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2017: Not so good a year for banks
Steve Omanufeme is Businessamlive Managing Editor.
You can contact him on email@example.com with stories and commentary.
April 2, 20181.7K views0 comments
The banking industry earnings season is yet to be over, but the results released so far by five banks, arguably in the top tier, the jury have been forced out and there is a strong verdict that the earnings outlook for some of the other banks that are yet to report may not be as rosy as those that have gone before them.
Despite the apparent good reports from Zenith, Guaranty, UBA, Access and Ecobank Transnational, some other large and midsized to smaller banks may be hard put to posting shareholders approving results.
According to business a.m. investigations, the subdued loan environment, which had industry loan growth flat at 0.2 percent for FY2017, constrained banks from delivering strong revenue and earnings growth.
Cost of doing business, pricing and fx-related premiums, which dried up early in 2017 on improved fx liquidity with the CBN introduction of the Importers and Exporters (I&E) window at the beginning of the second quarter were chief culprits.
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In fact, H1 2017 profit before tax growth among banks had averaged 32 percent y/y, thanks to double-digit growth on forex and non-interest revenue lines. But that waned because the fx premiums banks fed on got whittled.
"Whilst the statistics on industry loan and deposit has not been provided by the CBN, we can only compute the industry earnings growth after all banks have released results. That been said, I can say that 2017 was generally a good year for banks, as the average tier-1 banks' earnings growth stands at 14 percent, based on results released thus far," an operator told business a.m.
He said a major challenge in the year was the relatively high cost of doing business. The inflationary environment and the lagged impact of 2016 naira devaluation that increased banks' operating cost.
"In addition, the tight monetary policy environment, coupled with the liquidity sterilization measures of the CBN had a notable impact on the cost of funds, as customers sought higher interest rates in treasury bills and fixed-term deposits."
In fact, the earnings situation for most banks is tough. business a.m. found, in the course of gathering information for this story, that an old generation bank may report less than N20 billion profit before taxation, while another would perform worse on non-performing loans overhang, which left them making provisioning that ate into their profits.
The scenario is even dire for many smaller banks that may report losses or at best trade flat on prior year performance.
The not too rosy situation, therefore, put a lie to the general assumptions that banks are making huge profits in a season of recession, according to an investment banker who said, the huge capital outlay of banks pale revenues, especially when seen against equity.
"A manufacturing concern who complains to you of being hampered by lack of access to loans, in fact, do more than most banks in terms of returns on equity," he said as he gives a scenario of a company with equity of say N10 billion delivery revenue of N2 billion being better than a bank sitting on equity of over N700 billion delivering earnings of N100 billion.
"At the face value the bank has earned more but in terms of return on asset and equity, the manufacturer has done far better." Again the retail segment, which is seen the world over as the future of banking, was buffeted by the prevailing harsh economic conditions in the last year with most banks having to contend more with corporate customers who have the privileges of negotiating rates. In other words, the high rate regime did not pan out well for most banks as there were no bankable projects, nor sustainable deposit to engender float income.
In fact cost of funds, especially in the last quarter of 2017 rose astronomically as fixed deposit rates rose to as high as 20 percent.
The banks are actually in the quandary as customer deposits are far and wide just as risk of defaults are increasing, no thanks to the harsh operating environment they and their customers operate.
The outlook for 2018 is equally grim, not with the government looking afield to borrow thereby tamping down on treasury issuances that the banks had fed as well as the expected easing in the economy, which may depress interest income.
But the good news is that retail segment may receive attention as more and more banks would look to onboarding the unbanked and underserved to broaden revenue. It may just be a good year for banks that did their homework.


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Fellow BlogTalk 2008 organiser Thomas Burg is running a pre-launch games contest over on his new Playoo site.
The competition is to create flash lite games for mobile phones and there is a top prize of $10,000 and a total prize fund of $25,000!
Mobile phone gaming is going to be a huge area and Flash Lite would seem to be an ideal delivery mechanism.
Adobe have a page on their site listing the mobile handsets which support Flash Lite.
Good luck to all the participants

subset: commoncrawl


text: It's a new world. A virtual one with limitless opportunity and possibility. We'll be the first to admit the bulk of the eSports industry purchasing and production has taken place in the consumer goods market. With that plainly stated, when it comes to taking that next step in quality and content delivery, we stand ready to assist. Headsets, millwork, capture cards, video transport, audio over IP, IFB systems for production, broadcast quality wireless camera links, acoustic paneling, closed and open captioning, the list goes on and on. The vendors and skillsets we've established over 40 years of outfitting and integrating commercial and non-profit broadcasters are fully transferable to assisting eSport organizations blaze their path forward. Whether you need gear, or somebody to bounce a few ideas and dreams across for viability and a scope of the logistics – drop us a line.


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Military is a big trend this season and I love how the high street is embracing it in an un-fancy dress kind of way. These joggers from Topshop also tick the box of the ever-present sports luxe trend and are a great alternative to your skinny jeans.
Ooh I love these! Such a gorgeous colour as well x
Julia in Disguise| UK Fashion Blog
I bet these are really comfortable! I'm not sure I can pull these off but I might try them on and give them a try as they look so nice!
I actually bought these today and they're sooooo comfy! I love your blog and your style, such chic, cool yet classy.


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Was Lemonade the prequel to the endless news of cheaters?
Shortly after Beyoncé stunned the world with the release of Lemonade, a visual album that played up the long-gestating rumors surrounding her marriage with Jay Z, reports surfaced that Ozzy Osbourne had been involved in an extramarital affair. The revelation led to Sharon Osbourne calling quits on their relationship and drinking lemonade on air. Their daughter Kelly Osbourne took a similar route, posting a picture of herself with a lemon using the hashtag #lemonade.
I can't figure out if it's all subliminal or if I'm more drawn to read news stories filled with salacious accusations. Are we now more open to talking about betrayal since Lemonade? Or are we just satisfied to have a cute hashtag to add a smile at the end of our painfully deep-seated subtweets?
Cheaters are virtually everywhere and accusations are dropping out of the sky. Ozzy Osbourne, Vernon Davis, and Bartolo Colon have all popped up in the news recently for their transgressions. This isn't a new phenomenon, but over the years we have changed the ways we digest this information. These stories dominate headlines, flood social media timelines, and captivate pop culture with a wave of memes. They become punchlines for TV shows. There's simply no escaping it.
There are people who I refer to as serial cheaters. People, who even in the best relationship with the perfect person, find their need for validation overpowering their word to stay faithful. They value their committed relationships, but still have the urge to feel liberated and date as they please. Some would call it boredom. But really, it's the thrill of the hunt. Something new and a challenge for them to see if they can get away with it. I am in no means justifying it, just laying out what I have discovered from interviewing people I know through general conversation, mixed with a little of my own personal experiences.
Who am I to judge, I cheated once. Yes – once! In this moment of truth I can admit that I cheated on someone who meant a lot to me. I lived with incredible guilt and knew at that moment that I would never cheat again – ever. If I am dating someone and I have the urge to cheat, that means I either have to work at the relationship or we have to break up. Those are two very simple options I learned from a very harsh lesson. To this day, I have never gone back on that promise.
As I usually do, I took it one step further after my incident and I went to speak to a relationship counselor. I wanted to understand why I did it. How I could prevent from doing it again and how I could forgive myself for betraying someone's trust. It wasn't who I wanted to be. When I sat in front of her and began to ramble on to her, she stopped me and said, "I want you to think of one word – validation." I sat in silence and thought about the word, then reflected on my actions and the outcome. "It works in many ways," she said. What I learned from that visit was this: we all search for validation from others, but we really need to provide it for our own self. I also learned, which I think applied in my case, my relationship needed to end and my actions validated how ready I was for it to really be over. So instead of nicely closing the door behind me, I slammed it in my own face.
Let's turn things around…say you are the one that got cheated on. How you handle it is the key to adding lifelong value to your journey and potentially add comfort and happiness to your family. When I read the story about Vernon Davis, I was in shock when I discovered the outcome. His fiancée, who has been with him for 15 years and with whom he shares three kids, had discovered he was cheating on her with a 20-year-old. Sounds like validation to me, because he had it all. A woman who has loved him for years, the mother of his three beautiful children, and let us not forget a coveted Super Bowl ring. Still for some reason, it wasn't enough. What happened next was even worse. She took it to social media. She put him on blast for us all to see. Of course we can understand and empathize with her pain, but with three kids, is it really wise to air her fiancée's dirty laundry? Do two wrongs really make a right? No, the answer is simple: it's no. Falling into the trap of airing dirty laundry is just another sign of validation. She needs to validate herself and make everyone aware of what he did. It is not an easy place for anyone to be in, but there will always be better solutions than public shame.
In my case, I have to give credit to the fact that I still am the only one that has told my truth. My husband never told anyone, we kept it between us, and I respect him tremendously for his loyalty. We tried to work through it, but there were too many things in the way to make it together any further. We were young, things happen, but we made it out okay. Last Thursday would have been our 15-year wedding anniversary. We texted back and forth – our version of a Throwback Thursday – happy almost anniversary.
If you know you are a serial cheater, think about these two things. Karma and the value of your word. One day you may be with someone you really love and you will have all that karma to deal with. We are only as good as our word in this world, so as hard as it is to fight your need for validation, stand up for the need of the strength of your word. In the long run, wouldn't you rather break up with someone as opposed to breaking someone's heart? We all just have to accept the fact that you just can't have your cake and eat it too!
This piece was published by The Stashed May 20th, 2016


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Every one of us should be concerned with conserving Earth's limited supply of usable water. Family members should be united behind efforts to conserve water at home. Here are some ways to minimize your use of this valuable resource:
- Bathroom – Run the water only when needed. A lot of people leave their water on as they brush their teeth, but this is wasteful and unnecessary. Turn off the faucet while you brush. Use a water bowl when shaving instead of running the water. Opt for a low-flow showerhead to minimize water consumption, and limit your shower times by setting a timer for yourself. Listen for running toilets and toilet leaks and get them fixed right away. The toilet is one of the biggest water-wasters in a home. If you are handy, you may be able to fix drain cleaning problems on your own, but it is often wise to call a professional. If you live near Utah's capital city, consult an experienced and reputable drain cleaning and rootering in Salt Lake.
- Kitchen – Use your dishwasher. Washing dishes by hand actually uses more water than running the dishwasher. Toss food and debris in the garbage instead of washing it down the skin and running the disposal. Replace your kitchen faucets with low-flow versions to minimize water use.
- Garden – Homeowners use a lot of water to keep plants alive, especially during summer. Recycle water at home, and use it for watering the plants. Replace plants that consume a lot of water with drought-tolerant versions. You can also install a drip irrigation system that delivers water directly to plants' roots. This will save water and time. Apply mulch liberally. It locks in moisture in the soil around trees and plants.
The little things that you do at home will go a long way to contribute to the movement to conserve water.


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coming really soon - still have to photograph work - we are offering a new section called bookhou at home-vintage finds on etsy. This shop will be vintage finds ranging from furniture, tableware, textiles and books - and will be updated every 3-4 weeks. We wanted this to be a site where we can share our vintage finds. I will do a posting as soon as it up and ready.
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thanks for leaving a comment - we read each one and will try our best to respond back.
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Holiday Information
Holiday Shipping
During holidays, shipments could be delayed due to warehouse closures.
Because of these closures, some orders may experience significant delays during the dates listed below.
- Nov. 24 - Nov. 26
- Dec. 24 - Dec. 26
- Dec. 31 - Jan. 2
These closure dates may vary. For more details, contact our customer relations department via email (M – F 9AM – 5PM CT).
PLEASE NOTE: Some items require additional processing time within the warehouse. The dates provided do not reflect any additional processing time, which may cause delays. If an item is known to take additional time to ship, it will be noted within the product description.
Shipping Deadlines
To ensure delivery by Dec. 24 for in-stock items, please place your order by the following dates. These dates do not account for delays due to inclement weather or out of stock items. Contiguous US only.
|Monday, Dec. 4, 10AM CT
|No-Rush Shipping (4-6 business days)
|Friday, Dec. 8, 10AM CT
|Standard Shipping (3-6 business days)
|Wednesday, Dec. 13, 10AM CT
|2-day Shipping
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|1-day Shipping
Holiday Schedule
Our office will be closed on the following dates. We apologize for any inconvenience.
- Memorial Day / Monday, May 29, 2023
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Do you have further questions? Answers to frequently asked questions can be found here.
What is the difference between a Z-Pass and a national ticket?
Are there still return tickets?
Why is the Z-Pass day pass not valid for 24 hours as it is for ZVV?
Why have only partial areas of the A-Welle and OSTWIND fare networks been integrated into the Z-Pass and not the entire fare network?
Can I change route with the Z-Pass?
Provided that I hold a fare network travelcard for a participating partner: what should be noted for connecting tickets?
Are GA travelcards and Half-Fare Travelcards valid for Z-Pass?
I hold a Half-Fare Travelcard. Can I now obtain a Z-Pass travelcard with a 50% discount?
Is my GA night valid for Z-Pass?
Can a Z-Pass travelcard be combined with the Junior travelcard? Can I therefore take my children under 16 years with me free of charge?
Do I also have to purchase tickets for my grandchildren, nephews, nieces, godchild etc?
Can I deposit my Z-Pass travelcard when I am away on holiday?
I am changing workplace. Can I return an annual travelcard?
Can a lost or stolen Z-Pass travelcard be replaced?
I turned 25 years old the day before yesterday. Can I still purchase a Junior travelcard?
My Z-Pass expires on 30 April. Is it still valid on the nighttime network from 30 April to 1 May?
Are there also transport companies within the Z-Pass area that do not participate in the Z-Pass fare system, i.e. they sell their own tickets?
When and where is bike self-loading possible?
Are there restrictions on bike self-loading?
When my ticket was checked my personal details were taken for enquiry purposes. I did not agree with the supplement. What can I do?
Whom should I contact if a conflict with a transport company has not been solved to my satisfaction?
I would like to suggest new requests with regard to the timetable, new routes or new stops. Whom should I contact?


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Enakkul Oruvan is the Tamil remake of the Kannada blockbuster hit film Lucia. The remake version is directed by Pawan Kumar as well. Sidd...
Sanchita Shetty, Samantha, Khushbu, Naren, John Vijay, Ajay, Arun Pandiyan, Madhan, T. Shiva, K.E. Gnanvel Raja, Vasanthabalan, Seenu Ramasamy, Nalan Kumaraswamy, Vijay Sethupathi, Sashikanth of Y Not Studios, Gopi Amarnath, Prasad along with the lead cast of the film attended the audio launch.
Producer C. V Kumar, who has acquired the rights of the film went all the way to Bangalore with Simhaa after Santhosh Narayanan and Karthik Subbaraj hinted about Lucia. The entire cast is super confident about the success of the film.
The Teaser For ENAKKUL ORUVAN
Lucia was the story of an insomniac projectionist who, in his desperation to find rest, comes across a drug guaranteed to help him sleep. However, he very quickly realizes that the effects of the drug are more than he'd bargained for.
I'm excited to see Enakkul Oruvan as Lucia was excellent, and while it may not be the same thing, the team working on the film has a great track record.


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Barely over six years ago I finished my final round of chemotherapy for my first cancer. I watched as the last drip made its way through the tube and into the catheter in my chest. My nurse disconnected the chemo tubing and threw it away. That's it, no more chemotherapy ever again, I remember thinking.
When I left the hospital the following day, my nurses gave me a banner that read Congratulations Ben! The doctors and nurses all signed it, and several gave me a hug. One would think this was a hugely important accomplishment worthy of a Diddy yacht party. But actually, it was the most anticlimactic event of my life because I had to begin radiotherapy just three days later.
Three days ago I officially graduated from the University of Virginia in the second most anticlimactic event of my life. If I had graduated back in May then I would've participated in the ceremony, including walking The Lawn, sweating my ass off in the heat while hungover, and listening to John Grisham give the commencement speech. But UVA frowns on people like me that need more than their eight-semester allotment. There is no ceremony for me until next May, which I'll be invited to but will likely decline out of both spite and not giving a shit.
My old first-year hallmates were so ashamed I missed the May graduation deadline that they voted to ban me from the 25-year hall reunion in 2027. Over the next 22 years I plan on making a strong appeal to relinquish the ban. If I can convince the almighty Zim, who lived across the hall and one room over, then I should be welcome.
And the question of the day…"Ben, now that you're done with college, what are you going to do?"
Three years ago when I had my epiphany that I should write a book, I told my friend Hamburgers, "If I sell even one copy then it will all be worth it."
Shortly after I became drunk with ambition, already pondering which car I would buy. On one hand was the Aston Martin Vanquish for a quarter-million.And on the other hand was the McLaren F1 for a cool mil.I really didn't care all that much about the money. It was just fun thinking of all the cool shit I could buy if I sold millions of copies. My brother used to say those fantasies made buying lottery tickets worthwhile, even though he knew he'd never win.
When I got to my last year of college still with zero books sold, I began thinking rationally. Now I merely wanted to make enough money so that I didn't have to get a real job and could write another book. Unless a significant advancement heads my way over the next couple months, that doesn't seem likely, either.
But like Tony Montana from Scarface might say, The World Is Mine.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Anticlimax to the Maximum
Barely over six years ago I finished my final round of chemotherapy for my first cancer. I watched as the last drip made its way through the tube and into the catheter in my chest. My nurse disconnected the chemo tubing and threw it away. That's it, no more chemotherapy ever again, I remember thinking.
Benjamin Rubenstein is the author of the Cancer-Slaying Super Man books. You can subscribe to his quarterly newsletter Words by ruBENstein and cancerslayerblog.
at 12:40 AM
2 comments:
- Anonymous said...
haha this is my first time to the site man you can write...very skilled...so did you get down on that medicinal marijuana or nah
- August 19, 2007 at 8:54 PM
- Anonymous said...
Man I so know what you mean with that whole anti-climax-chemo thing. Jees. 5 years post here. Keep breathing buddy. I thought about writing a book too. But I dunno, I don't think people are interested these days, there are so many of us who have had cancer and so many people are still afraid of it despite the survival stats rising year on year. Cancer: everyone's number one health fear...because there's usually no rhyme or reason.
Be well.
- August 30, 2007 at 7:56 PM


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If you're wondering which one of the iPhone 7's new colors — the shiny Jet Black or the matte Black — is more popular, ponder no more: The Jet Black version of the device sold out soon after Apple opened up pre-orders on Friday.
At the time of this writing, pre-ordering most versions of the iPhone 7 in Apple's U.S. store — Black, Silver, Gold and Rose Gold — will get you some sort of delivery date. For most variants, this date will be the iPhone 7's original shipping date, Sept. 16.. Some, like the 32GB Black iPhone 7, say Sept. 26 - 28. The iPhone 7 Plus models are mostly shipping a little later — either from Sept. 27 - 29, or in "2-3 weeks". Read more...More about Apple, Sold Out, Iphone 7, Jet Black, and Tech


text: Food technology is offered with an aim of equipping students in food processing companies, food research laboratories, hospitals, catering establishments, quality control laboratories, self employment and agriculture sector. It also offers to start own business or higher studies as well. B.Sc. Food Technology course is introduced in 2017 with chemistry and physics as complimentary subjects.


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|Night time Closures for Hammersmith Flyover
Also road to be shut all day for two weekends in April
A week of night-time closures of the Hammersmith Flyover will begin next Wednesday (18 April) to allow the installation of new tensioning cables as part of ongoing work to fully reopen the flyover to all traffic.
The closures will be carried out overnight (10pm to 6am) for six weekday nights, and the work has been planned for times when traffic levels are significantly lower in order to minimise traffic congestion.
The project, which began in January, has seen around 200m of the central reservation along the flyover removed, a new structural slab and concrete barriers installed, as well as tailored anchorages for the new cables installed within the structure.
The design for the new post-tensioning system will see new cables installed above and below the bridge deck as part of a bespoke design, which will supplement the load capacity of the existing cables.
The new cables are surrounded by wax oil to prevent deterioration and allow inspection and replacement if required in the future.
In order to install the new cables, the flyover needs to be fully closed overnight to ensure that there are no adverse forces applied to the structure while the cables are being tensioned.
There will also be two full weekend closures of the flyover to allow TfL to complete the installation of the tensioning cables, as well as begin work to waterproof and resurface the carriageway. These will take place on:
Garrett Emmerson, Chief Operating Officer for Surface Transport at TfL said: ""I would once again like to apologise for any inconvenience that this work is causing and reassure Londoners that we are continuing to work around the clock to complete these vital works as quickly as possible."
Hounslow Council is strongly advising motorists to consider alternative routes or follow the signed diversion route along the A4 and Hammersmith gyratory rather than using Chiswick High Road, as Chiswick town centre has become heavily congested since work began on the flyover in December.
In addition anti-skid works will be carried out on Fulham Palace Road at night. The works will be carried out under two-way lights, with no road closures. They are as follows:
Fulham Palace Road, between Talgarth Road and Chancellors Road
•Every night, between 10pm and 6am, from Monday 16 April to Thursday 19 April.
•Every night between midnight and 8am, from Friday 20 April to Saturday April 21.
Motorists are advised to avoid the area, where possible, and there are advanced warning signs across the borough, alerting motorists of the closure. Residents and businesses have also been contacted this week to tell them that the road will close.
April 13, 2012


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equal octave scale of music is based on the 12th root of 2 … 1.05946. (darn there goes those square roots again)
taking the all time low of 346 we can project price just like we do music.
if you look below, it's good to pay attention to where an octave ends … looks like we just completed 5 octaves, almost perfectly, on the $NYA.
so, if PRICE equals TIME (which it does) THEN we can take a PRICE delta between an octave – in this case between Octave 4 and Octave 5 (non log) and look for a time cycles to spin out from important highs and lows? right?
please see below ….


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Azerbaijan's SOCAR To Boost Its Share In New Deal With BP On Oil Fields
Azeri state energy company SOCAR is expected to increase its share in a new production sharing agreement with oil major BP for development of the country's biggest oilfields.
"According to preliminary information, SOCAR will increase its share at the expense of a share reduction of other companies, including BP," an industry source said.
Another industry source, who also is familiar with the content of the talks and did not want to be named, said that SOCAR's share in a new contract could be increased to 20 percent from the current 11.6 percent, while BP's share could be reduced to 30 percent from the current 35.8 percent.
"The shares of some other companies might be also reduced," the source said. The figures in the final contract might still change, the source said.
A spokeswoman for BP in Azerbaijan said: "We don't have information on the content of the contract now." A SOCAR spokesman said the company had no immediate comment.
The shareholders in the consortium include BP, SOCAR, Chevron, INPEX, Statoil, ExxonMobil , TPAO, ITOCHU and ONGC Videsh.


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So many can relate to the Book of Nehemiah because we all face projects of overwhelming proportions today. The obstacles are all too familiar – limited resources, disengaged team members, ruthless competition, naysayers.
We had a major insight during one discussion – Nehemiah experienced the same feelings of anger and frustration that you and I experience from time to time when things go wrong. But he didn't act on those feelings. Instead, he went to God in prayer – sometimes long prayer and other times emergency prayers – and sought God's will. God gave him the words to say and the steps to take. Then Nehemiah followed God's lead. The results were nothing short of miraculous!
It's in our nature to take matters into our own hands, particularly when something needs fixing. Each of us (myself included) need to be reminded to hit the pause button and go to God first. It's the best investment of time you could ever make.
Over the next month, we challenge you to be intentional about praying first – before you start the day, before each meeting, before responding to each problem, before acting on your feelings. Then say and do what God speaks to your heart and watch what happens!
We're confident you'll notice a big difference.


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Three years ago, sleeping on his hospital bed with a halo brace on, Steve Plain decided to go on the most adventurous challenge of his life. For many people who would have occupied the bed before him, this might have been getting back on their feet and resuming their daily lives, but not for Plain.
He wanted to do something that would put his name in the record books, and climbing the world's seven summits – the highest mountain in each of the seven continents within four months would surely put him there.
After three and a half years of hard work, he completed the feat on May 14, 2018, completing the challenge in 117 days.
"It has been a long four months," recalls Steve, who says the only thing he is looking forward to is meeting his family and sleeping in own bed. "I miss my bed the most and I look forward to sleeping on it," he shares.
But when asked about his record-breaking feat, Steve is lost for words. "After all that I've been through I think it all ended very quickly. But, having said that, I think it has been a life-changing experience for me," he adds.
Steve started his journey 11 months after his injury. "I had to get back on my feet. The doctors told me it would take me a year to walk, but I took that as a challenge and climbed my first mountain in New Zealand," adds Steve, who had no mountaineering experience prior to his injury.
This is how it began
By 2016, he had climbed Mt Aspiring in New Zealand, Mt Chopicalqui in Peru and Mt Lhotse in Nepal in a bid to get ready for the 'seven in four' challenge. "If I look back, these mountains were very important. It gave me a general idea of preparing myself for the challenge," he adds.
His plan was simple; start the project at Antarctica around January and end it by conquering Mt Everest in May.
The first mountain he headed out to conquer was Vinson in Antarctica. "I was raring to go. It was the first mountain and I was really excited about the entire journey that was about to start," he adds.
"Vinson was pretty easy. It was a bit cold, but the weather gods were kind to us. I really couldn't believe I was in Antarctica," he adds.
As soon as he summited his first peak, the clock started ticking on the project. He had less than four months to climb six more mountains, which is why he left Antarctica as soon as the weather cleared, and headed towards Argentina (South America) to scale up Mt Aconcagua (6962m).
"Getting away from -30 C and going to +30 was a really fun experience," he says, adding "It almost felt like Australia."
Soon that feeling disappeared as he headed to Aconcagua National Park to take on the highest point on earth outside of the Himalayas.
"There weren't many rest days, I wanted to get each mountain done as fast as I could," he says.
In Argentina, he was joined by a veteran mountain guide, Jon Gupta, who would become his climbing partner for all the remaining climbs.
"Jon's help has been immense. I don't think I would have been able to do it without his help and guidance," adds Steve.
With Jon, Steve started his trek towards Aconcagua Base Camp passing through spectacular valleys. "I loved the place. The views from the Camp 1 at Aconcagua is simply breathtaking. But, it was quite odd as Camp was nearly high as Vinson, which I had climbed a week ago," he adds.
After a few days of acclimatising to the new weather, they walked to the summit. After climbing for six hours in cold weather from camp 2, they reached the summit as Steve ticked another mountain off his list.
"It was great. The views were magnificent, especially the sunrise we saw on our way up," he adds.
As soon as they scaled the mountain, the duo returned to the base camp and enjoyed a lovely BBQ. "That was a good day, but I think we had too much wine," Steve chuckles.
Then, he left for Mendoza from where he would be going to Tanzania (Africa) to take on Mt Kilimanjaro. "It would have been fun to spend some time there. But as we were short on time, we had to go."
However, the trip did not go according to the plan as Steve and Jon got stranded in Chile and had to spend a night in the back of their pickup truck. "That was quite frustrating. That happens when you do not do your research well. Having said that, the view around was amazing, so can't really complain," says Steve.
The next morning they reach Laguna Verde in Chile. "I don't have words to describe that place. It was so quiet, so remote and the best part is that the lake had a hot thermal pool, which was really cool."
The time in the hot spring was ideal before going to the top of the highest volcanic mountain in the world, Mt Ojos Del Salado. "When you are there, why not climb it. And, it would also be a practice for Mt Kilimanjaro," adds Steve who states it was fun climbing Ojos Del Salado.
Soon after Jon and Steve summited Ojos Del Salado, they left for Tanzania. "Getting there from Argentina was quite an adventure. There are no direct flights so I had to go to New York, London and Istanbul to reach Tanzania."
After 50 hours, Steve finally reached his destination for the third peak – Mt Kilimanjaro.
"Unlike most mountains which are part of a great range, Mt Kilimanjaro rises out of the surrounding planes, standing impressively all by herself. Maybe that is what makes the mountain special," he adds.
They reached the summit of Kilimanjaro in just three days of arrival. "The weather was lovely and if I look back, I think it was the easiest climb and the fact that we had the summit to ourselves was itself an amazing experience."
After completing Mt Kilimanjaro on February 14, Steve set off to climb Carstensz Pyramid in Papua New Guinea (Australasia). This was an entirely different challenge as both Steve and Jon hadn't climbed this.
Steve and Jon left West Papua on a chopper to go Yellow Valley (Carstensz Pyramid Base Camp).
"It was an anxious few days wait. A group were stuck on the mountain due to bad weather and they were thinking of closing the mountain for a brief period of time. But, we got lucky. As the weather cleared, we were on our way to Mountain Number Four," he adds.
After reaching Yellow Valley, Steve planned to get to the top as soon as possible as he didn't trust the weather around the region. "It was really a different experience climbing Carstensz Pyramid. It was different than other mountains. Not a lot of snow, but very technical to climb," adds Steve.
Even Jon seems to have enjoyed climbing Carstensz Pyramid. This experienced mountain guide says that the climb was exciting and a different experience to other mountains which he had climbed over the years. "It is all uphill and more like a rock climb than mountaineering," says Jon.
"The Tyrolean crossing near the summit might have been the hardest part of the mountain. We crossed that and the summit was right there," says Steve.
On February 21, Steve completed Mountain Number Four and was just three mountains away from a seven summit world record.
To make sure there were no issues, Steve later climbed the highest point in Australia on March 3. "It was pretty special as I got to climb Australia's highest point with my brother," adds Steve who after that set off to go to Russia to conquer mountain number five, Mt Elbrus.
"As I'd just been to Australia during the summer, Russian winter was quite cold. But it had to be done, and we began acclimatising which wasn't as easy due to the soft snow around the region," he recalls. After a few days acclimatising, Steve summited Mt Elbrus in Russia (Europe) on March 13.
"It was amazing. To be on top of Europe during the winter was quite an experience. It was really cold and the final 1800 m vertical accent was really tough even though we'd just been to Carstensz Pyramid."
With two months to go, there were only two mountains left – Everest and Denali. There was no chance scaling Mt Everest before April. So, Steve headed to Alaska in the United States (North America) to take on Mountain Number six, Denali.
Denali is a relatively easy summit in the summer, but as Steve had left Everest for last he had to summit Denali before mid-April.
"Our summit of Denali was not easy. It was cold and a self-supported expedition. It was only four of us on the mountain, which meant we had to carry our own loads up the mountain. It was not an easy task," says Steve.
It wouldn't be easy to move the load up the mountain and they had little to no progress pulling the sledges up the mountain, which Steve says was a bit frustrating as they even fell into a few knee deep crevasses along the way.
Every day they gradually got up at a slow pace. Thanks to the deep snow, they reached up to 3500 m; 1500 m short of the summit.
"When I think back, it was quite fortunate to have such a good team with me. If not for Chris, Rob and Jon, I do not think our Denali summit would have succeeded," says Steve.
But, as they gradually got up the mountain, the weather started to change and things started to look bleak. "It wasn't fun waiting in our tents for the weather to clear. And, with temperatures dropping below -40 degree C , it was quite a hard few days waiting to the summit," he adds.
Their first week was quite nice but the second was anything but attainable. The winds were blowing vigorously and the entire project looked in doubt. At the end of the second week, they got a 24-hour window when the winds would calm down. That is when Steve decided to go for it.
"I was scared because we were going to be summiting during the night that made the project equally challenging. That is why after we reached the summit at 10:00 pm, I felt relief like no others as now there was only one mountain between me and the record."
The Everest mission
After spending few days at the mountain, Steve and Jon left for Nepal (Asia) to tackle their final hurdle – Mt Everest.
Steve reached Kathmandu on April 11, which gave him enough time to get to Mt Everest Base Camp early and acclimatise.
"I reached Lukla on April 15 and trekked towards the base camp. I even met Reinhold Messner on my way to Tengboche. He was there to shoot a documentary of some sort," adds Steve.
Most of the climbers had already reached the base camp by then. Steve reminisced his struggled to find his camp. "There were too many people around the area. Nonetheless, we soon found Tim Mosdale whom I had met while climbing Mt Ama Dablam with Jon in 2016."
During the climbing season, all groups have their own setup. Some are elaborated and some are basic. The one Steve was staying in was not as elaborated as others but was good enough, according to Steve.
At the base camp, Steve did everything to keep himself fit including climbing the Kala Patthar six times. "That was fun. I used to walk around a lot. There was not much to do apart from waiting and keeping yourself fit," he adds.
Gradually, the acclimatisation process started as climbers started to arrive. Jon and Steve made a few visits to Camp 1 and back. After a week at the base camp, both of them along with their Sherpa, Pemba, headed towards Camp 1.
As the rope fixing teams laid down ropes, the three of them climbed with them giving a head start to most of the climbers around.
"Acclimatising did get easier gradually. There were times when I used to come back to base camp from camp 1 and even visit Dingboche where my family came to visit me. It was good to see my sisters and father before I set to climb the highest mountain in the world," adds Steve.
The waiting game was strong for everyone at Everest this season as everyone waited for the weather to get better. In order to kill time and make the most of their time there, Steve and Jon attempted to climb Nuptse.
"Nuptse is a tough peak and I thought it would be a perfect practice run for Everest. But we know it would be tough at Nupste as it had not been summited for the last five years. The reason I was not hell bent of scaling it," he adds.
They nearly did summit Mt Nupste while falling around 200 m short of the summit as they did not want to risk an avalanche.
"I was quite disheartened after returning from so close but I didn't want to lose focus on my main goal. So it was all right, I guess," he says.
Three weeks moving from base camp to camp 1/camp 2 and back was quite tiring for Steve–not physically, but mentally. When you are doing your last mountain, one does get a bit restless. The weather started getting better after three weeks and things started to move at a good pace.
"We started going up camps just behind the Sherpas who were fixing the ropes. If I look back, the fourth week was when it all started to go as per the plan. I had around two weeks to complete the record. As we moved to camp 3, I had the summit within touching distance because the Sherpas had just reached the summit fixing ropes."
Finally, the mission is over!
On May 14, Steve completed his mission to climb seven summits within four months, and he did it with a few days to spare.
"It was an unbelievable moment. I was short of words. It was a very satisfying moment. I could not have done it without support from family and Jon," he adds.
After the summit, Steve, Jon and their Sherpa came back to camp 4 from where Steve and Jon got the idea of summiting Lhotse.
"We had not planned it earlier, but as we were there and had the permit, we thought why not? Hence, we set off the next day to complete what they call the high double," he says adding that this was the most memorable climb of his project.
"The pressure was off, and I enjoyed it so much. With that summit, I knew it was time to get back," he continues.
Steve does feel that he will miss the mountains. "It has been a large part of my life and I will definitely miss it. Especially, the people around the mountain without whom this whole project would never have been a success."
After a few days in Lukla, while waiting for flights to get back, he finally got a helicopter back to Kathmandu. He was overwhelmed to get a small reception by the local media.
"It was good to be back in Kathmandu and get to sleep in a comfortable bed. I just wanted to go home now," he says adding, "It has been a long four months for me travelling across the globe, but for now, I am looking forward to being back in Perth and relax for a brief period of time."
Photos: Steve Plain


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CUNY DREAMers is a student-led organization at the City University of New York (CUNY). This Friday, we will be hosting our 3rd Annual CUNY DREAMers Conference located in Queens – one of the most diverse boroughs of New York City and home to 1 million immigrants from all over the globe.
This year's conference theme is "An Undeterred Vision," focusing on the strengths, capabilities, and commitment to strive for a more inclusive higher education system. Their mission is to create a safe space where undocumented immigrants, pro-immigrant supporters, educators, and community members can engage in positive discourse to create sustainable solutions for advancing the lives of immigrants.
Students: What to expect? With plenty of fascinating content and networking opportunities, this conference is essential for those seeking information about financial, academic and professional support to successfully obtain a higher education.
Educators: What to expect? Learn how to work with undocumented students, professional techniques from people with years of experience and external resources to build trustworthy relationships. Educators will learn of the CUNY – wide resources to build community and network with educators who are leading quality research to advance the lives of immigrants.
Overall you will experience an unparalleled access to resources and networking with people who are driving change in the immigrant movement! This year we will also discuss in depth immigrant integration, health access and refugees' settlement.
2016 is a historic time for the immigrant movement due to our national immigrant rhetoric and how we can as a united community rise our undeterred vision for a better America.
For more information and to register, please visit this link: 3rd Annual CUNY DREAMers Conference
Don't miss out on the latest resources available for undocumented students, make sure to "like" our page on Facebook. Please consider donating to our platform so we can provide more information and resources to help undocumented students and their families. Any amount helps!
At My Undocumented Life we provide up-to-date information and resources for undocumented immigrants and allies. We post scholarship opportunities that are open to undocumented students, strategies for navigating the educational system, information on how to apply for DACA/Advance Parole, news on DAPA, and much more. Most importantly, we want to provide a sense of community to our diverse group of readers. Learn more about our work here: "About Us"
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Categories: Events


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Epicurean Gourmet Series Sauté Tool
Additional Information
Nylon head paired with sturdy and comfortable paper composite handles. A handy built-in kickstand keeps messy heads off clean counters. High-temperature nylon heads are heat resistant to 500F/260C and are safe for non-stick pan.
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By tapping the potent power of technology to create a system where buyer's "Order from anywhere, fulfill from anywhere and return from anywhere."
As per Capgemini report on retail business, a customer goes through at least over three channels and 10+ interactions during a purchase. By harmonizing and personalizing the message across various touch-points (by the use of Omni-Channel strategies), customer engagement can be sustained and loyalty can be secured.
How Retailers Can Revamp Loyalty Programs To Engage Customers?
Loyalty programs, at many times and in many ways, fail to drive real customer engagement. But, that...EXPLORE MORE
Simple reward points are dead. Uninspired 'look alike' schemes are jading customers. Since retailers now hold more personal data of the consumer, a bespoke personalized after-sale interaction is the life-blood for customer retention. Usual programs like vouchers, cards and referral will discreetly skyrocket the business.
Today, 80 percent of people in the developed world own a smart phone, which makes it a child's play for shoppers to compare prices – and switch brand if their experience isn't top-notch. This creates a roadblock for connecting with the consumers, let alone fosters a long-term relationship.
Challenge: shoppers just aren't bothered by current loyalty programs. Research shows retailers experience sub-optimal (less than 50 percent) participation in their loyalty offerings.
What's the root cause for such behavior? One reason for such behavior is redundant mechanisms that companies utilize to acquire and retain members. Naturally, it has been observed that the penultimate solution unquestionably lies in the power of mobile.
- Nine of the top 10 brands in the 2018 top 100 loyalty leaders ranking are digital brands, with Amazon taking the NO. 1 spot
- 51% of U.S. retailers plan to provide offers/discounts exclusively for mobile app users in 2018 to positively affect sales growth
- 60% of consumers say purchasing products at the lowest price possible is most important to them when shopping online
- 87% of online shoppers said they would abandon their shopping carts during checkout if the process was too difficult
- Adding a personalized approach to their marketing efforts
- Deploying a loyalty program that works
- Decline in the average basket size
- Never exceeding or rarely meeting customer expectations
- Huge efflux of customers due to brand indifference
- Take measures to increase customer foot-fall in the stores
- Incorporating a personalized approach to customer interaction
- Configuring a 360 degree customer loyalty program for online or offline channel.
- Install a referral based system to skyrocket brand advocacy
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Connect with our experts to let them help you find the best solution.


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8. An unmatched Turkoman Labijar Ersari Runner
08. Provenance: Labijar, Ersari, Northern Afghanistan
Size: 283 x 109cm
Age: Circa 1900
Condition: Good. Minor restoration (high quality) at one end. Lower pile in centre.
Notes: Natural dyes. Archaic design. Lovely turquoise blue details and meandering leaf outer border.
Materials: Wool pile on wool wefts & warps.
Price: $1050


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Saturday, January 6, 2018
peppermint snowman fudge
6 comments:
Oh, amen sister!! I, too, an a misplaced northern girl! Being in AZ is a shock to the system. But, white chocolate and frosting for fudge?? I've never heard of this! Probably have a brain full of cactus thorns. This I gotta try. First have to hit Michael's and see what I can find in a mold!! So, pinned for now, but soon to be revisited!!! Really, chips and frosting........! DonaReplyDeleteReplies
yes it's easy peasy lemon squeezy fudge! except no lemon! well...it could be lemon actually if you want, or any flavor frosting! yippee! thanks again my misplaced BBFF! love, your misplaced BBFF lol ;>DDelete
I love your tri colored peppermint snowman fudge, what fun and sounds so easy!ReplyDeleteReplies
i bet you can make some lovely treats with this recipe Kim :)Delete
These are so cute! Great as a Christmas gift or for a cookie exchange!ReplyDeleteReplies
thank you Crystal! yes that would be great and you can make a bunch so quickly :)Delete


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50 Kroner 1989, Norway
|in Krause book
|Number: 42
|Years of issue:
|204 280 000 (all years)
|Direksjonens Formann: Hermod Skånland (in office 1985-1993), Hovedkasserer: Sylvi Johansen
|Series VI
|Specimen of:
|Cotton fiber
|Size (mm):
|135 х 67
|Norges Bank, Oslo (till 2008)
* All pictures marked are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.
** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.
Denominations 50, diagonal dashed lines.
The engraving on banknote is, probably, made after this photo of Aasmund Olavsson Vinje, approx. of 1867.
Aasmund Olavsson Vinje (6 April 1818 – 30 July 1870) was a famous Norwegian poet and journalist who is remembered for poetry, travel writing, and his pioneering use of Landsmål (now known as Nynorsk).
Vinje was born into a poor, but well-read family, in Vinje, Telemark. He had a voracious appetite for learning and supported himself in part by teaching. He earned his university entrance exam after attending the same school as Henrik Ibsen, studied law, and became an attorney.
Vinje founded the periodical Dølen (The dales-man) in 1858, in which he published travel accounts, and editorial comments on art, language and politics that serve as records for the period in which he lived. Dølen ceased publication in 1870.
Vinje did much to articulate the difference between city and rural life in Norway and was among the sophisticated exponents of Norwegian romantic nationalism. Despite this, he was also known for his critical scepticism and double views (No: tvisyn) - that is, looking at both sides of the coin. He was politically active to the extent that the government fired him from his work as an attorney for criticizing its foreign policy.
Among his writings, the Ferdaminni fraa Sumaren 1860 (A remembrance of a journey in the summer 1860, not translated), rank in high esteem in Norwegian literature, describing a journey on foot from Oslo to Trondheim in order to cover the coronation of King Charles in the Nidarosdomen cathedral for his periodical. It can be seen as a program for Vinje and the Dølen that the description deals more warm-hearted with his meetings with ordinary people along the journey, than with the royalties he encountered at the coronation.
In 1863 he wrote A Norseman's View of Britain and the British, which was translated into Norwegian ten years later.
Some of Vinje's poetry is still very much alive in Norway, especially the poems Ved Rundarne (English: At Rondane) and Våren (English: The Last Spring) with tunes by Edvard Grieg. Edvard Grieg composed melodies for many of Vinje's poems, and in 1881, Grieg published Tolv Melodier til Digte af A. O. Vinje (English: Twelve melodies to Poems of A. O. Vinje, for voice and piano), Opus 33, which include The Last Spring and At Rondane.
Dying from stomach cancer, Vinje decided to spend his last days in the countryside. He died as a guest of his friend, minister (later bishop) Anton Christian Bang at Gran in Hadeland on 30 July 1870 and is buried nearby in the churchyard of the Sister churches at Granavollen (Søsterkirkene). In 1873, a large monument with a bust of Vinjes by Brynjulf Bergslien was erected at the site.
Today Aasmund Vinje paths exist in several Norwegian cities and towns including Oslo, Stavanger, Trondheim, Moss, Fjellhamar, Corby, Hamar, Gjøvik, Rjukan, Skien and Mandal.
Selected works:
En Ballade om Kongen og Kongehuset (1853).
Ferdaminni fraa Sumaren 1860 (1861).
A Norseman's View of Britain and the British (1863).
Diktsamling (1864).
Storegut (1866).
Blandkorn (1867).
Dølen i eiget Hus atter (1868).
Um vaart nationale Stræv (1869).
Denominations in numerals are in three corners and centered, in words - centered.
On the banknote is a carving from Hylestad stave church doorway (right side), XII century - "Sigurd kills the dragon Fafnir" from "Scandinavian myths and legends."
The Hylestad stave church was a stave church located in Hylestad (now Valle municipality), Setesdal district, Norway. The church was estimated to have been built in the late XII to early XIII century and was demolished in the 17th century. Some of the intricate wood carvings from the church doorway were saved and incorporated into other buildings. They are now on display at the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo.
There are seven scenes from the Sigurd legend carved on the two door panels, with three scenes on the first panel and four scenes on the second panel. The order of the fifth and sixth scenes, on wood carving, replaced by places, violating the normal sequence of the legend.
The third scene shows Sirgurd slaying the dragon with a sword.
"After forging the sword, Sigurd and Regin travel to Gnita-Heath in order to find Fafnir the dragon and take his treasure. There they dig "a pit in the path used by Fafnir," and then he crawled into it. When Fafnir came to the water pit Sigurd emerged and "thrust his sword" into Fafnir, killing him."
Denominations in numerals are in top and lower left corners and on right side, in words - on right side, at the top.
Invalid from 28.01.2008.
Three major changes were introduced with this series: The 10-krone note was discontinued and replaced by a coin in 1983, Camilla Collett was depicted on the 100-krone note from 1977 and was the first woman to appear on a Norwegian banknote and the 50-krone note issued in 1985 featured text in Nynorsk with the name of the Bank rendered as NOREGS BANK.
For this series, examples of Norwegian arts and handicrafts from earlier periods were chosen as motifs for the reverse.
The notes were designed by Norges Bank's graphics department based on an idea of Leif F. Anisdahl.
If you find my work useful I will be grateful for any help in supporting the site.
For users of European Union banking system


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Eastbound & Down | How Travel Shapes Maribou State's Music
The duo explain why travel was - quite literally - the making of their latest album
Six years after it first exploded onto the Internet, the Twitter feed @DJsComplaining still makes for pretty unedifying reading. Like Ronseal's fine array of decking varnishes, the account pretty much does what it says on the tin - simply retweeting the most odious outbursts from a selection of internationally-renowned selectors.
"We went to this party in the Himalayas which got shut down at 3AM because someone got bottled..."
Examples include Flux Pavilion (the exemplar of all that is unholy about dubstep) threatening to sue American Airlines, aging house king Steve Lawler calling Vueling "a piece of shit", and one-man EDM-abomination Zedd expressing angry bafflement at the fact that hotels put shower gel next to the basin.
"Do they expect me to shower in the sink? I hope not!?" he writes. Becoming increasingly agitated as he works his way through the 280 character limit and switching to all-caps, he ends with a flurry of furious punctuation: "So WHY DON'T YOU JUST PUT YOUR SHOWER GEL IN THE SHOWER!?!?!"
Watching diva-ish DJs self-destruct when given enough letters to hang themselves is all very entertaining, but what's really noticeable (from the point of view of a travel site anyway) is just how many of the first-world problems these people are whinging about are related to travel. Scroll through the @DJsComplaining feed and pretty much everything is about flights, hotels, airports, luggage or a combination all of the above. Many high flying producers and musicians, it seems, really hate the part of their job that actually involves high flying - or indeed travelling at all.
Which is why it's so refreshing to meet Maribou State, an electronic music duo who not only don't mind travel, but actively love it. Nowhere is this more evident than on their second album, Kingdoms in Colour, which they released in September. Liam Ivory and Chris Davids' music has always defied easy categorisation, borrowing elements from the both live and dance music traditions. But this latest record sees them blurring not just genre boundaries, but geographical ones too, incorporating sounds, samples and instruments from around the world.
It's a notable change of direction from their previous work, and one that so far seems to be bearing fruit: Kingdoms in Colour has earned four and five star reviews, and extensive play on "alternative" stations. (The current single, Kingdom, is on heavy rotation on 6Music). But it also marked something of a mainstream breakthrough. Maribou State entered the official album charts for the first time with the release, and when we caught up with the duo, they were still bathing in the afterglow of (and nursing the hangovers from) their biggest ever headline show at London's Roundhouse.
The more international flavour of this recent record is, the pair explain, something that came naturally. "We've always both loved travelling," says Liam, "and even around the time of the first record, there was always this idea of capturing different sounds and recordings from different places and bringing them to the album."
However, when you're two school friends from Hertfordshire trying to break into the music business, as Chris and Liam were, jetting off round the world isn't always an option. "It was only with the moderate success of the first record [2015's Portraits], that we started travelling a lot more – and a lot more regularly", says Liam. "We also started travelling a lot more together."
"I was on the flight for about 16 hours but it was fine, I had a good time"
Right from the off, rather than viewing it as a chore, the two embraced the new opportunities that work was throwing their way, turning their tours into holidays. "Off the back of the first record we did a US tour and an Australian tour and then we went to India," says Chris, "which was part work, part holiday". Liam adds: "Yeah, if we visit somewhere then we'll always try and stick around for a bit and check it out."
Even the kind of long-haul schlepping that might irk most DJs doesn't seem to bother them. "I mean, I literally flew out to Indonesia two days before tour started to do a DJ show," says Liam. "I was on the flight for about 16 hours but it was fine, I had a good time". The pair also visited Japan, New Zealand and Morocco (among others) between making Portraits and Kingdoms in Colour, but it's India that really sticks out in their memories.
"One time we were there, we stayed in a place called Manali in the Himalayas and we went out to this party which ended up getting shut down at 3AM because someone got bottled," says Chris. Obviously they wanted to get away as soon as possible, "but when we tried to leave the party there was torrential rain, and we had to get back across this river which had flooded. We ended up staying by the river because it was too dangerous to cross at night, but when we woke up the next morning there'd been a landslide. In the end we had to walk about 20km to get to the nearest place that we could get a taxi back."
A fight, followed by flooding, followed by a landslide, followed by a 20km, hungover hike the morning after, might not sound like everyone's idea of a good time. But India has also been the scene of more positive experiences too. Indian audiences were among the first to catch on to Maribou State's music outside the UK, and in fact Chris now lists it as his favourite travel destination - for both business and pleasure.
It's not surprising then that of all the global influences on the new album, the Indian one is among the most pronounced. Listen carefully to current single Kingdom and you can hear what sounds like a bansuri (a kind of Indian wooden flute), and throughout the album there are string parts that have a distinctly subcontinental flavour.
"We've always leant towards Eastern or Indian melodies," Chris explains, "and we definitely explored that more on this album." But he reckons they're just getting started. "It's such a big country you could go there every year for the rest of your life and you probably wouldn't get to every bit of it. So there's so much scope for it to still infiltrate our music - especially as Liam's heading out there on holiday again and I no doubt will head back there again at some point soon."
There's a long tradition of musicians finding inspiration from travel, dating back to George Harrison's own forays into Indian music on Sergeant Pepper's, and beyond. But Maribou State's approach isn't just about writing on the road, or using different instruments. When they travel, Liam and Chris seek to record the whole vibe of the places they stay, using field recorders to capture snippets of speech, samples, and even street noise that they can then use in their tracks later.
"A field recorder is kind of like taking a camera away travelling with you - a way of taking memories from a place"
"It's kind of like taking a camera away travelling with you," explains Chris. "It's a way of taking memories from a place. I've never been the sort of person that has a camera around their neck, but the field recorder has always been something that we've tried to keep on us."
The idea of including field recordings in music isn't completely new. Avant garde classical musicians have been getting out and amongst it ever since recording technology first became more portable in the 70s, and recent developments have made the process even easier.
You can now record a decent-sounding audio sample on your iPhone (something Chris and Liam will do if they don't have their recorders with them), and it's perfectly possible to produce a radio-ready track with little more than a laptop. But it's not just the techniques they use that make Maribou State's music feel fresh and modern, it's the omnivorous attitude they have towards the sounds they encounter on their travels.
Like their Ninja Tune label-mate Bonobo (who's aptly-titled album Migration features samples of Moroccan Gnawa music, among others) Chris and Liam don't think too much about where musical borders might lie when it comes to creating their tracks. It's a open-minded approach that they share with a whole new generation of artists, including the nomadic Canadian Rhye (who, incidentally sings on Bonobo's album) and the Texan instrumental trio Khruangbin.
The latter, who despite their origins are mostly inspired by "Thai Funk from the 70s", feature as guests on the Kingdoms in Colour track Feel Good. "We invited them to support us on one of our London headline shows at Koko, and we just became friends," explains Liam. "As a band they're inspired by a lot of different stuff all over the world," adds Chris. "Like their first record was Thai-infused funk and their new album was very Middle-Eastern sounding in parts. I think they just naturally pulled from loads of different cultures and on this record that's what we've done too. So it felt like quite a perfect marriage."
The increasingly globalised musical outlook that Maribou State share with their friends and contemporaries is obviously down to a whole host of different factors. Chief among these is the ease with which you can hear things like Thai Funk, obscure Italo-disco or (to borrow a phrase) "Awesome Tapes from Africa" these days. But travelling - experiencing other musical cultures in the flesh, rather than just online - also plays a huge part in this growing trend.
"Growing up, we weren't like opposed to [music from around the world], but we definitely stuck more to western music," says Liam. "Yeah," adds Chris. "It's not like we listened to African music as children or anything. It was travelling, that's when we started to be introduced to more of it." And, for example, "with this record, we do listen to a fair bit of Indian music, but it was because we went out there and travelled there that it kind of naturally infiltrated the record."
For some artists, travelling is a chore, and there are plenty for whom "writing on the road" means penning whinges about the trappings of fame. But you won't find complaints about tour buses, the loneliness of hotel rooms, or (heaven forbid) the misplacement of shower gel in Maribou State's music.
It helps of course that there are two of them, "so you're always rooted, you've got someone there looking after you, and there's not really any loneliness", explains Chris. But the main reason is surely that the pair approach travel with an open mind, a sense of humility, and enough patience to actually enjoy the experience. Their love of exploring new countries, cultures and musical traditions shines through, both on the new record, and in the way they talk about it. "When I'm travelling, I'm generally just very content," is how Liam sums it up. Which in a world of @DJsComplaining, makes for a nice change.
Kingdoms in Colour is out now. Watch the recently released, travel-themed video for their current single Kingdoms above, and head to the Maribou State website for details of their US & Canada tour, plus upcoming UK shows this spring. You can also follow the band's travels on Instagram.


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Symptoms in metabolic neuropathy can reflect sensory, motor, or autonomic involvement.
Patients usually complain of tingling and numbness (ie, paresthesias) and painful dysesthesias, worse at night. Motor and autonomic complaints are less common. Classifying the involvement of peripheral nerves is useful. Classification of metabolic neuropathy by topographic involvement, modified from Thomas and Tomlinson, [16] is as follows:
Symmetric polyneuropathies
Sensory or sensorimotor polyneuropathy
Autonomic neuropathy
Focal and multifocal neuropathies
Entrapment neuropathies
Cranial neuropathy
Asymmetric lower limb motor neuropathy
Mixed forms
Symptoms of metabolic neuropathy according to this classification are as follows:
In symmetric polyneuropathy, initial symptoms begin insidiously and are most prominent distally in the lower extremities. Sensory disturbances exhibit a typical "length related pattern," with involvement of the toes that advances to the feet and legs.
The upper limbs are affected more rarely; however, when upper limbs are involved, symptoms develop in the same pattern, with involvement of the fingers spreading to the hands and forearms in a glovelike pattern.
In advanced stages, sensory symptoms may involve the anterior part of abdomen and trunk (hence the term "trunk neuropathy"), leading sometimes to the erroneous diagnosis of myelopathy. In extreme cases, the vertex of the head may be affected.
Sensory symptoms
Symptoms in most patients are mild in severity. However, when pain becomes severe, it presents with lancinating paresthesias and burning sensations that are typically worse at night.
Involvement of nerves by entrapment is common in metabolic neuropathies. Sensory symptoms such as pain and paresthesias along the distribution of the nerve and worsening at night are typical manifestations. The nerves most commonly involved are the median nerve (carpal tunnel syndrome [CTS]), ulnar nerve, and median and lateral plantar nerves (tarsal tunnel syndrome [TTS]). Multifocal sensory symptoms also suggest mononeuritis multiplex.
Pain described as "aching of the whole arm" is not uncommon in CTS. In TTS, paresthesias in the feet and pain are worse when walking. The presence of an entrapment neuropathy in children younger than 10 years is almost always suggestive of a rare metabolic disorder such as mucopolysaccharidosis or mucolipidosis or of hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsy.
Metabolic neuropathy can cause injury to both large and small nerve fibers. Involvement of large fibers can cause alteration in vibration and proprioception and a sensory ataxia. Involvement of small fibers produces alteration in temperature perception or autonomic function. Small-fiber involvement can cause alteration in pain and temperature, leading to the so-called "pseudosyringomyelia."
Motor symptoms
Mild distal weakness is a common complaint, but patients also may experience proximal leg weakness, which is often asymmetric.
Asymmetric motor involvement in lower limbs is more common in patients with diabetes and is termed "amyotrophy."
Motor weakness can be asymmetric and focal, suggesting the diagnosis of plexopathy; when painful, it suggests the presence of radiculoplexopathy.
Involvement of cranial nerves can cause signs and symptoms such as diplopia, facial drooping, lacrimation, dysgeusia, and facial pain.
Autonomic symptoms: Clinical manifestations of autonomic neuropathy, modified from Thomas and Tomlinson [16] , are as follows:
Pupillary and lacrimal gland dysfunction
Disturbance of dilatation
Argyll Robertson pupil
Cardiovascular disturbances
Tachyarrhythmias and bradyarrhythmias
Postural hypotension
Asymptomatic myocardial infarction
Sudden death
Thermoregulatory disorders
Distal anhydrosis
Gustatory sweating
Abnormal vasomotor responses to temperature changes
Alimentary tract disorders
Esophageal atony
Gastric and duodenal atony
Gallbladder atony
Diarrhea, constipation
Colonic atony
Anal sphincter weakness
Genitourinary disturbances
In the general examination, checking for signs of autonomic dysfunction as described above is important if metabolic diseases are present. Also, determination of skin color changes is key; look for signs of adrenal insufficiency or the syndrome of polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M protein, and skin changes (POEMS). For signs of diabetic neuropathy, refer to the article Diabetic Neuropathy.
Sensory findings
Symmetric distal sensory loss suggests polyneuropathy.
Asymmetric hypoesthesia in distal territories of multiple nerves suggests mononeuritis multiplex.
Allodynia is the perception that a sensory stimulus is painful.
Signs of entrapment include Tinel sign, in which percussion around the site of the median nerve in the wrist produces paresthesias in the first 4 digits, and Phalen sign, in which sustained flexion of the wrist causes paresthesias in the digits. These signs also may be triggered with percussion of the ulnar nerve at the wrist or elbow, at the fibular head (peroneal nerve entrapment), or at the posterior part of the internal malleolus (tibial nerve entrapment).
Altered perception of pain and temperature with a pseudosyringomyelia state suggests involvement of small fibers. Some patients experience loss of visceral pain sensation, which may manifest as painless myocardial infarction or loss of testicular sensation.
Foot ulceration is one of the most severe complications of diabetic neuropathy; it can lead to gangrene and result in the need for amputation.
Damage to large sensory fibers leads to loss of touch-pressure sensitivity, vibration and joint position sense, and tendon reflexes, with a resulting sensory ataxia. Patients may have postural instability, with sensory ataxia that is more prominent in lower limbs and with eyes closed (Romberg sign).
Motor findings
Mild distal weakness may be noted in patients with sensory polyneuropathy. If any metabolic condition is accompanied by moderately severe to severe subacute weakness, consider other diagnoses, including chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). This entity is more common in patients with diabetes than in the general population.
Asymmetric motor neuropathy, which is subacute painful asymmetric lower limb (rarely upper limb) weakness, is another motor abnormality that has received several names, including motor neuropathy, diabetic myelopathy, diabetic amyotrophy, femoral neuropathy, Burns-Garland syndrome, diabetic polyradiculopathy, proximal diabetic neuropathy and, perhaps the most adequate, diabetic lumbosacral plexus neuropathy.
Double-crush phenomenon: Simultaneous compromise of nerve roots and peripheral nerves by entrapment can be found in metabolic diseases.
Cranial neuropathies
The most common finding in patients with diabetes is an isolated third nerve palsy without pupillary involvement. Less common is compromise of the sixth or seventh cranial nerve. These neuropathies are usually not painful and occur most commonly in elderly patients. Diabetes may involve the optic nerve and retina, causing diabetic retinopathy, which leads to blindness.
Peripheral neuropathies
Table 1. Symptoms and Signs of Peripheral Neuropathy* (Open Table in a new window)
Small-Fiber Sensory
Large-Fiber Sensory
Burning pain
Loss of vibration
Heart rate changes
Cutaneous allodynia
Proprioception loss
Postural blood pressure change
Loss of reflexes
Abnormal sweating
Lancinating pain
Slowed NCVs
Loss pain/temperature
Sensory ataxia
Foot ulcers
Abnormal ejaculation
Visceral pain loss
* Modified from Apfel, 1999. [19]
Uremic polyneuropathy is usually subacute, sensorimotor, distal, and more prominent in the lower extremities. It commonly is associated with muscle cramps and the restless leg syndrome.
The earliest finding in uremic neuropathy is loss of ankle jerks or elevation of the vibratory sensation threshold. Assessing neuropathic changes in uremia is challenging because they also may be related to other factors, such as diabetes, vasculitis, or nutritional impairment.
The most common mononeuropathy in chronic renal failure is CTS, but mononeuropathies of ulnar or femoral nerves may be caused by compression by fistulas or dialysis catheters. Multiple cranial nerve neuropathies also have been reported in uremia. Pardoxical heat sensation seems to be a common and early sign in uremic sensory neuropathy. [20]
Thyroid neuropathy
Entrapment neuropathy of the median nerve is the most common neuropathy associated with hypothyroidism. Compromise of the eighth nerve causing deafness is not uncommon. Multiple cranial nerve involvement is rare.
Polyneuropathy is usually subacute, sensory, and occurs in 31-65% of patients. Subclinical hypothyroidism also may present with peripheral nerve involvement.
Sensory complaints include painful dysesthesias in the hands and feet and radiating lancinating pains, occasionally suggesting nerve root compression. Examination findings may reveal distal glove-and-stocking sensory loss and ataxia.
Weakness is a common complaint, but it usually is related to myopathic involvement.
Hyporeflexia and delayed relaxation phase of the ankle jerk are common. Transient swelling on percussion of the skin (mounding phenomenon) may be observed.
Occasionally, hyperthyroidism may be associated with polyneuropathy. [21]
Neuropathy in chronic liver disease
Nonalcoholic chronic liver disease may be associated with an asymptomatic or mild sensory-motor demyelinating polyneuropathy in approximately 45-50% of patients.
Peripheral neuropathy also has been reported in primary biliary cirrhosis and following acute viral hepatitis.
Acute motor peripheral neuropathy similar to that of Guillain-Barré syndrome and associated with liver disease also has been documented.
Polyneuropathy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Several controversial reports describe mild polyneuropathy associated with COPD. Treatment of patients who have COPD with drugs that may affect peripheral nerves secondarily may help explain this association. A study done in 2010 compared COPD patients and healthy controls. All study participants were evaluated with standard motor and sensory nerve conduction studies. Peripheral neuropathy was found in 15% of COPD patients. [22]
Miscellaneous: Acromegaly and amyloidosis are associated more often with entrapment neuropathies and less commonly with peripheral neuropathy. Monoclonal gammopathies, such as cryoglobulinemia, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), and myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG)–associated gammopathy, can present with peripheral neuropathy.
Clinical features of MGUS
It is associated with the presence of monoclonal proteins in the serum. [23]
Amyloidosis, osteosclerotic myeloma, or related disorders are absent.
MGUS presents as a symmetric sensorimotor polyneuropathy that begins insidiously and progresses slowly over months or years.
It occurs especially in the fifth, sixth, and seventh decades of life.
Males are affected more commonly than females.
Paresthesias, ataxia, and pain may be prominent.
Cranial nerves are not affected.
Amyloid neuropathy (nonfamilial)
Progressive involvement of small-diameter fibers with loss of pain and temperature sensation is typical of amyloid neuropathy, but occasionally patients can develop large-fiber neuropathy as well.
It presents commonly as CTS or as a painful peripheral neuropathy. Initial symptoms of neuropathy are sensory, with more extensive involvement of the lower extremities. With time, motor symptoms develop and are more prominent in the lower limbs.
Occasionally, amyloid neuropathy may manifest as autonomic dysfunction with severe orthostatic hypotension, syncopal episodes, or sexual impotence.
In patients whose amyloidosis begins with neuropathy, the clue to the diagnosis may be involvement of the heart, bowel, or kidneys.
Porphyric neuropathy
Disorders of porphyrin metabolism are a rare cause of peripheral neuropathy. Only hepatic porphyrias are associated with neurologic disease.
Acute intermittent porphyria may be associated with attacks of acute motor neuropathy with mild sensory symptoms very similar to Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Attacks are precipitated by drugs like phenytoin and phenobarbital and may be accompanied by abdominal pain, confusion, and seizures.
Diabetic neuropathy and nutritional neuropathy
Diabetic neuropathy and nutritional neuropathy are discussed in detail in the following articles: Diabetic Neuropathy and Nutritional Neuropathy.
See the list below:
Common causes of metabolic neuropathy include the following:
Chronic liver disease
Monoclonal gammopathies
Rare causes of metabolic neuropathy include the following:
Mitochondrial disorders
Adrenal insufficiency (rare reports of autonomic involvement)
Disorders of lipid or glycolipid metabolism (eg, Refsum disease, Fabry disease, abetalipoproteinemia, hypobetalipoproteinemia, Tangier disease)
Leukodystrophies with peripheral nerve involvement (adrenomyeloneuropathy, adrenoleukodystrophy, Krabbe disease)
Risk factors for metabolic neuropathy include the following:
Uncontrolled metabolic status
Hypertension, obesity, and smoking (for diabetic neuropathy)
Thalidomide has been found useful in treating multiple myeloma, whether in refractory forms, in first diagnosis patients, [24] during the induced-remission phase before autologous transplantation, or as maintenance therapy for responders. However, the most feared side effect is peripheral neuropathy, which inevitably causes even effective therapy to be suspended.
Patients with metabolic neuropathy can develop autonomic dysfunction and are at high risk to develop asymptomatic myocardial infarction and sudden death.
Patients with diabetes who have neuropathy can develop foot ulcers.
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It's fun to imagine the AI future of home service robots, Amazon Dots in every room, delivery drones and more accurate home medical diagnoses. But while it's natural that flashy consumer applications are capturing the public's imaginations, AI's capacity to transform another area doesn't get as much attention – the way software itself is developed.
Imagine what computers could do if they understood themselves. Well, they soon will. And I'm not talking about far in the future; I'm talking about the very near future, using off-the-shelf technology that already exists today.
Until now, machine learning experts have tended to focus on AI applications highly tailored to specific tasks – for example, facial recognition, self-driving cars, speech recognition, even Internet search results. But what if those same algorithms were able to understand their own code structure — without human assistance, interpretation or intervention — in the same way they can recognize and process human language and images?
If code started analyzing itself – fixing errors and making improvements faster than a human ever could — technological breakthroughs could happen faster and faster. The possibilities seem endless: medical advances, smoother robots, smarter phones, software with fewer bugs, banks with less fraud, on and on.
Artificial intelligence holds the potential to solve an age-old problem in software development. While the ability for code to write or manipulate other code – a concept known as metaprogramming – has existed for a long time (it actually originated in the late 1950s with Lisp), it can tackle only the problems a human can imagine.
But AI can change that.
Using AI, computers could understand all the code in a software project's history, improving and debugging individual lines of code in an instant, in every conceivable programming language.
Even an inexperienced or mediocre programmer with an idea for an app could just start describing the idea and the computer could build the application itself. This could mean the difference between completing, say, a cancer research project in days or months rather than years. It's that significant an advance.
The technologies that will eventually lead to these dramatic advances are in the embryonic stage today, but they're starting to get out there. For example, Google's TensorFlow machine learning software lets everyday developers build neural network features directly into apps, such as the ability to recognize people and objects in photos. You no longer need a Ph.D. to tinker with these ideas. The ability for amateurs to tinker might be the biggest breakthrough in AI ever.
Think this is far in the future? You might be surprised to learn that companies are already using AI concepts in its in-house project management system – like Google, which built a bug prediction program that uses machine learning and statistical analysis to guess whether a piece of code is potentially flawed or not. Ilya Grigorik, co-chair of the W3C, then created an open-source version of the tool called bugspots, which has been downloaded over 20,000 times.
Another example is with Siri's successor, Viv. As outlined in a recent Wired article, Viv doesn't just do speech recognition with a smattering of natural language processing. Viv builds complex adaptive computer programs based on English words. Code writing code. Because the written code is trained and specialized by Viv's creators, this isn't quite the generalized code writing ability that I'm talking about here, but it's a step in that direction.
Yet another step in that direction can be found in the land of amateur tinkerers. Emil Schutte has a provocative statement: Tired of writing code? Me too! Let's have Stack Overflow do it. He goes on to share a proof of concept, full working code, that pulls from Stack Overflow's large database of programming knowledge to provide fully functioning chunks of code based only on the intentions of the code already written.
As more of this technology comes online and matures, machines will be able to outperform humans at just about any task: visual processing, image processing, games, and now even programming other computers.
So why can't computers understand themselves yet? The answer is it's just a matter of time before they do. And once they do, you can expect to see radical breakthroughs in all fields where software is important.
Lucas Carlson is VP of strategy at Automic Software.
READ THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE: Computers could soon be our best developers
Source: Venture Beat


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Please confirm directly with the organizer that this event is occurring as scheduled.
The annual Morro Bay Kite Festival is held every April. Head to the beach just north of The Rock to see the kites take flight throughout the weekend. Admission is free, this is a great event for families.


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Dark Air-Cured Tobacco in Asia
Sorting and buying tobacco
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Dark Air-Cured Tobacco in Asia
Dried tobacco leaf
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Dark Air-Cured Tobacco in Asia
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Dark Air-Cured Tobacco in Asia
By Eric Piras
While minds are often turned to Cuba, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, or Honduras for tobacco growing areas, one tends to forget or ignore that Asia also has a long history of cultivating tobacco, and with very respectable results.
The main Asian areas for tobacco are the Philippines and Indonesia: both countries have a deep tradition of cultivating tobacco and their best-known product is dark air-cured tobacco.
Dark Air-Cured Tobacco in Asia
A few definitions Air-curing: One of the four main methods of curing, which involves removing all of the natural sap and moisture from tobacco leaves. Air-curing is a natural drying process in which harvested tobacco leaves are hung to dry in an air-curing barn. The barn is a wooden structure that can be either closed completely or ventilated, depending on weather conditions. The barn is closed to conserve moisture in dry conditions; in wet conditions, moisture is removed by opening vents in the roof and/or opening side walls that are specially constructed for this purpose. For the most part, air-cured tobacco is dried with natural heat; however, humid weather conditions may require a limited amount of artificial heat. Tobacco that has been air-cured is typically brown in color. Dark air-cured tobacco: A type of tobacco which is distinguished from other types of tobacco primarily by the fermentation process it undergoes. Fermentation gives dark air-cured tobacco its medium to dark brown color and distinct aroma.
One of the four methods of curing, air-curing, is a natural drying process in which harvested tobacco leaves are hung to dry in an air-curing barn; the fermentation process it undergoes when drying in the natural heat of the barn gives air-cured tobacco its medium to dark brown color and distinct aroma.
This tobacco is mainly used in cigars, dark cigarettes, pipe mixtures, chewing tobacco, and other smokeless product tobaccos.
In the Philippines, where tobacco was introduced during the last quarter of the 16th century by Spanish missionaries coming from Mexico, tobacco assumed the proportions of an industry around 1781.
In 1883, a large commercial concern known as the Compana General de Tabacos de Filipinas built a large cigar and cigarette factory named "La Flor de la Isabela", which is still the largest operator in the tobacco industry of the Philippines.
While tobacco is now grown in almost every province, the valley of the Cagayan River is peculiarly adapted to the production of high-grade tobacco and the best areas are (in ranking order) Isabela, Cagayan, Pangasinan, Cebu, and La Union.
Some of the producers from the best areas are very professional and supply excellent tobacco to major machine-made cigar manufacturers. One of the most remarkable examples is probably Isabela Leaf Tobacco Co., Inc. managed by Jose Pua, which produces first-rate dark air-cured tobacco from the province of Isabela in the Northern region of the Philippines.
They supply Altadis, General Cigar, Imperial Tobacco, SNTA in Algeria, and RNTA in Tunisia, so there is a high chance that most cigar consumers have sampled their tobacco without realising it.
Tobacco from the Philippines is however not always just a part of a nameless blend; it can also stand on their own in cigars enjoyed by aficionados.
In addition to the pleasing bouquet or aroma and its light-colored "claro" wrapper, the Philippine cigars are usually quite light, enjoyable, and affordable, and are earning a growing recognition on international markets.
One of the companies enjoying a rising business is Tabaqueria de Filipinas, founded by Gabriel G. Ripoll Jr. in 1993. It is the largest cigar manufacturing company in the Philippines today, producing three cigar brands: Flor de Filipinas, Independencia 1989, and Antonio Gimenez, all of which are 100% hand-made, premium Philippine cigars using only the best Philippine tobacco. The company also produces many third-party labels for several clients around the world.
Indonesia is a country blessed with humidity, sunshine, and volcanic soil that makes it suitable to grow dark air-cured tobaccos and Indonesian dark-air cured tobaccos are one of the most common raw materials used in cigar production around the world, mainly for machine-made and affordable hand-made cigars.
Dark Air-Cured Tobacco in Asia
DAC Besuki NO
In Indonesia, there are two traditional types of dark air-cured tobacco: Sumatra is grown in Northern Sumatra island, and Besuki NO is grown in East Java; however some tobacco companies have recently experimented in growing Sumatra seeds in East Java (later known as the TBN, Tembakau Bawah Naungan or undershade grown), Piloto seeds in East Java (known as the Javano), and Connecticut tobaccos in Central Java.
Besuki is widely employed in machine-made cigars as well as for bobbins used in the manufacturing of machine-made cigars. In general, the Java tobacco is powerful and makes excellent wrappers, binders, and some long fillers.
One of the largest tobacco brokers, G. Harkema B.V, which was founded in 1872, opened a service office in Jember (East Java) in 1991 and has established close relationships with growers and packers of dark air-cured tobacco in the area. It has become a leading player on the Indonesian scene, enabling cigar manufacturers to acquire the best wrappers, binders, and fillers suitable for their products.
Rough estimates for the total production of Indonesian wrapper stand at 1,400 tons, Java Besuki binder at 650 tons, and Java Besuki filler at 5,000 tons; Harkema's share is around half of these volumes.
As per a new European legislation, "eco-cigarillos" now need to be wrapped with a natural wrapper instead of a sheet as before, and the Indonesian dark air-cured tobacco seems to have found a new market with these "eco-cigarillos" sold mainly in Germany and Spain.
Dark Air-Cured Tobacco in Asia
A field of young tobacco plants in the Philippines
Somewhat of a newcomer on the cigar tobacco-growing map is China and its widely publicized plantations on Hainan island, especially for long fillers. Thanks to its cooperation with international players, strong progress is being made and the potential is definitely there, but the road is still long before the Chinese-grown wrappers can be competitive in terms of quality, taste, and specs.
With the development of cigar factories in China, it would be interesting to see the Chinese monopoly look into enlarging authorizations for tobacco importation in China. Indonesian tobacco is already allowed for import into China, but neighboring Philippines also produce widely recognized and excellent tobacco, both for machine-made and hand-made cigars, which would be a valuable addition to the Chinese-made cigar blends.
Bets are open… in a few years time, Asia will also spring to mind when cigar aficionados think about tobacco-producing regions or country of origin.


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