fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Balogun Hammed Opeyemi, first place winner in the Uber Nairobi Ambulance Perambulation Challenge, shares his winning approach
Tags: Nairobi, Uber, Data Science, Africa, Zindi

Balogun Hammed Opeyemi, first place winner in the Uber Nairobi Ambulance Perambulation Challenge, shares his winning approach Zindi 1 day ago·2 min read

We’d like to introduce Balogun Hammed Opeyemi, winner of the Uber Nairobi Ambulance Perambulation Challenge. Read on to see how he came out on top and learn from his approach.

Please introduce yourself to the Zindi community.

I am Balogun Hammed Opeyemi (Balogun) from Lagos, Nigeria. I have a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Physics from Lagos State University and University of Lagos respectively. I am passionate about research and solving real-life problems.

Tell us about your solution for the Uber Nairobi Ambulance Perambulation Challenge.

To begin with, it was important to observe the possible causes of road accidents and the factors that influence these incidents. Unsurprisingly, I observed that the time of the day, day of the week, public holidays, and weather conditions had a lot of influence on the accident patterns. You can check this out in more detail here. Then I grouped the accident locations based on this and optimised the ambulance locations for each time of the day (3 hour window), day of the week, public Holidays, and extreme weather conditions using a gradient descent algorithm to minimise the closest ambulance location to each accident location. Since these groups of data are overlapping, the tricky part was determining which group takes preference. For example, the ambulance location obtained for all days 3–6pm may perform better than the location obtained from a more specific set of data like Sundays 3–6 pm.

What sets your solution apart from the rest of the field?

I think what made the difference for me was: 1) running each grouping individually and observing how their optimised locations differed from the general location, and also how they performed during the validation and test period. 2) Choice of the validation period. After observing that accident locations were influenced by time and period. I chose a validation period that mirrored the test set.”

What do you think of the AI community in Africa?
Dear Mr Shapps
By: Daniel Clarkson
Tags: UK Politics, Wildlife Conservation, Covid 19, Travel, Kenya

A letter by Paul Goldstein

I have now written many times to you asking for some sort of justification for your disastrous travel policies. I am confident that I speak for almost all of the industry when I say you are almost single-handedly destroying something in the UK which employs hundreds of thousands, and abroad millions.

Would you please answer the following questions, I have been in the industry 37 years, and the answers seem very obvious.

1. Your travel task force, why did it have no experts from travel in its ranks?

2. What is the point of an amber light if it effectively means red.

3. Why do people need a day 8 test if they take the release one on day five?

4. I had a PCR test in East Africa and it cost $52.00, why are the ones in the UK so expensive? It is not hard to find out how much they cost to produce.

5. Can we look at Kenya as a case study, a supposed friend of the UK’s. It is a scandal that it is on any list other than green. The figures, freely available government ones, do not back your decision on this country and it is thrusting millions into penury. Your number two Robert Courts sent the supposed validation of this decision to my MP and it is utterly groundless, would you care explain your justification for this travel apartheid?

6. All of the variants so far (and there are thousands without nomenclature) are neutered by the vaccine, why are we still running from them?

7. The notoriously conservative Switzerland let you travel with just a negative PCR test, why not us?

8. If that is not enough for you try the US, they let anyone travel with two vaccines: surely this is just common sense, it was even supported by Tony Blair on the BBC on Sunday, why on earth can we not just do away with the crippling folly of traffic lights and the constant U-turns and do the same?

9. Are the thousands of people arriving for the G7 summit really all going to isolate or there is a rule for them and not us, does a head of state or government official make you immune?

10. Last week-end your colleague Robert Jenrick was completely humbled and frankly butchered on SKY for ten minutes or more on these subjects, he did not answer a single question, would you please answer these, hundreds of thousands of travel workers would like to know they have a future.

You have shown you care for the rail workers by protecting every single job. This must have cost millions. You can save travel industry workers jobs much more easily, by allowing people with two jabs to travel. And not that it needs pointing out but the biggest aid package you can give to any country is tourists ……

Paul Goldstein
The Housing Crisis
By: Cited, Sealed
Tags: Housing Crisis, UK Politics, Housing, Politics, Inequality

Photo by Norbert Levajsics on Unsplash

Introduction

Often, we may see a headline referring to ‘the housing crisis’ or see the same phrase embedded in a news article somewhere, with the unspoken assumption that we are all familiar with what the crisis entails. The principle behind the crisis is rather simple, there are not enough houses for people to live in, which might explain why it is always assumed that we all understand what it means in detail. But this is a hugely oversimplified explanation and does not do justice to the extent of the problem and those who have to live with its impacts.

How can we define the crisis?

To assist with our understanding of this problem, we first need a robust definition to build upon. For some, the current housing crisis can be most specifically described as the lack of affordable housing in economically prosperous areas (1). Due a national trend toward population growth, as well as regionalised population growth around towns and cities where higher-paying jobs are more numerous, the demand for housing is not being met. This is also coupled to a decades-long failure to build houses at the necessary scale in this country.

Supply and demand

Since 2015 successive governments in the UK have made it a major point in their manifestos to tackle the crisis. The current picture is that in 2019/2020 the total housing stock in England increased by 244,000 (2). However, this is a long way short of the 340,000 new homes that need to be built each year, based upon current demand, and as is acknowledged by the UK government. In addition, it is suggested that at least 100,000 of the houses built each year to tackle the crisis should be socially rented in order to ensure their affordability (3).

The failure to build new houses, thus failing to add to the national housing stock at a sufficient rate, is compounded by pressures of demand. Affordable home ownership schemes provided by the government (4) have contributed to an increased demand, but without the supply of new houses this has driven up the cost of existing houses. We earlier mentioned how both national population growth, coupled with above average rates of growth in economically successful cities, such as London and Brighton for example, contributes further to the demand for property in these areas. London and the southeast of England are predicted to grow by 4.9% and 4.4% respectively by 2028 when compared with 2018 levels of population (5). However, we should also consider that the three regions in England with the highest rates of growth for the same period are the East Midlands, the Southwest, and the West Midlands.
An expected dark golden.
By: Stephen Mcconnell
Tags: Wine, Santa Cruz, Food And Wine, Wine Tasting

An expected dark golden. Sweet sage honey and dessert floral, ripe cantaloupe–no, not so fruity–more like honeydew or crenshaw, and with a mineral briar smokiness NOT attributed to oak, DESPITE the stereotypes of the variety. Slightly smelling of seawater and seagulls, seabluff wind in wild grass and wood siding greyed out and weather-beaten in classic huddled–but grand–Sea Ranch fashion. You can SMELL the acidity, the granular rock and grapefruit minerality. It reeks out from around the round fullness of the variety even before you taste it.

Picked this up at one of my favorite importer DTC situations here in Paso Robles: the Arnaud Fabre/Oliver Esparham/Sasha Verhage compilation called PROCURE WINES. Check them out: they get a lot of cool shit and your credit card will never recover. Prizes like this are not uncommon, and this is a group of guys you can trust–especially with something like Chardonnay.

In the mouth, cool spicy elegance. No butter here, just plain old Chardonnay brilliance. Oh, you think Chard isn’t brilliant? I have some bad news for you: YOU ARE DRINKING THE WRONG CHARDONNAYS. This wine is the PERFECT example of why shallow dorks play around with the toddler-toys of Albarino, Picpoul, and even Riesling to find their supposed acidic-mineralific ideals while most in the know consider things like Chardonnay and Viognier to be the true holy grails. Thick and rich while cutting a sharp rug of razor-focused–almost spritzy–citrus fruit, it zings while the others zag, laying edgy, mouth-wiping goodness on every surface.

This wine is NOT heady or blustery or glycerin-ey. Even at this almost roll-your-eyes age for CA chard. Light and elegantly-fruited on entry, increasingly acidic over the middle, finally landing on a burning bluff of southern-swept air while pineapple and papaya do a postlude.

2005 VARNER Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vyd Santa Cruz Mts 13.6

varnerwine.com and procurewines.com
How to Taste Wine | The Ultimate Guide to Improving Your Taste | Cellar.Asia
Tags: Wine, Asia, Wine Tasting, Wine Industry, Singapore

The capacity to sniff out and unwind the inconspicuous strings that mesh into complex wine aromas is fundamental for tasting. Have a go at holding your nose while you sip a significant piece of wine; you will find that the vast majority of the flavor is muted. Your nose is the way into your palate. When you figure out how to give the wine a decent sniff, you’ll start to build up the capacity to disconnect flavors — to see the manner in which they unfurl and cooperate — and, somewhat, appoint language to depict them.

When it comes to how to taste wine, as a matter of first importance, you should be systematic and centered. Locate your own approach and reliably tail it. Only one out of every odd single glass or jug of wine must be dissected right now, of course. Be that as it may if you truly need to find out about wine, a specific measure of devotion is required. At whatever point you have a glass of wine in your grasp, make it a propensity to pause for a moment to stop all discussion, shut out all interruption and concentrate on the wine’s appearance, scents, flavors and finish. If you are looking for ways how to taste wine, learn more at Cellar.Asia.

Cellar.asia is the new online Wine & Spirits platform for wine lovers of any level, from beginners to connoisseurs and professionals, within the Asia-Pacific region.
How to Buy Wine: Help Your Salesperson Help You
Tags: Wine, Asia, Wine Tasting, Wine Industry, Japan

When you are buying a bottle of wine you probably have a pretty good idea of what you want it to taste like. Or what you want to use it for. You may not, however, have the vocabulary to communicate these ideas in a way that will help your wine salesperson understand what you want.

When I worked in wine shops, 90% of my job was to discern what people meant, when they were not saying anything that made sense. Using these questions, or being able to explain your preferences will go a long way towards making sure you get what you are looking for when you buy your next bottle.

Red or White?

This is probably the most basic question of all, but give it some thought. And don’t just think about which you generally prefer — think about the temperature outdoors when you plan to drink it, what type of food you will have with it, etc.

If you need a white wine to pair with something you are serving, but you generally prefer red wine, let your salesperson know. And vice versa, this will help them select a wine that will appropriate for your occasion but which will have characteristics that you will enjoy.

What pairs well with __? What will you be serving?

One of the most important questions to ask. If you are buying a wine to pair with a specific dish or meal, you should consider what will make a good pairing. Is it possible to drink any wine with any food? Yes, it is, but an unsuitable pairing will not show either the food or the wine at its best.

Ask your wine salesperson what they would recommend serving with this dish, and expect that they may ask you about how the meat is cooked, what sauces are used, what spices are used, etc. This does make a difference. Of course, you don’t have to buy the exact wine that they would choose, but discussing the pairing with them will help you make a better selection.

Read the full article here: — — — — —
List of Hand Blown Glasses
By: David Kong
Tags: Handmade, Riedel, Wine, Zalto

Every handblown glass in the US market and where to buy it:

Glasvin

Buy

4 models priced from $35/glass and becomes less expensive for sets of 6 or 8. Shipping is free. They are currently sold out, and can be reserved on the website. (Disclaimer: I own Glasvin).

Grassl Glass

Buy — distributed by CJF Selections

Four models (Liberté, Mineralité, 1855, Cru) sell for roughly $50. Shipping is free

Sophienwald

Buy — distributed by The Perfect Glass

Four models (red, white, essential, champagne) sell for roughly $50. They can be purchased in 6 packs, or in a mixed 3 or 4 set. Shipping is extra.

Gabriel Glas

Buy — distributed by Gabriel Glas International

One model (“Gold”) sell 1 for $71, 2 for $142, or 6 for $426. Shipping is extra.

Zalto

Buy — distributed by Wine Monger

Six models (Universal, Bordeaux, Burgundy, White, Champagne, Dessert) and 5 other glasses. Price ranges from $57 to $63, which presumably accounts for the difference in shipping cost of the larger stems. Shipping is extra.

Jancis Robinson

Buy — distributed by Skurnik

One model (“1”). Also sells a pairing water glass. 2 for $112, 6 for $320. Free shipping above $250.

Mark Thomas

Buy through retailers — distributed by MARKTHOMAS USA

Five models (White, Red, Allround, Red Expression, Champagne) starting at roughly $50.

Conterno (Zweisel)

Buy through retailers — distributed by Grand Cru Selections

One model priced at roughly $90.

Riedel

Buy

There are three major handblown lines. The Sommeliers line starts at $95, the Superleggero line starts at $99, the Fatto a Mano line starts at $100. Shipping is free above $75
Wine Spotlight: 2015 Bodegas Olarra Summa Rioja
By: Wine Library
Tags: Spain, Rioja, Wine

Bodegas Olarra is known for their wine making ability as much as they’re known for their passion for architecture. The same innovative mentality they use to design and build these pieces of architectural art, they apply to their wines. Their Summa Rioja is one of their best bottlings, and it is only made in their best vintages.

Bodegas Olarra in Rioja, Spain

2015 was one of the better vintages in Rioja in the past decade with a long dry growing season. With conditions like this, the grapes have less liquid in them with a higher concentration of sugars and flavor. When the wine is produced, it tends to be much more complex and fuller body. With the added oak, it is even more structured.

The Summa Reserva is a blend of Tempranillo, Mazuela, and Graciano which all are sourced from a single vineyard that is known for their 40 year old vines and low yields. The juice is vinified in stainless steel and then aged for 24 months in brand new barrels. The final product is then bottled without any fining agents added to the wine. After another 18 months in the bottle, kept in their cellar, the wine is then released.

Summa, being made from only the best grapes in the best vintages, is very full bodied. Lots of fruit notes up front, earth tones on the mid palate, and a long rich oak finish. It has a few great reviews, but Josh Raynolds from Vinous Media paints the perfect picture of what this wine is like, “(malo in new American and French oak barrels, followed by two years of aging in new barrels of similar origin) Bright violet color. A deeply perfumed, mineral-accented bouquet displays ripe boysenberry, cherry-cola, licorice pastille and vanilla scents. A suave spice cake nuance builds with air. Coats the palate with sweet red and blue fruit, mocha and candied rose flavors that show impressive clarity and back-end lift. Smooth, slow-building tannins add subtle grip to the impressively long, broad finish, which echoes the vanilla and blue fruit notes.”

Bodegas Olarra is one of the great modern producers of Rioja. The Summa Reserva is one of their top bottlings and is rarely made. There are only 350 cases of this wine in total brought into the US, and it is a great wine to have in your cellar. Drink now for a powerful red, or lay it down for some time. It is extremely versatile, which makes it a great wine for everyone!
Wine Spotlight: 2012 Casa Raia Brunello di Montalcino
By: Wine Library
Tags: Montalcino, Wine, Tuscany

After a couple years of rejuvenation, the wine production was getting larger, and the quality of the wines were getting better. Now, Casa Raia is making exceptional wines in extremely low quantities. Truly a family run and operated winery built on the passion they have for the region.

In the past, the wines best qualities were hidden by an extensive time in oak. Now that they have really dialed in their wines, they use less oak to express the purity of their terroir and the quality of their grapes. 2012 was a good year in Montalcino. It will most likely take a back seat to vintages like 2013 and 2015 which are looking like some of the best ever, but 2012 was still very good. The wines are a little more approachable in their youth compared to some of the other great vintages which is why this is such a great buy! You can drink this while you wait for you others to settle in.

James Suckling scored the wine 92 points and gave a simple and straight forward review, “This is fruit-forward with lots of depth and intensity. Cherry and berry character is profuse. Full and velvety. Flavorful finish. Fantastic. Better in 2019.”

The wine has all the classic characteristics of Brunello di Montalcino, and while it is drinking well right now, it will age beautifully for another decade or even longer! This is truly a special wine by a very small producer. They have brought their tiny vineyard back to life and now producing some really incredible bottles of wine!
In the grand scheme of *bargain Syrah*, this HAS to be at the forefront of the list.
By: Stephen Mcconnell
Tags: Wine, Food And Drink, California, Santa Barbara

In the grand scheme of *bargain Syrah*, this HAS to be at the forefront of the list. Pax’s NORTH COAST has to be up there, and also Dusty Nabor’s $25 NSO. Let’s see… what else…? But the thing about THIS Syrah is that it’s NOT a de-classified wine or second label. It is the Syrah they offer. And it never changes. Year after year it brings beautiful Rhone nuances to the table–NOT “clean, fruit-forward”, over-ripe, or alcohol-addled tourist wine. It is base and funky and reeking of beauty throughout. And it’s $15 bucks. Purple-ruby in the glass, a nutty, barnyard baseline propping up the meaty cherry fruit and old-world cellar-floor on the nose. I have often said you can’t get closer to the Rhone for the money in California, and I’m not faltering a bit with this vintage.

In the mouth, the calm, steadfast expression continues. Nowhere are chubby affectations or heated arguments. California sunshine makes an obvious appearance, but it doesn’t detract from the whole scenario of Cote-Rotie muted splendor. It’s not in-your-face. It doesn’t insult you like many Central Coast versions do. It’s not a cab–and it’s not a pinot. It’s straight-up fabulous syrah: shallowly earthy, acidic and spicy, black cherry tuned to ripe perfection with a still-abrasive finish even at 6. These things age timelessly–a true testament to solid winemaking ignorant of tasting-room trends or flashy extravaganza. Every time I open one of these it blows my mind.

2015 SANTA BARBARA WINERY Syrah Santa Ynez Valley Santa Barbara Co. 14.7

https://www.sbwinery.com/
London Wine Competition 2020
By: Rashika Dass
Tags: Wine, Winemaker, London, Wine Competition, Wineries

Entries are Open to the World’s Most Relevant Wine Competition. Judged on Quality, Value & Packaging. Hurry! Super Early Bird Offer is about the end in 3days.

The London Wine Competition is back after the huge success of its 2nd year. The competition, due to its unique approach to judging wines, has been recognized as a unique and ideal wine competition among all the other wine judging events.

London Wine Competition Judges 2019 Event Picture

All global wine competitions have been organized in the same way for years. Wines entered are simply tasted blind to judge the quality alone. The London Wine Competition has broken with the tradition. This event has a quite different approach to judge the wine. Apart from quality, the London Wine Competition also judges all the wines on their look and value for money. To be more precise, the London Wine Competition judges wine in the same way that consumers do.

The average customer always looks at the price first. Then they look at the label and pick out the wines with designs and stories that appeal to them. So these two things come before a wine producer even gets a chance to show how well the wine is.

This is what the London Wine Competition is all about. Wines entered will be judged on the three criteria:

Quality We celebrate the wines that are both enjoyable and easy to drink, wines that are well-balanced where their acidity, tannins and alcohol levels all work seamlessly together. Packaging What a wine brand looks like is how every consumer chooses their wines. Up to 70% of consumers would choose new wine just because it looks good. So, well-designed packaging is a must-to-consider factor. Value To be good wine, it is not necessary to have a higher or cheaper price. What affects most is the value for money a wine holds.

So, the medal-winning wines are the ones that,

- Offer the best value for the price

- Offer the best quality for their price

- Stand out of the shelf against the competitors

- Tell their story in the most relevant way

All wines in the London Wine Competition are judged by experts only, the experts are involved in direct commercial buying activities for selling wine to the consumers. They are the professional wine buyer who selects wines every day to go on the shelves of the restaurants, hotels, supermarkets and wine stores.

Check out who were the judges in 2019’s London Wine Competition.

Scoring System

Quality: marked out of 50 Packaging: marked out of 25 Value: marked out of 25

To win medals, wines must score according to the following points:

- Gold: 90 points or over

- Silver: points between 76 to 89

- Bronze: points between 65 to 75
How Long Does Wine Last?
By: L P Global
Tags: Wine, Spanish Wine Exporter, Spanish Wine

You probably know that the older the wine, the finer it gets. Wine can age beyond its expiration date, provided it hasn’t been previously opened. That said, wines age differently. Some are best after 3 to 5 years, while others are best enjoyed beyond 10 years of aging.

Before you contact that Spanish wine exporter, study up on how long you can allow certain wines to age, and how long you have until they expire whether the bottle has been opened or not. Here’s what you need to know about aging wine.

Expiration Based on Wine Type

Like all food and beverages, opened wine bottles have their aging cut short to a couple of weeks, while properly stored, unopened bottles have the capacity to age for years. This varies for each type of wine.

Unopened wine in a juice box can last for a year past its printed date of expiry. Bottled white wine typically lasts for 1–2 years; bottled red wine 2 to 3 years. Unopened fine wine lasts the longest, being able to age for decades on end, provided it’s properly stored in a wine cellar. More accurately, the expiration date of any type of wine depends on the environment in which it was stored.

If opened, white wine can last around 1 to 3 days; red wine for 2 to 3 weeks. Wine juice boxes can last for around half a year but not beyond 12 months. Lastly, cooking wine is only good for 1 to 2 months after opening.

How to Determine If the Wine Has Gone Bad

Wine is supposed to taste a certain way. For instance, if the wine’s flavor is supposedly sweet but has turned vinegary, it could be that the wine has expired.

Likewise, the bottle itself can leave clues. If the contents are cloudy, contain a different color than what it once was, or if the cork leaks, it could be signs that your wine has gone bad. Be wary of these traits as they can tell you that the flavor has gone rancid and may no longer be up for consumption.

Wine can last for decades, provided it’s stored properly. Especially if you’re ordering in bulk, it’s important to know what conditions wine needs to be able to age properly, and so you can also avoid wine from spoiling early. If you’re looking to stock up on wine, you can contact a Spanish wine exporter for all your wine needs.
Your A.I.Sommelier is Here!
By: Bybreen Samuels
Tags: Supply Chain, Wine, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Retail Technology

If like me you have a penchant for wine, then your palette will soon be guided by an A.I. Sommelier. Artificial Intelligence has crossed the threshold for recommendations when it comes to our tastes. Prior to recognising what delights the tongue, search engines like YouTube, Amazon and Spotify have led the way in personalising our likes. They rely on our sight and sound senses when we select a video, book or song. Our selections build digital fingerprints about what we find appealing. Then predictions are made on the basis of them.

However, wine and all other food and drink are primarily based on our taste buds. Each of us is unique and our physical tastes are very subjective. For instance, do you prefer wines that are; crisp, earthy, dense, oaked, silky, complex, or velvety? These are just a few descriptive examples. Yet, until recently, it would have been extremely difficult to map and distil these nuances into qualities. And then use them to repeatedly make recommendations. This was due to the need for an extensive volume of controlled testing and numbers of people with varied preferences. In addition to taking account of all the chemical components that form part of the wine creating process.

Nonetheless, Katerina Axelsson, a chemist who founded, Tastry, has solved the problem. She pierced through the maze of taste bud roulette, by teaching a computer to taste wine. Being immersed in the wine industry, she recognised that it lacked coherent decision making data. Her epiphany occurred when a wine critic reviewed the same wine that had two different labels. And then scored them differently. Katerina said,

“I had a hypothesis that you could objectify sensory characteristics by creating a new flavour and analytical chemistry methodology that would measure products the same way a human palate does. And that this objective data could provide predictive visibility throughout the supply chain.”

Voila! By harnessing A.I, analytics and taste chemistry methodology, Katerina was able to gain insights into the flavour composition of wines. In turn, this helps us as consumers to buy wines based on our favourite flavours. Tastry’s algorithms has a 93% accuracy rate in predicting how consumers will score a wine.

This taste bud technology is gaining traction in America. It is already outperforming other tried and tested wine buying methods, by 45%. Tastry, is currently being trialled in the U.K and will be rolled out across Europe, later this year.

For those of you in the wine hospitality sector, you’ll be able to download an app called Bluebird, to receive wine recommendations.
What most of us think but don’t say!
By: Bonum Factum
Tags: Wine, Wine Industry, Reality, Relief, Stress

“Finaly found a parking spot!” one of the first relief you get when you are on your way to your favorite bar. Walking down to your table and you find out someone took it, “Well that’s alright I’ll find somewhere else” after ordering your drink which took a real long time to come you finally take a sip and feel better about the hectic long day you went through. In all this sense of chaos you find out there was nothing to be concerned and stressed about but hey that is the alcohol easing you in. strolling throught instagram you find out your crush has someone new in their life, you wonder “well that’s that” and continue drinking but here is the catch do you think they found something new because you didn’t make the first move? that could have been you but because of all the overthinking and waiting around someone else took their shot and succeeded.

Now and then we all have they days, where we wonder if our choices are right if there will be consequences to them if they would be good or bad? so many thoguhst process through our mind isn’t insane, in all that cloud of thinking you miss out on the little things which can be in your control and you choose to pass them on because you got bigger fishes to fry.

Take control, trust in yourself whatever the outcome may be we both know you will deal with it headon and stronger than before.
Tasting the 2018 the other day inspired me to dig in the cellar, and–as promised–here’s one at…
By: Stephen Mcconnell
Tags: Italy, Wine, Tuscany, Wine Tasting, Food And Drink

Tasting the 2018 the other day inspired me to dig in the cellar, and–as promised–here’s one at almost 10. It’s actually not as vibrant as anticipated, and possibly at just about peak. Going brick in the glass, it still maintains a ruby core, but headed amber-garnet at the edge. Weedy nectar in the nose, considerably rustic with dense raisin and bruised-plum characteristics along a dark, gritty path shining concentrated and dessert-y. Canned cherries in syrup and dank, murky barnyard make for a gorgeous-smelling wine, but porty and heavily-weighted.

The mouthfeel also reflects something you probably want to pop in the next few years unless you are a sucker for seriously aged–and possibly out-of-balance–wines. The cherry is surprisingly bright, but an acidic–and possibly alcoholic–burn create a bottom-heavy texture that skews things. The rusticity is apparent in the mouth, tasting cellar-floor-ish and almost bretty. Still a heavy, chewy wine, thick with flavor and dense berry–albeit a black, murky, teeth-wiping kind. Tannin is still unforgiving, and the dirty fruit slides down meekly against its solid wall. A rather invigorating briar emerges where the funk and acid meet late-middle, and prods at the structure in a lively manner.

Maybe I’m being too hard on this wine, but the thinness of the fruit over the middle and its overall tiredness bothers me. I could be totally wrong. This thing could emerge as something stupidly good at 15. I have a couple left, and will let you know.

2011 TENUTA SETTE PONTI ‘Crognolo’ Sangio/ME IGT Toscana Italy 14.5

https://www.tenutasetteponti.it/en/

https://www.kobrandwineandspirits.com/portfolio/tenuta_sette_ponti/about
This is an odd wine.
By: Stephen Mcconnell
Tags: Washington, Food And Beverage, Wine, Red Wine, Food And Drink

This is an odd wine. Clear garnet in the glass, bricked all the way through. Big, round chubby nose of cherry headed pruney–but not oxidized–just flabby and one-dimensionally sweet and rotund. A bit of saline barnyard slides in, a dog-park sort of ooze lacking foundation, accentuated by oak. This is a wine probably a lot of people would find fabulous, a wine I am tempted to say “I could sell END-CAPS of this stuff”. It’s a crowd-pleasing sort of direct ripeness, un-encumbered by nuances the 1% find intriguing and de rigueur with this variety.

In the mouth, light and thin on any areas causing deep consideration. Sweet and full, lacking significant acid, bereft of briar, even the peppery bits we expect are absent. Watery and boring, burnt and glassine, heat fulfils any spicy dreams and tannins are non-existent. Glycerin-y and vapid, the whole package feels contrived and forced–a wine from this otherwise-stellar–and mainly Pinot–label I would prefer to skip. The color is the first clue, and tasting it confirms all suspicions.

2017 HUETT Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley Washington 14.9

https://huettcellars.com/
Today, I laid off a kid.
By: Joe Alexander
Tags: Job Hunting, Family, Empathy, Unemployment, Layoffs

As of today, over 22 million people have filed for unemployment, the most since the Great Depression. That’s not just 22 million people. That’s 22 million families, friends, neighbors. The ripple effect, impossible to measure.

In March 2017, I wrote this in my diary after a long day that started with 10 layoffs I did personally. I lost my own job a few months later.

Today, I laid off of kid.

She has no idea who I am.

At 10 this morning, I told her dad we didn’t have a job for him anymore.

The kid just woke up and went to school. Perfect day. Maybe a little stress about math class. Some acne. Teenage stuff.

But at dinner tonight, dad says “I have some news.”

Here we go. A new house. New friends. New teams.

“Who the hell is this guy changing my life just because a client cut their budget?” the kid thinks.

“Dude, what about my social life?”

My old boss Mike Hughes had a belief.

When we have to lay off someone, it’s not their fault. It’s the agency’s. We failed. We didn’t give them the opportunity to thrive.

I believe that, too. We share the burden of a lost job.

My heart breaks. I’m sorry.

I know what’s it’s like to be let go.

Years ago, I sat across from that guy who said, like me today, “I’m sorry, but we’ve eliminated your job.”

Code words: “You’re fired.”

I was pissed. Embarrassed. I came home and told my wife and family. I balled like a little kid. And then we forged ahead.

To this day, I believe it was the best thing that ever happened to me. Getting axed. It made me hungry, driven, focused, hell bent on proving “them” wrong.

Maybe I would have succeeded without failing. Maybe.

But back to that kid and her dad.

The kid worships the ground her dad walks on.

And she will continue to worship him no matter what.

Promise.

Especially if her dad explains “Hey, it’s like acne. It’s ugly now, but it ain’t going to last forever.”
Workforce Responders: The Role of Libraries During and After COVID-19
By: Heldrich Center For Workforce Development
Tags: Public Libraries, Workforce Development, Libraries, Covid 19, Unemployment

by Stephanie Holcomb

In recognition of National Library Week, the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development is thinking about the important role of libraries both in our workforce development system, and in their response to the COVID-19 crisis. For job seekers and the workforce system, libraries have historically offered a hub of career services and technological resources to support job search, small business development, and education and training. In their response to COVID-19, libraries have built on their foundation of community service to fill the gaps in public response. As one review of their response noted, libraries have opened their digital resources, are helping to feed the hungry, are using makerspaces to 3D print personal protective equipment, are providing hotspots to those without digital access, and as always, are serving as a provider of information about community resources. Indeed, libraries have not skipped a beat. According to a recent Public Libraries Association survey with 2,500 responses, most libraries (98%) reported continuing or expanding services, adding services such as online renewal policies, online services for e-books and media, and virtual programming.

Given their strengths, libraries are well poised to serve as arbiters of information for the community, using their research expertise and familiarity with their communities to gather and disseminate resources. The Public Libraries Association found that 17% of respondents were providing resources related to COVID-19. In New Jersey, the Princeton Public Library and the New Jersey Library Association have developed websites pointing visitors to local COVID-19 resources. Many other libraries have developed similar websites, providing guides to apply for unemployment insurance and compiling “links you can trust” for relevant resources.

Whatever this recovery looks like, and as long as it may last, libraries are prepared to respond to the immediate needs and stand ready for the long-term needs. Thinking of how they can stand more firmly once that long-term recovery begins, libraries are circulating “staged reopening” plans and preparing webinars and trainings to determine when and how they will carefully transition back to standard operation, and how they will continue to meet community needs in the meantime.

It is likely we will enter a period of high demand for workforce services following the ongoing public health crisis. If this is the case, the current place-based public workforce system will be overwhelmed with a huge demand for services across the nation in volumes never seen before. Fortunately, through established partnerships and existing knowledge and resources, libraries will continue to be an important actor and partner as we assess and begin to address the damage COVID-19 has caused our labor market.

Stephanie Holcomb is a Research Project Coordinator at the Heldrich Center.
Higher education in Burkina: a path towards unemployment?
By: Achille Sawadogo
Tags: Burkina Faso, University, Unemployment, Education

Auditorium in a public university (approx. 2000 students attending a lecture)

“The candidates whose names follow are successful …”. This is the magic sentence made by the president of the jury before returning the verdict of admission to the baccalaureate, recognizing nine long months of intense classes and exercises. We then attend scenes of jubilation, often crazy.” It’s worth it! It is not given to all to have the baccalaureate … “, some say.

But the euphoria of the first days after admission will gradually fade and leave room for questioning: “Now that I have the baccalaureate, what will I do? In which high school/university will I enroll? What will I study? Which profession will I practice”?

For the last year session (2018), 38178 candidates were successful at the baccalaureate level. To continue their studies, they had to choose between public and private education. A dilemma.

Pursuing higher education in a public school requires a great sacrifice. Above all, we must accept the delay. Numerous attempts to alleviate the problem, notably through the system of “technical invalidation” due to great late to accomplish coursework, which norms are still not established. Studying in the public also means accepting draconian working conditions: lack of classrooms, overcrowding, etc. But one thing is certain: you will not have to worry about the recognition of your degrees. You will be able to showcase them in public service competitions and for job offers; your sacrifice will not have been in vain.

Candidates taking the baccalaureate exam, 2018

If this option does not suit you, you can still enroll in the private sector, which offers a range of vocational training streams. The working conditions cannot be easier: reduced staff, air-conditioned rooms, etc. But the quality of the services often leaves something to be desired: unqualified teachers, teaching programs that are not adapted to the training program, etc. The icing on the cake: in many cases, diplomas are not recognized by the CAMES (African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education), or even by the government of Burkina Faso.

However, whatever the training option, you are not immune to unemployment. According to the continuous multi-sector survey conducted in 2014, the overall unemployment rate in Burkina Faso is 6.6%. This scourge mainly affects the age group of 15–34 years, which represent about 35% of the population and 63.76% of the unemployed.
Unemployment in India | Jobs in India
By: Job Circle
Tags: Jobs, Unemployment, Job Hunting

India is the fastest growing economy in the world but that doesn’t mean anything to the country having 127 crore people, many of whom continue to struggle for finding the right kind of jobs.

India’s unemployment rate stood at 5 percent in 2015–16 compared to 3.8 percent in 2012–13, according to the fifth annual survey of employment-unemployment published by the ministry of labor and employment. At first glance, that seems like a reasonable unemployment rate for a country like India. However, a separate quarterly survey conducted by the government on jobs being created in key sectors tells a different story.

For a country where 1.2 crore people enter the workforce each year, the pace of job creation remains far below that, what is needed even though the economy is growing its job opportunities at just 7 percent per year.

Across eight key employment generating sectors, only 1.35 lakh jobs were added in the calendar year 2015, quarterly surveys of employment showed. In other words, jobs created were equal to only 1 percent of the addition to the workforce. These sectors include textiles including apparel, leather, metals, automobiles, gems & jewelry, transport, information technology, and handlooms, etc…….

For best Job opportunities please visit — https://jobcircle.in/
Harry Potter is the One Thing Keeping Me from Losing My Shit
By: Kae Mae
Tags: Pandemic, Hbo Max, Israel, Harry Potter, Unemployment

Harry Potter is the One Thing Keeping Me from Losing My Shit Kae Mae Jun 17·2 min read

Every time I check in on the news something unbelievably unsettling or extremely surprising is going on. The captain on a commercial airplane requesting for all able body men to come forward and help contain a crazy person from gaining access to the cockpit, mid-flight. A man fellow passengers heard state his intentions to bring the plane down. The Israelis are warming up to a genocide. Israelis, who are direct descendants of people who themselves were victims of a genocide. Two of the biggest states in the Union, California and Texas, are facing an electricity shortage and are sustaining frequent power outages. There’s a bridge over the Mississippi River that’s closed, right outside of Memphis. The resulting traffic is affecting the quality of life of not just their citizens but the entire country because commercial traffic is affected as well. Over the road shipments by long haul truck drivers are being delayed. This when we’re already trying to deal with a shortage of available truck drivers. One company out of Texas is so desperate that they’re offering a $10,000 sign on bonus. Meanwhile, Congress can’t agree on an infrastructure bill. While said infrastructure is crumbling before our eyes and affecting us all. We still have a pandemic to deal with. Women are unemployed at vastly higher rates than men. States with Republican governors are cutting off the additional $300 weekly federal pandemic assistance for unemployed individuals which will disproportionately affect women. A woman employee of a supermarket in Georgia was shot dead for trying to enforce her employer’s mask mandate by a male customer. Companies are having their entire computer systems being held for ransom by hackers forcing these companies to pay millions! And at least one case is using bitcoin. Bitcoin of recent IPO fame. The same bitcoin Tesla will accept as payment for one of their electric vehicles and presumably for a seat on their rocket. Meme Stocks. Senate passed a resolution to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. And in few years Harriet Tubman and the Phenomenal Woman herself, Dr. Maya Angelo, are going to be featured on our money.

The only thing keeping me sane is that all eight movies of the Harry Potter series is available on HBOmax. Dassit.
Nigeria- Who should do what, where, when, and how?
By: Tony Joy
Tags: Nigerian Politics, Nigeria, Young People, Unemployment, Social Issues

The decline in the ability of the average citizen in Nigeria to meet their daily needs is a growing concern for so many of us. This concern is drawing our attention not only to the income divide that exists but also to the growing population of underemployed and unemployed young people. This gap can also be an opportunity that the government is paying little or no attention to even when the results are evident.

We are currently witnessing an agitated generation of young people who are willing to do anything to make ends meet and the government seems to be fighting back using force as its instrument of negotiation- that is if any negotiating table exists.

If the country has the workforce, a growing population, land space, local resources, opportunities for improved technology, right market access, international agreements for trade and commerce, creative generation of young people, and lots more, the question is then is why are we not utilizing all of these to our advantage? This seems to be an open-ended question with different perspectives and answers, but on whichever side of the divide one falls into the reality is still the same, that what we are currently experiencing as a nation is being felt by all and we need to do something urgently about it.

The doing is the work- who should do what, where, when, and how? How favorable are the internal working conditions that will give room for individuals to do something?

This question forms the basis of the content I hope to be able to share with you on this platform as I continue to find answers.