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Sunday, March 27, 2011

I'm Not MIA

I haven’t been around the blogosphere much lately. It wasn’t planned, it just happened, suddenly—unexpectedly, but, truth be told, I needed the break. After my last post, I found myself feeling quite frustrated. I was reading posts and comments that were upsetting me and making me feel angry. Plus, the whole Madison/Walker/Union fiasco had me on a fence, because I could SEE both sides, but didn’t want to PICK a side. It was just too much, and I knew if I stayed in the fray it would consume me.

I began posting on my other blog, where I could let loose on a wider range of topics and be less stringent and not have to research so much. It’s been fun, but I find that I do miss the political arena. Which puts me into another conundrum.

Recently I found out that my son, who joined the Army National Guard, WANTS to be deployed after Basic Training this October. He informed his father and me that he wants to fight in a place like Afghanistan for 2 years before he goes to college. This information, needless to say, hit my husband and I like a ton of bricks. While we admire our son’s courageous nature, we are fearful, especially now, with all the upheaval in the Middle East. I’m no expert on that region and I’ve purposely avoided researching it because I know ME. If I immerse myself into research I won’t be available to my family and right now, I need to spend as much time with my son as I possibly can—he leaves for basic training at the end of June. Once he’s deployed I know I’ll involve myself – I’ll have to—then. But now, now I can pretend he’s mine, because he is. But once he turns his life over to the Army, I’ll be forced to let go.

So, I can’t get into the Middle East and the war and Libya right now. To me, it’s not happening, because someday soon it will BE my life.

I’ll be on the political blogging track again…when I’m ready—I’m just not ready today.

  1. Pam,
    I absolutely understand,and empathize, and wish you and your family well. Nothing is more important than our children, make the best use of your with him.You have a lot of friends out here on the net, if nothing else we can be a sounding board or a place to vent!
    May God bless you guys.

  2. I understand too Pam, and I feel your fear. Would it sound weird if I said I wish your son didn't feel the need to go to Afghanistan? I don't understand that feeling these young people get, sorry. I wish it was not happening for yours and the whole families sake, but when these young adults make up their minds to do something there isn't much you can do about it.

    God bless and Oso is right, we'll be here for ya!

  3. My son-in-law recently returned from a tour in Iraq. Stressful for every one. Hopefully things will be winding down over there, and the gradual increase of regular Army will relieve the hard duty
    our National Guard has been

  4. Pam - You need never let go entirely.

    Your son will always be your son.

    Be proud of what you and his father have instilled in him, for you have done a parents responsibility to their children proud.

    It is now time to let him be the man you brought him up to be.

    And trust in his chosen direction and instincts.

    My thoughts and best wishes are with your son and his family.

    You should be very proud.

  5. Oso: Having gotten to know you a little better, through your short stories, and finding out you raised your daughters on your own, I know your words came STRAIGHT from your heart, and they went STRAIGHT to MINE. Thank you!

    Sue: You’ve been a real gem, always there to leave me a funny comment, or now, to give me a word of encouragement. I truly appreciate it, and YOU.

    BB: Thank you for letting me know that it might be winding down. As I said, I haven’t been paying attention lately, so ANY good news is helpful. And I’m glad your son-in-law is home safe and sound. Thank him for me for his service.

    Les: What can I say my friend? You know me well and understand and have shown patience during my trials. Not only am I grateful for your kind, encouraging words, but I’m appreciative of you, too. Thank you.

  6. Pam: He's young and he's a man. That explains it all.

    Our military is the best in the world, best equipped, best trained, and we know how to protect ourselves in really bad neighborhoods. I have been in quite a few, including Afghanistan and Iraq.

    Nobody does it better. Our casualty rate is incredibly low, historically so. Your son has a better chance coming back alive and in one piece from Afghanistan than he does from a night walking around Chicago's Loop.

    My son is graduating in a few years and he already wants to join the military, so putting myself in your place, I know how you feel.

    I pray we are the hell out of there before your son or mine is eligible to deploy.

  7. From a blogging perspective I find the Libyan situation frustrating since conservatives seem to say so many contradictory things over time. There seems to be a conservative consensus emerging that Obama did wrong in going into Libya and they echo to a fault liberal arguments almost word for word used against Bush going into Iraq and when I try to point this out they don't seem to get the irony. Prayers for you and yours Sue.

  8. Pamela,
    My daughter's three deployments in Iraq were very tough on the family and I share your anxiety ... always the missing place at the holiday dinner table, and the tug at the heart every time the phone rang. Hopefully, the war in Afghanistan will be winding down by the time he is ready to deploy.

    Meanwhile, I will keep you and Dalan in my thoughts and pray for his safe return.

  9. Silverfiddle: Thank you. You're comment was reassuring. And kudos to YOUR son.

    Z-man: Yes, frustrating to say the least, and for me, a bit complicated at the moment. But I'll get up to speed.

    Octo: Thank you for empathizing. I do recall how difficult it was for you when your daughter was deployed. I'm so glad she's home now. I appreciate you keeping us in your thoughts. It means a lot.

  10. Hey's been a while. My "MIA" was a bit longer than expected! I wasn't even prepared for it. I deleted my g-mail account because of school things and my blog disappeared. Maybe it's better this way though. It's fresh and new and it's just me being me. I really got burnt out with politics but I still have my opinions!! My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. My guys are still little but I can only imagine if they told me they were going to serve. It's so honorable and courageous but as a mom, I feel your pain!! ((hugs))

  11. JENNIFER! OH.MY.GOSH! I missed you SO much! And now you're back! Yippee!

    Thanks for your kinds words, as usual.

    And you're also back just in time. I'm about ready to get back into political blogging--something happened last night to tick me off!

    But I also have a fun blog, Siren Sense, it's on my profile, check it out. But I do hope you'll also participate in the politics--your voice is needed!

  12. I loved your other blog too!! I am back and can't wait to get back in the action!! I missed you tooooo!!!!

  13. I've been MIA lately too. Life happens. Back in the saddle now? :) More power to ya!

  14. Susannah: It's good to see you! And yes, I do believe I'm back. Not sure if that's good or bad! ;-)

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Why Your New York Nursing Home Neglect Case Matters

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The harm may have already been done. Your loved one's health and basic human needs may have been neglected and your loved one may have suffered physically, or worse, lost his or her life. However, as much as you wish you could've prevented the neglect from occurring, it already has. Yet, you are not powerless.

You still have the ability to protect your family and to help prevent other families from suffering from New York nursing home neglect.

The first step in protecting your family and others is contacting a New York medical malpractice attorney. An experienced New York nursing home abuse lawyer will review your case free of charge and help you understand whether there are any legal actions that can be taken. All you have to do is to share what you know about your loved one's neglect and how it impacted your loved one with your lawyer.

Often legal cases can not only help nursing home neglect victims recover financial damages for the harm that they suffered, but also change nursing home practices and deter nursing homes from neglecting other residents in the future. Damages for nursing home neglect may include compensation for medical expenses, out-of-pocket expenses and pain and suffering. Additionally, nursing homes may be required to implement new practices and procedures to prevent cases of future neglect.

For more information about how a New York medical malpractice lawyer may be able to help you recover and prevent future nursing home neglect cases, please call an experienced attorney today at 1-800-PAGAN-911 for a free consultation.

Read More About New York Nursing Home Neglect in our Free Library Article: How New York Nursing Home Neglect Can be As Dangerous as Abuse

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USDA Feed Outlook

17 June 2013

USDA Feed Outlook - June 2013USDA Feed Outlook - June 2013

Feed Outlook

The outlook for 2013/14 U.S. feed grain supplies is lowered this month as delayed plantings reduce yield prospects for corn. Corn production is projected 135 million bushels lower at 14.0 billion, with the average yield projected at 156.5 bushels per acre, down 1.5 bushels from last month. Forecast total use is down 70 million bushels to 12.9 billion. Feed and residual use is lowered 125 million bushels to 5.2 billion, but industrial use is raised 55 million. The projected 2013/14 season-average farm price for corn is raised $0.10 at both ends of the range to $5.20 to $4.40 per bushel, with a resulting midpoint of $4.80 per bushel. Prices are also raised for sorghum, barley, and oats. For 2012/13, corn imports and industrial use are increased, but exports are lowered, leaving forecast ending stocks up 10 million bushels. U.S. prices for old-crop corn are high compared with competitors, encouraging imports and discouraging exports. Brazil’s 2012/13 corn production is record large and raised again this month.

Domestic Outlook

U.S. Feed Grain Supplies Dip on Lower Forecast Corn Yield

Delayed planting and persistent rain in the Western Corn Belt and Northern Plains resulted in a 1.5-bushel-per-acre decline in the projected corn yield for the 2013/14 feed grain crop this month, lowering feed grain production by 3.4 million tons to 372.4 million. Projected feed grain supplies are 397.3 metric tons, 3.1 million tons below last month’s forecast. Supplies are nevertheless the highest since 2009/10 and 77.4 million tons over the 2012/13 estimate. Total projected use for 2013/14 is lowered 1.8 million tons from last month to 344.1 million as a reduction in feed and residual use more than offsets higher forecast food, seed and industrial (FSI) use. Projected exports are unchanged for 2013/14. Forecast ending stocks are lowered 1.4 million tons this month to 53.2 million tons.

For 2012/13, feed grain supplies are raised 0.7 million tons to 319.9 million due to higher forecast imports. FSI is raised 1.7 million tons to 160.2 million on increased corn use for ethanol production. Ending stocks edge up 0.3 million tons to 22.2 million, still the lowest since 1995/96.

Forecast Corn Yield Lowered as Wet Weather Delays Planting

According to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) June 10 Crop Progress report, as of June 9, 95 percent of the corn crop had been planted, compared with 100 percent at the same point last season and 98 percent for the 2008-12 average. Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin were well behind the normal pace. Corn emergence statistics reveal more of the effects of cool, wet weather on this year’s corn crop, with only 85 percent emerged as of June 9 compared with 99 percent last season and 92 percent for the 2008-12 average. As would be expected, emergence was well behind normal in the same States where planting was significantly delayed. Corn rated good or better comprised only 63 percent of the 18-State total, compared with 66 percent at the same point last season.

Early-season crop condition ratings often provide little indication of final yields as rainfall and temperature over the next several weeks will ultimately determine this year’s production. The percentage of the crop rated good or excellent was 69 percent in 2011, 66 percent in 2012 for reporting weeks comparable to June 9 of this year. The U.S. corn yield in 2011 was 147.2 bushels per acre. The 2012 yield was 123.4 bushels per acre, 33.5 bushels below the 1990-2012 simple linear trend.

Supply and Use Both Forecast Lower This Month for 2013/14

U.S. corn supply projections for 2013/14 are lowered 125 million bushels this month. With acreage unchanged, the 1.5 bushel-per-acre decline in yield results in forecast production of 14.0 billion bushels and total supply of 14.8 billion. Forecast total use is down 70 million bushels this month to 12.9 billion. Feed and residual use is lowered 125 million bushels to 5.2 billion. Corn use for ethanol is increased 50 million bushels to 4.9 billion, reflecting expectations for favorable ethanol producer margins and high renewable identification number (RIN) prices, which will also impact production prospects for 2013/14. Changes in high-fructose corn syrup, glucose and dextrose, beverage and manufacture, and cereals and other products total 5 million bushels and result in a total FSI increase of 55 million bushels from last month’s projection. The resulting ending stocks are forecast 55 million bushels lower this month at 1.9 billion, compared with 769 million forecast for 2012/13.

Carryout for 2012/13 Raised 10 Million Bushels

Forecast U.S. corn supplies for 2012/13 were increased this month by 25 million bushels, reflecting a strong import pace. Total supply is expected to be 11,919 million bushels. Forecast domestic use is increased by 65 million bushels as corn for ethanol was raised 50 million bushels on favorable ethanol producer margins that boosted weekly production rates. As in 2013/14, other FSI categories are raised, up 15 million bushels this month. Forecast 2012/13 exports were lowered 50 million bushels to 700 million, the lowest since 1970/71. Changes in imports and use result in ending stocks being raised by 10 million bushels to 769 million, the lowest since 1995/96.

Feed and Residual Use up in 2013/14

The 2013/14 U.S. feed and residual use for the four feed grains plus feed wheat on a September-August year is projected at 142.9 million metric tons, a gain of 17.1 million tons from 2012/13. Feed and residual use per grain-consuming animal unit (GCAU) is projected at 1.57 tons in 2013/14, compared with 1.38 tons in 2012/13. Total GCAUs are projected down slightly on the year to 90.9 million. GCAUs are lowered this month because cattle inventories are expected to decline as animals are slaughtered in the face of high feed prices and tight hay supplies.

For 2012/13, feed and residual use for the four feed grains plus wheat are estimated at 125.8 due largely to reduced corn feeding.

Forecast 2013/14 Corn Price Raised this Month

The projected 2013/14 season average farm price for corn is raised $0.10 at both ends of the range to $4.40 to $5.20 per bushel, with a resulting midpoint of $4.80 per bushel. The price increase reflects tighter supplies due to lower yields and greater demand for ethanol. For 2012/13, the price is increased $0.05 on both the low and high ends of the range to $6.75 and $7.15 per bushel, with a midpoint of $6.95 per bushel.

Upcoming Data Releases

On June 28, NASS will update U.S. corn area in the Acreage report. This will be the first survey-based forecast for 2013 harvested area and provide an update for planted area from the farmer planting intentions reported in the March Prospective Plantings. In addition, NASS will also release its estimate of June 1 feed grain stocks in the quarterly Grain Stocks report. The July ERS Feed Outlook report will update feed grain supplies and use reflecting these latest survey-based forecasts and estimates. On August 12, NASS will release its first survey-based forecast of the 2013/14 U.S. corn crop in the Crop Production report.

Sorghum Plantings Approach 5-Year Pace

U.S. sorghum supply-and-demand estimates are unchanged for 2012/13 and 2013/14. The 2013/14 forecast remains reflective of significant increases in planted and harvest area as well as yields, compared with 2012/13 estimates. The June 11 USDA Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin indicates that sorghum planting was limited in early May due to cool weather and wet fields in portions of the Great Plains. By mid-May, planting was underway but behind the 5-year average in Kansas. Fieldwork conditions improved in other sorghum-producing regions, however, planting progress across the U.S. continued to fall behind the 5-year pace.

Planting in Texas was essentially complete by the end of May and at the time of the June 2 NASS Crop Progress report, 52 percent of the sorghum crop had been planted, 23 points behind last year’s pace and 8 points behind the 5-year average. The June 10 Crop Progress report indicates that Kansas growers were able to capitalize on the 4.3 days suitable for field work in the previous 7-day period and planted 26 percent of their crop in the span of a week. Kansas, the largest sorghum-producing State, is still slightly behind pace with 54 percent of the crop planted, compared with the 5-year average of 60 percent. Planting in Texas, at 87 percent complete, is essentially on par with the 5-year average.

The June 10 Crop Progress report indicates that 69 percent of the sorghum crop is in the ground; this compares with the 5-year average of 72 percent. Continued mild weather in Kansas will assist growers there to complete their sorghum planting. Despite observed lags in planting, at this time, sorghum acreage and yields are not expected to diminish. Subsequently, production, exports, imports, and other supply-and-demand categories remain unchanged this month.

Recent increases in corn prices have pushed the sorghum season-average price forecasts for 2012/13 and 2013/14 slightly higher. The midpoint price for 2012/13 is raised $0.05 to $6.90 per bushel; the lower and higher end of the range are raised by a similar amount to $6.70 to $7.10 per bushel. The 2013/14 price is also increased as recent market developments suggest a slightly higher price. The range is raised $0.10 per bushel on each end to $4.00 to $4.80 per bushel with a midpoint of $4.40 per bushel.

Cool, Wet Conditions Inhibit Barley Planting

No changes are made this month to the 2012/13 and 2013/14 U.S. barley supply-and-demand estimates. Price estimates for the 2012/13 crop year are unchanged, with a season-average price of $6.40 per bushel. The 2013/14 farm price range is raised $0.05 per bushel on each end to $5.35 to $6.35 per bushel as the increase in corn prices boost price prospects for feed barley. The effect of planting delays in North Dakota and Minnesota on acreage and production forecasts will be examined following the release of the June 28 Acreage report, and any resulting adjustments will be reflected in ERS’s July Feed Outlook.

The most recent Crop Progress report indicates that barley planting is 68 percent complete in North Dakota (compared with the 5-year average of 92 percent) and 89 percent complete in Minnesota (compared with the 5-year average of 99 percent). Factors including prolonged rainfall, saturated fields, and cool temperatures have prevented seeding and postponed fieldwork, especially in the northeastern portions of North Dakota and central sections of Minnesota. On acres that have been planted, flooding and soil crusting are reported to be inhibiting emergence on some acres. In North Dakota, just 48 percent of the barley crop is reported to have emerged, relative to the 5-year average of 83 percent. Perhaps in response to concerns about malt barley availability and the protein content of the harvested malt crop, a limited number of new malting barley contracts are reported to have become available in North Dakota.

Despite delayed planting and emergence in several barley-producing States, collectively, the barley crop is in similar condition to the previous year’s crop, with 63 percent reported to be in good or excellent condition, compared with 64 percent at the same time in 2012.

Supply Concerns Contribute to Oats Price Increase

Minimal changes to U.S. oats supply-and-demand factors are made this month. Based on the pace of exports as indicated by U.S. Census Bureau data, the oats export figure is raised slightly from 1.0 million bushels to 1.2 million for 2012/13. Oats imports for 2012/13 are raised 3 million bushels and ending stocks for the same crop year are boosted 2.8 million bushels after accounting for the slight increase in exports. Beginning stocks for 2013/14 are correspondingly increased by 2.8 million bushels and, at this time, the ending stocks increase serves to bolster carryout by a similar amount.

In North Dakota and Minnesota, where oats are commonly grown for grain as opposed to forage needs, producers were able to get the majority (57 percent) of the oats crop seeded by May 5; however, this pace was fully 36 points behind the 2012 pace and lagged 19 points behind the 5-year average. Weather conditions in major oats-producing areas improved toward the end of the month, and the national planting pace edged closer to normal as 94 percent of the crop had been sown by June 2 according to the USDA-NASS Planting Progress report. In the week that followed, weather and soil moisture conditions in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin facilitated additional sowing and served to boost the planted percentage 2 points over the week previous to 96 percent.

Oats emergence is slightly behind the 5-year pace with 92 percent of the crop having emerged compared to 100 percent in 2012 and 96 percent over the last 5 years. Approximately 34 percent of the crop has reached the heading stage, compared with the 5-year average of 42 percent. Nationally, 56 percent of the oats crop is rated as good to excellent and 13 percent very poor or poor compared with 73 percent good to excellent in 2012 and 5 percent very poor or poor in the same year. Improvements in weather and soil moisture conditions may serve to enhance the overall health of the crop and help producers get the last of their oats crop seeded.

Winterkill Losses Put Pressure on Forage Supplies

In areas of Minnesota, Wisconsin, the Dakotas, and Iowa, alfalfa winterkill is widespread. Agronomy professor Dan Undersander of the University of Wisconsin estimates that at least 1 million acres of alfalfa in Wisconsin and 0.75 to 1 million additional acres were winterkilled in Minnesota and the Dakotas. For comparison, in the 2012/13 crop year, Wisconsin harvested 1.45 million acres of hay-including alfalfa, Minnesota harvested 1.75 million acres, and the Dakotas combined to harvest 5.29 million acres. Thus the loss of established alfalfa stands in these States represents a significant setback to local growers and is likely to create challenges for local dairies looking to procure forages for their herds.

In an effort to increase hay availability, the USDA, National Resources Conservation Service office in Wisconsin announced that it is allowing producers to plant crops on acres classified as highly erodible land (HEL). Since replanting on approximately half of winterkilled fields is reportedly not recommended due to autotoxicity concerns, the opening of the HEL land to cultivation provides valuable acres on which to plant needed forage crops. For producers who are looking to plant and/or replant forage acres, oats and peas are commonly recommended as stands that can be established relatively quickly. However, industry sources have reported that oats, pea, and alfalfa seed is in relatively short supply, thus forage rations may need to be supplemented with corn silage or other feedstuffs.

International Outlook

Foreign Coarse Grain Production Prospects Little Changed for 2013/14

Global coarse grain production projected for 2013/14 is reduced 3.3 million tons this month to 1.25 billion, with nearly all the reduction in U.S. corn prospects. Foreign production is nearly unchanged, increasing 0.15 million tons to 877.5 million. For spring-sown crops in the Northern Hemisphere, planting is ongoing, and it is too early to modify last month’s projections. Southern Hemisphere crops are still unplanted and remain as previously forecast.

EU coarse grain production is increased 0.4 million tons this month to 151.9 million. Barley area in the UK is increased as spring barley is planted on land that was too wet for planting winter wheat and rapeseed last fall. EU barley production is forecast up 0.3 million tons to 55.6 million. EU corn production prospects are up 0.1 million tons to 63.9 million. A sharp reduction in Italy caused by flooding was more than offset by improved prospects in Hungary, Poland, France, and Bulgaria. Tunisia reported winter barley yields below previous expectations, with dryness in the south reducing production prospects 0.15 million tons to 0.375 million. Millet production in Ukraine is slightly reduced based on smaller planted area.

2012/13 Corn Production Cut for China, Boosted for Brazil

Government sources in China indicate corn production for 2012/13 at 205.6 million tons, down 2.4 million from the previous estimate. In some areas, the crop suffered from excess wetness, trimming both quality and quantity produced. However, the 2012/13 yield, though reduced from the previous estimate, remains record high.

Brazil’s 2012/13 second-crop corn is just beginning to be harvested, and the Brazilian government (CONAB) increased area harvested for grain in its latest report. Recent showers across Mato Grosso came after the dry season had set in, providing a boost to corn in the grain-fill stage. Corn production is up 1.0 million tons this month to a record 77.0 million.

Reduced 2013/14 Beginning Stocks Tighten Supplies

Beginning global coarse grain stocks for 2013/14 are cut 1.1 million tons this month to 153.3 million. Most of the drop is for China, down 2.4 million tons due to lower reported corn production in 2012/13. South Africa’s stocks are trimmed 0.1 million tons due to the strong pace of exports for 2012/13. Trade and consumption changes for 2012/13 reduce Mexico’s corn stocks and Nigeria’s sorghum stocks slightly. Partly offsetting the aforementioned declines are increased 2013/14 beginning stocks for Brazil, up 1.0 million tons due to increased corn production; Russia, up 0.2 million tons because of slowing 2012/13 corn exports; and Uruguay, up slightly due to strong 2012/13 barley imports.

Total world coarse grain supplies projected for 2013/14 are down 4.3 million tons this month to 1.40 billion, mostly due to reduced U.S. corn production. Foreign coarse grain supplies are down 1.2 million tons this month to 1.01 billion as reduced beginning stocks swamp a small production increase.

World Coarse Grain Use Projected Lower

Global coarse grain use for 2013/14 is projected to reach a record 1.22 billion tons, down 1.8 million this month, with the entire decline in the United States. Changes to foreign 2013/14 projected use are small and offsetting. India is projected to export more corn and use less corn domestically both in 2012/13 and 2013/14, as high protein meal and corn prices have reduced production of eggs and poultry. India’s 2012/13 corn domestic use is forecast down 0.8 million tons to 16.7 million, and the 2013/14 projection is cut 0.5 million to 17.9 million. However, corn use in Indonesia is raised 0.2 million tons for both years based on the strong pace of imports. Corn use in Russia is raised 0.1 million tons for 2012/13 and 0.2 million for 2013/14 as the pace of exports has slowed.

Additional changes to forecast corn use for 2012/13 include an increase of 0.6 million tons for Turkey based on the strong pace of recent imports. However, the pace of EU corn exports leaves less for domestic use, which is down 0.5 million tons. Japan’s 2012/13 corn imports and consumption are also reduced 0.5 million tons this month. Total foreign coarse grain use estimated for 2012/13 is reduced 1.9 million tons this month to 861.3 million.

Ending Stocks Projected Lower This Month

Global coarse grain ending stocks for 2013/14 are projected down 2.6 million tons this month to 183.6 million. Foreign countries account for slightly less than half the decline, down 1.2 million tons to 130.4 million. China’s corn ending stock prospects are cut 2.4 million tons, due to reduced 2012/13 production. Corn stocks for South Africa are projected down 0.1 million due to strong exports, and Tunisia’s barley stocks are forecast down 0.1 million tons because of reduced production. There are smaller reductions for projected coarse grain stocks in Mexico and Nigeria. Partly offsetting the reductions are increased coarse grain stocks for the EU, up 0.4 million tons to 12.1 million, mostly due to increased barley production. Indonesia’s corn stocks are projected up 0.1 million tons due to strong imports.

World Corn Trade Projected Higher for 2013/14

Global corn trade in 2013/14 (October-September) is projected to reach 102.4 million tons, up 0.6 million from the previous forecast and nearly as large as record corn trade in 2011/12. India’s corn export prospects are boosted 0.5 million tons to 3.5 million as domestic demand is not expected to be as strong as previously forecast, leaving more for exports. Also, South Africa’s corn exports are projected 0.1 million tons higher to 1.9 million, as the pace is expected to match the previous year. Indonesia’s imports are increased 0.3 million tons to 2.2 million based on strong consumption growth. Projected 2013/14 trade for the other coarse grains is unchanged this month.

U.S. 2012/13 Corn Export Prospects Cut Even as Global Trade Is Boosted

World corn trade in 2012/13 is forecast up 0.3 million tons this month to 97.8 million. India’s corn exports are forecast up 0.8 million tons to 4.8 million as domestic demand is reduced and the export pace has exceeded expectations. EU corn exports are increased 0.5 million tons to 1.5 million based on the pace of export licenses and shipments. South Africa’s exports are boosted 0.2 million tons to 1.9 million based on the pace of shipments. Mexico’s corn exports are increased slightly to 0.2 million tons based on the pace of recent shipments. However, the pace of Russia’s corn shipments has slowed, reducing forecast exports 0.3 million tons to 2.0 million.

The pace of U.S. corn exports and old-crop sales in recent weeks has been exceptionally slow. U.S. prices are high compared to competitors, and it is reportedly difficult to find uncommitted corn in big enough volumes to put together vessel-sized shipments for export. Forecast 2012/13 U.S. exports are cut 1.0 million tons this month to 18.5 million (for the September-August local marketing year, the export forecast is cut 50 million bushels to 700 million). Census data indicate corn exports of 10.7 million tons for October 2012 through April 2013. May export inspections were 1.4 million tons, and outstanding sales at the end of May were 3.4 million tons, less than half of the previous year. U.S. corn exports for the final 4 months of the trade year are forecast to average 1.6 million tons.

World barley trade in 2012/13 is forecast fractionally higher this month, with increased exports for India and small increases in imports for Syria, Uruguay, and Switzerland. Global sorghum trade for 2012/13 is reduced slightly this month, with Nigeria’s exports zeroed out and Niger’s imports reduced. Forecast world oats and rye trade for 2012/13 are unchanged this month.

June 2013

Published by USDA Economic Research Service

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  • Acoustic glass solutions
  • Sound proofing
  • New sash windows
South West London

Testimonials in Clapham

It looks and feels much better and the room is also noticeably warmer. I was also impressed with the professional manner in which you worked.
Mr & Mrs P

…carried out some skilled repair and replacement work. They gave helpful advice to ensure the character of the house was maintained… left the house clean and tidy. We would recommend the service which was very competitively priced.
Mr & Mrs M

Case Studies in Clapham

  • Noise reduction Clapham

    Window insulation in Clapham

    These sash windows have been fitted with draft proofing seals to help keep out drafts.

  • Sound proofing Clapham

    Sound proofing in Clapham

    Homes in noisy areas can benefit from discreet, removable secondary glazing.

  • Sash window repair balham

    Sash window repair Balham

    The sash windows in this property now open and close thanks to a simple service.

  • new sash windows balham

    New sash windows Balham

    We replaced the old sash windows in this property with new replicas, carefully made in our joinery.

  • new sash windows tooting

    Repaired sash windows Tooting

    Sometimes, old sash windows just need a simple service to get them open again.


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Eviction Notice — 4 Comments

    • As my mother says – such awesome things didn’t exist when we were kids, not for home consumption. I’m so glad they do now – we all have a lot of fun with it. 🙂

    • I kind of wish I had a completely unused room that I could turn into a ball pit… that’s a definite must-have for the house we’ll buy after we win the Lotto! 😀

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Competition for FREE Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon Place

Do you know anyone who would like to take part in the Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon on Sunday 11th October 2015? Enter our competition and win a FREE place (registration fee is usually £48).

The Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon is one of the UK’s most exciting, giving you the opportunity to run through the amazing Royal Parks of London and also take in some of London’s most iconic landmarks! Join thousands of runners on the start line this October and be part of the biggest Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon field yet.

Entrants will need to email their name, email address and mobile number to by 12pm on Wednesday 1st July 2015 and we will draw the winner out at random.

Not the lucky winner? Registration is still open until Thursday 20th August 2015. Please contact Helen on 01473 252007 to book your place.

Good luck!

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Kroger Reaches $1 Billion In Annual Organic Produce Sales

Kroger Co. Logo

The Kroger Co.’s organic produce business has achieved $1 billion in annual sales.

“Kroger offers one of the largest organic produce departments in America, and we are proud to have led the way in making this category more mainstream, accessible and affordable,” said Robert Clark, Kroger’s SVP of merchandising. “We have a dedicated procurement team that partners with more than 300 organic produce growers and suppliers every year to bring our customers an exciting selection of organic fruits and vegetables.”

According to IRI, the U.S. organic produce market reached $5 billion in 2016 and it is growing. Kroger represents nearly 20 percent of American’s annual organic produce business.

“We know our customers want both organic and conventional choices,” Clark added. “Kroger makes it easy for our customers to shop how they want for their families. It’s just one more way we are redefining the customer experience as outlined in our Restock Kroger plan.”

Kroger’s top-selling organic produce includes bananas, apples, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and bagged salads.

The company’s Simple Truth line of products recently reached $2 billion in annual sales, marking the growing popularity of the brand of natural, organic and free-from products, Kroger says.

Kroger employs 453,000 associates serving nearly nine million customers every day in 2,793 retail food stores under a variety of local banner names in 35 states and D.C. Its family of companies operates an expanding ClickList offering—a personalized online ordering service—in addition to 2,258 pharmacies, 783 convenience stores, 307 fine jewelry stores, 222 retail health clinics, 1,472 supermarket fuel centers and 38 food production plants in the U.S.

Keep reading:

Kroger’s Simple Truth Brand Hits Milestone $2 Billion In Annual Sales

Kroger Expanding Scan, Bag, Go To 18 Divisions This Year

Kroger Promotes Two, Names First African-American Division Leader

About The Author

A word nerd, grocery geek and three-year member of The Shelby Report. She is a proud new homeowner and a great lover of avocado toast.


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Former Kraft, Mondelez Exec Joins GMA As EVP Of Government Affairs

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Brian Folkerts is joining the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) as its new EVP of government affairs, bringing 30 years of experience with CPG companies, trade groups and government.

“Brian Folkerts brings first-hand experience working on legislative and regulatory issues for the nation’s largest consumer packaged goods companies, trade associations, government agencies and Congress,” said Pamela G. Bailey, GMA’s president and CEO. “Brian’s experience in both the private sector and the public sector will be crucial to leading the federal and state government policy efforts on behalf of the food, beverage and consumer products industry.”

“The food, beverage and consumer products industry touches the lives of American families every day and is a critical driver of the nation’s economy, with 2.1 million jobs in 30,000 communities across the country,” said Folkerts, who begins his job on Feb. 26. “I look forward to leading our industry’s work to develop positive, effective and fact-based policy and regulatory solutions that enhance the lives of consumers.”

Folkerts served as VP of public and government affairs for Mondelez International from 2012 to 2016, following five years as VP of U.S. government affairs for Kraft Foods Inc. and six years as a VP and director at Altria Group/Philip Morris. More recently, he led the confirmation effort for U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, working with the U.S. Senate and the White House.

Earlier in his career, Folkerts worked at the National Food Processors Association (NFPA) from 1994-2001, serving as VP of government affairs and managing the organization’s state and federal affairs program. NFPA and GMA merged in 2007.

His work in Washington D.C. began with legislative positions for two Midwestern members of Congress, Reps. Bill Emerson (R-MO) and Lynn Martin (R-IL), and he later served as associate director of the Washington office for the State of Illinois. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in agriculture.

GMA represents the world’s leading food, beverage and consumer products companies and associated partners. Founded in 1908, GMA has a primary focus on product safety, science-based public policies and industry initiatives that seek to “empower people with the tools and information they need to make informed choices and lead healthier lives.”

Keep reading:

NEW And Accenture To Study Gender Equality In The Retail Workplace

Secretary Of Agriculture Perdue To Speak At NGA Show This Weekend

Larkin To ROFDA Wholesalers: Changes Ahead In These ‘Interesting Times’

About The Author

A word nerd, grocery geek and three-year member of The Shelby Report. She is a proud new homeowner and a great lover of avocado toast.


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Preview: Underdogs clash in Momentum Cup Final

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The Hollywoodbets Dolphins and Warriors will both be determined to make the most of reaching the Momentum One-Day Cup Final by winning the title when they clash at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead in Durban on Friday.

Both were second favourites to reach the competition decider – they had to face tough semi-finals on the road against the two teams that ended as the top two on the table – but now find themselves with a rare chance of silverware.

The Dolphins upset the World Sport Betting Cape Cobras in Cape Town on Wednesday, while the Warriors stunned defending champions the Multiply Titans 24 hours earlier.

“We’re more relieved than pleased to have got through,” said home coach Grant Morgan, whose side defended a below par 230 at PPC Newlands by dismissing the Cobras for 181.

“We would never have been able to live it down had we lost that one. I think happy will only come should we win the final.”

The visitors, meanwhile, dismissed the Titans for 230 on Tuesday and then won emphatically by eight wickets and with over 15 overs to spare.

“That performance really showed our potential and we were really happy with it,” their coach Rivash Gobind explained. “But it’s now in the past and we need to refocus before starting again on Friday.”

The hosts have not won a the 50-over competition in the franchise era, with the last time they claimed the prize in a South African season coming way back in 2001/02. They did secure the RAM SLAM T20 Challenge title back in 2013/14.

They are in their second final this season after also reaching the 20-over showpiece where they were embarrassed by the Titans in a one-sided final.

“We didn’t plan to lose that game,” Morgan explained. “We had a plan and it just happened that our execution didn’t come off.

“We were embarrassed about it and now we’re very proud about the way we’ve fought back. That willingness to fight is really something that pleases me. But we’re not yet at our happy place and we’ll be trying to get there tomorrow.”

As for the Warriors, Morgan added: “I’ve got huge respect for those Warriors and the way they go about doing things. So, I expect them to put up a good fight, but hopefully we’ll be able to pull it through.”

The visitors are bidding to win their first major trophy since 2009/10 when they claimed both limited-overs trophies.

They were runners-up in both white-ball finals last year and Gobind is desperate to go one better this time.

“It’s what we strive for from the beginning of the competition,” he added. “It’s great that we’ve put ourselves in a position to play in the last game of the competition and everyone is looking forward to the day and the occasion. There’s lots of excitement amongst the players.”

In their two meetings this season, the Warriors won comfortably in Durban, while the Dolphins were easy winners in Port Elizabeth.

Gobind, a former player and coach for the KZN side, is expecting a closely-contested final.

“They’re a fantastic team and I spent a lot of time working with a lot of those players, so I know the qualities that they have,” he concluded. “It’s no surprise to me that they’ve made two finals this season.

“It will be a big occasion, but I'm here to do a job and hopefully we can complete that on Friday.”


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Joel Pett, the Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist of the Lexington Herald-Leader, has been busy this campaign season. He speaks with host Dick Gordon about turning politics into humor, and Thursday’s vice presidential debate happening just south from him in Danville, Ky. See another cartoon here.

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Chem Webs being reported all over the USA! Our team is testing & results coming soon!

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another request from ethiopia

wow, the guy from ethiopia who i mentioned in my previous post will not let up. yesterday i got yet another email from him. now he wants a dictionary. when will he ever stop?

How are you? I am fine with my college of Addis Ababa. I am take your email letter is nice but you are not Reply to me all of them.
Would you like to help me school materially? If you want to help me send this Dictionary to me?
1. Ox ford Advanced learner’s Dictionary Fifth edition, EditorbyJonathan Crowther. Sand to me by the following address
To Basure Debebe
Addis Ababa College of
Technology and commerce
P.O. Box 180501
Addis – Ababa
Please accept my letter. Reply to me on this week?

Yours Basure

The Scam

When traveling in poor countries, you are constantly bombarded by people who ask you for money. there’s all sorts of ways to con people out of their money and one of ways we often saw in Ethiopia was a textbook scam. the poor kid would tell you that he doesn’t want your money, he just wants you to buy him a book so he can study english. who can say no to that? i mean, he’s not using the money for drugs, moonshine, or even toys… it’s books! it’s educational! you can’t say no to this kid’s education, right? well, of course the whoe thing is a scam. if you buy them the book, they will just go back to the shop later and sell it back for money.

In a town called Yabello, one very persistant guy showed up on my doorstep after finding out which hotel i was staying at. could i buy him some textbooks? No. maybe when i got back to the US, could i send him money for textbooks? No. Could my family buy him textbooks? No. Maybe i could just ask one of the many rich people i knew in america to send him money? No. i kept telling him over and over again that i wouldnt give him money. man, this guy was so persistant. after fending off his requests for almost half an hour, he finally gave up.

or so i though. it turns out, this guy will never give up! i was totally shocked to find out that he waited till i got home, and is now *emailing* me asking for money. $100 actually. Now, a hundred bucks goes a looooong way in ethiopia. i wonder how many suckers he finds that actually end up sending him the money? hell, even if he finds like 10-15 people per year, he can live quite comfortably over there.

here’s the email:

To Dear my brotherVlad
Thank you for the replying email letter tome. How are your? I am with my college. I want to ask something you? Would you like it? If you like it I am learn in this college through foster mother of Germany called mayr. She is pay to me thee fee of subject, food and boarding – school to me .you are live in good life of U.S.A so that I want to buy same book about my subject for this I want $ 100 dollar from you? If you want send to me by bank address.
Name of bank; -commercial bank of Ethiopia western union main branch
Name of receiver; – Basure Debebe
Address; – Addis Ababa – Ethiopia
My Account N0 28710
My telephone No 251 112 137 317
My full bank Address is this one please please sends to me same money? I am in problem, student with out book meaning lass. If you send to me write by email money transfer control No the is put in bank the money from U.S.A. to Ethiopia. Last time when I am in yabello I give to you one my past address that is wrong my new post address is this one
To Basure Debebe
Addis Ababa College of
Technology and commerce
P.o. Box 180501
Addis Ababa
This is my post address for 3 years. Until next time good-bye! And reply to my
From your brother student Basure.

welcome to the real world

i give up.

i’ve been meaning to write a lot of stuff here for a while. i wanted to write about the last couple of days in transit from bolivia. i wanted to write about adjusting to real life back here in america. i wanted to write about every little thing that’s happened between arriving in La Paz and now. it’s been about two months now, and i’ve done none of that. the trip is over. has been for a while now. and life goes on. there’s all sorts of stuff that happens on a day to day basis that i want to write in the blog about, but i always feel like i can’t since i still need to catch up on the past before i write about the present. well, i’m tired of putting it off, so here’s a wrap-up of the last two months, so i can just start writing about the present.

our last half day in la paz pretty much flew by. we bought plane tickets back home. we shopped for souvenirs like crazy rushing around from shop to shop. finally, after packing everything for the final time, we went to sleep. the next morning, we flew out of La Paz. the view from the plane was incredible. La Paz, surrounded by mountains, is a great city to look at from above. the rest of the day was a blur of airports, airplanes, and boredom. our flight had two different stops on its way to miami. at each stop there were long delays and it was an incredible relief when we finally arrived. but our hellish day wasn’t over yet. it was difficult finding a hotel, and then we were stuck waiting for an hour for a shuttle and then it took us ages to finally find a place to eat. our first meal back in America was at Denny’s with two random travelers who we met.

the next day i flew off to SF while caryn flew to NY to see her family for thanksgiving. in the plane, it was really hard for me to believe that i was actually coming home. that in just a few hours i would be landing in SF and seeing my family again. i was excited and nervous and overwhelmed. the minutes crawled by. finally, the plane landed and my brother drove me back home. it was SO weird. driving on 280, the freeway that i’ve driven on at least once a week for most of my life. all the familiar exits. seeing my brother again. i felt like i was living in a dream.

back at home i had dinner with my parents and brother. it was really good to see them again. my parents had made this cool collage poster of some of my trip photos, and even nicer of them was that they had printed out all my journal entries and had them bound at kinko’s. i couldnt believe it. that must have been a ridiculous amount of work. the thing weighed a ton! not only that, but they were nice enough to make one for caryn too. after dinner, i was exhausted and went to sleep. sleeping in my old room from when i was a kid was pretty weird.

readjusting to reality has been really weird. the first couple of weeks especially were pretty bizarre. it felt so weird to be doing all the old things that i used to do. driving a car, using a microwave, and talking on a cellphone. all of these things that used to be so normal and just a standard part of life, now seemed a bit foreign and odd. it’s really strange to slowly settle back into your old life. in some ways, everything seems so comfortable and welcoming. doing things like getting coffee at the local coffeeshop, or going to grocery store, or anything else… on one hand i kind of missed all these things and i was glad to do them again. but at the same time… i was really hesitant. it seemed almost wrong for me to want to do all these things. i almost didnt want to like these things anymore because they were just so normal. doing them again meant that life would revert back to usual and that’s not necessarily something i wanted. i didnt want all the normal day-to-day things to become my life again. i wanted more foreign countries and crazy adventures. but i couldnt do anything about it. i was being sucked back in.

the other really weird thing in the first two weeks was seeing people again. honestly, i was really nervous about seeing all my friends after so long. the first couple of times i hung out with people, things were a bit awkward and weird. i kind of felt like i just wasnt on the same wavelength as anyone. but after a bit, that feeling passed. friendships picked up where they left off. everything went back to normal… whatever that means. it’s funny, seeing people after coming back. a lot of people, especially people i dont know very well, seem like they feel obligated to ask about the trip. it’s pretty obvious they dont really care, and are just asking to be polite, and i almost want to say “hey, dont worry a bout it. you dont have to ask”. but they ask. and they always ask one follow up question, which usually is “which country is your favorite”. *sigh*… i’m so sick of that… well, i mean, i have no problem if the person really cares, but the thing is that the person is usually asking just to be polite. nowadays, instead of explaining that it’s impossible to pick a favorite etc etc etc… i just say Japan. it makes things easier on everyone involved.

so, two weeks went by. and scarily enough, life became normal again. while i was gone, i was so worried about how long it would take for me to adjust to regular life. i had assumed it would take ages. months. but it didnt. all it took was two weeks and it almost felt like i had never left. in fact, in some ways my trip seemed so bizarre and dream-like that it almost seemed like it had never happened. could i really have done all those crazy things? was that really my life? or just a movie i watched?

of course, there were some differences between my life now and my life before i left. i have no job now. i have no car since i sold it before the trip. i live with my parents since i cant afford rent. it’s funny, it’s almost like being back in highschool. living in my old room and having to ask my parents if i can borrow their car if i want to go anywhere. i’m a little kid all over again.

i mentioned earlier that i had a family emergency back home. i wont go into what it is here since my family probably wouldnt like to have their lives broadcast all over the internet, but i will mention that it’s been really rough. In some ways, i never feel completely at ease. any time when my mind isn’t occupied with other thoughts, it’s filled with worry and stress.

let’s see.. what else? my cousin went out of town for two weeks so i got to spend that time living at her house and taking care of her new puppy, McPoopersen. it was really nice to be up in sf and not have to drive up every time i want to do anything. also, it was actually really cool to watch the dog during that time. the dog is tiny and super fun.

new years this year was kind of hectic. i had dinner at Luna Park with Caryn, Jamie, Tom, Catherine, and some other people. then around 10pm, caryn and i hopped in a car and raced back down to SJ to celebrate NY with my family. at 1am, we hopped in a car again and came up to SF to celebrate some more. a lot of driving for one night, but it was pretty fun.

i spent some time trying to find contract work online. i searched craigslist and some other sites. it was rough. i would bid on contracts and then be outbid by people in india or russia who were willing to work for next to nothing. after spending hours and hours researching online, placing bids, returning phone calls and emails i only managed to land one contract… and that was for a measily $175. to make matters worse, i underestimated how long the project might take, and ended up spending about 20 hours on it. so basically, i earned about minimum wage. *sigh*

so i guess that’s it. where does that leave me? i need to find a job. FAST. or at least some contract work. i need to buy a car. and then, i need to move back to SF. hopefully, it wont take ages for all this stuff to happen.

if you’re subscribed to this blog only because you wanted to read about round the world travel, feel free to unsubscribe now. if you want to be re-subscribed when i go traveling again, you can email me and i’ll do that. or, if you’re interested in reading about life here in SF, read on.

how much did it all cost?

during this year on the road, whenever i told people that i was traveling for over a year, many of the people just couldn’t believe that it would be possible to travel for that long. how could i afford such a thing? was i rich or something? one of the most common questions i would get was “how much did this whole thing cost you?” some people asked just out of curiosity. others asked because they too hoped to someday travel for a long time. trying to plan out and figure out the cost of such a long trip is a bit of a daunting task.

the answer to how much a year on the road would cost really depends on each person. there are a million factors to consider. will you be spending most of your time in expensive places like Europe? or will you be mostly traveling in 3rd world countries where people can get by on just 20$ a day? also, a lot depends on your travel style. $1,000 could probably buy you a really nice all inclusive tour in Thailand for a *week*, but if you went to Thailand on your own and only stayed in budget hostels, that same $1000 could probably last you a whole *month*.

basically, if you play your cards right, you can travel for a very long time on very little. after calculating my expenditures, it turned out that the amount of money i spent during 14 months on the road (including flights, food, hotels, etc) was far less than *half* of what i would have spent living here in the USA. travel can be surprisingly cheap! anyways, i put together a page of how much money i spent on this trip broken down by country, just so people could get an idea of how much a trip like this could possibly cost.

here is my costs page for the whole trip.

i’ve had a hell of a time trying to get myself to update this blog over the last month. this is partially because I’m back. yeah, for anyone out there that still doesn’t know, i ended my trip and have been back in America for about a month now.

on November 17th, when i had just returned to rurre from the jungle, i got an email from my brother letting me know about a family emergency. as soon as i read it, i knew that i would be going home immediately. travel is one of the things that i love most in life, but for me, family comes first. and anyway, i had already been on the road for 14 months and seen 28 countries… missing out on just one or 2 more countries really wasn’t a big deal. i immediately called home and after talking to people, started trying to figure out how i could get back.

going back was easier said than done. i was in rurrenabaque, a tiny little jungle town in the middle of nowhere. to catch an international flight, i would have to get back to La Paz, the capital. the only road to La Paz was “the world’s most dangerous road”, and after having done that road once, there was no way in hell i would do it again. the other option was to fly in one of the tiny little planes that are run by the military. unfortunately, that airline doesn’t fly everyday, so our ticket was for the 19th, two days later.

the next day i woke up and was totally going crazy. i couldn’t stand being there any longer. i totally felt like my family needed me and i felt completely helpless being stuck here in the middle of nowhere. it was only one day till our flight on the 19th, but i felt like i just couldn’t wait any longer. also, there was another problem with waiting. the weather out there is completely unpredictable and flights get cancelled all the time. sometimes it takes people *weeks* to get out of rurrenabaque. what if the weather goes sour tomorrow and I’m stuck? what if there’s no way to get home for a long time? i decided that i couldn’t wait till the 19th. i had to do everything i could to get out of rurrenabaque that very day.

there’s one other tiny airline that operates out of rurre. it flies these super tiny 12 seater planes. the thought of flying into La Paz (world’s highest airport) in one of these planes was a bit freaky, but i decided to try anyway. we went to the airline office and it turned out that we were just a tiny bit short of the money needed to buy a ticket. CRAP! to make matters worse, rurre has no atms. we reserved two tickets, and then frantically started running around town figuring out how to get the remaining money. you can get credit card advances at the bank… but the bank was closed. i exchanged all the remaining dollars that i had. then i found a few Euro notes in my pack and exchanged those too. i *almost* had enough, but not quite. time was running out, and if we wanted to catch the flight, we would have to pay within one hour.

i was completely freaking out by this point. i *had* to get on the plane. should i try to sell something of mine? my mp3 player maybe? at the last second, i had a realization. i had been saving a bill from every country i had visited. most of these were worthless, but i had a 5 pound note from the UK! that’s almost 10 dollars. the problem is, no one exchanges for pounds in rurre. so, i started running up to random people around town and asking them if they were British so that i could trade them my 5 pound note. it was ridiculous. anyways, finally, with only minutes to spare, after frantically packing our stuff, we rush into the airline office to buy our tickets… and he tells us that they have been sold. WHAT?!?! ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!? he calmly explains that tickets get sold to the first person who pays for them. but, what about the reservations, i ask?? well, apparently the reservations don’t mean anything. you can be the first reservation in line, and they’ll just sell your ticket to whoever pays for it. i was SO pissed. if the reservation doesn’t actually reserve anything, what the hell is the point?!!! after an intense screaming match, there was nothing we could do. i couldn’t believe it. after all that effort, we would still have to wait till the 19th. well, the only thing i could do now was to sit back and wait… and hope that it doesn’t rain.

the morning of the 19th, we walk out of the hotel and there are dark rain clouds everywhere. uh-oh. i started getting really nervous, but as long as it didnt rain within two hours when our flight takes off, we would be ok. of course, this is Bolivia and after getting to the airline office, we spent the next several hours sitting around waiting. and waiting. and waiting. finally we all piled into a van to go to the airport. upon arriving at the airport… it started to rain. tell me this isn’t happening. it started raining harder and harder. this “airport” is really just a long grassy field. if the field is wet and becomes slippery and muddy, no airplanes can take off. after an hour’s wait, we are told that we would try to take off from another airport about 45 minutes away. so, they take all of our luggage and throw it into an *uncovered* pick-up truck, to be driven through the pouring rain to the other airport. nice. as we drive to the second airport, we eventually get out of the rainy area and see the pick up truck with our luggage speeding down a dusty road with all of the luggage in back completely covered with water and dust.

at the second airport, we wait for yet another hour and then finally board our flight. the flight to La Paz was short, and soon i was in a taxi on the way to the hotel. it was mid day by the time i checked in, and now i had just a few hours to book my flight from Bolivia to the USA and also to try and rush around and buy souvenirs for everyone we know. it was a hectic several hours, especially since now that we were back at high altitude, doing anything at a fast speed would leave me out of breath. later that night, we had our last meal abroad at a fancy(ish) restaurant in our hotel. it was crazy to think that the next day i would be on a plane and flying back home…

photos from the pampas

taking photos on the pampas trip was actually pretty difficult. there was often not enough light to take decent photos. i never did get a good picture of the turtles doing their conga line since they were too damn fast. all the photos of the howler monkeys didnt come out good cause the sky was to bright behind them. the dolphins were too fast to photograph. etc etc. basically, a lot of the photos werent so good. but i did get a few good shots of capybaras and squirrel monkeys.

anyways, if you wanna see the photos, here are my photos of the pampas tour.

welcome to the jungle (part 3)

the previous night we had stayed up kinda late drinking and playing cards so at 4:45am when we were woken up to Satan screaming, i cant say that i was overjoyed. ok, maybe it wasn’t *really* Satan screaming, but it pretty much sounded like it. in the pampas there are these monkeys called Howler Monkeys. they’re named that because they are constantly howling really loud. but, their howling doesn’t really sound like howling. it sounds more like this crazy evil sounding super loud growling sound. it really does sound like something really really freaking evil is lurking in the trees. i still have no idea how such a tiny little monkey can make a sound like that.

anyways, we all sleepily staggered into the canoe and were off to go watch the sunrise. i have to admit, i think sunrises are way to overrated. i mean yeah, sure they’re cool, but a sunrise is a sunrise is a sunrise and i’ve seen way too many of them anyways. mainly though, if i’m awake at 5am in the morning, you can bet i’ll be in a total shite mood, sunrise or not. to watch the sun do cool tricks, i’d wayyy rather see a sun*set*… that way i dont have to be dragged outta bed at the crack of dawn. we sat and stared at the horizon, the sun rose, we turned around and walked back to the canoe. as soon as we got back to camp, we all fell asleep instantly.

later on, we all went to go fishing. of course, this is the crazy Bolivian wilderness, so we weren’t fishing for trout, salmon, or any other normal fish… we were fishing for piranhas. if you haven’t heard of them, piranhas are meat eating fish. instead of nibbling on worms and plants like other fish, these guys eat water they can find including cows and sometimes people. i’ve heard stories of boats capsizing on the Amazon river and the piranhas eating everyone that was onboard.

now, i’ve never really been a big fan of fishing. i’ve never been down with actually killing things myself, and the thought of yanking fish out of the water and watching them flop around and die never sounded all that appealing. we were told that today’s fishing would be catch and release which on one hand sounds nicer, but on the other hand it seems like you’re just torturing these fish for fun and then throwing them back in the water once you have jabbed a sharp metal object through them. so, i felt a bit uneasy with the hole thing, but hell, it’s not often you get to fish for piranhas, so i did it anyway.

we stop the boat and our guide hands out tiny little bits of raw meat that we put on hooks and lower into the river. almost immediately we see small fish zipping by, tearing off chunks of meat and swimming off. the piranhas were super fast. you’d drop in meat and they’d take a bunch of small bites in rapid succession and then be gone. the problem was that they’d usually bite the meat from the side, so they never really had a chance to get stuck on the hook. somehow though, a few minutes later, i was the first one to catch a fish.

look at the teeth on that sucker!

i’m still not positive, but i *think* that my hook may have gone through the piranha’s eye. after throwing it back in, i couldn’t help but keep thinking about the poor little one eyed fish, struggling to survive out there, and so while the other’s in our group kept trying to catch piranhas, i kinda only half-heartedly threw my hook in from time to time. not everyone was able to catch a piranha, but some people did get one. once again, i thought back to yesterday when we were swimming with dolphins… in a piranha infested river. yikes!! we ended up keeping some of the bigger ones to eat for lunch and even after being fried, the fish still looked menacing!!

after lunch, it was time to leave. it had been quite a crazy three days. from alligators to dolphins to piranhas to satanic monkeys to filthy stinking bogs. i really felt like we had gotten quite an experience. on the other hand, i had about a billion mosquito bites, all my clothes were drenched with sweat, and everything i owned was dusty and dirty. i have no idea how people can live out here in these conditions and going back to town to take a nice shower and hang out in a room with a fan sounded really nice. we all piled in the canoe for the last time and quickly went down the river for the last time. everyone laid down in the boat and watched the scenery go by. as usual, we saw lots of gators, turtles, and crazy huge birds.

as we rounded one of the bends in the river, we saw a large group of capybaras in the water. a capybara is this weird looking furry creature that is about the size of a large dog. it was cool to see them all just chilling in the water.

when we had almost gotten to the end of the river, it started raining. first lightly, and then heavily. the canoe was obviously uncovered so we had no choice but to sit there and get soaked. honestly though, after the sweltering heat of the last few days, the rain felt really nice. the problem though, was that when we got to the end of the river and piled into the van, the road was a muddy slushy mess. we started driving and pretty soon the van was swerving all over and fishtailing a bit. it was all kind of funny driving like that until the van suddenly slid very quickly toward the right side of the road. the middle of the road was much higher than either side, so not only were we sliding sideways, but we were also sliding downward and the van was at more and more of an angle till we were sure it was about to fall over sideways. we hit the bank of the road, and the van stopped. no one in the van moved. we were totally scared since we were so tilted and it seemed that any movement would cause the van to fall over. one by one, we slowly crept out of the van.

for a while, the van just sat there, completely stuck. when the driver would hit the gas, the wheels just spun in the mud. all of us meanwhile, as if we hadn’t been dirty enough, now had clumps of mud all over our shoes from walking around. eventually though, we got the van unstuck and made it back to rurrenabaque without any more problems. wow, what a crazy last 3 days it had been!! so in the end, despite no being able to say that “i went to the jungle!”, i’m still glad that i chose the pampas cause the pampas is way more hardcore and interesting than the jungle could have been!

we made it!

welcome to the jungle (part 2)

we were woken up early this morning to do our walk through the pampas. we were given huge rubber boots and after slathering up with a crapload of sunblock and insect repellant, we were ready to go. as we walked, the grass around us got taller and taller until eventually we were walking in grass up to our waist. depending on where we were, this grass could get even higher and sometimes we were walking through dense grass that was over our heads.

see how tall and dense the grass is? you can barely see our guide’s head!

although we were out there looking for all sorts of various wildlife, our main goal was to find an anaconda. anacondas are fairly common out in this area and the group that went on the hike yesterday had seen a 7 foot long anaconda. as walked along, i thought to myself how crazy this all was. i was out here walking through 7 foot high grass searching for deadly snakes. and yeah, tour groups were led through here all the time, so it’s not like we were exactly blazing new trails, but still… we were in the middle of god knows where, hours away from the nearest town, walking through greenery so tall that we could barely see several feet in front of us, and we were searching for anacondas. crazy…

me in my dorky boots

walking through the grass, we would come across long boggy streams and swampy areas that we had to slosh across. the heat and bugs were unbearable as usual. our guide would walk ahead from time to time and poke around under the water with his stick to try to find a snake. no luck. eventually, most of the group got sick of searching. people were tired and hot and cranky. finally, part of the group rested under a tree while the rest of us continued to look. 20 more minutes of searching and still no anaconda. we did find a medium sized alligator though!

we finally gave up and headed back to camp. to get back, we took a shorter path, that involved walking through some super deep muddy slushy nasty-smelling goo. now, to me, this is what i had actually expected from the pampas. when i hear the word “swamp”, i expect to be walking knee-deep in muck. anything less and it’s not really a full on swamp experience. after we got back to camp, we had a couple of hours to relax… which ended up being pretty much impossible to do. sitting outside, the mosquitoes would just eat you like crazy. they literally wouldn’t leave you alone for a second. so you go inside to get away from them and it’s so insanely hot that you can’t stand it. so you go back outside and deal with the mosquitoes again. ugh.

after we ate our lunch, one guy had a great idea to tie some chicken to a string and try to bait the alligator that hangs out below our camp. dude, this alligator is obviously well fed cause he was so damn lazy!! even when the chicken would drop right next to his head, he would often not notice it or not bother going for it. obviously, whether he ate or not didnt matter at all. every once in a while, the gator would get curious and start lumbering out of the water towards the chicken, but if the string was pulled and the chicken moved back a bit, the gator would quickly lose interest. aren’t these things supposed to be ferocious??

our next activity for the day was to go and try to swim with dolphins. there are sections of the river that are inhabited by this weird species of pink freshwater dolphin. we took the canoe out, and after going for a while, we spotted some dolphins. our guide would race the boat all around and the dolphins would swim after us, enjoying our wake, and poking their heads out of the water. eventually, the guide turned off the boat and we got to go swimming in the water. the dolphins were pretty shy. often times, we wouldn’t see them at all for a long time and then eventually one would poke its head out for a second and then dive back in the water. we kept trying to inch closer to them, but it was hard since they would just disappear and then reappear somewhere else. in a way, it was a bit scary actually. the water was really brown and murky and it was impossible to see anything below the surface. yeah sure, dolphins are supposed to be nice and friendly, but it’s a bit disconcerting when one would be swimming towards you, then dives underneath the water, and you would all of a sudden have no clue where this giant animal was or how close to you it might be. at one point, a dolphin popped out of the water just a couple feet away from me, splashed really hard, and then dove back down, totally freaking me out in the process. i kind of think it intentionally tried to mess with me. unfortunately, since these guys popped back into the water so fast, it was almost impossible to get a good photo of them.

you can see the dolphin poking part of his head out

after swimming for a long time, we headed back to camp. we got changed and headed out to this sunset bar that was down the river a bit. we hung out there for a while drinking beers and watching the sun go down. once it got dark, it was time for our night tour. everyone hopped in the canoe and used their flashlights to search for animals at night. it turned out that finding alligators is actually much easier at night than during the day. during the day, the gators are perfectly camouflaged with the tree roots and twigs that stick out of the water… they’re practically impossible to notice without the guides help. but at night, if you just slowly shine your flashlight along the water next to shore, you’ll see these tiny glowing red flashes of light. this is because alligator’s eyes glow red under the light. as we cruised down the river, we saw *tons* of these little glowy red lights. sometimes there would be gators literally every 5 or 6 yards. it was just insane how many of them there were. and if we saw this many, who knows how many we didn’t spot. cruising around the river during the day, we had no idea that there were so many gators around. i thought back to earlier this day when all of us were out there swimming in the river. the *gator infested* river. all of a sudden, our little swim with the dolphins didnt seem nearly as safe and chill as i had thought before!

welcome to the jungle (part 1)

rurrenabaque is a small town that is a jumping off point for various tours. the two main kind of tours that you can take are tours to either the jungle or the pampas. initially, i really wanted to go on a jungle tour. going to the jungle sounds really exotic and adventurous, while going to the pampas sounds like… well.. like… what the heck is a pampas anyways? it turned out that the pampas are marshy grasslands. kind of like a crazy swamp but with super tall grass. the really cool thing about the pampas tour is that you get to see a ton of different wildlife. to be honest, the jungle tour sounded pretty tame and boring compared to the pampas, so in the end we decided to tour the pampas instead.

after spending a day in rurrenabaque, we headed out on our tour. the 7 of us and our guide drove for several hours until we got to the river where we had to transfer all of our stuff into a long canoe with a motor. after a bunch of waiting around, our adventure was finally about to begin.

we cruised down the river and the guide would point stuff out to us. this was a good thing, since i pretty much never noticed anything until the guide pointed it out. he was incredibly good at spotting things. we saw tons of turtles sitting on logs. the crazy thing about the turtles was that they would usually stand in a long row, and each turtle would have its front legs on the turtle in front of it, like a little turtle conga line. i kept trying to take a photo of this, but each time, by the time i got my camera ready, the turtles would dive into the water and be gone. what the hell?! aren’t turtles supposed to be slow? we also saw all kinds of crazy birds. lots of them were several feet tall and looked really crazy.

every once in a while, as we went along, the guide would point towards the bank and yell out “alligator”. i would look in the direction he was pointing and see nothing. only after peering at the spot for what seemed like ages, i would finally spot two eyes and a long snout sticking out over the water. these gators blended into the background almost perfectly. at one point, we took the canoe close to this tree, and the guide started making all these chirping sounds. in a few seconds, a bunch of tiny little squirrel monkeys came running up through the trees. they ran all around and jumped from branch to branch. one of them was even carrying a baby on its back.

later, we pulled up to one of the many camps along the river. as our guide talked to some of the people in the camp, an alligator swam up to the camp and then slowly crawled on shore. as the gator started lumbering closer and closer to the camp, i started wondering what was going to happen. then someone came out and dumped a huge bucket of rice mixed with table scraps in front of it. it turns out that the owners of the camp feed the gator, so it always ends up hanging out near the camp. we all got out of the canoe and watched it eat. alligators aren’t really built for eating rice, so it had to kind of turn its head sideways, and then flick the rice into the air to catch it in its jaws. as it ate, we stood there, just 4 or 5 feet away watching. it was kind of crazy to be that close to this wild alligator, with no barrier or anything whatsoever to stop it from turning around and attacking us.

eventually, we got to our camp. we would be staying in a large room with a bunch of mosquito net covered beds in it. we had some time to kill before dinner, so we decided to look around. it turned out that our camp has our very own alligator as well. we were located on a very steep bank though, so this alligator just sits in the water below and doesn’t actually come out to camp. we peered down at it for a while, and it peered up at us, looking like it was hoping for a meal.

we quickly realized that much more dangerous than the alligator, were the mosquitoes. these things were *insane*. i have never witnessed a mosquito infestation this bad. even with tons of bug spray on, they still would land on you and suck your blood. everywhere you looked there were tons of them flying all over. for the rest of the next 3 days, every person we saw was covered in bug bites everywhere. it was practically unbearable. the next worst thing was the heat. it was about 1 or 2 million degrees out there. and incredibly humid also. so, all day long we had to put on tons of sun block and tons of bug spray. our skin was a sticky goopy mess from all of that and sweat mixed in too. ahh, the perils of the wild.


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First Lady Barbara Bush was the featured speaker at the Columbus Metropolitan Library's "new" Main Library dedication ceremony April 30, 1991, in downtown Columbus.

The Main Library had reopened in January that year after a $39 million project that included the renovation and enlargement of the original Carnegie building, which had opened in 1907.

Although more than 350,000 people already had visited, the formal dedication was held in April to accommodate the First Lady's schedule.

"I learned to read in the warm and loving arms of family and in the warm and inviting rooms of the library," she told the crowd. "Reading is the key to all learning, and there is no better place to learn to read."

She and former President George H.W. Bush have family ties to Columbus. Her grandfather, James E. Robinson, served as an Ohio Supreme Court justice. Her husband's grandfather, Samuel Prescott Bush, was president of Buckeye Steel Castings.


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Fashion rules for 2018
January 4, 2018, 5:39 pm

When it comes to fashion for the New Year, a few rules make it easier to get dressed to exude sophistication and style. In 2018, fashion should make you happy so here are some tips to follow.

Wear white out of season:  The color white is season-less, and wearing white doesn’t have to be boring and predictable. Go the sophisticated route by opting for a white blouse and some eye-catching neon accessories. In lieu of stark white (which can be intimidating), get creative with a slew of off-white and parchment hues that play well with navy, blush pink and even cognac leather.

Experiment with jewelry and accessories:  Whether it's an artsy statement earring you really like or a belt strap so long it extends to the floor, 2018 is the year to make your standout accessory be the focal point of your entire outfit. For everyday arm candy, find simple yet striking form factors that speak for themselves.

Pay attention to color trends: Ultra violet was deemed Pantone's color of the year, and instead of picking up yet another pair of black slacks, try this happy shade that'll earn you street style credit. If you've been on the fence about jumping on the brightly colored hair train, velvet is the fabric du jour, and nothing is more luxurious than purple velvet.

Make sure your power suit has personality:  In 2018, your suit should be well-tailored and make you feel confident, and speak to who you are. Proceed to channel your inner lady by picking a suit embellished with ruffles or a bold print.  Another good choice is a tailored pantsuit in an edgy style such as cigarette trousers and a laid-back chic blazer that is designed for modern-day girl bosses.

When it comes to timeless pieces, invest in quality: If you wear a work blouse often, make sure you take care of it so it will last you a long time. If that means searching near and far for a top that fits you just right and might cost you a bit more cash, you'll be grateful in the long run when you're still wearing it in 2020.

Try out a new denim trend:  With the lineup of extraordinary silhouettes hitting shelves, challenge yourself to abandon your old skinnies. Or at least give them a break for something new and eye-catching.

Rework old pieces in your closet in new ways: Remember when you styled your beret with a suit, neck scarf, and kitten heels? Freshen things up by working it with a simple blouse and flared jeans. The old you wouldn't dream of doing that, now would she?

Invest in a professional blazer:  You'll need one in a neutral color that works for jeans and booties as it can for the office with trousers and pumps — or even over a cocktail dress. Go for a print or checks if that's what you like. Just make sure your piece fits you well and is versatile enough to wear during any season.

Mismatched shoes can be done: There's no better time to try the trend of mismatched shoes whether it's by color or embellishment. If you're worried about your outfit appearing costume-like or chaotic, just rock those crazy kicks with a monotone dress or jeans and a t-shirt.

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Archive for 2009

Plesk for Windows – PCI Compliance

This is somewhat of a work in progress. The only thing flagged by PCI compliance scans so far is the use of SSLv2. This can be disabled in Windows 2003 by adding the following registry entry in: HKey_Local_Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders \SCHANNEL\Protocols\SSL 2.0\Server create a new DWORD named Enabled with the default value Also disable weak ciphers: HKey_Local_Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders […]

Plesk for Linux – PCI Compliance

Courier Weak SSL Ciphers and SSLv2 The most common flaw uncovered by a PCI compliance scan is that a service is allowing SSL connections using weak SSL ciphers. Disable SSLv2 in Courier by adding the following line to both /etc/courier-imap/imapd-ssl and /etc/courier-imap/pop3d-ssl: TLS_CIPHER_LIST=”HIGH:MEDIUM:!SSLv2:!LOW:!EXP:!aNULL:@STRENGTH” After restarting Courier, test with openssl to confirm SSLv2 has been disabled […]

Resync the IIS anonymous username and password on Plesk for Windows

If the domain is prompting for a login, and then gives “HTTP Error 401.1 – Unauthorized: Access is denied due to invalid credentials”, there might be an issue with the anonymous password that Plesk is holding. First thing to check is that all directory permissions are adequate and that anonymous directory access is ticked in […]

Zeus 301 redirect

Add the following to rewrite.script: match URL into $ with (.*) set SCRATCH:COND = %{IN:Host} match SCRATCH:COND into % with ^domainname\.co\.uk if not matched then goto RULE_0_END set URL =$1 set RESPONSE = 301 set OUT:Location = %{URL} set BODY = Please try here instead\n RULE_0_END:

mod_rewrite 301 redirect

To redirect the entire site, for example to enforce www. , add the following to .htaccess Options +FollowSymLinks RewriteEngine On RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^domain\.com$ [NC] RewriteRule ^(.*)$$1 [R=301,L]

CDONTS was deprecated and replaced by CDOSYS in Winddows 2003.  You can still install and use CDONTs if you need it though.  Just google for CDONTS and register the DLL. CDONTS Example: <% Option Explicit Dim objMail Dim strSubject Dim strBody strSubject = “This is a test email in HTML format”