty Images
Some of the participatants in a "flash mob" snow fight let fly with their snowballs in Melbourne on July 1, 2010.
Children play with snowballs in front of a ferrywheel place Bellecour, on December 1, 2010 in Lyon, central eastern France.
A lion cub plays with a snowball at the Belgrade Zoo on February 5, 2012.
A police officer holds a snowball in his hand on December 9, 2010 in Hamburg, Germany.
High school students throw snowballs on December 2, 2010 in Angouleme, western France.
A participatant in a "flash mob" snow fight prepares himself with snowballs in Melbourne on July 1, 2010.
Players of St. Pauli throw snowballs during a training session on December 27, 2010 in Hamburg, Germany.
Photo: Bongarts/Getty Images
US actors Jim Carrey (L) and Robin Wright Penn play with snow in front of the Carlton palace during the promotion of the movie "A Christmas Carol" directed by US Robert Zemeckis, at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2009. less
US actors Jim Carrey (L) and Robin Wright Penn play with snow in front of the Carlton palace during the promotion of the movie "A Christmas Carol" directed by US Robert Zemeckis, at the 62nd Cannes Film ... more
People enjoy a snowball fight on a barge over the Seine river, on October 21, 2009 in Paris.
Onlookers watch hundreds hipsters attented a giant Snowball Fight organised in Dupont Circle, a fancy neighborhood from Washington DC, February 6, 2010.
The combo of pictures taken on December 27, 2010 shows an elephant throwing a snowball on his head at his enclosure in the Berlin zoo (Zoologischer Garten) December 27, 2010.
An elephant slips a snowball into his mouth with his trunk at his enclosure in the Berlin zoo (Zoologischer Garten) December 27, 2010.
People enjoy a snowball fight in front of the Costantino's Arch, near the Coliseum on February 12, 2010 in Rome, Italy.
Russian school boys play with snow in Moscow on February 24, 2010. Moscow is seeing record snowfall for the month.
Competitors of the Skadam team fight with snowballs during the Yukigassen Snowbattle 2010, the Finnish Championships, in Helsinki on March 6, 2010.
Snowballs are prepared for the Yukigassen Snowbattle 2010, the Finnish Championships, in Helsinki on March 6, 2010.
Team Vahasen Soturit fight with snowballs during the Yukigassen Snowbattle 2010, the Finnish Championships, in Helsinki on March 6, 2010.
Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (L) throws a snowball during the FC Bayern Muenchen training session at Bayern's training ground 'Saebener Strasse' on January 27, 2011 in Munich, Germany.
A traditionally dressed Nordic Sami holds a fake snowball at Lapland UK on November 20, 2009 in Lamberhurst, England.
Blackburn's English goalkeeper Paul Robinson (L) plays in the snow with West Ham United's English striker Carlton Cole (R) during the English Premier League football match between Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United at Ewood Park in Blackburn, north-west England, on December 18, 2010. less
Blackburn's English goalkeeper Paul Robinson (L) plays in the snow with West Ham United's English striker Carlton Cole (R) during the English Premier League football match between Blackburn Rovers and West Ham ... more
A young Afghan boy holds a snowball along a snow-covered road in Kabul on January 5, 2012.
Pakistani children throw snowballs at the Margala hills, outskirt of Islamabad on January 7, 2012.
Kashmiri young people engage in a snowball fight in Srinagar on January 15, 2012.
Afghan youth play in the snow in Kabul on January 15, 2012.
Palestinian youth throw snowballs in the West Bank city of Hebron as wintry weather swept through the region on March 2, 2012.
The Lifeline Program spokesperson Betty White throws a snowball into a bear enclosure at the "White Hot" Holiday Event at The Los Angeles Zoo on December 11, 2012 in Los Angeles, Calif.
The Lifeline Program spokesperson Betty White hosts the "White Hot" Holiday Event at The Los Angeles Zoo on Dec. 11, 2012 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Brady Wintz, 10, uses his snow saucer to ward off snowballs during a neighborhood snowball fight, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Atlanta, Ill.
Ian Rone, 12, surprises Alena Byrn. 16, with a face full of flakes while snowball fighting at the Overton Shell, Wednesday Dec. 26, 2012 in Memphis, Tenn.
Seattle's Snow Day set to become 'World's Largest Snowball Fight'
Jake Ellison can be reached at 206-448-8334 or jakeellison@seattlepi.com. Follow Jake on Twitter at twitter.com/Jake_News. Also, swing by and *LIKE* us on Facebook.
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After Paris: Global approaches to climate change [UPDATED]
Superstorms like Harvey and Irma are increasingly common — a result of global warming, say climate scientists. Yet President Donald Trump intends to pull the US out of the Paris agreement, a historic international pact to reduce carbon emissions.
But how is the rest of the world dealing with climate change?
In this hour, we'll explore how various countries are tackling the issue of climate change — from China and India to the Arctic and North Africa. And we'll discuss whether countries can reduce their emissions without damaging their economies and what the US pullout means for the world.
Barbara Finamore is a senior attorney and Asia director at the NRDC.
Brian Deese is a former senior advisor to President Obama and was a top negotiator of the Paris agreement.
Michael Breen is the CEO of the Truman National Security Project.
Bob Inglis is a clean energy advocate and former Republican congressman from South Carolina.
Chris Bentley reports from Morocco on how this country drenched in sunlight is taking advantage of solar energy opportunities. (Rebroadcast from The World and the GroundTruth Project)
Jocelyn Ford reports from China on the hundreds of thousands of farmers who are now climate change refugees.
Antoine Guinard reports from India on efforts to expand renewable energy as the country develops economically.
Carrie Swiggum reports from the Canadian arctic, where people worry that their way of life is literally melting way.


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Rahul Londhe is 14. He lives with his "dadi'' (grandmother). He lost his mother 2 years ago. His father had died almost 5 years back. Rahul had been falling ill regularly. His grandmother used to take him to small, fly-by-night doctors in the hope that he would get better but he never seemed to recover fully. This way, she had spent a lot of money on the young boy. The family had never considered the possibility that the boy could be infected with a life long disease. On the other hand, Rahul has a sister who did not have the same health problems as him.
The family lives in small cramped room in the vegetable market in Yerwada, Pune not far from the KCA sponsored Yerwada OPD clinic. An ex-client told the Yerwada outreach team about the boy and the team then paid a home visit and fluently established a relationship with the boy as well as with the rest of the family.
The team, usually 2 staff, asked the child about the deaths of the parents and found that it could have been due to a blood borne disease. The team also noticed that the family were terribly poor; poorer than anyone they had seen recently. The grandmother earned a pittance washing dishes that she spent entirely on food for that hour. Often, she was shooed away as being too old to do a good job. They collected wooden slats of broken fruit crates from the market and cooked their meagre meals of lentils and rice in the open air. At times, there used to be more water and a few lentils floating about in the blackened pot.
The team invited the family to the clinic and counselled them about the nature and the complexities around the disease in simple terms that they would understand…a skill that the team has developed over the years and which is crucial when dealing with the barely literate.
The team then sought consent and proceeded to test both the siblings. Rahul tested positive as suspected by the team and his sister tested negative. Rahul was then introduced into a care plan. First up was to evaluate him for drugs. Rahul's CD4(a person's immune status), it turned out, was a low 105 (with 500 being decent) and the team then asked the boy if he wanted to start treatment, telling him that he would have to take it lifelong. Rahul promptly agreed. He said simply, "I want to live."
Still, despite doing all of this, it is not enough. Poverty is a monster! Consider the scene – the grandmother is more than 70 years old and exhausted by a lifetime of hard slog. They have no bedding to even sleep on and their lullaby is the putrid water flowing in the gutter behind their home. The young children were dressed literally in rags till the team asked around and arranged some clothes for them, some brought with their own money. The grandmother does not understand daily medication and could forget to give Rahul's dose leading to a whole new set of difficulties. This means that the team has to visit every single day to monitor the child till he is able to do it himself.
Seeing the situation, the Yerwada team started the family on crisis nutrition but the conundrum is how long can Sahara Aalhad support this family? It can't be forever! But when you stand there and really witness the harsh reality of their lives one can truly understand the extent and depth of their helplessness.
Sahara Aalhad, though, will look to see how it can support the family through a partnership with local community involvement, with people who want to help and with those who care and want to see these young innocent children bloom.
Over and over again, it seems that there are no answers, very little hope, desperation edged with gloom but Sahara Aalhad's experience, especially with tough cases, is that with patience and with prayer the forces of the Universe align to change things around. If you believe that good times are a-coming, they usually do


Welcome to and thanks for shopping with us. We've pulled collectively all the info you may must make your buying experience with us as simple and gratifying as possible. The retail haven of the Gulf could also be lagging behind the world in digital client patterns, but the shopaholic region is catching up — and the lunar month when Muslims forgo meals and water from dawn to nightfall has been a boon for on-line sellers.
There are some phishing websites that bask in fraud and fleece money from prospects. We see a big see push on-line and changing consumer habits due to mobile," says Mr Mouchawar. Presently, there are a whole bunch of internet sites which are for online transaction and sales.
Reviews and even some blogs give prospects the option of shopping for cheaper purchases from all over the world with out having to depend upon local retailers. In fact you may even buy the fabrics from 2-three completely different stores and all this without leaving the consolation of your property or workplace.
Ulugbek Yuldashev, managing director of Awok, an online retailer, says on-line procuring jumps 35 per cent between the 7pm breakfast, often known as iftar, and the evening-time suhoor meal, a feast intended to maintain individuals via the subsequent day's fast.
You can too get girls's top like tank tops, camisoles, halter tops, t-shirt, t-tops, and so forth. Within the current times, there are millions of online firms available in the web ocean that supply wholesale clothes at highly discounted charges.


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This license agreement is a legal agreement between you (either personal or corporate) and VS Revo Group, the vendor of the software product "Revo Uninstaller"".
"the Vendor" means the developer of the "Revo Uninstaller" software product, VS Revo Group.
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Revo Uninstaller is FREEWARE. You can freely use this software and distribute copies of the ORIGINAL DISTRIBUTION FILE as long as NO ALTERATIONS are made to the file and its contents, no charge is raised and that this license agreement is not violated in any ways. Any other way of distributing this software is prohibited.
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Category Archives: language
comics, humor, Iceland, language, travel
March 3, 2018 Lone Grey Squirrel	6 Comments
Picture and T-shirt by idontspeakicelandic.com
Hi there honorable readers!
The squirrel just got back from one of his bucket list destinations! I am sure that the photo above of a T-shirt I saw while there will have tipped you as to where that is …….. Iceland! So what part of Eyjafjallajökull didn't you understand? Will the smart alecks among you please enlighten us all to its meaning in the comments? In this era of alternate truths, your explanation doesn't have to be factually accurate but by Odin, make it interesting.
Yes, my missus and I went to Iceland, otherwise also known as the Land of Fire and Ice, the Land of the Vikings and more recently as part of Westeros and beyond The Wall (Game of Thrones). Oh yes we did, and we did it in the midst of winter too!
And how was Iceland, you ask? I quote my wife; "It's Crazy Beautiful!" The people were fascinating and friendly and the food fantastic – there are lots of delicious options so you don't really need to eat the famous rotting shark meat or the boiled sheep's head if you don't want to.
Before I carry on, I must thank Terry for inspiring me to make the trip and also her practical advice. Even though this is not primarily a travel blog, please bear with me as I will share about my experiences over the next few posts.
And, if you were wondering ……….. I did see the Northern Lights!
For now, I leave you with Asterix and Dogmatix as they show us that it isn't so difficult to learn the Viking language.
humor, language, reflections
Politically Correct Monsters
November 2, 2016 Lone Grey Squirrel	10 Comments
I was reading a post on a friend's blog on "political correctness" and thought that I wanted to post on that topic too. But I am also late with my annual Halloween post! Oh, what to do…..what to do……..ah, do both!
So Happy Halloween boys and girls! Hope it was a good one!
(thank you John Atkinson for that cartoon).
Political correctness seeks to stop forms of expression or action that are perceived to exclude, marginalize, or insult groups of people who are socially disadvantaged or discriminated against. And I totally agree that in a civilised society, all of us should be against the marginalisation, abuse and denigration of the disadvantaged or the disenfranchised or discrimination based on religion, gender or race.
In fact, that used to be just good old common sense civility and good manners. Something that does seem to have become a rare commodity these days – we just need to look at the current gutter rhetoric being used in the current U.S. presidential race. The name calling, the lack of respect and bigotry on display is truly soul sapping. The Trump is a bully (amongst other things!)
However, I do believe that in this topsy-turvy world, some craziness is also being enforced on people, in the name of political correctness, by a small minority who seem to feel their voice deserves to be greater and their easily offended feelings or views more important than others. They are bullies too.
What is needed is a change of heart, a need to have mutual respect and the development of empathy for others. These are things that are achieved by developing relationships, awareness, putting ourselves in others shoes and by having leaders who demonstrate it by example. Trying to achieve it by a list of don't s does not achieve this change of heart.
Here are some examples where I think we have thrown common sense out the window.
Cultural Appropriation:- Hilary Duff and boyfriend recently had to apologise for dressing up as a Pilgrim and a Native American for Halloween. They were accused of disrespect and cultural appropriation. What happened to "imitation is the highest form of flattery"? What is important is whether they intended by their action to marginalise, abuse or denigrate anyone – I think they did not.
In Australia, a boy wanted to dress up as his football hero. The boy put on the sports gear with the appropriate name and number. But the boy is white and his football hero is an Aborigine. To complete his costume for the school event, he put on black face paint. He and his mother was roundly criticised for disrespect. Is the message that young persons of Caucasian descent are not allowed to emulate heroes of other ethnic backgrounds? (notice how I was careful with my wording of the last sentence). Which is more racist?
When I was at University, we used to celebrate our different cultures by having international nights and festivals where we get to try each others food, learn each others cultures, and dress up in each others national and ethnic costumes. Now it seems that in some places that is viewed as cultural appropriation and insensitive. This attitude will only increase problems and not improve race relations.
Just this month in Malaysia, certain authorities tried to force food outlets to stop using the word "dog" as it is offensive to a portion of society. Specifically words like "hot dog", "Coney Dog", "corn dog" and "pretzel dog" were to be removed. It was a move that would have cost businesses tons of money as they would have to change their menus, printed materials and ad campaigns. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed in the end.
Many years ago in UK, a local council voted to ban the use of the word "pet" to describe our cats and dogs. These valuable members of our society were to be referred to as "animal companions". This still did not please everyone as some objected to the word "animal" as derogatory. There were also attempts to ban the use of words like "blacklisted", "blackballed", "black magic" and "black death" as it offended "black people".Yet these same people thought it was ridiculous when someone pointed out (sarcastically) that we should also ban words like "whitewash" and "yellow bellied".
Another sharp wit said that he would follow the council's decision on cats and dogs even though he thought that the council was being "animal companion-ery" (translation: petty)
Some words have been used cruelly like "retard" or "basket case" and they should be avoided because they do cause hurt. But again, some changes are of dubious value. Like saying "sanitation engineer" instead of "garbage collector". The problem is not which title we use for the job but that we somehow view a garbage collector as someone beneath us. I think I have no problem being called a garbage collector if I am treated with respect as a human being doing a valued and necessary task. In this case, the problem lies in our heart not in our words.
Let me just end on a personal note. Recently my doctor was very politically correct and did not want to use the word "obese" or "overweight". So he told me that I was weight challenged for my height. I immediately replied that I prefer to think of it as vertically challenged for my weight.
comics, humor, language
The Literary Bum
August 8, 2014 Lone Grey Squirrel	19 Comments
Long term groupies of the Realm (all two of you), will know that I quit my longtime job about two years ago to make time for unemployment, starvation and the pursuit of other ambitions. One of my ambitions was to live the life of a beach bum.
I am happy to report that I am halfway there …………. I am now definitely a bum. Unfortunately, apart from a short week in Bali, this bum is beachless. Hmmm, have to work on getting that beach!
Another of my "other ambitions" was to take up writing and to become a rich and famous novelist. Now I admit that I was motivated to do so after seeing how some rather poor quality story telling and writing had become best sellers, been made into movies and was raking in the big bucks. ( I don't want to mention any names but one of them involves pale guys that sparkle in the sun and often topless but buff Native Americans who smell like wet dog after running in the rain – you know who I mean).
I thought to myself, " I can write as bad as that too ……..let the fame and fortune start rolling in!" But lo, fame and fortune has not rolled in. Instead, I find myself doing countless re-writes because I am having trouble getting the first line right.
I think my problem is that perhaps the literary geniuses that have been a big influence to my art may not have been the best choices. Although I can say that I am greatly influenced by the works of Maxim Gorky, most of my writing lean more heavily on the works of Snoopy and his "it was a dark and stormy night….." approach.
Here are some more opening lines which I may have wrongly used as my inspirations (most of them are winners of the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest) What do you think?
Adventure:-When the dead moose floated into view the famished crew cheered – this had to mean land! – but Captain Walgrove, flinty-eyed and clear headed thanks to the starvation cleanse in progress, gave fateful orders to remain on the original course and await the appearance of a second and confirming moose. — Elizabeth (Betsy) Dorfman, Bainbridge Island, WA
As the sun dropped below the horizon, the safari guide confirmed the approaching cape buffaloes were herbivores, which calmed everyone in the group, except for Herb, of course. — Ron D Smith, Louisville, KY
"Die, commie pigs!" grunted Sergeant "Rocky" Steele through his cigar stub as he machine-gunned the North korean farm animals. – Dave Ranson, Calgary, Alberta
Romance:-
For the first month of Ricardo and Felicity's affair, they greeted one another at every stolen rendezvous with a kiss — a lengthy, ravenous kiss, Ricardo lapping and sucking at Felicity's mouth as if she were a giant cage-mounted water bottle and he were the world's thirstiest gerbil. – Molly Ringle
As an ornithologist, George was fascinated by the fact that urine and feces mix in birds' rectums to form a unified, homogeneous slurry that is expelled through defecation, although eying Greta's face, and sensing the reaction of the congregation, he immediately realized he should have used a different analogy to describe their relationship in his wedding vows. – David Pepper
Sex with Rachel after she turned fifty was like driving the last-place team on the last day of the Iditarod Dog Sled Race, the point no longer the ride but the finish, the difficulty not the speed but keeping all the parts moving in the right direction, not to mention all that irritating barking. – Dan Winters
The Cunard "Carinthia" glided through the starry waters of the Bering Sea, 843 passengers aboard, including Harriet Dobbs, resignedly single for over a decade, while a nautical mile due west slunk the K-18 submarine, under the command of lonely Ukrainian Captain First Rank Nikolai Shevchenko: ships that passed in the night (although the second technically a boat). — Dr. Sarah Cockram, Edinburgh, U.K.
Crime:-
As I stood among the ransacked ruin that had been my home, surveying the aftermath of the senseless horrors and atrocities that had been perpetrated on my family and everything I hold dear, I swore to myself that no matter where I had to go, no matter what I had to do or endure, I would find the man who did this … and when I did, when I did, oh, there would be words. — Rodney Reed, Ooltewah, TN
Chief Inspector Blancharde knew that this murder would be easy to solve – despite the fact that the clever killer had apparently dismembered his victim, run the corpse through a chipper-shredder with some Columbian beans to throw off the police dogs, and had run the mix through the industrial-sized coffee maker in the diner owned by Joseph Tilby (the apparent murder victim) – if only he could figure out who would want a hot cup of Joe. — Matthew Chambers, Hambleton, WV
Inspired by the great Spike Milligan, I offer two more possible first lines;
Our hero was sitting on the park bench feeding the pigeons when suddenly………..nothing happened. But it happened quite suddenly.
When I interrogated the murder suspect, Joe Smith, the suspect told me that no one had called him "Joe" in years but instead they all used his nickname ……"Nick".
Humorwriting
comics, culture, history, humor, language, people, self, travel
July 30, 2014 Lone Grey Squirrel	20 Comments
Be prepared for another rambling post. It's a mystery where the post will end up. Let's start……
Here is my Chinese name ………
My very wise parents chose this name for me and I am often told either that the name suits me or that I have lived up to the name given me. It is pronounced "ci liang" and means "kind and good".
Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like to be named "rich and famous" but I guess that is not a bad thing to have a name like "kind and good".
One has to be careful with Chinese names because characters with similar sounds can mean something totally different. For example, my brother's name actually means "kind dragon" (which I think is really cool to be called a 'dragon', don't cha think?). However, with just a slightly wrong pronunciation and accent, such as might be said by a Westerner with no experience with the Chinese language , then "kind dragon" will suddenly be transformed into "pig sty".
It is precisely because of all these mispronunciations of my name when I studied in the United Kingdom that I decided to adopt an Anglicized name.
I chose "Calvin". I like "Calvin". However, in retrospect, it was not the wisest of choices.
If you were to look up the meaning of the name "Calvin", it has only one unfortunate meaning…………"bald".
BALD!!!!
Oh, yea. Good choice there squirrel. Can you imagine a bald squirrel? No bushy tail? Not a pretty sight, I think.
Many years ago, I went to Geneva, Switzerland and got to see a statue representing a rather famous "Calvin"……………John Calvin – a key historical figure of the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. The statue is part of a series of Protestant figures in what is called the "Reformation Wall".
Photo by LGS
Calvin is the second from the left. Now, I am not 100% sure, but don't they all look bald to you?
Apart from being an important church figure, they also named a beer after him called Calvinus Beer. I tried it. It's okay but not great……certainly won't put hair on your head.
Strangely, there aren't a lot of famous 'Calvin"s. The 30th President of the United States was a 'Calvin" but he is mostly known for being a bit strange and being a man of few words. The story is told that a matron, seated next to him at a dinner, said to him, "I made a bet today that I could get more than two words out of you." He replied, "You lose." Another tale relates that upon learning that Calvin Coolidge had died, Dorothy Parker reportedly remarked, "How can they tell?"
The only other 'Calvin" that people seem to have in their consciousness is "Calvin and Hobbes".
A Boy and His Tiger (comics by Bill Watterson)
Now I don't mind that association cause Calvin is kinda cool but it gets a little tiresome when people keep asking me "Where's Hobbes?'
Anyway, what does your name mean and are you happy with it?
Chinese charactersHumorlanguagePeopleTravel
animals, culture, family, humor, language, TV
Year of the Horse
This is the Year of the Horse! Now I am a Tiger (yes – that's right – a tiger squirrel! I have a picture of just such a creature HERE on this blog). My year was in 2010 and I think we can say that us Tigers gave you a good year. You are welcome.
My wife is actually a Snake. Her kind gave us last year. It wasn't a particularly bad sort of year but let's face it …..it wasn't a Tiger year.
Now for those who hold stock in traditional Chinese astrology, they say that a Tiger – Snake romantic pairing is not an auspicious one and the relationship will not work well. Perhaps for that reason, when we were first dating, my wife told me that she was actually a Rabbit. Sometimes when someone asks about her Chinese astrological sign, she will still say that she is a Rabbit. To set the record straight, I tell that person that "this Rabbit speaks with forked tongue!"
So this is the Year of the Horse! Yes, well, I don't know much about horses but I will gladly share my general ignorance with all of you dear readers.
First, my sister is a Horse. Enough said. I dare not say more. She can kick like a ……
Second, the word for horse in Chinese is "Ma" and is often one of the first words that they teach how to write when you are trying to learn Chinese. This is probably because it clearly shows the pictographic nature of many Chinese characters. The earliest character for "Ma" really resembled a picture representation for a horse and it evolved into the present day character. (see below)
The evolution of the Chinese character for the word horse. Source: Tan Huay Peng, What's in a Chinese Character.
Third, I actually had the privilege of seeing the Przewalski's horse roaming wild in Mongolia (see post). The Pzewalski's Horse is considered the only remaining truly wild horse in the world. Woohoo! Perhaps an ancestor of the horses I saw was the inspiration or model for that very first Chinese character for "Ma".
Rubbing It's Behind on the Rough Rock (photo by LGS)
Fourth, when I was a wee lad, the only horse I knew was the "Hoss" on TV. For me , he was the "Hoss".
"Hoss" Cartwright (the one in front) of TV's Bonanza fame.
Fifth and final point; lovely button mushrooms (yum yum) are grown on horse dung (not so yum yum) and that's no bullshit!
And that brings to and end all that I know about horses. Must go now……head feels ….kinda…….empty…..
Chinese characterscultureHumorlanguageYear of the Horse
humor, language, Malaysia, news, politics
January 20, 2014 Lone Grey Squirrel	12 Comments
You would think that politicians would have the gift of the gab but very often they appear to have the gift of putting their foot in their mouth. Or they come up with some ridiculous statement that leaves us incredulous and shaking our heads in dismay or rolling about in laughter.
I suppose that given the high volume of speeches they make and the extensive media coverage they get, the likeliness of guffaws is almost a certainty.
No one is immune and no nation's politicians are exempt. Ex-President Bush was a well known as being afflicted with the foot in mouth disease. Clinton's "I smoked but I didn't inhale' is also memorable.
Never one to be outdone, the Prime Minister of Malaysia placed an entry in this exalted field last week. Both what he said and various satirical comments and parodies rapidly went viral on social media. This even led to the BBC covering the story as a "trending" news and it appear that later, access to that BBC article was barred in Malaysia. So what did the PM say?
The PM accused the people of being unfair because when the prices of things go up, they blame the government but when the price of things like that for the kangkung (water spinach) goes down, no one thanks the government.
His statement resulted in much derision from the netizens. Kangkung is a very commonly found vegetable. In fact it can be readily found growing wild in many watery areas in the country. It is considered a poor man's vegetable and doesn't cost very much. Also, it's price is not determined by the government at all but by market pressures.
The government was under criticism for a whole range of price and fee hikes that came in the new year such as higher costs of fuel, electricity and many food items as well as increases in assessment tax. All together a whole basket of bad news. The good news we were now told is that there was a drop in price of an already cheap vegetable.
But the PM is not the only politician in Malaysia with this particular knack. Here are some other gems.
"I have just returned from (the state of) Sarawak. And because of corruption, there is still no road to my kampung (village)". – this was surprising because the MP who said this is not from Sarawak nor is his constituency there.
There was an international uproar against a statement attributed to the then Deputy Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad by the press in which he was reported to have said about Vietnamese boat refugees, that "we will shoot them on sight". It was later claimed that he was misquoted and that he had actually said , "We will shoo them on sight."
"It is a waste of money to send people to the moon. We should send them to the sun! Only then will the USA and Russia respect us!" – ex Minister of Public Works.
"Mail it off tomorrow and it will arrive today." – same minister when launching the new Express Post service.
Same minister promised to build a bridge for the villagers but the villagers pointed out there was no need for a bridge as there was no river there. His response, "If there is no river, we will BUILD a river!"
This same minister again is not very fluent in Bahasa Malaysia (the national language) and this can lead to some interesting miscommunications; "This matter has caused me a great deal of embarrassment. In fact, the size of my private parts is huge!" (he meant that is embarrassment was huge).
In response to complaints from parents and health professionals that school kids were suffering from having to carry too many heavy school books to school, the Minister of Education at that time said "Let them just bring their laptops." – is it just me or does this remind you of "Let them eat cake"?
Another minister responding to a financial scandal back in the 1980's was reported to have said that there was no point making a big fuss because all the money was already gone.
I could go on and on but it is time for me to fry up some kangkung for lunch. Now if only, the price of nuts could drop.
Christian Faith, culture, history, language, Malaysia, news
November 15, 2012 Lone Grey Squirrel	14 Comments
The bible is so readily available in the English speaking world today that many take it for granted. Yet the history of the translation of the bible into English is one scattered with stories of sacrifices and suffering, even unto death. Similarly, many paid with their lives to ensure that the bible was translated into other languages too, so that others may read about the Good News of God in their native tongue.
In Southeast Asia, the Malay language is the lingua franca of about 215 million people. In Malaysia, there is an estimated 2 million Christians of which for some 70 % Malay is their mother tongue and main language. For them, having a Malay bible is a cherished blessing especially as they have faced difficulties previously from certain authorities who have tried to ban it, confiscate it, limit its distribution and even defaced it. At the moment, the Malay language bible or the AlKitab has been allowed into the country but pending court cases means that the matter has not been settled permanently.
A week ago, I attended a function that celebrated 400 years of the Malay translation of the bible. I had to admit that I was surprised to learn that the Malay language was the first non-European language into which the bible was translated. A Dutch East India Company junior trader, Albert Cornelius Ruyl, translated the Gospel of Matthew into Malay in 1612 which was only one year later after the release of the King James' Version. His pioneering work would lead to the first complete Malay bible completed in 1733.
Albert Cornelius Ruyl had no formal training in linguistics but seemed to be extraordinarily gifted, allowing him to accomplish this feat. He also pioneered the principle of "cultural substitution" in bible translation, something that would not receive widespread acceptance until it was promoted again almost 300 years later. All previous translations, when faced with something that was not known to the new language, a word was adopted and adapted from the source language. However, the new word would still be alien in meaning and did not promote understanding.
So Ruyl did some cultural substitution. For example, there are no "fig trees" such as those found in the Middle East on the island of Sumatra. Instead, Ruyl used "pisang" or banana tree as a cultural substitute. Similarly, "wolves" was replaced with "tiger" and foxes with "mousedeer". Now a fox and a mousedeer are very different species; the former is a predetor while the latter is a prey species. But just as we understand a fox to be cunning, in Malay folklore, it is the mousedeer that is cunning, often using its wits to escape the tiger and the crocodile.
Anyway, I am awestruck by seeing how God has led His word to be translated into the languages of the world (although there remains almost 200 languages that do not have the bible in their language), by the sacrifices made by many to carry out this work and how the work continues today even to some of the most remote tribes in the jungle as well as by how the Word of God is transforming many of these tribes. There were many at the function that testify how knowledge of God's word has set them free from fear and given them joy.
I am reminded to read my bible more faithfully and not take for granted my access to it.
bibleChristianityDutch East India CompanyGodMalay languageSoutheast Asia
humor, language, news, travel
My Name is Mud
June 10, 2012 Lone Grey Squirrel	28 Comments
You may have heard on the news that the village of Dull, Scotland and the town of Boring, Oregon have become sister communities. There is even a Dull and Boring Facebook page.
I have always been fascinated by names and place names are fun too. Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia may sound like some exotic Far Eastern city but in the local language, the name means "Muddy Rivermouth" which essentially is what it was when it was founded.
Paris is sometimes called "the City of Lights" but its name evolved from the Roman name "Lutetia Parisiorum" which was used up to the 6th century. The Parisii were a Gaulish clan that first inhabited the area and "lutetia" is of Celtic-Gaelic derivation and is believed to carry the meaning of "a dirty marsh". Therefore, Paris actually refers to the "dirty marsh of the Parisii". I guess a lot of cities started on some muddy river bank or another.
The BBC asked its viewers to submit other unusual place names that they were aware of. And so, we now know we can be stuck in a Hole in Devon, UK; have Piles in Greece; be in an Accident, Maryland, USA; visit a Happy Bottom in Dorset, UK; or perhaps Lost in Scotland; visit Les Arses in Switzerland; get a good night's rest or not in Little Snoring and its larger neighbour, Great Snoring in Norfolk, UK but should avoid breakfast at Rottenegg, Austria.
I personally have been to the village of Ugley in the UK which has the distinction of having an Ugley Village Hall but I cannot verify rumours of an Ugley Women's Institute! However, it seems there is a nearby town of Nasty and when a woman from one village married a man from the other, the local newspaper quipped; "Ugley woman marries Nasty man."
But my personal favorite is Hope, British Columbia. What's so strange about an uplifting name like "Hope", you may ask? Well, the name is quite nice, I suppose, and the area around the town quite beautiful. In fact, it has been the place where many movies have been filmed such as Rambo: First Blood and Shoot to Kill.
But what really sticks in my memory from my visit many years ago was this sign by the side of the road that was visible as you drove out of Hope and on towards the Rockies. It said, "You are now beyond Hope".
HumornewsTravel
alter egos, humor, language, Malaysia, music, video
Kantoi! Busted!
February 23, 2012 Lone Grey Squirrel	12 Comments
The Lone Grey Squirrel has been distracted by the abundance of nuts in dire need of burying and so cannot be with you at this time. However, always seeking a way to better serve the community, Lone Grey Squirrel has asked his friend and cultural linguist to do a guest spot and post an educational post. Enjoy and learn.
'allo ladies and gents,
Perfessor Squirrel McNutts here, at your service. You may remember me from when I reported back from my expedition to the jungles of Malaysia almost two years ago (Field Report on Manglish). At that time, I gave an introduction to the lingua franca of the region which is an odd concoction of English, Malay, Indian and Chinese dialects or Manglish (which is a technical term used by us experts). Now using a modern scientific methodology called "Youtube" I have been recently successful in capturing more of this Manglish.
In the video below, a Malaysian singer and recording artiste, Zee Avi, sings a sad love story. To my knowledge, it is the only song sung in Manglish that has ever been recorded (but then my knowledge is admittedly quite limited). Nevertheless, I hope this will help you appreciate Manglish and even learn a phrase or two. And to kill three birds with one stone, the song has even a moral. See if you can guess what the moral of the story is by the time you get to the end of this post.
The song's name is "Kantoi" which means "Busted!"
ORIGINAL MANGLISH
Semalam I call you, you tak answer
You kata you keluar pergi dinner
You kata you keluar dengan kawan you
But when I called Tommy he said it wasn't true
So I drove my car pergi Damansara
Tommy kata maybe you tengok bola
Tapi bila I sampai, you tak ada
Lagilah I jadi gila!
So I called and called sampai you answer
You kata, 'Sorry, sayang. Tadi tak dengar.
My phone was on silent, I was at the gym."
Tapi latar belakang suara perempuan lain.
Sudahlah, sayang, I don't believe you
I've always known that your words were never true
Why am I with you? I pun tak tahu
No wonderlah my friends pun tak suka you
So I guess that's the end of our story
Akhir kata she accepted his apology
Tapi last-last kita dapat tahu she was cheating too
With her ex-boyfriend's best friend…
Kantoi
Last night I called you but you did not answer
You had said that you were going out for dinner
You had said that you were going out with your friend
So I drove my car to look for you in Damansara (a suburb of Kuala Lumpur)
Tommy suggested that you were watching soccer at a sports bar
But when I got there, well, you weren't there
So all the more, I got annoyed
So I called and called until finally you answered your phone
You said, 'Sorry, darling. But I did not know that you were calling
yet in the background I could hear some hussy's voice.
Enough is enough, "sweetheart", I don't believe you
Why am I with you? Even I don't know
No wonder my friends don't like you
Eventually she accepted his apology
But wait, the latest gossip is that she was cheating too
Busted!
MORAL of the Story: Don't piss off women songwriters or you may be immortalised in song and not in a good way (remember Taylor Swift's boyfriends).
HumorMalaysiaManglishMusicZee Avi
humor, language, self
December 10, 2011 Lone Grey Squirrel	19 Comments
I have mentioned before that my wife suffers from malapropism when I wrote about "possessed foods". The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines malapropism as "the usually unintentionally humorous misuse or distortion of a word or phrase; especially : the use of a word sounding somewhat like the one intended but ludicrously wrong in the context".
Here are just a few more examples from my wife's growing portfolio, only she also exchanges words with words of similar meaning but still incorrect in the context;
1. "I wonder how he survives. It seems that most times, he is living foot to mouth."
2. "Was there a Chinese Emperor that did not have his porcupines?"
3. "There is an ache at the foot of my toe."
4. "That's the only suggestion that I can make off the top of my tip."
5. "We are living a cemetery livestyle."
Just in case you couldn't figure it out what she meant, hear are some clues;
1. foot = hand
2. porcupines = concubines
3. foot = base
4. tip = head
5. cemetery = sedentary


Amends the Inspector General Act of 1978 to permit each Inspector General, any Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, and any special agent supervised by such an Assistant Inspector General to be authorized by the Attorney General to: (1) carry a firearm while engaged in official duties or as expressly authorized by the Attorney General; (2) make an arrest without a warrant while engaged in such duties (or as such expressly authorized) for any offense against the United States committed in the presence of such Inspector, Assistant Inspector, or agent, or for any felony; and (3) seek and execute warrants for an arrest, search, or seizure.
Empowers the Attorney General to authorize the exercise of such powers only upon an initial determination that: (1) the affected Office of Inspector General is significantly hampered in the performance of such responsibilities as a result of the lack of such powers; (2) available assistance from other law enforcement agencies is insufficient to meet the need for exercising such powers; and (3) adequate internal safeguards and management procedures exist to ensure proper exercise of those powers.
Exempts specified Offices of Inspector General from such an initial determination of eligibility. Directs such Offices to collectively enter into a memorandum of understanding to establish an external review process for ensuring that such safeguards and procedures continue to exist within each Office and any Office that receives such an authorization.


text:
Q: How do i retrieve a user github repositories with Laravel socialite? Been using socialite for quite a while now and i'm wondering if there is any  built-in method that allows me to retrieve a user repositories.
I'm familiar with the list on method offered on laravel website.
Any idea how to fetch the Repos given the user token ?

A: I found another to do that . Find the code below :
In the callback function i added a function that uses curl to fetch repos
public function handleProviderCallback()
{
    $user = Socialite::driver('github')->user();

    $this->getUserRepos($user);

}

The Get Repos function is as below :
private function getUserRepos($user)
{

 $name=$user->getNickname();
 $token=$user->token;
 // We generate the url for curl
 $curl_url = 'https://api.github.com/users/' .$name. '/repos';

 // We generate the header part for the token
 $curl_token_auth = 'Authorization: token ' . $token;

 // We make the actuall curl initialization
 $ch = curl_init($curl_url);

 curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, 1);

 // We set the right headers: any user agent type, and then the custom token header part that we generated
 curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, array('User-Agent: Awesome-Octocat-App', $curl_token_auth));

 // We execute the curl
 $output = curl_exec($ch);

// And we make sure we close the curl
curl_close($ch);

 // Then we decode the output and we could do whatever we want with it
 $output = json_decode($output);
 foreach ($output as  $repo) {
 print 'html_url . '">' . $repo->name . '
';
 }
}

And it works swiftly .

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


In an impressive feat of clarinet virtuosity, ROGER HEATON brings pop multi-track recording techniques to modern classical music in some of the most exciting new clarinet music of the past 15 years.
In an impressive feat of clarinet virtuosity, Roger Heaton brings multi-tracking recording technique to modern classical music, in some of the most exciting new clarinet music written in the past 15 years.
Steve Reich – New York Counterpoint; Gavin Bryars – Three Elegies for Nine Clarinets; Glyn Perrin – Like He Never Was; Walter Zimmermann – 25 Karwa Melodien; Tom Johnson – Rational Melody No.1 & Rational Melody No. 21; Morton Feldman – Bass & Percussion; Christopher Fox – Stone; Wind; Rain; Sand. Ennio Morricone – Cinema Paradiso (music from the film) arr D Smith/C Heaton.


text:
Home Entertainment Mindy Kaling Has Spoken to Marvel Studios about MS. MARVEL
Mindy Kaling Has Spoken to Marvel Studios about MS. MARVEL
Edward Douglas
The new Ms. Marvel, a.k.a. Kamala Khan, has proven to be a popular character for Marvel Comics since being introduced in 2013 in the pages of G. Willow Wilson and Sana Amanat's run on Captain Marvel. A few months later, Khan became the first Muslim character to have her very own comic book (rebooted with a new #1 in March), and she's been a popular member of Champions and the Marvel Rising comics as well.
For the past few years, many wondered when Marvel Studios would bring Kamala over to the MCU to the point where a fan made a short film featuring Ms. Marvel. Roughly a year ago, Marvel Studios Prez Kevin Feige even said that Ms. Marvel is a priority to bring to the screen after Captain Marvel, which proved to be a bigger hit than anyone imagined.
Last week, Mindy Kaling was out and about doing press for her new movie Late Night, co-starring Emma Thompson, and MTV News vet Josh Horowitz asked about her talks with Marvel Studios on the character.
After explaining who the character was to her co-star, she said that the people she has spoken to at Marvel are very excited about Ms. Marvel, and they're trying to figure out what to do with her. "I told them I would help in any way, because I truly love her," she told Horowitz when asked if the possibilities of an MCU Ms. Marvel was real. Kaling says that Marvel understands the excitement to have a Muslim character in the MCU although there's a chance Disney/Marvel might start her off on a Disney+ streaming series rather than throwing her right into her own movie.
Although Kaling may be a little old to play the teenaged Khan, she now has a number of writing and producing credits under her belt that would make her the ideal person to have involved with any movie or television series involving Khan. She thinks that the actor who plays Khan may need to be an unknown that they find to play her.
You can watch the actual interview below. Tell us in the comments what you think of Mindy Kaling being involved with bringing Ms. Marvel to the screen.
.@mindykaling on the conversations she's had with @MarvelStudios about #MsMarvel, and who she thinks she portray the Pakistani American superhero: "I feel it might need to be an unknown" pic.twitter.com/kySV3gxgec
— MTV NEWS (@MTVNEWS) June 9, 2019
Previous articleEXCLUSIVE PREVIEW: HAWKMAN #13 Forces Carter to Make Hard Choices in Cosmic War
Next articleNetflix names the cast for I AM NOT OKAY WITH THIS, its next graphic novel adaptation
Edward Douglas has been writing about movies and other forms of entertainment for over 25 years, so he's probably older than you.
Holy Saturday Morning! BATMAN & SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES are on the way
RECAP: THE EXPANSE S5E7 — "Oyedeng"
Ubisoft developing open-world STAR WARS game
EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW: The hunt for Lancelot continues in ONCE & FUTURE...
A new Clone Saga is coming for Spider-Man Miles Morales in...
Jane Foster rides again with THE MIGHTY VALKYRIES this April
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text:
Betting on the untapped potential of Angolan honey
Honey production offers economic opportunities for rural communities and helps safegaurd biodiversity. / ©CL-Medien
The government sees honey as a product that could help diversify the country's oil-dependent economy and is working with UNCTAD and the European Union to improve production and boost exports.
Max Vicente is looking to scale up his Maxmel organic and natural honey business in the Huambo province in the heart of Angola.
He started the venture in 2012 after completing a doctorate in zootechnics and learning the ropes of beekeeping in São Paulo, Brazil.
Maxmel produces two tons of honey each year, which are sold entirely in Angola, but Mr. Vicente would like to explore export opportunities.
He's not the only one betting on Angola's honeybees. The government and UNCTAD have identified honey production as a sector that could help diversify the country's economy. Oil accounted for about 33% of GDP and 93% of exports in 2019.
"The absence of harsh winters makes the climate perfect for commercial bee farming," says Frederico Maurício, chief of the department for apiculture development at Angola's Institute for Forestry Development (IDF). "It's possible to produce honey in every region."
The southern African nation currently produces 90 tons of honey each year, but an UNCTAD analysis done as part of a project funded by the European Union (EU) showed that Angola's 100,000 or so beekeepers – mostly small entrepreneurs – could easily more than double production to 200 tons.
Maxmel employees / ©Maxmel
The hurdle of certification
Angola was one of the world's largest honey producers in the 1950s. But over the years, national production remained traditional and artisanal and fell behind as other countries' beekeepers transitioned to modern techniques.
Reliance on traditional honey production techniques is a hurdle for producers like Mr. Vicente to get international certification, which is necessary to export.
To obtain market access and entry, honey producers must comply with public regulatory frameworks that ensure product safety and quality in target markets.
They must also meet a range of private standards developed by retailers, industry groups, certifying entities and non-governmental organizations.
Mr. Vicente says the two tons of honey that Maxmel produces annually are not enough to export. Even if they were, he wouldn't obtain international certification because the company lacks the recommended semi-automatic equipment.
"Angolan honey has large export potential in Europe, North America and beyond," said Paul Akiwumi, UNCTAD's director for Africa and least developed countries. "But to exploit this potential, the issues of informality and certification have to be addressed."
He added: "The honey sector also needs specific legislation, better access to finance and improved logistics to be competitive at a regional or international level."
Good for the environment and food production
Angola and UNCTAD identified honey not only for its economic potential in the country but also for the benefits it offers to the environment and rural communities.
"Honey can be a dynamic sector of the green economy," said Teresa Moreira, UNCTAD's acting director of international trade. "When beekeeping and production are done right, honey producers help safeguard biodiversity."
More trees mean more food for the bees and thus more honey, so there's a financial incentive for beekeepers to protect the local ecosystem.
And because bees are pollinators, they help farmers produce more food. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, about 75% of the world's crops grown for human consumption rely partly on pollinators.
"So honey production is also good for local food security," Ms. Moreira said.
Workshop for local producers
UNCTAD organized in July a seminar on improving honey production techniques and meeting certification standards and other export requirements.
More than 50 Angolan government representatives, entrepreneurs and beekeepers, including Mr. Vicente, took part in the training that drew participants from eight provinces: Bengo, Cabinda, Cuanza Sul, Huambo, Huíla, Luanda, Moxico and Uíge.
Some sessions were led by Brazilian beekeepers, who have in the past overcome challenges that Angolan producers currently face, and public agencies such as the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (better known by its Portuguese acronym EMBRAPA).
The seminar had to be held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and this posed challenges in a country where most people lack access to a reliable and affordable internet connection.
To support UNCTAD's initiative, IDF set up a room in Huambo province, where participants took part in the training while respecting COVID-19-related restrictions.
"The logistics were difficult, but it was very important to ensure local honey producers could participate," UNCTAD economist Mario Jales said. "Many of the honey producers in Angola are small farmers with low resources."
Following the webinar, UNCTAD facilitated the participation of two Angolan honey producers in an international bee forum organized from 29 to 30 August by the Brazilian Apiculture Confederation.
UNCTAD plans to organize a second webinar for Angolan honey producers in November 2020, as well as a workshop to train local trainers in early 2021.
The objective is to better equip Angolan experts to share their knowledge with small-scale producers in remote regions of the country.
UNCTAD's work on honey in Angola is part of a national green export review, one of the seven components of the EU-funded UNCTAD Train for Trade II programme in the country.
The EU is working with UNCTAD in Angola on key areas of economic development that include strengthening the business environment, promoting sustainable investment, boosting the private sector and creating job opportunities for underprivileged people.
Angola eyes former coffee glory for more sustainable growth
Small producers need help to enter lucrative "green" markets
Ground-breaking project helps countries green their trade
Liza Mamaliga turns Moldovan honey into pots of gold
Trade and environment
EU-UNCTAD joint programme for Angola: Train for Trade II
Webinar: Cooperation for Apiculture Development in Angola / Seminário On-Line: Cooperação para o Desenvolvimento da Apicultura em Angola