#THEY TAKE A TRIP TO AUSTRALIA TOGETHER IN THIS EPISODE HE VISITS HER FARM(???) THAT SHE OWNS (??????)

[bearskvlls]

if you've never watched the 1965 thunderbirds, this is me begging you to watch the 1965 thunderbirds

[newstfionline]

Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Meat Is Latest Cyber Victim as Hackers Hit Top Supplier JBS (Bloomberg) The world’s biggest meat supplier has become the latest casualty of a cybersecurity attack. JBS SA shut its North American and Australian computer networks after an organized assault on Sunday on some of its servers, the company said by email. The attack sidelined two shifts and halted processing at one of Canada’s largest meatpacking plants, while the company canceled all beef and lamb kills across Australia, industry website Beef Central said. Some kill and fabrication shifts have also been canceled in the U.S. Hackers now have the commodities industry in their crosshairs with the JBS attack coming just three weeks after the operator of the biggest U.S. gasoline pipeline was targeted. It’s also happened as the global meat industry battles lingering Covid-19 absenteeism after recovering from mass outbreaks last year that saw plants shut and supplies disrupted.

China’s future gateway to Latin America is a mega-port in Peru (America Economia) Despite local opposition, Chinese investors are pumping billions into the Chancay project, a massive port complex north of Lima that will boost trade between China and Latin America as a whole, reports Gonzalo Torrico in business magazine America Economia. The Chancay port complex, with an initial investment of $1.3 billion, will turn this fishing and farming town into a regional hub that could redefine shipping lines in the entire southern Pacific. Since 2019, the project’s main stakeholder is the Chinese state firm Cosco Shipping Ports (60%). Cosco is a partner in 52 port projects worldwide. But in the Americas, Chancay is the first being built with Chinese capital. The complex is expected to be fully functional by 2024, helping consolidate China’s influence in South America, and in Peru especially. In the last decade, this country has become the regional crux of China’s economic and geopolitical interests. So far, Chinese firms have invested more than $30 billion in Peru, a figure exceeded only by money spent in Brazil. The principal sector is mining, which has absorbed more than half all these investments and has proven to be an excellent source for the mineral materials China needs to keep its industrial sector humming. One of those materials is copper, which Peru produces in great quantity.

More boats on canals and rivers than in 18th century as thousands opt for life afloat (Guardian) Little more than six months ago, Paul and Anthony Smith-Storey were still living in a three-bedroom semi-detached house near St Helens in Merseyside. But now the couple—and their dog, Dexter—have traded it all in for a life afloat in a two-metre-wide narrowboat on Peak Forest Canal in Derbyshire. “We took the equity out of the house, bought the boat and thought we’d enjoy it while we were still alive,” said Anthony, 48, an NHS sonographer. They are not the only ones. Record numbers are spending time on Britain’s rivers and canals, according to the Canal and River Trust. Such is their popularity that the charity, which manages 2,000 miles of waterways across England and Wales, says: “There are more boats on our canals now than at the height of the industrial revolution.” The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) said there are about 80,000 powered boats across the waterways of England, Scotland and Wales. Boat builders and sellers put the surge in interest down to the pandemic.

NSA spying row: US and Denmark pressed over allegations (BBC) European powers have pressed the US and Denmark over reports the two worked together to spy on top European politicians, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Danish broadcaster DR said Denmark’s Defence Intelligence Service (FE) collaborated with the US National Security Agency (NSA) to gather information from 2012 to 2014. Mrs Merkel is among those demanding answers. “This is not acceptable between allies, and even less between allies and European partners,” said French President Emmanuel Macron, after speaking with Mrs Merkel.

The Taliban Say They’ve Changed. On the Ground, They’re Just as Brutal. (WSJ) During a recent trip, Kamaluddin visited a barbershop to obtain the illicit pleasures of clean-shaven cheeks and a fashionable mustache. But the shopkeeper, 25 years old, planned to let it regrow before heading home, wary of incurring the Taliban’s wrath. His father and brother were caught last month using smartphones in their home district of Arghistan, an area effectively ruled by the movement. The insurgents confiscated the devices, which could be used for supposedly un-Islamic behavior such as playing music and videos, and forced the men to swallow their SIM cards. Kamaluddin recounted the incident as he waited to return from Kandahar, the government-controlled provincial capital. “They will put me in prison if they see me like this,” he said. “If the Taliban come back, they will bring darkness.” The Taliban, ousted from power by a U.S.-led invasion 20 years ago, are poised to expand their influence as American forces leave the country. The group has sought in recent months to present themselves as a responsible state actor to regional powers and the West. Indeed, some of their most-violent punishments, such as amputations for accused thieves, are used less frequently than in the 1990s as they seek to avoid alienating Afghans. Yet accounts from Kamaluddin and others living under Taliban rule, as well as insurgents themselves, suggest that the group’s governance is as ruthless as ever.

Delhi Reopens a Crack (NYT) The Indian capital, which just weeks ago suffered the devastating force of the coronavirus, with tens of thousands of new infections daily and funeral pyres that burned day and night, is taking its first steps back toward normalcy. Officials on Monday reopened manufacturing and construction activity, allowing workers in those industries to return to their jobs after six weeks of staying at home to avoid infection. The move came after a sharp drop in new infections, at least by the official numbers, and as hospital wards emptied and the strain on medicine and supplies has eased. Life on the streets of Delhi is not expected to return to normal immediately. Schools and most businesses are still closed. The Delhi Metro system, which reopened after last year’s nationwide lockdown, has suspended service again. But the city government’s easing of restrictions will allow people to begin returning to work—and, more broadly, to start to repair India’s ailing, pandemic-struck economy.

Myanmar carries out air strikes after militia attacks (Reuters) Myanmar’s military used artillery and helicopters on Monday against anti-junta militias in the country’s east, witnesses and rebels said, forcing residents to flee and join thousands of others displaced by recent fighting in the region. Residents of Kayah state bordering Thailand said the military was firing artillery from positions inside the state capital Loikaw into Demoso, about 14.5 km (9 miles) away, where a People’s Defence Force said it had attacked troops and was coming under heavy fire. Myanmar’s military is fighting on multiple fronts and struggling to impose order since its Feb. 1 coup against Aung San Suu Kyi and her elected government, sparking nationwide protests and paralysing strikes. Decades-old conflicts between the military and ethnic minority armies have also reignited, while militias allied with a shadow government have stepped up attacks on the army, which has responded with heavy weapons and air strikes, forcing thousands to flee.

North Korea’s missile warning (Foreign Policy) North Korea warned the United States on Monday that relaxing South Korea’s missile limits could lead to an “acute and instable situation” in the region. “The termination step is a stark reminder of the U.S. hostile policy toward (North Korea) and its shameful double-dealing,” said Kim Myong Chol, an unofficial mouthpiece for Pyongyang, in a statement issued by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency. The United States recently lifted a 500-mile range restriction on South Korea’s missile program, in place since 1979. South Korea’s industrial ability to ramp up new missile production “could lead to an arms race with devastating implications,” Donald Kirk wrote last week in Foreign Policy.

Australian court upholds ban on most international travel (AP) An Australian court on Tuesday rejected a challenge to the federal government’s draconian power to prevent most citizens from leaving the country so that they don’t bring COVID-19 home. Australia is alone among developed democracies in preventing its citizens and permanent residents from leaving the country except in “exceptional circumstances” where they can demonstrate a “compelling reason.” Most Australians have been stranded in their island nation since March 2020 under a government emergency order made under the powerful Biosecurity Act. Surveys suggest most Australians applaud their government’s drastic border controls. The Australian newspaper published a survey last month that found 73% of respondents said the international border should remain closed until at least the middle of next year.

Lebanon’s economic crisis (Foreign Policy) Lebanon’s economic collapse could rank within the top 3 “most severe crises episodes globally since the mid-nineteenth century,” according to a new report issued by the World Bank. The report cites the “brutal and rapid” contraction of Lebanon’s GDP, which dropped from $55 billion in 2018 to $33 billion in 2020. “The social impact of the crisis, which is already dire, could rapidly become catastrophic,” the report notes, as more than half of Lebanon’s population is already living below the poverty line.

Congo killings (Foreign Policy) At least 55 people were killed in overnight attacks near two villages in eastern Congo, close to the border with Uganda. Congolese officials blamed the attack on the Allied Democratic Forces, an Islamist insurgent group that in March was deemed a foreign terrorist organization by the United States. The group killed more than 850 people in 2020, according to the United Nations. At the beginning of May, President Félix Tshisekedi declared a state of siege across the affected regions, surging troops in a bid to quell violence.

[jjspina]

Beautiful Sicily!

Buon Giorno! Buon Sera! Buona Notte!

Well, I am finally home and back to blogging, email, writing and all the rest of the stuff that I do daily. I enjoyed the time away and the welcome break to get recharged and energized. I was not, however, able to post a Father’s Day note during this time. For this, I apologize. I hope all fathers out there had a relaxing day.

I had been away on vacation from June 10th – June 19th traveling all over Sicily with Collette Tours.

We had an excellent Tour Manager, Cristina, who shared the beauty and culture of this wonderful island with us. Cristina was calm, competent, and helpful and she spoke in a melodious tone that made us feel right at home. Thank you, Cristina! She kept us all together and everything running smoothly. The group was a small one – only twelve. Once we got acclimated, we were feeling like a family after a few days. Here’s our group – a couple, Elizabeth and Robert from Australia, Mary from Massachusetts, Kimberly and Mary Ann from Pennsylvania, a couple, David & Kathy, and Margaret, all three from New York, Connie from Illinois, David from Colorado, and John and I from New Hampshire. I look forward to keeping in touch with everyone in the future!

Each place we visited a local guide would be there to take us on tour of the sites. Our first stop was in Palermo which is Sicily’s capital. We discovered the Arab-Norman influence in the historic architecture. This city is earthy and bustling with activity in the evening. These lovely people are warm, friendly and welcoming to tourists. Well, after all, we do like to spend money and eat!

Various churches we visited

I was amazed at all the young children out so late at night. Sicilians go out to dinner after 8:30. I am used to eating early – 6:00 or so. You know what happens when you eat late? You can’t lay down, never mind sleep! We ate plenty of spaghetti ala Norma (pasta with eggplant) and seafood everywhere we went. We captured many of our meals below before we devoured them! Alora!

                Cous Cous with seafood         Mozzarella & prosciutto sandwich

Spaghetti with whole shrimp (head included)

We stayed in a lovely hotel, Grand Hotel Piazza Borsa. We were fortunate to have only two hotels to stay in during our nine days. This made it more relaxing and comfortable coming home to one place for four nights before we had to move on to the next hotel. We traveled in an air-conditioned coach to our destinations each day driven by a competent and talented driver, Antonio. It takes a special skill to drive all over Sicily the way the Sicilians drive! It was quite an experience as we observed Antonio skirting around all kinds of traffic expertly. Thank you, Antonio!

Grand Hotel Piazza Borsa in Palermo

Here’s a photo of our lovely Tour Manager, Cristina, and handsome driver, Antonio.

Alora! On our first night in Palermo there was a little incident. Of course, after I tell you about it you can see how this episode could be blown up out of proportion all over the city, maybe even the island! Well, almost! Ha! I must tell you that this can happen in your own hometown or anywhere you may travel. Please do not let this frighten you from traveling.

We were walking back,  a short distance from our hotel, from our first dinner together. John and I had already gone up to our room and missed out on all the excitement. Mary from Massachusetts and Margaret from New York were heading into the entrance which had a revolving glass doorway when unexpectedly a man came hobbling along on crutches and got between Mary and the door. He reached out and tried to grab her necklace and pocketbook scratching her across her neck and bruising her shoulder.  Mary screamed in alarm and stepped back without falling but never let go of her necklace or her pocketbook. The man lost his balance but tried to strike out again. Margaret, seeing this, went into action kicking out at the man and hitting him in an area that incapacitated him and knocked him over. Now, I must mention that Margaret is 81 years old and under five feet tall. She single-handedly felled the man without the help of the hotel staff who came along afterward. The man ran away without his crutches and never looked back! Upon hearing about this heroic deed I gave Margaret the name, Mighty Margaret and Mary became Marvelous Mary. This story followed Margaret all over Palermo and beyond. Needless to say, we all felt safe from then on with Margaret around to cover our backs. We had many laughs over this and thank God Mary did not get seriously hurt except for a scratch on her neck and a bruise on her arm. Alora!

Scene of the incident – that’s me standing in front of the revolving door entrance

Now back to the itinerary: On Monday we toured Palermo and the historic squares of Quattro Canti, Piazza Pretoria and Piazza Bellini with their Moorish, Norman and Spanish Baroque styles. We went to visit the magnificent 12th century cathedral in Monreale. Pictures are above of churches visited.

One of my favorite parts of this trip was the tour of a medieval palace where a countessa welcomed us, shared her home and an aperitif and hors d’oeuvres in one of the palace chambers. Alora! The countess also entertained us with her beautiful soprano voice that gloriously filled the chamber.

We spent a day in the medieval town of Erice, founded by the Phoenicians at 2,400 feet above sea level. We strolled the cobblestone streets and captured photos of the gorgeous countryside all the way to the sea. Everywhere we went we tasted the food of the region, some unusual selections that will stay in my memory such as, pig mouth and veal spleen. I didn’t like either one but did sample them. Alora!

In the evening before we went to dinner we joined a local entrepreneur to discuss the notorious Sicilian Mafia and what the Sicilian population are doing to stand up to them. It was fascinating to hear how the people are fighting back by sticking together.

We visited Cefalu where we strolled the medieval streets, stopped in the magnificent cathedral and stores for a souvenir, two coffee mugs with I Love Sicilia and Cefalu. Afterward, we sat and had a delicious chocolate gelato and bottled water. I drank my share of these bottles of water all over Sicily. The weather was quite warm and we did many thousand steps each day. I’d like to say that I lost weight but alas, I did not. I gained a couple, luckily it wasn’t more! Alora!

Roberta, our local guide in Cefalu                      Cathedral there

Local workers in Cefalu

Another favorite part of this magnificent tour was the visit to a local farm. This farm had a beautiful building that contained a dining area, kitchen, bathrooms, and other rooms for the family. Cinzia, the farmer’s wife, welcomed us with open arms to her home. I was quite taken by her warmth, charming and fun personality along with her presentation of what it is like to live on a farm. It was an entertaining experience seeing the goats being milked, and all the tools that the farmer had to use at one time in order to work the land. Of course food was the highlight of this day! The chef prepared pasta Bolognese, veal, local dishes such as Arancini and a ricotta dessert. Cinzia set up a table for four of us to prepare Arancini, rice balls filled with cheese and meat and rolled in bread crumbs. Here is her recipe below. They were absolutely delicious. John and Dave formed the balls, Connie dipped them in the liquid and Mary rolled them in the bread crumbs. Here are a few photos of them in action. It was a fun and memorable experience for all! We drank local wine and tasted some sweet, fragrant and pungent Lemoncello. We had a marvelous time here and hated to leave. Cinzia and her wonderful family waved goodbye to us as we reluctantly drove away. What a lovely and gracious host she was! There are rooms on the farm for twelve guests and a swimming pool if you ever want to visit her! Alora! You will fall in love with her too!

                    Cinzia and her brother             John and fellow travelers making Arancini

                                   Milking sheep                   Cinzia and her husband & children

Views of the countryside as we traveled around Sicily.

Next, we went to Agrigento to walk around the Valley of the Temples on a guided tour and learn about the history of the temples of Juno, Concordia, Hercules and Jupiter. We traveled along the Ionian coast and captured more memories of its beauty.

We traveled to Catania, explored a stunning cathedral and other sites. We observed the daily bartering by Sicilians as they shop for fresh fish in the outdoor market. As we walked through this wet and fishy area voices were raised loudly as each seller competed for buyers’ attention. Alora! John snapped many photos of the incredible selection of seafood and the extensive produce and meat markets here.

Seafood Market

Produce Market and Meat Market

We took an optional tour of a crater of Mount Etna. It was thrilling to stand there and look out on many other craters all in a row. Our Tour Manager told us that there are 300 such craters in the area of the main one. We actually saw smoke coming out of two of the largest craters. Evidently Mount Etna erupts quite often and is said to be spectacular! People watch from theirs home in the valley below like we watch fireworks. I was a little relieved that it didn’t act up while we were there! Alora! Here are some rocks from the crater that I brought home to share with my grandkids.

Lava rocks from Mt. Etna

Views of Mt. Etna and craters

Further south we ventured to Siracusa for an excursion to historical sites with archaeological Greek treasures. We explored green and glorious gardens on a rural estate and their use of an ancient system of irrigation still in use today.

Irrigation system

Cacti and Palm trees and grapes and fruit trees reside side by side at this estate

Sicily is very dry as you can see by the many cacti on the island. We only had one day of rain in the nine days we were there. There were beautiful flowers everywhere though – jacaranda trees with gorgeous purple flowers, bougainvillea and oleander.

Two nights before we left, six of us ventured out to find a restaurant that Mighty Margaret’s daughter had told her about. Unfortunately we were told by a waitress at a café we passed by that it was now closed. This kind young lady suggested another seafood restaurant to us that she said was excellent. We thanked her and went on our way to find it. Once we arrived  we were the only patrons in the place. The staff welcomed us and set up a table immediately. While we looked over the menu we noticed the waiters rushing around with platters of appetizers, much to our surprise, that they began to place all over our table. There was so much to choose from that we couldn’t contain our surprise and delight and giggled with enthusiasm as we sampled all the delicious selections. There wasn’t much room for our second course of pasta but we did out best not to insult the staff. Evidently we gave our waiter quite a healthy tip because he stood by the door and kissed us all on both cheeks in appreciation! Alora! What a memorable night this was! We laughed about it all the way back to the hotel.

Food, fun, vino and new friends

Last stop on our tour was Taormina, the Jewel of Sicily, perched above the Ionian Sea. On a guided tour we were amazed by the Greek Theatre, the Duomo, and the gorgeous public gardens. The views from this theatre were spectacular. All around this area were dozens of shops of local artisans and their wares, sidewalk cafes and boutiques.

Greek Theatre, caverns and spring

Visit to a winery

We didn’t purchase many souvenirs, only these bowls and the two mugs! We will use them daily and treasure the memories. I looked in vain for a white lacy scarf but didn’t find what I wanted. Alora! Maybe another time I will find it!

Souvenir shops

Our last night was spent at a local restaurant outside setting with a musical trio, three men with a tambourine, accordion and a guitar, singing Italian favorites including We Marie, Deliah, O Sole Mio, Volare, and Lazy Mary. Here are some photos of the trio and my fellow travelers having a grand old time saying goodbye to Sicily.

These incredible memories that we take with us from this fabulous trip will forever be forged in our minds and in our photos. I would highly recommend Collette Tours for your next vacation. They even picked us up at our door and drove us to the airport and home on our return. Alora! What a fantastic service! Thank you, Collette, Cristina and Antonio for making our trip so special and unforgettable!

I don’t know if you noticed the word Alora was repeated throughout this post. Well, Alora means umm or a pause in thinking. I thought it would be interesting to add. Hope you don’t mind its overuse. Here are some more Italian words for you to try out! Italian is such a musical language. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing the extra vowels on the end of every word. I was using Alora, Grazie (thank you), Prego (welcome), Arrivederci/Ciao (goodbye), Buon giorno (good morning), Scusi (excuse me) daily. It was fun to use another language.

A special ‘thank you’ to our travel agent extraordinaire, Faye Sell of Martinelli Travel in Londonderry, New Hampshire for coordinating this wonderful trip!

I love to travel and look forward to the next adventure but wherever we may travel, near or far, it is always good to get home safely! For, there is no place like home!

I hope you enjoyed this post and my photos. We took over 700 photos but alas, I could not share them all with you. Feel free to share the post.

Thank you for stopping by! I hope all my fellow travelers enjoy reliving our trip. Please drop me a line, my friends!

Blessings and hugs! Arrivederci!

Janice

Wonderful Trip to Sicily! Beautiful Sicily! Buon Giorno! Buon Sera! Buona Notte! Well, I am finally home and back to blogging, email, writing and all the rest of the stuff that I do daily.