text:
Project #1

1000000 pre-launch coins will allow this first project to be funded. (or similar, should the target property below, no longer be available.)

All PeopleCoin projects will be operated in-house in order to ensure ThePeopleCoin will work sucessfully and to asertain and fix any potential problems before mass adoption.

Although our primary objective is to purchase property and create jobs,in order to start earning on behalf of PeopleCoin holders, initially we will be concentrating on online sales sites, the first of which is completed and can be found HERE.

Objectives of our 1st Property Project Business Plan

  1. To secure funding to provide for the purchase of suitable property.
  2. To provide a sound business case for purchasing a business and successfully operating it during our first trading year and beyond

Executive Summary

Ideally we would like to purchase existing public houses with large commercial kitchen and outside gardens.

We have been researching the small to medium hotel market extensively over the last couple of years and have viewed and stayed in numerous establishments to identify what constitutes a suitable property to operate from.

Our requirements were a property that offered a good layout, good location, high quality guest facilities and the ability to improve on the business both in turnover and profitability. We believe that the West Country Inn fulfils all these criteria to be a successful, high quality business.

The West Country Inn offers considerable scope to upscale the business immediately, given several areas are currently under utilised, including a gymnasium with hot tub, a caravan site and a large function room due mainly to the current owners very restricted opening hours.

The property has seen considerable investment during the current ownership and requires no immediate investment for us to begin increased trading just from increasing the opening hours.

Current Status

The West Country Inn has been operated by a single mother since 2003, who wants to spend more time with her son. Currently she is covering most of the work herself with part-time Chefs, bar and housekeeping staff as required.

The hotel aspect of the building has nine letting bedrooms, all of which have stylish en-suites and have been refurbished extensively over recent years.

Three rooms make up the public house area of the building plus a further two dining rooms, one where breakfast is served for guests. There is also a large function room which will be utilised as a cafe selling cream teas, Icecream, chocolate bar milkshakes for the younger visitor (I already own US manufactured Blentec blenders required to do this from a previous business.) and light/childrens meals during the summer months. Should we determine that it would still be profitable outside of the summer we will extend its trading period accordingly.

Guests also have access to a beer garden, which is laid to lawn. There is also a car park for upto 30 cars to accommodate guest parking.

There is also a licensed camping site, which is currently not advertised. This is a major area that we are keen to exploit by increased advertising and the addition of a top up/farm shop for both campers and visitors during the summer months. The addition of a building classified as moveable will be utilised for this as permission is granted for upto 5 of these under the existing camping license. A poly tunnel will also be added so we can grow plants and veg, some of which can be used in the restaurant thereby decreasing our costs as well as increasing sales profits.

The owner’s accommodation on the first floor consists of a very large lounge, 2 double bedrooms, separate bathroom, office and utility room and has a separate entrance through a private garden as well as access via the hotel.

The West Country Inn has an alcohol and live music licence. The business is VAT registered. Currently, the occupancy seems to be made up of mainly business clients through the week and tourists over the summer months.

The business attracts visitors because of its central location and its easy access to various attractions within the area. It also has regular customers from businesses in the locality.  It has a good reputation and strong repeat business.

Marketing of the hotel is through multiple Online Travel Agents (OTAs) such as, and This has resulted in a considerable cost in commission charges reflected in the current trading accounts.

The West Country Inn is situated on the busy A39 which allows easy access to multitude of things to do and places to see including local sandy beaches for surfing, body boarding or just for soaking in the sun, great tourist attractions for families and those that are interested in history, walking and cycling routes.

SWOT Analysis

In order for us to make realistic proposals to develop the business and increase turnover and profitability we have carried out a SWOT analysis of the business as it currently stands.

Location of the property: Best of all worlds – easy access to both the countryside, tourist resorts and towns.  Easily accessible from the M5.

Layout of the property: The guest accommodation has been well designed and the guest areas are all easily accessible.

Ability to improve profit: The West Country Inn is currently traded well above the VAT threshold but run to suit the current owner’s life style.

Turn-key business: No immediate expense of refurbishment or maintenance. Everything has been invested in and maintained to a very high standard by the current owners

Additional income:          The West Country Inn already has a large customer base, which would automatically provide extra income as new strategies are added and the word of mouth advertising that these customers would bring to these strategies would be priceless.

Turnover / current trading: The historical accounts show a lower level of turnover than would be expected. However, we know this is down to the personal choice of the current owner and not an indication of business trends.

Website: The website needs improving, but we have the skill set available to us to improve this as we develop the business and will reduce costs of the 3rd party service that is currently being used.

Marketing: A more focused attitude to marketing is required.  The current owners are reliant on new hotel business coming from OTA’s but we could do more to get lower cost marketing in place. It’s physical location allows for a lot more curbside advertising of special offers, etc.

Local Knowledge:            Although North Devon is a new home for us, I am Somerset born and well versed in dealing with the tourist trade so do not anticipate any major problems in becoming a “local’.

Increase turnover/profit: Turnover and profit can be increased through increased occupancy and being more business focused. Introducing upselling opportunities and new strategies to the business.

Website: The website can be easily improved to make it more inspirational for our potential guests

On-line Booking: Reduce the reliance on third party booking sites.

Marketing: Refresh the overall brand of The West Country Inn.

Business style:                  Ability to manage the business in a more cost-effective way rather than the relaxed manner as it is now.

Tourism: The Bed and breakfast Association reports that tourism has increased throughout the UK due to the weakened pound.  People are staying in the UK more and overseas visitors have been seen to be increasing. Unsettlement abroad has contributed to more people having holiday breaks here also.

Loyalty Reward Scheme: Needs to be added immediately to all aspects of spending within the West Country Inn to assist in ensuring repeat business.

Competition: There are a few competing hotels, B & B’s, etc. in the surrounding area according to the official tourist board website, which suggests that there is money to be made within the locality and would only be a threat IF our standards drop below theirs.

The Economy: Uncertainty with the government changes and Brexit.  Decreasing income for some people. Businesses are trying to cut costs so we need to be affordable and competitive.

We are forecasting our first years turnover to be in the region of £ 300,000 with a forecasted NET profit of £ 60,000.

Business Proposal

Our business objective is to increase the profit margin whilst providing a 5-star unforgettable stay with warm hospitality, attention to detail, comfortable beds, modern en-suite facilities, hearty locally produced breakfasts and optional lunch and evening menus.  We will cater for business clients, tourists, families, couples, walkers and cyclists throughout the year. We want to operate a successful business in financial terms as well as being recognised through awards and accolades from industry bodies.

Phase 1 (First 6 Months)

The current proprietors are willing to give us hand over training (of 2-3 weeks) following exchange of contracts. This will enable us to learn the current procedures and practice which are currently done to a high standard.  We will be keeping on some part time experienced staff plus employing our own industry trained family members.

Trivago (A price aggregator, like for insurance, but compares accommodation on the internet across Europe.) shows a 7.6 out of 10 for customer satisfaction based on 152 reviews from the major online booking sites so we have no immediate concerns of poor practices. The only major issues seem to stem from opening hours and staffing levels, both of which will be immediately increased as soon as contracts are finalised.

Over the first few months we will start to identify areas for improvement and where we can take the business forward.  More income will be immediately generated from the availability of an all day breakfast from 7.00am (Current public opening times are 12.00 – 3.00pm & 6.00 – 11.00 pm.) and a value for money lunch time menu. (Pizza, burgers, etc.) as there is a large kitchen with stainless steel preparation benches, non slip flooring, 6 burner gas oven, combi-oven, double grill, double deep fat fryer, griddle, stainless steel wash hand basin, plate warmer, 3 x microwaves, plastic clad walls, fridges, freezers to allow us to do this with no additional equipment costs. An additional adjoining wash area with double drainer sink unit and dishwasher avoids clutter within the kitchen when it is operational.

Once areas for change have been identified, we will prioritise and make the changes as quickly as possible.

Hospitality Property Management Software

Having spent two nights within the hotel the current property management software seems more than capable of managing the tasks required. The current proprietors do not take deposits and payments are made upon check in even when booked via the many online travel platforms.  We will try to change this in order to protect us against no shows.

We will manage our books ourselves as much as possible, including PAYE for staff members if required.

Website, Social Media & Digital Marketing

The current website, whilst functional in its current capacity has significant scope for improvement. If it is possible we will link the website to the existing property management system, which will enable us to publicise the deals and offers.

Linking these together will automate what we believe are manual processes currently. Such as updating room rates and availability, plus changing room types and room configurations.

Furthermore, the current owners pay a fee to a website management & design company who manage the website for the owners. They pay a significant fee each month for the upkeep and maintenance of the website. I intend that my youngest daughter will manage the website.

Furthermore, her experience allows us greater integration with social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Where we can leverage their powerful social channels and marketing engines to reach customers that the current owners cannot because of a lack of functionality and knowledge in this area. We fully intend to investigate the costs and benefits of an online marketing campaign, targeted at people who are likely to be interested in accommodation in the North Devon Area.

We have identified campaigns and special offers to entice people to book directly with us via our website such as an offer of free wine or chocolates when booking a room directly rather than via an OTA. We cannot undercut the OTA on price, however our research has shown that most people visit the website of the hotel directly from the OTA before booking with them, so capturing that opportunity is key to reducing the costs associated with OTAs.

Wider Marketing Strategy

We believe that we can improve our Marketing by liaising with more businesses, local nursing and residential homes, universities, historical societies, sports clubs and other places of interest.  There will be a small marketing cost to have business cards and leaflets/posters produced.

We will develop relationships with the local tourist information centres to ensure our hotel is being recommended to potential guests.

We intend on holding an open event for all our potential networking partners to view the 5-star accommodation and what we can offer.

We believe that helping the community with fund raising events e.g. McMillan coffee mornings or events that have a low cost to us, are not only good for the local community, but they are excellent marketing opportunities that are likely to involve local papers, flyers, companies, notice boards and which will lead to the Business being better known in the local area.

We will start collecting data by questionnaire from guests to look at demographics; how they heard about us to check which form of marketing is working, would they like to be on our mailing list including hobbies and interests, plus feedback on service improvement.  This will enable us to target and market to the correct audiences.

Regular mail outs to our mailing list and internet blogging on things to do in the area. For example, up and coming events. This constantly changing content on our website, will ensure that we rank highly on google.

We intend also to make links with local walking/cycling/water sports groups.

Promote the function room.  This room is currently not promoted as such, but is already home to an awesome Sunday Carvery (I know this for sure as I tried it during my stay.), plus regular repeat christmas parties. It is also home to a local skittle team that use it once a week during their season. As well as utilising it during the day as a cafe, the intention is to reach a wider demographic as it would be an ideal venue for larger business meetings in the evenings where we would provide drinks and refreshments to make a further profit.

Upselling & Customer Satisfaction Improvements

In the lead up to a customer’s stay, we may contact them directly, and offer them the opportunity to pay a small fee to upgrade their room where capacity allows. We do intend to upgrade people where possible, so that we exceed their expectations.

Phase 2 (6 to 12 Months)

  • To add value, we plan to increase the offers available to include speciality teas and coffees and chocolate bar milkshakes for the younger visitor. We already own the blenders required to do this from a previous business. This will be introduced in stages and closely monitored to ensure new items are making profit. The business does not depend on the upselling of anything at present.

  • Market wedding venues and attend wedding fayres if possible to market our services.

  • Evaluate the current laundry service. The West Country Inn currently owns all of the bedding/towels used and launder it in-house.  We will look at the cost of doing it ourselves and or using a laundry service to do it for us

  • Add specialist packages to include Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Halloween, etc., which will complement the existing Christmas offer.

Post Phase 2 (12+ Months)

  • Increase the food service to include a light evening meal for people, as required, who do not want the gourmet style evening meal that is currently being provided.

  • We intend to make the bar service more profitable by offering a mini fridge in every room.  Obviously, there is a capital cost involved with this and the plan is to make these purchases as trading profits allow.

Planned Roles & Sources of Support

I will oversee everything about the business and have accumulated vast experience during 30 years of self employment within retail sales environments which includes several areas which could be incorporated into the mix as further profit centers.

General stores – operating a top up shop for campers would be easy.

I have several years of experience in the retailing of choc bars and icecream blended together to make custom milkshakes. The shops I owned also made 20+ flavours of slush using the same equipment. Add alcohol to these slush flavours to create a whole new drinks offer – Vodka or Gin Slush anyone? Imagine relaxing in the Beer Garden on a warm summers evening enjoying an ice cold drink.

Use Beer Gardens to try to win awards for best pub in bloom contests, whilst displaying high profit sales items (plants), whilst you do so. Again I have experience of growing plants from seed and selling directly to the end user.

I even owned a gym for a short period that came as part of a property deal.

As well the existing part-time bar, kitchen and housekeeping staff that we will keep, family members whom we intend to employ also have many different skills and experiences to bring to the business.

My youngest daughter Loren Wintle, who has a degree in Tourism and Leisure which required a comprehensive study of using Social Media to increase awareness, will be responsible for marketing and social media, blogging and search engine optimisation (SEO) and replying to online reviews as required, as these are areas of expertise for her.  She also has extensive people skills due to her previous employment with Thomas Cook.

My daughter Tara Wintle’s role will be more practical with kitchen duties and cooking, bar work and waitressing as she has had previous experience in very busy food based public house as a bar person and helped out with waiting tables as well. She can also help Loren with Social Media if required.

Martin Ratcliff who is Tara’s partner and father to their 18 month old son, has the most hospitality experience as he has over 5 years in the trade and is currently employed as an Assistant Manager at a very busy Marstons Public House. He already holds a personal license for the sale of alcohol and will oversee the day-to day running of the bar and restaurant areas

Anita Wintle’s role will be more business management by putting systems in place and doing audits, planning and evaluating all financial aspects of the business. As she is a qualified accountant, all bookkeeping and financial requirements will be easily administered.

The jobs we will do jointly are meeting and greeting, marketing, helping with cleaning/housework, getting supplies, taking bookings and payments, signposting and staff management and recruitment.

Although running a Hotel is new to me, most of my family already have a lot of hospitality experience and I am sure that we have the right transferable skills and personal attributes to operate a successful business.

We also intend to make ourselves members of the local Chamber of Commerce as it is a rich source of intelligence and resources for new business owners.

Some joint skills we can bring to the business are

  • People skills, friendly, caring, and non-judgemental
  • Communication skills including I.T
  • Project management, managing budgets
  • Recruiting, managing, training and motivating staff
  • Health and Safety awareness, information governance, conflict resolution, fire regulation and general governance. Food allergy awareness and special diets.
  • Good organisation and home skills e.g. cooking, cleaning and general maintenance of buildings.

Calculation for lending

Below is the basis for our lending requirement to purchase The West Country Inn

Purchase Price £495,000
Stamp Duty £
Legal Fees £
Stock @ Val. n/a
Working Capital £30,000
Valuation £570,000
Total Requirement £525,000
Cash Deposit £225,000
Loan £300,000

The preferred loan term is 25 years

The security for the proposed loan is a first legal charge over the freehold interest of the trading premises

Additional Background Research

There are approximately 50,000 pubs in the UK according to the British Beer & Pub Association.

Roughly 20% of these are managed pubs, 40% are non-managed (tenanted and leased) pubs and the remaining 40% are independent pubs.

Combined turnover is over GBP21 billion giving an average across the country of GBP437,500 per establishment, but this average is driven up significantly by the managed pub sector.

The independent sector is generally outperforming the non-managed, and showing greater resilience in terms of closure rates. Attention to high standards and a spirit of entrepreneurship abound among independents . We do not underestimate the scale of the challenge, pubs are closing at a net rate of about 21 per week according to the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

SOURCE: British Beer & Pub Association

Interest in real ale and craft beer, has grown in the past few years. According to statistics released by accountancy group UHY Hacker Young on 2nd October 2016 a new brewery opened every three days in the UK in 2015, taking the total number of breweries to almost 1,700 largely thanks to the popularity of craft beer.

Spirit choices, especially gin, will help ensure that the occasion-led and younger ends of the market are well catered for.

Premium soft drinks and excellent quality coffee and tea will be key to embracing the whole community. We expect customers who are drivers, non-drinkers or only occasional drinkers to be just as well catered for as those who are choosing an alcoholic drink. Coffee is the most popular drink worldwide with around two billion cups consumed every day and is obviously taking a large percentage of the leisure pound. There are now 20,000 coffee shops in the UK, with sales on the increase within the UK. Further analysis of the data showed Millennials (20-37) contributed to 50% of all the coffee consumed in coffee shops, bars or restaurants.

SOURCE: The British Coffee Association

The latest eating and drinking news from MCA, shows that participation is higher than ever as a growing number of consumers eat out, just less often than in the past. Consumers increasingly flock to coffee shops and pubs for breakfast and show a willingness to increase their spend

SOURCE: MCA Insight – News site regarding the latest UK eating and drinking trends

The good news is that many pubs are thriving. According to a Barclays survey carried out in 2015, average pub turnover has increased 23% in the three years since March 2012, with growth driven by younger operators entering the trade. The number of pub operators of 25 to 34 years old has increased by nearly 25%.

The beer and pub trade is beneficial to the UK economy, contributing GBP22bn to the GDP annually and generating GBP13bn in tax revenue. It supports almost 900,000 jobs of which 46% are 16-24 year olds. On a local level, pubs boost local economies by an average GBP100,000 each per year.

SOURCE: The Morning Advertiser – Inspiration For Pub Success

Research carried out by PRS for Music found that pubs that provide music take on average 44% more money than pubs without music, rising to 60% more at the weekend. Live music was found to be the greatest draw with one in four publicans who reported increases in takings of between 25%-50% on nights when they have live music compared to other nights.

But, perhaps more importantly, live music pubs are where professional musicians typically begin their careers, developing their skills and craft before scaling up to larger venues. Furthermore, they are also where vast numbers of amateur (in the positive sense of the word) musicians first engage in music making, and often continue to do so throughout their lives. Beyond the musicians who play there, these small pub venues also play host to communities of fans, promoters and other enthusiasts. (Gordon 2012, Kirschner 1998). Small venues have played a crucial role in the development of British music over the last 40 years, nurturing local talent, providing a platform for artists to build their careers and develop their music and their performance skills.

Local pubs are an ideal stepping stone for musicians, eager to gain exposure and develop their talent before a listening audience. We want to encourage local developing artists to establish informal nights when musicians can sit in and play with others.

Freedom Camping Club is not a corporate business making millions every year. It’s a club run by people for people. Their sole aim is to facilitate the meeting of like minded people, bringing together people who own caravan sites and camping facilities with people who want to enjoy caravanning and camping as a recreational activity.

They are a family orientated caravan and camping club whose purpose is to identify and make available safe and suitable locations for the purposes of enjoyment and engagement with the natural environment this country has to offer. Recreational camping and caravanning has a significant role to play in developing strong social family bonds and creating memories of family interaction which in today’s technology driven world is sometimes forgotten.

SOURCE: The Freedom Camping Club

Camping is a fantastic way to spend a holiday: it’s fun, easy, and cheap and kids love it. Camping gets you into the outdoors, active and appreciating nature. You see the stars before you go to sleep and you wake up to the sound of birds. You can spend quality time enjoying the countryside, visiting local attractions with family or friends, meeting new people and chilling around a campfire with a beer.

Camping isn’t for everyone, that much is true, but most people will really enjoy it if they give it a chance.

SOURCE: Campsite Guides

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Supporting a Friend Through Significant Loss

By: Kamaljit "Sonya" Virdi, Ph.D. | April 9, 2021

The loss of a loved one is the most difficult life experience for many. A significant loss, such as a parent, a child, or partner, can be devastating. Losses that happen abruptly or prematurely can be even more devastating. A person grieving such losses may have difficulty coping with complicated emotions such as anger, sadness, or regret that emerge while making sense of the experience. During this time, the griever needs a tremendous amount of support from friends and family, yet people freeze up feeling uncertain about what to say. Below I list tips on how to support a grieving friend.

No Perfect Words

Let go of the idea that there is a perfect way of expressing condolences to someone who is grieving. Express your support by honestly acknowledging the gravity of the situation. It’s okay that you don’t know exactly what to say but do not let that make you stay silent. Check in with those who are grieving as long as they haven’t indicated they want space. Although grieving people may not always want to talk about the loss, they think about it often. As a supporter, do not be afraid to ask if they want to talk about it.

Personal Disclosure

Limit how much you share about your own experiences of loss. You might be tempted to share as many details as possible about your own experience to relate or help your friend feel less isolated, but it may wind up feeling like a competition about who experienced more pain. Grievers may feel invalidated about their experience, or worse, feel obligated to console you.

Assess how much you have processed your own past losses. If you have experienced a similar loss but haven’t processed it, you might not make a good supporter to your friend. If this sounds like you, then communicate that to your friend. Your friend may appreciate your foresight and transparency. If you are further along in your process, recognize that grief is unique in that no two individuals will grieve the same way. And know that no one can predict the length of time it takes to gain acceptance. In other words, what worked for you might not work for them. Let the griever guide you and know that they can ask you more questions about your loss or how you dealt with it at their own pace.

Toxic Positivity

Avoid toxic positivity, the mindset of being positive in all situations. Putting a positive spin on a significant loss can hurt the person you are trying to help. Avoid saying things like “Time heals” or “She’s in a better place now.” The griever will make their own meaning about the loss, but this takes time and can be difficult. If your positivity comes from religion, recognize that the griever may hold different beliefs than you do, or they may question their faith due to the loss.

Type of Communication

Do not rely solely on text messaging as your way of supporting a friend through significant loss. Call or see them in person to provide support. Whatever the form of communication, vary up what you say. Most people ask a griever, “How are you doing?” and most grievers at some point are annoyed by the question because they are often not doing well.

It’s Complicated

Acknowledge that it’s not personal; it’s their grief. The griever may overreact to something benign you said because they are likely experiencing the worst time in their lives. They may not know how they want to be supported or may even struggle with asking for help. It is even possible that whatever you said was very kind and helpful, but you caught them on a bad day. Give them space, check back in if it seems appropriate, and be gentle with them should they reach back out to you.

Remember, there is no one perfect way to support a grieving friend, but a close friend will appreciate your effort and presence much more than silence.

I hope these tips help you help a grieving friend.

Photo by Luke Ellis-Craven on Unsplash

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The Saturday Rumpus Essay: Shameless

2000 was the year of my Bat Mitzvah and my first time away at camp. It was also the year of Oops!… I Did It Again, Britney Spears’s wildly successful second album, and her first scandal at MTV’s Video Music Awards. I began the year as a casual Britney fan and ended that same year absolutely obsessed with her.

At the time, I already had a copy of …Baby One More Time, just like every other girl I knew. The first music video that I remember clearly is “(You Drive Me) Crazy,” with its saturated colors and daring shot down Britney’s shirt. I recall seeing the video, perhaps for the first time, as part of a New Year’s countdown on the eve of Y2K.

By the end of that year, I had seen all of the big videos during my Friday viewings of TRL, and I had a favorite: Britney’s much darker, much grittier “Stronger.” It remained my favorite music video for the next decade (Lady Gaga replaced it in 2011).

But my Britney fandom wasn’t just about the music or the videos. It was about the blonde, smiling face that decorated my bedroom, my lockers, and my notebooks for the next few years. It was about the girl herself and her infectious laugh. Her movie was my favorite movie, her novel was my favorite novel. And she began to appear in my novels, first in a work of fan fiction and later as a thinly veiled fictional character. I persuaded an eighth grade teacher to let me make Britney the subject of a presentation on risk-takers. She was everywhere in my teenage life.

The problem with loving Britney herself, not just her music, was that she was constantly criticized. And as she was slut-shamed (a term and a concept I didn’t know yet) for revealing costumes and sexualized dance moves, I, too, felt shamed.

My friends all knew about my Britney obsession, and most had grown tired of her by the time we got to high school. Some tolerated my fandom as an eccentricity. But there were others who actively disliked Britney, or perhaps simply enjoyed riling me up. My blind faith in Britney certainly made me an easy target.

I was oversensitive about anything to do with my idol and took anything said against her much too personally. But in each criticism of her there was also a criticism of me. I wasn’t called a slut, but I was dumb enough to like a celebrity who was going out of style. The fact that the harshest critics were Yao and Grace, two of my smartest friends, just made their barbs hurt more.

I know now that they were right about some things. After seeing Britney’s Las Vegas show this February, I can no longer believe that she would never lip-sync; the music was so overproduced that I’m sure it was prerecorded. (I enjoyed myself anyway, of course.)

But comments about Britney the performer were never the ones that cut the deepest. Comments about Britney the person were much worse. There are things that seem insignificant now, like the debate over Britney’s virginity (she claimed to have it, I believed her, and they were sure she was lying)—I don’t know what upset me more, the possibility that she was lying or the possibility that she’d done something that still seemed so incredibly taboo to me. Today, I’m more disturbed that we put so much weight on Britney’s virgin status, or that we thought it was any of our business to begin with.

Britney’s sex life had nothing to do with me, but there were other criticisms of her that hit me harder than any of my friends could possibly know. Yao tended to throw the word “silicone” around as an insult—as usual, I firmly believed Britney when she said she’d never had plastic surgery, while Yao was sure she’d had it. She made those accusations the same year that I began wearing a silicone prosthetic in my bra to conceal my breast asymmetry. It already felt like a shameful secret, something no peer could ever know about. The comments about Britney only added to my fear of being caught. Silicone was looked down upon, and my eventual plastic surgery would be absolutely unacceptable, so I told no one.

When I was sixteen, I was late to lunch one day after meeting with a teacher. I found my friends at our usual lunch spot on the floor by the front office and settled in to join them. I hadn’t been there long before I found out exactly what they had been talking about in my absence. Preethi had made a comment about how I only liked Britney so much because I was a lesbian, and Leslie took it as true and asked me about it.

My friends and I teased each other all the time, and it was generally harmless. But this time I couldn’t just brush it off, possibly because I took anything related to Britney so seriously. I spent the rest of my lunch period hiding in the bathroom, like a scene out of Mean Girls, and I sobbed to my mother when I got home. Our consensus was that I was definitely not a lesbian. I was not (and never have been) sexually attracted to Britney. I liked boys. I couldn’t possibly be gay.

Spoiler alert: I now know that I’m a lesbian.

But back in high school, homosexuality wasn’t on my radar. I knew what “gay” and “lesbian” meant, but those terms were far off and unrelatable. This was back in the pre-Glee dark ages, when sexuality just wasn’t a factor in teen entertainment. While I would eventually realize that my friend’s joke was true, at the time it was shocking and upsetting.

Being uncool was something I was used to. Being gullible didn’t matter because I believed. I can’t even fault my friends for the plastic surgery comments when they were unaware of my own relationship with silicone.

But being a lesbian was personal.

Another reason why I was so sure that I couldn’t possibly be gay: her 2003 VMA performance was one of the lowest points in my years of loving Britney. I still haven’t quite gotten over Madonna kissing Britney.

As a teen of the early 2000s, I loved the VMAs. The show was packed with my favorite stars. Unlike all of those “real” award shows like the Grammys, the people I liked actually won. There was only one problem—that each year, Britney did something that resulted in scandal and slut-shaming. Each year I watched, hoping she would behave herself. Each year, she didn’t.

The infamous “Oops!… I Did It Again” faux striptease didn’t strike me as problematic when I watched the show live. It seemed nothing more than a quick change, something that was in no way out of the ordinary for Britney, and a transition between songs. (Watching it now, I’m not entirely sure why the word “striptease” was used when there was no teasing, just the split-second removal of tear-away garments.) Her nude costume was no more revealing than what she wore in videos and performances. The only scandal in my living room that night was my father’s irritation at Britney covering a Rolling Stones song.

I also saw nothing wrong with her 2001 “I’m a Slave 4 U” performance. I was excited about the music and the dancing. The famous snake didn’t seem transgressive. It was gross, but the tiger she shared a cage with at the beginning of the number was a lot more alarming to me.

Even though I didn’t see what the fuss was all about in 2000 and 2001, I did feel the backlash. The days following the VMAs were exhausting. My friends were handed new ammunition, and the topic would come up frequently in the magazines and TV shows I used to keep tabs on Britney. As always, I felt compelled to defend her.

I was hopeful that things would change in 2003. I was looking forward to seeing Britney perform next to Christina Aguilera. I also knew that performing with Madonna was one of Britney’s major dreams, and I was thrilled to see her achieve it.

I was especially happy that, for the first few minutes, Britney didn’t seem to be courting controversy. Next to the more aggressive Madonna and Christina, she came across as the innocent. In the moment before the moment everyone remembers, Britney watched, wide-eyed, as Madonna slowly removed Christina’s garter. She seemed just as surprised as the rest of us, even when Madonna drew her up from the stage and brushed the hair out of her eyes. And then, of course, came the kiss that made the performance famous.

I don’t think I paid much attention to anything after that.

This time, I knew that a line had been crossed. I knew what the scandal was going to be, and I was angry that I would have to deal with the comments and criticism the next day. Britney had put me in the crossfire yet again.

And this time, I couldn’t defend her. The controversial moment was impossible to explain away. What could I say, beyond pointing out that Madonna was clearly the instigator? Two women kissing was so out of the ordinary that it just seemed wrong.

I can’t really explain what it was about the infamous kiss that bothered me so much, or why it continues to bother me. I’ve grown up into the kind of person whose favorite Lady Gaga videos are the ones where she kisses women, but I still cringe at the image of Britney and Madonna. Back in 2003, there was certainly a sense of betrayal—Britney had, after all, walked straight into a scandal again. It didn’t help that, rather than letting the performance be an anomaly, she recorded “Me Against the Music” with Madonna and hinted at another kiss in the video. She was unrepentant, and I was unprepared to argue on her behalf as I always did.

But why now, when I am passionate about the need for more of a lesbian presence in pop culture, do I still get uncomfortable when I watch that performance? It brings up something visceral, something left over from a girl I haven’t been in years.

Perhaps the problem is that the kiss marked the beginning of the end for me and Britney. I remained a fan until she married in 2004, but that was unforgivable. I lost interest, or tried to, and followed her marriages and eventual breakdown from a distance. It was only years later that I put together the pieces—that Britney was, in a way, my first love, and I was jealous. Maybe I’m just jealous of Madonna, too.

I’ve always been somewhat prone to obsession, but my years of intense Britney fandom were the first time that I felt that strongly about an individual person. If I’d been that devoted to a male celebrity, everyone around me would have seen it as something romantic. My family and friends accepted my crush on Lance Bass as perfectly normal. I may have given my Lance poster a kiss goodnight, but Britney was the one beside my bed who I’d see before I turned off the lights. In hindsight, it’s easy to see that she was my actual first celebrity crush.

But she was more than that. I thought about Britney almost constantly, visualizing what it would be like if we were sisters or friends, and imagining her tagging along with me almost everywhere I went. I wasn’t sexually or physically attracted to her, because she came into my life when I was young, and it took figuring out that I was interested in women before I was sexually attracted to anyone. I only wanted to be closer to Britney, in any way I could.

The fact is that, all these years later, her laugh and her smile still make me feel so much lighter. The little flaws in her voice have me smiling along with her. My reaction to her is automatic.

I was drawn back to Britney in 2008, when she figured heavily in a personal essay about coming out that I wrote for a creative writing class. I returned to her music videos and VMA performances as part of my research. Seeing her again put that instant smile back on my face. I missed her, and I picked up a copy of Circus several months later. I was nervous when I put it on for the short drive from Target back to campus, but I didn’t have to be. Britney was back, and so was I.

She wasn’t the same Britney, of course, and her marriages and children made it difficult for me to relate to her the way I once had. But her music still appealed to me, and all traces of her breakdown during the period when I did my best not to care were gone.

Several years and two albums later, I flew to Las Vegas (the city where Britney married for the first time) to see “Britney: Piece of Me.” I’d seen her live in 2001, and she’d blown me away. Just like when I bought Circus, I was terrified that she’d let me down. But every time I passed a sign with her face on it, I was grinning like my high school self.

Like Circus, the show impressed me. I’ll concede that Britney probably wasn’t singing, but she’s still the flashy performer that she’s always been. She could still do the original choreography for “…Baby One More Time” (minus the back flip). She was still captivating. She was still Britney.

And I was in a room with about five thousand other people who wanted her to succeed. Some of them, I’m sure, would have mocked me for liking Britney so much years ago, but the nostalgia has wiped that away, as has all that Britney has suffered. After her public breakdown and years of struggling, she’s managed to bounce back, and even those who never liked her much are rooting for her.

Nostalgia was definitely one of the reasons why I loved seeing Britney again. The theater lobby featured a handful of her iconic costumes, and getting to stand so close to the red leather catsuit from the “Oops!” video or the flight attendant outfit from “Toxic” was exhilarating. They reminded me of the good days when Britney was still a major fixture in my life. So did so much of the show.

In “Piece of Me,” Britney refers to herself as “Mrs. ‘Oh my god, that Britney’s shameless.’” This line was originally intended to be something that tabloids might say about her, since the song is a response to the media scrutiny during her downward spiral. But maybe shameless isn’t such a bad thing. In true Vegas form, Britney pushed boundaries further than before; “I’m a Slave 4 U” replaced the snake with a stripper pole, and a bondage-inspired number gave her all of the dominance of a 2003 Madonna, plus a whip.

Maybe it’s because I’m older and more secure in my identity, or maybe it’s because I’ve seen (and loved) worse from Gaga and other recent stars, but Britney’s shameless moments no longer bothered me. I didn’t even mind “Me Against the Music,” with its onstage echoes from the video.

Britney is no longer holding back, and the slut-shaming has quieted down despite this. Perhaps this is because of our adjustment to much more provocative performers like Rihanna and Gaga or simply a matter of Britney being a 33-year-old mother and not an 18-year-old girl.

A few friends couldn’t understand why I’d shell out the money to travel to Las Vegas and see the show (it was a birthday present, by the way, although I did pay $45 for the t-shirt). A few have been surprised to find out that I’m a Britney fan, but their reaction has been neutral, more “I had no idea” than “How could you possibly be a Britney fan?”

Today, no one is shaming Britney. No one is shaming me, either.

Image credits: Featured image, image #2, image #3, image #4, image #5, image #6. Image #7 provided by author.

Sarah Sansolo is currently finishing her MFA in Creative Writing at American University, where she also teaches writing. Her poetry will be published in an upcoming issue of Big Lucks, and she is a finalist in the 2015 Bethesda Poetry Contest. She lives in Washington, DC. More from this author →


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Small Round Plate

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Each of Holly Walker’s pieces is handbuilt from many rolled coils of clay. This plate measures 1 x 6.75” and is made of earthenware. Reference 20HW06 if calling the gallery to inquire.

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Wednesday, August 14, 2013

The Effect Of Using Email To Society

The Effect of Using electronic mail to Society Over the past xx years, many technologies were discovered and straightaway they are really conjunct for quite a gnomish such as Microsoft Word, Excel, natural tablets, computers, etc. In those technologies, netmail is one of the most communal calld technologies in the world. The effects that email has had on society tin slew be divided into 3 categories: monetary, environment, and communication. First of all, using emails can foster race scavenge money. Sending emails are empty exactly if stack lance their letters by mail, they turn over to fee for stamps and envelopes. Last Christmas, my pose sent to Vietnam some gifts for my grandpa and aunts, she had to fabricate a hook beca expenditure on that point were many gifts into a oversize box and my scram had to pay that box by weight. In post office, there are rules that customers would be supercharged especial(a) fees for their items to be shipped faster than regular(a) rate. On the other, right now, stamps’ cost has been increased. The first year, I came to the U.S. in 2004, the stamps’ price was only 39 cents. But now, 2009, the stamps’ price is 42 cents. Secondly, emails can friend maintaining outfox even for environment to befool spic-and-span air. When state write letters, they use topic which is made of wood. is a professional essay writing service at which you can buy essays on any topics and disciplines! All custom essays are written by professional writers!
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Influencer pulls mask prank in Bali

It’s no secret that Bali has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to travel restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the virus affecting tourism on the island.

Understandably, people were outraged when a video of an influencer in Bali painting a mask on her face as a prank went viral, with many perceiving it as a direct insult to those who have been suffering due to the pandemic.

The influencer was turned down from a local supermarket for not wearing a mask

bali mask prank
Video adapted from: @niluhdjelantik

A video uploaded by Taiwanese-American prankster Josh Paler Lin showed him and his girlfriend, a Russian influencer who goes by @lisha0902 on Instagram, trying to enter a local supermarket before a security guard turned them down because Lisha was not wearing a mark.

bali influencer mask prank
Video adapted from: @niluhdjelantik

The two then returned to their car and Lin painted a mask on Lisha’s face before going back to the supermarket and recording the act, boasting about how no one – including the security guard – noticed that Lisha was not actually wearing a mask.

The video has since been taken down following a backlash, but it was reposted by Balinese designer and politician Niluh Djelantik, bringing widespread attention to the incident.

Netizens call for Lin and Lisha to be deported

bali mask prank instagram post
Image adapted from: @niluhdjelantik

Djelantik reposted a video of Lin and Lisha’s prank on her Instagram, pointing out that people are struggling to get by during the pandemic. She also said that the economy is suffering and called for the Directorate-General of Immigration to deport the two influencers.

“Do not let these people trample on Bali’s dignity,” she wrote.

bali influencer prank screenshot 1
Image adapted from: @niluhdjelantik

bali influencer mask prank screenshot 2
Image adapted from: @niluhdjelantik

On Djelantik’s post, a netizen commented, “Hopefully these arrogant people will soon go back to where they’re from.” Another Instagram user said that Lin and Lisha “should be kicked out”.

bali mask prank instagram comment
Image adapted from: @niluhdjelantik

TV host and comedian Melaney Ricardo also left a comment on the video, pointing out the insensitivity of Lin and Lisha’s antics as a lot of people have lost their loved ones because of the pandemic.

At the time on writing, both Lin and Lisha have set their respective Instagram accounts to private, and no remark on the incident has been made by the Bali Immigration Office.

Influencer pulls mask prank in Bali

Indonesians have been struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic – not only have lives been lost, the economy has also been hit hard, especially in popular tourist destinations such as Bali.

It’s no surprise that insensitive acts labelled as “pranks”, such as the one pulled by Lin and Lisha, are met with a huge backlash as locals are trying their best to get by during these hard times and adhere to public health protocols to prevent further spread of the virus.

While influencers rely heavily on viral content, they should keep in mind that these are difficult times and it’s best to consider the struggles locals face due to the pandemic before engaging in insensitive acts.

More news from Indonesia:

Cover image adapted from @niluhdjelantik and @niluhdjelantik

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50%+ Of STIRR Viewership is Their Streaming ‘Local Affiliate’ STIRR City, May Partner to Reach Every Market

Jason Gurwin

In January, Sinclair launched a free, ad-supported streaming service called STIRR that includes access to free ad-supported live news, sports, entertainment, and digital first channels. One of the big differentiators from other free streaming services like Pluto TV, is the ability to leverage their local affiliate footprint to bring localized content to streamers.

At the Promax Conference, an entertainment marketing conference, Adam Ware, GM of STIRR, said that local focus has paid off. “At the front door of this, is a direct to OTT local TV station called STIRR CITY which is the core of what STIRR is. Over half of the viewership we get on the service is on the STIRR City channel.”

While STIRR City is currently available in 79 local markets, the company has a goal to “expand to every DMA, in every city.” Ware indicated that the company would be open to partner with newspaper groups and even other station groups in order to reach new markets.

He feels streaming is just another “input” on your TV for Sinclair to have a presence. “The way we approach it because we’re dominant on the cable box. We’re pretty dominant on the antenna. And then it’s about trying to figure out in these other environment and it goes back to local.”

When asked whether they would create original content, Ware said that they already do. “I think local news is pretty original. And we produce 4,200 hours a week on a regular basis.” While Ware wouldn’t comment on Sinclair’s acquisition of Fox RSNs, last month Sinclair CEO Chris Ripley said “we see first from the RSN programming, non-game programming being used on STIRR.” But, he does see a path for live games as well, “we may very well populate games as well, but that’s to be determined.”

In discussing plans to move beyond local, the service hopes to grow from 25+ national channels to 100 by the end of 2019. Ware also thinks there’s a model to sell à la carte subscriptions in STIRR — whether it be a third-party service like Philo or their own streaming service Tennis Channel Plus.

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Kahlua Chocolate Cake

IMG_9928Well friends– We had not one but two 4th of July bar-b-ques– all that festive food, fun and friends and a perfect view of the fireworks sitting in Betty’s backyard to boot!  It was good old potluck on the table– Sue’s luscious spinach & pineapple salad, Jan’s famous potato salad…  and my contribution was this chocolate cake.

Got the recipe from a mom of students at my school.  And you’ve never met a moister, smoother chocolate cake.  I do have to say it is luscious all on it’s own, but a side scoop of ice cream makes it just about perfect.  (Is this too much cake-bragging?  I’m just trying to talk you into trying it.  It’s that good!)

1 chocolate cake mix (with pudding in the mix)
2 cups sour cream
3 oz. box vanilla instant pudding
4 eggs
3/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup Kahlua
6 oz. chocolate chips (1 cup)
powdered sugar for dusting the cake

IMG_9951Mix the cake mix, sour cream, instant pudding mix, oil and Kahlua with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.  Then fold in the chocolate chips.

Spoon the batter into a bundt pan (or tube pan) sprayed with cooking spray.  Pop it into the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Cool the cake for 30 minutes and then turn the pan upside down on plate and carefully remove the cake.

When the cake is complete cooled– sprinkle with powdered sugar through a sieve.

And I couldn’t resist adding a pic of our grand-girls all kitted out for 4th of July– looking like all American kids–in their cute little Chinese sort of way…

11 thoughts on “Kahlua Chocolate Cake

  1. That cake looks delish! And your girls are adorable. I love their shoes most of all. It’s a true vision of head to toe! 😊

  2. Pingback: bgkskalata1org

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Christmas Squad, It's a Wonderful Life: George & Mr. Potter & Clarence & Zuzu raglan shirt

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This is a 3/4 sleeve unisex raglan (baseball style) shirt. Some size and color combinations have a light ash gray body, while others have a solid white body. All of our shirts are made with high quality, durable vinyl that has been applied with a professional quality heat press. Colors may vary depending on your viewing device. In real life shades between different sizes may vary. This listing is for the pictured and described shirt only. Other items in the photo are not included in your purchase.

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India / Places We Go

A Tea Plantation In Arunachal Pradesh

I introduced you to Pei Tapan Gab earlier. And during that introduction to Pei, I mentioned that his family is in the tea business. So, below, I will profile their tea plantation (they call it a “tea garden”) and discuss the tea business in general.

Pei’s family got into the tea business because Pei’s father used to own a sawmill. You see, the way it works in Arunachal Pradesh is that the person that clears the land, owns the land.

On a completely unrelated, but nevertheless interesting, aside – Pei’s parents were married at the age of seven. This is a common occurrence in the Nyishi culture.

The Indian states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh are good for tea because tea does best in hot, humid climates. Thus, areas in and around the foothills of the Himalayas are quite good because they pick up so much moisture from the clouds hitting the mountains beyond.

Pei’s family first started growing tea in 1992 and they now have 30 hectares on which tea is being grown. To help put that into perspective, Pei advised me that the minimum size at which a tea garden could profitably operate is 1 hectare.

This is the family home on the tea plantation where we spent a night… It has a generator for electricity which is nice, but that comes with a price since at night it is the only source of light for miles around, attracting swarms of insects:

tea plantation arunachal pradesh

Just around the house they are planting new fields of tea. Tea plants can live well past 100 years. However, after 90-100 years, the plants become less productive and so the plantations will pull them out and replace them at that time. The new plants are mature enough to start being picked after 2-3 years:

tea plantation arunachal pradesh

The family starts off tea plants in this shaded structure near the home where they are kept until they are old enough to be transplanted into the fields:

tea plantation arunachal pradesh

Although tea is far and away their main product, Pei’s family also grow a small amount of citronella:

And process it in this nearby machine… Citronella oil is used in a variety of products ranging from soaps to insect repellents to candles:

citronella processor

After breakfast and our look around the house, we drove out to the primary area where the tea is grown:

tea plantation arunachal pradesh

The plants in the foreground are waiting to be planted:

tea plantation arunachal pradesh

The trees interspersed with the tea provide a number of important functions. They protect the tea from certain types of insects as well as protect the leaves from burning in the intense Indian sunshine. In addition, the shade from the trees helps to keep the area more cool which reduces water consumption.

The tea plantations are not irrigated as the water from the monsoon rains is sufficient for the plants. However, it is possible to get too much of a good thing and adequate drainage is important to prevent the tea plants from being washed away during heavy rains:

tea plantation arunachal pradesh

It is actually just a small part of the tea plant that ends up in your cup and that is the new growth on the tea plants… Just the light green tops such as those you see below are used and these leaves are plucked once a week from March through November. During the winter months, the dormant bushes are pruned back so that vigorous growth during the warm months is ensured:

tea plantation arunachal pradesh

tea plantation arunachal pradesh

The tea plantation owned by Pei’s family produces approximately 20,000 kilos of (wet) tea leaves a month which works out to about 5,000 kilos once the leaves have been dried. At the time we visited, they were receiving 18.25 rupees per kilo of tea.

Presently, the family sells their harvested tea to their neighbor, the much larger Ananda Tea Plantation as Ananda has processing facilities for the tea where it is dried, processed and packed into bags. The tea operation run by Pei’s family is just about large enough that they are increasingly interested in constructing their own processing facilities. Pei estimated that it would cost 50 lakhs (one lakh = 100,000 rupees) to build a small processing facility that met their needs:

tea plantation arunachal pradesh

Some of the workers on the tea plantation:

tea plantation arunachal pradesh

The family employs 50 full-time workers and up to 30 temporary workers during the picking season. The workers are paid 100 rupees a day for their labor and have every Monday off.

Aside from plucking the soft leaves of new growth off of the tea plants, the workers also are needed to clear weeds away from the plants and to occasionally apply pesticides to keep the plants free from such afflictions as red spider disease.

Recently, Pei’s family has been struggling with labor shortages as so many people are presently employed at the nearby Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project:

tea plantation arunachal pradesh

These trees are actually tea plants as well. This is what the tea plants you saw above would look like if they were not pruned and their growth was unimpeded. These trees are where the seeds for the tea plants come from:

tea plantation arunachal pradesh

As I alluded to above when I mentioned the Ananda plantation, the tea garden owned by Pei’s family is hardly the only tea estate in this area. This part of India is filled with giant tea estates such as the Barang Tea Estate, the Samiran Tea Industry or the Bokel Tea Plantation:

tea plantation arunachal pradesh

tea plantation arunachal pradesh

The capital of India’s tea region is Dibrugarh which literally translates as ‘tea-city’. Perhaps not surprisingly, it is surrounded by tea plantations and a number of these estates have colonial-era tea bungalows on their grounds. We stayed in one when we were visiting this area and they are extremely nice – filled with antiques, surrounded by beautiful gardens, impeccable service from the staff… It gives one a good insight into the luxurious standard of living the British obviously enjoyed while they were in India.

One of the many tea sellers that can be seen in Dibrugarh:

tea plantation arunachal pradesh

This is the inside of another tea shop:

tea plantation arunachal pradesh

tea plantation arunachal pradesh

I thought some of these sacks of tea inside the shops were interesting:

tea plantation arunachal pradesh

tea plantation arunachal pradesh

This business sells parts exclusively for the machines and equipment found on the tea estates:

tea plantation arunachal pradesh

Here is a better look inside:

tea plantation arunachal pradesh

If one loves tea, a visit to this region must be akin to a religious experience.

5 thoughts on “A Tea Plantation In Arunachal Pradesh

  1. Tea off: India’s farmers say climate changing brew
    Growers in heart of India’s tea industry sip a weakening brew, and say climate change to blame

    GAUHATI, India (AP) — In this humid, lush region where an important part of the world’s breakfast is born, the evidence of climate change is — literally — a weak tea.

    Growers in tropical Assam state, India’s main tea growing region, say rising temperatures have led not only to a drop in production but to subtle, unwelcome changes in the flavor of their brews.

    The area in northeastern India is the source of some of the finest black and British-style teas. Assam teas are notable for their heartiness, strength and body, and are often sold as “breakfast” teas.

    “Earlier, we used to get a bright, strong cup. Now it’s not so,” said L.P. Chaliha, a professional tea taster.

    Rajib Barooah, a tea planter in Jorhat, Assam’s main tea growing district, agreed that the potent taste of Assam tea has weakened.

    “We are indeed concerned,” he said. “Assam tea’s strong flavor is its hallmark.”

    Tea growers want the Indian government to fund studies to examine the flavor fallout from climate change.

    Assam produces nearly 55 percent of the tea crop in India, a nation that accounts for 31 percent of global tea production. But the region’s tea production has dipped significantly, and plantation owners fear it will drop further as temperatures rise and rainfall patterns change.

    Assam produced 564,000 tons of tea in 2007, but slipped to 487,000 tons in 2009. The 2010 crop is estimated to be about 460,000 tons, said Dhiraj Kakaty, who heads the Assam Branch Indian Tea Association, an umbrella group of some 400 tea plantations.

    The drop in production has squeezed consumers. Prices have gone up about 10 percent over the past year.

    Mridul Hazarika, director of the Tea Research Association, one of the world’s largest tea research centers, blames climate change for Assam’s shortfall. He said the region’s temperatures have risen 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over the last eight decades.

    Scientists at the Tea Research Association are analyzing temperature statistics to determine links between temperature rise, consequent fluctuations in rainfall and their effect on tea yields.

    “Days with sunshine were far fewer during the (monsoon) rains this year,” Kakaty said, “leading to a shortfall in production and damp weather unfavorable for tea.”

    Dampness also aggravates bug attacks on the tea crop. Kakaty said a pest called the tea mosquito bug thrives in such weather and attacks fresh shoots of the tea bush. Restrictions on pesticide use because of environmental concerns have added to planters’ woes.

    The tea industry employs about 3 million people across India. Most live just a few steps above the poverty line.

    They are not the only farmers in India suffering because of the weather. Warmer temperatures have cut sharply into wheat farmers’ yield in northern India — their crops are maturing too quickly.

    Nor are tea growers alone in their concern about how the climate is changing the taste of their product. French vintners, for instance, have seen the taste and alcohol content change for some wines, and are worried they could see more competition as climate change makes areas of northern Europe friendlier to wine-growing.

    The U.N. science network foresees temperatures rising up to 6.4 degrees Celsius (11.5 degrees F) by 2100. NASA reported earlier this month that the January-November 2010 period was the warmest globally in the 131-year record. U.N. experts say countries’ current voluntary pledges on emissions cuts will not suffice to keep the temperature rise in check.

    India has proposed a system for sharing technologies between rich and poor countries designed to free up funding and technologies for poor nations that need help coping with a warmer world. These projects include building barriers against rising seas, shifting crops threatened by drought, building water supply and irrigation systems, and improving health care to deal with diseases.

    Industrial countries have pledged $30 billion in emergency funds through 2012 to help poor countries prepare for climate change, and promised to raise $100 billion a year starting in 2020. Developing countries say at least half of those funds should go to adaptation measures, and the other half toward helping their economies shift to low-carbon growth.

    The United States has long refused to join the rest of the industrialized world in the Kyoto Protocol, the 1997 adjunct to the climate treaty that mandated modest emissions reductions by richer nations. The U.S. has said it would hurt their economy and exempt emerging economies such as China and India.

  2. Thank you for all of the great information on the tea business! I never knew much about tea plantations or Arunachal Pradesh before reading this

  3. Pingback: A Shrine To The Bloodthirsty Kali… | The Velvet Rocket

  4. Thanks for giving so much valuable information on tea in arunachal.

    S. Rajbongshi,
    asstt. Director of Tea Development,
    Tea Board, Guwahati

  5. Pingback: A Shrine To The Bloodthirsty Kali… | The Velvet Rocket

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text:
The Creative Incident of a Play During COVID Time

VISTA Fall Show 2020: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The Creative Incident of a Play During COVID Time

Emily Wollan, VisLife Editor

Despite the difficulties which COVID-19 has provided for almost all aspects of life, this year’s VISTA Fall Show, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, shows beyond doubt that the talent and hard work of the VISTA Theater Department cannot be suppressed. The show, based around Mark Haddon’s novel, follows 15-year old Christopher John Francis Boone who investigates the mysterious death of his neighbor’s dog, and in doing so, uncovers a secret that alters his relationships with his parents and mentor teacher. The play was selected due to its naturally-distanced structure and small cast which allowed for COVID regulations to be followed and for students to participate without putting their health, and the health of others, at risk. However, the show could not be performed in front of a live audience, which allowed a unique opportunity for students to gain more experience in film-making. The show was filmed from several different camera angles, which provided a professional-feel for the recording and incorporated several impressive lighting and design elements.

The Spotlight Theater Program which assesses theater productions awarded the show with “Outstanding” ranks in all aspects including, Overall Production, Overall Performance, Ensemble Performance, Acting Performance, Run Crew, Overall Technical Team, Light & Sound Crew, and Achievement in Theater. This is the highest rank which a show can be given, and with so many aspects of the show given this prestigious honor, the talent is undeniable. In addition to the group awards, individual honors were also given to a total of 12 VISTA students with 5 given the rank of “Outstanding”.  Senior Laura Breyen spoke on some of the difficulties associated with creating a show during COVID-19 stating, “I thought the process of making a show this fall was definitely challenging, but it made the final product even more rewarding.” Laura, one of the recipients of the individual “Outstanding” award for the show spoke highly of her fellow cast and crew acknowledging, “I was so impressed with the work that everyone put into the show, and I’m so grateful I got to be a part of something so unique!”

The production was phenomenal in all aspects and showcased the remarkable abilities of all students involved, both on stage and off. Technical details such as lighting, sound, costumery, and scenic design were, in essence, flawless and combined with the authenticity which each character portrayal contained, VISTA’s production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time left its virtual audience in awe.

Spotlight Honors for the VISTA Fall Production


text:
One step at a time

Been plugging away at this literature review (part of the mysterious other work that I do for money and never ever talk about), and it is miserable. I am terrible at literature reviews, because there’s very little about them that’s creative. Instead it’s all about exhaustive attention to detail. Just about the only part I’m any good at is the part right near the end where you look at the massive amount of information you’ve accumulated and think about how best to organize it into a paper.

However, I have gotten better over time. What I’ve learned to do is, when I’m researching, to write my notes in the form of sentences (including citations) that could eventually appear in the final paper. That way, when I get to the end, I can just assemble everything, collage-style. It’s still miserable, since it takes me hours to accumulate a page or two of notes, but at least when I get to the end, everything just…comes together.

That’s the one and only thing I know about getting stuff done. The hardest part is starting. Once you’ve started, you’ll probably finish. It’s going to miserable. And you might not enjoy the process of finishing. You might not even finish quickly or on time or at all efficiently. But if you start something and plug away at it day after day, you’ll eventually finish.

And I think I will, god willing, finish this paper sometime tomorrow.


text:
Friday, July 27, 2018

Horror List Book Review: Stepford Wives

I'm reading through three lists of best horror with two friends (DeAnna Knippling and M.B. Partlow), posting reviews as we go. (For more information, including a list of the books, see this post.)

This week I'm reviewing Stepford Wives, by Ira Levin.

This is one that we all probably know the story of, whether we've read it, watched one of the movie versions, or none of the above. I'm surprised it took me this long to finally read it. It should be noted that, like Bubba Ho-Tep, I believe this is a novella, not a novel.

Stepford Wives is a clever and frightening bit of satire. Like The Handmaid's Tale, I'm sure it's more horrifying for female readers than male, because it gets to the root of gender imbalance and how tenuous our current hold on things really is. How easy it would be to lose it all and become powerless again, controlled by the men in our lives. (If you'd like a good horror film that shows a bit of when this happened in real life in Iran, watch Under the Shadow on Netflix. Though there's a paranormal element, the real horror is the female main character having to adapt to living in a completely different world where she's become a second class citizen and can't even flee her home without a head covering on without being chided and threatened for it. It's chilling.)

The premise is technically absurd, but that's part of the satire. And Levin makes it convincing. He never goes into the nitty gritty details of how any of it's being done, but he doesn't need to.

 I expected the main character's husband to already be a sexist jerk at the beginning, but the thing is, he supports Joanna in her feminism, in her drive to fight the good fight. He supports the fact that she isn't a perfect homemaker, and that her photography career is worthwhile. And that's what makes it so hard to understand when the signs start pointing to him wanting a perfect Stepford-style wife, who does nothing but please her husband, clean the house, cook, and take care of the children. I actually found his turning to the dark side far harder to stomach than the concept of perfect wife-bots, but that's probably because the dread of having one's husband turn on them despite a seemingly good marriage plants seeds of doubt. It hurts to read, really. Just like The Handmaid's Tale.

This is a fairly light read, quick, witty, simple. But there's so much buried beneath the surface. Definitely a worthwhile read, even if you feel you already know the story.

My Top Ten:

1. The Handmaid's Tale (Margaret Atwood)
2. The Girl Next Door (Jack Ketchum)
3. The Bottoms (Joe R. Lansdale)
4. Coraline (Neil Gaiman)
5. The Bridge (John Skipp and Craig Spector)
6. A Choir of Ill Children (Tom Piccirilli)
7. Needful Things (Stephen King)
8. 1Q84 (Haruki Murakami)
9. Those Who Hunt the Night (Barbara Hambly)
10. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)

No idea what book on the list will be next.

  1. I watched the movie with Nicole Kidman. Yeah, I'm not sure I'd want to read the story based on the seeds of doubt bit.

  2. This is one of those I intend to get around to at some point.
    If only I could find that "some point."

  3. I read The Stepford Wives years ago, and it has always stuck with me. Such a great book.

  4. I read it years ago, before the first movie version came out. What I like about Ira Levin is that he takes the horror out of Transylvania and other fanciful places and brings it to familiar places - which is why Rosemary’s Baby would have been so scary in its time. And this is even scarier because it’s SF rather than horror, so no demons or Satan’s child, just people you know and should be able to trust.

  5. Sounds bone chilling! I'm avoiding this one as my thrill level is between squishy unicorns and minion mischief. But I have heard of the Stepford wives, the way you know the name of an asteroid in space - never close enough to my universe to even consider that it was a book/movie or anything!


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Be Happy Kit

In stock

Here is a little song I wrote
You might want to sing it note for note
Don't worry be happy
In every life we have some trouble
When you worry you make it double
Don't worry, be happy......

Bob Marley

This kit is for when you or someone who care about is going through a challenging time and is battling anxiety and overwhelm. Think of this kit as a practical self care package to help with staying positive.

This kit includes:

  • Anxiety Free Journal - If you suffer from anxiety, you are not alone. Anxiety might act like the boss, but you are in control. Follow the steps in this journal and you will see clearly the tricks anxiety plays and acquire the tools to chart a more positive course for yourself. You can do it.
  • Emotional Barometer - A Tool to Explain Our Moods.  It can be remarkably hard to tell other people how we really feel; it may even be tricky for us to get clear about our own moods. Mostly, if people ask how we are, we'll just say, 'Fine' - knowing that we've provided only a sharp abbreviation of what is actually going on in our minds.  This is a tool to help us overcome our vagueness: cards that offer definitions of twenty moods that we can all recognise but that can be hard to pin down and explain. These cards help us reach a clearer understanding of our inner emotional weather.
  • Spark Happiness - Light a spark of happiness! Designed to look like a matchbox, this box of faux matchsticks contains 50 prompts for sharing and cultivating moments of joy. Each matchstick is a new way to brighten an ordinary day and appreciate the little things, making this a sweet good-cheer for moments of worry.
  • State of Mind Wellbeing Mist -We all need to keep calm and create a inviting space.  This calm room Mist contains Rosewood & Lavender to turn your room into a relaxing and inviting place. The addition of Bergamot Oil essential oil will uplift and leave you feeling refreshingly relaxed, while the organic Calendula Extract is the ultimate calming presence for your space.

This kit will certainly put a smile on your face and help you to not worry and be happy.

Free shipping when you spend over $100 within Australia.

Flat Rate Shipping | Australia $10.00 incl. rural delivery for orders under $100.

Deliveries are made during business hours Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays). Deliveries to some regional areas may be made directly to the nearest Post Office.

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We do not provide refunds for change of mind after the order has been dispatched or if the wrong address was provided at checkout. If any of the products were damaged during transit please contact us within 7 days of delivery and we can arrange a replacement.

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Be Happy Kit
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text:
Man charged in 1988 Sydney gay hate murder

Angelo RissoAAP
Steve Johnson (pictured) has fought for justice for his brother Scott who was murdered in 1988.
Camera IconSteve Johnson (pictured) has fought for justice for his brother Scott who was murdered in 1988.

A man has been charged with murdering 27-year-old Sydney-based American mathematician Scott Johnson more than three decades ago in what police believe was a gay hate crime.

A 49-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday at a Lane Cove property in Sydney's northern suburbs and was taken to Chatswood Police Station for questioning.

He was later charged with murder.

The man has been refused bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday.

Three coronial inquests have been held into Mr Johnson's death after he was found at the base of a cliff near Manly's North Head on December 10, 1988.

In the first coronial inquest, his death was ruled a suicide. The second inquest in June 2012 returned an open finding.

However, the third inquest in 2017 found Mr Johnson fell from the clifftop as the result of violence by an unidentified attacker who perceived him to be gay.

A $1 million reward for information leading to an arrest in the case was offered in 2018 and Mr Johnson's family in March pledged to match that.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller on Tuesday said in a statement he had been in contact with Mr Johnson's brother Steve in the US to inform him of the arrest.

"Making that phone call this morning is a career highlight - Steve has fought so hard for so many years, and it has been an honour be part of his fight for justice," Mr Fuller said.

Steve Johnson in a statement said it was an emotional day for his family and said his brother had symbolised those who lost their lives to homophobia-inspired violence.

He thanked NSW Police for their work over the years.

"It's emotional for me, emotional for my family, my two sisters and brother who loved Scott dearly, my wife and three kids who never got to know their uncle," he said.

"(They didn't have the chance to) admire him because of his brilliance but also because he courageously lived his life as he wanted to.

"I hope the friends and families of the other dozens of gay men who lost their lives find solace in what's happened today and hope it opens the door to resolve some of the other mysterious deaths of men who have not yet received justice."

A 2018 police review of 88 suspicious deaths between 1976 and 2000 revealed 27 men were likely murdered for their homosexuality, with cases peaking in the late 1980s and early 90s.

ACON, the state's leading sexuality and gender-diverse health organisation, said it has been a long and difficult process for Mr Johnson's family, friends and the LGBTQ community.

"For just over three decades, the death of Scott Johnson has created great pain, anguish and anxiety for Scott's family," chief executive Nicolas Parkhill said in a statement.

"While this is a significant development in this particular case, it highlights the need for ongoing investigation, truth-telling and the delivery of justice for so many other gay men and trans people, who were murdered or bashed in similar cases in NSW."

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text:
Maker seeking Indian trial of Novavax jab

Krishna N. DasAAP
India generally asks for local trials to determine if a vaccine is safe for its population.
Camera IconIndia generally asks for local trials to determine if a vaccine is safe for its population.

The Serum Institute of India, the world's biggest vaccine maker, has applied to local authorities to conduct a small domestic trial of Novavax Inc's COVID-19 vaccine, which was found to be 89.3 per cent effective in a UK trial.

Serum expected a decision on an Indian trial of Novavax's vaccine soon, Chief Executive Adar Poonawalla told Reuters on Friday, hours after the US company reported the efficacy data.

"We have already applied to the drug controller's office for the bridging trial, a few days ago," Poonawalla said. "So they should also give that approval soon now."

Novavax's UK trial, which enrolled 15,000 people aged 18 to 84, is expected to be used to apply for use in Britain, the European Union and other countries.

SII is already bulk producing a vaccine created by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, and Poonawalla told Reuters earlier this month that his company would manufacture "upwards of 40-50 million doses per month" of the Novavax vaccine from around April.

Indian health officials say they generally ask for so-called bridging trials to determine if a vaccine is safe and generates an immune response in its citizens whose genetic makeup can be different from people in western nations.

There are, however, provisions under rules introduced in 2019 to waive such trials in certain conditions. Pfizer Inc requested an exception while seeking an emergency-use authorisation for its vaccine developed with German partner BioNTech SE, a request the government has turned down.

The Pfizer vaccine has not been approved in India, whose immunisation campaign is using a homegrown one developed by Bharat Biotech and the Indian Council of Medical Research, and the AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccine.

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text:
MinRes lifts Mesa stake above 25pc

KATE EMERYThe West Australian
The West logo

Cashed-up miner Mineral Resources has flagged more acquisitions as it lifted its stake in takeover target Mesa Minerals to 25.13 per cent yesterday.

In a presentation to investors, the Chris Ellison-controlled MinRes said it had an eye on further "strategic acquisitions" as well as organic growth options, such as farm-ins and joint ventures with juniors and the majors.

MinRes, which has about $130 million in cash, said it was planning "substantial growth" in export tonnages between now and 2012. Its WA assets include iron ore, manganese, vanadium and lithium projects.

It is targeting production from its Mt Marion lithium project by the end of the year, while the stalled Windimurra vanadium project should restart next year.

MinRes edged out a rival bid from Malaysian suitor Lion Diversified to take over WA iron ore hopeful Polaris Metals last year and is also in the process of acquiring manganese junior Mesa.

MinRes shares rose 16¢ to $7.17.

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text:
Border bosses admit mistakes over Hakeem

Daniel McCullochAAP
The AFP says it didn't know Hakeem al-Araibi was a refugee until he was detained in Thailand.
Camera IconThe AFP says it didn't know Hakeem al-Araibi was a refugee until he was detained in Thailand.

Australian Border Force officials have admitted their processes "broke down" and accepted some responsibility for the detention of refugee footballer Hakeem al-Araibi.

The 25-year-old languished for months in a Thai prison because an ABF officer neglected to inform other Australian authorities that Mr al-Araibi was under protection.

ABF boss Michael Outram said his officer should have emailed the Australian Federal Police and Department of Home Affairs.

This would have prevented Thailand being alerted to an Interpol red notice issued against him.

"It is clear that human error occurred within the ABF process," Mr Outram told a Senate estimates hearing in Canberra on Monday night.

However, he declined to offer Mr al-Araibi an apology.

"I apologise for the error that occurred with the ABF but I can't say - and nor can I accept - that error necessarily led to his detention in Thailand."

The AFP has also identified a "gap" in its handling of the case, but apportioned most of the blame to Home Affairs.

Mr al-Araibi, a permanent resident of Australia, was arrested in Bangkok in November.

Bahrain had earlier requested a red notice against Mr al-Araibi over disputed allegations he vandalised a police station.

The AFP - which hosts an Interpol office and has staff seconded there - flagged the notice with border authorities.

However, the federal police and Interpol were unaware Mr al-Araibi was under Australia's protection.

"Neither the AFP nor the Australian Interpol NCB can access this information; we rely on notifications from the Home Affairs department," AFP commissioner Andrew Colvin told the committee.

"The Home Affairs department provided Mr al-Araibi's visa status to the AFP on the 28th of November, the day after his detention in Thailand."

Interpol would not have issued the red notice if they knew about Mr al-Araibi's refugee status.

"It was issued in good faith by Interpol; they were not aware at the time of issuing it that he was subject to a protection visa," Mr Colvin said.

The AFP then referred his visa status to Interpol's legal affairs department, and Mr al-Araibi's red notice was rescinded on December 1.

The 25-year-old returned to Australia last week after spending more than two months behind bars, following a decision by Thai authorities not to pursue extradition proceedings against him.

He returned to Melbourne on February 12.

There is no legal obligation for Home Affairs to notify federal police about somebody's refugee status.

On November 28, the day after Mr al-Araibi was arrested in Thailand, an AFP officer emailed Home Affairs about his case.

Bahrain had also raised allegations with Interpol that the 25-year-old departed Australia on a suspected fake travel document.

An AFP employee raised this matter with Home Affairs.

Home Affairs advised the AFP officer that Mr al-Araibi was travelling on a valid document, and also held a protection visa.

This was the first time the AFP learned of his visa status.

However, the response from Home Affairs was not read.

The AFP employee had gone home and did not return to work until after Home Affairs provided separate advice about Mr al-Araibi's protection visa.

The AFP insists this "gap" had no impact on Mr al-Araibi's detention, as it occurred the day after his arrest.

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