When Alex was only 4 weeks old we made the big move from my apartment in the Netherlands to Stevens house in Letaba. I had been to Kruger on holiday many, many times. And spent weeks on end with Steven in Letaba. I even lived there with him part-time while I commuted back and forth between South Africa and Holland for my work as a cabin attendant. So I was by no means a newbie when it comes to living in the bush. But things change when you throw a baby into the mix!
Because I was a total newbie when it came to motherhood and babies! And I had to figure everything out in a new and somewhat 'hostile' feeling environment. I mean: you don't want anything to happen to your precious little one. And we had moved from cold, wet, 'safe' Holland where the most dangerous insect is a wasp, to the wild Kruger National Park; with extremely dangerous animals both big and small. But, I suppose a lot of things feel dangerous to your baby when you are a first-time mom.
We moved in with Steven at the end of October and the summer heat was hectic from day one. If I remember correctly, the daytime temperatures were well into the forties that whole first month in Letaba. One day, with temperatures reaching 48 degrees, the bats that live in the bridge over the Letaba River got so hot inside they just needed to come out – only to cook on the boiling hot tarmac. There were hundreds of dead bats on the bridge, a sad, sad sight. I think that was the day we decided to spend my last Euros on a split unit for the living room.
Steven was with me in Holland for 6 weeks before we moved. During his absence, a lot of 'guests' took up residence in the Letaba house. That first month we had a genet in the roof, monkeys broke into the house, and I found out that there was a rat living in our stove. We evicted both stove and rat and were without a stove for weeks!
We had to give an eviction notice to two squirrels too. They had moved into the TV cabinet in our living room and were quite reluctant to leave.
One morning we were sitting outside on our stoep when I saw a warthog casually stroll through our living room! She had broken the gauze of our sliding door and was walking in the house like it was her own. Steven chased her down the street with a whip!
Then there were a bunch of red romans and scorpions that also needed to find new homes. Or that just needed to go live outside. Especially now that there was a baby in the house. I remember sitting on our bed breastfeeding Alex one night when movement on the lampshade next to me caught my eye. It was a tiny scorpion!
I also found a spittlebug in Alex' cot a sac spider in my bed and a snake in the crack in the stoep at our sliding door. Of course, most of these 'incidents' happened while Steven was on trail. So I had to handle it on my own. I have to be honest with you, after that first month, I sometimes wondered what I got myself into!
Brown House Snake living at our sliding door.
One of the biggest Red Romans we found in the house.
We found this scorpion in the cupboard under the sink!
But, one gets used to things I suppose, and a bit more confident in handling, or just accepting, the 'guests' in our home. This new mom and new resident of the Kruger National Park had some serious toughening up to do! Over time I learnt that not everything is going to harm my children. They are a lot tougher than we think. They can handle a bit of hot weather. And scorpions and other critters do not come into the house just to attack them. That does not mean we are not careful though!
Yesterday, a little shadow under the door to the stoep caught my eye. Closer inspection revealed a scorpion! Our boys are extremely curious so I told them to stay in the kitchen and went to go fetch my trusted broom. A big sweep of the broom and the scorpion was outside. It immediately ran back inside! He was quite an aggressive little bugger that eventually took shelter in our doormat. I put the doormat with scorpion up against a tree – a much more suitable place for a scorpion to live!
I think now, after more than four years in the park, there are not a lot of things that faze me anymore. The city girl from Holland that refused to eat outside as a child because she was scared of pretty much every single flying insect, got used to living out here in the bush. Seeing how my children grow up here, the way they love all the animals in this beautiful place, without the dangers of life in the city? I love it and would not change it for the world!
Thanks, Pam! The Christmas tree is up! Holding off putting the presents under it, because Jack will open all of them! Lol!
PS. A friend is visiting us on Friday and he will bring one of those aircon boxes from Game for me. I'll let you know if they are any good!
What's Cherman? I have been asked…well it is not actually anything…!!
Haha, Erik!! I think you mean the German word 'Wunderbar'.It means wonderful.
A wonderbra is a push-up bra. Wink, wink lol.
Once again, I read your e-mail with great pleasure. For a "regte Hollandse meisjie", your write perfect English in a very readable way and excellent style. One of the reasons is that I miss the African bush and African wild animals very much. Australia offers very little compared to the Southern part of Africa.
I totally understand how you would miss the wildlife here. Only Africa has this vast amount of wonderful creatures big and small! Glad you are enjoying my blog and that the email sign-up is now working properly!
You had to make a huge adjustment and you made it so well! I'm so glad you did because now two more little Dutch South Africans are growing up with a love for and interest in the bush; also – selfishly – because otherwise we should not be enjoying your wonderful blog! I was delighted to see that you are thinking about a book . . . . Have a wonderful Christmas, hope it wont be too hot . . . .
Thank you, Sal! A book… Can you believe it? Early days, but definitely considering it. maybe Steven and I should alternate chapters. Something like that. Let's see.
Linda reading your blogs make me realize more and that you and Stephen have been blessed with a gift. You realize it, we, your loyal fans, realize it too. However the bigger picture is that we all in our own ways have been blessed. Each of us must see that the little and big 'wild animals' in our lives come and go. Each has a purpose and we as individuals must learn to live with them. They make us stronger and make us appreciate life all the more. Thank you for your beautiful insights, stories and passion.
Thank you so very much for your amazing comment!
And you are very right! We feel truely blessed living where we do. And everything happens for a reason!
May you have a fabulous Christmas with loved ones. Warm regards from Malelane Gate!
Brilliant. Have a super christmas with your family.
Baie dankie vir jou oulike stories. ek geniet die sommer baie.
Geniet die Kerstyd saam met jou familie.
Groetnis tot jou volgende storie.
Bly jy geniet ons stories Gertruida! Geseende kersfees vir jou ook!
Oh dear! Was it a dangerous one? Do you have a good broom? lol!
Not a dangerous one, luckily. Collected it in a container so I could show it to Isabel so we can talk about it.
As per usual, awesome story!! Going by the comments from your fans, I can clearly see the line of progression here. I now wait eagerly for the next dose of bush lore. You guys have a great Christmas and enjoy your trip, all the best and regards to Steven and the kids.
Haha, I have to say I had fun writing this one!


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2018 MBAs To Watch: Benjamin St John, Wisconsin School of Business
by: Jeff Schmitt on July 11, 2018 | 0 Comments Comments 901 Views
Benjamin St John
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin School of Business
"Life-long entrepreneur, son of a horticulturist hippy, and obsessed with expression and empathy."
Hometown: Norfolk, VA
Fun fact about yourself: I spent a majority of my late teens working as a set builder and dresser for a movie studio. If you've seen Lifetime or Discovery Channel movies or shows from the early 2000's, there's a good chance you've seen my work.
Undergraduate School and Degree: BS in Entrepreneurship and Technology Management (2015), Arizona State University; MS in Biomimicry (2017), Arizona State University
Where did you work before enrolling in business school? Before I began business school, I spent over a decade working for USAA, a financial services company. I worked in almost every sector of consumer finance, but my last few years were spent working as an equities and options trader after which I became an internal consultant/subject matter expert.
Where did you intern during the summer of 2017? I interned for Intuit as a Product Manager working on an internal startup. Our goal was to provide loans to small businesses that would help them smooth their cash flows and strengthen them. The underwriting model was based on our internal customer data instead of credit histories, which allowed us to extend credit to companies that had often been in business less than 2 years. QuickBooks Capital has grown exponentially since then and I am so proud to have been a part of their journey.
Where will you be working after graduation? I am currently working on two early stage startups. In addition to that I am also recruiting for Product Management roles.
Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: I will be graduating with two additional certificates: one in Entrepreneurship and one in Business, Environment, and Social Responsibility. During my time at UW Madison, I was the Co-President of our Net Impact Chapter (a global society focused on sustainability and social responsibility), and I also sat on two committees focused on improving student relations and our program as a whole. Lastly, I had the opportunity to volunteer at several charity events and give back to the local Madison community.
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I had the opportunity to give some lectures on Design Thinking, something that I feel is sorely missing from many MBA's skillsets. Design Thinking helps with communication to our teams (especially engineers and designers) and in building empathy for our customers. It also ensures that we reduce the possibility of wasted time or resources by reminding us to make our decisions with an eye on maximizing value for our stakeholders. Sharing that knowledge was an incredible experience and I hope they got as much out of hearing it as I did in sharing it.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? My most recent experience is the one that I am most proud of. I worked for on the startup for QuickBooks Capital, an arm focused on providing small loans to small business customers of Intuit's QuickBooks product. Our internal underwriting software was mostly spreadsheet-based, and needed a new UI buildout to help increase productivity.
Who was your favorite MBA professor? My favorite professor was Mark Finster, a professor emeritus in the Operations and Technology group. He's an extremely knowledgeable and passionate systems thinker who's focused on sustainability and the business case for embracing it. His passion is contagious and he ignites it in anyone whom he teaches. As someone focused on sustainability education, I greatly appreciate his approach and hope to successfully emulate it.
What was your favorite MBA Course? My favorite course was from this the Fall 2017 semester, Sustainable Approaches to System Improvement. This course was taught by Mark Finster. His decades of experience in Lean, combined with his approach to sustainability, provided me with tools that I will use for the rest of my career.
Why did you choose this business school? I chose this business school not because of its ranking, but because I wanted to be a part of an institution that I could truly believe in. My experiences during the application and interview process really got me excited about joining the class. I felt truly valued for who I was, not just my collection of stats on paper. Also, I was very interested in the opportunity to launch curriculum focused on Biomimicry and possible teach during my second year in the program and UW Madison was the only school that would even consider allowing me to pitch curriculum. While this did not end up working out, I was given the opportunity to lecture several times on Biomimicry and Design Thinking.
What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school's MBA program? Be yourself. Don't tell admissions what you think they want to hear. They want authentic students who are not afraid of being honest about themselves. Also, be interested in getting to know every single student. Think about what you can do to help others before you help yourself. The program here is geared towards creating a collaborative experience that builds long-lasting relationships.
What is the biggest myth about your school? That students at UW Madison only eat cheese and brats. I can now testify that this, at most, makes up 85-95% of our meals. Really though, there's a lot of great food on or near campus. We have a thriving food cart and food truck scene here!
What was your biggest regret in business school? I wish I had spent more of my time building and strengthening relationships with my fellow students. There's so many opportunities to overwork yourself in business school, and I availed myself of most of them. I also spent my first year full-time in a second master's program and this got in the way of me networking as I had a very full workload. Going back I would tell myself, "It's not a question of IF you can handle that amount of work but instead it's a question of SHOULD you handle that much work."
Which MBA classmate do you most admire? My peer and friend Harleen. She's an incredibly intelligent, talented, and kind human being, and a poster child for why we should not be afraid to let immigrants into our country. She embodies the traditional "American Dream" spirit, traveling half-way across the world from India to chase her dreams of working in technology. When she was told that she would not be hired for an internship at a major technology company as they did not plan on sponsoring, she kept networking, doggedly seeking a path to her dream. Her efforts were rewarded when she was hired as an intern and she will be returning to that same company this fall as a full-time hire. I am so thankful to have her in my circle of friends.
Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? My grandparents were the largest influence on me. My grandmother taught me real empathy for others and that empathy has helped me be a better designer as I can relate with my customers. My grandfather started his own small business after returning from World War II and forged a life for himself despite the hardships that he overcame from his childhood. Both of them have been in the forefront of my thoughts throughout my career and in its current culmination, attending the Wisconsin School of Business.
"If I hadn't gone to business school, I would be…on the lookout for an opportunity to be as impactful as possible. Business school seemed to offer the best path to this but there's always a plan B and I would have found another way to get where I wanted to go."
If you were a dean for a day, what one thing would you change about the MBA experience? I would work to influence professors to be more agile and responsive to their marketplace. The companies hiring their graduates should be seen as their customers, and I would reach out to those companies and have active discussions about what problems they had that needed solving and what skills are needed to solve those problems. With that information, I could help the school make informed decisions about curriculum.
What are the top two items on your bucket list? I would love to visit Scandinavia and see the Northern Lights. Much of my genealogy traces back to Sweden, Denmark, and Finland, so it would be awesome to see where they came from. I also want to do something valuable enough that it lets other kids that come from at risk situations and households know that they can be something more than the sum of their parts as well. That's a big driving force for me.
In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? "Ben, the quirky designer who led Dungeons and Dragons games for the other MBAs, stayed true to himself and chased after his passions."
What is your favorite movie about business? I am going to go off the deep end a bit here and pick something slightly out of left field, Be Kind, Rewind. The movie follows employees at a movie rental store who had failed to pay attention to the market, stocking only VHS when most of their potential customers had fully embraced DVDs. The owner's solution is to try and copy successful stores that only rent DVDs, despite the fact that it is a crowded marketplace and it is unlikely to succeed. Instead, the employees end up pivoting and making their own films based on customer demand and this creates an explosion of local support. Letting the marketplace inform you as a business is often better than trying to inform them.
What would your theme song be? I have such a strong relationship with music. Most of the people in my family were musicians, and their tastes were incredibly diverse. As such, I'm going to choose an instrumental. It was the primary score for a movie called Beasts of the Southern Wild. The song, by Dan Romer & Benh Zeitlin, is called "Once There Was a Hushpuppy." Growing up poor in the wetlands and swamps of southeastern VA, I was exposed to a bright, vibrant culture focused on doing more with less. This song, with its gradual crescendo, feels like my life. Ups and downs. Sometimes bright smiles and sometimes tears, but all building, building to something. This experience in business school is another stanza in the song of me.
Favorite vacation spot: My favorite vacation spot is California. It is such an incredibly diverse state, full of different biomes, cultures, weather, and climates. Driving from one end to the other guarantees a feast for the eyes, the body, and the soul. Some of my best memories are from time spent in California, particularly the southern half of the state. Seeing the Salton Sea, a place full of heart-breaking desolation dotted with colorful, passionate folk art can't be related properly through pictures. You really have to see it for yourself.
Hobbies? My new hobby is flying drones. I recently received my Commercial Drone Operator's license as a part of a class I took this semester (Spring 2018) and they are unbelievably fun. I also continue to make art and have been shown in the past as a mixed-media artist. Lastly, I love writing and performing folk music and while I took a hiatus to pursue higher education, I plan on performing and touring again.
What made Ben such an invaluable addition to the class of 2018?
"Benjamin St. John has been an outstanding member of the Wisconsin FT MBA, Class of 2018. From the time he arrived to campus, as part of our New Admit student weekend, Ben demonstrated an innate curiosity and enthusiasm to embrace his MBA studies and contributions to the MBA program.
Ben has been a student in the Erdman Center for Operations and Technology Management, where he has maintained a 3.52 cumulative GPA while also being extremely involved in leadership development opportunities. He served as the co-president of the Net Impact chapter at the Wisconsin School of Business. Net Impact focuses on Social and Environmental impact initiatives.
Ben has also expanded his academic knowledge through obtaining a master's degree in Biomimicry in 2017, which coincided with his first year of MBA studies. Other volunteer activities include participating in the Together Forward MBA committee and the Graduate Marketing Network club that coordinates the annual marketing case competition for MBA students. He received the best speaker award at the 2017 graduate marketing case competition.
During his second year Ben was a teaching assistant for Sustainable Approaches to Systems Thinking course, and also conducted lecture sessions for other courses on the topics of business sustainability and biomimicry. During his two years he conducted three applied learning sessions on topics of biomimicry, applied design thinking and agile product development.
Additionally, Ben was participated in the annual arts showcase and international night activities. His willingness to go above-and-beyond outside of the classroom is what defines Ben and why his classmates respect and appreciate his contributions. For example, his efforts to coordinate game nights for classmates to create an inclusive environment."
Steven Boeder
Director, Erdman Center for Operations and Technology Management
Wisconsin School of Business
DON'T MISS THE FULL LIST:
100 MBAS TO WATCH IN THE CLASS OF 2018
Tagged: 2018 Best & Brightest MBAs, Benjamin St John, Madison, MBAs To Watch, University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin School of Business
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The Showdown > Blood in the Gears > Reviews
Blood in the Gears
The Showdown
Somewhere Between - 76%
Skatastic, June 1st, 2012
The Showdown are no strangers to the thrash metal genre. Even their first release had some hintings at what their later sound would be. That being said, they did it best with their previous release, Back Breaker. Their latest, Blood in the Gears, is more or less a continuation of that sound, albeit not as well done. The instruments are a lot more melodic and Bunton's growls seem to be weaker. (Maybe he's losing his voice?) However, the thematic content of this album is a lot "meatier" than previous releases. Dealing with the American life-style, greed, and struggle, it beats out the rest of their other thematic endeavors.
Don't get me wrong, The Showdown is a beacon of light in a world of Christian metal where good bands are few and far between, but this album is by no means their best work.
The first single off this release is perhaps one of its strongest song as well. "The Man Named Hell" is an insanely clever/technical intro begins as a motorcycle revs up, begins to idle, and eventually dies out to the sound of a guitar riff mimicking the idle. A great melody, and wicked vocals from Bunton make this track really shine. The guitar solo is very "Dimebag-esque", if you're into that sort of thing.
"Blood in the Gears" and "Heavy Lies the Crown" give you possibly the best breakdowns on the album. Two of the band's best songs, all-around. Great solos, technicality, and very tight sound make it heavy. Bunton seems to have his Back Breaker screams back for these two, which is MORE than welcome. Reaching sometimes into his lower-range, he proves to be a very versatile vocalist.
The two most controversial tracks (lyrically, at least) are "The Crooked Path" and "Bring it Down". The whole "American Lifestyle" critique is more or less where that comes in. The former song being a metal version of a Michael Moore movie, basically. The latter being undeniably The Showdown's fastest song. Both songs show off just how meaty the Showdown can be with their lyrics, but, in a feat of sheer brilliance, also give Jeremiah a chance to show off his skills on the bass.
The other tracks are pretty decent. They're what you'd expect from The Showdown at this point, which is kind of disappointing that they didn't really try and evolve their sound even slightly. It seems they've found a niche and are content with staying just the way they are.
While not as good as Back Breaker, The Showdown proves they know their way around their proclaimed genre. Let's hope we get at least one more release out of these Southern boys before they disband, leaving SolidState with one less good band in the face of their lesser bands.


NOAA Ship Pisces was selected as the NOAA Marine Operations Ship of the Year for 2018. Homeported in Pascagoula, Mississippi, this 208-foot fisheries survey vessel typically operates in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and along the eastern United States coast. The ship and crew, under the command of Cmdr. Nick Chrobak, were recognized for their operational excellence, resiliency and dedication to promoting NOAA's mission.
Reviewed: April 8, 2019. Contact us with page issues.


Alan Bacarese has been asked to deliver a presentation on recovering the proceeds of crime and to coordinate a round table discussion taking place on 15-16 February 2018 at the Council of Europe which will bring together more than 35 Council of Europe experts from academia, policy community and practitioners along with specialised services, committees and monitoring structures secretariat to brainstorm and identify issues and challenges in implementing Council of Europe standards through cooperation activities.
The focus will be to identify issues and challenges from practical and implementation point of view, while seeking the improvement of delivery of technical assistance and of impact. The expected result would be an indicative advisory report on lessons learnt and possible ways and directions that would contribute to the Council of Europe action and cooperation against economic crime.


The French industrial sentiment indicator decreased to 101 in April 2019 from an upwardly revised 103 in the prior month and slightly below market expectations of 102. It is the lowest reading since June 2016, as the balance for the sector on past activity fell further and more deeply (-1 from 6 in March) and that on personal production expectations also declined (9 from 13). Also, manufacturers' opinion on their global order books deteriorated slightly (-12 from -11), while that on foreign order books was unchanged (at -11). However, industrialists remained rather optimistic about the overall production outlook for the sector as a whole, although the corresponding balance was slightly down (-2 from -1). Regarding employment, the balance of opinion on the past evolution improved slightly (4 from 3) and that of expected workforce size was stable. Business Confidence in France averaged 100.03 Index Points from 1976 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 124 Index Points in June of 2000 and a record low of 66 Index Points in March of 2009.
Business Confidence in France is expected to be 99.00 Index Points by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Business Confidence in France to stand at 102.00 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the France Business Confidence is projected to trend around 107.00 Index Points in 2020, according to our econometric models.


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Vietnam: Free Prominent Blogger
Drop Politically Motivated Charges Against Pham Doan Trang
Update: On December 14, 2021, a Hanoi court sentenced Pham Doan Trang to nine years in prison. Before her trial, Pham Doan Trang prepared a statement for publication. The English version is available here. The original Vietnamese is available here…
Vietnam: Immediately release independent journalist and human rights defender Pham Doan Trang
Ahead of her upcoming trial on 4 November, the undersigned 28 human rights and freedom of expression organizations today condemn the ongoing arbitrary detention of independent journalist and woman human rights defender Pham Doan Trang. We call on the…
Vietnam: Free Democracy Activist Mother, Sons
Family Members Face Trial for Criticizing Government
Update: On May 5, 2021, a court in Vietnam sentenced Can Thi Theu and Trinh Ba Tu to eight years in prison and three years of probation after their release. (New York) – The Vietnamese authorities should immediately release the democracy campaigner…
Vietnam: Crackdown Ahead of Party Congress
Dissidents Sent to Prison Amid Preparations for Key Political Event
(Bangkok) – The Vietnamese government's crackdown on dissidents has been unrelenting prior to the major Communist Party Congress set to begin on January 25, 2021, Human Rights Watch said today. During this 13th Party Congress, meetings held every five…
Vietnam: Rights Violations Intensify
Numerous New Arrests in Lead-up to Party Congress
(New York, January 13, 2021) – Vietnamese authorities increased restrictions on basic political and civil rights in 2020, especially freedom of expression and association, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2021. The tightening of…
Joint Letter: Re: Mr. Nguyễn Bắc Truyển and other prisoners on hunger strike over prison conditions
H.E. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister of Viet Nam 16 Le Hong Phong Street, Ba Dinh District, Ha Noi, Viet Nam December 7, 2020 Re: Mr. Nguyễn Bắc Truyển and other prisoners on hunger strike over prison conditions in An Điềm Prison, Quảng Nam…
Japan: End Aid to Vietnam's Police
Vietnamese Public Security Ministry a Major Rights Violator
(Tokyo) – The Japanese government should immediately cancel plans to provide financial assistance to Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security, which has long been responsible for serious human rights violations, Human Rights Watch said today. On…
Japan: Raise Rights on Trip to Vietnam, Indonesia
Prime Minister Suga Should Use Favorable Position to Advocate Reforms
(Tokyo) – Japan's new prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, should press the governments of Vietnam and Indonesia to improve their deteriorating human rights records during his visit to the two countries, Human Rights Watch said today. Suga will visit…
Vietnam: Facebook, Pressured, Censors Dissent
Company Caves to Government After Local Servers Disrupted
(New York) – Facebook has bowed to pressure by the government of Vietnam and agreed to restrict posts by dissidents, setting a bad precedent for both human rights and its global policies, Human Rights Watch said today. The decision…
EU: Press Vietnam on Human Rights Reforms
Upcoming Dialogue Should Focus on Commitments Made in Recent Trade Deals
(Bangkok) – The European Union should press Vietnam to end its systemic repression of human rights and release political prisoners and detainees, Human Rights Watch said today. A human rights dialogue between the EU and Vietnam is scheduled for…
Vietnam: Crackdown on Rights
Little Tolerance for Freedom of Expression, Independent Trade Unions
(New York) – At least 30 activists and dissidents were sentenced to prison in Vietnam in 2019 simply for exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of expression, association, and religion, Human Rights Watch said today in releasing its World…
Vietnam: Longtime Critic Facing Trial
Persecuted for Criticizing the Government on Facebook
(Bangkok) – Vietnamese authorities should drop all charges against the blogger Pham Van Diep and immediately release him, Human Rights Watch said today. Pham Van Diep will face trial on November 26, 2019 in Thanh Hoa Province on charges…
EU: Press Vietnam on Rights Record
Systemic Repression Intensifies Ahead of Dialogue
(Brussels) – The European Union should press the Vietnamese government on human rights issues, Human Rights Watch said today in advance of the 8th EU-Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue, scheduled for March 4, 2019 in Brussels. In a submission…
Vietnam: Hanoi Misleads UN on Rights Record
Widespread Violations Ignored During Geneva Review
(Geneva) – Vietnam presented a grossly inaccurate picture of its human rights record at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on January 22, 2019, Human Rights Watch said today. The government's claim that it had implemented 175 of 182 …
EU: Postpone Vote on Vietnam Free Trade Agreement
Rights Demands Not Met; Intensifying Crackdown
(Brussels) – The European Parliament and the European Council should postpone the ratification of the proposed EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement until the Vietnamese government takes concrete steps to improve its increasingly abusive…
Vietnam: Big Brother Is Watching Everyone
Draft Cyber Security Decree Will Seriously Undermine Rights
(New York) – Vietnam should postpone the application of the Law on Cyber Security and revise it to bring it to conformity with international law, Human Rights Watch said today. The National Assembly passed this highly problematic law in June 2018.…
Vietnam: End Crackdown on Freedom of Expression
Democracy Campaigner on Trial for Disrespecting National Flag
(New York) – Vietnam should drop all charges against human rights campaigner Huynh Thuc Vy, who faces trial under article 276 of the 1999 penal code for allegedly disrespecting the national flag, Human Rights Watch said today. She faces up to three years…
Vietnam: Drop Charges Against Rights Campaigner
Brotherhood for Democracy Member on Trial
(New York) – Vietnamese authorities should drop all charges against Nguyen Trung Truc for peaceful rights activism and release him immediately, Human Rights Watch said today. Nguyen was arrested in August 2017 for involvement with a…
Vietnam: Activists Beaten in Concert Raid
Investigate Assaults Against Dissidents
(New York) – Vietnamese government officers and men in civilian clothes raided a concert in Ho Chi Minh City on August 15, 2018, and severely beat the performer and two prominent activists in the audience, Human Rights Watch said today. Vietnam…
April 4, 2018 News
Vietnam: Drop Charges Against Human Rights Defenders
Environmental Activists Targeted as Repression Continues
(New York) – Vietnam should drop all charges against rights campaigners Le Thu Ha, Nguyen Bac Truyen, Nguyen Trung Ton, Nguyen Van Dai, Pham Van Troi, and Truong Minh Duc and release them immediately, Human Rights Watch said today. The…
Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)


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June 9, 2015 / 4:53 AM / 4 years ago
HSBC to shed 50,000 jobs in quest for higher payouts
Lawrence White, Steve Slater
HONG KONG/LONDON (Reuters) - HSBC (HSBA.L) pledged a new era of higher dividends on Tuesday, laying out plans to slash nearly one in five jobs and shrink its investment bank by a third to combat sluggish growth across its sprawling empire.
Chief Executive Stuart Gulliver has made it his mission to boost profits since taking the helm of Europe's largest bank by assets in 2011 but his efforts have so far been foiled by high compliance costs, fines and low interest rates.
In the bank's second big overhaul since the financial crisis, it will speed up a cull of unprofitable units and countries by cutting almost 50,000 jobs - half of them from selling businesses in Brazil and Turkey.
The bank also planned to increase its business in Asia, particularly in China.
HSBC will cut its assets by a quarter, or $290 billion on a risk adjusted basis (RWA), by 2017, and slice $140 billion from its investment bank, which will subsequently make up less than a third of HSBC's balance sheet from 40 percent now.
Gulliver also pledged higher payouts for investors. "I believe that we are in the foothills of another prolonged period of dividend growth for the firm," he said. The bank's dividend had grown for 17 years from 1991 to 2008.
But investors were cautious about how HSBC would translate job cuts into meaningful savings given the higher cost of doing business in a tougher post-crisis business environment marked by new rules on risk and compliance.
"Slaughtering the staff is not necessarily the solution unless management makes the bank considerably less complex," said James Antos, analyst at Mizuho Securities Asia.
HSBC shares closed down 0.94 percent, pressured also by disappointment after the bank cut its target for return on equity to greater than 10 percent by 2017, down from a previous target of 12-15 percent by 2016.
HSBC's Brazil exit highlights strategy mistakes, country woes
Factbox: HSBC weighs HQ move with 11 point checklist
European rivals including Barclays (BARC.L), RBS (RBS.L), UBS UBSG.VX and Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE) have axed thousands of jobs, but many are facing fresh calls for more radical cuts in investment banking given tough operating conditions.
Some investors and analysts reckon HSBC should consider breaking up, on the grounds that extra compliance and regulatory costs outweigh the benefits of scale.
But Gulliver defended the bank's global footprint and universal strategy.
"The answer isn't the network should be broken up, the issue is there are four or five countries that are a major problem," Gulliver told investors and analysts during a five-hour presentation. He cited Brazil, Turkey, Mexico, the United States and Britain as countries where weak performance or high conduct costs and fines had destroyed value.
He estimated the bank achieved $34 billion of revenue benefits from its size and diversity, including $22 billion of client revenue stemming from its international network.
NO SACRED COWS
Jobs will be cut by introducing more automation and consolidating IT and back office operations, and the bank said it would close 12 percent of branches in its seven biggest markets. It has 5,800 branches globally.
Gulliver said about 7,000-8,000 job cuts would be in Britain, or one in six UK staff. The UK retail banking business would also be rebranded to meet new rules designed to ringfence customer deposits from riskier investment banking operations.
Gulliver said it was too early to say whether the group would keep the ring-fenced bank, which will be headquartered in the English city of Birmingham and account for about two thirds of UK revenues, or $11 billion.
A man walks past a logo of HSBC outside a branch at the financial Central district in Hong Kong, China June 2, 2015. REUTERS/Bobby Yip
The bank also set out 11 criteria for helping it decide whether to move its headquarters from London to Asia, likely Hong Kong, including factors such as economic growth, tax systems and long-term stability.
HSBC said it would complete the review of the possible move by the end of the year, and its strategy update clearly marked a greater shift to Asia, where it plans to redeploy assets cut in Europe and the Americas.
In particular, it plans to increase the size of its insurance business and its presence in China's Pearl River Delta, a region in southern Guangdong province into which Beijing wants to integrate Hong Kong and which already represents a major economic hub.
"The cuts provide significant headroom for the group to
fund asset growth in Asia and absorb RWA inflation, whilst protecting its ability to pay a progressive dividend," said Gurpreet Singh Sahi, analyst at Goldman Sachs.
The sale of businesses in Brazil and Turkey, where HSBC is the sixth and 12th biggest bank respectively, will cut $110 billion of risk-weighted assets. HSBC could fetch more than $4 billion for the pair.
The process of disposing of HSBC Bank Brasil Banco Múltiplo, as the unit is formally known, is well advanced. Brazil's top three private-sector lenders have placed bids, a source with direct knowledge of the situation said on Tuesday. The sale could fetch between $3 billion and $4 billion, said the source, who requested anonymity since the talks remain private.
Itaú Unibanco Holding SA (ITUB4.SA), Bradesco (BBDC4.SA) and Santander Brasil (SANB4.SA) - the nation's three largest non-government lenders in that order - had access to the sale's preliminary documents and made bids, the source said.
Both Itaú and Santander Brasil placed offers below Bradesco's, the source added.
Itaú, Santander Brasil and Bradesco all declined to comment.
A bus passes a HSBC bank branch in the City of London in this November 12, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth/Files
Meanwhile, three banks - BNP Paribas (BNPP.PA), ING ING.AS and Bahrain's Arab Banking Corp ABCB.BH - are in talks for the Turkish business, a source said.
Overall, HSBC will push through annual cost savings of up to $5 billion by 2017. It will cost up to $4.5 billion in the next three years to achieve the savings.
Additional reporting by Donny Kwok, Matt Scuffham and Asli Kandemir, and Guillermo Parra-Bernal in Sao Paulo; Editing by Sophie Walker, Giles Elgood and Alan Crosby


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Tanya Roberts dies at 65 after premature death announcement
Feds now say no 'direct evidence' Capitol rioters meant to 'capture and assassinate' elected officials
Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel crash victim's family grateful to learn marine police are still looking
The 10 best winter hikes in Hampton Roads, according to a longtime hiker
Giesen: For Hampton Roads athletes, coronavirus blocked a path to college, but others remain open
Organizations like recruit757.com and GAME Academy worked to fill the void of a typical high school football season for many athletes. The camps and 7-on-7 leagues gave athletes an avenue to play and get exposure when nothing else was available. (Stephen M. Katz/The Virginian-Pilot)
It's not out of line to say the coronavirus ruined much of 2020 for high school sports.
Since March 12, when the Virginia High School League shut down the state basketball championships, there hasn't been a single public school playing sports.
Before the pandemic, athletic competitions were taken for granted. As the days got a little longer, it was time for baseball season. As summer's heat started to break, it was time for football. But 2020 gave us all a swift dose of reality.
We can also hope it taught high school athletes a lesson as well.
During the pandemic, one of the frustrations for many athletes and their parents — and a rallying cry for high school sports restarting — was the loss of athletic scholarships. Students need to get eyes on them so they could earn college scholarships.
Organizations like recruit757.com and GAME Academy worked to fill the void of a typical high school football season for many athletes. The camps and 7-on-7 leagues gave athletes an avenue to play and get exposure when nothing else was available.
But at the end of the day, nothing was guaranteed, since football won't start until February. The same is true for other sports, as athletes in spring and fall sports had their seasons either canceled or postponed.
As the months of the calendar turned, there were fewer opportunities.
But even if a student-athlete is seen, it's rare that he or she will receive an athletic scholarship and even rarer that they will receive a full-ride scholarship.
According to the NCAA, there are roughly 499,000 student-athletes across all three college divisions. That sounds like a big number, but consider this — there are 7.2 million high school athletes in this country. Only 7% of the athletes advance to play NCAA sports. And if you're looking at Division I sports, only 182,681, or 2.5%, of high school athletes compete at that level.
Here's the clincher — only 180,000 student-athletes receive some level of athletic scholarships. That's roughly 2.5% of high school athletes.
While the chances of getting an athletic scholarship are a lot better than winning the lottery, you still have only slightly better than a 1-in-50 shot. And those odds didn't improve when the NCAA decided to give athletes an extra year to compete because of the coronavirus and schools started cutting sports.
The point of this isn't to pop anyone's bubble or say it's not worth it. High school students should pursue their dreams and try to do what they love. But also realize, it's not your only route to college.
According to the 2015–16 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study from the National Center for Educational Statistics, 63.3% of undergraduate students received grants, scholarships or tuition waivers.
"With academic scholarships, you have to apply," said Joyce Dugan, the superintendent of school counseling at Chesapeake Public Schools. "That's what parents and students need to know — they are available, you just have to go out and get them."
Dugan, who pointed out that good grades are also necessary for athletic scholarships, said there are a plethora of available scholarships from different organizations or companies and each has its own amount and guidelines.
So, having a strong academic background will get a person further than running a crisp button-hook pattern, throwing a tight spiral or shooting a killer J from 3-point range.
Instead of focusing on the siren call of athletics, students should focus on the first part of the term student-athlete from the moment they enter high school, at the very least as an insurance policy.
You see, sports aren't guaranteed to anyone. If it's not coronavirus ending a season, it could be an injury. But academics are available either in person or virtually. Students could attend classes and learn and grow and earn grants or aid. More importantly, you won't need to send videos, have people watching you or receive any exposure. You just need to fill out an application and maybe write an essay.
In the time of coronavirus, that just seems smarter.


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From South-bound I-25, get off at Exit 281 (Owl Canyon), cross over the Interstate and take the NE Frontage Rd to the right, going south about 1 1/8 miles. Look for the large white mailbox and the large white bucking-horse sign with reflector striped poles at our driveway which is on the left.
The driveway up to our cattleguard and barn-yard is about 1/8 mile long. Drive between the house and the barn around the runs to the back side of the barn by the big door. Call 970-218--1727 if you need more directions.


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Following any alterations, your Gown will be ready for collection in a full length Bridal cover and for those Brides travelling overseas to get married, we will assist you packing your Gown.


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Tennis: Egyptian Safwat falls in Melbourne but eyes Olympic dream
By Rozanna Latiff
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Mohamed Safwat may have crashed out in the first round of the Australian Open on Monday, but he was quickly looking to the future as he prepares to become the first Egyptian to compete in tennis at the Olympics later this year.
Tennis - Australian Open - First Round - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 20, 2020 Egypt's Mohamed Safwat in action during the match against France's Gregoire Barrere REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
The 29-year-old is no stranger to making history, drawing praise in his homeland last week when he became the first Egyptian to qualify for the main draw at Melbourne Park since Ismail el Shafei in 1978.
He looked like nailing his first win at a Grand Slam on Monday when he won the first set and held two breaks of serve in the second, but Frenchman Gregoire Barrere reigned him in to win a tight contest 6-7(8) 7-6(1) 6-4 7-6(5).
"Today I think I had a good match," Safwat told reporters.
"I had my chances. It just needed one or two tweaks and it could have been a different story."
Safwat, whose ranking is expected to rise to about 150th in the world after his trip to Melbourne, hopes to use the boost to qualify for bigger tournaments where he can play against higher-ranked players ahead of the Tokyo Games in July.
"Playing in a big tournament and playing tougher opponents - I think it's the best preparation," said the Egyptian number one, who qualified for the Olympics after clinching gold at the African Games in Morocco last August.
This week was Safwat's second appearance at a Grand Slam after he got a game as a lucky loser at the 2017 French Open but was promptly defeated by Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov.
Safwat said Egyptian tennis had struggled in the past to match the achievements of Ismail el Shafei, who reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 1974, attributing the country's struggles to lack of experience and knowledge.
"It takes a lot to build a player, it takes years, and needs a lot of investment," he said.
"Once we have the knowledge, once we get to understand how to do things, how players can reach the top 100, it will be easier."
Despite coming up short on both of his forays into Grand Slam tennis, Safwat said he hoped that he would be able to inspire and pass on his experience to the next generation of Egyptians.
"I'm always looking forward to helping them as much as I can," he said.
"When I reach where I want to be, when I'm done with my career, I can pass along the knowledge and help them to achieve their goals."
Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne


text:
Performance: Italian Pavillion Opening at 54 Venice Biennial, June 2011
video:2011, Italy, colours, 7'30" ed 3+ 2ap
videostill STRIP, 2011 ed. 7 + 1ap
White pants, a blue blouse, a blue jacket, a red necklace, a red bag, red nails and red lipstick… LIUBA arrived at the entrance of the Italian Pavillion at the Venice Biennial on Friday June 2, for the Opening Reception.
The Italian Pavillion 2011 was very controversial. The curator, active more in the Politics than in the Contemporary Art, asked 100 Italian 'known' people to invite their one best loved artist to the Venice Biennial Italian Pavillion. The result was a show with no curatorial logic and full of all kinds of works and styles. Many people of the Italian Art-World criticized this Pavillion.
LIUBA expressed her opinion with a brand new work… by distributing flyers at the entrance of the show, which gave an explanation of the exhibition.
Except that the flyers were white, blank.
With No Words.
Senza Parole (With No Words), Tryptic, variable size, ed. 3 + 2pda
What is interesting in the video, as is usual in LIUBA's works, are the people's reactions: many react automatically when receiving a flyer, many do not want it, many others take it without reading it. Some people seemed to think LIUBA was a Biennial Hostess and asked her practical information, while many others perceived and enjoyed the performance.


Great food, sushi is wonderful as always and a huge plus for the environment.
Maravilloso! Pero el menú degustación no entra dentro de la promo. Comimos gyozas de pollo y un barco de sushi para 2.
Buen servicio y lugar ideal dentro del emblemático Palace.
The place is wonderful, welcoming and modern at the same time, delicious and fresh dishes. I will back for sure!
As always. perfect meal ???? Fresh Fish, Tasty Sushi and Gorgeous Wine ♥ Welcoming and Inviting Atmosphere ????
Service is always excellent. A lot of attention detail. Staff speaks at least 3 languages and accommodating. Location is central with every form of transportation available. We always bring others here for business and casual.
Servicio de aparcacoches solo disponible los jueves, viernes y sábados por la noche.
Restaurants around "Green Tea Sushi & Cocktail - Hotel The Westin Palace"


Sensor journalism is a relatively new form of journalism that relies on technology to gather information to prepare it to be accessible to the public. While data journalists often relies on existing data to create their story, sensor journalists create data.
Examples of sensor journalism date back to the early 2000s, making it a relatively new form of journalism. The uses for sensor journalism are far and wide and have not yet entirely been discovered. In fact, it's likely that all of the uses will never entirely be discovered as technology is advancing all the time. As long as technology continues to advance, sensor journalists will be able to apply these new concepts and devices to their work. Take, for instance, a report done by the Washington Post using ShotSpotter data. The gathering of this data relied on the fact that explosions in a gun barrel cause air-pressure changes, or sound waves. From there, they were converted into digital signals by microphones and pattern-matched by computers to produce records of the gunshot locations throughout Washington, D.C. This technology has not always been available, but because of the advancement of sound-gathering technology, ShotSpotter was able to be developed and create data that is relevant and important to the people of Washington, D.C. Because the data collecting was done for Washington Post, the information that was relevant also became accessible to the people of Washington, D.C.
This aspect is an important part of the sensor journalism process. The advancement of technology has also made data more readily accessible to the public, which can arguably be the most important part of the sensor journalism process. If all that data is gathered, but goes nowhere, it does not accomplish much. Sensor journalists can work with other journalists for publications, like in the case with Washington Post. The advancement of the internet has made it so that way is not the only way for a sensor journalist to spread their data. Consider, for instance, Public Lab. Sensor journalists can post their findings on the website and others can contribute to the conversation and spread the data. Data today can be shared fairly readily. Someone posted on social media can spread in seconds. Sharing this data with the world creates awareness. It could also create movement to fix something the data suggests, such as sharing data about pollution in a river could drive a clean-up afford.
Sensor journalism may have many aspects that could be good for the journalism process but there are certain downfalls to the reliance on it. One such issue was pointed out very plainly when Patrick Herron, who does sensor journalism to determine the safety of the Mystic River, came to discuss his work. While he discussed his data gathering work, he pointed out a machine that test the oxygen levels of the water, holding up the large machine and demonstrating how it works. While Dan Blair, who also works with sensor journalism, sat and watch, he asked how much the machine cost. It cost $10,000. Don, like many others, said he couldn't afford something like that. Unless one works for a company willing to pay for something like that, it's not reasonable to think that many journalists could afford something like that.
Don's answer to a machine like that is to build one himself. He picked up a highly complicated-looking mechanism he made using circuits to measure oxygen. Although Dan's mechanism supposedly worked the same as Patrick's machine, it was easy to see which one would be more trustworthy. Unfortunately, building your own material is a good alternative, but not as trustworthy, again reiterating that sensor journalism is more for someone to do if they have the finances to do it.
Another issue with Don's answer is that the building of circuits is not something that comes intuitively. Don was not always a sensor journalist and originally studied in college for a career to actually work with technology and circuits, not planning to use them for journalism. Students that actually studied journalism are on the other side of the spectrum. As a student of journalism, I have not taken a science or math class since I entered college. I briefly remember circuits from my junior year of high school physics class. I do not remember doing very well on that section of the class, either, so perhaps that's why I felt at a loss to have wires, capacitors, and a bread board in my hand. While Don taught us the steps to make a mechanism to measure conductivity in the water, and to someone who had experience making something like this may have found it relatively easy, I fumbled with the device, unsure of what went where and why. Upon completion of the device, ours did not work and we had no concept of why. It turned out that there was one simple mistake that make it not work and it could be fixed in seconds. As someone who does not work with circuits, though, it took much longer than seconds for us to fix it and we took far more time making the circuit than actually using it. If we were also asked to recreate the circuit now, with no one to guide us, it would be fairly easy to assume that the majority of the class would not be able to accomplish this task.
It seems, then, that today's journalism students are not all that prepared for sensor journalism. If we do not have the funding to purchase instruments, which most of us do not, we would need to build the instruments. But we have not had the instruction necessary to allow us to build these devices without someone fully guiding us. If we were to actually pursue a path in sensor journalism, that guidance would be gone and we would be fully at a loss.
That's not to say that all sensor journalism is expensive enough that an ordinary person couldn't accomplish it. In fact, many people are participating in sensor journalism or have the ability to and they don't even know it. Consider, for instance, how many people we see on a day to day basis wearing a wearable, like an Apple watch or a Fitbit. Both of these wearables create data based on the person. Fitbit tracks the person's activity each day and creates graphics on a website tailored to each person so that they know how they active they have been doing over time. In this case, the user is creating data for themselves. However grouping this data, comparing it to other users in different areas and at different times, the user could create a story based on how different users compare, to see how effective Fitbit really is, and what sort of changes Fitbit created in their users' lives. Whether that user knows it or not, they did someone that participated in sensor journalism.
In a time where technology is all around us, sensor journalism is all around us. Not only is data more readily accessible to people, but sensor journalism itself is more accessible to people. Many people may not consider it, but they have opportunities to participate in sensor journalism every day, through the use of a wearable or apps on their phone. That being said, even smart phones and wearables may not be so readily accessible to some. Sensor journalism is a rich man's game, in the way that the largest projects that can really cause change require the largest material that is far too expensive for the average person. If a company does not want something tracked by their workers, they just have to not give them the funding for it. Those with the money are in charge of the largest projects. Some are capable of going around this block by creating their own materials, but only those with the ability to do such a thing can accomplish that task. Most journalism students are not given training to build devices and circuits and would have to find outside training or attempt to do it themselves. Without or with proper training, the device still does not measure up to the one that could not be purchased and the data may be slightly off, enough to cause an issue in their trustworthiness. Sensor journalism needs to become more accessible and hopefully do so as technology advances.


The National insurance contributions (NICs) regime is complex and represents a significant 'tax' on employers, employees and the self employed. It is very easy not to pay the correct amount of contributions. If your business is in the Solihull area we, at The Hughes Partnership Accountants and Business Advisers Limited, can advise you on NICs and help you with any problems.
If your business is in the Solihull area we would be delighted to advise on any National Insurance compliance matters relevant to your own circumstances so please contact us at The Hughes Partnership Accountants and Business Advisers Limited.


text:
Meet your farming neighbours: Thomas Marshall
Meet your farming neighbours: Aaron and Aynsley Williams
Meet your farming neighbours: Bernd Klänhammer
Meet your farming neighbours: David and Sharon Rimmer
After relocating from Britain, the Rimmers have found a new family home in Manitoba
By John Dietz
Crops, Features
The Rimmer family moved from Britain to Canada in 2009. They enjoy spending time together as a family. Photo: Courtesy David Rimmer
Every farm has its own story. No two farms (or farmers) are exactly alike. Everyone got started in a different way, and every farm has a different combination of family and hired staff who make the decisions and keep things running. But, in general, even after you consider all of the details, farmers are more alike than different.
This is the story of British immigrants David and Sharon Rimmer. Ten years ago, they were new to Canada. Now they are raising two children, born in Canada, on their own small farm in western Manitoba.
Where do you farm?
David and Sharon Rimmer farm in western Manitoba, near the village of Cardale and about an hour northwest of Brandon.
What crops do you grow?
"We put in around 1,300 acres of cultivated crops," says David. "Last year we had wheat, seed barley, canola and soybeans."
How long have you been farming?
"We came to Canada on March 18, 2009," says David. "We married in Cardale. Our son Christian was born here seven years ago. Our daughter Jessica was born on March 18, 2015."
David and Sharon each had farming history in northwestern England. David's family has a farm supply business, and were also engaged in farming, custom trucking and grain drying. David did a college level program for farming, similar to a diploma in agriculture.
Raised on a mixed farm in the same area, Sharon did a degree in agriculture, then worked as an agronomist for several years. "I helped sell chemicals out of the store, and that's where I met David — about 15 years ago," she says.
Sharon Rimmer and the Rimmer children, Christian and Jessica, are enjoying the harvest season on their "new" farm in Manitoba.
photo: Courtesy David Rimmer
What's your favourite farming season? Why?
Sharon says, "I like the harvest especially. You spend the whole year planning and planting and looking after it, then at harvest you see what you've actually got."
David says, "I like the seeding part, putting the crop in and the anticipation. All the potential is there when you're putting seed in the ground. With care and effort and luck (and there's a lot of luck in this game!), you get to the point where you're putting it in the bin."
What's the farm implement you can't live without?
"Really, that is a difficult question. On the machinery side, it's one complete package," David says. "If you haven't got a tractor you're not going to put in a crop. If you don't have a seed drill, you're not going to put the crop in. And you don't have a combine unless you have something to use it for."
After a little discussion, a second answer emerges.
Sharon says, "If it's a single implement, it would have to be the seed drill because it starts the process. And David adds, "The drill, closely followed by the grain vac because that makes it easier for getting grain out of the bin. The vac has been a great addition to this farm."
You could have done anything. Why did you decide to farm?
The Rimmers have skills they could use to run a business or work in another field, but farming is in their identity.
David says, "I think farming is in the blood. It's something that's in you. I've never said it's a job, never said that I have to get up and go do this. I just get up and go and do it. There's no 'have to' about it."
Sharon agrees, "I think it's about what we as a family can do together. When something has to be done, it's not really a job, it's just when and why."
Tell me a good decision you made on the farm.
The answer is obvious: coming to Canada, specifically to the Cardale area. "We have great neighbours and a great community," Sharon says. "It began when we Googled 'farming in Manitoba' and a realtor's name came up."
The realtor in Brandon offered to take them on a farm tour if they came for a visit. They came, toured, went home and started an application process. They returned, looked at more farms, put in an offer, got the visa for permanent occupancy in mid-February, and were putting in their first Cardale crop in May.
David admits, they arrived as "strangers" in a foreign place, but that didn't last long.
"The community of Cardale helped us begin. They pointed us in the right direction, from the start, whenever we had a problem. We looked at a lot of places, but buying this particular farm in this particular area, at Cardale, has been a very good decision," he says.
Is there a decision you regret making? Why?
Looking back, the Rimmers recall a few choices they wouldn't make again. Those were learning experiences, not regrets.
David says, "If you never make mistakes you're not learning. We grew flax one year, and didn't do it again. Maybe, our second soybean crop was something we regret, because we're not doing a third."
What do you anticipate your biggest challenge will be over the next five to ten years?
Trying to get ahead in farming — with more land or better equipment — is the biggest challenge they see on the horizon. "There are massive costs," Sharon says, when they consider new machinery or more land.
David adds, "A piece of land cannot pay for itself. You've got to already have a land base to spread the cost and make it viable. The biggest challenge for me, if I wanted to do it, would be how to get more land to farm."
There are different ways of doing this, but family time is what fun is all about for the Rimmers.
"A main attraction for coming to Canada was the amount of time people spend with their family," David says. "There's a lot more family-oriented things to do here. We noticed, in the local rink, from toddler-size children to the oldest generations were together every morning. I now have our son in hockey, so we're off doing hockey. He likes archery, so we're doing archery too. It's those sort of things that we like," he says.
Sharon adds, "It's OK here to all go together to a game, if we want. There's no going off separate ways. I think it's just family time, spending time with our kids, really."
John Dietz
John Dietz became a farm writer in 1975 and is now a freelance writer and photographer in Arden, Manitoba.
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Home Blog Severe COVID-19 Outcomes Rare After Primary Vaccination
Severe COVID-19 Outcomes Rare After Primary Vaccination
by Healthday January 10, 2022
Risk higher for people who were aged 65 years or older, immunosuppressed, or had at least one of six underlying conditions
MONDAY, Jan. 10, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Severe COVID-19 outcomes are rare after primary vaccination, but those who are 65 years or older, are immunosuppressed, or have underlying conditions may be at increased risk, according to research published in the Jan. 7 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Christina Yek, M.D., from the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, and colleagues used data from 465 facilities in a large U.S. health care database to examine the frequency of and risk factors for developing a severe COVID-19 outcome after completion of a primary COVID-19 vaccination series (receipt of two doses of BNT162b2 [Pfizer-BioNTech] or mRNA-1273 [Moderna] or a single dose of JNJ-78436735 [Janssen]).
The researchers found that 2,246 of the 1,228,664 persons who completed primary vaccination during December 2020 to October 2021 developed COVID-19 (18.0 per 10,000 vaccinated persons) and 189 had a severe outcome (1.5 per 10,000), 36 of whom died (0.3 per 10,000). Persons who were aged 65 years or older, were immunosuppressed, or had at least one of six other underlying conditions had a higher risk for severe outcomes. All persons with severe outcomes had one or more of these risk factors; of those who died, 77.8 percent had four or more risk factors.
"Even when vaccinated, persons with identifiable risk factors should receive interventions including chronic disease management, precautions to reduce exposure, additional primary and booster vaccine doses, and effective pharmaceutical therapy as indicated to reduce risk for severe COVID-19-associated outcomes," the authors write.
Abstract/Full Text
Copyright © 2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


Design technology used in Formula 1 racing has created an unlikely remedy for damaged eardrums.
The procedure uses a tiny graft of flesh taken from behind the ear to create an exact replica of the eardrum.
Although the operation has been done since the Seventies, surgeons always struggled to make the new eardrum mimic the shape of the real thing.
But by using a design technique that creates aerodynamic parts for racing cars, engineers have managed to build the perfect mould for an eardrum.
For sufferers such as Marion Pentney, this innovative procedure – called fasciaform tympanoplasty – has ended years of pain.
Marion, a healthcare assistant and mother of three from Freethorpe, Norfolk, developed hearing problems in 2004 after beginning a course of injections for rheumatoid arthritis.
An allergic reaction caused the skin on her body to peel, affecting both eardrums.
Marion, 50, was totally deaf for two months before her right ear healed. The left never did.
Then, in a move that changed Marion's fate, consultant ENT surgeon John Phillips joined Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital after working in Canada under Rodney Perkins, the ear surgeon who first pioneered fasciaform tympanoplasty to create a perfect eardrum mould.
Until then, surgeons would simply try to create the eardrum's bowl shape by squishing the tissue graft around the end of their finger. Rarely did this successfully recreate the corrugated, dustbin-lid-like surface that allows it to attach snugly to the inner ear.
Mr Phillips decided to try the operation in Britain. All he needed to do was create his own eardrum moulds. He sent plaster-of-Paris casts of the moulds used in Canada to Swansea-based medical instrument manufacturers DTR Medical.
They worked with engineers at Cardiff University's manufacturing engineering centre, using state-of-the-art design technology employed in F1 racing to make light, aerodynamic and individualised components for cars.
The technology is known as laser sintering: computer-scanning the casts in 3D, then building them in paper-fine layers of stainless steel to create a solid mould.
During the two-hour implantation operation, carried out under general anaesthetic, a thin disc of fibrous tissue is taken from beneath the skin behind the ear and pressed on to the eardrum mould. This is then dipped into formaldehyde to fix its shape. A small hole is made at the base.
The surgeon then removes the old eardrum and inserts the new one, hooking the hole on to the first bone of hearing, which runs from the centre of the eardrum to the roof of the ear canal. This makes the entire unit vibrate, which improves hearing.
Patients must wear a bandage for 24 hours after the operation, then wadding in the ear for the next fortnight.
Marion is one of only three UK patients to have undergone the fasciaform tympanoplasty using the new moulds and is in no doubt about the difference they have made to her life.
Even before her dressing came off, she knew her hearing was better than it had been for years.


text:
Q: View high score for a quiz with different difficulties in Python? I've made a quiz with 3 difficulties: easy, medium and hard. I have a menu which allows the user to view high scores based on the difficulty they chose. I also need to make sure that if the user has done the quiz, and receives the high score, the user is told that they have achieved a high score. Is there a way I could do that?
This is my code for sorting high scores. The file looks like this:
2,adam,easy,2
4,john,hard,4

Is there a simpler way I could do that?
difficulty=input("Choose an option between easy/medium/hard: ")
     with open('quiz_scores.txt', "r") as file:
     reader = csv.reader(file)
     addressList=list(reader)
     addressList.sort(reverse=True)

 for details in addressList:
    if difficulty==details[2]:
        print(details)

A: Maybe a list comprehension is enough?
difficulty = input("Choose an option between easy/medium/hard: ")
with open('quiz_scores.txt', 'r') as f:
    lines = sorted(list(filter(lambda line: line.split(',')[2] == difficulty, f.readlines())))
    lines = reversed(lines) # python 3

for line in lines:
    print(line)

If you are using Python 2, sort lines with
lines = sorted(list(filter(lambda line: line.split(',')[2] == difficulty, f.readlines())), reversed=True)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Vodafone reveals existence of secret wires that allow state surveillance
Juliette Garside, The Guardian
The company said wires had been connected directly to its network and those of other telecoms groups, allowing agencies to listen to or record live conversations and, in certain cases, track the whereabouts of a customer. Privacy campaigners said the revelations were a "nightmare scenario" that confirmed their worst fears on the extent of snooping.
Direct-access systems do not require warrants, and companies have no information about the identity or the number of customers targeted. Mass surveillance can happen on any telecoms network without agencies having to justify their intrusion to the companies involved.
Industry sources say that in some cases, the direct-access wire, or pipe, is essentially equipment in a locked room in a network's central data centre or in one of its local exchanges or "switches".
Vodafone is calling for all direct-access pipes to be disconnected, and for the laws that make them legal to be amended. It says governments should "discourage agencies and authorities from seeking direct access to an operator's communications infrastructure without a lawful mandate".
All states should publish annual data on the number of warrants issued, the company argues. There are two types – those for the content of calls and messages, and those for the metadata, which can cover the location of a target's device, the times and dates of communications, and the people with whom they communicated.
For brevity, the Guardian has also used the term metadata to cover warrants for customer information such as name and address. The information published in our table covers 2013 or the most recent year available. A single warrant can target hundreds of individuals and devices, and several warrants can target just one individual. Governments count warrants in different ways and New Zealand, for example, excludes those concerning national security. While software companies like Apple and Microsoft have jumped to publish the number of warrants they receive since the activities of America's NSA and Britain's GCHQ came to light, telecoms companies, which need government licences to operate, have been slower to respond.
Vodafone Reveals Government Agencies Have Direct Access To Its Network Around The World, No Warrants Required
by Glyn Moody, TechDirt
Fri, Jun 6th 2014
The Guardian story has lots of new information, and is well-worth reading. It includes a table that shows the number of warrants issued last year for legal interception of content, on a country-by-country basis. There are some surprises here — for example, the fact that the Australian government issued 685,757 warrants for metadata, which is even more than the UK's 514,608 warrants, despite the fact that Australia has well under half the population of the UK. There are other fascinating details in the Vodafone Law Enforcement Disclosure Report itself. For example, it contains this explanation about what exactly a warrant might encompass these days:
Each warrant can target any number of different subscribers. It can also target any number of different communications services used by each of those subscribers and — in a modern and complex all-IP environment — it can also target multiple devices used by each subscriber to access each communications service. Additionally, the same individual can be covered by multiple warrants: for example, more than one agency or authority may be investigating a particular individual. Furthermore, the legal framework in some countries requires agencies and authorities to obtain a new warrant for each target service or device, even if those services or devices are all used by the same individual of interest. Note that in the majority of countries, warrants have a time-limited lifespan beyond which they must either be renewed or allowed to lapse.
As people's digital lives grow more complex and the number of communications devices and services used at home and work on a daily basis continues to increase, the ratio of target devices and services accessed to warrants issued will continue to increase. To illustrate this with a hypothetical example:
a single warrant targets 5 individuals;
each individual subscribes to an average of eight different communications services provided by up to eight different companies: a landline phone line, a mobile phone, two email accounts, two social networking accounts and two "cloud"; storage accounts; and
each individual owns, on average, two communications devices fitted with a SIM card (a smartphone and a tablet) in addition to a landline phone and a laptop.
In the hypothetical example above, that one warrant could therefore be recorded as more than 100 separate instances of agency and authority access to individual services on individual devices used by individual subscribers.
That means that the number of warrants listed in the Vodafone report, and collected in the Guardian table mentioned above, is likely to be a significant underestimate of the total number of acts of surveillance being conducted.
Direct access, as revealed by Vodafone, not only allows governments real-time access to enormous quantities of private communications data, but does so in a way that hides the fact that the interception is taking place at all, even to the companies involved. As Vodafone notes, introducing the requirement for a warrant for all such interception would make it much easier for companies to resist, alert the public to the sheer scale of the surveillance being carried upon them, and probably act as a natural brake on governments. Direct access to the network represents a huge exacerbation of the dangers of government surveillance: it is simply too easy to "collect it all." Vodafone's disclosure report is an important step towards changing that; the "other telecoms groups" mentioned above should now follow suit by issuing their own.
In The Guardian piece referenced above there's also this information-
In Albania, Egypt, Hungary, India, Malta, Qatar, Romania, South Africa and Turkey, it is unlawful to disclose any information related to wiretapping or interception of the content of phone calls and messages including whether such capabilities exist.
Which I think serves as an introduction to this from Marcy Wheeler-
Those Cable Landings Chelsea Manning Didn't Leak
By emptywheel
While the BT/Vodaphone details are worth clicking through to read, I'm particularly interested in the focus on the base in Oman. (See an interactive map of the cable landings here.)
The Brits would have you believe – and I have no reason to doubt them – that this cable landing in Oman is one of the key points in their surveillance infrastructure.
I raise this because of a cable listing the globe's critical infrastructure – and fearmongering surrounding it – that Chelsea Manning leaked to Wikileaks. As I noted at the time, while the cable lists a slew of cable landings as critical infrastructure sites – including the Hibernia Atlantic undersea cable landing in Dublin, which gets mentioned in the Register story – it does not list a single cable landing site in the Middle East.
Note, Bahamas' telecom, which recent reporting has also noted is critical to NSA's spying, also gets no mention.
That's not surprising in the least. The cable (and the list) is classified Secret. NSA and GCHQ's prime collection points are (as the Register notes) classified several levels above Top Secret.
And while the list provided some indication of what sites were significant by their absence, it's likely that the sites that were listed were the relatively unimportant sites.
At trial, Manning's lawyers repeatedly point out that she had chosen not to leak stuff from JWICS, which would be classified at a higher level. The stuff she leaked, which she got on SIPRNET, was by definition less sensitive stuff.
I don't mean to suggest this reflects on the relative value of what either Edward Snowden or Chelsea Manning leaked. I think it is a good indication, though, of how unfounded a lot of the fear mongering surrounding this particular leaked cable was.
June 9 is the 160th day of the year (161st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 205 days remaining until the end of the year.
On this day in 1973, Secretariat wins Triple Crown
With a spectacular victory at the Belmont Stakes, Secretariat becomes the first horse since Citation in 1948 to win America's coveted Triple Crown–the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes. In one of the finest performances in racing history, Secretariat, ridden by Ron Turcotte, completed the 1.5-mile race in 2 minutes and 24 seconds, a dirt-track record for that distance.
With easy victories in his first two starts of 1973, Secretariat seemed on his way to the Triple Crown. Just two weeks before the Kentucky Derby, however, he stumbled at the Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct, coming in third behind Angle Light and Sham. On May 5, he met Sham and Angle Light again at the Churchill Downs track in Louisville for the Kentucky Derby. Secretariat, a 3-to-2 favorite, broke from near the back of the pack to win the 2 1/4-mile race in a record 1 minute and 59 seconds. He was the first to run the Derby in less than two minutes and his record still stands. Two weeks later, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, Secretariat won the second event of the Triple Crown: the Preakness Stakes. The official clock malfunctioned, but hand-recorded timers had him running the 1 1/16-mile race in record time.
On June 9, 1973, almost 100,000 people came to Belmont Park near New York City to see if "Big Red" would become the first horse in 25 years to win the Triple Crown. Secretariat gave the finest performance of his career in the Belmont Stakes, completing the 1.5-mile race in a record 2 minutes and 24 seconds, knocking nearly three seconds off the track record set by Gallant Man in 1957. He also won by a record 31 lengths. Ron Turcotte, who jockeyed Secretariat in all but three of his races, claimed that at Belmont he lost control of Secretariat and that the horse sprinted into history on his own accord.
I was gonna learn to fly
A-C Meetup: Part 1 on the Need for Anti-Capitalist Democratic Internationalism by Galtisalie
By Anti-Capitalist Meetup in Economy
[Note: This is my version of light summer reading (but my nickname's not "Buzzkill" for nothing). Hey, I'm even breaking this diary into two parts. It's not healthy to read while you eat but if you do, have a nice sandwich (better make that two), chew slowly, and by the time you're to the pickle, maybe you'll be done. I want to present in bite-size easily digestible pizzas my vision of a peaceful deep democratic revolution. I'm not there yet. I enjoy all the rabbit trails that make up the whole too much and mixing metaphors like a … concrete mixer. (Do similes count?–see, I do know the difference.) Below all bad writing is my own and unintentional.]
No pressure, but in late 2012 Kyle Thompson at The other Spiral wrote:
I think the most important thing at this point in time is for the left to reclaim three areas: 1) Internationalism 2) The vision of the future and 3) Economic legitimacy. Without internationalism each struggle feels isolated and localism will never be anything more than localism. … Similarly the left needs to reclaim the future. If all we can imagine for the future is dystopia we will never be motivated enough to build socialism. This is basically the work of artists, conjuring up an image of what might be …. Finally the left must fight to achieve at least a niche of respectability in economic discourse.
I'll up the ante and say that together we must constantly work to combine all three into a new praxis, one that learns from the past but also is willing to modify or even Jetson imagery that unnecessarily divides us. But, we've caught a break: in case you haven't noticed, a lot of capitalist imagery has worn thin. Ecology and unemployment are biting capitalism on the buttock, just as our side predicted. When I was a kid, I was counting on one of those glass-topped space sedans to zip me around town one day. I'm beginning to doubt that's going to happen. The caution yellow Pinto with shag carpeting on the dash that zipped me to my first job has long since finished rusting to nothingness, and only the bondo I liberally applied during those bong-heady times remains at the bottom of some landfill.
The future is with us, and that's scaring the bondo out of the oligarchy, but our side's still dazed and confused, and the oligarchy wants to keep its party going until the polar ice cap has gone and every last carbon chain has been broken to fuel the Pintos of the 21st century we will purchase to drive to the jobs we won't have. I'm no artist and have no credentials for economic discourse. That leaves me with a possible niche of utility if not respectability researching internationalism. But since I'm writing from the Deep South of the U.S., home of a widely-held theory about the U.N. involving the mark of the Beast, I'd better toss in some revolutionary ever-modern art to get things started, and, in Part 2, follow-up with Luxemburg, who gives the political-economic basis for anti-capitalist democratic internationalism. If Rosa's not respectable and respectful enough for the dismal scientists they can kiss my grits.
When El Lissitzsky created "Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge" he made a conscious decision to use the forms of the unrepresentational feelings-based supremacist school he had helped found to focus on their artistic opposite: the material world as he perceived it. This professional betrayal was motivated by a higher duty: universal morality. As a Russian Jew who'd lived most of his life under the Czar's antisemitism, he wanted to use the best tools that he could muster to help beat the reactionary White Army. Nothing could have been more literal in the minds of the populace who viewed the poster and others like it in the Russian Civil War. Yet the use of geometric shapes and a limited palette brings a discordant transcendence so that even now when one looks at the poster it appears relevant– or so would have said two kids I showed it to if they used big words. Subconsciously, it is up to the individual viewer to decide where he or she fits among the objects, while pining for something missing from this divided two-dimensional incomplete but sadly accurate plane.
What tools do we have to muster and for whose cause should we be mustering them? Key questions of the 20th century and always.
I write this on the 70th anniversary of D-Day, when humanity did not need national banners to know that Hitler's eliminationist ethnic nationalism was so inhumane it had to be defeated. (But humane posters are always useful.) Capital "F" Fascism has a way of reemerging on our one planet, and we rarely on this day consider why that is in our justifiable remembrance of the lives that were lost on those bloodied shores of Normandy. I am sure that millions of D-Day-themed posts and comments in blogs and on Facebook pages will be published before this one comes out on Sunday night, June 8, 2014. Rather than add to the digital pile, I am instead going to focus on the war to end all wars that came one generation before WWII, the choices that are involved in warring, and the political-economic reasons we keep doing the wrong thing as a single human species.
Interesting, "national" banners. They pop up, as with the U.S. Civil War, before ethnic armies that are not even nations. Two passed me night before last as I was walking my dogs in the Deep South: the rebel flag flying proudly on the right of the back of an old imported pick-up truck with its windows down driven by a "white" man with the Libertarian "Don't Tread on Me" flag on the left. The skinny bearded great American working class Confederate man calmly smiled and nodded at me inclusively, assuming I was part of his team, like we were about to go over together and kick the dead Yankee bodies at Bull Run just for grins, or perhaps attend a lynching and pass the bottle (not spin the bottle mind you, 100% virile straight man fun stuff). I was wondering if he heard my loud "Booooo," particularly when he began to slow down about thirty yards past me. (At least I thought it was loud, but not so loud as to upset the dogs–but pretty darn loud people.) I thought he, likely packing, was turning around to come back and tread on me or worse, but he turned right, fittingly. Maybe he had second thoughts about murder or maybe it was his muffler problem that allows me to write these words. How do we get him out of the white circle and in the natural polychromatic sphere of life, not pictured here? I think he's hopeless, so mostly I ignore him, but, if and when he waves his hateful flags in my neighborhood or yours, I propose confrontation, red wedge wielded. And somewhere, those flags are always waving. And innocent kids are being raised to be in the white circle.
anti-capitalism, Anti-Capitalist MeetUp, Cigars, Culture, D-Day, Democracy, El Lissitzsky, Francisco Milian, International, Rosa Luxemburg, socialism, West Tampa, World War I


When a copy of this book showed up in my mailbox, I thought here's another cookbook that's going to take great cooking methods that produce tremendous food and break them down into something you can cook on any given Wednesday night. As I made my way through the book, I was pleasantly surprised to find a recipe for baby back ribs that starts out, "If you don't have a smoker, get one." Those are my kind of directions.
Meat is obviously the feature. Sure, there are plenty of salads, desserts and spinach dishes, but any cookbook that works chicken fried steak in for breakfast is alright with me. What isn't heavily featured is Texas BBQ. Besides the aforementioned ribs, smoke braised short ribs, and an abomination entitled "oven brisket", Texas 'cue is left out. A large section on Kansas City BBQ helps to fill that void, and it brought back some very recent memories. You can learn to make the cheesy corn bake and hickory pit beans from Jack Stack, or try your hand at some lamb ribs. Top it all of with yammers from Gates Bar-B-Q. Unfortunately no short cuts were given on how to create burnt ends.
If all this sounds good, you may want to make your way over to Mr. Spears' restaurant in Fort Worth on 10/27 for "An Evening with Grady Spears" to chat with the authors and get a behind the scenes look at the kitchen.


text:
St. Louis Call Newspapers • March 29, 2021 • https://callnewspapers.com/operation-food-search-hands-out-meal-kits-today-grab-and-go-meals-resume-at-mehlville/
Operation Food Search hands out meal kits today; grab-and-go meals resume at Mehlville
A Mehlville School District employee hands out emergency food boxes from Operation Food Search to students receiving grab-and-go meals while students are out of school during the pandemic.
With spring break over, the Mehlville School District is resuming grab-and-go meal service today, Monday, March 29, and Operation Food Search is also handing out meal kits to families in need while supplies last today.
Operation Food Search meal kits will be available Monday, March 29 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Mehlville High School, 3120 Lemay Ferry Road, while supplies last.
The Mehlville School District will resume curbside grab-and-go meals to for families to use on days when students are learning virtually.
Curbside grab-and-go meals resume Monday, March 29, following the district's spring break.
Click here for more information on how to request grab-and-go meals.